Thimble and Blossom let us know that they loved all of the nature questions you had for them this year, and loved the fairy drawings some folks left behind! Despite the dry conditions this summer, the rain this fall made for a beautiful fall foliage season and made it possible for Thimble and Blossom to stick around into November. They had to head south in search of warmer climates for the winter, but before they left, they took a moment to write their answers to your questions down and share them with us! They loved how curious you all were about nature and yourselves, and they hope you keep exploring the outdoors while they're gone. 

First, our questions from the most remote of our Fairy Houses, Copper Rock Falls!

Anonymous - Why is the waterfall called Copper Rock Falls?

Copper Rock Falls gets its name because the rocks on the riverbed have many shades of red and orange -- just like copper!

Sephora - What happens to the fairy houses in the wintertime?

In the winter, our friends at Nature Up North take care of our houses for us! Sometimes a curious squirrel gets into our home, or a tree limb falls on the roof. Our friends use the wintertime to repair our home for next spring when we visit again!

Tracy - Age 39 - Why do leaves change colors, and how is the color determined?

Leaves change color in the fall because trees start getting ready to rest for winter. When days get shorter and colder, the green stuff in leaves (called chlorophyll) fades away. This lets the other colors that were hiding—like yellow, orange, and red—show up. The color is decided by the species of tree, with maples having the iconic deep red typical of fall.

Now, for our house at the Indian Creek Nature Center.

Ezra - Age 5 - Where are the fairies?

We are out exploring the forest! We love to check up on the chipmunks, ferns, mossy logs, and the streams that run along the trail. We never wander too far though, and we always flutter back home before it gets too dark. 

Anonymous - Ou tu vive? (Where do you live?)

Nous vivons partout aux États-Unis, mais nous aimons l'automne ici. Quand il fait froid, nous partons vers le sud pour l'hiver. 

We live all over the United States, but we like it here in the fall. When the weather gets cold we fly south for winter.

Ben - Age 10 - Who built the bridge here?

The bridge by our house at the Indian Creek Nature Center (ICNC) was built by some very helpful people, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)! These people are in charge of the land around our house, so when people wanted to get to the trails on the other side of the marsh, they decided to build a wheelchair friendly way to get there! Although we can fly over the marsh, we also think it's very nice that people and animals that need to walk or roll can see the nature we love so much!

Fina and Ella - What is your favorite animal? Do you have wings? If so, what color are they?

Our favorite animal is the fox! We see them trotting through the forest paths sometimes, their fluffy tails swishing behind them. They always act like they’re on some grand mission, but really they’re just checking in on their secret berry stashes or chasing leaves that blow across the trail. We think they’re wonderful neighbors, quiet, curious, and very polite. And yes, we do have wings! They are a soft shade of purple, a bit like the color the sky turns just before nighttime arrives. They shimmer a little when I flutter, especially if I’ve just been resting on a patch of dewy moss. My wings help me fly between the ferns, over the streams, and back home at night.

Gia - Age 4 - How many bears live around here?

There are lots of bears throughout St. Lawrence County! The researchers at Nature Up North deploy trail cameras across the county and have gotten many photos of bears (you can check them out here if you want). New York State has 6,000-8,000 bears total, and about half of those bears live in the Adirondacks. However, as far as us fairies know, there are no bears living at Indian Creek. 

Edith - Age 7 - Have you seen any bears?

Yes, we love our bear neighbors! As woodland fairies, we make friends with all who live in the forests. We want the forest to be a place where everyone can coexist happily! The bears don't live at Indian Creek, but sometimes we see them walking by.

Alice - Age 6 - Will I see a fairy and a bear at Indian Creek?

As far as us fairies know, there aren't any bears living at Indian Creek, but it's always possible they are passing through! However, like us, bears are very shy, so it's not very likely you'll see one. We often see bears in our trail camera pictures though! You can check those out at this link. Even though you might not see faires, know that we are looking out for you and the wild creatures at Indian Creek.

Carson - Age 7 - How many beavers have been found here?

