ON OUR WAY TO BURKE LAKE PARK

Photos taken of pretty homes on our way to Burke Lake Park, those posts can be found at this link.  I have always enjoyed looking at different styles of the places we see.  The one above looks like a converted barn.  

This is our base, our favorite place,

Our beginning and end to each day.

It's our triumph and glory, 

That these walls tell their stories

As they soak up all we do and say.

This is our space.  Each corner is laced

With items we've chose with care,

From sweet-scented candles, 

To fixtures and handles,

The atmosphere's just right to share.

So near or so far, wherever you are,

No matter where we choose to roam,

We live and we learn, but we always return

This the place we call home.

~Ms. Moem~

"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,

A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest."

~Robert Montgomery

"His native home deep imag'd in his soul."

~Homer, from The Oddyssey~

The last photo is of a barn we have been passing by for years.    There have always been horses in the surrounding fields but none today.  I can see this being turned into a lovely home, but I would miss seeing the horses.

The common denominator of all these places?  There are a lot of trees nearby.  This is quite a change from the semi-arid land when we lived in Southern California.  I would miss these trees if we moved.  We have no plans but as the old saying goes, never say never and if that day ever comes, please let us have lots of trees.

BURKE LAKE PARK - AFTER THE DOGS

 Burke Lake is a place we went to years ago but promptly forgot.  I don't really know why.  This is our second or third visit now, in a relatively short space of time since rediscovering it.  We kept our walk short today though, because it started to rain.  

This is the road leading into the park and one of the signs below.  We come under 'county residents' so access for us is free.

There is a freshwater reservoir, and contained within Burke Lake Park is a Fairfax County public park. Burke Lake is formed by a dam on the South Run, a tributary stream of the Potomac River. 

It was Saturday but not very crowded, maybe due to the fact that we went later in the afternoon.  A few people had brought small boats and kayaks, and we watched one or two trucks with boat trailers as they backed down the ramp.  We decided to go to the left where we walked along the beach for a while.  It is where we found our friendly dogs from yesterday's post.

Does anyone have an idea of what kind of shells these are? I have looked online but can't find an exact duplicate of this one.  Maybe freshwater clams? They were scattered all over the rocky beach where we saw the dogs playing in the water.

They also had interesting driftwood.  I can see an artist's beautifully polished wood under the scraggly outer layer, and imagined how pretty it would look.  I know we can't see that from these photos, but that's the direction my head goes when I look at these things.

New growth among the old.

You can learn more about this tree if you click here.  It has great information.

This path would take us through the Frisbee Golf Course.  We avoid as there is a history.  

I have had experience.  I avoid frisbee trails as though avoiding a treacherous bog.  On one occasion I was hit in the face with a flying frisbee, and on another occasion a couple of years later I was hit with a flying body trying to catch a flying frisbee.  I am not at the age where I need a concussion.  It looked quiet but then so had those other times, until someone yelled a warning seconds before.

Here is a map of the lake.  It covers 25 acres and averages only eight feet in depth.  Not for swimming but there are plenty of people who go out on boats, including kayaks. It is also managed as a fishing resource.  

That's all from this trip to Burke Lake Park until the next time we go.  I have a few photos to share of pretty homes along our route, but I'll share those when I can get them done.

PLAYTIME

We drove to Burke Lake Park on Saturday, April 15th, 2023.  I was hoping to see various kinds of water birds, which apart from the Canada Goose, were nowhere to be seen.  I did, however, come across another kind of waterbird.  There were two German Shepherds playing at the edge of the lake, and it was fun seeing them chasing after a tethered green ball.  Their humans kept throwing it into the water for them to retrieve.

We stayed for a while to capture their joy and watched as over and over again they competed to get to the green ball first.

The older of the two seemed content to let the younger shepherd, perhaps a daughter, swim out further for the ball, where the other joined her in an attempt to take it to their humans together.

One of the pups noticed us as we continued our walk.

Next there was the sound of more splashing and running, and I suddenly felt a wet nose nudging my hand, with tail spinning like a top.  

I turned around to this friendly little pup who was obviously asking for a bit of a fuss.  She made me laugh, and I stroked her head and scratched her ears, delighted.  Her humans apologized pulling her back, but we assured them we didn't mind at all.  This sweet pup brought about a lovely end to our walk. 

Another warm day and when we started out the sky was full of big, puffy clouds.  Just as we were leaving the park, the first raindrops fell.  We had a soft, steady rain all the way home, but at least we were able to take a walk today.

More photos from Burke Lake Park next time.