Archive for April, 2014
Family Hike – Meadowlark Botanic Gardens
The National Park Service deemed the peak blooms for the District of Columbia’s cherry blossoms was Thursday April 10, 2014. The following weekend seemed to be a good time to go out and see them. Alas, we were quite busy and suddenly our groggy children were waking up from naps on Sunday afternoon. We really didn’t have the time to metro it out to the National Mall, so we decided to go a quick hike instead. I did some googling and found a Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority park in Vienna, Virginia that boasted more than twenty varieties of cherry trees. It was called Meadowlark Botanic Gardens.
Remember a few years ago visiting Washington State, when I sounded like an idiot speculating which mountain was Mount Rainier? Well guess what, I’m perfectly capable of sounding like an idiot back here at home as well. I had never heard of Meadowlark Botanic Gardens. You know what I thought? I thought Ryan and I were going to check out an undiscovered gem. “Oh I never heard of this, so no one has.”
If you go by the crowds at the Botanic Gardens that day, we were apparently one of the few people who had NOT heard of that park. It was packed! When we paid our entrance fee (kids under six are free!), the cashier even mentioned he had not had a chance to sit down all afternoon.
Park Overview
The gardens are 95 acres strong and have a series of paved paths and more rustic hiking trails through the property. We were able to walk most of the available mileage that day. All the flowering trees were gorgeous as you would expect. Sagan had fun playing at the Children’s Tea Garden. Sagan and Dyson both really enjoyed the Korean Bell Garden, particularly the nearby fountain. My favorite parts were the Young Forest Nature Trail and the Fred Packard Grove. Both of those trails were more like hiking trails… and we didn’t see a single other person on either one.
Near the end of our journey, we did spy a “Historic Tree Trail.”
My husband knows me well. Knowing how immersed I could get photographing and reading about historic trees and that it was dreadfully close to the park closing time, he asked, “Sweetie, do you mind if we come back and see the Historic Trees a different day?” : )
Meadlowlark Botanic Gardens is a popular destination for portrait photographers. We saw maybe a half dozen professional photographers congregated by scenic bridges, fountains, and blooming trees dangling diffusers and taking photographs of families and engaged couples. It’s easy to see why they picked this destination. It’s beautiful.
Sagan Shares Tea with a Stranger
Fountain and Trees – Don’t Be Fooled By the Lack of People in this Shot. I Got Lucky!
The Young Forest Nature Trail – More Our Style
Flora
I’ll focus this section on the flowering trees. They were definitely lovely and worthy of the crowds.
Fauna
Like Huntley Meadows, there is a lot of fauna to see. Nesting geese (some more aggressive than others) were prominent. We saw turtles, including two turtles fighting which Ryan and I never saw in all our years living in the swamps of North Carolina. For some reason I chose to take a shot of Sagan and Ryan watching the turtles fight. Once I got that shot done, the turtles had already resolved their differences. Lake Caroline also featured some large koi.
Nesting Goose
Sagan and Ryan Watch Turtles Fight
The Victor Turtle, The Loser Retreated
Koi
Although it wasn’t a hike-hike, we definitely enjoyed our visit to Meadowlark Botanic Gardens. I expect we’ll do return trips in the future, particularly to read up on some historic trees.
More pictures of our Meadowlark Botanic Gardens Outing can be found on my Flickr site.
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Meadowlark Botanic Gardens Length: Varies Elevation Gain: Negligible Entrance Fee: $5 for adults, $2.50 for children 7-17 |
Family Hike: Whiteoak Canyon Falls at Shenandoah National Park
For my 39th Birthday Hike, we made a special family trip out to Shenandoah National Park. We decided to hike the Whiteoak Canyon Falls Trail. We learned about it from Bob Canton’s Northern Virginia Day Hike page. We noticed he ranked Whiteoak Canyon Falls a 5– the same rating he gave Old Rag. We knew Old Rag is spectacular, even when you are hiking in Vibrams, so that was instantly an excellent endorsement for Whiteoak Canyon!
