Nanny Revealed As Nature Center's Mystery Stick Artist
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- People started noticing mysterious art popping up in the snow at Westwood Hills Nature Center a few weeks ago.
"We were out walking along the trails and all of sudden we're like, 'Wait, what is that?'" Westwood Hills Naturalist Becky McConnell said.
The naturalists snapped pictures of the art for weeks and posted it on their Facebook page. It didn't take long for people to take notice.
That's when they found out the mystery artist isn't an artist at all.
"Usually nature is the one giving the surprises," McConnell said. "But in this case, it was really that added creativity. I didn't know until today who the mystery artist was."
Chelsey Bahe is a nanny to four-year-old twins.
"I was actually just walking one day and I found a stick and it had a really interesting curve," Bahe said. "And I thought that would be perfect to make this certain character that the kids like. So I brought them back here the next day to see if it was still here, and they loved it."
So she kept making new characters and creations, ranging from simple messages to incredibly-detailed work.
Bahe says it was the perfect treasure hunt to get the kids outside in the winter.
"We'd come on hikes and they'd like to look for them," Bahe said. "I didn't think anyone noticed and I never said anything because I thought people would think it was kind of weird."
She had no idea they weren't the only ones.
"This weekend was great because we had a birthday party, and there were five monkeys in the snow," McConnell said. "It's the excitement, it's the fun, it's getting kids outside and you never know what the surprises are."
So as long as there's snow on the ground, keep an eye out for a few extra surprises along the trails.
"I hope that it gives them a chuckle and something to smile about," Bahe said. "And that maybe they go on thinking of the world in a little more playful way."
Bahe says she was shocked when she saw her pictures on their Facebook page.
She's there all the time with the kids, so she sent them a private message letting them know she was the one behind it.
