NATURE, HISTORY AND HORTICULTURE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY
VOLUME 10, NO. 4 WINTER 2011
Fairfax County Parks: Tops in the Nation Park Authority wins NRPA Gold Medal
I
n the movie industry, it is the Oscar for Best Picture. In parks and recreation, it is the National Gold Medal. The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) presented the 2010 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management to the Fairfax County Park Authority in October. The presentation was made at NRPA’s Annual Congress & Exposition in Minneapolis.
The Gold Medal is the highest honor in the parks and recreation field. It honors agencies that display excellence in program and professional development, partnerships, volunteerism, long-range planning, environmental stewardship, cultural protection, agency efficiency and accomplishments. Informing his staff of the award, Park Authority Director John Dargle wrote, “It is your continued love, passion, commitment and hard work that makes us the best agency in the country in our best management practices, community and mission.” Fairfax won in the Class I category for communities of 250,000 or more residents. The other three finalists were park agencies from Miami-Dade County, Mecklenburg County, N.C., and New York City. continued on page 11
Happy Anniversary!
• Children’s holiday shopping at the Country Store
We’re celebrating on December 4 at Frying Pan Farm Park, and you’re invited!
• Christmas on the farm
T
he Fairfax County Park Authority is marking 60 years of service to Fairfax County residents. This year has brought colorful anniversary banners to park sites, 60th Anniversary mugs holding morning coffee, commemorative coins at the end of geocaching rainbows, anniversary gardens, Water Mine duck races, a Frying Pan Farm Park music festival and the return of the Riverbend Indian Festival. Next up is the year-end finale. Join us December 4 at Frying Pan Farm Park. Activities include:
• Wagon rides • Warming fires • Indoor equestrian demonstrations • Live music • Food vendors Come celebrate 60 years of the nationally accredited Gold Medal park agency that improves Fairfax County’s quality of life and makes living here fun.
You never know who might join you on a hayride at Frying Pan Farm Park.
Fairfax County Park Authority • Fairfax, VA 22035 • 703-324-8695 • Fax 703-324-3996 • TTY 703-803-3354 • www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
N AT U R E
A Murder Most Fowl
NATURAL RESOURCE AND HISTORIC SITES BURKE LAKE PARK 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station 703-323-6600 COLVIN RUN MILL 10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls 703-759-2771 ELLANOR C. LAWRENCE PARK 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly 703-631-0013 FRYING PAN FARM PARK 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon 703-437-9101 GREEN SPRING GARDENS PARK 4603 Green Spring Rd, Alexandria 703-642-5173 HIDDEN OAKS NATURE CENTER 7701 Royce Street, Annandale 703-941-1065 HIDDEN POND NATURE CENTER 8511 Greeley Blvd., Springfield 703-451-9588 HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARK 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria 703-768-2525 LAKE ACCOTINK PARK 7500 Accotink Park Rd., Springfield 703-569-3464 LAKE FAIRFAX PARK 1400 Lake Fairfax Park, Reston 703-471-5414 RIVERBEND PARK 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls 703-759-9018 SULLY HISTORIC SITE 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly 703-437-1794 HISTORIC PROPERTIES RENTAL SERVICES www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/weddings.htm 703-827-0269
H
By Carol Ochs, Park Authority Volunteer
cormorants. Doves umans may travel gather in a dule, and in teams, cozy up ducks form a brace. into cliques, form a Majestic eagles form sorority or be part of an a convocation, and old boys’ club, but what geese gather on the do we call gatherings of ground in a gaggle. other living things? You Look for a colony of probably know that a gulls at the seashore group of cattle or deer or a cast of hawks in form a herd, but did you A bale, or dole, of turtles. the mountains. You might be tempted to scold know that a group of cockroaches is called an a scold of jays when they party together. Rooks intrusion? Not too surprising. form a building, turkeys group in a rafter and You don’t have to think very hard to figure woodpeckers form a descent. out why some animal groups got their names. Have you ever seen a pounce of cats or heard a cackle of hyenas? Maybe you’ve had the misfortune to pass through a cloud of grasshoppers or gnats. Hopefully you’ve never been surrounded by a leap of leopards or a skulk of fox. Some group names reflect attributes the animals personify. Lions travel in a pride. Apes, just a step down the evolutionary ladder from us, are a shrewdness when gathered together. Crows and ravens, shackled with poor reputations from movies and literature, are burdened with scornful group names. A gathering of crows is a murder. Ravens are an unkindness. A group of birds in the air is a flight, while a group on the ground is generically called a flock. Over the years, various bird species have acquired their own group names. You might see a sedge of bitterns, a chain of bobolinks, a brood of chicks or a gulp of
Did you know that a group of chubby hippos is called a bloat? You also can call them hippopotamuses or hippopotami. Either is correct. It’s also correct to call a gathering of turtles either a bale or a dole. It’s not surprising that several giraffes gathered in one spot might be called a tower, and it’s fitting that a group of flamingoes is a flamboyance. You may have nothing to fear from a Sunday church congregation, but you might want to say a prayer if you see a congregation of alligators. If one shark makes you shake, what would you do around a shiver of sharks? Don’t be tempted to reach out and touch any porcupines. They gather in a prickle. Frogs, herring and caterpillars travel in an army. Groups of kangaroos are a troop. Monkeys can gather in a troop, too, but they’re better known by another name. What could be more fun than a barrel of monkeys?
Need directions or more information? Go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks
Editor/Writer: Photos: Production:
David Ochs Don Sweeney, FCPA David Ochs Joanne Kearney, FCPA
Published quarterly by the Fairfax County Park Authority, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035-1118
2
ResOURces
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
A flock of seagulls.
P A R K F O U N D AT I O N
A Foundation for Park Support By Roberta A. Longworth, Park Foundation Executive Director
Shop for Parks
worthwhile, but only a few can be accomplished with the Park Authority’s current resources.
Support your Gold Medal parks through the Fairfax County Park Foundation.
G
o outside.
There’s no place more beautiful, more accessible or more affordable than Fairfax County parks for enjoying a winter day. With nearly 23,000 acres, almost 10 percent of the county’s land, your parks offer hiking, biking, fishing, sports, wildlife viewing, living history – maybe even sledding – and dozens of opportunities for family fun, healthy exercise and quiet contemplation. Take a minute to visit the Park Authority website and plan a perfect winter day. Your parks can’t be taken for granted. The Park Authority’s operating budget has been cut 25 percent in the last four years even as park usage has increased 24 percent. The consequences could be washed-out trails, deteriorated athletic fields, broken play equipment, potholed parking lots, postponed building repairs, reduced trash collection and deferred natural and historic resource preservation projects. Every day, county residents ask for new trails and trail improvements, additional parkland, more athletic fields and garden plots, expanded arts programs, new playgrounds, stream restoration projects, preservation of historic sites, interpretive signs, deer management and invasive plant removal. All are
Taxes and fees no longer fully fund the Gold Medal award-winning parks and recreation services that Fairfax County residents want and that improve physical and mental health, enhance air and water quality, build youth character and fitness, preserve natural and historic resources, increase property values and drive business investment and relocation decisions.
Help Fairfax County’s parks as you shop! Start here: www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org/Shop-for-Parks.html Support Fairfax County parks as you shop for the holidays. Whenever you shop on Amazon.com or sell on eBay, start your trip on the Park Foundation’s web page. When you sign on through the Foundation website, a percentage of your transaction goes to the Foundation to improve parks.
Your help is needed to support park facilities and programs that we have and that you ought to have. If parks deteriorate, if we don’t acquire additional parkland as the population grows, if we reduce our recreation activities and facilities, or if we fail to protect our natural and historic resources, then we are all poorer. In this 60th anniversary year of the Fairfax County Park Authority, join the Park Foundation in a commitment to ensure that our parks continue to provide the finest in natural,
historical and recreational experiences and become our gift to the future. Please make a tax-deductible contribution today online at www.FairfaxParkFoundation.org. Thank you for caring about Fairfax County’s parks. The Fairfax County Park Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that helps pick up where tax dollars leave off in meeting community needs for parkland, facilities and services. Contributions to the Park Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
New Director for Park Foundation The Fairfax County Park Foundation has a new executive director. Roberta A. Longworth is a Certified Fund Raising Executive who succeeds Paul Baldino, a former Park Authority director who is now enjoying retirement. Known by friends and colleagues as Bobbi, she will encourage individuals, foundations, businesses and civic organizations to support park services with private funding. Bobbi has volunteer experience planning events and fundraising for organizations such as March of Dimes, Toys for Tots and United Way. Through her work at the Park Foundation, she will focus on the importance of ensuring that a high quality of life is available to all individuals throughout Fairfax County.
New Park Foundation Executive Director Bobbi Longworth
Winter 2011
3
GEOGRAPHY/HISTORY
Geography? Yeah, I Think I Passed That Course. How’s Your Knowledge of Fairfax County Geography?
M
aybe this is why GPS sales are strong. A 2006 National Geographic study indicated Americans aren’t at the top of the geographic mountain of knowledge. Among young Americans, 44% couldn’t find Iran, Iraq, Israel or Saudi Arabia on a Middle East map. Nearly 90% couldn’t find Afghanistan. More than one-third couldn’t find Louisiana or Mississippi on a U.S. map, and half couldn’t find New York State. So how’s your knowledge of geography in your back yard? We’ve added a little history, too. The answers to this Fairfax County quiz are on page 5. Some of the links provide hints. Is Burke Lake the largest body of water in the county?
How much do you know about Fairfax County? 1. Scott’s Run flows into what body of water at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve? A. Chesapeake Bay B. Occoquan River C. Potomac River D. Burke Lake 2. Which park was the site of the only major Civil War battle that took place in Fairfax County? A. Sully Historic Site B. Ox Hill C. Lane’s Mill D. Fort Hunt
3. Which of these historic structures is celebrating its 250th birthday in 2010? A. Sully Historic Site B. Dranesville Tavern C. Cabell’s Mill D. Stone Mansion
7. What is the largest watershed in Fairfax County? A. Pohick Creek B. Difficult Run C. Scott’s Run D. Four Mile Run
4. What county pathway can you travel by bike or foot through varied terrain for more than 40 miles from the Potomac River to the Occoquan River? A. Capital Beltway B. Cross County Trail C. Fairfax County Parkway D. W&OD railroad trail
8. What is the longest stream in the county? A. Occoquan River B. Accotink Creek C. Difficult Run D. Scott’s Run
5. Where is the highest elevation in Fairfax County? A. I-66 Transfer Station B. Mount Air C. Mercer Lake D. Dulles Airport
Staffers and volunteers recreate life of the 18th century at Sully Historic Site.