Trail Overview
Spring is a good time* to see waterfalls because there is usually a lot of ammunition. Whiteoak Canyon Falls Trail sports multiple waterfalls, including the second largest falls in Shenandoah National Park. From the parking lot next to Sky Land, the trail to the Upper Falls is pretty wide. You are hiking downhill, but it’s not especially steep. The trail does get rockier as you get closer to the falls, but my toddler saw that as a perk. 🙂
A Glimpse of the Wide Trail
Sagan Enjoys the Rocks
The trail to the Upper Falls skirts along the creek, so you get plenty of water views.
Creek Near the Upper Falls
And the Upper Falls themselves are gorgeous. There is a well marked viewing area.
The Upper Falls
Once you pass the Upper Falls, the trail gets rockier and steeper. You are still heading downhill to get to the Lower Falls, but if you’re doing a round trip like we were doing, you’re gonna have to hike back up. As luck would have it, Sagan was pretty tired at that point, so he moved to the Ergo Baby where he stayed most of the rest of the hike.
A Sampling of the More Rockier Trail
We actually thought the Lower Falls were a little more scenic than the Upper Falls. We found a nice flat rock to sit and have some lunch. On the menu– Avocado, Cashews, Red Peppers and for little Dyson– pureed carrots.
Lower Falls (Photo by Ryan Somma)
Lunch Break! (Photo by Ryan Somma)
Our favorite part of the hike was not either waterfall. On the trail between the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls, we passed a rock wall that was almost a waterfall in of itself. All the spring’s thaw above was raining down the rock. The afternoon sun was positioned perfectly to give us our own little personal rainbow… or as Sagan called it, a “Rainbow Dash” (We watch My Little Pony – Friendship is Magic at home).
Rainbow!
*Spring is good time, but it is not the best time to see waterfalls. The best time would be the coldest, most frigid part of winter… when you can see Frozen Waterfalls. : )
Flora
If you are ever feeling small and helpless and need to see how even the little creatures of this Earth can have an impact, hike this trail and see the “accomplishments” of the tiny Woolly Adelgid. By just feeding themselves on the sap of the hemlock trees, they have dramatically changed the landscape. In short– they’re killing the hemlocks. In large numbers. Really large numbers.
Part of the trail to the upper falls winds through what was once a vibrant hemlock forest. Although I had seen ailing hemlocks here and there on my hikes, I had not witnessed so much tree carnage in one spot. And it’s amazing to me how different this section of the forest felt. The deciduous trees hadn’t yet woken up for the spring. I would have thought naked hemlock trees would just blend in with slumbering oaks and maples, but they didn’t. Their skeletal trunks and the snags of broken branches announced their presence. I was reminded of a passage from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.
Everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, and it always is, except for the birds. And what do the birds say? All there is to say about a massacre, things like “Poo-tee-weet?”
But this section of forest was eerily silent. No birds to say what there is to say after a massacre. Even our two year old chatterbox, stopped talking and just stared from his Baby Ergo, as if something instinctual, something deep in his brain adopted from our tree-dwelling ancestors told him, “This forest is different.”
Sagan and Ryan Walk Through a Hemlock Graveyard
Fauna
On a more lively subject, the trail was crossed by a small herd of deer on our way back to the car. It made for an excellent end to our journey.
Deer Crossing
Sappy Closing on Birthday Hikes
When I started celebrating my birthday with a hike nine years ago, I hiked alone. Well, with my dogs. I took selfies before I knew they were selfies. : ) I would have great days and I would cherish my annual birthday hike, but then in 2009, suddenly I had a boyfriend to hike with me and that was quite nice. Birthday Hike 2010, that boyfriend and I practiced our first wedding dance surrounded by Long-Leaf Pines. Birthday Hike 2011, I hiked with our first son squirming in my belly. Birthday Hike 2012, that son took his first assisted steps on the Appalachian Trail. Birthday Hike 2013, I was pregnant with my second son while I watched my first one run around the boardwalk in front of Maryland’s largest cascading falls (denying me a nice photo-op). And this year, that second son hiked with us.
