Just a Walk in the Park

There's a park near my house which I've driven by many times.  I remember being there for a picnic at least twenty years ago with some friends.  I grabbed my iPod and cellphone (camera), I figured I'd check it out.  I need to get out and start walking or some form of exercise.  A fellow blogger, Happyone, has motivated me to get moving and start walking.  The park is the Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, for more info on the park, click here.  Here's the sign by the road to greet visitors.

I parked to find a house, which I did not enter.  I'll save that adventure for another day.  Outside to the left of the house was a Butterfly Garden.  I'd never heard of a Butterfly Garden.  There weren't any butterfly's there, it was pretty.

I must admit, I was glad I decided to explore.  Beyond the Butterfly Garden was an area of picnic tables and also some bird feeders hanging from a line tied between the trees.

I continued down the path you see on the right.  Oh, one thing I found odd about the path, it was marked for handicapped.  I wonder why that was, was it specifically for wheelchairs?  There was no sign that indicated that, just this on the path.

There's a little history to this park.  The house belonged on James Machen, a farmer.  Follow me along the path, you'll be pleasantly surprised at what I find.  Isn't this interesting, a Dairy House!

I passed the Amphitheatre, a few wooden benches like you see in the lower left of the picture above and a small deck type area with wooden slates.  The next time I'm there, I'll check to see if it is ever used.  I continued down the path past some lovely blue flowers, not sure what kind they are - very pretty whatever they are.  There was a small stream that ran around the path way behind the flowers, a little hard to see here.

Continuing down the path, I found an "outbuilding", which upon further investigation was referred to as a Smokehouse.  The Smokehouse was where the meat was kept, preserved by salts and smoked to add flavor.

I didn't poke my head in the Smokehouse, but I will next time.  I continued down the path and found more gardens and a beehive to make honey.

It's difficult to read the sign in this picture, this is the Kitchen Garden.  Notice the Scarecrow in the middle?  I wonder why the made an cross or X with the burlap?



Finally, the bee hive.  I wasn't sure if there were bees there.  I stayed far enough away to take the picture.  I won't investigate this one.

At a leisurely pace, stopping to take pictures, my walk took me about half an hour.  The brochure I picked upstates the trail is 1/3 of a mile.  I was glad I got out on this glorious day and walked.  I hope you enjoyed walking with me.  And, thanks for the motivation Happyone :)