This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
Author: Deb L Waters
I am an avid reader. I read mostly Amish fiction but also read other novels. I enjoy romance, mystery, and Christian devotionals. I enjoy hiking in the outdoors, especially in Greenways and State or National Parks. I love my grandson. He is my favorite subject, so I'll post about him and his antics.
According to Google, a Hummock is a small, low rounded hill, knoll, or a raised mound of earth. Today, I am sharing two different types of Hummock’s from my archives.
The first is a Burial Mound located at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Burial Mound
Many stone age peoples around the world buried their dead in mounds of earth or stone. This single-chambered tomb replicates mounds from the British Isles roughly 5,000 years ago. The interior chamber measures just over 7 ft. long and could fit either one individual or the cremated remains of an entire family or clan. It took over 16,000 pounds of earth to build this mound by hand.
The second is a small hill my ancestors was gathered and sat upon enjoying the afternoon and each other’s company.
A Hummock where my ancestors chose to relax and visit with one another.
The Springs Block was built by Colonel Leroy Springs in 1905. It was constructed with red stretcher and common bond brick. It has been home to many of Lancaster’s prominent businesses over the years. Sadly, in 1936, a fire destroyed its southern end, including the Hotel Royale and Lancaster Mercantile.
“Lancaster’s Historic Springs Block”
In August of 1984, the Springs Block was officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It underwent restoration in 1986 as part of Lancaster’s Main Street Revitalization program.
The Historic Springs Block Lancaster, South Carolina
For many decades the Springs Block was a thriving business district within Lancaster’s downtown neighborhood. The businesses were bustling with people who were excited to come visit, shop, and mingle in the vibrant, community-focused atmosphere. People would come to a then lively downtown hub to do their errands, meet neighbours, and find everything from groceries to clothing to household goods. Shopkeepers once knew their count name and tailored their unique selections to meet the personal needs of their customers.
The Historic Springs Block Lancaster, South Carolina Thursday Doors Monochrome Madness
It saddens me to see the once vital and thriving downtown community in such a dilapidated state of destruction. These are recent photos of Lancaster’s Historic Springs Block in downtown Lancaster, South Carolina. My daughter and I once roamed the streets of downtown Lancaster’s Springs Block, shopping, having a bite to eat, meeting friends, and watching parades (or in her case in them) and all in all having a grand ‘ole time.
Location: The Springs Block; Downtown Lancaster; Lancaster, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic rest of your week and weekend ahead. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with w. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a lovely weekend filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan with No Facilities, the host of Cee’s Fun Foto Challengeis continuing with Crayola Box of 8 for this week’s challenge. Instead of just one colour Dan is asking us to Pair With White any or all of the Crayola Box of 8.
Here are my selections for this week’s CFFC …
Coleman at Early Explorers The Schiele Museum Seven Seas Marine Life Park1972 Arlington, Texas Alona 4KZantedeschia aethiopica, aka calla lily, arum lilySan Diego Air & Space Museum with my dad & eldest son, John in 1984Coleman on front porch My Friend Norm’s car has the Surf Board San Diego CADaniel Stowe Botanical GardenCome Together Cramerton NCColeman by the Fountain at DSBG Belmont NCDaniel Stowe Botanical Garden Blue Star Trail Anne Springs Close Greenway Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge Dan’s CFFC Paired with White
God Bless. Have a lovely week. Enjoy a walk/hike if possible. Keep Cool. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week Dale has challenged us with the theme of The Ground Beneath Your Feet. This should be interesting and I’m sure everyone will have their own unique spongier the challenge.
The Ground Beneath Our Feet may seem Mundane as you walk upon it and yet it is an extremely complex egosystem containing billions of microbes, shifting tectonic plates. I’m sure the majority of us walk around not giving any thought to the Ground Beneath our Feet. After all it’s just ground that may consist of dirt, asphalt, or concrete; nothing special or remarkable. It is simply Mundane.
Here are my entries …
Charlotte-Douglas International Airport Playground Baxter Village Trail with Coleman & AlonaThe Ground’s Green Grass Beneath Coleman in Cramerton The Ground Beneath Coleman Anne Springs Close Greenway Baxter Village Trail with Coleman & AlonaColeman Goat Island Playground Coleman checking out the GROUND on Dogwood Trail at ASCGDirt Trail Goat Island Park and GreenwayColeman feeling the Ground Beneath at Goat Island Dirt Trail Goat Island Park and Greenway #CosPhoChal Cosmic Photo Challenge The ground beneath your feet?
