We live among the trees in Carrboro, even fly an Arbor Day flag at Town Hall. This itinerary offers two routes. The first is for those walking or driving, and is especially nice for children in strollers because it begins with an opportunity to run around Town Commons looking at trees and playing on the playground. If you prefer cycling, you can collect your leaves, drawings, or photos along the bikeway. For a map of this route, see the family bike tour itinerary. An art activity follows the itinerary description.
The starting point of this adventure is Town Commons, home of the Farmers' Market.
Along Weaver Street be sure to look for the lengthy pods on the trees outside Provence Restaurant.
More beautiful oaks greet you at the end of your walk and offer a shady spot to complete your project.
Fine and decorative papers are available at Paper, Pen & Ink in Carr Mill Mall.
It's also fun choosing beads from The Original Ornament to add to your hand-crafted journals.
Supplies for the sample journal (pictured at right): Decorative, acid-free papers double-sided adhesive (acid-free) beads, needle, thread, ribbon hole puncher, ink, stamps, embossing pen & heating tool (if you can't find everything you want at Carr Mill Mall, these supplies are available at most major craft shops).
If you want help identifying some of the leaves, you can use a computer at the Cybrary in the Century Center across the street.
Items to bring with you:
paper, pencil, charcoal, crayons, glue, tape, camera, book for pressing leaves, wet wipes, tree id book (& see below)
(A) Start this activity at Town Commons, where a variety of trees greet you near the playground. Try to identify the different oaks, flowering trees, and others dotting this open area (and look for the magnificent examples in front of Town Hall). If you are going to journal your experience, take photos of the leaves, draw them, or pick up fallen ones you can press in a book while you walk.
(B) After visiting Town Hall, proceed east down Weaver Street on the right-hand sidewalk. From this side, you are shaded by the older trees while having opportunities to look closeup at younger ones. There is a municipal parking lot midway if it's hot or you have limited mobility.
(C) The collecting tour ends on the grounds of Weaver Street Market, where you can take a break in the shade with a soothing drink or a snack. If you want to make the art project while you are out, the market offers nice, wide picnic tables on which to work under the trees.
Town parking is shaded grey. There is also parking available at Carr Mill.
July's crepe myrtles
If you don't wish to make a journal, you can look for a blank book at one of several gift shops in the mall.
Increase the value of your collecting experience by making a repository for all the lovely leaves and images you made along your journey.
1. Cover two pieces of cardboard with decorative paper or paper you have stamped, drawn upon, or otherwise covered.
2. Cut acid-free paper into slightly smaller pages to fit inside these covers.
3. Punch holes into the covers and pages and tie them together with ribbon, string, or laces. Beads also make nice accessories either on the lacing or as a bookmark.
NCSU provides a great resource for learning about trees.
For
the above sample book, I traced an oak leaf, cut it out
from several
different papers, "jigsawed" them, glued them together, then used an
embossing pen around the edges.
