Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Lake Katherine at Reynolda Gardens


Constructed in the 1900s, and named for Katherine Smith Reynolds (Mrs. R.J. Reynolds), this 14-acre lake provided family and friends with fishing, boating and swimming. Silt from building and natural process began filling in the lake and by the 1990s, it was almost completely filled in. It is now a natural habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. The dam upstream prevents this from returning to its natural state and it will continue as an artificial wetland.

On Easter Sunday afternoon, after strolling around Reynolda Gardens soaking up some natural Vitamin D, we paused to take in the beauty of this wetland. We sat on an old, weathered bench and watched birds flitting from branch to branch, sometimes clinging to the bark of a tree leaning toward the water. As we were walking away, we heard a splash and turned to see two ducks had just landed. 

While I have been to Reynolda Gardens and the surrounding village several times in recent years, I did not know there had been a lake there. There is always something to be discovered, sometimes practically in one's own back yard.

What discoveries have you made recently in your neck of the woods?



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6 comments:

  1. Beautiful photo, Linda. Thank you for a glimpse of your world, thousands of miles away from mine.

    I'm really starting to appreciate the texture in marshlands, those glimpses of blue in among the rushes that catch you by surprise. I drove my elderly dad to a loch near my childhood home the other day and he wondered why I was photographing the edges; he hadn't noticed the ducks swimming through sky. I so envy your discovery. I'm in Scotland, surrounded by glorious scenery, mountains, hills and fields, but the wee town I live in has no river running through or pond or loch to take kids to or stroll around, feeding bread to the ducks. There's a wee burn (small stream) on the far edge of the town, but when it gets interesting and bigger, it enters private land as do many of the streams and rivers around me. Thank you for this lovely reminder to stay open and notice things, and for inspiring me to go out walking with my husband tonight to appreciate what we do have on our doorstep.

    (Sorry about the deletion above; I hadn't noticed a daft cut and paste typo.)

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    1. Janice, thank you for visiting. I am glad you enjoyed seeing the lake or at least what is left of it. It is a pretty place, nevertheless. I've visited some of the marshlands in the southern U.S. and there are an amazing number of things to see and hear if you just take a moment to look and listen.

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  2. First of all, I love the picture and that you are enjoying warmer weather and sunshine:~)

    That's interesting about the lake. Oddly, we have a similar lake in our neighborhood. It's a wetlands, but will fills with water during heavy rains, like we've been having. It's fascinating to watch how it adjusts and different animal life on the water. We have ducks, geese and even a type of unusual salamander that emerge at certain times.

    Reynolda Gardens sounds like an interesting place to visit. Thanks for sharing about it. I hope all is well with you guys!

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    1. Sorry to be late getting back here. We had a very full weekend and it started early. I love visiting wetlands, marshes, lakes, any body of water really. There are so many sights and sounds, yet peaceful at the same time. We are well...I need to email you soon.

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  3. Lake Katherine.... actually spelled the way I spell mine! That is a gorgeous picture. I love getting that vitamin D!

    The latest cool find was by my daughter and her friend in Half Moon Bay... a seal flipper bone!

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    1. That is indeed the most delightful way of getting vitamin D.

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