Cameras: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; Canon EOS Rebel T3i; and Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D)
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Be observant of all creatures large and small that call our Earth home. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Sometime when I open Google Photos it displays memories that it thinks I would be interested in seeing. That was the case this past weekend when it wanted me to see the black and white image shown in the second photograph.
Colorized version of a 1960’s photo
In seeing this photo it reminded me of my parents anniversary, they would have been married for seventy-five (75) years on Friday if they’d still been alive. They were married forty-five (45) years when my dad passed in 1996. My mom is also gone now and only memories remain alive.
Original image uploaded to files via Wolverine Digital Converter
This is the first house I can remember living in even though it wasn’t the first house my family called home. We moved into this house about 1961. The front window you see would have been the window in my parent’s bedroom. The bedrooms were all on the right side of the house. Mine was in the middle between their’s and my brother’s bedroom.
I lived in this house during my entire childhood elementary school days (Kindergarten through Sixth Grade). It holds so many memories, to many to share. When we walked past the windows behind my mom and dad we’d enter the living room. To me in was a large area we gathered to watch programs on our black and white console television. The kitchen and dining rooms were to the left of the entrance with a door in between that led to the garage. We always sat at the dining table as a family for our meals.
Even the windows of an ordinary house can bring fond memories of happy times of love, laughter, and togetherness.
We had a really fantastic time the other week when the family visited the Lazy 5 Ranch. With over 700 exotic animals there were plenty to capture. I in no way captured them all with my camera (not that I didn’t try), but there were too many to adequately capture while riding on the guided Wagon Safari ride.
With this week’s Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge colour theme being Brown, I decided I would combine it with the Monday Portrait challenge and show y’all one of the many Brown exotic animals which reside at the Lazy 5 Ranch. Which exotic animal is featured here today? … The exotic animals featured in this post are Nilgai.
The Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), also called Blueback, is the largest antelope in its native land of India. The name Nilgai comes from the Hindustani word nil, which means blue referring to the slate blue (blue-gray coloration of the adult male Nilgai and the Persian word gaw, which means cow. The females and juveniles are orange to a tawny Brown in their coloration. These shown here are female Nilgai.
It is a large horse-like antelope with sloping back which is found in grasslands and scrublands. Nilgai are herbivores that primarily eat grass, but also browse on leaves and fruits.
They are known for their shy nature and keen senses. Hindus regard the Nilgai as a close relative of the sacred cow. In an era of endangered species, an animal that is protected by religious is considered lucky.
Nilgai cows and calves tend to live in small herds while males live alone except during rut (their mating season). All males have short smooth horns and occasionally females grow horns. Females commonly give birth to two (2) offspring. When being chased a Nilgai can run up to twenty-nine (29) miles per hour (mph).
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura IV Filter attachment.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville , North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stay Cool. Stay Hydrated. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Swamp Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is also referred to as Asian Water Buffalo. It is the second largest member of the bovid family. It has great strength and high fat milk content which has led to its domestication throughout the world. These buffalo spend most of the day submerged, sometimes up to their nostrils, in the water of rivers or swamps. Did you know there is a reason for this? It serves two (2) major purposes.
) These Buffalo do NOT possess adequate sweat glands to keep themselves cool through sweat evaporation along, so remaining submersible allows them to regulate their temperature in the hot , humid Southeast Asia climate.
) The water protects the buffalo from all manners of biting insects that also inhabit the jungle. Their hooves developed as widely splayed in order to prevent them from sinking into the thick mud of swamps and river bottoms.
Swamp Buffalo Lazy 5 Ranch
Water Buffalo eat grass, herbs shrubs, tree bark and other available greens. They are exclusively herbivores. At the Lazy 5 Ranch, as well as similar facilities, the Swamp Water Buffalos are fed free-choice, low-protein, high-fiber forage. They also rely heavily on coastal Bermuda grass, orchard grass, or Timothy hay. They provide freshly cut pasture grasses, sorghum, or maize fodder to simulate natural grazing. One other thing they do to guarantee they receive complete nutrition, the supplement the roughage with scientifically formulated pellets from exotic animal feed manufacturers like Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition or Zeigler Feed Manufacturing.
