Dress for Success!

Brrrr, the last few nights here at Ball’s Fall’s Conservation Centre have been chilly!! Almost too cold for a little owl like me!

Owls and humans are very different when it comes to staying warm. For one thing we have feathers and humans have clothes. My feathers keep me warm and dry; but humans have access to many different materials that work in similar ways to my feathers. With the amount of options and differences between materials it can all get very confusing fast! Which is why I flew to see my friends at Outdoors Oriented (www.outdoororiented.ca) to explain to me what are the different ways to stay warm as a human!

My new friends there were able to answer all my questions! And they were so friendly with me. I was informed that staying warm is achieved based on two main principles. 1- Layers and 2- Materials! (Just what I thought)


First, they explained to me that layering in the winter is crucial for survival. Being able to take off and on layers of clothes depending on weather conditions or if body temperatures change is ideal. Not having that ability to remove or add layers could result in danger. Most important is to have a “base layer” means the layer of clothing next to your skin. This layer minimizes airflow and is capable of wicking moisture away from your body. Wicking means the movement of water particles, preferably away from your skin. If water particles mix with air/wind, that combination cools the body. This mechanism is great for summer but is dangerous in the winter. Keeping the body dry and warm is the key!

I was told the next layer that goes on top acts as your insulation. Trapping in the heat your body produces, while the base layer keeps your dry! Wow this is so cool!

Last piece of clothing is your shell. The pieces of material keep out those gusts of wind, and dry from the elements of snow and rain, all while allowing breathability! I was a little confused about how a shell can breathe, don’t they live underwater! I was told that human bodies could produce too much heat and that the moisture should not remain on the body incase the air-cooling the body down. Which means the shell needs to be able to release that moisture, or as my new friends say- breathe. To keep the body dry and warm.

Then I was introduced to materials and fibers! Pretty cool stuff☺

Base layers are typically made from materials called polyester or polypropylene, which are synthetic materials (Man Made). It is made from plastic and the production costs have a high carbon footprint! But they are very successful at wicking moisture. The problems with this material are:
 -Heavy pollution cost while manufacturing
 -Trap odor and bacteria in the fibers
-Short life span, delicate material
But these materials are mass-produced and have a low cost for the consumer.

There is a new (old) material making its way as the base layer and is almost the complete opposite to synthetics. It comes from a particular sheep called the Morino all the way from New Zealand! It’s a completely natural fiber, which does not itch and has hypoallergenic qualities. Many people have nightmares of wool socks that mom made them wear when they were kids. Wool has always been known to keep you very warm, even when wet!! The Morino wool is very different than Canadian wool, in that it’s a finer fiber, which feels soft to the touch even before the production of a garment. The special qualities that the Morino offers are:
 -Holds no odor or bacteria
 -Keeps you insulated even when wet
 -Wicks moisture away (naturally)
 -Highest UV protections
 -Long life span
 -Fire resistant
 -100% Biodegradable!
Wow!!! This stuff sounds great!!!

Lastly, I learnt about the materials used for the Shell! More specifically Gore-Tex! A material that allows moisture (in the evaporation stage) to exit through the tiny holes of the material, all while keeping water in its solid form trapped on the outside unable to seep in! A wonderful material keeping you dry and warm on top of all your layers! Gore-Tex is used is many rain coats, and winter coats.

So remember, when you are going out to play in the snow!! Do not forget to put on layers to stay warm and dry!!  I don’t go out when it rains, as my feathers aren’t waterproof like your shell, you are very lucky!

Woot Woot!!

Happy New Years Blog readers!!! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday filled with
laughs, good eats and precious moments with friends and family!

Christmas eve, I flew to my parent’s nest. They always host our family’s Christmas
dinner. My whole flock was there to enjoy the feast!

For New Years eve, my owl friends and I got together and flew towards Niagara Falls
to find a good perching place and watched the fireworks show to bring in the New
Year!

With the New Year already here, I wanted to share with you my resolutions! I don’t
know about you, but I am always trying to keep motivated and stick to
resolutions as best as I can. I find it helps to write them down, I even post them up
in my nest so when I wake up I am able to read them and remind myself to stay on
track

Otus’ 5 New Years Resolutions:
1- Decrease my environmental impact
2- Build an addition to my nest
3- Learn more animal tracks
4- Help Balls Falls Centre for Conservation with education
5- Try new things!

I plan on working really hard this year to attain all my resolutions to the fullest! I
will be sure to keep you all informed on my progress!!

Let me know what some of YOUR resolutions are for this year?

Otus!

