A Quiet And Windy Walk Around Lake Irena At Community Park In Hazle Township.

In my last blog post about my local Community Park in Hazle Township, Luzerne County I was reflecting on the end of Summer. I remarked on how it was half over and how quickly it went. Well , it’s three months later, and I finally returned to Community Park  on Sunday.  It’s hard to believe it’s now mid November and another year is nearing its end.The years pass so quickly now.

It was partly sunny with a strong northwesterly wind when I arrived at the Park early Sunday morning. I was recovering from a triple whammy of Legionaries pneumonia, an E. coli infection and dengue fever that I picked up on my recent travels to India. I was hospitalized with a 103.7 fever but am recovering. It was another scary experience but seeing the Taj Mahal and a tiger in the jungle was well worth the unpleasant experience.

I was taking it slow as I walked into Community Park past the tank honoring our War Veterans and ,

a train locomotive from the coal mining industry industry that is an integral part of my area’s history. I was the only car in the parking lot and the only one walking around scenic Lake Irena.

The only living critter I saw was this gray squirrel watching me as I walked past.

I walked down to the lake which I first visited as a young child when Community Park  first opened. I was five years old and remember throwing rocks  in the water and my dad having us drink from the hand pump along the path to the lake.  The road to the lake was through woods back them. Now Community Park is next to a housing development.

It is still a great place to enjoy nature. I began my walk around the lake as the winds howled from the northwest,

bringing in occasional  clouds over the lake.

It was a far different scene since my last hike. The lush green foliage of Summer was gone. The trees were bare, brown and gray.

No wild flowers bloomed along the path, just the withered remains of last Summer’s flowers including  these rabbit tobacco flowers.

And withered bracken ferns.

I had hoped to see some water fowl on the lake, possibly a loon or grebe.  I often see them late in the season on their migration south. There were none nor were there any ducks or geese. Bald eagles often fly over the lack but not on Sunday. There was almost no bird activity around the lack. I heard a few black-capped chickadees, and saw a flock of dark eyed juncos but they quickly flew away before I could get any photos.

I walked to the north side of Lake Irean and walked through the woodlands there,sstopping to take in the views of the scenic lake.

There were not many greens in the drab Winter trees just the pitch pine and white pines trees along the trail,

the green mountain laurel leaves,

 tea berry leaves along the trail,

and bright green broom  fork moss growing on some of the rocks.

I walked around the lake and came to the bridge over the creek that feeds the lake,

and the wetlands on the north shore.

I continued around the lake in the bright November sunshine and past the pavilion and fire place on the west side of the lake.

There was still no one walking or fishing on the lake, as I started a second lap around the lake.

I still didn’t see any birds or water fowl, just a couple of squirrels scampering up a pitch pine tree.

Walking  on the path along the lake I observe the fast moving clouds in the northwesterly winds,

and also noticed the witch hazel flowers. Witch hazel is the only native shrub that flowers in the Fall.

I saw some green brier leaves which provided some color to the brown leafless woodlands along the lake.

I had walked almost two mile and decided to head back. I was told to take it easy walking for a few days. I walked back up through the pavilions and play ground,

where I finally saw a few folks walking down to the lake. The only deer I saw were those painted on the wall of the rest rooms.

I returned to my Jeep. I didn’t see a lot of wildlife but I got some hiking in and enjoyed the beauty of  the lake and woodlands at Community Park, as I have for the past 60 years. I hope to get a few more decades hiking out here and sharing the beauty I find on my blog. Here is a link to a gallery on my bl;og web-site with some more photos from my hike. Community Park Hazle Township November 16 2025.

“In November, the trees are standing all sticks and bones. Without their leaves, how lovely they are, spreading their arms like dancers.”
– Cynthia Rylant