Category: Altura CPL Filter

Macro Monday

Terri’s Sunday Stills: Monthly Colour Challenge -August_Tan, Beige, and/or peachy shades

Cee’s FOTD

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: Centennial Center; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 LAPC/Sunday Stills: August —Tan, Beige, and/or peachy shades with Lines, Colors & Patterns

This week I am combining the Lens-Artist Photo Challenge with Terri’s Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge .

As Coleman and I walked through the woods and around the newly renovated playground at Goat Island Park and Greenway, I noticed all the lines and patterns in the equipment along with all the shades of tan, beige, and every shade of light brown imaginable.

*Tan, Beige?, &*
*all sorts of*
*shades of light brown*

The slide on this playground was once green, and very much broken after Hurricane Helene. It took months and months of waiting for a new slide to arrive and installation to be complete. The months and months of waiting due to delays upon delays was difficult and disappointing for the children (you know how impatient children of all ages can be). It doesn’t matter whether you call the new slide tan or beige or whatever floats your boat, it only matters that the children once again have a slide to play on.

*Coleman*
*excited to be able*
*to slide down*
*the new slide.*

Looking carefully at the slide and playground equipment one may notice all the curvy lines all forming patterns in various aspects of the equipment.

***Coleman***
***having a grand time***
***with every single asset***
***within the***
***playground equipment***

Leaving the playground for a short walk we encounter more tan, beige, & light brown as well as some interesting lines and patterns.

***Coleman***
***hiking along the***
***Disc Golf Trail***

Can you see all the lines, patterns, and various shades of beige, tan, and light brown? This afternoon was a pleasant and delightful afternoon spent with Coleman and his exuberance.

Lens-Artists Challenge #359 – Tools of Photo Composition: Lines, Colors, and Patterns

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachments.

Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Get Outside and enjoy the beauty in Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 OWS: 03.08 — Green (Seen from Trails)

Hiking along the Riverlink Greenway Trail at Goat Island Park and Greenway we tree y to observe everything around us. The objects along our foot path regardless of whether they are on the trail or along the side of its side.

*Tree Leaves*
*near the edge*
*of a Trail*

The sun bounces off the leaves differs slightly from one spot to another giving interesting contrasts that seem to stand out calling you to take a closer look.

The glistening rays reflect varying shades of green in the river below. What captured my attention, at first, were the broken tree branches strewn across the waters of the South Fork Catawba River. The water reflections were an added bonus.

Skipping down the road to another Greenway in town; (also apart of the Carolina Thread Trail) the Riverside Park and Greenwaywe encounter interesting plants and trees along the trail pathway.

Taxodium distichum Seed Pods
(baldcypress, bald-cypress,
bald cypress, swamp cypress)

I found these seed pods fascinating. I was not sure what they were when I first saw them, but they stood out and begged for me to capture them. Looking them up, I discovered these are Bald Cypress seed pods. The Bald Cypress trees are native to the Southeastern United States of America.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Green

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #274

Cameras: 1-3) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Locations: 1-3) Riverlink Greenway Trail; Carolina Thread Trail; Goat Island Park and Greenway; 4) Riverside Park and Greenway; Carolina Thread Trail; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a fantastic week. Get Outdoors and enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Continuing Any which way with lines — Part Two

Hope y’all have had a fantastic week so far. It’s Friday already and time for another Which Way Challenge. This week we are continuing with the theme of (CWWC): Any which way with lines. This is the Second (2nd) week of the Which Way Challenge of Any Which Way with Lines. Remember your Which Ways should be clearly discernible. Signs are always welcome in your Which Way post. The photos can be ones you’ve taken recently or from your archives. Let’s all have fun!

Here are my Which Ways for this week’s challenge …

For enhanced/enlarged viewing click on each image.

Thank you to all who have supported and contributed to the Which Way Challenge this past week or at any time. Be sure to check out other Which Ways by clicking on the links below.

Dawn from The Day After’s Which Way With Lines: A Drive Through the Poplars

Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery’s Roads With Lines

Next week we will be looking at Which Ways with Any type of Shadows and/or silhouettes.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EG-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachments.

Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. 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.

2025 Monochrome Monday(MM)/Monday Portrait

Scavenger in the Park

While walking around Goat Island Park and Greenway Coleman spotted something in the trash can that definitely wasn’t trash.

This Eastern Gray Squirrel was scavenging through the trash to see what he could find that might possibly look appetizing.

Monday Monochrome

Monochrome Monday

Monday Portrait

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion Camera

Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a pleasant and funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

A Day at the River __ Views of Beautiful Skies, Sunshine, & Shadows

Silent Sunday

Skywatch Friday-18 July 2025

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a funtastic weekend and week ahead. Get Outdoors. Stay Cool. Stay Strong. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Eye’m Lured and Hooked On You

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday (SWS)

#SimplyRED #12.2 (Becky’s Squares)

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL & Star filter attachments.

Location: Riverside Park and Greenway; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy the Outdoors. Y’all are amazing and loved. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Benches, Chairs, and Other seating — Coleman’s Choices (Part Four)

Pull Up a Seat at

The Farmhouse Gardens

Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Welcome back to my saga of Benches, Chairs, and Other seating. This week we are continuing with Coleman’s Choices of Pulling Up a Seat at the Daniel Stowe Conservancy, we uncover a variety of seating arrangements Coleman selected to Pull Up a Seat. Coleman’s choices this week are located at The Farmhouse Garden Center on the grounds of The Village at Stowe.

Click on each image for enhanced enlarged viewing.

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 27

Becky’s Squares-#Simply #Red

Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 CosPhoChal — Take a Hike (Through the Woods)

Let’s go on a hike …

*Coleman*
*visiting the Helix*
*& new Bench area*

We can follow up the trails …

***Coleman Hiking***
**through the Woods**
**along the**
***South Fork Catawba River***

Telling stories telling tales … Let’s go see where artists … Learn to write …

***Coleman***
***Hiking to the***
**Big Sand Area**

Let’s go on a hike … Climbing up above the trees …

***Coleman***
***Climbing Up***
***a Tree***

Get a view of everything … Let’s go see where artists … Spend their time.

Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge-Take a hike

Song Lyrics Credit: ©️Written by Adam Fink

Cameras: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL & 6-Star filter attachments.

Location: Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take a Hike. Enjoy Nature. Admire the Beauty all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Wordless Wednesday: 02 July 2025

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL & 6-Star filter attachment

Location: Riverside Park and Greenway; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 OWS: 29 June —Summer

Summer for me used to be about Church Camp, Family Vacation, Beach Volleyball, Waterskiing with friends, however, times change … Life changes with the times.

Now Summer is all about Coleman (actually all my days are with Coleman), hiking in the woods, attending Downtown Concerts, watching Coleman playing with water in his Turtle, running thru the sprays of water from a hose trying to keep cool 😎.

Summer …

Water 💦 Play

Fireworks

Hiking & Sand Funtime

***Coleman hiking***
***through the woods***
***to the Big Sand Area***
***for Sand Playtime***

Now on to y’all to show your Summer…

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Summer

Cameras: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment

Locations: 1-2) Backyard; Riverside Community; 3-4) Centennial Center; 5-10) Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a funtastic Summer. Thankful you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Benches, Chairs, and Other seating — Coleman’s Choices (Part Three)

The Trailhead Store

Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Carolina Thread Trail

Continuing with Coleman’s Choices of Pulling Up a Seat at the Daniel Stowe Conservancy, we uncover a variety of seating arrangements Coleman selected to Pull Up a Seat. This week’s Coleman’s Choices are within the Gazebo at The Trailhead Store on the grounds of The Village at Stowe.

***Coleman’s Bench***
***Pull Up a Seat Choices***
**within the Gazebo**

Click on each image for enhanced enlarged viewing.

Stay tuned next week for the continuing saga of Coleman’s choices of Benches, Chairs, and Other seating Part Four-The Farmhouse Seating Choices.

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 26

Jude’s Bench Challenge Anniversary

Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments plus Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Location: The Gazebo; The Trailhead Store; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Thursday Doors: 26 June (oops on 27)

*Thursday Doors*
©️Ritva at
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

Farmhouse Garden Center

The White Farmhouse which is now the Garden Center was once an administrative building. It has been thoroughly renovated and transformed into a charming garden retail and horticulture education center.

The Front Entrance Area
The Farmhouse Garden Center

As you drive into The Village at Stowe you drive past this Dog Statuette. It signifies that dogs on leashes are welcomed here.

The steps lead to the front door are lined with flower pots filled with a variety of beautiful flowers inviting you to come on in and explore the garden.

Upon walking inside the Garden Center, you’ll find a mix of vintage farmhouse style and modern character. At The Farmhouse Garden Center you may purchase plants and gardening tools. However, that is not all that is offered. Here is a list of other options …

Home decor and accessories
Mugs, towels and other kitchenware
Stowe Merchandise
Yard Decor (Wind chimes, Garden Spinners, sculptures, etc)
Candles

Inside
The Farmhouse Garden Center
The Village at Stowe

There is more to The Farmhouse Garden Center than just selling plants and various retail supplies. It also offers a variety of educational opportunities such as learning about gardening and all there is to know regarding plant care. It also provides workshops for floral arrangements and wreath making.

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Natalie’s Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC)

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a fantastic weekend. Take time to enjoy nature and all the beautiful flowers and sights all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any animal in your which way – Part Two

Good day! I trust everyone has had a wonderful week so far. Welcome back to another Which Way Challenge (CWWC). The theme is Any animal in your which way. Let’s see the amazing Which Ways y’all can come up with to display Animals in your Pathways, Sidewalks, Trails, Roads, or in any Which Way You Choose. Here are my entries …

Dogs on Trails or Pathways:

Turtles on & Seen from the Trail:

Bugs Encountered on Trails:

For enhanced/enlarged viewing click on each image.

Thank you to all who have supported and contributed to the Which Way Challenge this past week or at any time. Be sure to check out other Which Ways by clicking on the links below.

GERIATRI’X’ Fotogallery – LITTLE ANIMALS

Dawn’s Which Way: Squirrel Moving Up

———————————————————————-———————————————————

Next week we will be discovering Which Ways (CWWC) with Any type of Signs featured in our Which Ways.

Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)-Any animal in your which way – Part Two

Cameras: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Locations: 1-9) Rocky Branch Trail; 10 & 12) Goat Island Park and Greenway; 11) The Trailhead Store, Belmont; 13-15) Seventh Street; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Get Outdoors and enjoy nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Thursday Trios: 26 June

Farmhouse Garden Trios

The Farmhouse Garden Center is located at The Village at Stowe, a part of the Daniel Stowe Conservancy. It is more than just a Garden shop, it is a delightfully warm and inviting destination for those who love and admire plants and flowers regardless of you are a home gardener or not. The flowers are beautiful and displays are enticing.

The Farmhouse Garden
Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Belmont, North Carolina

The Farmhouse offers educational opportunities such as workshops on wreath-making, floral arranging, gardening, and any and all other aspect related to plant care.

For more information about Thursday Trios check out Mama Cormier’s page by clicking here.

Thursday Trios

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy the rest of your week and have a marvelous weekend. Take time to admire the flowers wherever you may wander. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Macro Monday: 06.23

Toucan® Scarlet

Canna Lily

Macro Monday

Cee’s FOTD

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Center; Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Silent Sunday: 22 June

Squirrel in Downward Motion

Click on image to enlarge.

Silent Sunday

Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 OWS: Movement

Flying Disc:

***Disc Golf Disc Flying through the Air***

Coleman in Motion:

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Movement

Cameras: 1-2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 3-5) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Riverlink Greenway Trail; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Floral Forage Plus Hives = Eastern Bumblebee

Rubus bifrons +

Bombus impatiens

Walking along the Pathway parallel to the Big Pond we spotted the Blackberry Flowers. Coleman notices them quicker than I do, he really likes it if they have ripe blackberries on the vines.

Getting a closer look we noticed the bee foraging the nectar from the flowers.

A little further down the pathway Coleman noticed some box-like structures through the grassy opening. As curious as he is he naturally wandered into the grassy opening to investigate the structures. After closer examination he informed me that they were Beehives.

*Aka Common Eastern Bumblebee*
+ *Blackberry Flowers*

After checking out the Beehives from a safe distance, we walked back towards The Trailhead Store hiking past the Himalayan Blackberry Flowers. Noticing more than just the flowers, I zoomed in to examine what was feasting on its nectar. Then I noticed not only the Common Eastern Bumblebee, but also the Cetonia aurata, which is called the rose chafer or the green rose chafer.

