There’s nothing like an autumn stroll along a park trail to clear your mind. Nature’s brilliant palette of gold, orange and red leaves provides a tranquil setting for hikers, bikers and nature lovers of all ages. Behind the scenes, autumn’s glorious backdrop has a more ominous meaning for those who call the forest home. It signals a flurry of activity upon which survival depends. In nature, autumn is fight-or-flight time.

“Autumn is the most crucial time for survival,” said Park Authority naturalist Tony Bulmer. “The animals that were babies in spring are big enough now to manage on their own, so they’re being pushed out because the competition for food is fierce.”

Bulmer says the first frost wipes out most insects, and birds that prefer warmer climates start to fly south for the winter. At the same time, animals and reptiles that live here year-round are in a frenzy preparing to hunker down for the winter.

“Animals start looking for a den for safety, snakes and reptiles look for shelter in hollowed-out logs or under porches, and other small animals take cover under the fallen leaves,” he said. “Squirrels and chipmunks are busy gathering food to store for the winter. It is the most crucial activity for survival. They have to get it done.”

Those that are the best at it will survive the winter dining on their cache and emerge again in springtime. Only one species will sleep through it all. “The woodchuck is the one, true hiber-nator in this area,” Bulmer said.

Even the trees ready themselves for winter by shedding their leaves and conserving water in their trunk and branches. The leaves themselves help assure the trees will live to see another spring. “The leaf litter is the most important layer of the forest because it provides fertilizer that regenerates the forest floor and provides a safe, warm habitat that helps small animals survive the winter,” Bulmer said.

The falling leaves are nature’s colorful assurance that the ecosystem will take root in spring. That’s when wildflowers herald the coming warmer weather, wildlife returns to the forest, and nature’s lifecycle begins anew.

The Park Authority offers nature programs year-round. To learn more, turn to the Nature and Outdoor Recreation sections.

Autumn Leads toSurvival of the Fittest

4 Fall 2018

When the Laosiri family sets its mind to doing something, it gets done - quickly. In less than a week, the three brothers and their parents visited eight of 12 parks on this year’s Fairfax County Park Authority Discovery Trail Map, making them the first to win a prize packet and enter a drawing for a new bicycle.

“It was exciting,” said 11-year-old Peter enthusiastically. “I got to see animals I’ve never seen before in real life.”As they ventured out from park to park, they were amazed by what they found. Each setting offered a unique experience that delighted all members of the family.

“The animals and turtles at Hidden Pond Nature Center were so interesting,” said the boys’ mother, Mai Sankom. “The kids got excited everywhere we went and said, ‘Oh, Mom! I want to come back to this place!’”

Green Spring Gardens was Mai’s favorite site. “I got to see orchids and lots of beautiful flowers that I’ve never seen before,” and her children remembered learning that some flowers are edible – something they didn’t know before.

The historic house at Huntley Meadows impressed 12-year-old Patrick. “It had a lot of cool things,” he said, and Mai remembered the beauty of Lake Accotink Park, “it was just after the rain and the leaves were so green!”

The park that got the family-favorite vote was Frying Pan Farm Park. “We got to see a lot of farm animals,” said 13-year-old Paul. “My husband, Piwat, was most im-pressed with Frying Pan,” Mai said, and Patrick started laughing as he recalled his favorite memory at the park. “Feeding the chickens grass because it’s hilarious seeing the chickens eat grass! They looked kind of hungry.”

The family’s park adventures are far from over. They’re already having fun using the prize packet tickets for mini golf and other park amusements and making memories that are sure to last a lifetime.

“It was a very good idea to do this [Discovery Trail Map] and have a family adventure in Fairfax County,” Mai said. “It was a most precious memory to experience nature and to nur-ture – such a pleasant memory to visit a lot of parks.”

Make lasting memories with your loved ones! Pick up a Discovery Trail Map at any Fairfax County RECenter, nature center, historic site, golf course or public library while the supply lasts.

Fall 2018

Make TREASURED MEMORIES along the

DISCOVERY TRAIL5

6

It’s 6 pm. on Wednesday, and students at Providence RECenter are learning the centuries-old art of Japanese ink painting known as sumi-e. As in many Japanese arts and traditions, simplicity and subtlety are the hallmarks of sumi-e. Those who master it breathe life into their silk or rice-paper paintings using only black ink, a few, simple brush strokes and a lot of concentration.

“You think it’s very simple, then realize the tiniest little movement can make a difference,” said student Deb Kempton who was curious about the class and decided to try it. “It’s different than other kind of painting. It’s a restful and relaxing kind of art.”