That's a good question! We fairies don't know the exact number, but many of the wetland areas at Indian Creek were created by beavers. You can tell if a beaver has been in an area by looking for chewed trees and stumps, and looking for a lodge (the house they build in the middle of ponds) or a dam! The best time to see a beaver is dusk, just after the sun has set. Look out for ripples as they swim through the water! If you want to learn more about beavers in the area, you can look at this blog written by a Nature Up North intern!

3 Crazy Pugs - Olive, Matilda, Jake - Do fairies like to get rides from pugs and corgis?

Hello Olive, Matilda, and Jake! What a joyful question from three very energetic pugs! We love pugs just like you. You’re some of the best ride-givers in the whole forest. Your wiggly walks make us giggle so much we sometimes fall right into the moss! When you’re feeling playful, we hop on for a short ride, but only if you’re happy and ready. Fairies always make sure our friends are relaxed and excited before we flutter aboard, and pugs like you make our travels extra fun!

Anonymous - How old are you?

Fairies don’t count birthdays like people do. Instead, we count seasons! We’ve seen many springs filled with wildflowers, many summers glowing with fireflies, and many cozy winters tucked under leaves and moss down south. Even though we have lived through lots and lots of seasons, we still feel really young. That’s one of the magical things about being a fairy, each new season feels like the beginning of an adventure!

Anonymous - Have you seen a fox here?

Yes, we sure have! They are one of my dearest friends on the trail. The foxes and us like to hang out in the coziness of the forest and dance with our other forest friends. My fox friends are very intelligent while also being playful and curious. If you are patient enough, maybe you can coax one of my furry little friends. 

Max and Evvy - Ages 3 and 4 - Have you seen a racoon? Do you ride them?

Hello my dearest Max and Evvy!! I hope your day has been amazing and full of nature and life. To answer your cheerful question, yes I do see raccoons. One thing about raccoons is they are nocturnal and only come out at night. When I am doing my nightly shift of patrolling the woods to keep all my critters safe, my raccoon friends will join me, and sometimes they will even let me ride them, how exciting is that!!

Juni - Age 7 - What lives on the islands in the river?

Hello Juno! Might I just say that you have the most beautiful name. Maybe you can even be a fairy someday! The islands in the river are often home to birds, like herons, ducks, and raptors. These friendly and magnificent birds often use the island as a place for shelter, food, and breeding. If you are lucky you can even see beavers that build dams and lodges in and around river islands. I recommend hanging out near the island for a while and see what animals you can find. If you are patient, quiet, and kind nature will reward you with special surprises, and I will make sure of it! 

And finally, our house in Stone Valley!

Misha - Age 7 - Where do fairies come from?

Fairies like us are born out of the earth. When a fairy is close to the end of its life, it creates a seed that it plants somewhere. That seed grows and eventually turns into a new fairy!

Shawn - Age 68 - Are you good fairies, or mischevious?

We are very nice fairies and love making friends with the plants, fungi, and animals of the North Country! However, we do get up to some trickery and mischief occasionally -- one time we flew up to a spider web and plucked the silken strings, tricking the spider living there into thinking it had caught something.

Anonymous - How do trees stay up when we see most of their roots above the ground?

Large trees are able to stay upright because they have very sturdy trunks and strong root system to anchor the trunk in place. Some trees further south, like mangrove trees, have adapted to have exposed "stilt" roots, but usually if a tree's roots get too exposed due to forces like erosion, it can weaken the support of a tree and make it more likely to fall over. Deceptively, a tree's root systems go deep underground, not above. The size of the tree canopy above ground is similar in size to its roots below ground!

Adley - Age 6 - Are there poisonous snakes here?

Poisonous animals usually have poison on their skin or in their body, while venomous animals (like some snakes) inject poison into other animals with fangs or spines. All of our snake friends in the North Country are neither venomous nor poisonous, but if you travel farther south, you may encounter some timber rattlesnakes, copperheads, or pygmy rattlesnakes.

Ezera - Where are the fairies during the day?

During the day, we are out exploring and gathering supplies from the forest. We look for smooth river pebbles, tiny curls of bark, pine needles, and drops of morning dew. Daylight helps us spot all the treasures we need to take care of our fairy homes!

Palli - Age 60 - What plant association is here in these woods?

