With the dear memory of Four Winds’ co-founder, friend, and puppet show creator extraordinaire Chris Runcie in our hearts, we’ve been looking back through our favorite Nearby Nature puppet shows. These shows – full of natural science vocabulary and content plus Chris’s punny jokes – are a delight to Nature Program schoolchildren and adult volunteers alike.
Since much of New England was covered by a wet blanket of rain clouds this past week, we thought we’d share an excerpt from the “Head in the Clouds” puppet show from Nearby Nature’s Wind and Clouds Aloft, where our good-natured pal Benjy Bear learns about wind, clouds and weather.
Chippy Chipmunk: Oh, you can learn a lot from the clouds, Benjy. I should know. I’m a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society.
Benjy Bear: The Cloud Appreciation Society? What’s that?
Chipmunk: Well, all the members think everyone should pay more attention to clouds. They’re beautiful and all so different, and they can give you clues about the weather.
Bear: About the weather?
Chipmunk: Sure! You should get to know some clouds, Benjy Bear… Yikes! I’m late for our meeting. Gotta go!
Benjy goes on to learn from the clouds themselves: cumulus (puffy and piled up), stratus (low and layered), and cirrus (high in the sky and curled like mare’s tails). Benjy asks Siri Cirrus clouds if they mean good weather.
Cirrus: Well, you see us when the sky is blue, but there could be bad weather in a day or two. But I don’t want to be a neigh-sayer. Whoa! The wind’s blowing at a gallop! I’m off!
After being invited to join the Cloud Appreciation Society (which you can join too!), Benjy Bear lies down to look up at the sky…and nods off after a long day of cloud appreciation.
We hope you have some time to get outside and do some cloud gazing this spring! And we’d love to hear from you about your favorite Four Winds puppet shows.
What are these brown spikes emerging from wet roadside soils?
These are stems of field horsetail! Field horsetail has two kinds of stems: reproductive and vegetative. The reproductive stems are tipped with spore-bearing cones (left in photo above with the cone split open releasing spores). The vegetative stems appear a bit later to carry out photosynthesis (right in photo above).
Field Horsetail is a member of one of the most primitive living plant families. Its tree-sized ancestors were common in the Carboniferous Period, around 350-300 million years ago. Try imagining a miniature world in which to play amongst these ancient plants!
With warmer weather making an appearance in New England, there’s a buzz of excitement to get outside and explore! Whether you’re a teacher or a caregiver, the urge to enjoy the outdoors is strong—but sometimes, figuring out how to begin can feel overwhelming.
One of the best ways to start is by thinking small. It might sound exciting to plan a family hike every weekend or commit to taking your class outside for half the day each Friday, but life gets busy, schedules shift, and those big plans can quickly fall through.
Instead, ease into it. Try getting your family outside for just ten minutes a day, then gradually build from there. Maybe those ten minutes become the first item on your to-do list when you arrive home from work or school. A quick stroll around the block, a walk to the mailbox, or simply standing together in the yard to breathe in fresh air and listen to the birds can be enough to spark a love for the outdoors.
For classroom teachers, a strong routine is key! Choose a day and time that fits well into your schedule. Invite a parent volunteer to join you, and let your students know the plan. When students know what to expect, they look forward to outdoor time—and they’ll help hold you accountable! Pick a consistent location and start with simple activities that require minimal prep. Have students bring a book or writing journal, or simply give them time to explore and observe.
These small steps can easily grow into a routine that works for you—whether at home or in the classroom. Before you know it, those simple beginnings will blossom into a lasting habit of outdoor fun and nature-filled learning!
Need some spring ideas for exploring nearby nature? Four Winds has created a guide with play prompts, materials to have on hand, recommended gear, and non-fiction and fiction books here.
Brilliant sun-like flowers illuminate ditches at this time of year. Take a close look at these harbingers of spring.
The flower heads are made of many tiny flowers. How many can you count?
Notice the outer flowers in the flowerhead are open while the center flowers are closed.
The stems are covered with scales and woolly hairs. How does it feel?
Flowers bloom before these plants get leaves. Who else do you notice around the flowers soaking up the spring sunshine?
These observations tell us we are not looking at smooth-stemmed dandelions, whose leaves appear before the flowers, but coltsfoot (named for their horse hoof-shaped leaves).
