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ResOURces-Feb 2013 By Fairfax County Park Authority - Wednesday, January 23, 2013 NATURE, HISTORY AND HORTICULTURE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY February 2013   Volume 13,  Number 2  Which Witch is Your Favorite? Yeah, it's cold, but parts of Green Spring Gardens already look like spring. The witch hazel are in bloom.   There are more than 200 of these winter-blooming beauties at the park.  They're here because Green Spring is affiliated with the North American Plant Collections Consortium, a network of gardens that specialize in preserving different plants. Green Spring's specialty is the witch hazel. Lots of color variety in them. Got a favorite?  Mantis Mama Maybe you know someone who adopted a stray cat, dog or bird that kept returning to their home. Naturalist Michelle Brannon just became a mom thanks to a Carolina mantis who picked Michelle to watch over her kids.   Maple Syrup Boil-Down Ever been to a maple syrup boil-down?  It's a celebration of making maple syrup, the real thing, from the sap of maple trees.   The trees have been tapped, and you can join the boil-down and taste the results over corn bread at Colvin Run Mill on Feb. 24 and March 3.   The video on the park's website will tap your interest.  Gather Round the Farmers Table It's time for the good stuff, straight from the farm. The Farmers Table returns to Frying Pan Farm Park's Visitor Center this spring. Meet local farmers and vendors, and take home seasonal produce, baked goods, meat, eggs, herbs, honey, artisan soups and yogurts. Family activities, too. Thursdays, 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Frying Pan, 2739 West Ox Road in Herndon, VA., Feb. 21 through April 25.    We Need a Volunteer Who Eats  We need a food-loving volunteer, or at least one who doesn't mind being around food. We're looking for a Market Master for the Fairfax County Farmers Market  at Lewinsville Park in McLean and an office/support volunteer at Green Spring Gardens. Contact Mae Carroll at (703) 642-0128 or visit the website.   X-Treme Gardening What do you do about your garden after the weather extremes of the last couple of years? That's the theme of the ninth annual EcoSavvy Gardening Symposium at Green Spring Gardens. The date is February 23. Register online. And remember, the Green Spring Winter Lecture Series continues through March 17.   Learn About Your Parks Through Our Blog Upset by that Super Bowl kissing commercial? Wait'll you see this! Here's what we're talking about on our blog: Woodpeckers Riverbend Park: A Truly Winter Wonderland Volunteering at Hidden Pond Unwrapping the Milky Way at Riverbend Park A Walk on a Winter Day at Riverbend Park   Tight Lines: It's Trout Season Five trout stockings are scheduled at Lake Fairfax Park this spring. Information about the spring trout season is online as is information about fishing in other Fairfax County Park Authority parks.   Parks Are Natural There are 140 Fairfax County Park Authority parks with natural areas. Find one near you.   Peek at Park Videos Ever been to Hidden Pond Nature Center? If not, the video on the park's website will tell you what this small gem in Springfield has for you. How about volunteering just for a few hours on a single day? You can do that through the Invasive Management Area program. Check out what IMA is all about in the Park Videos box on our website home page.   That same video box can introduce you to this summer's Park Authority Camps.     Still Room for Vendors at April's Community Flea Market   The community Flea Market at Hunter House in Vienna is Saturday, April 13. There are slots open for vendors.  For information on reserving a spot, contact Barbara Ziman at 703-437-1794.       Encourage park stewardship by sharing or forwarding this newsletter     Events in the Parks  Click on the links for information or to register for a class.   Feb. 14: Kids Korner, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 10 a.m.  Feb. 15: Ponderings, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 4:30 p.m.  Feb. 16: Winter Waterfowl Hike, at Riverbend Park, 9 a.m  Feb. 16: Wolf Run Shoals Expedition, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 10 a.m.  Feb. 16: Preamble Scramble, at Sully Historic Site, 11 a.m.  Feb. 16: Bird Banding, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1:30 p.m.  Feb. 16: Valentine's Day Tea & Chocolate Party, at Hunter House, 2 p.m.  Feb. 16: Barred Owl Campfire, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 6 p.m.  Feb. 16: Ghost Trackers at Cabell's Mill, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 9 p.m.  Feb. 17: Dynamic Nature Walking, at Riverbend Park, 9 a.m.  Feb. 17: Home Made Bird Feeders, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 9:30 a.m.  Feb. 17: Preamble Scramble, at Sully Historic Site, 11 a.m.  Feb. 17: Hands-On History, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1 p.m.  Feb. 17: Winter Lecture: Carnivorous Plants, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Feb. 17: Flying Sqirrels: Gliding in Tonight, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 6:15 p.m.  Feb. 18: Winter Chess Camp, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 9 a.m.  Feb. 18: Geology Merit Badge, at Hunter House, 10 a.m.  Feb. 18: Brownies Journey: Wonders of Water Tea, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 1 p.m.  Feb. 19: Acorn Adventures: Beautiful Birds, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Feb. 19: Slime Time, at Clark House, 11 a.m.  Feb. 19: Science and Weebotics, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 2:30 p.m.  Feb. 20: Ecology, at Hunter House, 1 p.m.  Feb. 21: Storytime in the Forest, at Huntley Meadows, 10 a.m.  Feb. 21: Storytime in the Forest, at Huntley Meadows, 1:30 p.m.  Feb. 21: Horseback Riding-Beginner, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 6 p.m.  Feb. 22: I Dig Science, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1 p.m.  Feb. 23: 9th Annual EcoSavvy Gardening Symposium, at Green Spring Gardens, 8:30 a.m.  Feb. 23: Cold Outside: Sew Warm Inside, at Sully Historic Site, 1 p.m.  