12
DECEMBER 15�22, 2021
CULTURE & HERITAGE
CELEBRATING THE HISTORY
OF EASTERN OREGON
Wallowology and Wallowa Resources
bring solstice fun to Wallowa County
Light up the
shortest days
of the year
DECEMBER
DISCOVERY WALKS
Wallowology is off ering
free Discovery Walks by
appointment on Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays
in December. To explore a
wintery Wallowa Valley with
a Wallowology naturalist,
book a hike 24 hours
ahead by calling 509-923-
1965. Learn more at www.
wallowology.org.
By Katy Nesbitt
Go! Magazine
OSEPH — The snow is fl ying
and the days are darken-
ing — a perfect time to get kids
down to Wallowology in Joseph
to learn about the physics of
snowfl akes and the astronomy of
the winter solstice.
The Wallowology Discovery
Center and Wallowa Resources
of Enterprise teamed up to off er
a variety of activities for fami-
lies to celebrate the solstice on
Saturday, Dec. 18, from 10 a.m.-
3 p.m. and on Tuesday, Dec. 21,
from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Drop in the
Wallowology Natural History
Discovery Center, 508 N. Main
St., for art, science, hot apple
cider and cookies.
J
Wallowology/Contributed image
“The event is meant to
highlight the science behind the
solstice, celebrate daylight com-
ing back and brightening up our
days and will hopefully give fami-
lies and children something fun
to do in the winter,” said Lindsay
Miller, youth education manager
for Wallowa Resources.
Breanne Austin, educational
11am-8pm Tuesday-Saturday
programs coordinator for Wal-
lowology, said there will be op-
portunities to make bird feeders
out of pinecones slathered with
seed butter and seeds, as well as
snowfl ake Christmas ornaments
and ice lanterns.
There will also be a station
to learn the science of how the
Earth goes around the sun and
why the solstice happens.
“We are using art to teach sci-
ence,” Austin said. “We want to
off er another way for people to
celebrate the winter season and
focus on the science of winter
and the solstice.”
Masks are required and
activities will be spaced out in
the center to allow for social
distancing.
To celebrate the solstice and
winter ecology outdoors, the
public is invited to meet at the
main Iwetemlaykin parking lot
on the Wallowa Lake Highway at
5 p.m. on Dec. 21 for a short hike.
To illuminate the walk on the
darkest night of the year, bring a
lantern or come to Wallowology
beforehand to make your own
ice lantern. The guided walk will
be led by a Wallowology natu-
ralist.
“We’re pretty excited about
this new event together and
hope it will be a success and
lead to it happening again in
years to come,” Miller said.
141 Main St. John Day OR
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541.575.1188
@1188brewing