In Our Own Backyard

A few weeks ago, Diggory and I took a walk through our favorite park, the Dora Kelley Nature Park and Wildlife Reserve. It's just a few blocks from our house and runs alongside Holmes Run Creek. While I'm usually pretty good about stopping to look and ponder, I have to admit, that I never spent much time actually reading the park bulletin board. This time we stopped, and after I finished reading the posted newsletter aloud (about hibernating and migrating birds and mammals in the winter months), I noticed a flyer for the Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center, just fifty some odd steps up the hill and adjacent to William Ramsay Elementary School. What?! There's a museum this close to us that I had never heard of?! Whoa! Must...redeem...thy self...and go...soon.

So, that's what we did today. We took the stroller and walked, because really, even though there's parking, it's literally about four or five (longish) blocks from our house. Momma could use the exercise, and Diggory loves being outside more than just about anything (except perhaps raspberries and cheese sticks.)

The entrance to the center is located on Sanger Avenue, just past the elementary school employee parking. There is a ramp and automatic doors, super handy for strollering. The bathrooms do not have changing tables, but the counter around the sinks is plenty spacious, or you could just use the floor. (C'mon, we've all had to do that.) Inside, you'll sign in at the information desk and pick up a newsletter. You can also sign up to get the newsletter mailed to you for $5.00 per year. Also, ask for a self-guided tour of the Dora Kelley Nature Trail, a dirt and gravel path through the park marked with numbered posts. The nature trail is not paved and subject to muddy spots, uneven terrain, and stairs. It's not stroller friendly, by any stretch, so bring your baby carrier if your little one isn't of the walking variety. (Or, just stick to the paved path like we did. There's still plenty to see.)

There are several hands on activities for the wee ones, including a whole table of plastic animals (not terribly didactic, but still incredibly captivating) and a touch table with fossils and a squirrel tail. Fluffy.

There are also several displays of live animals, including fish tanks, snakes, and lizards. Diggory could spot the snakes, but he had a hard time focusing on the hissing cockroaches and the centipedes, not that I cared so much. For the most part, the displays focus on the flora and fauna of the nature park and of the region as a whole, but there are a few creatures from far and wide, like a turtle from Africa and a lizard from Australia.

Along one wall of the center, take a few moments to read about the geological, human, and natural history of the Alexandria area. There are some interesting maps of the region from the 1600s through the present day. I had fun playing, "Where's our house?"

At the back of the center, stroll into the greenhouse. It's probably 85 degrees in there. There's a parrot of some variety named Rio that makes a heck of a lot of noise. It's beautifully colored, and Diggory liked it.

After we thoroughly explored with center's displays, we briefly browsed through the research library nook, plentifully stocked with bean bags and children's books about animals. We also met the center's director, naturalist Mark Kelly, who encouraged us to walk through the park to listen to the wood frogs and spring peepers. He even had us listen to a recording of their rambunctious mating calls on his cell phone.

So, we had a choice, enter the nature park at the entrance near the nature center...and navigate our way down fifty steps with the stroller...or walk all the way back the way we came, down Sanger Avenue past the elementary school, south on Beauregard Street, and into the park through the trail just before Holmes Run (or even turning right on Morgan Street to come in through the main entrance at Beauregard and Morgan.) Never one to pass up a challenge, I decided to unstrap Diggory and carry him, while dragging our hearty stroller down the stairs. It worked out beautifully, and we saved A LOT of time.

We made our way to the pond, about halfway through the park on the paved trail. That's where naturalist Mark said the frogs would be. And he wasn't kidding about the noise either. Holy smokes! The wood frogs apparently sound like ducks and the spring peepers are more high pitched. Very cool. And, of course, momma knew there would be ducks too, so she brought some crackers. Tee hee.

And would you look at that, turtles too! I wanted to find some fiddle head ferns, but perhaps they're just not in season now. I try to show Diggory all sorts of things...making sure he doesn't put them in his mouth, of course...because I think it's important to know and experience what's in your own backyard. Even if you didn't know it was there.

Check out the center's website for more information on kid's and other nature programs. They apparently have a lot going on and a lot to offer! We'll definitely be back.