4
ResOURces
6. Who lived at Sully Historic Site? A. George Washington, president B. Thomas Jefferson, president C. George Mason, author, Virginia Declaration of Rights D. Richard Bland Lee, congressman
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
9. Which of these parks abuts the Potomac River? A. Hidden Pond Nature Center B. Clemyjontri Park C. Green Spring Gardens D. Riverbend Park 10. What is the largest lake in the county? A. Burke Lake B. Lake Fairfax C. Lake Accotink D. Twin Lakes See the answers on page 5.
ARCHAEOLOGY/HISTORY
Old Colchester, New Revelations
O
ld Colchester is new parkland that is teaching history.
Park Authority Archaeologist Michael Johnson says that, from a broad historical and anthropological perspective, “Colchester is the most significant archaeological site in Fairfax County.” It has the potential to provide important information about the history of one of our community’s earliest settlements. In April 2007, the Park Authority acquired more than 135 acres on Mason Neck near the mouth of the Occoquan River. That land includes the Town of Colchester, which Colchester sits on was chartered in 1753. the banks of the Occoquan River Colchester was the second town founded in Fairfax County. near its confluence with the Potomac. It sits at the site of the area’s first ferry, an Occoquan River crossing that was established in 1684. However, this land was used long before then.
The Colchester land was crossed by the Potomac Path, a major north-south Native American trail that connected fordable river crossings along the fall line. Tobacco farmers widened the trail in 1710 for their transports, and later it became part of the Kings Highway that ranged from Boston to Charleston. Sitting on that heavily-traveled road, Colchester developed into a center of commerce, first for tobacco and then for the wheat and flour trade. Merchants and innkeepers followed, and Colchester became home to a tobacco warehouse, to several stores and ordinaries, and to local workers such as tailors, coopers and blacksmiths. But trouble came. Increasing agriculture led to silting in the Occoquan River, and deepwater passage became impossible. Shipping problems combined with a slide in tobacco trading, and the town of Colchester declined in prominence.
Geography Quiz Answers (Click the links for more information) 1: C. Scott’s Run empties into the Potomac River downstream from Great Falls Park. 2: B. The Battle of Ox Hill took place September 1, 1862. 3: D. Stone Mansion marks its semiquincentennial this year. 4: B. The Cross County Trail crosses the county. 5: A. The highest natural elevation in Fairfax County is 566.9 feet above sea level at the I-66 Landfill, 4618 West Ox Road. The lowest elevation is slightly above sea level along the county’s tidal shoreline. 6: D. Richard Bland Lee, who was General Robert E. Lee’s uncle and Northern Virginia’s first representative to Congress, lived at Sully. 7: B. At 57.7 square miles, Difficult Run is the largest watershed in the county. It stretches from near Wolf Trap Farm Park to the southeast corner of Great Falls Park, where Difficult Run flows into the Potomac River. 8: B. Accotink Creek stretches from the City of Fairfax to Gunston Cove. 9: D. The well-named Riverbend Park sits on a large bend of the Potomac River. 10: A. Burke Lake, at 218 acres, is the largest lake in the county.
The Park Authority is conducting archaeological investigations at Colchester, including surveying, excavations and processing artifacts. The archaeological sites within the area will be evaluated for potential inclusion in the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. The project will continue through spring 2012. A master plan for the Colchester parkland will help determine the site’s future use, likely centering on the significant natural and cultural resources. For more information or to join the effort as a volunteer, please contact Cultural Resource Management and Protection Section Manager Elizabeth Crowell at 703-534-3881.
Give somebody a park this holiday season! http://parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/giftcards/
Winter 2011
5
STEWARDSHIP
If It Works, Do It Again
The success of wagon rides at Frying Pan Farm Park gave rise to expansion of the program to Huntley Meadows.
I
f a reality TV show format works for one network, can it work for another network? Television is proving, multiple times over, that it can.
If county residents enjoy wagon rides at Frying Pan Farm Park, would they like them at Huntley Meadows? The Resource Management Division (RMD) is finding that they do. Five Guys didn’t invent the hamburger. It’s just selling a good idea in more than one place. RMD is doing that by taking successful ideas and programs to new sites, making access to programs easier for county residents and increasing revenue with proven ideas. Wagon rides are one example. The long-time popular rides at Frying Pan are now part of the agendas at Huntley Meadows, Riverbend Park and Sully Historic Site. Scheduled rides at Laurel Hill introduce residents to an unstaffed park rich in natural and cultural resources. Historic House Coordinator Debbie Waugh is attempting to spin off her successful bread and honey tastings at Green Spring Gardens by conducting tastings at other parks. Expanded programming like this increases revenue while offering residents more opportunities for new park adventures. RMD Director Cindy Walsh says “we are re-inventing ourselves to better serve the public and stay sustainable while still staying true to our mission.” She adds that, while “teaching our future stewards the benefits of sustaining our resources, we are sustaining ourselves by developing quality programs worthy of citizens’ time and money.” Riverbend staffers have conducted programs at Dranesville Tavern, one of RMD’s Historic Rental Properties. Walsh says this kind of crossprogramming helps the Park Authority “find more stewards than we’ve had in the past.” She says the result of RMD being more vocal and more
6
ResOURces
Examples of RMD’s re-invention: • Wagon rides expanded to new park sites
• Cross-site staff support of major park events such as car and quilt shows at Sully Historic Site, the Indian Festival at Riverbend and the 4-H Fair at Frying Pan
visible is “people experiencing stewardship.” Likewise, RMD Operations Education is a part of the new wagon rides at Branch Manager Huntley Meadows. Todd Brown says, “Hidden Oaks is teaching about stewardship” with its backyard habitat programs. Walsh credits Brown with expanding programs by picking up ideas during his monthly site visits. The re-invention efforts also appear in business operations, where use of the Internet and numeric codes is streamlining registration for programs. ResOURces is saving money and trees by moving online, where the potential audience is larger. “We’re making more of an effort to reach out rather than wait for people to come to us,” Walsh says. Examples are Hunter Mill Medleys, the free concerts at Frying Pan Farm Park, and shelters at Hidden Oaks and Huntley Meadows. To the public, those shelters are picnic sites. To the Park Authority, they are outdoor classrooms. The concerts and new shelters are extensions of successful events and facilities at other park sites. All are extensions of RMD’s stated goal to build stewardship within the community, and they fulfill RMD’s mission to “interpret and preserve Fairfax County’s natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, health and inspiration of current and future generations.”
SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to ResOURces
• Riverbend staff host programs at Dranesville Tavern • Free concerts at Frying Pan Farm Park • New picnic pavilions/shelters
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
Learn about the events and resources in your parks. Subscribe to the quarterly newsletter ResOURces. We’ll send you an email with the link each time it’s published.
C E L E B R AT I N G H I S T O R Y
Commemorate! Get Your Party On! By Michael McDonnell, Manager, Hidden Oaks Nature Center
We’re doing what comes naturally.
T
he Fairfax County Park Authority is celebrating its 60th year, and marking that milestone is as natural as taking care of our parks. Commemoration, a word with the same roots as memory, does not merely mean a celebration, but a remembrance. The need to commemorate is human nature, and most religious, secular and seasonal celebrations are cyclical. Perhaps it’s our circadian rhythms that drive our desire to mark seasonal and anniversary celebrations. We are cyclical beings with internal biological clocks that track the passage of every 24 hours. Although scientists speculate on the obvious relation to Earth’s rotation, they’re still learning about the biological or chemical processes that trigger our cyclical selves. Most organisms have biological rhythms. Birds celebrate and sing in the morning or announce spring’s return, natural signs that the cycle is restarting. Earth’s revolutions around
the sun are deemed worthy of celebration by most human cultures. Egypt probably was the first Western culture to commemorate cycles using a solar calendar. The Egyptians noticed that Nile River floods routinely followed the annual appearance of Sirius, the Dog Star. The Romans, from whom we get our current calendar names, followed a Greek calendar that started in March, ended in December and ignored the entire winter, almost 60 days. Perhaps not a bad practice. Those 60 winter days became January and February, so named by Numa Pompilius 800 years BCE to designate two extra tax months. The two-faced Janus was the god of gates and doors. A door could look both ways, and so January was the “connection” – either the end of the previous year or the start of the coming year. Februalia was the early Latin designation for a length of time dedicated to sacrifice to atone for one’s sins. That’s why it was good for taxes. In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar, on the advice of the astronomer Sosigenes, created the
current system of 12 months comprising 365 and 1/4 days. To catch the calendar up to the solar cycle, the Romans decreed the year 46 BCE to be 445 days long. They commemorated it as the “Year of Confusion,” as good a name as any. In the Roman calendar, every month had 30 or 31 days except February, which contained 29, and every fourth year had 30. Thus leap year was invented. By 1582, the system had fallen behind the solar year by three months. To catch up, Pope Gregory XIII turned October 5 into October 15. Presto! Ten days gone. However, the calendar would fall behind again. The astronomers again were consulted and the Pope decreed that, in addition to each routine leap year, which is always a year evenly divisible by four, only those century years divisible by 400, instead of four, would be leap years. The next century leap year after 1600 was 2000. 1700, 1800 and 1900, although they qualified as routine leap years, were arbitrarily not leap years. So February 29, 2000, was special. I hope you celebrated, because to commemorate that event again you’ll have to wait until 2400. Caesar took a perfectly good month, Quintilis, (which referred to the fifth month when March was the first) and renamed it in honor of himself. Therefore, we have July. Caesar Augustus then had to have his month, so the former Sextilis, for sixth, became August. Tiberius, Caligula and the rest must have been uninterested in monthly names. Thus, September (seventh), October (eighth), November (ninth) and December (tenth) are not those numeric months.
Make it a family day commemoration on December 4 at Frying Pan Farm Park.
Based on the calendar, the Park Authority celebrates its diamond anniversary this year. A good birthday commemoration tells us we’re among family and friends. So bring some family and join some friends in a park for a celebration. We suggest marking 60 years of Fairfax County parks with us on December 4 at Frying Pan Farm Park.
Winter 2011
7
A G R I C U LT U R E
How to Talk Like a Farmer By Todd Brown
Do you know who is going to get cut, clipped, sheared or sorted this spring?
W
hen you make your spring trek to Frying Pan Farm Park to see the newborns, you’ll have to know how to talk to the animals. You’ll need these words down on the farm: cutting, clipping, shearing, sorting, spreading, stripping and turnover. These words describe the activities of spring, the busiest season at Frying Pan Farm Park. Animal husbandry and crop production fight for the farmer’s time, and these are the words a farmer uses when plans go well. When they don’t, he sometimes adds a few others. Let’s get cutting out of the way first, in case you’re close to meal time. Cutting
animals refers to castrating the male newborns that the farmer doesn’t need for breeding. Most male farm animals are castrated since the need for breeding sires usually is filled by one or two lucky animals. The number needed depends on the number of females in the herd or flock and the time of the year. The need for sires on a farm has decreased with the development of artificial insemination, which is more cost efficient. Clipping and shearing are grooming terms. You likely guessed that shearing refers to removing wool from sheep. This is done in the spring and summer depending on the breed of sheep and the need for wool. Did you know that goats, such as angora, also
True Blue Honors for Frying Pan
G
overnment pork is not always a bad thing. Frying Pan Farm Park made a big splash at the Virginia State Fair livestock competition when two park pigs won blue ribbons. Splash placed first in the Mature Division and fellow Yorkshire cross breed Rhino took first in the Market Division on October 2 at the fair in Doswell, Virginia. Frying Pan Farm Park placed Photo by Paul Nicholson fourth overall in the Market Division. Judges evaluate each animal on its Farm hands Nicole Falceto and Jake Bruton pause soundness in structure, muscling, for a moment with Frying Pan Farm Park’s Blue body fat, width, frame size and general Ribbon pigs. appearance. Spectators noted Frying Pan’s animals were well-treated and well-behaved in the show ring. “I was very pleased with our pigs, but especially happy with the farm staff. They were true professionals and really made Frying Pan and the Park Authority proud,” said Tawny Hammond, Frying Pan Farm Park Manager. “They put Frying Pan on the map.”
8
ResOURces
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
can be sheared? Clipping is the act of giving a cow, goat or horse a haircut. Pigs can be clipped, but that usually is done only when the pig is being shown at a fair. The other species are clipped in spring for health and comfort reasons. Removing winter hair keeps animals cooler and promotes new hair growth. Dairy cattle often are clipped all over. At a minimum, the udder, belly and rear legs must be clipped to protect the milk from excess hair. This is called a “dairy cut.” The other words in our list are simple. Sorting separates newborns by quality. This evaluation is critical to future savings and success and is usually done when the animal is a month or two old. Spreading refers to putting manure and bedding waste on the crop fields. The ground is usually so wet during the winter that waste may have been stockpiled for months. Stripping is the act of getting all of the milk out of an udder by hand. Turnover is the turning over of the ground while the plow cuts the top cover and brings the lower soil to the top. Hopefully, it puts the weeds and their seeds underground, too. This takes care of your vocabulary list for spring. The farmer’s language works. It is easier to tell a farmhand to strip her out than to tell him to take all of the milk out of her udder by hand milking. Stop by Kidwell Farm at Frying Pan this spring and ask the farmers who’s been cut, clipped, sheared or sorted that day. Author Todd Brown is the Operations Branch Manager of the Park Authority’s Resource Management Division. Prior to his promotion to his current position, Brown was the Site Manager at Frying Pan Farm Park.
S T E WA R D S H I P / V I S I T T H E PA R K S
Fellows Honored with Environmental Excellence Award
T
he natural resource specialist who coordinates the Park Authority’s Invasive Management Area (IMA) program has received a 2010 Environmental Excellence Award from Fairfax County. Meghan Fellows was recognized at a September Board of Supervisors meeting for her dedication, leadership, vision and outreach efforts in developing and implementing the IMA program.
The award is based on the advancement or support of the board’s environmental goals and policy statements, dedication of personal time and expertise, and leadership as a role model. The Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council administers the award program, which is supported by the county’s environmental coordinator and the Department of Planning and Zoning.
10 more things a kid should do in a county park before turning 10: Dig into Nature Playce at Hidden Oaks.
An Invasive Management Area team in action at Mason District Park.
Help Reduce Invasive Plants in Parks The fight against invasive plants does not stop during cold months. Winter is a good time for invasive removal because poison ivy, yellow jackets and ticks aren’t as distracting or threatening as they are in warmer months. Help prevent invasive plants from spreading on parkland. Volunteer for the Park Authority’s Invasive Management Area program.
• Make a mud pie or dig a hole outdoors in Nature Playce at Hidden Oaks. • Celebrate a birthday at a nature center. • Attend a puppet show. • Learn from a naturalist how to find, capture, hold, hear and release a patent leather beetle. • Shell corn at Frying Pan Farm Park. • Grind corn in a hand-held mortar and pestle at Sully Historic Site. • Sled down a snowy slope. • Find and identify animal tracks in snow. • Swim at a RECenter or the Water Mine. • Look at something until you’ve seen everything there is to see about that thing. Then look at it for two more minutes.
Swimming doesn’t stop because it’s cold outside. Hit a RECenter pool this winter.
Have a birthday party in a park.
• See previous issues of ResOURces to learn more things kids can do in the parks. Click on the Standard pdf link at ResOURces.
Winter 2011
9
HISTORY
A Flicker of History By Lori K. Weinraub, Park Authority Volunteer
See History by Candlelight.
“This is a historic Christmas.” So they deck the halls, doors and mantles of Sully with greens, ivy and holly.
S
tep into the parlor where a lady cuts silhouettes for family pictures. On another night, chat with volunteers packing a Christmas box of clothing, food and treats for Confederate soldiers who just fought in a nearby Civil War battle. In another room, meet the young ladies preparing for a holiday ball.
Christmas was a religious holiday and a time that family and friends gathered, and Ziman says Sully tries to give visitors a sense of what a family was doing in this season. “It’s a unique opportunity to see a historic house lit by candles the way it would have been 200 years ago.”
Where will you see this? At Sully Historic Site in Chantilly, which again will offer candlelight tours this holiday season. Tour the home of Northern Virginia’s first congressman on Dec. 11, 12 and 18. Ride a wagon to the house built in 1794 by Richard Bland Lee, an uncle to Gen. Robert E. Lee, and learn about Christmas customs of the 19th century.
As a 21st century visitor, you’ll be able to make ornaments and hear carolers and music dating from Sully’s early years. Munch a cookie and sip some cider while taking in a cooking demonstration in Sully’s open hearth kitchen. The candlelight tours usually sell out, and there may be pent-up demand this year because two nights were snowed out last year. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and children. For information, call Sully at 703437-1794.
Events and Marketing Coordinator Barbara Ziman says each night of the candlelight tours will feature a different time period: Federal, Victorian or Civil War. Don’t fret if you’ve been there before; there are different programs each year, and Ziman says they shake things up completely every few years. You’ll be met at the house by an interpreter who will introduce you to Sully. Step into the dining room and learn about foods of the period. Glide into the parlor, where someone might be making Christmas decorations or singing period tunes. On another night, head up to a bedchamber to see girls primping for an evening of dance or reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Sully by candlelight is an opportunity to see into history.
from the mid-1880s, the first reference to a Christmas tree at Sully. In keeping with 19th century traditions, Christmas decorations throughout the rest of the house are sparse. Of course, there were no lights then, so there aren’t any at Sully, just candles. No piles of gifts under the tree, either. Ziman says there was no mass gift giving at the time.
In the east wing, you’ll find a Christmas tree decorated in Victorian splendor. The ornaments are described in a letter
There are no lights on the branches or gifts under the limbs of an historic Sully Christmas tree.
10 ResOURces
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
Park Authority Mourns Loss of Sully Foundation Officer The Fairfax County Park Authority lost a long-time supporter of parks this past fall. Thom F. Hanes died at Fairfax Hospital on September 18 at age 74. Hanes was the first Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Sully Foundation, Ltd. Hanes worked closely with the Park Authority and helped assure funds for the Sully Historic Site museum. He was the treasurer of the Sully Foundation at the time of his death. The Park Authority is grateful for his service to the site and the agency.
P R E S E R V AT I O N
Rarefied Care for Rare Artifacts By Susan Y. Clark, Museum Collections Manager
W
hat’s the oldest, most valuable object in the Park Authority’s Museum Collection? That’s like asking parents to select their favorite child. However, parents do know which child is oldest, and a little customizing of software helps us pinpoint our oldest objects. The Lee family still uses this 230-year-old tankard at family ceremonies.
There are approximately ten items in the museum collections that were made prior to 1750. Among them are:
ments, with careful consideration for each item’s composition. Appropriate care and preventive conservation techniques keep these rich pieces of Fairfax County history preserved for future generations. A few objects, however, have precise storage and handling needs. The Lee silver tankard, a 1780 hand-crafted Philadelphia beaker with domed lid, is still used today for ceremonial toasts during Lee family christenings. The tankard requires white-glove treatment and has to be packed and handled under special conditions. There’s more than monetary value at stake. The early 20th century wood broom-making machine on exhibit in the Colvin Run Mill barn was handcrafted and used in the Great Falls community by a man who was blind and self-supporting. Its historic value lies in the story it tells, a story that is worthy of preservation.
• A hand-crafted flax spinning wheel which descended through the Lee family and that is currently on exhibit at Sully Historic Site
Another historically outstanding object in the collection is the lock of George Washington’s hair that was presented to Elizabeth Collins Lee by Martha Washington. A common 18th century tradition, receipt of hair from a famous deceased person was considered a great honor and accepted with deep respect. We continue to treat it today with the same honor and respect.
Each Resource Management Division historic site has objects of significant historic value. Just as parents with their children, we don’t value any one object in the collection more than another. Most objects in the collection are handled equally, in controlled, stable environ-
If you have questions about the care of your family heirlooms, see the Spring 2009 issue of ResOURces or contact Museum Collections at 703-631-1429.
• A pair of English, Queen Anne style turned brass candlesticks • A molded pewter spoon with a ‘rat tail’ handle • A drop-leaf dining table with hand-carved cabriole legs • Two leather-bound typeset books printed in Latin and French
An early typeset, leather-bound book.
Gold Medal, from page 1 This is the third time Fairfax County has captured the award. Fairfax parks also were honored with the Gold Medal in 1983 and 2002. Since the award was established in 1965, only one agency, Maryland National Capital Parks, has won the Category I Gold Medal four times. Other three-time winners along with Fairfax County are agencies from Cleveland, Long Beach and Miami.
Thank a coach, thank a teacher, thank a friend with a Park Authority Gift Card! http://parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/giftcards/
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova said, “This is a wonderful recognition of the outstanding work our Park Authority has done. People love their parks in Fairfax County. They help provide the excellent quality of life our community values.” Park Authority Board Chairman Bill Bouie offered his congratulations to the agency, stating, “The entire county and its residents will certainly celebrate what we have known, that Fairfax County has the best park system in the country; and now it has been acknowledged.” Bouie added, “We could not have done it without the support of the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive and his team. We thank them for their belief in our mission and their recognition of the importance of parks in our community.” The Park Authority’s video entry, part of the award requirements, is online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/press/html/pr103-10.htm.
Winter 2011 11
HISTORIC PROPERTIES/HISTORY/STEWARDSHIP
Historic Properties Rental Services
This Winter, Go Dark Seek out Dark Skies.
D
o you know what goes bump in the night in your back yard? Do you know about the stars you aren’t seeing or about light pollution and its effects on wildlife?
Cabell’s Mill is one of eight historic sites in Fairfax County you can rent for any social occasion.
F
or costumed or contemporary weddings, family reunions, meetings or any gathering, rent one of Fairfax County’s beautiful historic properties.
Cabell’s Mill in Centreville • Clark House in Falls Church Dranesville Tavern in Dranesville • Great Falls Grange in Great Falls Hunter House in Vienna • Forestville Schoolhouse in Great Falls Stone Mansion in Alexandria • Wakefield Chapel in Annandale
Call 703-827-0269, or visit Historic Properties Rental Services online.
Many of us saw the Milky Way when we were kids. We can’t now, not from Fairfax County. The night skies are too bright. That’s light from 200 or 300 billion stars we’ve washed out, based on astronomers’ approximations of stars in the galaxy. The Fairfax County Park Authority is launching a Dark Skies campaign. You can help by reducing light pollution at home: • Point your outdoor lights toward the ground. You’ll get the light you need where you need it • Don’t use more bulb wattage than you need • Use motion sensors, dimmers or timers • Notify elected officials if street lights in your neighborhood are too bright or are pointing toward the sky Learn more about Dark Skies and light pollution in the Winter 2008 issue of ResOURces or through the Globe at Night program or from the International Dark-Sky Association.
The Civil War in Fairfax County Hundreds of thousands of troops passed through Fairfax County during the Civil War. Peyton Anderson was one. While he was here, Anderson became the first Confederate soldier wounded in the war.
Light pollution can affect wildlife patterns such as the migration patterns of butterflies.
Red Cross founder Clara Barton tended to soldiers here, and the first use of air reconnaissance to direct military fire occurred in the county during the war. Learn more about Civil War events that took place in Fairfax County at fxva. Learn about the county’s many Civil War sites by downloading the brochure Conflict and Courage in Fairfax County. Civil war commemorations are scheduled from 2011 through 2015 during the war’s sesquicentennial. The signature event for Fairfax County will be the Commemoration of the Battle of Ox Hill in September 2012.
12 ResOURces
A Fairfax County, VA., publication
Equal Access/Special Accommodations The Fairfax County Park Authority is committed to equal access in all programs and services. Special accommodations will be provided upon request. Please call the ADA/Inclusion Coordinator 703-324-8563 • TTY 703-803-3354 • www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ada.htm
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
MAILBOX
In The Mailbox To: Parkmail via Email My mom passed the Winter 2010 Resources newsletter to me so that I could read about Mike McCaffrey. I volunteered at Hidden Pond through middle and high school, and Mike and the other staff at Hidden Pond made a huge difference in my life. Before meeting them, I skipped school and got into trouble on a regular basis because I was bored. My mom made me volunteer, and it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I had no idea that science and nature could be so interesting and that I was a valuable person capable of grown-up responsibilities and teaching others. After my first year at Hidden Pond, I changed all my class electives to science and math and later went to college for horticulture and landscape architecture. I now work for Arlington County designing parks. I would have been lost without Hidden Pond. The staff there taught me so many valuable skills. Please forward this email on to Mike’s boss (and their boss!) so that they know how important and influential he (and Clara, Jim and Sheila) are to teenagers. Thank you! Christine Simpson
To Dawn Kehrer, Collections Coordinator, Colvin Run Mill Historic Site:
Shop for Parks Help Fairfax County’s parks as you shop! Start here: www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org/ Shop-for-Parks.html
Hi Dawn, Thanks so much for helping White Oaks arrange our field trip to Colvin Run Mill. We had an awesome time! It’s such a wonderful field trip. The teachers are always amazed by how engaged our students are and how much they learn from your staff. Thanks so much for making it a meaningful trip for us! Nicole Showalter 3rd grade teacher White Oaks Elementary
Support Fairfax County parks as you shop for the holidays. Whenever you shop on Amazon.com or sell on eBay, start your trip on the Park Foundation’s web page. When you sign on through the Foundation website, a percentage of your transaction goes to the Foundation to improve parks.
Winter 2011 13
WINTER EVENTS (Reservations required for most activities) To Register: Go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ parks/parktakes. All fee programs require advance registration and payment. Please register online using the 10-digit code or call the park. For park addresses and phone numbers, see page 2. Out-of-County Registration Fee: Add $15 per 10-digit coded program for programs priced $31 and up; all others add $2 for nonresidents.
COLVIN RUN MILL HISTORIC SITE 10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls (off Route 7, west of Tysons Corner) 703-759-2771 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/crm
Children’s Holiday Shopping December 4 and 5, 10am-2pm Saturday, Noon-4pm Sunday, Free
The maple syrup boil-down is a spring tradition at Colvin Run Mill.
Volunteers help children find the perfect gift for everyone on their lists. Free wrapping. Adults must wait on site.
ELLANOR C. LAWRENCE PARK AND WALNEY VISITOR CENTER
Santa at the Mill December 11, 3-6pm, $6
Bring your list to Santa in the mill and enjoy an afternoon of family holiday fun. Sing along with costumed soldiers around the bonfire. Decorate a stocking, roast marshmallows and sip hot chocolate.
Model Train Display December 18 and 19, 11am-4pm, Free
G-gauge trains wend their way through a miniature western town in the Colvin Run Barn.
Maple Syrup Boil-Down February 13, 27 and March 6, Noon-2pm, $2
The sap is rising and the maple trees are tapped. Now it’s sugaring time! Watch and learn as sap is boiled down into sweet syrup over an open fire. Sample the delicious combination of maple syrup over fresh baked cornbread. While supplies last!
Mill Run Dulcimer Band Concert March 20, 2-4pm, Free
Welcome the band back to the barn for the first toe-tappin’ concert of the season.
14 ResOURces
5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA 20151 703-631-0013 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ecl
Kids’ Korner (3-5 yrs.) Preschool children learn a little nature and a little history once a month, accompanied by an adult. $5
January: Owls
Jan. 3: Code: 274 187 8801, 9:30-10:30am Jan. 6: Code: 274 187 8803, 1-2pm Jan. 13: Code: 274 187 8804, 1-2pm Jan. 17: Code: 274 187 8802, 9:30-10:30am
February: Flying Squirrels
Feb. 3: Code: 274 187 8807, 1-2pm Feb. 7: Code: 274 187 8805, 9:30-10:30am Feb. 10: Code: 274 187 8808, 1-2pm Feb. 14: Code: 274 187 8806, 9:30-10:30am
March: Spotted Salamanders
March 10: Code: 274 1878812, 1-2pm, March 11: Code: 274 1878815, 9:30-10:30am March 14: Code: 274 187 8809, 9:3010:30am March 16: Code: 274 187 8810, 9:3010:30am
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
March 17: Code: 274 187 8813, 1-2pm March 18: Code: 274 187 8816, 9:3010:30am March 23: Code: 274 187 8811, 1-2pm March 24: Code: 274 187 8814, 2-3pm
Winter Wonder Campfire
Dec. 4, Code: 274 487 2101, 6-7:30pm, $6
(Families) Bundle up and discover animal strategies for surviving winter. Enjoy s’mores.
Holidays at Walney Farm
Dec. 11, Code: 274 487 2201, 1-2:30pm, $5
(All ages) Learn about the gifts and foods of an 1850 Virginia farm. Create your own historic holiday ornament. Enjoy hot apple cider and baked treats.
Night Hike
Dec. 15, Code: 274 487 2301, 7-8pm, $5
(Families) Take a nighttime walk with a naturalist to search for wildlife.
Holiday Shopping Afternoon
Dec. 18, Code: 274 487 2401, 11am-3pm, $20
(6-11 yrs.) Adults have the afternoon free for last minute shopping and/or wrapping. Kids participate in games, nature crafts and activities, shop at center’s gift store, eat lunch and roast s’mores. Bring a bag lunch (s’mores provided) and money for holiday shopping.
WINTER EVENTS
Barred Owls
Birds Around Us
(Families) Enjoy an evening hike and campfire to learn about owls.
(Families) Find out about bird life cycles, migration patterns and adaptations that make birds such fascinating animals.
Dec. 18, Code: 274 487 2501, 6-7:30pm, $6
Feb. 13, Code: 274 187 9901, 10-11am, $5
Stream Side Salamanders
Jr. Naturalists – Flying Squirrels
Dec. 19, Code: 274 487 2601, 9-10:30am, $5
(8 yrs. and up) Yes, even in winter we can find salamanders. Hike to a nearby stream to search for them.
Feb. 14, Code: 274 188 9201, 3-4pm, $5
(7-11 yrs.) Learn about local flying squirrels, their habits and habitats on a short forest hike.
Campfire Night Hike - Predators at Night
Nature Snoopers - Owls
January 3, Code: 274 187 8901, 3-4pm, $5
(5-6 yrs.) Come learn about our coolest nocturnal resident. Go for a walk and look for owls.
