Mary Cope
Winter break is quickly approaching, and many of us are now frantically finishing up shopping, wrapping, and decorating! Unfortunately, instead of hearing the friendly crunch of frosty snow beneath our feet, we hear the slosh of mud puddles and the pitter-patter of rain on our rooftops. Since Mother Nature has thrown us a curveball, and as this holiday may turn out to be a very wet, damp one, this winter idea may have to wait, a month or so. It turns out that you can make an animal-friendly version of Frosty the Snowman! All you need are a few, simple substitutions!
We all know from the popular song that Frosty has a button nose, but adding a carrot, instead, will attract squirrels and deer! His two eyes made out of coal can be created from pine cones coated with peanut butter and bird seeds. His arms, if made with sturdy sticks, can hold suet, as well as some special pine cone bulbs! If you sprinkle bird seed around Frosty, that, too, will attract many creatures to brighten up your yard and keep your snowman company! If you come up with any leftover fruit pieces, those can be thrown around your snowman, too. The birds, squirrels, mice, and deer will thank you for their holiday treat! If your snowman’s appendages begin disappearing, simply replace them to keep your holiday friends coming back for more!
(Mary Cope is a junior whose interests span from dog shows to falconry. She particularly enjoys flying her hawk, Theron, in the woods behind her home. Mary’s immersion in the natural world for her various hobbies has instilled in her a deep appreciation for the environment and the many creatures to which it is home.)
