Happy New Year everyone!

And happy Wonder Wednesday!

When I started this website and blog in 2012, I posted Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Wonder Wednesdays for the first 3 years. Then, as the world of Wings, Worms, and Wonder began to grow, posting on Tuesdays and Wonder Wednesdays worked best. Now, as this little world of creative nature connection continues to grow, I am happy to simplify the blog posts to the last Wednesday of the month – Wonder Wednesday!

So if you are subscribed to the emails you will never miss a blog post! (And why not, who wouldn’t want creative nature connection fun delivered to their virtual door twice a month? Just check out the link to join in the sidebar to your right!)

Now what about circles?

If you’ve seen my Instagram feed lately, you’ve noticed I am smitten with these beautiful ice discs that formed in a near shore eddy of the James River. Virginia has had weeks of very cold below freezing temperatures and as a result these ice discs formed in the eddy and spun out into the river. So cool right?

The discs are quite thick and form in large and small sizes. They are really pretty as they swirl around together or freeze under new layers of water on the shorelines. Have y’all ever seen these before?

Some even have frosty edges with crystalline forms coming off the tops, see the pic above. The discs with these sides (for lack of a better word) remind me a lot of the giant Victoria Water Lilly Pads, see the pic below. Only I’m not going to try to sit on one – although I wouldn’t be surprised if they could hold my weight.

(Photo credit Kanapaha Gardens)

What winter wonder are you discovering this month? And how are your exploring it – photos, nature journaling, or more concrete explorations (like me throwing rocks and sticks onto the ice discs?) I’d love to see your wonder!

Check out a bit of the science behind these apparently rare formations here! It turns out I intuited the correct name for them, although I think what I found was more of an ice circle than a disc or pan, based on the technical definitions! Thanks to @forwardmomentun2, an Instagram friend, for sharing the knowledge and wonder surrounding this unique nature!

I’m so happy you are here growing with Wings, Worms, and Wonder. This world would be nothing without you! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey of creative nature connecting!

What is the first awesome bit of nature you saw in 2018?

(mine was these discs, but it’s so hard to say because when we listen for nature’s whispers wonder abounds!)

Share in the comments below or share your pics on Instagram #wingswormsandwonder

Seeds to Sprout:

Start your year off with a nature journal boost!

Join the Wings, Worms, and Wonder Nature Journaling School! There are lots of fun and affordable watercolor painting classes for various ages, & beginners and experiences nature journalers and watercolorists that will get you slowing down & connecting with the nature right outside your door. 

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Want a loosely guided nature journal experience for 2018?

Try my 12 Month Art & Nature Journal! It’s a super fun format for bring little bits of creative nature connection into each month of the year.

There are no dates, so you can jump in anywhere and each month includes: a flower symbolism coloring page, a prompt page, a thumbnail sketch page, and a couple blank pages. Plus the books has lots of bonus reflection, exploration, and plant symbolism pages for you too! It’s only $10, ships worldwide from Amazon, and is super fun! Clicker here to check it out!

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Looking for a fun frosty winter activities? Click the links below to:

Try growing your own crystals

Make an ice catcher

Try using snow as a muse for nature writing

Learn all about those ice crystal rods that form in the mud and loose mulch and soil

Make bird feeders from teacups