Kris Montgomery

Marshall Memorial Park Dedication

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We had the great privilege of being invited to the private dedication of Marshall Park at Glen Eden Pilot Park on Memorial Day this year (what an appropriate post now that summer has ended).  It was a gorgeous day despite the heat and humidity and a wonderful way to celebrate and honor those who have served in the US Armed Forces.

At least 100 people were in attendance to remember and honor Lt. Col. George F. Marshall who died while commanding troops during the British-American invasion of Oran, also known as Operation Torch.  The ultimate goal of this invasion on November 8, 1942, was to secure the port and keep it open.  Of the 17 officers and 376 men of Col. Marshall’s battalion, 9 officers and 180 men were killed in this operation, which was deemed a failure.

img_3285When Col. Marshall died, he left behind a grief-stricken 26 year-old wife, Dahlis Marshall, and two young boys, George “Rick” Jr. and Michael.  Mrs. Marshall wrote letters asking for more details surrounding her husband’s death.  Leo Disher, a war correspondent who had accompanied Marshall’s troops, eventually received her letters while he was recovering in a hospital in England.  They corresponded several times over the heroics and terrors of WWII, but she was finally able to piece together enough information so that when her sons were old enough she could tell them how courageous their dad was.  My favorite excerpt (that gives me chills) from a telegram from Disher to Mrs. Marshall is, “You need never fear the boys’ questions, Mrs. Marshall.  You can tell them their father tackled a job of greatest importance to the success of our armies and that he never quit fighting against impossible odds, and that he never struck the ship’s colors.  I hope this letter may help a little.  But it is wrong for you to say you are asking a great deal of me.  You are one of whom a great deal was asked and proudly given.  You and a great many others at home.”

The dedication was a very special one, especially with all the family members in attendance.  Mrs. Marshall remarried in 1945 to Lt. Col. Robert Middleton Booth, a classmate of Col. Marshall, and several of the Booth family members were also in attendance.  Col. Marshall’s son, Rick, understandably got choked up several times during his speech especially when recounting his father’s war-time bravery and when his young son surprisingly came to the mic to say a few words about his late grandfather.

After the ceremony, which also included a tribute from Brig. Gen. William J. Gothard and keynote address from historian Warren Bingham, we walked along House Creek Greenway to the park site followed by a large tented luncheon (which we opted out of).  The community building nearby also housed a great deal of Marshall memorabilia including those special letters between Disher and Mrs. Marshall.  It was amazing to see how many keepsakes the families had preserved.

The dedication program listed some additional credits, from which I’ve included a few excerpts: “Soldiers of the Press is a war drama that was created in New York and originally broadcast on Sundays from Feb 1943 – Aug 1945.  There are at least 39 episodes in circulation out of the 148 known to exist.  Two episodes, 5 and 11, are about war correspondent Leo Disher.  Episode 5 reenacts his experiences on the HMS Walney where he met Lt. Col. Marshall.  Episode 11 revisits Disher’s Walney experience as he reads Ms. Marshall’s letter and dictates a reply.”  When I find some spare time I’ll listen to these two specific episodes.

It was an honor to be invited to such a ceremony and I’m looking forward to telling Ashley (and now Claire) about the reasons for Memorial Day and the importance of such heroic men and women.  Visit my original review of this park and how I stumbled upon it.  This is one of the hidden gems in Raleigh and a great spot for reflection amid a run or bike ride.

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Walnut Creek Wetland Center

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img_3191We are always on the lookout for something fun and different to do outside the house especially in the early evenings after nap time. When we attended the Neuse River trail expansion grand opening some folks from the Walnut Creek Wetland Center were there explaining their programs.  I remember them saying their center was open late each weekday, so we finally found some time with our good friends to get out and explore the center.

Walnut Creek Wetland Center is located at 950 Peterson St in downtown Raleigh. Upon arriving at the center, I immediately noticed this center was not in the best area of town.  The center itself is very nice, but all the surrounding parts were less than delightful – there was trash scattered on the nearby trails, apartments across the street seemed sketchy, and nearby fields were neglected.  After getting past that we went inside to explore the center and the girls had a blast.