Instructor Yoshiko Oishi Weick is an accomplished sumi-e artist with three decades of experience whose works have been displayed in galleries and exhibitions around the world. Her grayscale paintings are inspired by her profound love of nature and what she considers her spiritual gift for captur-ing the beauty of nature in black and white.

“I constantly believe that nature is beautiful, life is beautiful, love is beautiful” said Oishi Weick, a former Wesley Theological Seminary artist in residence on the American University campus. “In sumi-e, you make [the

illusion of] color with different techniques, hues, strokes and textures.” This calming and centering art form was first brought to Japan from China by Zen Buddhist monks trained in the art of concen-

tration, clarity, and simplicity. Mastering the nuances of the black sumi-e ink was more difficult than painting with color and required consummate skill.

Using the same materials today as were used thousands of years ago, sumi-e artists use contrast and harmony to create paintings that embody the spirit of the natural world. This contemplative art form is about taking a deep look at an

object or scene and leaving only what is necessary to capture its essence. “It’s hard to get the nuances of the brushes,” Kempton said as she

practiced brush-stroke techniques during a class warm-up exercise. “The strokes are never the same twice. It’s like the box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.”

That’s the beauty of this art. Even when a stroke or painting doesn’t go as planned, the results can still be wonderful.

The Park Authority offers a wide range of art classes for all skill levels. To find a class near you, turn to the Fine Arts section.

Capture Nature’s Beauty with Ink Painting

Fall 2018

History Detectives Uncover Secrets at the Mill

It’s 1 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, and Colvin Run Mill manager and historian Mike Henry attempts to interpret the original interior color scheme of the newly restored miller’s house. “It’s tastefully challenged by today’s standards,” he quipped as he gestured toward the Spanish brown and Prussian blue trim that accents the white plaster walls. “It shows that ours is not a mono-chromatic past.”

The miller’s house was close to being condemned in 2014 when the Park Authority developed a plan to breathe new life into the 209-year-old struc-ture, once owned by the Millard family. Soon, the house will serve as a rare and historically significant example of the way the rural manufacturing class lived during the 19th century federal period.

“At that time, about five percent of the popula-tion was gentry, 80 percent was in farming, and the 15 percent in between included millers, skilled artisans and shop owners,” he said. “There are plenty of examples of gentry and farming homes from that timeframe, and only a few like this that represent those who would become middle class.”

More than a year after the Park Authority began restoring the old house and discovering its secrets, history detectives are left with more questions about its past. The hall and stairwell are flanked by two identical rooms, but why were they inde-pendently framed? “There’s a basement below one side and a crawl space below the other,” Henry said. “The joists were 24 inches on center. Everything today is 16 inches on center.” Even the second level presents questions for which there are no apparent answers. “One side was leveled by shim-ming, and the other was leveled by shaving. Both

ways solve the problem, but we don’t know why each side was constructed using different methods.”

As the history detectives peeled back the interior paint layers, they were surprised to discover that in more than 200 years, the original paint was just four or five layers deep, and there was no evidence of any wallpaper. “I’ve been here 31 years, and the house is still teaching me things,” Henry said. One ground-level room was trimmed in Spanish brown. “It was probably the family room, because brown paint was made from common materials - rust and dirt – and was affordable.” Henry says the blue room reflects the miller’s social status. “It is the more formal of the two rooms and probably where the miller and his wife entertained guests. The mantle is a little more ornate, and the bowfat [china cupboard] has an unusual arch feature. The paint was very expensive because the pigment was man-made and not readily available. The blue room shows off a little bit and says ‘We’re doing pretty well – well enough to throw a little money into paint.’”

The final step in the restoration process is to in-stall historically accurate furnishings and to devel-op an interpretive exhibit. Henry says the timeline will reflect the period’s local, national and world events, “to make the house historically relevant to multi-cultural visitors.” The greatest challenge may be to furnishing the house exactly the way the Millards did. “We don’t have any inventory and don’t really know what they had,” Henry said. “It’s a physical mystery to solve, and that’s the fun part. It’s what we like to do.”The new miller’s house exhibit and restoration are expected to be complete by the beginning of 2019. 7Fall 2018

8 Fall 2018

In a child’s world, turning “double digits” is a big deal. Spring Hill RECenter patron Noble McCartney commemorated an even bigger deal on May 11 when he turned 10 times 10, or “triple digits.” Family, friends and his personal trainer were all on hand when they surprised McCartney with a birthday party at the RECenter the day before the big day.

