Overwintering refers to the process by which certain lifeforms wait out the winter season. They pass through the frigid conditions by changing their lifestyle or appearance. Snails respond to the coldest months by burying themselves under the soil, pulling their bodies inside their shells and sealing the entrance.

This time of year we get to witness the winter world awaken — the reward for patiently waiting for windows to defrost, for tea to steep, for the fireplace to warm the main room, for the inversion to lift, the first buds to erupt through the frozen soil — is the beauty of watching these tiny miracles unfold.