Feb. 16, Code: 274 188 0101, 6-7:30pm, $6
(Families) Not all predators are sleeping. Enjoy a night hike to learn about nocturnal hunters. End the evening with hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows around a campfire.
Winter Tracks and Signs
Jan. 8, Code: 274 187 9001, 9:30-10:30am, $5
(Families) Come search the park’s stream beds for animal tracks and other signs of winter.
Birds of Prey
Jan. 8: Code: 274 187 9101, 10am-6pm, $32 Feb. 5: Code: 274 187 9102, 10am-6pm, $32
(Adults)Visit local “hot spots” in search of wintering and resident hawks and owls. Bring binoculars and a bag lunch to eat on the go. Dress for the weather.
Ice Making in 19th Century Fairfax
January 9, Code: 274 187 8701, 1-2:30pm, $6
(All ages) Learn how ice was harvested and stored on Walney Farm in the 19th century. Make and eat ice cream.
Jr. Naturalists - Owls
Jan. 10, Code: 274 187 9201, 3-4pm, $5
Bird Banding
Feb. 19, Code: 274 188 0201, 1:30-3pm, $6 Learn about barred owls and other predators at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park.
(6 yrs. and up) See hand-held birds close-up. Discover how they are captured, examined and banded.
Feeding Day!
Home Made Bird Feeders
Jan. 24: Code: 274 187 9401, 3pm, $5 Feb. 21: Code: 274 187 9402, 3pm, $5
(Families) The Walney display animals are hungry! Join a naturalist and youth volunteers as we demonstrate how we feed our site display animals.
Waterfowl Hunt
Jan. 28, Code: 274 187 9501, 7am-3pm, $32
(Adults) Learn field identification and natural history of waterfowl by hunting local hot spots. Bald eagles cluster in these areas, too. Bring a bag lunch.
Feb. 20, Code: 274 188 0301, 9:30-10:30am, $5
(Families) Bring your empty milk jugs and two-liter soda bottles to make bird feeders. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars.
Wood Frogs!
March 4, Code: 274 188 8701, 7-8:30pm, $5
(8 yrs. and up) Help collect and release frogs and use recording data for our amphibian survey. Wear water-proof boots and bring flashlights.
Owl Campfire
March 12, Code: 274 187 1601, 6-7pm, $5
(7-11 yrs.) Come learn about our coolest nocturnal resident.
Groundhog Day!
(Families) Meet our resident barred owl and listen for night sounds.
Barred Owls Campfire
(Families) Meet our larger-than-life Walney groundhog! Learn the story behind Groundhog Day and interesting facts about this animal.
Nature Snoopers - Spotted Salamanders
Jan. 16, Code: 274 187 2501, 6-7:30pm, $6
(Families) Enjoy an evening hike and campfire to learn about owls.
Cedar Forests
Jan. 23, Code: 274 187 9302, 9-10:30am, $6
(8 yrs. and up) Since most trees lose their leaves in winter, animals seek out cedar forests for shelter. Enter our secretive cedar forest and discover what is hiding.
Feb. 6, Code: 274 187 9701, 1-2pm, $5
Nature Snoopers – Flying Squirrels
Feb. 7, Code: 274 188 8801, 3-4pm, $5
(5-6 yrs.) Learn about local flying squirrels, their habits and habitats on a short forest hike.
March 14, Code: 274 187 9801, 3-4pm, $5
(5-6 yrs.) Search for these awesome amphibians. Learn why they are important to us and the forest.
Go Green Campfire
March 16, Code: 274 188 8901, 7-8pm, $5
(Families) Meet at Cabell’s Mill for a hike to explore all things green in the meadow.
Winter 2011 15
WINTER EVENTS
Fishing at Walney Pond
March 19, Code: 274 188 9001, 9-10:30, $5
(Families) Bring your fishing rods and bait to Walney Pond. Fish with a naturalist and learn about native fish and their habits.
Bluebirds in Your Backyard
March 20, Code: 274 188 9101, 9:30-11am, $15/kit
(6 yrs. and up) Uncover the mysteries of these jewels of the spring through a slide show and walk. Make a nest box for your own back yard. Bring a hammer.
Jr. Naturalists - Spotted Salamanders
March 21, Code: 274 188 0001, 3-4pm, $5
(7-11 yrs. old) Search for these awesome amphibians.
FRYING PAN FARM PARK 2709 West Ox Road Herndon, VA 20171 703-437-9101 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fpp
Frying Pan has indoor and outdoor riding arenas, trails and jump equipment. Horse shows make regular use of the facilities. Please call for availability. Cost: (with your own horse) $8/horse per hour; $13/per horse per hour with instructor. Frying Pan Farm Park does not provide riding lessons or rent horses.
poppin’, toe-tappin’ good time! Bring your instrument to this drop-in session at the Country Store.
crafts. Tour the farm and the new equestrian facilities. Wagon rides, warming fires, carolers and holiday photo stations.
Little Hands on the Farm
Christmas at the Farm
(2-3 year olds), 9:45am, $7 Jan. 10, Code: 282 186 2301 Jan. 24, Code: 282 186 2302 Feb. 14, Code: 282 186 2303 Feb. 28, Code: 282 186 2304 (3-5 year olds), 9:45am, $7 Jan. 10, Code: 282 186 2401 Jan. 24, Code: 282 186 2402 Feb. 14, Code: 282 186 2403 Feb. 28, Code: 282 186 2404 Mar. 14, Code: 282 186 2405
Join us in the barn to meet a farm animal, enjoy a story, craft or game, and pretend to be the farmer with fun “chores.” Each program is different.
60 Years of Parks - Anniversary Celebration and Capstone Event December 4, 1-7pm, Free entrance
Celebrate the Park Authority’s 60th Anniversary with seasonal festivities. Live music, equestrian demonstrations and a farm house visit, Children’s Holiday Shopping at the Country Store. Meet Santa and make holiday
December 4, $8 Code:282 487 3201, 12:30-1:30pm Code:282 487 3202, 2:30-3:30pm
(Families) Take a wagon ride with Santa. Activities include a holiday craft and a Christmas puppet show. Dress for the weather.
Children’s Holiday Shopping December 4, 12:30-3:30pm
Meet at the Old Floris Schoolhouse. Volunteers help children shop in the Country Store for everybody on their holiday list.
Magic Toy Shop Puppet Show
December 28, $4 Code: 282 487 3301, 10-10:40am Code: 282 487 3302, 11:30am-12:10pm
(Families) Join Master Puppeteer Bob Brown in a brand new production of Magic Toyshop.
Raise the Rafters and Game Day Rhythm Around the World Tour January 9, 2-3pm, Free
(6 yrs and up) Take a musical journey around the globe.
Virginia Hunter Horse Show Series Saturdays: December 11, January 8, February 5, and March 26, 8am
No reservations required. Walk, trot and canter beginner horse show. Held indoors rain or shine. Spectators free.
Just Jumper Horse Show Series
Sundays: December 19, January 16, February 6, and March 13, 9am
No reservations required. Watch local residents compete for a blue ribbon in a variety of jumping classes. Held indoors rain or shine. Spectators free.
Acoustic Jam
December 5, 19; January 2, 16; February, 6, 20; 1-4pm, Free
Join an old-fashioned knee-slappin’, finger-
16 ResOURces
Children can do their holiday shopping at several park sites in December.
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
WINTER EVENTS
Groundhog’s Day Out
January 30, Code: 282 188 0401, 2-3:30pm, $5
(Families) Groundhog Day comes a little early at Frying Pan. Visit a groundhog burrow. Learn about groundhogs and other ways to predict the weather.
Raise the Rafters and Game Day Musical Camera Safari February 6, 2-3pm, Free
(6 yrs and up) Listen to the world of animal sounds through a variety of musical instruments.
Winter on the Farm
February 27, 1-2:30pm or 3-4:30pm, $7
Bundle up and enjoy a wagon ride, visit with the new babies and sample seasonal activities.
Raise the Rafters and Game Day – Who’s on First Bass?
Enjoy a little warmth and elegance at a Green Spring Gardens tea this winter.
(6 yrs and up) Find out how music and sports can go together.
Dec. 4, Code: 290 487 5102, 1-3:30pm, $50
March 13, 2-3pm, Free
Putting the Animals to Bed
March 22, Code: 282 186 2501, 7-8pm, $6 March 24, Code: 282 186 2502, 7-8pm, $6
When evening shadows spread, it is time to put the animals to bed. Bring your flashlight or lantern for this twilight tour and learn how our farm animals settle down for the night.
Kite Fun Day at the Farm
March 26, 10:30am-noon or 1-2:30pm, $8/ child
(Families) Make and decorate kites; watch them soar. Kite flying activities for children 10 yrs. and under.
GREEN SPRING GARDENS
Winter Wreaths Workshop Create a beautiful winter wreath to take home after Northern Virginia Community College instructor Bruce Nash demonstrates the dazzling possibilities. Bring pruners.
Gardeners’ Holiday Open House: Celebrating the Winter Garden Dec. 5, Noon-4pm, Free
Shop for holiday gifts, make crafty, holidayinspired creations, listen to seasonal music, enjoy refreshments and view beautiful decorations.
Winter Candlelight Tea Dec. 11 or 18, Call park for reservations, 4-5:30pm, $27 (12 yrs. and under $18)
Basic Gardening: Lush Feathery Ferns Jan. 7, Code: 290 188 4701, 1:30-2:30pm, $12
Master Gardeners show you how the diversity of ferns allows their use throughout the landscape, whether sunny or shady.
Let It Snow: Snow Crystal Workshop Jan. 8, Code: 290 188 3201, 2pm-3pm, $6
(ages 5 and up) Listen to the story of “Snowflake Bentley” and learn how snow is made. Craft your own snowflakes of crystal, paper and pipe cleaners.
Basic Gardening: Roses, Glorious Roses
Jan. 22, Code: 290 188 4801, 9:30-10:30am, $10
4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 703-642-5173 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/
Tea by candlelight and stories of Christmas past. Traditional music, decorations and teatime treats will take you back to the early days of the Historic House.
Light Up the Solstice
Garden Sprouts - Snip, Snip, Snow!
(ages 5 and up) Light up the coming winter with two candles that you make with beeswax.
Jan. 3, Code: 290 188 2901, 11am-noon, $5
Jan. 23, Call park for reservations, 1-3pm, $27
(ages 3-5) Find out how snow crystals grow into snowflakes and how to make your own.