Welcome to springtime in New England! Along with the warmer spring weather comes a wonderful world of sensory exploration: MUD! Children of any age (even adults!) may experience the delights that mud can offer.
Mud play engages a variety of sensory systems by immersing children in the different textures and scents of the earth. Kids develop gross motor skills through balancing in and walking through mud, plus they practice fine motor skills while manipulating mud with their fingers. Mud play builds social skills like communication and problem-solving with playmates, and it expands creative thinking as children sculpt and create without boundaries.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start with a small space outdoors where mud is available, or create such an area yourself with just water and dirt. Offer tools such as shovels, spoons, pots/pans, and paintbrushes. Check out Four Winds’ guide to Mud Kitchens for more ideas. Lastly, embrace the mess! Clothes, boots, and mud suits can all be washed, but the fun memories will last forever!
Chris Runcie’s life was full of wonder, delight, learning, and so much love. She was a founder of the Four Winds Nature Institute and a lead author of our Nearby Nature curriculum. Through her writing and teaching, Chris engaged thousands of children and adults in outdoor natural science exploration. Her playful, creative, joyful way of being shines through in each Nearby Nature puppet show, and those scores of characters – with their clever, silly puns – are pure Chris gold. She was a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother; a dear friend and colleague; and a treasured teacher in communities across Vermont and into New York.
Maria Christina Runcie, always known as Chris, passed away at her home in Starksboro, VT on March 31, 2025. She will be very deeply missed.
Hepatica flowers are getting ready to bloom! One of the earliest wildflowers to appear in eastern North American woodlands, Hepatica opens on sunny days in the brief window between snow melt and tree leaf out.
The dense, silvery hairs that cover the stem and flower buds are thought to retain heat or to act as a deterrent from nectar-stealing ants.
According to the doctrine of signatures (a philosophy that a plant could cure the body part it resembled), hepatica’s evergreen leaves could heal the liver. The word hepar is Greek for liver. In the 1800s hundreds of tons of hepatica leaves were harvested for medicine, though modern medicine has shown it has no medicinal efficacy.
Their dazzling color range of white to pink to indigo seems to be genetic. How many shades of Hepatica can you find this spring?
What better reason to stay up way past your bedtime than in the service of nature! With rain and warm nights in the forecast, the excitement of the possibility of a “Big Night” bubbles under the surface as we go about our day, wondering: will tonight be the night?
Amphibian migration occurs across several nights between March and early May each year, as warm temperatures awaken creatures from their winter slumber, called brumation. Signs of spring, like frequent warmer temperatures and longer days, let them know it is time to wake up and begin to find their way to a cozy breeding ground, often a vernal pond or other woodland pool.
Unfortunately, sometimes there is a road built right through that migration path. That’s where Amphibian Escorts come in! When the conditions are just right, hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of amphibians may migrate at a particular crossing location on a single night: a Big Night! (Check out North Branch Nature Center’s Amphibian Road Crossing map to find a road crossing close to you). You can tell it’s a Big Night because the road may seem to be moving on its own as creatures hop and crawl from their wooded overwintering habitat toward the safe harbor of the wetlands.
If you live near an amphibian crossing location, you can help! When the night is forecast to be wet (rain) and warm (over 40 degrees Fahrenheit), venture out slowly to see what you can find, and who you can assist!
As you embark on your amphibian service mission, there is so much to be excited about! But don’t rush! This mission is one of gentle patience as you greet each creature with care and usher them safely along their journey! Make careful observations to see which way the animals are going. Place them far off the road on the other side, safe from cars and other walkers.
Things to bring:
Flashlights and extra batteries for everyone (this is a must for safety!)
Magnifying glass for observation
Bucket for anyone who doesn’t want to pick up creatures
Notepad for collecting data
Pencil
Safety first! Here are some pointers for keeping yourself and the amphibians as safe as possible!
Human safety means:
Be visible! Dress in bright or light clothing, preferably with reflective gear!
Bring light! Everyone in your group should carry a bright flashlight and extra batteries!
Keep away from cars! Never assume cars can see you. Stay well off the road as cars go by, and never dart in front of a car to save an amphibian!
Watch for ticks! Amphibians aren’t the only creatures who emerge in warmer temperatures, and sometimes these early spring evenings are our first contact of the year with ticks! Give yourself a good tick check when you get home!