“Now I know why you made me come in here,” he said with the glee of a child delight-ed by a surprise. “How thoughtful you all have been. Unbelievable!”

The retired lawyer has been around since World War I, when Woodrow Wilson was president. McCartney’s 100th birthday is especially noteworthy when you consider the life expectancy for U.S. men was just 36.6 years in 1918 – the year McCartney was born.

“I’m a former swimmer, and I swam non-stop for 45 minutes to an hour every day for years,” he said as he reflected on his longevity. “I think that’s why I’m still here.”

McCartney has survived a lot in his 10 decades – the Great Depression, World War II and the profound grief known only to the nation’s Gold Star families after his older broth-er, Ben, a bombardier, was killed in the war. McCartney himself was drafted in advance of the war and was granted a deferment to pursue his law degree at Harvard University. That changed on Dec. 7, 1941 – the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor – after which all deferments were called off.

“Even if they hadn’t been called off, I would have called mine off,” McCartney said with still-fiery determination displayed by men of his generation who were morally outraged by the unprovoked attack and felt compelled to defend the country. As a U.S. Navy Landing Craft Infantry officer, he escorted dozens of ships with tanks and troops to North Africa, Sicily and Italy.

After the war, McCartney earned his law degree and worked for firms in Washington D.C. He outlived his first two wives and found a third soul mate in a longtime friend whom he married five years ago, when he was 95 and his wife, Anne, was 80. “We’ve known each other for more than 30 years,” Anne said.

It was also about the time he gave up playing golf. He wanted to stay fit, so with Anne’s encouragement, he started training with her certified personal trainer, Kristen Pierce, at Spring Hill RECenter. When McCartney trains with Kristen, they focus on strength training, balance and stretching.

“The training has definitely improved his circulation and flexibility,” Pierce said. “He always moves better afterwards, and I think he has surprised himself doing things with me in session that he never thought he could ever do. Those moments increase his self-confi-dence and overall quality of life.” While Anne trains with Kristen, McCartney walks a mile around the RECenter’s indoor track.

McCartney also keeps his mind in shape by reading newspapers and magazines and socializing with other people. His advice to others who wish to make it to triple digits: “Keep your legs in good shape, read a lot, walk and travel,” he said. “The benefit of visit-ing new places and meeting new people is the connections that you make.”

McCartney is living proof that exercising both body and mind helps assure independent living and a high quality of life for at least 100 birthdays. Now he’s aiming for 101.

Personal training is offered at all Park Authority RECenters. To learn more, contact the fitness director at your nearest RECenter.

EXERCISE Makes the Case for

Retired Lawyer’s

LONGEVITY

Summer 2018 Fall 2018

Get the

inside scoop on your golf

swing with the new TrackMan 4 launch

monitor at Pinecrest Golf Course. The professional

swing analysis tool uses two sophisticated radar sytems to track the ball and to monitor the

clubhead as it strikes the ball. It analyzes launch angle, ball speed and spin, sees what the clubhead is doing on its way up to and at impact, provides details on where the ball is going and how it's getting there. It also records other ball launch details such as maximum height, the angle the ball lands as it hits the ground, and the basics of carry distance and total distance. All of these instant performance readouts help you dissect and improve distance, accuracy and efficiency of motion.

The new launch monitor is one of several new state-of-the-art amenities at Pinecrest’s newly renovated indoor instructional

area. The updated facility includes expanded hitting bays, improved lighting and natural light and a golf simulator

that gives you the option to practice and play realistic golf anytime, regardless of weather.

The new facility is expected to open by the end of August.

Pinecrest

Golf Course

Goes

High Tech

at Oak Marr Mini Golf

TameSummer Sizzle

Looking for a way to beat the heat and have fun outdoors at the same time? The new nature-themed water features at Oak Marr mini golf will keep you and your family cool while you play. Two life-like alligators, a large turtle and a frog spray mists of water from time to time, adding a cool element of surprise to a fun round of mini golf on a hot summer day. So far, the new features are getting rave reviews from customers.

“People like the one by the pond because it has a nice mist to it,” said mini golf attendant Lauren Baird. “So if it’s really hot, it sprays them, and the kids enjoy it because it’s refreshing.”

The new features were added to the course just before summer. Oak Marr Mini Golf is located next to Oak Marr RECenter in Oakton.

The Park Authority operates four unique mini golf courses in Fairfax County. For more information, turn to the Attractions section or visit the web at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/minigolf.

9Fall 2018

TrackMan Rendering