The visitors to the Ranch who desire to feed their swamp exotic animals during their tour are given buckets of compressed fiber pellets. The Swamp Buffalos love treats and will come up to the Wagons during a Safari tour to beg for handouts from the “treat” buckets. That is exactly what this particular Swamp Water Buffalo is doing, begging my daughter for treats from the feed bucket near her.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Brian from Bushboys Worldhosts a monthly challenge called Last On the Card. His rules are simple to follow if you’re interested in participating.
Here are The rules: 1. Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 30th or whenever your last photo was taken. 2. No editing – who cares if it is out of focus, not framed as you would like or the subject matter didn’t cooperate. 3. You don’t have to have any explanations, just the photo will do 4. Create a Pingback to this post or link in the comments 5. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy the flowers. Get Outdoors and commune with nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
They may look inviting to nibble on, but highly not recommended as the berries and leaves are poisonous to both humans and pets.
Wild Privet is a hardy fast-growing shrub with dense foliage, fragrant white flowers, and black berries. It grows along an embankment along the side of the road (this one in Cramerton). It is considered invasive escaping cultivation and forming dense thickets, outcompeting native plants.
The flowers of the Wild Privet are a nectar source for bees and pollinators. The berries (it’s fruit) are eaten y birds. The shrub provides cover for small animals.
Location: S.Main St.; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy nature’s beauty. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Butterfly Bungalow at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. Not what you’d typically thing of when you think of Bungalow, however, it works great for the many Butterflies maintained within its enclosure as well as the flowers that nourish them.
Coleman and I found the Wagon Ride at the Lazy 5 Ranch to be very interesting and I’d say educational. Coleman enjoyed seeing the many different types of exotic animals including the Red Sindhi cow which followed the Wagon for quite a ways as if it wanted to have an exciting adventure as well.
Red Sindhi
Red Sindhi belong to the heat-tolerant Bosindicus (Zebu) lineage. It is a specialized dairy breed originating from Pakistan.
Bos Indicus
The Red Sindhi yield substantial volumes of milk (averaging 4.5%-5% fat) even under extreme heat and stress (like we’ve been experiencing) and low quality forage. At the Ranch they are well fed and maintained.
Zebu aka Red Sindhi belong
The Red Sindhi are compact, smaller and rounder in comparison to the Red Brahma. The hump is well developed in bulls, but much smaller in cows.
Red Sindhi female
Its colouring is a Deep Red, ranging from yellowish-brown to dark brown; males are typically darker than females especially on the head, feet, and tail.
These images were all taken while looking out the back of the Wagon; noticing the Red Sindhi and other animals following behind and eventually alongside the Wagon. They really were delighted when the Wagon stopped off and on during the Safari ride. They knew whenever the Wagon stopped they could get feed from the Lazy 5 Ranch guests.
While traveling on the wagon Ride around the Lazy 5 Ranch we spotted Vietnamese Pot-bellied pigs in groups of three. Imagine that, how nice of them to group themselves as trios for my photographic adventures.
The Vietnamese Pot-bellied Pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) at the Lazy 5 Ranch were originally from the jungles of China and Vietnam. They were introduced into the United States as pets around 1985. Their backbone is bent like a saddle, which causes the abdomen to nearly drag on the ground. It is due to this effect why they received the pot-bellied name. At birth piglets normally weigh approximately one (1) pound (lb). They grow to a height of 10-12 inches (in) and a weight of about 125 pounds (lbs).
Vietnamese Pot-bellied Pigs Thursday Trios
Pot-Bellied Pigs are intelligent and can be taught to do simple tricks and to walk around on a leash. However, at the Lazy 5 Ranch they are free to roam around the pastures, pathways and around the many, many other exotic animals at the ranch. At the Ranch they are not taught any tricks, they do enjoy the feed. While on the Wagon ride you are allowed to feed the animals roaming about, some even approach alongside the Wagon begging for handouts (they know the visitors have feed buckets which they’ll gladly make disappear).
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Take a Walk/Hike. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Back in 2024 the City of Gastonia ran buses to help people get around the city. Unfortunately, (at least for us) Gastonia discontinued the bus service. Now it is much harder to get around the city unless we are able to borrow my daughter’s car which isn’t too often.