We don't know of any specific plant organizations that work in these woods, but we do know the trail stewards! We see people from the Laurentian Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club here all the time, doing some trail maintenance and putting up signage. We really appreciate the work they do to keep access to these trails open!

Teddy - Age 2 - Are there any t-rex around here?

We haven't seen any dinosaurs, but we have heard about whale bones! We're told that thousands of years ago, everything you see was underwater after the ice from the last ice age melted. That means that there was aquatic life living where you're standing right now! Sometimes, people find the bones of those animals, like whales.

Linda - Why are the barks on different trees different colors?

Tree bark comes in different colors because each tree makes its own kind of “outer coat.” Different trees have different chemicals, textures, and thicknesses in their bark, which gives them colors like gray, brown, white, or even red. It’s like each tree has its own special jacket! 

Mercy - Age 8 - Why do the leaves fall?

Leaves fall because the tree is getting ready for winter. When it gets cold and sunny hours get shorter, the tree closes off the leaf so it can save water and energy. The leaf can’t stay alive without that support, so it dries up and falls, kind of like the tree letting go of something it doesn’t need until spring!

Miles - Age 5 - Why are there so many rocks in the river?

There are lots of rocks in rivers because the water carries away smaller sediment like dirt. It also breaks pieces off of bigger rocks and rolls them along the riverbed. Over time, they pile up, so rivers become great rock movers!

Lauren, Autumn, and Violet - Ages 19 - Why do leaves stay longer on some trees than others?

Some trees keep their leaves longer because different species are designed to handle our weather in different ways. Trees like oaks and beeches keep their leaves to protect young buds and because their leaves don’t break down as quickly. Other trees drop their leaves early to save water and energy during cold months.

Zanna - Age 7 - Why do some trees leaves change color before others? And how does bark grow back?

Some trees change color earlier because they are more sensitive to cold nights. They start shutting down their leaf-making food machines, and the green fades first. Other trees are slower and hold onto their leaves longer, so the colors appear at different times. Bark grows back from a special layer under the surface called the cambium. When a tree is hurt, this layer slowly builds new wood and new bark to seal the wound. It never looks exactly the same, but it keeps the tree safe and strong! 

Bella - Age 9 - Where do insects hibernate?

Insects have lots of tiny hiding spots for winter! Some curl up under leaves or tuck themselves into the soil where it stays warmer. Others hide inside tree bark, old logs, or even hollow stems. A few cozy up in little cracks in rocks or under moss. 

Anonymous - Why do leaves on pine trees stay all year, and don't change color?

Pine trees keep their needles all year because their leaves are built for tough weather! Their needles have a waxy coat that protects them from cold, wind, and drying out, so they don’t need to fall off each autumn. They do change color, but only one needle at a time, very slowly, so you hardly notice. Most stay green so the pine can keep making food all winter long. We fairies love them for being the steady, always-green guardians of the forest! 

Esmae - Age 6 - Will a unicorn ever visit my house?

They only come to houses where they feel safe, quiet, and welcomed. They usually wander by at night, brushing their noses against gardens, peeking into windows, or leaving a soft hoofprint in the dirt. You might not see one, but you might catch a sparkle on a leaf or a strand of silvery hair caught on a branch, little signs they passed through. So yes… a unicorn might visit your house one night, but only when the world is calm enough for them to slip through without being noticed. Keep your eyes open, they love surprises! 

Emma - Age 6 - Where do frogs come from?

Frogs start out as eggs that are laid by their mother frog. These eggs hatch and turn into tadpoles - they have a tail and gills so they can swim and breathe underwater! As the tadpoles grow, they develop legs and lungs so they can hop and breathe on land. After this, they are the adorable frogs that you can often see jumping around on the shore!

Cheech, Mubi, Tony - What kind of fish are in the river?

Our rivers are host to a bunch of different kinds of fish, but the most common kinds you'll find when fishing are trout, bass, and sunfish. If you're lucky, you might see a bullhead or a catfish!

Vera and Ilektra - What makes a pond green?

A pond might be green for a whole bunch of different reasons. If the green is sitting on the surface, that might be algae. Algae are little organisms that need sunlight on the surface to survive! If you see algae, it means the water is over-filled with nutrients.