War on the Lakes

Woot Woot!! Hello!

I wanted to let everyone know about the current exhibit at the Centre for Conversation, which features our very own Great Lakes! The exhibit is called War on the Lakes, and it's all about the War of 1812 which is so fascinating! An artist from Windsor Ontario, named Peter Rindlisbacher, who is known for his marine paintings, documents this historical period beautifully. The exhibit features many not so famous naval battles that took place during the War. I am sure a sense of surprise will arise at all the wonderful prints and one original painting of our very own Great Lakes, during pinnacle battles such as the Battle of Lake Erie. ATTENTION All Brock Students!!! Sir Issac Brock is featured in the Battle of Queenston Heights October 13^th 1812, and you can find artist images and posters in the gift shop! Better hurry on over to the Centre for Conversation because the exhibit will not be displayed forever! It runs from November 20, 2010- February 4, 2010

Visit this exhibit at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area, Centre for Conservation, 3292 Sixth Ave., Jordan, Ontario.

The Centre is open daily from 9-4 with the exception of Dec. 24, 2010 to Jan 1, 2011.

Admission: Adults.$5.50, Seniors/Child $4.00, Car Max: $15.00

For more information contact: 905-562-5235, ext. 26.

Hello everyone!

I have some exciting news for you! Yesterday I was visiting an Owl friend at his nest a couple trees over from me. The inside of his nest was decorated with home made Christmas Crafts! They looked so wonderful, so I thought I would share them with you, and you too can make your nest beautiful as well! Some materials you might already have at home, others you can find outside and some materials you will need to buy. But do not worry, you can always substitute materials for other ideas you have as well! Try putting on some Christmas music while you work, or your favourite Christmas movie to get into the spirit!

Ornaments & Decorations:

Snow Globe

Materials: Instructions:

-1 Glass Jar Clean out the glass jar, making sure there is nothing left over. Glue your

-A Plastic Toy plastic toy to the inside of the cap, using very strong glue. Fill the jar

-Baby Oil with baby oil and glitter. Add glue along the inside ridge of the cap,

-Glitter tighten the cap onto the jar as well as you can and wait till the glue

-Strong Glue dries before turning over.

  

Q-Tip snowflakes

Materials: Instructions:

-30 Q-Tips(estimated) Spread wax paper over your table top for a working space. Using the

-Glue Q-tips, design a snowflake, you may bend or break into two. Using the

-Waxed Paper ends of the Q-tips with the cotton to touch. Once you have finished your

-Glitter design, use the glue to attach all the ends together. Before the glue dries

sprinkle the glitter on top.

Time Capsule Ornament

Materials:

-Fillable clear plastic ornament

-Double sided tape

-Paper cut into strips

-Markers

-Small photo or other memorabilia that fits inside the ball

-Ribbon

Instructions:

-Separate the two halves of the ball. Apply a strip of tape around the outside of the wider half. Carefully press the ribbon to the tape so that it’s close to but not touching the outer edge.

-Write notes on the strips on paper and tuck them into the ball. Add pictures and other mementos if you like. Put the ball back together, and then tie the ribbon and a tag with the year written on it.

Edible Decorations: When cooking make sure you have the help of an adult

Meringue Snowflakes

Ingredients:

-2 large egg whites, at room temperature

-1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

-1 cup confectioner's sugar

-1/4 teaspoon flavoured extract such as lemon, peppermint, orange, or almond

-2 tablespoons coloured sugar or edible glitter

Instructions: 

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy, about 3 minutes. Then beat the mixture until it turns fluffy, another 3 minutes. This is easier to do with an electric mixture, but still possible with a whisk and good old elbow grease. 
2. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes. Then beat the extract.
3. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a pencil to draw snowflake patterns on the paper. Stick the parchment paper ink side down into the backing sheet with a little meringue in the corners. 
4. Using a pastry bag, or even a zip-lock, fill the bag with meringue. Cut a corner at the bottom if using a zip-lock bag. Pipe the meringue onto the paper in between the lines of the snowflakes. Sprinkle the meringue with colour sugar or edible glitter.
5. Bake the snowflakes until dry but not browned, about 1 hour. Slide the parchment paper onto a wire rack and let cool
6. Cut between the meringue snowflakes and gently peel the parchment paper off. The meringue will stay crisp for up to 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container, do not refrigerate! Makes about 20

Gingerbread Lantern

Ingredients

-THE GINGERBREAD -THE ICING

-1/3 cup butter -1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

-1/3 cup sugar -1 tablespoon meringue powder

-1/2 teaspoon baking soda -2 to 3 tablespoons warm water

-4 teaspoons water

-1 2/3 cups flour, plus extra for rolling

-1 ¼ teaspoons ginger

-1/4 teaspoon allspice

-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

-Hard Candies, such as Jolly Rancher

Instructions:

1) To make the gingerbread, heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar. Stir the baking soda into the water to dissolve it, and then add this to the butter mixture. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and then stir dry ingredients into the butter mixture a little at a time. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill for 1 hour.