*Aka Common Eastern Bumblebee*
+ *Himalayan Blackberry Flowers*

Two for one foraging on the European Blackberry flowers. Think it’s nice that different species can share their delicacies.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Trailhead Store Pathway; The Village at Stowe; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Admire its beauty and intricacies. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Floral Friday: 20 June —

Cee’s FOTD — ***Cee’s Flower of the Day***

Verbena in the Garden

*Verbena bonariensis*
*Aka the purpletop vervain,*
*clustertop vervain,*
*Argentinian vervain,*
*tall verbena or pretty verbena*

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help.”
May Sarton

Floral Friday

Terri’s Sunday Stills-Paths and #Trails in the Great Outdoors

God Bless. I am Grateful for each and every one of y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Sunday Stills: B/W Pathways in the Great Outdoors

This week’s theme for Terri’s Sunday Stills Photography Challenge is Paths and #Trails in the Great Outdoors. This week’s theme is difficult except in deciding which photos to select for the challenge. Coleman and I go hiking along trails and pathways at least once a week, most times several days out of a week.

For this week’s challenge I have chosen to select images from our latest adventure hiking from The Trailhead Store in black and white.

***Coleman***
***hiking ahead of me***
***along the Pathway***
***around the Big Pond***

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Pathway around the Big Pond; From The Trailhead Store; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a funtastic weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Thursday Trios: 19 June

VERBENACEAE

*Lantana ‘Bandana Pink’*
*(Lantana camara)*

Lantana strigocamara
Aka Lantana camara
*(common lantana)*

Thursday Trios

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a beautiful relaxing weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Thursday Doors: 19 June

The Trailhead Store

Daniel Stowe Conservancy

The Trailhead Store in The Village at Stowe is a cozy coffee shop nestled amidst the beautiful nature which is preserved through the Daniel Stowe Conservancy. The Trailhead Store specializes in brewing Jade and Elise Coffee. [I am not a coffee drinker so I cannot personally comment on the quality of those particular types of coffees, however, the coffee served here is highly recommended by many guests who have visited.]

*The Trailhead Store*
*Facing the Parking Lot*

The Trailhead Store serves more than merely coffee. It offers a delightful array of refreshments, snacks, and provisions on top of coffee to fuel your outdoor escapades. It offers a wide assortment of fresh to-go meals, including sandwiches, wraps, salads, parfaits, vegan options and desserts, ensuring you stay energized throughout your outdoor activities.

Guests may quench their thirst on their varied selections of coffee, tea, beer, and wine to delight your palate and enjoyment for both on-site and your to-go adventures.

*Coleman*
*at the*
*Main Door*
to
*The Trailhead Store*

The Trailhead Store offers a wide variety of seating options both in the screened-in patio and outside spread across the vast lawn where you may enjoy beautiful vulgar nature.

Whether you’re stopping by for a quick coffee run, a bite to eat, or just wanting a place to relax in a tranquil environment to study, read, write, or simply enjoy the beautiful outdoors surrounding the Store; it is a fantastic to place to stop by for a visit and even stay for awhile. Highly recommend stopping in and treating yourself, or someone else to some of their delectable food and beverages.

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Trailhead Store; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Take time to get out and enjoy nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Flower of the Day: 18 June

Calibrachoa

Cee’s FOTD

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy the Outdoors. Visit a Garden. Admire Nature’s beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Birds of the Carolinas/Birds of the Week CXXI

Spizella passerina

The Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) is a species of New World sparrow, a passerine bird in the family Passerellidae. It is widespread, fairly tame, and common across most of its North American range.

This bird is a partial migrant with northerly populations flying southwards in the fall to overwinter in Mexico and the southern United States, and flying northward again in spring.

It molts twice a year. In its breeding plumage it has orangish-rust upper parts, gray head and underparts and a distinctive reddish cap. In non-breeding plumage, the cap is brown and the facial markings are less distinct. The song is a trill and the bird has a piercing flight call that can be heard while it is migrating at night.

They mostly forage on the ground for seeds and other food items, as well as clambering on plants and trees, feeding on buds and small arthropods. Here in the East, they breed mainly in woodland, farmland, parks, and gardens. [We saw this Chipping sparrow as we left The Farmhouse on the way to The Trailhead Store.] Breeding starts in late April and May and the nest is often built in a tree.

The chipping sparrow feeds on seeds year-round, although insects form most of the diet in the breeding season. Spiders are sometimes taken. Throughout the year, chipping sparrows forage on the ground in covered areas,often near the edges of fields.

The Chipping Sparrow although common in the area is not normally observed by the Stowe Birding Club which track and monitor the birds using their bird houses strategically placed around the Stowe property. [This one Coleman spotted first a short distance from where we were walking. He loves to watch the birds and tries to keep a squirrel out of our bird feeder at home.]

