Fall at Centennial Park

This past weekend was probably the peak for fall foliage at Centennial Park in Howard County, Maryland. We stopped at the boat launch area first - and a Great Blue Heron flew up and stood for some moments on a pile of rocks! After that start to the hike, we began the 2+ mile loop around the lake. Enjoy the fall scenes in the slide show below: red dogwood leaves, the reflections of trees in the water, water droplets on a grass seed head, a boat on the water, cattails, Canadian geese taking of, lady fingers, faded lily pads distorting the reflection of lots of yellow trees, a frost damaged poke weed, and the lake through an oak curtain…..the scenes of fall at Centennial Park.

Cattails in Winter

Cattails grow at the edges of just about every pond in my area so they are a common sight throughout the year. Their winter appearance lacks the green lushness of other times but their explosion of down makes them worthy of notice on a winter walk. I've read that native peoples used the down as absorbant material for diapering babies; the peak collection time for cattail down would have been about now.

Some of the cattails somehow keep their seeds a bit longer...retaining typical velvety brown appearance until well into winter. The picture to the right was taken in January. Perhaps the velvety brown ones are just a few days behind the others. Someone told me a story years ago about cutting cattails in the late fall for a dried flower arrangement....and having them explode a few months later inside her house. What a mess that must have been!

I'm satisfied with observing them outdoors - a highpoint of a winter walk.