2) Roll out the chilled dough to a ¼ inch thickness on a large piece of parchment. Sprinkling on some flour if the dough sticks. Then, using a 4- by 7-inch piece of cardboard as a template, cut 4 rectangles from the dough, removing any scraps. Transfer the gingerbread pieces to a cookie sheet.

3) To install the windows, use cookie cutters dipped in flour to cut and remove a few shapes from each gingerbread piece. Unwrap candies in similar colours (you'll need about 2 to 3 for each 21/2-inch cut out) and place them in doubled freezer bags. Hit them gently with a hammer to crush them, and then generously fill each cut out with crushed candy. Bake the gingerbread for 12 minutes, and then let it cool for at least 1 hour. (The candy windows will be extremely hot! Do not touch them until they have cooled completely.)

4) Finally, construct the lantern by beating together all of the icing ingredients in a small bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until blended, then increase the speed to high and beat for 4 to 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Using a pastry bag or a plastic bag with 1 corner cut off, pipe icing along the long edges of 2 of the walls. Assemble all 4 walls vertically on a platter or a piece of foil-covered cardboard, filling in any gaps and decorating the edges with more icing. Allow the icing to dry overnight. Set the lantern in a safe spot, then place a small candle inside and light the wick (parents only).

Puffy the Polar Bear

Materials: Instructions:

-Toothpicks Using a toothpick, attach the two large marshmallows

-2 large marshmallows together to make the body and head. For each arm,

-6 mini marshmallows thread two mini marshmallows onto a toothpick and poke

-2 white jelly beans, halved each into the body. For each leg do the same but use one

-Royal Icing one marshmallow and half a jelly bean for the foot. Using

-1 brown mini M&M royal icing, glue two jelly bean halves for the ears and the

-Scissors M&M for the nose. Use black licorice for the eyes.

-Black shoestring licorice

Mmm-Moose

Materials: Instructions:

-2 chocolate wafer cookies For the body, glue together the wafer cookies with icing.

-Royal Icing Poke four toothpick legs into the body and add circus

-Toothpicks peanut half for each foot. With a toothpick attach the

-2 orange circus peanuts, halved two caramels together and glue them to the body using the

icing. Poke two pretzel pieces into the caramel for antlers.

Using icing, glue on an M&M nose and pretzel tail.

Nice to Meet You!

Hi Everyone, it is so nice to finally meet you all! I have heard so much about you from Boomer
the Blue bird. Boomer pecked me a message not too long ago explaining to me about this blog created
for Ball's Fall's Conservation Area. Since it is getting colder with each day and food is getting harder to
find, Boomer asked if I would be able to take on the blog while traveling down to Mexico (lucky
little bird!). I gladly accepted the job! I am so excited to write to you all, and let you know what will be
going on around the Conservation Area over the winter months.
My name is Otus, and I am an Eastern Screech Owl or Otus asio. I live at Ball's Fall's
Conservation Area http://www.npca.ca/conservation-areas/balls-falls/default.htm all year round. You
can recognize me by my small size, and pointy ears. Some of my family members are a grey color,
while others are reddish. When were not gliding through the air with our heads tucked in, you can
spot us perched in a tree. We love to make our home inside holes in the trunk of the tree! It's nice and
cozy inside there. Eastern Screech Owls are normally found in many parts of North Eastern America,
all the way down to Northeast Mexico and of course Southern Ontario; Just like me! Some of my
favorite things to eat would be: insects, small mice, snakes, lizards, small frogs, salamanders, snails,
small fish... and well I could go on, but I'm getting really hungry!
If your interested in coming out and spotting me, there are lots of trails around Ball's Fall's
Conservation Area that you can hike. Make sure to wear lots of warm clothes! And don't forget your hat
and mittens. (Stay tuned for a post about “How To Properly Dress for hiking Success”!) You might
want to bring your camera as well, there are many beautiful fall sights that are soon going to be
covered by a blanket of snow.
Here is my address: Ball's Fall's Conservation Area
3292 Sixth Ave., Jordan, Ontario
905-562-5235
Open 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Daily
*Admission Fee Applies