The mission of the center according to the website is to “Promote the importance of wetlands, wildlife habitat, hydrology, and human interactions with the natural environment.”  There are several free educational games, coloring and stamp activities, nature and animal books to read, stuffed animals, and a touch table featuring different wetland animal skeletons, furs, and more.  The staff was very helpful and excited to help show us around the center.  The center incorporates many environmentally friendly features and offers several organized programs for kids of all ages and three rooms available for rental.

After playing inside for at least 30 minutes, we headed outside to the expansive back deck to explore.  Unfortunately we only saw birds, but if you’re looking to relax they also have several rocking chairs overlooking the floodplain.  After a lot of running back and forth on the deck we headed out to the greenway to explore some more.  We exited the building and headed west on Peterson Dr and then headed south on the Walnut Creek Trail towards Walnut Creek.  Again, the greenway was moderately littered and we didn’t get the impression that we were in a floodplain/wetland area.  We continued on the trail and over a boardwalk to the creek and turned around when we reached State St.  Due to the unkept nature of the trail and the lack of “wetlands” conditions we didn’t feel comfortable continuing on.  For future trips, it may be best to register for a scheduled program that explores the wetlands.

For more information, visit the City of Raleigh Walnut Creek Wetland Center website.

Thumbs up: indoor educational programs/activities/displays, being open past 5pm

Thumbs down: condition of trail, lack of wetlands condition, outdoor wetland display was not working, greenway signage

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Baileywick Park

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img_3239The playground at Baileywick Park was closed this past winter so we finally made a visit in late May.  Baileywick Park is located in Northwest Raleigh at 9501 Baileywick Rd.  Upon entering the park you pass access to the Baileywick greenway trail and eventually come to a large parking lot that provides access to all of the park’s amenities.  We parked near the bathroom facilities and started with a visit to the playground.

The playground consists of an expansive jungle gym for ages 5-12, a smaller jungle gym for ages 2-5, four tot swings, four regular swings, a sand box with diggers, and several teeter totters.  The base of the playground is covered in wood chips and there are several benches scattered around the playground.  The playground for ages 5-12 has several slides that are of medium height, multiple climbing options, monkey bars, bridges and more.  The tot playground has several slides, matching games, and a few different climbing ladders.

Adjacent to the playground is a large open field, restrooms, a large shelter with eight picnic tables, an area shaded with trees (no picnic tables though), a covered bench area, and two lighted baseball fields.  A paved walking trail is also nearby, which leads to another shelter with two picnic tables and an open field.  This park is also equipped with the Big Belly solar trash and recycling compactors, which has provided great savings for the city.  These have been installed in several places throughout Raleigh and it’s great to see them at the parks.  Learn more about the Big Belly solar compactors in this N&O article from earlier this year.

Thumbs up: open fields, numerous benches, several swings, climbing options on large playground, nearby walking trail, landscaping around playground (several hardwoods and crape myrtles)

Thumbs down: full-sun playground area is very hot

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JT’s Grommet Island Park in Va Beach

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img_3096A few months ago we headed to Va Beach for a fun girl trip with my sis, mom and aunt who had flown in from CA.  I rarely get back to that area, but have lots of fun memories with trips when we were young, high school field hockey state championship games, and the Wicked 10K race a few years ago.  Even though the weather was super chilly and a bit rainy we still found some time to explore a nearby park, which happened to be oceanfront.

JT’s Grommet Island Park is located at 100 2nd St just before you reach Rudee Inlet.  Parking in this area is always a challenge especially during the high season.  There is a full day pay parking lot adjacent to the park, but if you’re just planning to stay for an hour or two it’s best to park on the street and pay by the hour.  JT’s Grommet Island Park is a special playground in that it gives everyone, regardless of their abilities, a place to play at the beach.  The park opened in 2010 and is 100% handicap accessible – the surface is made of hard rubber to allow wheelchairs to easily maneuver, the ramps on the jungle gyms are wide enough for wheelchairs, the sandbox play areas are unique and accessible for all folks, and there is a wheelchair accessible teeter totter.