Coleman and I used to travel on the city buses several times a week to go hiking at various locations around the city. Today, I decided on our free week (your choice) to share one of our adventures traveling by city transit and on foot.
View from the YMCA Bus stop The Road where we waited for the busDowntown Gastonia as seen from the busView from the front bus window Gazing at the YMCA building Pulling into the YMCADowntown GastoniaA paved trail in Lineberger Park Coleman waiting for the busWaiting on the bus to go home CWWC Cee’s Which Way Challenge #Your Choice Week 2
** Next week I’ll share where we went via the transit system and what we saw along the trails.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Thank you to those who have participated and supported the Which Ways Challenge. I appreciate y’all sharing your Which Ways with us.
For an idea of other’s Which Ways from this past week’s challenge, be sure to click on the following links below.
XingfuMama hosts the weekly challenge Whatsoever Is Lovely. The challenge is simple. Just reflect back over your week and see what is lovely, whether a thing or a moment, share in a post what is precious and lovely to you.
This week I am continuing with Whatsoever is Lovely to me; Beautiful Flowers & Butterflies #3. These images were taken on Coleman’s & my recent visit to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. The first area we visited was the Butterfly Bungalow. We had not previously visited the Butterfly Bungalowsince the times we’ve visited Daniel Stowe Conservancy before were in the Springtime.
For this post I am focusing on the Giant Swallowtail (Polygonia comma). The Giant Swallowtail is the largest butterfly located in North America. It is known for its black wings with striking yellow stripes and its large wingspan. The Giant Swallowtails can have a massive wingspan of up to six (6) inches long.
Interestingly, their abdomen and outer wings are a light yellow shade with red and blue markings along the bottom of their wings while they have black and yellow stripes directly above their heads.
These Giant Swallowtails (Polygonia comma) are also referred to as Eastern Comma. They can typically be seen in shaded areas or near bodies of water. The Eastern Comma feed on sap, rotting fruit, dung, salt and minerals. They are a confident , aggressive, and social butterfly.
These Giant Swallowtails are feasting on Pycnanthemum incanum, aka Hoary Mountain Mint. The Mountain Mint is a hardy, aromatic perennial in the mint family which is native to eastern North America. It is known for its silvery-white foliage with clusters of small white to lavender flowers that bloom during the summertime. It is an excellent magnifier pollinators like bees, butterflies, and wasps. (I prefer watching the butterflies to bees or wasps.)
These pictured here are maintained in the controlled environment of the Butterfly Bungalow inside the Gardens of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.
Location: Butterfly Bungalow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Bely, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a lovely weekend filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Oxeye Daisy are beautiful to look win a field. They are good for more than looking at as they are edible. When you harvest them make sure they are perfect looking, not wilted or brown. If you’re not using them the same day you harvest them you may choose to keep thin a vase for a few days.
The spoon-shaped basal leaves can be added to salads and dishes just as you would add a herb (best done in Spring). Moving on to Summer, the white flower heads can be used in salads and if you like they can be added to spring rolls. No need to cook the Oxeye Daisies, as the entire plant’s edible and can be eaten raw. For those adventurous food connoisseurs, the large flowers make an excellent garnish. Anyone adventurous enough to try eating any part of all of the Oxeye Daisy plant? I’ve not yet been adventurous enough to eat flowers in my food I prepare, but who knows maybe I’d like it and just don’t know it.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Sarah from Travel with Meis the host for this week’s themed Monochrome Madness challenge. She has chosen a theme of Numbers (not quantity, but actual numbers) we see all around us in the places we wander around and through in our daily lives.
God Bless. Have a funtastic week ahead. May your week be filled with love, laughter, and happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan from No Facilitieshosts the Fun Foto Challenge and he is asking us to show Pairs of the Crayola 8colors instead of the individual colors that have been the theme for the past 8 weeks. It doesn’t matter which colors we pair together just that we do. Let’s have some fun. I’m not sure if all of mine are exactly pairs of colours, but hey, I do have I multiple colors
Black/Yellow; Green/Yellow Blue/Yellow; Brown/Green Yellow/BlackOrange/Yellow Blue/Green with Pink & White Blue/Orange; Blue/GreenBrown/BlackPurple/OrangeBlue/White; Orange/Red; Blue /Green Black/Brown Yellow/Red; Blue/Purple Yellow/Green Green/BrownBrown/Green
God Bless. Have a lovely week. Enjoy a walk/hike if possible. Keep Cool. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
A week ago our family had an incident where we needed to Pull Up a Seat and wait by this Door at Atrium Health Kings Mountain. Below are the #Seats we sat in while we waited for #Coleman to be seen.
