Crossroads invites the community to get cozy at Crossroads Fireside on Saturday afternoons at the Collins Learning Center during the center's open hours from 1-4 pm. Whether you want to warm up by the fire after a hike or just stop by for a cup of coffee and some conversation, we’ll be ready for all visitors with some comfy seats, hot chocolate, and some fresh popcorn! We are moving our weekly Science Saturday, our “science in fun” activities for elementary-aged students and their families, to Saturday afternoons. The next science Saturday program will be “Night Tree”, our traditional holiday observance.
The program was inspired by a children's picture book, "Night Tree," by Eve Bunting that tells the story of a family driving out "to where the quiet begins" on Christmas Eve to decorate their tree for the creatures of the forest.
We owe this tradition to Jane Bumgardner who, for years, brought her first-grade students from Sawyer School to Crossroads to read the story by the fire and then go out into the forest to decorate a tree with gifts for the birds and animals. Our program, which will start at 2:00 pm on Saturday includes videos, a fireside story, a walk, and the opportunity to decorate a special tree near the Council Ring on Crossroads Campus.
Helping birds is a lovely concept, but around the holidays the birds don’t really need much help. There now is plenty of food is available for the birds, especially in landscapes (and may they increase) in which folks subscribe to the “messy garden movement,” leaving dead flower heads to provide seeds for wildlife. The messy garden movement spreads food throughout a landscape reducing the concentration of birds around a particular point such as a feeder, reducing potential disease outbreaks.
Still, we feed birds and wildlife at Crossroads, not so much to help the creatures, but instead, to inspire young people develop a lifelong love of nature and a desire to help the environment, and because we love to see our feathery visitors.
In severely cold weather or during ice storms, and at the end of a long winter, backyard feeding probably does help our winter birds---if we supply food high in fat and calories.
One blustery year during our Night Tree trip to the forest—some of the children thought it would be a great idea to build a shelter for the little birds. The parents were shushing and trying to redirect the children, but the truth is, the shelter would help the birds as much and probably more than decorating a tree with food gifts for the holidays.
Many properties have large lawns, but lack areas for birds to perch, or protective places for birds to escape predators and/or to get out of the wind. Planting trees, hedges and shrubs, NATIVE of course, improve the habitat for wildlife and birds. Thick tangles that imitate nature are the best.
I used to recommend putting used Christmas trees out in the yard for the birds…..and I still do, IF, and ONLY IF, the tree was grown locally. We should support our local economy! BUY LOCAL.
But also know that evergreen wreaths, garlands, floral arrangements, and trees from elsewhere might harbor invasive insects, fungi or plant diseases that we really really don’t want to introduce here.
Speaking of wreaths and garlands, Friends of Crossroads will be “Decking the Halls" and sharing a potluck at the Collins Learning Center on December 1 between 2:00-5:00. All are welcome but we do encourage volunteers to RSVP on the Crossroads website. After all the merriment in doors, we will then head outside at 5:30, for the First Friday Campfire, which will celebrate the start of the holiday season.
The Door County Historical Society’s “Glimpse of Christmas Past” in the Heritage Village which will run 4:00-7:00 Fridays and Saturdays throughout December. Non-profit organizations are decorating the buildings to celebrate the season, and Crossroads is decorating the Warren House.
Never willing to pass up a chance to educate, we invited the 3rd grade from Sevastopol School to learn about history by helping with the decorations for “Glimpse of Christmas Past”. These young Pioneers were reading “Little House in the Big Woods,” looking through turn-of-the-last century catalogues and using “ink pens” to write letters to Santa as if they were children out of the past.
Last Tuesday, the children went into the forest to cut a Christmas tree for the Warren house, and in the Vigness School, they strung cranberries and popcorn into garlands and created fragrant orange/clove pomanders for decorations. Wednesday, they learned about pioneers traditions, gathered the greens for the outdoor garlands. We know they would love to have many visitors at “their” house and view all their hard work.
Finally, Bird Club will meet on Tuesday, December 6 to learn about another long-term Crossroads tradition, and a far longer international event, the Annual Christmas Bird County. Crossroads Program Director Corey Basten will explain how and why we will continue with this cherished tradition.
Friday, December 1
2:00-5:00 Deck the Halls
Break out the wreaths, the ribbons, and holiday cheer. Join us as we decorate the Learning Center. Help us hang lights and welcome the holidays with a potluck feast. Please RSVP on the Crossroads website and let us know what you think you will bring to the potluck. Open to all. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.
Saturday, December 2
1:00-4:00 Fireside at Crossroads
Whether you want to warm up after a hike or just stop by for a cup of coffee and conversation, we’ll have some comfy seats out, heat up the hot chocolate and pop some fresh popcorn for you. Reservations not required. Drop in whenever. Free and open the the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Science Saturdays: Night Tree
During this cherished Crossroads program, families will enjoy videos, a story by the fire, and a visit to the forest to decorate a tree for the birds and wildlife. If families want to bring a gift, black oil sunflowers seeds are preferred. Free and open to learners of all ages. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI, United States
December 5 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Crossroads Bird Club: The Christmas Bird Count
Crossroads Bird Club: The Christmas Bird Count - Crossroads at Big Creek
Whether you're a life-long birder or newly interested we invite you to come learn about all things bird and bird...
Bird Club – a gathering of people who love birds – meets the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. Whether you’re a life-long birder or newly interested we invite you to come learn about all things bird and birding-related.
This month we are discussing the upcoming Christmas Bird Count. With over a century of citizen science data collected all across the nation, we will explore the history of the Christmas count, its role in bird conservation, and how you can participate with Crossroads on December 16, 2023 as well as other bird watching science you can help out with this winter and beyond! Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Sturgeon Bay
