Winter Sleep -

One day, the sun will linger a little longer. The ice on the pond will crack with a sound like a starting pistol. The dormouse will uncurl, the queen bee will crawl toward the light, and the Great Hushing will end in a chorus of birdsong. But for now, the forest dreams.

Deep in the slimy mud at the pond's bottom, have dived into the dark. They don’t move; they barely breathe. Their hearts beat only a few times a minute, waiting for the water to warm once more. The Sanctuary of the Den Winter Sleep

As autumn’s gold fades to a brittle grey, the forest floor becomes a bustling construction site. No hammers ring out, only the soft rustle of dry leaves and the frantic scratching of paws. The animals know what the wind is whispering: Sleep is coming. One day, the sun will linger a little longer

Beneath the frozen ground, the queen bumblebee has dug a tiny tunnel. While her colony has passed away with the frost, she carries the future of her hive within her, resting in a deep, shivering stillness. The World Goes Quiet But for now, the forest dreams

When the first true snow arrives, a white blanket tucks the forest in for the night. The trees stand bare and "undressed," their sap moving slowly, mimicking the animals they shelter. The lively pond becomes a ceiling of ice.