Birds of the Carolinas

Birds of the Week CXXI

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Looking up or looking down you might spot a bird fascinating enough to watch. Maybe even capture their likeness with your camera. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Wordless Wednesday: 18 June

Pigs in the Garden

Click on images for enhanced enlarged viewing.

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; Daniel Stowe Conservancy: Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Have a Walk Amongst the Gardens. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Flower of the Day: 17 June

Flower Stand

Terri’s Sunday Stills: Paths and #Trails in the Great Outdoors

Cee’s FOTD

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Stop and admire the Flowers. Enjoy Nature’s Beautiful Creations. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Benches, Chairs, and Other seating — Coleman’s Choices (Part One)

The Trailhead Store

Daniel Stowe Conservancy

The Trailhead Store is a recent addition to Daniel Stowe Conservancy having just opened last year with The Farmhouse Garden Center opening in May of 2025. The Farmhouse Garden Center opening brought awareness to The Trailhead Store. [I was not aware of its existence until I read about the opening of The Farmhouse Garden Center and the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens name change to Daniel Stowe Conservancy].

The Trailhead Store is a cozy coffee shop nestled amidst the beauty of nature in The Village at Stowe. The Store is owned and operated by Daniel Stowe Conservancy. There is no admission fee for The Trailhead Store, The Farmhouse Garden Center opening, or the eight plus miles of trails on and connected to Stowe Property.

Although Coleman and I did not purchase anything in The Trailhead Store, we did look around to check out what it had to offer as well as the wide variety of seating options available to guests. The Trailhead Store’s outdoor seating consists of several rustic wood chairs and benches scattered around the lawn with magnificent charming views of the Pond Loop Trails located a short distance away.

There are so many choices for people to choose to Pull Up a Seat and relax (and naturally Coleman had to investigate them all) that I’ve elected to make this a two part post series (may be three if I add the seating at The Farmhouse Garden Center).

Here is my first edition to Benches, Chairs, and Other seating — Coleman’s Choices …

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 24

Jude’s Bench Challenge Anniversary

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV and CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have an adventurous week. Enjoy the Outdoors. Thank you for Visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 FOWC: Rock

2 Cairns, 2 Towns, 1 Trail

The Rocky Branch Park Trail was developed by an enhancement project in partnership with the non-profit trail advocates the Tarheel Trailblazers, the City of Belmont and Town of Cramerton. [2 Towns]. The project transformed a public open space in the City of Belmont into an urban trail system for mountain biking enthusiasts, runners, hikers, and walkers that extends into the Town of Cramerton.

The progressive trail system created beginner, intermediate and advanced trail features, fun for a diverse range of interest and skill levels. The park now features three entrances, two feature trail heads marked by a 6-foot cairn. [2 Cairns].

The first is located in Belmont, NC on Sacco St just one mile from Main Street shops and restaurants and 12 miles west of uptown Charlotte. The second is in Cramerton, NC on Eagle Rd just one mile from Center Street and its shops and restaurants.

Coleman and I begin our hikes at the lower Cramerton entrance, hike to the Cramerton Trailhead with one of the Cairns and then proceed to hike The Rocky Branch Trail. Naturally, Coleman finds the need to climb the Cairn before we continue our hike.

Hopefully you have guessed what a Cairn is, but if not let me explain. A Cairn is a human-made pile (or stack) of stones. The purpose for the pile of stones (rocks) as a marker (in this case) or burial mound. Cairns have been used for centuries as trail markers, especially in mountainous regions or across challenging terrain.

The Rocky Branch Trail [1 Trail] connects the city of Belmont and the Town of Cramerton, weaving through forests and offering over 4 miles of mountain bike trails for cyclists of all experience levels.

Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC)-Rock

Cameras: 1, 4-5, 8-9) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 2-3, 6-7, 10) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Belmont/Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Take a Hike/Walk. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monday Window: 16 June

*Kitty by a Window – 2 — AI creation by PR*

John Deere

Construction Windows

As Coleman and I were walking along the Carolina Thread Trail with all the twists and turns we wound up at a dead end. Not knowing which way to go from there we tried this trail and that trail without much success. Thinking we might be Lost as we kept trying to figure our way back out of the trail and back to the Trailhead Store where our adventures began; we spotted a few construction vehicles working across a road from the trail we were on.

