The Grab and Go Planner: Trek Your Winter Blues Away

It’s been said in just about every part of the country, “If you don’t like the weather, give it a minute.” That could easily apply to what we’ve experienced recently in southeast Wisconsin. One week we’re shoveling out from a major blizzard and the next week it feels like spring.

As varied as the weather can be, so too are the multitude of opportunities we have during this “in-between” period of time. You can take a walk at one of our beautiful parks and enjoy the spring music of the birds, or still find plenty of snow for some skiing or sledding. Here’s a list of organized outdoor events we found to enjoy with your family.

• From Friday through Monday you can participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Set aside a period of time to count the birds in your yard or the local park, and submit your counts to be included in a nation wide database. The data is compiled and contributes greatly to our understanding of birds. You can do it on your own, or join in a more organized count like what is happening at Pringle Nature Center in Kenosha County.
• Explore the world of animals that sleep through our long cold winters on Saturday at the Schlitz Audubon Center in Milwaukee. Animals like Groundhogs, Chipmunks, Black Bears and our reptiles and amphibians will soon be starting to wake up as winter stubbornly looses its grip. Join Education Specialist Tom Finley in the morning from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the program Are You Sleeping? Dress for the weather. You’ll be going on a hike to look for some sure signs of spring!
• Participate in Winter NatureFest at Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and learn what is going on outdoors on those cold winter nights! This looks like an awesome event for the whole family and includes activities, games, crafts, food and a whole lot of fun! Be sure to check out their website for a full list of all the amazing programs and activities scheduled.
• If you took the pines and the evergreens out of our winter landscape, we’d lose a lot more than just color. Learn about the importance of our conifers and how they manage to stay green through the winter at a program titled Pines and Needles at Richard Bong State Recreation Area from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday. Dress for the weather as you’ll be going outside to identify some local evergreens.
• Still want to get some more hard water fishing in while the ice is still solid? Participate in the Roman Milewski Annual Fisheree sponsored by AJ’s Bar and Grill in Muskego on Saturday. Buy some raffle tickets and have an opportunity to win one of many prizes. Give AJ’s a call at 414-427-1707 for details.