By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Contributing Writer
GOOSE CREEK STATE PARK – Goose Creek State Park staff, volunteers and visitors celebrated the season Saturday during the park’s sixth-annual holiday open house.
The event included crafts workshops, home baked refreshments, a birdwatching talk and a nature walk, according to Kevin Bischof, park ranger and acting superintendent. Activities were coordinated by the Friends of Goose Creek group, which began planning the festivities two months ago.
“It’s a chance to show our appreciation for the visitors and just to get visitors to come and enjoy the park,” Bischof said, shortly before leading a hike along the park’s Palmetto Trail boardwalk. “It’s a celebration.”
Prior to the event, the Goose Creek Environmental Education and Visitors Center was bedecked with festive holiday decorations, including gift-wrapped doors and red and green ribbons encircling support columns in the building.
Vanessa Fischer, office assistant with the park, researched holiday crafts that were kid-friendly and which Goose Creek’s younger visitors could execute with little supervision. Those included reindeer fashioned from old-timey clothes pins, wreaths and candy canes made from pipe cleaners and beads, thumbprint reindeer cards and gift tags created from recycled Christmas cards. Even the park’s large pine cones, salvaged from long leaf pine trees, were put to good use – they became Christmas trees with a touch of glitter and a few colorful beads.
During the bird watching talk, retired park ranger Phoebe Wahab shared her knowledge of, and love for, the park’s fine feathered friends. She shared birdwatching tips as her audience watched several species of birds enjoy treats from feeders displayed outside the picture windows in the center’s Discovery Room.
“Goose Creek is a really good place to see migratory species and songbirds,” Bischof said. “It’s a good place to see a bunch of different types of water fowl, and you can definitely see bald eagles. I just saw one this morning, actually.”
On Dec. 11, Fischer will lead two workshops in holiday wreath-making. At 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., visitors can create their own wreath to take home; greenery is donated by Lowe’s of Washington and local Boy Scouts, remnants of their Christmas tree sales. The workshop is free and open to the public; space is limited, so call 252-923-2191 for reservations.
Today, beginning at 3 p.m., the subject of animal skulls will be discussed the park’s regular series of Sunday afternoon educational programs. In December, salamanders and bears will be the subject of similar lectures and hikes along the Tar Kiln and Flatty Creek trails are also planned.
**SIDEBAR**
Wintertime bird treats
PEANUT BUTTER SUET
2 c. crunchy peanut butter; 4 c. quick-cook oats; 2 c. lard; 4 c. corn meal; 2 c. white flour; 2/3 c. sugar.
Melt peanut butter and lard in a large pot over low flame. Add the remaining ingredients. Place the mixture into square freezer containers, packing firmly to approximately 1 1/2 inches thick. Raisins or chopped nuts are optional.
RAISIN OAT CAKE
1 c. raisins; 1 c. cornmeal; 1 c. uncooked oatmeal; 1/2 c. lard (unsalted); 1 c. skim milk; 1 c. wheat germ; 1 c. flour.
Mix ingredients together and blend well to form a thick batter. Add raisins dredged with flour. Grease a pie pan and flour lightly for baking. Pour mixture into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately an hour. Cool and break into large pieces. Place in mesh bags and hang in shrubs.
SUET CUPCAKES
1 lb. suet in small pieces; 1 c. yellow cornmeal; 1 c. mixed wild bird seed; 1 c. chunky peanut butter; 1 c. sunflower seeds; 1 c. rolled oats.
Melt suet over a low flame until fried. Add other ingredients into the fat until completely blended. Pour mixture into paper cupcake cups in muffin pans. Chill until hardened; remove paper and place in your wire basket.
Source: Goose Creek State Park