wollynorthern.jpg

As the story goes, the woolly bear, a caterpillar found in our river valley, can predict the harshness of winter.   To download the radio play Northern Lights copy the link below and paste into the address bar on your browser.  http://www.mediafire.com/?tmuyi0mynnt    It takes some time as the file is 40mb. but it is worth it. Feel free to share the MP3 file with others. You can also type in the address if you prefer.   This fall many woolly bears were observed crossing paths along the river in search of a place to hibernate for the cold winter months. The woolly bear produces a natural antifreeze that allows it to remain hidden in debris and wood piles until spring. The larger the golden brown section the milder the winter, says the woolly bear. In spring it will cocoon and become a tiger moth. So far this winter seems rough. Note those stripes and by spring see if the caterpillar knew its stuff. 2008 has been a challenge in many ways. Many changes. We started the year with election campaigns for alderman and ended the year with election campaigns for president. We have a democratic legislature in Madison and in Washington as well. The political bears predict a tough time but a chance to do better. The economic seers only give us gloomy bearings. Measure their stripes and see if they are any good at predicting our future. In the meantime hunker downand try to keep warm while you are shoveling snow. I worked with two Service Learning students from UWM this fall on a woolly bear tale. Angel and Ulrike helped create a radio play about strange goings on in the wild beyond. Watch for it on our web site. Local musician and sound artist Paul Setser did a wonderful job of creating asound tale that entertains and engages. Now those woolly bears, do they know more than we think about the world? You can down load the MP3 file Northern Lights and hear the entire30 minute radio play. To download the radio play Northern Lights copy the link below and paste into the address bar on your browser.  http://www.mediafire.com/?tmuyi0mynnt    It takes some time as the file is 40mb. but it is worth it. Feel free to share the MP3 file with others. You can also type in the address if you prefer.