Despite the rain, Ashley had a fun time jumping and bopping around the playground.  Knowing that Ashley has a short attention span when playing at the beach, having a playground at the beach would make for happier kids (and parents)!  For more information about this playground, visit Grommet Island.

Thumbs up: unique play features for everyone, ability for everyone to play on the beach, variety of slides and climbing areas, ability to install shade sails during summertime

Thumbs down: rubber surface had too much sand on it

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Neuse River Trail Opening

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A couple of months ago we attended the Neuse River Trail grand opening at Anderson Point Park located at 20 Anderson Point Dr.  Most grand openings we attend are usually low-key and only involve a few important speakers, but this celebration was full of food trucks, live music, crafts for kids, local vendors and more.  As typical, we sat through 5 minutes of the grand opening speeches and then played on the playground before hitting up the food, vendors and crafts.

The Neuse River Trail is located on the eastern side of Raleigh paralleling the Neuse River with 7 bridges over the river throughout the trail; it  begins at Falls Dam Lake and continues south past the WRAL Soccer Park, Buffaloe Rd Park, Milburnie Park, Anderson Pointe Park and to the Johnston County line.  The new section of trail added 20 additional miles, bringing the total distance of this paved trail to 27.5 miles.  The Neuse River Trail allows for easy connections west to Crabtree Creek Trail or Walnut Creek Trail and is a great connection between the municipalities of Wake Forest, Raleigh, Knightdale, and Johnston County.  Part of the trail is also a segment of the Mountains to Sea Trail that extends from the Great Smokey Mountains to the Outer Banks.

img_3085After devouring some delicious pizza from my favorite local food truck, Klausie’s, Ashley and I headed south on the trail for about a mile before her patience and the time got the best of us.  The parts of the trail we walked were gorgeous – the trails are 10ft wide, the views of the river are amazing, and the bridges make for exciting photo ops.

To access the Neuse River Trail near Anderson Point Park, the parking spots are either inside the park or at the parking lot near the canoe put-in at 22 Anderson Point Dr. At this location, you’ll be near mile marker 17 of 27.5.  I can’t wait to return and explore more of the trail on bike next time!

Additional Resources:

Thumbs up: condition of trail, scenic views of river, photo ops, bridges

Thumbs down: signage to trails from within park

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Three Bears Acres

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img_3495A few months ago we headed north with a friend and her daughter to Creedmoor to visit Three Bears Acres, an outdoor recreational park for kids.  We thought it reminded us of summer camp on crack!  Three Bears Acres is located at 711 Beaver Dam Road in Creedmoor.  Even though it was a bit of hike from North Raleigh, we arrived right when they opened and happened to go on a Thursday when adults are free and kids are only $10.

The girls started off playing on the giant jumping pillow, which was super fun for them once they figured out how to climb up.  Toddlers under 2 might have trouble walking up, but parents are allowed to assist them.  After the jumping pillow we headed over to the graffiti wall where they finger painted on a giant white wall.  They have stencils for the more sophisticated artists, but our toddlers loved dipping the paint brushes in and out of the various colors and sweeping them across the wall (and themselves).  Next up was the water garden where the kids pour buckets of water into various funnels and watch the water makes its way to the ground.  This would be a fun activity for toddlers who are taller, so our girls more or less splashed in the water buckets.

img_3502One of the biggest hits of the day was the mud kitchen.  Having a two year old means they are just starting to play pretend and I felt like this was a great introduction to mimicking what mommy and daddy do in the kitchen.  The mud kitchen area has stoves, fridges, baking supplies, counters, sinks, and a large bath tub of dirt for the kids to mix with water.  They enjoyed stirring mud batter, making mud pies and cooking them in the oven.  Parents, not to worry – there is a water supply nearby for cleaning up.  After the mud kitchen, we headed over to the picnic area for a yummy lunch.  Food is not available for purchase at the park, so be sure to bring lots of water, snacks and a lunch.  The picnic area is nicely shaded with plenty of tables and nearby bathrooms that were in great condition.  The sling shot area is also close to the picnic spot, but we didn’t venture over there knowing the girls would be a bit too young for it.

