December 2008
Silent Lights
Luminary Walk, Refreshments and Song
Saturday, December 13, 6:00-9:00 pm
Stroll the 2/3 of one mile hard-surfaced trail at Severson Dells Forest Preserve as it is lit up with hundreds of luminaries. Inside the Nature Center enjoy a cup of hot chocolate (be kind to the earth and bring your own mug) by the fireplace and music by Severson Dells’ own “house band” Casey’s Fancy, and returning from Colorado, Rockford’s own Emily Hurd.
Emily Hurd: 6:30-9:00 pm in the museum room
Casey’s Fancy: 6:30-9:00 pm in the classroom
No fee to stroll the path. Musical entertainment is FREE to members of “Friends of Severson Dells” (if you’re not a current member, you may join that night!); $3/person non-members, $9/family max. Call 1-815-335-2915 for directions or more information.
Winter Solstice Celebration
Sunday, December 21, 7:00 pm
Four Winds Center for Spiritual Ecology, co-sponsored by Severson Dells, will lead a celebration of the winter solstice. We have been journeying into the dark for the past 6 months, culminating in this the longest night of year. It is here we gather the fierce wisdom to move once again into the light, igniting our passion for this world. No Fee. For information: 1-815-335-2915.
Our House is Your House
Monday and Tuesday, December 29 and 30
Not necessarily an open house, but a house that is open. From 9:00 am - 3:30 pm, each day we invite you (people of all ages) to come out to Severson Dells and just hang out! We will have hot chocolate for the kids and coffee available for the adults, plus snacks as well. Inside enjoy the fire or have some fun putting together one of our large nature floor puzzles. Or maybe take a good book and curl up by the window and keep one eye on the birds at the feeders. We will have the puppets out for play and several nature crafts to idle away the time. Oh yeah … the woods and prairie will be waiting for you to frolic in them. Two days that you can go OFF trail, ski if you wish, or build some snow caves. We bet you can even talk one of the staff to have some snow fun with you. No fee only lots of unstructured fun. Call 1-815-335-2915 for details.
January 2009
A Walk in the Woods
Saturday, January 10, 6:00-7:30 pm
Celebrate Aldo Leopold’s birthday (Jan. 11) with a walk at the Dells. Leopold was a tremendous naturalist/teacher/environmentalist and during the 1930s spent some time here at Severson Dells conducting deer research. We will take a short hike around the hard-surfaced loop, and then enjoy a fireside chat with hot chocolate. Bring a Leopold quote or reading to share by the fire. Free. 1-815-335-2915
Reading the Signs: Tracks and Scats
Saturday, January 17, 9:30-11:00 am
Who went there? Where were they going? What were they doing? These and other questions can provoke thought on animal lives and encourage us to learn more. This program, geared for the family, will teach participants to look, think and question in regards to the signs animals leave behind. Come prepared to spend part of the time outdoors. Free to members of “Friends of Severson Dells.” Non-members will be charged $2 per person, with a $5 maximum per family. Please call to register. 1-815-335-2915
Winter Bird Hike
Saturday, January 31, 8:00-10:30 am
Join volunteer naturalist Phil Schwab at Severson Dells Forest Preserve as we begin the walk by identifying birds at the feeders. We then will walk outside with the hopes of seeing Winter Wrens, Brown Creepers, Tree Sparrows, or something completely unexpected. Meet at the Nature Center. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather. No fee. 1-815-335-2915
February 2009
Almost a Full Moon Lake Gathering
Saturday, February 7, 4:00 p.m. -????
hosted by Severson Dells Nature Center and Wild Ones - Rock River Valley Chapter
Rock Cut State Park at the ‘cabin on the lake’
Meet: At the parking lot on the west side of the lake just before the dam (follow the road in toward the fishing pier).
We’ll take a short (1/2 mile) hike through the winter landscape to the ‘cabin on the lake’. There we will share stories (bring your favorite moon, lake or winter readings to share) while drinking hot chocolate around the fire with friends and new acquaintances.
As darkness falls we’ll watch the moon rise over the lake. Don Miller, hike leader and Education Director of Severson Dells, says, “The moon will be full in two days so we’ll have to squint our eyes a little. We can hike, ski, or sled to our hearts content. This is a “lovers moon” you know. No negative thoughts about cloudy weather! If there is moderate snow, hiking may be difficult.”
Make your reservation to enjoy a local site in a different setting. Maybe we’ll even get lucky and see some wildlife or hear owls calling out. For further information or to make your reservation contact Don Miller at Severson Dells 1-815-335-2915 or Kim Risley at 1-815-962-4584.
Sweetheart of a Chili Feast
Saturday, February 14, 12:30-2:30 pm
Take that special someone or someones (family) out to Sugar River Forest Preserve with your favorite chili concoction and enjoy the day. An escape like no other! Meet at the Sugar River Forest Preserve front gate and be prepared to walk down to the beautiful Riverview stone shelterhouse. There we will eat, talk and decide upon the course of action for a short river bluff hike. What a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Please call to let us know you are planning to attend. 1-815-335-2915
Darkness and the Return of the Light
Sunday, February 15, 6:30 pm
Sponsored in the memory of Alan Hutchcroft. No fee.
From the dazzling night sky to the silent winter forest, the world gives us uncountable gifts. Among them are beauty, peace, the wonder of what is beyond us — and the hope and steadfastness that come from these. “Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life,” Rachel Carson wrote. With ideas and readings from their books, Paul Bogard (Let There Be Night) and Kathleen Dean Moore (Riverwalking) will explore the beauties and mysteries of the worlds they walk in and ask the all-important question, How can our lives be an expression of gratitude for these great gifts?
Kathleen Dean Moore is best known for her books about our cultural connections to wet, wild places — Riverwalking, Holdfast, and The Pine Island Paradox, winner of the Oregon Book Award. She is hard at work compiling a new book, For All Time, wide-ranging essays about our responsibility to the future to leave a world as full of life and possibility as our own.
Paul Bogard is editor of Let There Be Night: Testimony on Behalf of the Dark, a collection of essays by twenty-nine writers who share their personal experiences of night and help us to understand what we miss when dark skies
and nocturnal wildness vanish. He currently teaches at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where he is finishing two new books, one titled The Geography of Night, and the other titled Blessings From a Small House.
Winter Bird Hike
Saturday, February 21, 8:30-11:00 am
Join volunteer naturalist Phil Schwab at Severson Dells Forest Preserve as we begin the walk by identifying birds at the feeders. We then will walk outside with the hopes of seeing the numerous winter residents of Severson Dells. Meet at the Nature Center. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather. No fee. Call 1-815-335-2915 to confirm.
Wolves of the Midwest: Fact and Fiction
Sunday, February 22, 2:00-3:30 pm
Wolf numbers have made a remarkable recovery since passage of the Endangered Species Act. However a lot of questions remain about their future. This program will concentrate on wolf ecology, behavior and current status in the Midwestern part of the United States. A comparison will also be made with the locally common canine cousins of the wolf, coyotes and foxes. Free to members of “Friends of Severson Dells.” Non-members will be charged $2 per person, with a $5 maximum per family. Please call to register. 1-815-335-2915