Amphibian safety means:
Walk slowly. Some creatures are very small! Watch every footstep with your flashlight and keep your eyes open! Some amphibians are as small as worms!
Handle with care! Try to keep handling periods brief and use wet hands as amphibians’ skin is sensitive.
Plan your driving route accordingly. Never drive through an amphibian migration path if you can prevent it! Park a safe distance from the edge of the site you will traverse.
This wood frog was the first creature sighted on one early April evening! It is surprising how easy they are to pick up.
Do you wonder why this frog moves so quickly during the summertime but so slowly during migration?
A red eft is helped gently on its way! This Eastern Newt is still in its juvenile stage.
Do you wonder how many different species you will find on your adventure?
A hitchhiker! This spring peeper hopped right on for a free ride! Embarking on a long perilous journey following a whole winter of brumation must be exhausting!
Spotted! This spotted salamander was one of many spotted on a Big Night!
Do you wonder why so many Spotted Salamanders chose that one night to cross?
Some other things you may wonder about:
What direction are they going? Are they all going the same way and why or why not?
How many of each species can you count? (Alive and dead!)
What do you think would happen if you took the animal back to the side of the road it came from?
If you have the chance to go out more than once or to multiple crossing places, you could compare your data and look for patterns!
Do you see more species migrating on one night than another? Or at a particular location?
Are there certain environmental conditions that seem to be preferred by certain species – temperature, location, etc?
Does one species tend to migrate all together?
Does the timing of migration change from year to year, occurring earlier or later in the spring? If so, why do you think that might be?
Wishing you a Happy Spring Equinox tomorrow! We’re celebrating the increasing amount of daylight, the awakening tree buds, and the growing chorus of birdsong.
At the spring and fall equinoxes, day and night are nearly equal in length. This is because the Earth’s axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees from vertical, and this tilt stays the same as we travel around the sun. When the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, we experience summer because the direct (strongest) rays of the sun are north of the equator, centered over the Tropic of Cancer. When the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, we experience winter because the direct rays are south of the equator, over the Tropic of Capricorn. In spring and fall, the tilt is parallel to the sun, the direct rays centered on the equator.
One way to understand the movement of the sun throughout the day is by observing our own shadows! If we shine a light on an opaque object that is smaller than the light source, we see a shadow behind it. This is because light waves travel in straight lines and do not curve or spread out.
With just some pavement and sidewalk chalk, you can draw your child(ren)’s shadows. On a sunny day, have your child stand along an approximately north-south line. Trace the outline of their shadow, including a circle around each foot, so they can stand in the same position later. Make predictions about whether the shadows will get longer or shorter and what direction they will move in.
After at least twenty minutes, return to stand in the shadow outlines. Did the length or direction change? How did the change compare to your predictions?
What do you notice?
Shadows change over the course of the day, being longest at dawn and dusk and shortest at midday when the sun is overhead. In the morning, with sunlight coming from the east, shadows are on the west side, and in the afternoon, they gradually stretch out to the east.
“One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight. There wasn’t any moon, and Harold needed a moon for a walk in the moonlight.” – from Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.
Our wonderful Moon dances around in the sky, changing shape and position every day, though, of course, we mostly notice it at night. Waxing and waning, moving from new to full and back to new, the Moon orbits the Earth and together we orbit the Sun. Those phases of the Moon repeat their pattern about every 28 days.
Exactly where we see the Moon each evening is often a surprise. The change in the position reflects the fact that the Earth’s rotational axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees relative to the plane in which we orbit the Sun. Plus, the Moon’s orbit around the Earth is also tilted about 5 degrees relative to the plane of the Earth’s orbit. This means that moonrise location varies by roughly 57 degrees on the horizon over the course of a month!
Why not take a few minutes every evening for the next 4 weeks to step outside to greet the Moon? You might even keep a moon journal for a month, drawing how the Moon appears each night and noting the time of your observation. (Children might like opening up an Oreo cookie and carving the phase of the moon out of frosting by scraping it with their teeth.)
And this week, the night sky holds a special delight early early in the morning of March 14th – a total lunar eclipse! Look for this “blood moon” at about 3:00 a.m. For more information, check out this video courtesy of NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio. Here’s hoping for clear skies for the show!