After lunch we walked to the other side of the park where the toboggan and tree house playground are located.  Tobogganing was amazing!  All you do is grab a plastic toboggan, choose a ramp, and fly down the slide.  A staff member works the top of the ramp to help push you down the detergent-soaked slide.  We did the toboggan slide twice and Ashley would’ve kept going all day if I hadn’t nudged her towards the playground area.

Our last stop before leaving for naps was at the enchanting tree house playground area.  The girls had a fun time walking from one end to the other and going down the slides, but really enjoyed being pushed on the various swings below.  The tire swing and spider-looking rope swing were the big hits for them.  They also spent quite a bit of time swinging on the bear tot swings nearby.

Unfortunately we didn’t have time to explore the large pond for fishing and paddle boating, but it gives us something to do next time!

Thumbs up: outdoor fun, unique recreational activities, creative play, picnic areas, bathroom facilities, play equipment, shady playground and toboggan areas

Thumbs down: rather pricy so try to go on Thursdays when they have discounts, lack of shade on one side of the park so don’t forget sunscreen and hats

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Day After Tropical Storm Andrea

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img_3338On Friday, June 7, 2013, Tropical Storm Andrea dumped over 5 inches of rain within 24 hours to the Triangle area (according to measurements at RDU airport).  Creeks and rivers rose across the Raleigh area so we decided to explore some of the greenways and parks on Saturday morning in hopes of getting some interesting photos.  Here are some photos along Crabtree Creek Trail at Lassiter Mill Park and near Crabtree Mall and of the wetlands at Fred Fletcher Park.

For comparison purposes, here are some of my previous non-tropical-storm-ridden posts of these areas: Lassiter Mill Park, Crabtree Creek near Crabtree Mall, Fred Fletcher Park

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Hopefully I can figure out a way to upload my video of the gushing water here shortly. 

Exploring Durham: Strawberries, Donuts & a Picnic

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Living in Raleigh has spoiled me over the years with such close proximity to outdoor events, great restaurants, parks, live entertainment, etc.  Other than the dozens of trips to see a Durham Bulls baseball game, I never really make the short trek to Durham.  My intentions are always to explore Durham more, but it just never seems to happen.  However, with the countdown to baby number two being less than two months away my Durham radar is on high-alert so Ashley and I set off to do a special mommy/daughter morning in Durham.  You may ask, “What does that entail?”  Well, if there’s something I know about two year olds, it’s that they love attention and to eat; lucky for Ashley she is in good company.

img_3175On stop #1 of our morning in Durham, we headed to Waller Family Farm to pick strawberries!  We love strawberries in this household and with May being the prime month for this delicious fruit, it couldn’t have been a better fit for a two year old.  I found Waller Family Farm through the NC Ag’s website and also started following them on Facebook to get their daily strawberry picking updates.  Waller Family Farm is located at 5005 Kerley Rd in Durham.  Unbeknownst to me (and the farm owners, I think) a local church (all 100 of them) also decided to go strawberry picking this morning!  As we arrived at the farm, the man directing traffic was super helpful in making sure we could find a parking spot because the church did not come in typical church vans or buses…every family drove separately!  So, we parked in the field, lathered in sunscreen and set off to pick strawberries.  The ladies at the cash registers were also very helpful by noticing we were not part of the church group and telling us the ripest strawberries were closest to the white flags in the fields.

As you can tell by the pictures, Ashley is all about some strawberries!  She quickly discerned the green strawberries from the red ones and sampled plenty of Waller Family fruits.  Our bucket full of strawberries yielded about 4 pounds and with it being only $1.99/pound you can’t beat the price and experience!  The picking is still good at Waller Family Farms but be sure to check in with them before you head out there.