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

After while we were not only confused and turned around encountering another dead end of a trail; I decided to try our Luck and approached one of the construction workers to see if he could help us figure out how to get back on the correct trail to take us where we needed to go.

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

The John Deere 700L series was designed with a 17-percent-larger cab than models prior to them. It features more glass
area, larger doors, and a streamlined
hood profile, optimizing comfort and
visibility to the blade ahead and the surrounding jobsite.

Monday Window

Monday Window-16 June 2025

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Lost

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Luck!

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments

Location: New Construction Site; By The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Contributed; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Macro Monday: 06.16

Zinnia elegans

Macro Monday

Cee’s FOTD

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 One Word Sunday (OWS) : Looking Down

Last week Debbie had us Looking Up, it was fun to see everyone’s take on Looking Up. This week’s theme is Looking Down. There are many different and interesting things available to see all around us if we only Look and observe what’s all around us.

Coleman and I paid a visit to the expanded and upgraded Daniel Stowe Conservancy, formerly known as The Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. Looking all around the trails surrounding The Trailhead Store at the Conservancy there were some interesting views which we Looked Down upon.

…. Such as the Pond down and slightly to the right of The Trailhead Store.

*Looking Down upon the*
*Reflections in the Pond*

…. Or this little Pond with a waterfall surrounded by rocks a short distance away from the Dog Park.

***Coleman looking down over the Pond***

Moving along further down the trail we spot an interesting painting on the pathway with a Trail crossing sign nearby.

*Looking Down upon*
*the painted pathway*
*before crossing the road.*

And lastly for today, I’m Looking Down upon Coleman looking down at something on a bench.

*Coleman Looking Down on the Bench* while I’m Looking Down the small incline at him.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Looking Down

Cameras: 1 & 5-6) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 2-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: The Trailhead Store; Carolina Thread Trail; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Discover Nature’s amazing beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 SYD: June 15

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos invites everyone to join her in Sharing Your Desktop (SYD). Below are her suggestions for participating in the Share Your Desktop Challenge .

To do so, simply share the photo (not a screenshot) you have set as your wallpaper; Provide as little or as much detail as you wish; Use a pingback, or post a link here so I know you have joined in on the fun; Then finally, share the fun around.

I am sharing my Wallpaper from both my Laptop and my Smartphone. I enjoy looking at different images each month. Most of which revolve around Coleman (my grandson) and nature.

Here are my Desktop Wallpaper and Screensaver for my Laptop:

From My HP Laptop:

Desktop Background Wallpaper

*Coleman looking over the Pond*
*by The Trailhead Store*
*at Daniel Stowe* Conservancy

Desktop Screensaver

Color Pop of Coleman
sitting on a Fence Post
on The Carolina Thread Trail
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

From My Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max:

Focus

*Coleman*
*sitting on a Cairn*
*at Rocky Branch Trailhead*

Personal Focus

*Coleman*
*sitting on a Bench*
*inside a Gazebo*
*by The Trailhead Store*
*at Daniel Stowe Conservancy*

Reading Focus

Coleman
sitting on a Fence Post
on The Carolina Thread Trail
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Hiking Focus

*Coleman*
*by a*
*Do Not Enter*
*Trail Post*
*on the*
*Rocky Branch Trail*

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

Share Your Desktop – June 2025

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachment; 2-6) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Locations: 1-2 & 4-5) The Trailhead Store, Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont, North Carolina; 3 & 6) Rocky Branch Trail, Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Having a Wonderful Week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Silent Sunday: 15 June

Hydrangea macrophylla

Endless Summer

Silent Sunday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Flower of the Day: 14 June

Veronica spicata

***Spiked Speedwell***
The Farmhouse Garden Center
at Stowe Conservancy

Click on image for enhanced viewing.

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #36 – Naturally monochrome

Cee’s FOTD

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2025 Week 23

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Stop and admire the Flowers. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monochrome Madness (MM) — Naturally or Almost

This week’s host Elke from pictures imperfect blog is asking us to select images that are naturally monochrome. I searched my photos and think I came up with a few that might work for this week’s challenge.

