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40 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2026 Old School Dance Step back in time and groove to the classic beats with us! This club brings a nostalgia-packed evening filled with music, movement, and memories from days when we were young with music from the 70s! Join us on the fourth Thursday of every month at The Lodge Ballroom from 3 to 5 pm and let the good times roll. We will also educate you about the history of those old-school songs we all know and love. It's not only about dancing and loving every minute, but also it's about understanding the roots and stories behind the music that shaped an entire generation. For more information, contact Willa Harris at (951) 550-3453. ~ Willa Harris, willaharris89@gmail.com Some of us love winter at Four Seasons. The air is crisp, the skies are blue, the snow on the mountains is beautiful to look at, but doesn't interfere with our daily lives. There are others who just want to light the fireplace, don a heavy sweater, or burrow under the covers. Our feathered friends don't have blankets, but they do have mechanisms for coping with the cold. For one thing, birds shiver, just like humans. In the late summer and fall, cold climate birds pack on body weight as protection. Their biggest defense, however, may be their feathers. All birds produce oil from a gland near the base of their tails, but cold weather birds may use this oil to weatherproof their feathers. Rather than using oil, mourning doves grow special feathers that disintegrate into a powder they use to insulate their feathers. A bird's feathers also keep them warm by trapping pockets of air around their bodies. Small birds often huddle together in trees and shrubs to keep warm, while birds who nest in cavities use those protected spots to escape the cold in winter. Waterfowl have special ways to maintain body heat in the cold. The blood in their legs and feet does not circulate throughout the rest of their bodies, helping to keep body temperatures higher. They have specialized scales on their legs and feet to minimize heat loss. Sitting or standing on one foot also conserves body heat. You can help our neighborhood birds winter by providing high energy food such as suet, peanuts, or sunf lower seeds. Also remember that water is as important in winter as it is in our hot summers, so keep your birdbaths clean and filled. The Birding Club walks the trails as a group on the first Saturday of the month. We gather at 8 am by the Potrero Creek sign at the edge of The Lodge parking lot. We walk at a leisurely pace, taking time to see as many species as we can. Please feel free to join us. We love to see new faces. If you have any questions, please call or text me. ~ Genie Cooper, (269) 930-0310 Birding CLUB

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