Evolution of Birthday Hikes
I used to hike alone on my birthday. Now I hike with my family. Birthday hikes just keep getting better and better! : )
Me and My Little Boys. Best Birthday Hike Yet! (Photo by Ryan Somma)
More photos of our Whiteoak Canyon Falls hike can be found on my Flickr site.
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Whiteoak Canyon Falls (Round Trip to from Skyline Drive to Lower Falls) Length: 7.3 miles Elevation Gain:1100 Feet |
Tire Tunnel Compare – 2013 and 2014
Lake Ridge, Virginia has an epic playground. It’s aptly named “Fantasy Playground.” We’ve only been there a couple of times, but it turns out two of those visits were almost exactly a year apart. So I present, the Tire Tunnel Compare:
Sagan in Tire Tunnel – March 3, 2013
Sagan in Tire Tunnel – March 4, 2014
Season Compare: Dead Tree on Chestnut Ridge Trail
It’s been a while since I’ve done a Season Compare! Here’s one from our Bull Run Mountains Conservancy hikes. On the Chestnut Ridge Trail, between the Mountain Trail and the Quarry Trail, there is a dead tree. Here’s that dead tree in September of 2012 and then again November of 2013. Enjoy!
Chestnut Ridge Trail – September 9, 2012
Chestnut Ridge Trail – November 2, 2013
Family Outing – Friends of the Occoquan River Cleanup 2014
For the second year in the row, Ryan and I participated in the Friends of the Occoquan River Cleanup. Last year, my mother watched young Sagan at home. Meanwhile, we launched our kayaks from the Lake Ridge Park Marina. Without children, we were hardcore productive and picked up tons and tons and tons of trash.
Flashback to 2013 – Our Collected Trash at Just *One* of Our Stops
Flashback to 2013 – Ryan With a Big Ole Bag Of Trash
Of course, there was a challenge with last year’s cleanup. : )
If you want to remember that you are nearly 7 months pregnant, getting in and out of a kayak may sufficiently jog your memory. :). #fb
— Vicky Somma (@TGAW) April 14, 2013
This year, we didn’t take advantage of the free babysitting. We decided to clean up with the two boys. We stayed land-born, moseyed down to the Town of Occoquan Town Hall, signed in, and picked up a trash bag. Two year old Adela joined us with her Daddy. With two toddlers and an infant, we found ourselves slower… and a lot less productive than last year. Our little group of 2 Daddies, 2 Toddlers, 1 Mommy, and 1 Infant totaled 1 Bag of Trash. But hey, that’s one less bag of trash out there on the banks of the Occoquan. And, boy, it was super cute to watch the kids help. : )
Adela and Sagan Looking for Trash
Adela and Her Daddy Throw Away a Bottle
How do you pick up trash with a sleeping infant in the MobyWrap? Squatting. Lots and lots of squatting! My thighs were pleasantly sore the next day. : )
Squatting!
My favorite shot of the day– an action shot. My husband throws trash uphill.
Ryan Hurls Trash
After we turned in our one bag of trash, our crew had a delightful lunch outdoors at the Blue Arbor Café. As much fun as 2013’s River Cleanup was, I do have to say, 2014 just might have been even better. : )
Sagan and Ryan at Blue Arbor Café
More pictures of the Friends of the Occoquan River Cleanup 2014 can be found on my Flickr site.
Family Hike: White Rocks Overlook at Bull Run Mountain
Living in Occoquan, our family is surrounded by parks– Occoquan Regional Park, Fountainhead Regional Park, Mason Neck State Park, Pohick Bay Regional Park, Occoquan Bay Wildlife Refuge, Veteran’s Park, Julie J. Metz Wetlands Area, Leesylvania State Park, all within striking distance of a family adventure. We even have Prince William Forest National Park just 10 miles south of us. But sometimes… sometimes I miss the mountains. As luck would have it, with a 42 minute drive, we can be at Bull Run Mountains Conservancy. It’s probably my favorite hike in the Northern Virginia area.
All our trips there have been accompanied by children. We’ve hit up the Quarry Trail and the Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail which are pretty in their own right.