Feb. 23: Dragonflies: Eagles of the Insect World, at Huntley Meadows, 4 p.m.  Feb. 24: Bird Study Merit Badge, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 9 a.m.  Feb. 24: Maple Syrup Boil-Down, at Colvin Run Mill, 12 noon-2 p.m.  Feb. 24: Snake and Turtle Feeding, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 12:30 p.m.  Feb. 24: Winter Lecture: Herbs in the Landscape, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Feb. 24: Barred Owl: Stream Valley Hunter, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 2:30 p.m.  Feb. 25: Forest Fledlings: Woodpeckers, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 9:45 a.m.  Feb. 25: Nature Quest, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Feb. 25: Little Acorns: Woodpeckers, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 11 a.m.  Feb. 25: Feeding Day, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 3 p.m.  Feb. 25: Girl Scouts: Science of Style, at Sully Historic Site, 3 p.m.  Feb. 26: Acorn Adventures: Magnificent Mammals, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Feb. 26: Discover Painting II, at Green Spring Gardens, 1 p.m.  Feb. 27: Storytime in the Forest, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 9 a.m.  Feb. 28: Astronomy Merit Badge, at Riverbend Park, 5 p.m.  Mar.   1: Basic Gardening: Go Native and Add Beauty, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Mar.   2: Indoor and Outdoor Plants, at Green Spring Gardens, 9:30 a.m.  Mar.   2: Dr. Seuss' Birthday Extravaganza, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 2 p.m.  Mar.   2: Salamander Excursion, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 3:30 p.m.  Mar.   3: Maple Syrup Boil-Down, at Colvin Run Mill, 12 noon-2 p.m.  Mar.   3: Winter Lecture: Aging Gracefully, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Mar.   3: Webelos-Naturalist, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 2 p.m.  Mar.   4: Forest Fledglings: Who's Hiding?, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 9:45 a.m.  Mar.   4: Nature Quest, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Mar.   4: Little Acorns: Who's Hiding, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 11 a.m.  Mar.   4: Venturers, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 3 p.m.  Mar.   5: Acorn Adventures: Fantastic Fish, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Mar.   6: Storytime in the Forest, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 9 a.m.  Mar.   6: Our Furry Friends, at Clark House, 10 a.m.  Mar.   6: Kids Korner, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1 p.m.  Mar.   6: Wildlife Wednesday, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 4 p.m.  Mar.   6: S'mores Wagon Ride and Campfire, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 6:30 p.m.  Mar.   7: Storytime in the Forest, at Huntley Meadows, 10 a.m.  Mar.   7: Kids Korner, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1 p.m.  Mar.   7: Storytime in the Forest, at Huntley Meadows, 1:30 p.m.  Mar.   8: Ponderings, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 4 p.m.  Mar.   8: Wood Frogs, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 7 p.m.  Mar.   9: History Symposium: World War II in America, at Green Spring Gardens, 8:30 a.m.  Mar.   9: Reptile & Amphibian Merit Badge, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 9 a.m.  Mar.   9: Tea and Cheese Pairings, at Colvin Run Mill, 1 p.m.  Mar.   9: Scrapbooking with Family Photos, at Sully Historic Site, 1 p.m.  Mar.   9: Flying Squirrels: Gliding in Tonight, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 6:30 p.m.  Mar. 10: Hands-On History, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 1 p.m.  Mar. 10: Winter Lecture: American Top 40, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Mar. 11: Forest Fledglings: Tails, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 9:45 a.m.  Mar. 11: Little Acorns: Tales of Tails, at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 11 a.m.  Mar. 11: Jr. Naturalists, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 3 p.m.  Mar. 12: Acorn Adventures: Terrific Trees, at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 10 a.m.  Mar. 13: To Build a Campfire, at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 7 p.m.  Mar. 13: Certified Interpretive Guide Training, at Hunter House, 8:30 a.m.  Mar. 14: Villa with a View: Civil War Huntley, at Historic Huntley, 6 p.m.  Mar. 14: Putting the Animals to Bed, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 7 p.m.  Mar. 15: Basic Gardening: Gardening with Deer, at Green Spring Gardens, 1:30 p.m.  Mar. 16: Easter Eggstravaganza, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 12 noon  Mar. 16: Easter Eggstravaganza, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 1 p.m.  Mar. 16: Easter Eggstravaganza, at Frying Pan Farm Park, 2 p.m.  Mar. 23: Easter Egg Hunt, at Colvin Run Mill, 10 a.m.     Valentines For You   Volunteer   It's Time to Sign Up for Summer Camps   Subscribe to ResOURces    Hidden Pond's New Program for 3-to-6 year-olds   Volunteering: Invasive Management Area Schedule    Register for Classes   Sully Hosts Civil War Lectures This Spring   What's This?    See Our Coupons on Page 160 of Parktakes   Public Comments on Riverbend's Master Plan Revision Until Feb. 25   ResOURces is online         This is a Fairfax County Park Authority Publication.          If ADA accommodations and/or alternative formats are needed, please call (703) 324-8695. If you would like to receive ResOURces each month it is published, subscribe by signing up for E-News at http://parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov/enews/sign_up.asp  and select the Natural Resource Management box. If you have signed up for E-News, you will receive ResOURces when it contains information on the topics you requested.ResOURces' email addresses are: ResOURces@fairfaxcounty.gov and david.ochs@fairfaxcounty.gov. Fairfax County Park Authority | Fairfax, VA 22035 | 703-324-8695 | Fax 703-324-3996 | TTY 703-803-3354 | www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources