Parks
Pollinators Strike Gold(enrod)
For a lot of gardeners, the definition of a weed — any plant that grows where it’s not wanted — applies perfectly to goldenrods.
Eastern Hornet Fly: A Master Mimic
Within the insect order Diptera—the flies—the family Syrphidae is one of the largest groups, with more than 6,000 species described worldwide.
My Swallowtail Teachers
Ohio’s half-dozen swallowtail butterfly species — black, giant, pipevine, spicebush, tiger, and zebra — are large, showy, and beautiful.
A Box of Tree Swallows
In the famous opening scene of Forrest Gump, a mostly-white feather floats down from the sky to land at Forrest’s feet.
Scattered Reflections on How to be Purple
Violet, lilac, lavender, orchid, mauve: all names for shades of the color purple, and all named for flowers (mauve from the French word for mallow).
Activity Center Park Sprayground Opening Day
The sprayground will open for the 2026 season on Friday, May 22! The sprayground is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Activity Center Park Playground Survey
Thank you to those who attended the May 13 public input open house for the 2027 Activity Center Park playground update!
On Catalpas; A Rhapsody
From the spring beauties of March through the asters of November, our woods and meadows progress through a wonderful cycle of herbaceous (non-woody) wildflowers.
Preserving Ohio’s History of Transportation in Your Parks
Among the Centerville-Washington Park District’s 1,060 acres, a unique nod to Ohio’s history of transportation lies among the trails!
Rosewood Park Updates
Thanks to multiple grant funding sources, the Centerville-Washington Park District has completed a major restoration of the one-acre pond at Rosewood Park and will soon add a new playground for families to enjoy.
Bee? Fly? Bee fly!
You hear a buzz. You see a fuzzy insect heading for a flower. Naturally, you think, “bee.” But something’s not quite right.
We’re off To See the Bloodroot
Poppies! Just the scent of them famously sent Dorothy and her Wizard of Oz companions into a deep slumber.
No story matches that. Try another word.
Pileated Woodpeckers: Large and in Charge
Pileated woodpeckers never fail to impress. The first sign of their presence usually is auditory—the wild, laugh-like call, or the heavy jackhammering on a trunk.
Wandering and wondering: Looking back on a year chasing bugs!
Edwin Way Teale, one of the mid-20th century’s preeminent nature writers, repeatedly traversed the US and chronicled his observations and reflections in his “American Seasons” books.
2026 Shelter Reservations
Perfect for birthday parties, graduation parties, family reunions and more, large group shelters are available in eight of the Centerville-Washington Park District community parks.
Leaves of Three, Birds Eat Free
Parents sending their kids out to explore the meadows and woods of Greene and Montgomery Counties can take comfort that we don’t have alligators, mountain lions, or poisonous snakes.
Vultures Are Here To Stay
It’s November, and Ohio’s migratory summer-breeding birds have left the state. That list of migrants includes the turkey vulture, which, as recently as a few decades ago, was southwest Ohio’s only vulture species.
The Terrific, Radiant, Humble Garden Spider
It’s probably fair to say that, despite our fondness and admiration for the title character from Charlotte’s Web, most people are happy to keep spiders at a distance for most of the year.
Predator-pray: The Carolina Mantis
There’s no mistaking a praying mantis! Praying mantises are named for the front-facing, folded forelegs that give the appearance of an animal in prayer.
New Pickleball Courts Open at Yankee Park
Game on! The Centerville-Washington Park District (CWPD) has added two new pickleball courts at Yankee Park, meeting growing community demand for the fast-paced, social sport.
Plants without photosynthesis: trading greenery for thievery
Flowering plants (angiosperms; as opposed to other land plants like evergreens, ferns, and mosses) are characterized by flowers that produce seeds encapsulated within a fruit.
One Picture, So Many Questions
This is a pair of stream bluet damselflies, Enallagma exsulans, a common species found in every Ohio county.
Who Needs Lungs Anyhow?
There’s no more relaxing way to spend a summer day than creekin’. Wander down a local creek and you’re sure to scare up a variety of critters: minnows and darters swim off to undisturbed waters, crayfish skitter under the nearest
Kind of Blue
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue….INDIGO. What is that color, the “I” in ROYGBIV? According to Wikipedia, ”indigo” might refer to a number of hues in the range from blue to violet.
Bats in the Beech Tree
With the arrival of April, lots of animal migrants are returning north to Ohio from their wintering grounds.
Blackbirds Announce Spring!
Waiting for this moment: blackbirds announce spring
Punctuating winter—with butterflies!
It’s midwinter and, as I write this, temperatures are predicted to remain below freezing for the January week ahead.
Lessons on Aging
As time goes by: Lessons on aging from the birds and the bees