Location: Atrium Health Kings Mountain; Kings Mountain, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic rest of your week and weekend ahead. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with w. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week Terri from Second Wind Leisureis giving us a theme of Plants/Flowers in Planters. Most of my recent flower shots have not been located in planters, therefore, I went searching through my archives to locate a few images that should fit the challenge.
Here are my entries …
Daniel Stowe Conservancy Centennial Park Cramerton, NCDaniel Stowe ConservancyDSBG Belmont, NCCentennial Park Cramerton, NCCramerton, NCDaniel Stowe Botanical Garden Kroger Garden City, SCThe Farm The Schiele Museum Plants/Flowers in Planters/Pots Terri’s The #Flower Hour #41
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Admire the beautiful flowers and plants. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Greater Rhea at the Lazy 5 Ranch roam freely amongst the many various Exotic animals within the pathways as well as in the grassy areas. Sometimes you can spot one by itself while at other times they’ll be in pairs, near Elands, or even alongside the Wagons that carry visitors around the Ranch.
Here are a few Greater Rheas we saw during our Adventure …
A Rhea next to the wagon & Coleman’s hand. Monday Portrait Greater Rhea Lazy 5 Ranch
The Rhea (Rhea americana) is the third largest flightless bird in the world. They are smaller than African Ostriches and have three toes instead of two. The single male bird builds the nest for all the females in his harem to lay their eggs. A single male may incubate up to 50 eggs while in solitude. [Hey, guys how would you like the responsibility to incubate the female’s eggs?] Rheas rapidly run on long legs and travel in family groups of approximately six (6) birds except during the mating season. The mating season is when flocks of about twenty-five (25) congregate. How fast do you think Rheas can run? [Answer noted near end of post.]
Coleman and I were able to observe FallowDeer at the Lazy 5 Ranch home to over 600 Exotic Animals from more than 6 continents. The Lazy 5 Ranch could be compared to a small Safari Zoological Park. At the Lazy 5 Ranch you can either drive your own vehicle through on a Safari tour of the Ranch or opt to take a Wagon Ride (which we did). With the Wagon Ride, there is a driver guiding the horses pulling the Wagon giving al overall commentary of the Ranch, informing us about the various animals we were seeing, and as well as giving a bit of history on how the Ranch came to be in existence.
Here we spot a Fallow Deer in a pond of #Water where looking closely you can see the deer’s Reflections in the #Water.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire all of God’s creatures great and small. Enjoy nature’s beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter Attachment.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy the flowers. Get Outdoors and commune with nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Before get into our adventures let me tell you that one of the reasons we went on our adventure was to give Coleman a special outing before his birthday (today’s his birthday). Coleman turned Seven (7). The first gallery of images show Coleman Pulling Up a Seat while waiting for the Wagon Ride.
Happy 7th Birthday Coleman!
This next gallery depicts Coleman feeding some of the Exotic Animals that came alongside the Wagon we were riding on during our Safari adventure around the Lazy 5 Ranch.
Coleman Feeds Exotic Animals at Lazy 5 Ranch
The last gallery illustrates Coleman feeding Giraffes during the Safari Wagon Ride plus showing a bit more of the Wagon.
Coleman Feeding the Giraffes on a stop during the Wagon Ride at Lazy 5 Ranch
Plant G – Gaillardia pulchella (Aka Indian Blanket)
Plant H – Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna Pink Swirl’
(Hardy Hibiscus)
Plant I – Iris tenax
Aka Toughleaf Iris, Tough-leaf Iris, Oregon Iris
Also posting in remembrance of …
Bren’s Floral Friday
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week is a free week for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness; instead of following her lead on Profusion I am combining my Monochrome Madness post with the Lens-Artist Photo Challenge’s theme of Adventures. I’m sharing a few Black and White images of our Adventures at the Lazy 5 Ranch.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic week ahead. May your week be filled with love, laughter, and happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Welcome back to another Which Way Challenge (CWWC). I trust everyone has had a good week and able to spend some time to take a walk or hike in the vast outdoors. This week’s I’m allowing y’all to choose your own Which Ways for this week and next with the theme of CWWC: Any Which Way (Your Choice). The Which Way can be any path, sidewalk, trail, or road as long as the Which Way is clearly discernible. As always signs are always welcome.