The houseplant hobby began with the botany craze of the 1800s. See how the Victorians’
Dec. 4, Code: 290 487 3901, 2-3pm, $8
Master Gardeners help you discover the wonderful world of roses! Learn the basics of selection, cultivation tips and how to incorporate roses into your landscape.
The Parlor Garden Tea
Winter 2011 17
WINTER EVENTS
love of indoor gardening transformed their parlors into bowers of ferns, palms and aspidistras, and look at innovative ways to bring the outdoors inside today.
Book Discussion Group
Jan. 26, Code: 290 188 5201, 6-7:30pm, $5
Expand your gardening knowledge in a social setting. Join us at Green Spring for a discussion of the book Gardening for a Lifetime by Sydney Eddison.
Needle Felting Workshop
Jan. 29, (18-Adult) Code: 290 188 5701, 9:30am-11:30, $25
Learn the basics of this unique fiber arts craft.
Workshop: Painting Rocks and Cliffs Jan. 29, Code: 290 188 4401, 9:30am3:30pm, $72
Enjoy the day with artist and teacher Carolyn Grosse Gawarecki painting rocks and cliffs in watercolor. Discuss the shape and textures of rocks exposed to the sea, rivers and desert winds. Class geared to intermediate and experienced beginners. Bring a bag lunch.
6th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchange Feb. 5, 12:30–4pm
Lectures, a face-to-face seed swap and more. $15/person, $10 for Washington Gardener subscribers and Friends of Green Spring.
Basic Gardening: Spring Maintenance
Feb. 4, Code: 290 188 4901, 1:30-2:30pm, $10
Master Gardeners will show you everything you need to do in early spring, including cutting back, cleaning up, edging, weeding, planting, mulching, watering, fertilizing and top dressing.
Flower Fun in February
Feb. 5, Code: 290 188 3301, 2pm-3pm, $6
(ages 5 and up) Flowers in winter? You bet! Get a jump on spring. Create an early bouquet by coaxing pussy willow and forsythia branches to bloom indoors.
18 ResOURces
Tasting Party: Salt
derful world of worms in our indoor compost bin. Learn how to build your own 10-gallon bin.
(13-Adult) We will demystify the world of salt as we sample the basic types as well as exotic gourmet varieties. Hear about salt history and health, measuring and cooking guidelines and how to pair salts with specific foods.
Workshop: Pruning for the Homeowner
Feb. 5, Code: 290 188 5801, 10:30am-noon, $22
Garden Sprouts - Predator and Prey
Feb. 7, Code: 290 188 3001, 11am-noon, $5
(ages 3-5) Who eats what and who eats whom in the wild? Learn about the food chain and how animals protect themselves.
Starting from Scratch with Seeds
Feb. 12, Code: 290 188 5301, 9:30-11am, $22
Grow flowers, vegetables and herbs from seed and expand your garden.
Valentine’s Day Tea: Love Stories
Feb. 13, Call park for reservations, 1-3pm, $27
Explore some of the many roads to “happily ever after” with storyteller Margaret Chatham.
Lovely Low-Maintenance Gardens
Feb. 19, Code: 290 188 5401, 10:30am-noon, $15
Brenda Skarphol, Green Spring curatorial horticulturist, leads you to marvelous, multiseason plant combinations and eco-friendly gardening techniques.
7th Annual EcoSavvy Gardening Symposium
Feb. 26, Code: 290 188 5501, 8:30am-4pm, $50
This symposium brings together experts to share practical information on environmental issues. Sponsored by Virginia Cooperative Extension.
Fashions of the Tea Table
Feb. 27, Call park for reservations, 1-3pm, $27
The history of teatime accessories – china, linens and silverware – tells the story of tea-drinking through the ages. View beautiful teatime collectibles.
Worm Workshop
March 3, 2pm-3pm, Code: 290 188 3401, $6 without kit - Code: 290 188 3402, $25 with kit
(ages 5 and up) Explore the dark and won-
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
March 5, Code: 290 188 4501, 9:30am-noon, $30
Learn how to skillfully prune shrubs and small trees to achieve a pleasing natural shape and abundant flowering. Hands-on training.
Garden Sprouts - One Potato, Two Potato
March 7, Code: 290 188 3101, 11am-noon, $5
(ages 3-5) It’s time for tubers. Come learn about potatoes.
Basic Gardening: Grow Plants from Seeds March 12, Code: 290 188 5001, 9:3010:30am, $10
Master Gardeners present seed starting basics. Discover how to expand the variety of flowers, vegetables and herbs in your garden by growing them from seed.
An Afternoon with Julia Child
March 19, Call park for reservations, 1-3:30pm, Program only: $12; Program + tea: $32
Award-winning actress Mary Ann Jung performs as Julia Child, the witty Queen of Cuisine! As we celebrate National Women’s History Month, meet the wonderful woman who entertained us as she changed culinary history.
Urban Small Space Gardening
March 19, Code: 290 188 5601, 10-11:30am, $18
(18-Adult) Whether you have a townhouse garden or a small lot in the city, we’ll talk about creative ways to cope and maximize the space.
Basic Gardening: Gardening for Birds
March 25, Code: 290 188 5101, 1:30-2:30pm, $10
Learn how to attract a variety of birds to your landscape by providing elements necessary to develop a backyard bird habitat.
WINTER EVENTS
Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series Then and Now at Green Spring Gardens
Jan. 16, Code: 290 188 3501, 1:30-3pm, $10
Learn the story of Green Spring Gardens through photo archives that span 120 years. Green Spring historian Debbie Waugh shows how the landscape evolved.
Tree Essentials
Jan. 23, Code: 290 188 360, 11:30-3pm, $10
What you always wanted to know about trees, but were afraid to ask. Arborist and author Richard Murray presents a fresh look at trees.
Cheery Cherry Trees
Jan. 30, Code: 290 188 3701, 1:30-3pm, $10
Join National Park Service staff to learn about the culture and natural history of these beautiful trees.
The Witch Hazel Family
Feb. 6, Code: 290 188 3801, 1:30-3pm, $10
Join Scott Arboretum curator Andrew Bunting for an in-depth look at Hamamelidaceae, the witch hazel family.
Creating Garden Habitats, Big and Small Feb. 13, Code: 290 188 3901, 1:30-3pm, $10
Sustainable landscaper Catherine Zimmerman shows how you can help resolve wildlife habitat loss by creating beautiful and sustainable habitats in your own garden.
Smithsonian Gardens: A Hidden Treasure
Feb. 20, Code: 290 188 4001, 1:30-3pm, $10
Cindy Brown, Smithsonian Gardens Education and Collections Manager, takes you on a treasure hunt through a tapestry of gardens and collections.
Going Green in the Garden
Feb. 27, Code: 290 188 4101, 1:30-3pm, $10
Entomologist Dr. Mike Raupp from the University of Maryland teaches how to deal with pests effectively without hurting ourselves, our pets and our kids.
Energy-Wise Landscape Design
March 6, Code: 290 188 4201, 1:30-3pm, $10
Learn how to design your landscape to save
Explore the world of dinosaurs in a program at Hidden Oaks Nature Center.
energy and contribute to a healthier environment. Learn fom Sue Reed, a landscape architect with years of ecological design experience.
The King’s Gardener
March 13, Code: 290 188 4301, 1:30-3pm, $10
History comes alive as you meet America’s first botanist, John Bartram, a traveler, collector and father of the nursery industry in the original 13 colonies. Kirk Brown, as John Bartram, takes us back to a time when the new field of plant discovery and identification lead to the development of America’s first public gardens.
HIDDEN OAKS NATURE CENTER
7701 Royce Street, Annandale, VA 22003 703-941-1065
Winter Discovery Bag
Daily, except Tuesday. Available during nature center hours. $1
(Families) Enjoy the 1/3-mile Old Oak Trail, which loops behind the nature center. Each bag contains activities and learning enhancements ideal for child and parent adventures.
Nature Playce Dawn to dusk, Free
(Families) Get outside and enjoy unstructured outdoor play in our 1/3-acre woodland area. Make mud pies, dig into wood chip and leaf piles, build ground forts.
Your Art in the Park Available during nature center hours, $20
(All ages) Create your own nature design on paper and we’ll transfer it to a ceramic fourinch square tile for our foyer display.
Monday Bird Walk 7:30-9:30am, Free
(All ages) Discover the resident birds of the Accotink Stream Valley. Bring binoculars.
Forest Fledglings Mondays, 9:45-10:30am or 11-11:45am, $5
(3-5 yrs.) Classes for parent and child (quiet siblings welcome). Dress for the weather.
Little Acorns Alternate Fridays, starting Jan. 7, 9:4510:30am or 11-11:45am, $5
(2-3 yrs.) Preschool children and their adults begin the joy of sharing the wonders of nature in this interactive program series.
Winter Scavenger Hunt
Music of the Civil War
(All ages) Enjoy outdoor self-guided scavenger hunts.
(Families) Enjoy live fiddle music and songs of the Civil War.
Available during nature center hours, $1
Dec. 4, Code: 308 486 9001, 3-4pm, $6
Winter 2011 19
WINTER EVENTS
Flying Squirrels: Gliding in Tonight Join the naturalist calling in these amazing gliders of the night. $6 Dec. 11, Code: 308 486 8903, 6-7pm Jan. 15, Code: 308 188 2301, 5:45-6:45pm Jan. 23, Code: 308 188 2302, 6-7pm Feb. 6, Code: 308 188 2303, 6:15-7:15pm Feb. 26, Code: 308 188 2304, 6:30-7:30pm March 6, Code: 308 188 2305, 6:30-7:30pm March 12, Code: 308 188 2306, 6:45-7:45pm
Dinosaur Film, Puppet and Craft Festival
Dec. 19, Code: 308 486 9101, 3-4:15pm, $7
(4-8 yrs.) Explore fossils, footprints and films as you learn the latest on these fascinating creatures.
Snake and Turtle Feeding: Behind the Scenes Jan. 2, Code: 308 188 2101, 2-3pm, $5
(Ages 4 and up) Assist the naturalist feeding and caring for the nature center’s live amphibian and reptile exhibit animals.
Dino Puppet Show & Activities Jan. 8, Code: 308 188 2201, 2-3pm, $5
(3-7 yrs.) How do we know that dinosaurs were here? Enjoy a puppet show along with fun fossil facts.
