Author: Lucy, Great River School

Location: East of lake como, st. paul, minnesota

Weather: 28 degrees F, calm winds, mostly clear sky

It is now dark outside, the sun sets earlier at this time of year. The tree's branches are making slight movements with the calm winds. Everything seems very still in the dark, I do not see any wild life or really any movement at all surrounding the tree. The tree's branches are still bare and dead looking, especially in the dark where they appear more mysterious or haunted. There is still no snow on the ground.

Author: Hannah, Great River School

Location: Near Crosby Farm Park

Weather: overcast, slight breeze

The remaining leaves on the shrub, which only a handful are left, droop pathetically towards the ground. They have a green, yellow, brown color to the, with either yellow or brown tinging the outside. The plant in front is almost completely buried with fallen leaves. It's leaves show slightly above the old leaves and appear light beige and transparent. The plant's stems stand straight but looking barren. A minuscule amount of snow dusts the ground leaves.

Author: Laura, Great River School

Location: Near Merriam Park in Saint Paul, MN

Weather: Cool, windy, with cloudy skies

It is cold out here, it's true, but for the first time it does not feel like a threatening cold. It is like a challenge, almost welcoming. We live in this climate, we know we will be challenged by it. True, we could live in a warm place where the outdoors is always comfortable. But here things aren't that easy.
Most trees have lost all their leaves, but a few brown and tattered specimens still cling to some outermost branches. The ground was covered in snow a week ago. During the week it all melted, leaving the ground bare but frozen, a dirty brown and green. Now a thin layer of snow covers the ground. Not enough to cover the clumps of frozen grass, but enough to settle in its hollows.
The air smells like sewers. When you walk to the edge of the block you can see steam rolling out of them. The stink of sewers always takes over the neighborhood somewhat in wintertime.
Squirrels were out running around earlier, but now there are no animals to speak of.

Author: Evan, Great River School

Location: Backyard of my house

Weather: The temperature is at 23 F its partly cloudy. The wind is blowing at 5.8 MPH with gusts up to 7 MPH and the humidity is 58%

Right now its pretty dark out and the wind is blowing. The temperature has gone down to zero degrees and the inch or so of snow that we got last week has stayed making it so that the ground is solid. The temperature has stayed relatively warm for this time of year. There still are some animals wondering round like squirrels. I'm guessing that in a week the temperature won't get back up into the 20 any more and the animals will go into hibernation.

Author: Joe, Great River School

Location: St. Paul

Weather: 24 degrees fahrenheit, slightly cloudy

It is late afternoon right now. The light has just begun to fade it is 26 degrees Fahrenheit out but it feels colder. It is pretty quiet. I hear some car doors slam and a plan overhead. There is also noise from the exhaust fan coming from the side of my neighbor’s house. I can see everything very well because it’s not nighttime. There is a small crusty coating of snow on the ground. The second and smallest tree in my backyard is looking a little scraggly I notice. I can smell the faint smell of cookies. My sister just baked some and I ate about 20. It seems to be a very boring day outside right now. Not much activity. Time to go back inside. My hands can no longer type.

Author: Lucy, Great River School 

Location: East of lake como, st. paul, Minnesota

Weather: 24 degrees F, 13 mph windspeed, sunny, blue sky, barely any clouds

There is now a thinnish layer of snow on the ground surrounding the tree and everywhere else. Of course, there are no more leaves on the tree. Some of the tree's branches are drooped downwards as if they were too heavy for it. However, the tree still looks healthy with its thick bark and many branches. I do not see any wild life any where near by but there is a dog barking in the distance.

Author: Laura, Great River School

Location: Near Merriam Park in St Paul, MN

Weather: Partly cloudy, cold

Temp: 25 degrees Fahrenheit
Snow covers everything. It is a shock to be back out here, when only two weeks ago I was observing the number of leaves the trees had lost. Now the trees are black skeletons, leafless and looking as though they will never bear leaves again. The skeletons are padded with patches of snow. They are not deep yet, but I predict that by mid-January they will sag on the tree branches in thick drifts. The ground is solidly covered. The cold makes it almost painful to be out here. It is impossible to smell, because every breath of air freezes your nose. For now the snow is white and pristine.

Author: Tia, Great River School

Location: roseville

Weather: cloudy windy COLD snowy

It finally SNOWED!!! it makes this little garden look so pretty. The snow may be heavy and kind of dirty but it still makes it look pretty. The snow has seped into the dirt underneath and made the ground cold as well as mushy. There are tiny icicles on the rocks as well as a slippery arena around the garden where the ground was flattened. I can't see much underneath the snow but i feel the leaves and weeds underneath the piles of it.The cold effects everything in the garden, if i touch something my hands grow cold fast.

Author: Mia, Great River School

Location: Under three birch trees, back yard, Como area.

Weather: 28 degrees F, light wind.

There is a light covering of snow over the ground, less than an inch. The birch trees are finally completely barren of leaves. The grass is crucnhy, yet obviously green under the snow. There are several fat grey squirrels in the trees above. Beyond the shadow cast by the birches, the snow has begun to melt beneath the sun's rays.

Author: Tess, Great River School

Location: Hamline Midway

Weather: Very Cold, soft light powdery snow is falling.

There is no sun, its night time but the clouds are gray and everything is visible outside because of the snows reflection on the clouds. The plants I have been observing are covered in the light powdery snow. Everything is covered in snow.