*DSBG Dog Park Entrance*
*Daniel Stowe Conservancy*
*Belmont, NC*

*Garden Metal Wind Spinner*
*The Farmhouse Garden Center*
*The Daniel Stowe Conservancy*
*Belmont, NC*

Airplane Overhead
in Grey Cloudy Skies
Riverside Park and Greenway
Cramerton, NC

*South Fork Catawba River*
*Riverside Park and Greenway*
*Cramerton, NC*

Mostly Monochrome
Adirondack Bird Feeder
The Farmhouse Garden Center
*Daniel Stowe Conservancy*
*Belmont, NC*

Elke’s Monochrome Madness-Naturally Monochrome

Cameras: 1) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 2-5) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Locations: 1-2 & 5) The Farmhouse Garden Center, Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont, North Carolina, USA; 3-4) Riverside Park and Greenway, Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a fantastic weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Skywatch Friday/Weekend Sky —13/14 June

My Sky photos this week are actually from Tuesday evening. We had some colourful clouds prior to the moon rising.

I tried staying awake until the moon was at full illumination on Wednesday morning around 3:44am EST, but failed miserably. The shots of the moon I did manage to capture were taken at 9:26pm on Tuesday evening. I was hoping to catch June’s full strawberry moon when it would be its brightest. This was the best I could do however, since I was unable to be awake at such an early hour .

Skywatch Friday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Weekend Sky

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Thursday Trios: 12 June —

Trios Flowers & Fungi

Carol’s Thursday Trios

Camera: 1-6) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 7-8) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week and weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Spring Festival #12 —

Spring Wildflowers

Rocky Branch Trail

I’m a few days behind, but it’s still Springtime. While Coleman and I were on our long (just shy of 5 miles) hike on Saturday we noticed a few sections of the trail lined with beautiful Wildflowers.

Here are my Wildflower contributions …

***Wildflowers***
***on our Hike***
***for***
***National Trail Day June 07, 2025***

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

Spring Festival 2025 #12 – 11 June

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens with Altura UV & CPL filter attachments

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Belmont/Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 CFFC/CosPhoChal — Bridges Made of Wood

As I sat thinking about these two challenges, I began to ponder what I could use and what might be best to fit each of these challenges. Then it dawned on me, Dan from No Facilities has chosen a theme of Things Made of Wood for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge and Dale who hosts the The Cosmic Photo Challenge has selected a prompt of Bridges, both of these challenges might actually work out well combined together into one post.

Now you are thinking how might that be possible? Well, let me explain myself to you. There are many Bridges which are constructed out of wood, especially Bridges engineered to make it easier to cross creeks, streams, rivers, and or lakes. Many Wooden Bridges are built strategically in much needed areas throughout campgrounds, greenways, and hiking trails.

Coleman and I go hiking together every week and sometimes several times throughout the week. We do encounter Wooden Bridges along the trails we hike almost everywhere we venture to hike in the Woods. Hey, I just thought of something when I wrote that last statement … Trees are Made of Wood and when we cross Bridges Made of Wood we are surrounded by Trees.

Enough jibber-jabbering around, here’s my contribution for #CFFC and #CosPhoChal.

***Wooden Bridges***
***along the***
**Rocky Branch Trail**

Dan’s Fun Foto (CFFC)-Things Made of Wood

Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge (CosPhoChal)-Bridges

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55/250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Cramerton & Belmont, North Carolina , USA

God Bless. Have a funtastic week. Get Outdoors and Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

You might want to see what’s up next on the Which Way homepage. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s Which Ways come Friday.

2025 Macro Monday: 06.09

Rudbeckia triloba

Aka Brown-Eyed Susan
Thin Leaved Coneflower
Three-lobed Coneflower

Macro Monday

Janet’s One Word Sunday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 OWS: Looking Up (From Underneath)

Daucus carota

Also Known as Bee’s Nest-Plant; Bird’s-Nest; Devil’s Plague; Queen Anne’s Lace; and Wild Carrot

Queen Anne’s Lace is a summer biennial wildflower from the Apiaceae (carrot) family. In some states it is considered invasive. It has naturalized in many states and can be found in sun to partial shade along roadsides, old fields, and waste places. In our area of North Carolina Queen Anne’s Lace can be found along trails, in wooded areas, and near the Catawba River.

The 2 to 4 foot tall umbels of white flowers appear in its second year of growth from mid-summer to mid-fall and have a lacy look. The basal rosette consists of 5-inch long arching leaves with a few leaves occurring alternately up the main stem.

Instead of looking straight at these flowers I chose to shot them looking up at them from underneath for a unique perspective.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Looking Up (Continued)