For further information regarding the Which Way Challenge (CWWC) feel free to check out the home page here.
When I began preparing this post after last week’s went live I had thought of sharing a hiking adventure Coleman and I had two years ago in 2024. However, best laid plans do change occasionally as did mine for this week.
We had an incident with Coleman this week (I won’t go into details, but prays are appreciated). This is a special week for Coleman so his mom chose to take us on a special adventure up in Mooresville, North Carolina to the Lazy 5 Ranch.
I am sharing a few images of our adventures here with y’all.
Arriving at Lazy 5 Ranch …
Arriving at Lazy 5 Ranch Cee’s Which Way Challenge
The Lazy 5 Ranchis approximately an hour’s drive north of us in the City of Mooresville, North Carolina. It is privately owned and operated by Henry Hampton. It receives no federal or state funding. Henry Hampton has been raising exotic animals for over 50 years. He started out with the exotic animals at his own home and allowed school groups to visit viewing the animals from the opposite side of the fence.
Exotic animals follow the Wagon Wagon HorseColeman feeding an ElandScotch Highland Cattle A Variety of Exotic animals Gazing up the hillLlamaGiraffesCee’s Which Way Challenge Exotic Animals at Lazy 5 Ranch
In May of 1993, Mr. Hampton’s dream became a reality and The Lazy 5 Ranch officially opened. It opened with just five (5) staff people and only two (2) operating wagons. We chose to have a Wagon Ride with the driver commenting on the animals we were seeing instructing everyone to remain seated as long as the Wagon was moving. We could move around or stand to take pictures when the wagon was stopped.
EmusOur Wagon Driver & Horses Axis Deer & Vietnamese Pot-bellied PigsWagon Horse Our Wagon Horses Wagons Only signNilgaiThe Exotic Animals roam the pathways Coleman after we left the wagon Our Wagon Ride Plus Exotic Animals We Saw Cee’s Which Way Challenge
The Lazy 5 Ranch has grown tremendously since its beginning with over 600 animals from six (6) continents. The animals can be viewed everyday all year long by horse drawn wagon or from your own personal vehicle while traveling along a 3 1/2 mile safari ride. As you can see, I have only shared a fraction of what we saw on our adventure visiting the Ranch.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Thank you to those who have participated and supported the Which Ways Challenge. I appreciate y’all sharing your Which Ways with us.
For an idea of other’s Which Ways from this past week’s challenge, be sure to click on the following links below.
The whole family went on an adventurous outing on Monday (unusual for our family). Coleman’s mom and I discussed where we might could go Sunday evening and decided it would be an excellent idea for us all to go with her driving. Where did we decide to go?
We chose to go on a wagon ride at the Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, North Carolina. Why did we decide to spend the day together and not just have Coleman and myself go somewhere together? This coming Saturday is Coleman’s birthday. He’ll be turning Seven (7) and we wanted to do something special for him when his mom and baby sister, Sophia, could join us.
Of course, I brought my camera along and not just my iPhone. An outing like this doesn’t happen often; I needed to capture the adventure so we could enjoy the memories.
Here is just one set of trios from our adventure …
Axis Deer
As per the Lazy 5 Ranch’s Guidebookthis beautiful set of Trios are Axis Deer(Cervus axis). The Axis Deer are also known as Chital Deer which means spotted in Hindustani. Interestingly, the Axis Deer retains its spots throughout its lifespan (approximately 22 years). They are available to be seen at the Lazy 5 Ranch year round.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Lazy 5 Ranch; 15100 Mooresville Road; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Take a Walk/Hike. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Note: I’ll be sharing more about our adventure at the Lazy 5 Ranch in future posts.
Interesting Fact: Seven Eastern States in America call the Cardinal their state bird. They are Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.