Groundhog Day Celebration
Jan. 30, Code: 308 188 2401, 1:30-2:30pm, $5
(Ages 3-10) Prepare for Groundhog’s Day with our costumed characters, Willard and Mother Nature.
Naturalist Corner Science and Nature Fun
Jan. 31: Code: 308 188 2501, 1-4pm, $5 Feb. 1: Code: 308 188 2502, 9:30am12:30pm, $5
(Ages 3-12) Explore over a dozen learning and craft stations at your own pace. Meet live animals, play traditional America Indian games, create nature-themed art and learn how to read animal tracks.
Flakey the (naked) Snowman
Feb. 6, Code: 308 188 2601, 1:30-3:00pm, $6
(Ages 3-12) Snuggle up with snowman soup
20 ResOURces
(hot cocoa) and listen to this inspiring tale of friendship and charity as read by local author Amy Tubbs.
Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Extravaganza
March 6, Code: 308 188 2701, 2-3:30pm, $6
(Ages 4 and up) Naturalists share the tales of Yertle the Turtle, Gertrude McFuzz and more.
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
March 20, Code: 308 188 2801, 1:30-2:45pm, $15
(Ages 5 and up) Parents and children sip tea, enjoy butterfly-shaped sandwiches and join the crazy fun of Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter and his friends.
HIDDEN POND NATURE CENTER
8511 Greeley Boulevard Springfield, VA 22152 703-451-9588 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/hiddenpond/
Wildlife Wednesday-Evergreens & Animals
Dec. 1, Code: 332 487 6101, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 3-6) Join a naturalist for an exploration of local evergreen species and some of the animals that depend on them.
Ponderings-Winter Survival
Dec. 3, Code: 332 487 6201, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 6-10) See how animals found in the wilds of Fairfax County handle the cold winter months.
Nature Quest-Backyard Feeding Station Dec. 6, Code: 332 487 6301, 10-11am, $4
(Ages 3-6) Our intrepid naturalist shows you how to build a basic wildlife feeding station right in your own backyard.
Walk with a Naturalist
Dec. 11, Code: 332 487 6401, 10:30-11:45am, $4
(All ages) The Pohick Stream Valley offers nature lovers opportunities for wildlife and scenic observation during the winter.
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
Ever wonder what’s in the pond? Find out through the Ponderings programs at Hidden Pond Nature Center.
Wildlife Wednesday-Twilight Hike
Dec. 15, Code: 332 487 6501, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 3-6) No vampires, just our intrepid naturalist leading kids down to the creek to look for beaver, deer and foxes.
Ponderings-Critter Calling
Dec. 17, Code: 332 487 6601, 4:30-6pm, $6
(Ages 6-10) When it comes to looking for wildlife in our park, you can be sure our naturalists are ready. Kids will try their hand at calling animals.
Nature Quest-Tracking
Dec. 20, Code: 332 487 6701, 10-11am, $4
(Ages 3-6) The younger naturalist set will get the basics of tracking local wildlife.
Nature Quest-Cold and Ice
Jan. 3, Code: 332 187 6801, 10-11am, $4
(Ages 3-6) See what winter’s harshest offerings do to our landscape and how wildlife adapts to survive.
Pohick Rangers: 20-Year Anniversary Jan. 3, Code: 332 187 6901, 3-5pm, $150
(Ages 6-10) The longest-running program at
WINTER EVENTS
Hidden Pond kicks off its 20th season with explorations of wetlands, nocturnal wildlife, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, geology and more. Program meets twice a month, in the field as much as possible. We’ll identify what we see and catch. Program is limited in size. (Subsequent meeting dates and times are: 1/24, 3-5pm; 2/7, 3-5pm; 2/25, 7-9pm; 3/7, 3-5pm; 3/21, 3-5pm; 4/4, 3-5pm; 4/29, 7-10pm; 5/9, 3-5pm; 5/23, 3-5pm; 6/6, 3-5pm; and 6/20, 3-6pm.)
Wildlife Wednesdays-Winter Animal Homes
Jan. 5, Code: 332 187 7001, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 3-6) This program will take the young naturalists in search for animal homes in our park. It’s all outdoors.
Ponderings-Weasels
Jan. 7, Code: 332 187 7101, 4:30-6pm, $4
(Ages 6-10) Discover how many weasels live in Fairfax County and learn what their roles are in the food chain.
Thursday Adventures-Shelter Building
Jan. 13, Code: 332 187 7201, 4:30-6pm, $6
(Ages 10-12) Learn what it takes to build a quick survival shelter.
In the Wild with the Running Naturalist
Jan. 14, Code: 332 187 7301, 3:30-5:30pm, $8 Jan. 28, Code: 332 187 7302, 3:30-5:30pm, $8 Feb. 11, Code: 332 187 7303, 3:30-5:30pm, $8 Feb. 25, Code: 332 187 7304, 3:30-5:30pm, $8
Wildlife Wednesday-Who is at the Feeder?
Feb. 14, Code: 332 187 8201, 10-11am, $4
Jan. 19, Code: 332 187 7501, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 3-6) See how birds, foxes and other forest creatures find a mate.
(Ages 3-6) Our naturalist will give a short talk on the common birds that visit our bird feeder at Hidden Pond.
Wildlife Wednesday-Life in a Log
Ponderings-Springs, Seeps and Swamp
Jan. 21, Code: 332 187 7601, 4:30-6pm, $6
(Ages 6-10) The springs, seeps and swamp may still be frozen, but what better time to take a look for them and check what is going on under the ice?
Adventures-How to Track
Jan. 27, Code: 332 187 7701, 4:30-6pm, $6
(Ages 10-12) Be one of the first kids in your class to gain the skills for tracking a fox, a deer or a raccoon.
Wildlife Wednesday-Groundhog Day & More
Feb. 2, Code: 332 187 7801, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 3-6pm) The groundhog isn’t nature’s only weather predictor. Several other animals also are credited for their presumed ability to forecast weather. See who they are.
Ponderings-Signs of Spring
Feb. 4, Code: 332 187 7901, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 6-10) From the wood frog to the skunk cabbage, see if signs of spring are starting to reveal themselves.
Thursdays AdventuresCamouflage Yourself
Feb. 10, Code: 332 187 8001, 4:30-6pm, $6
(Ages 12-15) If you’re a nature lover and want to stay in shape, join our naturalist for a nature run with quick stops at scenic locations and for wildlife viewing.
(Ages 10-12) Not only will the naturalist give you examples of how to camouflage yourself, you also will be put to the test to see if you can keep yourself hidden from fellow participants.
Walk with a Naturalist
Animal Sweethearts Dance
(All ages) A leisurely walk into the great outdoors at Hidden Pond is a remedy for cabin fever.
(Ages 3-8) One of the most popular winter programs at Hidden Pond is back. There will be dancing, valentine crafts and informative nature items.
Jan. 15, Code: 332 187 7401, 10:30-11:45am, $4
Nature Quest-Animal Valentines
Feb. 12, Code: 332 187 8101, 10am-Noon, $8
Feb. 16, Code: 332 187 8301, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 3-6) Our naturalist knows where to look for wildlife that is active, albeit slow moving.
Ponderings-Winter Birds
Feb. 18, Code: 332 187 8401, 4:30-5:30pm, $4
(Ages 6-10) See what species call Fairfax County home during the winter.
Thursdays Adventures-Tree ID
Feb. 24, Code: 332 187 8501, 4:30-6pm, $6
(Ages 10-12) It is not easy, but with our naturalist leading the way, folks will learn techniques for identifying trees in winter.
Nature Quest-Signs of Spring
Feb. 28, Code: 332 187 8601, 10-11am, $4
(Ages 3-6) The signs are there, and our naturalist leads the search for them on this leisurely walk into the wilds of Hidden Pond.
HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARK AND VISITOR CENTER
3701 Lockheed Blvd. Alexandria, VA 22306 703-768-2525 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley/
Owl Outing
Dec. 4, Code: 340 486 6601, 4:30-6:30pm, $6
(Adults) Learn about the secret lives of the park’s owls.
Huntley Holiday Happening Dec. 12, 1-4pm, Free
Enjoy an afternoon of shopping with a 10% discount on merchandise, yummy treats and holiday crafts.
Photography Contest Opening Dec. 12, 2-4pm, Free
Admire this year’s winning entries from the Friends of Huntley Meadows’ annual photography contest.
Winter 2011 21
WINTER EVENTS
vation tower, looking for green-winged teals, pintails, swamp sparrows and winter wrens.
All A-Buzz About Bees
Feb. 26, Code: 340 188 1201, 4-5:30pm, $6
(Adults) Learn about the fascinating lives of our native bees, how they contribute to the human world and what you can do to attract them to your gardens.
Bones!
Feb. 27, Code: 340 188 1301, 2-3:30pm, $6
(9-12 yrs.) Every skeleton has a secret. Search clues left behind in animal skulls, teeth and bones.
Evening Wildlife Walk Take up birding with a beginner’s course at Huntley Meadows.
Young Explorers - Holiday Crafts
Dec. 13, Code: 340 486 6703, 3:15-4:30pm, $6
(6-9 yrs.) Join the fun of making holiday gifts, ornaments and cards with a nature theme.
Nature Detectives - Holiday Crafts
Dec. 15, Code: 340 486 6801, 10-10:45am, $6 Dec. 16, Code: 340 486 6802, 10-10:45am, $6
(3-5 yrs.) Listen to a winter tale, then make a holiday ornament to take home.
Drummers and Drillers
Jan. 8, Code: 340 187 9601, 9:30am11:30am, $6
(Adults) Watch a variety of woodpeckers on the park’s suet feeders, learn how to attract them to your yard and hopefully glimpse a flicker on its mission to eat a thousand insects in a day.
Flying Dragons
Jan. 15, Code: 340 188 0601, 4-5:30pm, $6
(Adults) Ever wonder how dragonflies can hover, dip, dive and zoom at 40 mph through the air? How many species live in Northern Virginia? What do they eat, who eats them and what kind of courtship do they have? The answers are bizarre and surprising.
Café Cattail
Jan. 21, Reservations required for performers, 7-9:30pm, Free
Welcome to Huntley Meadows’ very own cof-
22 ResOURces
feehouse! Enjoy a relaxing evening applauding our community’s talents.
