Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens with Altura CPL filter attachment.
Location: Lake Haigler; Lake Haigler Loop; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.
God Bless. Enjoy your week and have a fabulous weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
As Coleman and I were hiking along Steele Creek Trail back towards the car we spotted this little Fairy Garden tucked away in the base of a tree. I have seen pictures which other hikers have taken before, however this was the first time we had ever spotted the Fairy Garden. If you weren’t looking at the surrounding landscape you could possibly miss seeing it.
Spotted along Steele Creek TrailFairy Garden Time to Swing and Relax
On this hiking adventure I parked at the Dairy Barn Entrance to the Anne Springs Close Greenway. After exiting the car we proceeded to hike along the fencing before hitting the trails. Following the fence line we were able to view the horses, some of which trotted over to our location. [More on horses later].
Our first stop along the Blue Star Trail was to take a look at the Faires/Coltharp Cabin. To our surprise and delight it was open to the public (first time we’d seen it open). So naturally, Coleman with me following went inside to see what was inside.
A Look inside the Faires/Coltharp Cabin
After leaving the cabin, we hiked further along the Blue Star Trail towards the Swinging Bridge and the Schroering Forest Playground located on the other side of the Spillway.
Blue Star Trail
When the Spillway is up and streaming with a steady flow of water, the only way to cross it is to walk across the Greenway’s Swinging Bridge. Since our destination was on the far side of the Swinging Bridge we/I slowly walked across. Coleman used to walk across it when he was younger, but now if no one else is on it he’ll run across.
Coleman crossing the Swinging Bridge
We made it safely across the Swinging Bridge, walked around the Artisan Market, ordered lunch from the Greenway’s Canteen and rested a bit before heading to the Schroering Forest Playground. We had a clear view of the Playground from where we chose to sit. This was the first official day the Playground was open. They had been working on it all fall and winter. Being its opening day, the playground was crowded with children from all age groups.
Coleman hiking the Blue Star Trail
Upon completion of our lunch we noticed there were still a lot of children on the playground. I decided to have Coleman wait to play in it until it wasn’t nearly so crowded. Therefore, we continued on with our hiking and headed down to Lake Haigler.
Blue Star Trail Almost down to Lake Haigler
We hiked along the narrow side pathway towards the lake. The straight pathway is wider and more widely traveled by the majority of visitors to the Greenway.
We hiked a short loop with great views of Lake Haigler and then hiked back up to the Playground. Coleman climbed up on the Climbing structure and wasn’t sure about what to do after climbing up a short ways and just sat down for a few minutes. [The all natural wood climbing structure seemed to puzzle Coleman. He’ll probably climb more next time we visit.]
Steele Creek Trail
After a full afternoon of hiking and Coleman playing I decided it was time to head home. Hence, we proceeded to hike back up to the car. Instead of hiking the exact same trail we hiked down, we started out hiking on the Steele Creek Trail. The Steele Creek Trail is a narrow trail that leads up towards the Graham Historical Cabin.
From the cabin we traverse back onto the Blue Star Trail. After short distance from the cabin, Coleman starts searching for the cows. Sometimes they are up close to the fence line, but on this day we really had to look for them. Searching the pasture as we hiked up the trail, two of the cows came walking towards our direction from the far end of the pasture. That made a Coleman’s day. He was then ready to go home.
The Northern Mockingbird is one of the most plentiful birds in North America. You can identify a Northern Mockingbird by listening to its song. You’ll hear its song which usually mimics several other birds simultaneously. Their song can be heard long before you spot their location.
The Northern Mockingbirds continue to learn new sounds throughout their lifetime. What’s interesting (which I didn’t realize) is that a male Northern Mockingbird may possibly learn around two hundred (200) songs throughout its entire life.
Northern Mockingbirds are medium-sized birds with long legs, small heads, and long, thin bills. They are slightly slimmer than a thrush and have longer tails.
Here’s an interesting fact; The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird of five states:
Arkansas
Florida
Mississippi
Tennessee
Texas
Northern Mockingbirds can be spotted year-round in places with shrubby vegetation like fruiting bushes, thickets, hedges, and open ground. They can be discovered in every state in the United States and parts of Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean.
In the South with our cold and sometimes freezing weather temperatures the Northern Mockingbirds tend to “fly south” for the winter months. I have just recently been able to see them back in our neighborhood. As more often than not, I hear their songs way before I am able to spot their location. When you hear the songs of the Northern Mockingbirds you know Spring has arrived.
We had a very beautiful sunny weekend. It was warm and windy day. We decided it was a lovely day for hiking at Anne Springs Close Greenway. Due to the massive abundance of vehicles parking at the Lake Haigler Entrance for the Artisan Market I chose to park at the Dairy Barn Entrance. There was another reason for parking at this entrance as well; they charged extra at the other entrance because of the Artisan Market. Who wants to pay extra? I certainly didn’t, not in addition to my membership for the Greenway.
The Dairy Barn Entrance has a few different trails that can be accessed with various sites and scenery to observe. We hiked down the Blue Star Trail which leads down to the Greenway’s Spillway passing horses and the Faires/Coltharp Historic Cabin along the way.
Coleman loves to stop and watch the horses. Moving along, to crossover the Spillway we had to walk across the Swinging Bridge. We stopped on both sides of the Spillway to observe the water flowing down, around, and under the Swinging Bridge.
Coleman Hiking & Playing Along the Avon and Catawba Creeks Greenway
The hiking adventures with Coleman are always fun and interesting. He doesn’t always stick to actual pathways or trails, however, he always gets to where he wants to go and has a fantastic time along the way.
Helleborus orientalisHellebore Lenten RoseHelleborus orientalis, the Lenten rose, is a perennial flowering plant and species of hellebore in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter.
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA.
God Bless. Stop and Smell the Flowers. Enjoy the beauty of nature all around you. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 