7 June 2009
Today I found a gem in our backyard. Well, not really “our” backyard per se, but in Vienna, Virginia. We lived in Vienna for years before we moved down the street and our address changed to Fairfax. In all that time, I had no idea that had I driven Church Street to Beulah and continued just a bit further that I would find myself at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. A really great place! Today’s outing was a solo one on my part; Mui’s visiting family in Turkey. After a week of rain and thunderstorms, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy sunshine and blue skies. Checking my “sightseeing ideas” board, I found a small clipping, yellowed with age, hidden under several sheets of paper. I pulled it off and read the name: “Meadowlark.” I read the address: “Vienna.” Hmmm, I thought to myself and did a search on the web. What I found piqued my curiosity and led me to make the 15-minute drive to the gardens this morning. I arrived at the visitor center shortly after it opened at 10:00a, paid the $5 entrance fee, picked up a map of the grounds, and set off to explore. 
The Meadowlark Botanical Gardens visitor center.
A paved trail through the woods took me to the Swirl Garden Lake. Following the path to the left, I searched the lakeshore for birds and other critters; tracked dragonflies that perched just long enough for me to focus, but not long enough for me to click the shutter; took photographs of the whimsical figures at the enchanting children’s garden; sat on a bench and listened to the chirps of birds hiding out in the trees; watched a green heron trying to catch breakfast some distance away. The lake water was muddy — not surprising after all the rain we’ve been getting these past few weeks. It did not detract from the beauty of the scenery.
The Children’s Garden
Whimsical figures decorate the children’s garden.
An American Robin visiting an American park.
This bench looks like a good place to sit and relax for a while.
Gotcha! Perseverance won me this photograph of a blue dasher.
Just as I was about to move on, I was joined at the lake by a great blue heron — GBH to birders. I sat back down on the bench to enjoy its company. When it started to fish … well, I couldn’t resist — I had to take a few photographs. The stealth approach the GBH employed to capture its prey was a sight to behold. I’ll let the next series of photos tell the story.
We have success!
On that note, I took my leave and continued to explore the gardens as I made my way to the visitor center.
If I follow this path, I’ll eventually get to the visitor center.
One of the many charming areas that invite one to sit and ponder nature.
The young lad in the blue shirt was very curious — he stopped to ask me my name and what I was doing.
(He turned away before I could get a good shot of him and his brother.)
As Arnold would say: “I’ll be back.” (You have to add his thick Austrian accent to make it work.)