Creek Off the Quarry Trail
But the cream of the crop is a loop made with the Ridge Loop Trail and the Chestnut Ridge Trail. The top— White Rocks Overlook/High Point, which is just stunning.
White Rocks Overlook/High Point – September 2012
White Rocks Overlook/High Point – November 2013
Changing Leaves
Ryan and Sagan Take in View of Mountains!
For the most part, the trail is well maintained and wide, so great for the little hikers.
Sagan Hikes
You do climb roughly 800 feet to get to the overlook. If you want an easier grade, I would recommend going up the Chestnut Ridge Trail. The Ridge Loop Trail is steeper (but still do-able– we carried Sagan up that trail in 2012).
Flora
There are tons to see on all the trails – mosses, wildflowers, mushrooms.
Moss on the Chestnut Ridge Trail (By Ryan Somma)
Yellow Wildflower
Mushrooms (By Ryan Somma)
One hike I got to see Chestnut Oaks demonstrating their “oak-i-ness” — making acorns!
Chestnut Oaks Doing What Oaks Do – Making Acorns!
Up near the top, an extra bonus. American Chestnut trees still exhibiting hope and trying to grow.
The Blighted Bark of a Dead Chestnut and Its New Shoot
Fauna
We’ve seen the usual squirrels and deer and variety of birds. One time, we got to visually confirm the reptiles are in the mix as well. : )
Lizard on Tree Bark (By Ryan Somma)
It may not be as close as some of our other hikes, but the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy hike is one of our favorites.
More photos of our Bull Run Mountain hikes can be found on Flickr here and here.
| White Rocks Overlook Via the Chestnut Ridge Trail
Bull Run Mountains Conservancy Length: ~4.2 Round Trip Elevation Gain: Roughly 800 feet |
Baltimore’s Port Discovery
This past weekend, I had some colleagues coming to Baltimore for a conference. Baltimore is only an hour and fifteen minutes away, so my family and I went up to meet them for lunch. While we were in the area, we checked out Port Discovery— a children’s museum whose tagline is “Play with a Purpose.”
That place was AMAZING! It was pretty much a giant 3-story indoor playground. No, make that play arena! It was huge and had so many different themed play areas. Some of our favorites:
Tot Trails
We spent a majority of the time at Tot Trails. The padded Tidal Pool area was great for 9 month old Dyson. He could practice standing and crawling without hurting himself. Bonus– loved how the pillows were in the shape of maple, paw paw, and gingko leaves.
Dyson Enjoyed Pulling Up and Standing
I had thought Tot Trails would be of little interest to 2 year old Sagan, but he ended up loving it as well. He was particularly enamored with the wind tunnel that allowed him to catch “butterflies”, riding the turtle, and playing with the flag pole.
Sagan Loved the Butterflies
Sagan Rides a Turtle
Sagan Raises a Flag
And whose childhood would not have been happier with a giant Lite-Brite wall? A giant Lite-Brite Wall!!!
Giant Lite-Bright!
KidWorks
The centerpiece of the museum is a three story tall treehouse, complete with slides and rope bridges. Amazing! On their website, Port Discovery said it was recommended for children five and up, but Ryan and Sagan were able to enjoy the exhibit together.
KidWorks
Nano
There was an exhibit call Nano that focused on Nanoscience. On paper, it didn’t sound like it would be that interesting to an infant and a toddler, but they both loved it. Their favorite part– playing with carbon atoms in the hands-on carbon chain exhibit. We actually had to drag Sagan away from it.
Dyson with Carbon Chain
Sagan with Carbon Chain
Wonders of Water
The big finale of our visit was the Wonders of Water exhibit. It was perfect for Sagan who loves to “splish-splash.” It was also educational for Mommy and Daddy who got to learn about the Archimedes’ Screw. I think Sagan’s favorite part was shooting the musical instruments with a hose to make lots and lots of noise…er.. music!
Sagan Making Music With a Hose
Archimedes’ Screw!
We had a fabulous trip to Port Discovery and found it well worth the $13.95 admission fee. It was particularly helpful that we were able to leave for lunch and return for more playing. My only regret is we did not discover this before the polar vortex. It would have been a perfect destination on some of those frigid days where you don’t want to play outside.
More pictures of our Port Discovery outing are on my Flickr page.
Baby Steps
Phew, with a toddler and a baby, I find I have to be patient…when it comes to my extracurricular activities. I definitely don’t complete projects nearly as fast as I used to. I have to be satisfied with short bursts of progress, baby steps if you will.
This weekend, I managed to get just a tad bit closer with a couple of projects:
3D Printed Breastfeeding Pendant
It took me a couple of months to eke in Blender tutorials and make time to fix non-manifold edges and the like to make my Origami Owl Breastfeeding Charm. Earlier in March, I ordered a pendant version. I LOVE it. A week ago I took pictures…and this past weekend I finally got everything up on Shapeways. If you covet a breastfeeding pendant, shebam! You can order one now! 🙂
Pallet Vertical Garden
I also aspire to make a vertical garden out of an old pallet I procured in December, following Life on Balcony’s “How to Turn a Pallet into a Garden” post. December through March the pallet just sat next to the driveway, a visible reminder of my inaction. : ) Two weeks ago, I bought potting soil and landscaping fabric. Last week, I bought the plants. This week I had hoped to plant everything….but I had to settle for just stapling all the landscaping fabric on the pallet while my children played beside me. I didn’t even trim the excess fabric off. So this project is now about 14 weeks in the making. : )
Pallet Garden – Week 13
Photo Wall
A family friend has this amazing wall in his house dedicated to his favorite photos. I have been wanting to do something similar since December. Six weeks ago, my husband purchased picture frames for me which have sat in our foyer ever since. They too are an effective souvenir of my inaction. A guest entered our house last week and announced, “Vicky, these picture frames are still here!” Luckily, I was able to report forward progress. Two weeks ago I picked out 29 “finalists” and ordered 5×7 prints. One week ago, I figured out who to lay out the frames. What was my accomplishment this week? Brace yourself!Â
I. Picked. Up. The. Printed. Pictures.Â
A remarkable feat, I know. 🙂
Actual Pictures…. How Long Until They Are On The Wall? : )
My Mom’s Taxes
This one is almost done…really. Last week, I got the bulk of everything gathered and entered. Just a couple more items and I can scratch this one off my list.
Staying Fit
This one was a bit easier this week. The weather warmed up, so it’s easier to merge “time with my sons” with “exercise.” Long live that jogging stroller! I got a 5K run in with Dyson during the week, tons and tons of walking with the boys, and I actually made it to the gym for some weight lifting over the weekend. I’m far cry from a super-athlete, but I am pleased my husband and I have managed to weasel exercise into our schedules.
Write My Friend Meg
I have a friend battling cancer for the second time. A bunch of people have been sending her letters and cards. She’s been thrilled to be getting real mail every day when she checks her mailbox. Anyway, I have a goal to write her once a week. I am falling short on that. I’ve only sent her three letters in the past five weeks. D’oh!
P.S. Meg’s been particularly touched/surprised when she hears from strangers, so if you are interested in mailing her something, let me know!
Blogging
Uh… yeah. Definitely room for improvement on this one. I have plenty of content ideas. Northern Virginia, family-friendly hikes alone is easily a dozen-plus posts. I just don’t seem to ever get to it. But I got this post in, so maybe one day. : )
Trees on Mars Stories
Finally, I’ve continued work on a collection of short stories about the people involved in the “tree phase” of terraforming Mars (one of which was published at Luna Station Quarterly). I have about 35,000 words edited and pretty finalized…but I have another 30,000 still needing attention. This one, progress is probably the slowest. It is the hardest hobby to do with my children awake, but I’m sneaking in a half hour here and there right before I fall asleep.
Slowly, but Surely. Slowly, but Surely. Slowly, but Surely. When you have a baby, I’ve found they aren’t the only ones making baby steps. : )
TGAW 
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