I managed to locate a few Purple images and are shown below …
Purple Camping Chair at Andrew Jackson State Park Coleman with my Purple hiking stick Coleman with my Purple hiking stickPurple board in a maze at The Schiele Museum of Natural History’s Nature Trail Ripley’s Aquarium Myrtle Beach, SCRipley’s Aquarium Myrtle Beach, SCPurple Butterfly Bush Flower Daniel Stowe Conservancy Stokesia laevis Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Purple Butterfly Bush Flower Daniel Stowe ConservancyCatawba Crape Myrtle: Pure Purple Elegance DSBGDendrobium Orchid Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Tradescantia pallida (Purple Heart)Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge Dan’s CFFC The Crayola Box of 8 – Purple
God Bless. Have a lovely week. Enjoy a walk/hike if possible. Keep Cool. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
When you think of Castle Windows you probably think of ancient and/or historical castles, however, these windows are in a Castle Playground at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. The Castle Playground is a fairly new playground inside the botanical gardens for children to climb, explore, and basically have an all out Funtime while at the Stowe.
Monday Window Castle Playground Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
On the day Coleman and I were at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden it was extremely hot and humid and we only saw one other child at the playground. Being so hot Coleman only had a short time to play before we moved on to the Tunnel Fountain for him to enjoy some water time.
The gallery of images above show the Castle Windows. The ones gallery below shows what Coleman is looking out the Window at and holding. For an active boy he was skeptical and yet excited to swing out the Window and repel down to the ground.
Monarch Butterflies are one of the most familiar and recognized species of butterflies of North America butterflies. The Danaus plexippus, which are widely known as Butterflies Monarch or Monarch Butterfly, are famous for their 3,000 mile annual migration.
Monarch Butterfly Butterfly Bungalow Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
North and South Carolina serve as a crucial geographical corridor for the Eastern migratory population. Monarchs are a welcome sight in the Carolinas and a sign of seasonal change. The Monarchs pass through the Carolinas twice a year. Once in the Spring and again in the Fall.
When we see them arriving in the beginning of Spring (late March and April) they are migrating northward. The first generation Monarchs stop to lay eggs on emerging native milkweed. The second generation continues the migration journey all the way into Canada. In the Fall (Autumn)the “Methuselah generation” (aka the “super generation”), the Monarchs born at the end of summer, fly southward towards Mexico from September through mid-October.
This Monarch and ones shown in other posts are maintained in a controlled environment in the Butterfly Bungalow at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. To see more Monarch Butterflies check out my Whatsoever is Lovely post by clicking here.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Butterfly Bungalow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Admire the beautiful flowers and plants. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
XingfuMama hosts the weekly challenge Whatsoever Is Lovely. The challenge is simple. Just reflect back over your week and see what is lovely, whether a thing or a moment, share in a post what is precious and lovely to you.
This week I am continuing with Whatsoever is Lovely to me; Beautiful Flowers & Butterflies #2. These images were taken on Coleman’s & my recent visit to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. The first area we visited was the Butterfly Bungalow. We had not previously visited the Butterfly Bungalow since the times we’ve visited Daniel Stowe Conservancy before were in the Springtime.
The best time of the year to visit the Butterfly Bungalow is during the Summer. Why do you think Summer is the best time to visit. Let me tell you. It is the best and only season to visit the Butterfly Bungalow due to the fact that it is a seasonal attraction that only operates from late May through early September, the warmest months of the year.
For this post I am focusing on the MonarchButterfly. The Monarch Butterflies eagerly feast on Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush) because it functions as an elite nectar source. The nectar of Buddleja davidii is rich in sucrose, glucose, and fructose which offers a dense spike of immediate energy. The blooms of Buddleja davidii emit a powerful sweet, honey-like aroma that attracts Monarchs from a distance.
Below are Monarch Butterfly photos I took on our visit …
Monarch Butterfly on Summer Lilac aka Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush)
Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush)
These pictured here are maintained in the controlled environment of the Butterfly Bungalow inside the Gardens of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.
Location: Butterfly Bungalow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Bely, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a lovely weekend filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
SIX WORD SATURDAY The Fountain Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Belmont, NC
This fountain at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden looks so refreshing! It is located near the entrance to the Lost Hollow: The Kimbrell Family Children’s Garden. Coleman is having fun playing nearby.