Birding for Beginners
Jan. 23, Code: 340 188 0701, 8-10:30am, $6
(Adults) Winter is a great time to begin birding.
Native Wildflower Meadows Jan. 29, Code: 340 188 0801, 4-5:30pm, $6
(Adults) Learn why native grasses and wildflowers found in Virginia’s meadows are so important, and discover the colorful wildlife that calls them home.
Winter Chills and Thrills
Jan. 29, Code: 340 188 0901, 1-3pm, $4 Jan. 30, Code: 340 188 0902, 1-3pm, $4 Jan. 31, Code: 340 188 0903, 1-3pm, $4
(5-10 yrs.) Discover how wildlife copes with winter by playing games, making crafts and exploring self-guided activities.
Winter Hike-Marvelous Meadows
Feb. 5, Code: 340 1881001, 4:30pm-6pm, $6
(9 and up) Chase away the winter blues with a two-mile hike on the South King’s Highway side of the park.
Winter Hike-Wonderful Wetland Waterfowl Feb. 19, Code: 340 188 1101, 2-4pm, $6
(9 and up) Hike the boardwalk to the obser-
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
March 5, Code: 340 188 1401, 5:30-7pm, $6
(Adults) Explore the Hike/Bike Trail in hopes of discovering calling frogs and owls, migrating waterfowl and displaying American woodcock. Bring optics and a flashlight.
Birding for Beginners
March 6, Code: 340 188 1501, 8-11am, $6
(Adults) Sharpen your waterfowl identification skills while birding with a park naturalist.
Leave it to Beaver
March 6, Code: 340 188 1601, 5:15-6:30pm, $6
(6 yrs. and up) Families will look for signs of beavers and, if we’re lucky, catch a glimpse of these nocturnal engineers.
Birds and Bagels
March 12, Code: 340 188 1701, 8-10:30am, $8
(Adults) Enjoy the end of winter during this morning search for waterfowl.
Park Manager Walk and Talk
March 12, No reservations required, 4-6pm, Free
(Adults) Join park manager Kevin Munroe and learn about the wetland restoration project and about the wildlife for which the park is known.
Evening Walk
March 19, Code: 340 188 1801, 5:30-6pm, $6
(Adults) Join a park naturalist and hike the trails after dark.
WINTER EVENTS
Young Explorers Backyard Birds
Creatures of the Night
Feb. 17, Code: 557 188 6701, at Great Falls Grange, 10:15am, $6 Feb. 24, Code: 563 188 6701, at Hunter House, 10:15am, $6
March 21, Code: 340 188 1901, 3:15-4:30pm, $4
(6-9 yrs.) Learn more about these ubiquitous and necessary Virginia resources.
(2-5 yrs) Bats, beavers, foxes and flying squirrels -- so many of our favorite animals are nocturnal. Puppets, games and activities help us understand the wildlife that is awake while we sleep.
Nature Detectives - Backyard Birds
March 23, Code: 340 188 2001, 10-10:45am, $6 March 24, Code: 340 188 2002, 10-10:45am, $6
Treemendous!
(3-5 yrs.) Through story, activity and a craft, learn more about these ubiquitous and necessary Virginia resources.
March 9, Code: 561 188 6801, at Clark House, 10:15-11am, $6 March 15, Code: 556 188 6801, at Dranesville Tavern, 10:15-11am, $6
RIVERBEND PARK
(2-5 yrs) Discover fun facts about local and exotic trees through preschool activities and stories. $6
8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls, VA 22066 703-759-9018 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/
Corn Hole
Riverbend Park programs can teach you about the mammals of Fairfax County through its Our Furry Friends program.
(All ages) Available during visitor center hours. Rent this fun game to play with family or friends. $5/2 hour rental
school group or birthday party wagon ride. Minimum 11 people, maximum 20 people. Call for available dates. $5/person
The Potomac River Gorge Trail – A Globally Rare Environment
Our Furry Friends
(8 yrs. and up) Daily 7am-dusk, picnic area by the visitor center. Enjoy a self-guided 2.5-mile hike along the Potomac River and find out why The Nature Conservancy named this area “one of the most significant natural areas in the eastern United States.” Free
Scavenger Hunt (All ages) Available during visitor center hours. Check out the scavenger hunt packet and follow the clues as they lead you through the park in search of nature facts. $1/packet
Holiday Ornaments: Make Your Own
November 13-December 31, $5 for 2 ornaments
(All Ages) Available during visitor center hours. Teasels, pine cones and walnuts all add up to make holiday ornaments.
Wagon Rides on Request (All ages) Book your family outing, play group,
Jan. 19, Code: 561 188 6401, at Clark House, 10:15-11am, $6 Jan. 25, Code: 556 188 6401, at Dranesville Tavern, 10:15-11am, $6
Night Sky Festival
March 12, Group reservations required, 7-9pm, $5/person
(All ages) Enjoy activities including guided star gazing, looking through the telescope and listening to ancient stories about the constellations around the campfire.
Simple Beauty of Backpacking
March 17, 24, and 31, Code: 563 188 6301, at Hunter House, 7-9pm, $48
(2-5 yrs) Through fun activities, explore the lives of squirrels, deer and other mammals.
(13 yrs.-Adult) Learn core skills and principles that will enable you to get the most from an overnight backpacking trip.
Penguins and Polar Bears
Return of the Amphibians
Jan. 20, Code: 557 188 6501, at Great Falls Grange, 10:15-11am, $6 Jan. 27, Code: 563 188 6501, at Hunter House, 10:15-11am, $6
(2-5 yrs) Why do penguins and polar bears never meet? How does a penguin keep its eggs warm?
Walk, Waddle and Wiggle
Feb. 9, Code: 561 188 6601, at Clark House, 10:15-11am, $6 Feb. 15, Code: 556 188 6601, at Dranesville Tavern, 10:15-11am, $6
(2-5 yrs) Animals move in fascinating ways. Walk, waddle or wiggle on over to enjoy activities and try out animal locomotion.
March 17, Code: 557 188 6901, at Great Falls Grange, 10:15-11am, $6 March 24, Code: 563 188 6901, at Hunter House, 10:15-11am, $6
(2-5 yrs), Hop on over and meet a toad, find out what’s for lunch and participate in amusing amphibian activities.
A Night in the Woods
March 23, Code: 561 188 7001, at Clark House, 7-9pm, $16
(13-Adult) Through an entertaining and interactive workshop, learn and practice some of the most important skills needed to tackle your first night out in the woods.
Winter 2011 23
WINTER EVENTS
SULLY HISTORIC SITE 3650 Sully Way Chantilly, VA 20151 703-437-1794 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully/ The 1794 home of Richard Bland Lee is open daily for guided tours except Tuesdays. Cost: $6/adult, $5/student (16+), $4 senior (60+) and child (5-15 yrs.) per tour.
Decorated for the Festive Season December 1-27 except Tuesdays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Reservations required for groups. 11am-4pm, $6/adult, $5/ student, $4/senior and child
Relive the 1885 holiday memories of a young Sully visitor and see the tree decorated in Victorian splendor.
Historic Games at Sully
December 4, 11am-4pm, $6/adults and $4/ child or senior
Make a historic toy, $2, while supplies last. Play 18th and 19th century games at Sully. Checkers, nine pins, bean bag toss and others will be set up for you to try.
Candlelight Tours
December 11, 12, and 18, Call for reservations, 5-7pm, $10/adult, $7/senior or child
Tour the 1794 home of northern Virginia’s first congressman, Richard Bland Lee, by candlelight.
Holiday Concert - IONA
December 29, $10 Code: 381 486 9901, 1-1:45pm Code: 381 486 9902, 2-2:45pm
One of the top rated pan-Celtic groups in the world, IONA treats its audience to high energy entertainment.
The African American Presence
Mid-January through March, daily except Tuesdays. Reservations required for groups, 11am-3pm, $6/adult, $5/student, $4/senior and child
Tours of Sully highlight the lives and work of the Lees and the enslaved families who lived here in the early 19th century.
March 12, Code:381 188 6101, 10-11am, $3
(3-5 yrs.) Stories for preschoolers plus hands-on crafts.
Coffee and Chocolate: Warming up Winter March 19, $15 Code:381 188 6201, 1-2pm Code:381 188 6202, 2-3pm
Learn to make a proper cup of coffee or tea and see how chocolate was prepared 200 years ago. Enjoy your drink with a delicious treat prepared in the open hearth.
SULLY WOODLANDS AND CUB RUN RECENTER
During your afternoon house tour, discover important contributions of Mr. Lee’s impressive political career. Our gift to you is halfprice admission in honor of Richard Bland Lee’s birthday.
Space by Day
January 16, 1-4pm, $3/adult, $2.50/student, $2/senior and child
January 22, 1-3pm, $6/adult, $5/student, $4/senior and child
Drop in at the slave quarter to learn about mending and making shoes, darning stockings, sharpening and repairing tools.
My Funny Valentine
February 6, $10 Code:381 188 8602, 1-2pm Code:381 188 8601, 2-3pm
(5-Adult) See a display of old-fashioned Valentine cards dating to the 1940s. Enjoy cookies and a warm drink afterwards.
24 ResOURces
Sully Storytime
Celebrate the 249th Birthday of Richard Bland Lee
Winter Chores at the Slave Quarter
Learn about the African-American slave community of Sully Historic Site through the Two Rooms program.
representative slave cabin. Discover cooking methods used to prepare foods for the African American slave community. Visitors can peek at the loft, which is normally closed to the public.
Two Rooms - One Up, One Down
February 19, 1-3pm, $6/adult, $5/student, $4/senior and child
Visit the original outbuildings and the
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources
4630 Stonecroft Blvd. Chantilly, VA 20151 703-817-9407 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec/ wcrec/sully_gateway/wcrec-nature.htm Dec. 11, Code: 192 486 1902, 1:30-2:30pm, $4
(All ages) It doesn’t have to be night time to explore the universe.
Sky-watching and Meteor Shower Dec. 11, Code: 192 486 2101, 7-8pm, $4
(All ages) During the Perseid meteor shower, learn basic information about the night sky: its planets, moons and constellations. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and bug spray.
Globe at night March 5, 6:30-7:30pm, Free
(All Ages) This hands-on, family-friendly astronomy learning event will help you appreciate the night sky and teach you how to measure and report light pollution.