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img_3660After strawberry picking we headed to downtown Durham for some local donuts at Monuts Donuts!  After reading a recent suggestion from local blogger Triangle Explorer about Monuts Donuts I knew I had to try them and being pregnant gave me the justification.  Durham has become quite the foodie city and having a speciality donut shop helps prove why.  Monuts Donuts opened its brick and mortar store earlier this year at 110 East Parrish St.  Before having a store front, they sold donuts at the farmers market and food truck rodeos.  This particular morning we shared a strawberry lime poppy seed donut and classic marble donut.  Both were out of this world!  Other than donuts, they also serve coffee, beer, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches.  I can’t wait to go back for more!

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img_3188After filling up on donuts, we took a short drive over to the American Tobacco District for a quick picnic at stop #3, the Diamond View Park.  This park is located adjacent to the DPAC and Durham Bulls baseball stadium on Blackwell St.  There are several FREE short-term parking spaces (30 min, 1 hr, 2hr) nearby and also several long-term pay parking garages…just be sure to take note of the signs.  It’s a rather large park for being in the middle of the city and doesn’t have many features other than open green space, trees along the perimeter, and benches along the pathway.  On this particular day the park’s perimeter was lined with short, temporary gates – probably for the upcoming outdoor concerts held in the park.  Being that Ashley and I had mostly filled up on strawberries and donuts, we didn’t have much of an appetite for a real lunch, but I still enjoyed watching her run around after the frisbee while I relaxed on the lawn.  We also took in some good people watching as folks hurried to lunch at the various nearby restaurants.  To learn more about the history of the American Tobacco District, visit their website.

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Wow, what a jam-packed morning of fun little adventures.  It was nice to get out of our normal routine and try something different.  Exploring new things in Durham was such a treat that I want to create a Durham Bucket List similar to my Raleigh Bucket List!

Thumbs up: strawberry picking, donuts, open space at park, availability of parking around park, mommy/daughter time, exploring Durham

Thumbs down: nothing to report

Museum Park Blue Loop Opening

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img_3025About a month ago we attended the Museum Park’s Blue Loop opening at the NC Museum of Art.  It was the perfect spring morning to spend with friends while walking the new trail and enjoying live bluegrass music.  The Blue Loop is a one-mile trail that includes a new cut-through between the pond and Lowe’s Park Pavilion and extends through a wooded section on the southwestern side of Museum Park.  It was made possible by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

The FREE celebration featured live music from Big Medicine Bluegrass Band and the A&T Drumline, healthy snacks from local food trucks, and a celebratory lap around the Blue Loop.  Special guests included Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, NCMA Director Lawrence Wheeler, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina CEO Brad Wilson.

The NC Museum of Art is located at 2110 Blue Ridge Rd.  View the Museum Park map for a complete look at the Blue Loop.

Thumbs up:  lots of shade and open space, wide paths, rolling hills (perfect for a challenging run/walk)

Thumbs down: nothing to report

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Marshall Memorial Park Dedication – May 27, 2013

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img_2705I was super excited to receive a personal invitation to the Marshall Memorial Park dedication and reception on Memorial Day – May 27, 2013!  Marshall Memorial Park is named in honor of Lieutenant Colonel George F. Marshall who was killed in action during the Oran invasion in North Africa during World War II.  The park was gifted by long-time Raleigh resident, Rick Marshall, in honor of his father.

img_2712Marshall Memorial Park is a small park, great for reflection and rest, located along the recently opened House Creek Trail greenway.  I wrote a post about it last fall following the House Creek Trail grand opening.  It has a beautiful pergola, a variety of native plants and trees, and granite pavers that lead to benches near the stream.  The park is located close to the intersection of Blue Ridge Rd and Crabtree Valley Ave.

The dedication and reception will take place at Glen Eden Community Center on Memorial Day – Monday, May 27, 2013 at 11am.  Being a die-hard red, white and blue girl I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Memorial Day!