Above: SOLF highlights the splashes of color you can find if you explore local nature this winter. (image cropped from photo contributed by SOLF’s Debbie Costine, Trustee)
[This post is part of a special guest series focused on appreciating nature in Southborough, contributed by the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF), a non-profit dedicated to preserving and stewarding natural resources here in town.]
When the days grow short, many of us like to bring some of the outdoors into our homes to have the fresh scents and colors of nature inside. This desire goes back thousands of years! There are lots of options; balsam fir being a favorite along with the red berries of holly, or the native plant in our area: “Winterberry” with its bright red berries. One can make wreaths and garlands by wiring snips of evergreen branches together and adding the colors of red berries as well as dried grasses and various cones. Arbor vitae, or cedar is a good option too -or pine boughs. One year I picked the dry brown “fertile fronds” of the sensitive fern and painted them for fun.
I was born and raised in northern NH and my father was very much an outdoorsman. When hunting in December, he would return from hours in the woods sometimes with pockets full of moss and “partridge berries.” He would put them in a covered glass bowl on the dining room table. How I loved lifting the lid to breathe in the earthy smell!
The next time you take a walk outdoors around your property keep an eye out for some nature that you could bring inside!
Want to learn more about SOLF, or volunteer or donate? Check out our site, we’d love to hear from you.
Debbie Costine, Trustee
SOLF – Southborough Open Land Foundation