The fountain spray is a powerful, tall column of white, frothy water shooting dramatically upwards. It crests at a significant height before cascading back down, creating a lively splash and ripples in the water below. have loved playing nearby.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment
Location: Fountain near Lost Hollow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stay Cool. Stay Hydrated. Spread joy and happiness all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Welcome! This week I’m continuing with sharing various benches and chairs at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. It is still extremely hot and humid here in our region of North Carolina. Here are a few more benches and chairs that are scattered here and there around the Gardens.
Here are my entries for this week …
#PullUpaSeat #DanielStoweConservancy Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Welcome back to another Which Way Challenge (CWWC). I trust everyone has had a good week and able to spend some time to take a walk or hike in the vast outdoors. This week’s theme is Any Which Way in Black and White On Asphalt Roads or Paved Pathways. In choosing the Black and White theme for this week’s Which Way Challenge I am honouring the memory of Cee’s Black and White Challenge. The Which Way can be any paved pathway, sidewalk, paved trail, or paved road as long as the Which Way is clearly discernible. As always signs are always welcome.
For further information regarding the Which Way Challenge (CWWC) feel free to check out the home page here.
Here are my entries …
Cee’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC) Cee’s Black and White Challenge (CBWC) Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC) Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Click on each image to enlarge.
Thank you to those who have participated and supported the Which Ways Challenge. I appreciate y’all sharing your Which Ways with us.
For an idea of other’s Which Ways from this past week’s challenge, be sure to click on the following links below.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Take a Walk/Hike. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
*** Note: Next Week we will be exploring and sharing the theme of CWWC: Any Which Way (Your Choice)[07.24.2026]
While these may look like real, they are not. These “Cattleya Orchid” are glass blown orchids created by master glassblower JasonGamrath. He specifically tailored this highly intricate large scale Cattleya Orchid glass statue for Daniel Stowe Conservancy (formerly known as Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden). His Cattleya sculpture was designed to display all progressive phases of the flower’s life. This statue was originally apart of a Grandiflora Exhibition. Jason created the Cattleya Orchid glass statue by using highly intense, collaborative modelling and glass-blowing process.
“Cattleya Orchid” Sculptures
Even though Jason calls the sculpture “Cattleya Orchid” according to the Daniel Stowe Conservancy website call these flowers Glass Daffodils. However, in its description it calls the statue an orchid piece stating that Jason’s purpose was to allow people to “observe with the same eyes through which ‘he’ humbly and graciously experiences our natural world” (Quote by Jason Gamrath).
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: William H. Williamson, III Orchid Conservatory; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Take a Walk/Hike. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Last week I shared the entrance Doors to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; this week I sharing Doors within the Gardens.
Door leading to the Gardens Don’t recall offhand what this was used called William H. Williamson, III Orchid Conservatory William H. Williamson, III Orchid ConservatoryColeman approaching the William H. Williamson, III Orchid ConservatoryDaniel Stowe Botanical Garden Dan’s Thursday Doors
Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic rest of your week and weekend ahead. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with w. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week the guest host for Monochrome Madnessis Sue from WordsVisual. She has given us the theme of Figures in the Built Environment. She gives us the opportunity to explore and express our own unique interpretations including using not just people, but also statues. Street art, and/or non-human figures. Therefore, I figured I’d share a variety using her suggestions as a guide.
Here are my entries …
Hendersonville, NCJefferson, NCGermany Spring Market, ASCG Fort Mill, SCColeman next to Veterans Memorial Cramerton, NCThree Soldiers (Aka Three Servicemen part of Vietnam Veterans Memorial National Mall, Washington D.C. Glencairn Garden Rock Hill, SCColeman joining in with the Children’s Sculpture Glencairn Garden Rock Hill , SCColeman In the Children’s Garden DSBG Belmont, NCColeman with Fetch Statue AJSP Lancaster, SCColeman with the Andrew Jackson Statue AJSP Lancaster, SCMy mom, my Aunt & Uncle, and Grandpa Stone Mountain DeKalb County, Georgia Monochrome Madness #64
God Bless. Have a funtastic week ahead. May your week be filled with love, laughter, and happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Anyone wishing to join in and participate, please go to the Monochrome Madness page to find out how.
![Which Way Challenge (2026) CWWC: Any Which Way (Your Choice) Week 2 [07.31.2026]](https://gfpacificbeeintrospection.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-1-1.jpg?w=489)
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