Whenever Coleman and I have the opportunity to visit Anne Springs Close Greenway we almost always (but not always) visit the horses. Coleman loves horses. The Anne Springs Close Greenway has five different entrances to the Greenway for hiking, mountain biking, or just visiting.
Goats at the Children’s Farm
Last Saturday, Coleman and I went to the Greenway Stables and Farm Entrance to visit the Farm animals and (of course) the horses.
Cow & Goat in the Pasture at the Farm
We arrived late due to heavy traffic and congestion on the roads leading to the Greenway Stables. Therefore, we only had a short amount of time to visit the farm animals.
One last look at the Farm animals before venturing towards the horses.
Moving on to hiking and visiting the horses stabled at the Greenway. We saw and visited with several owners who were there to enjoy a ride on their horses along the trails.
Trailing behind a horse & rider down Dogwood Trail
Still hiking along Dogwood Trail. The rider is up around the bend.
The Greenway has several horse stables scattered along the Dogwood Trail and are maintained by the Greenway staff. Quite a few of the horses are privately owned and as the sign says you’re not supposed to pet or feed the horses. However, some of the owners will allow Coleman to pet their horses. If an owner’s horse is skittish the owner will not recommend petting it or coming too close.
Coleman visiting horses at one of the Greenway Stables.
We recommend checking with a horses owner before petting them. The owners are not always present, but when they are they are friendly and usually willing to answer any questions about their horses.
An AI sketch rendering of few Greenway horses enjoying their feed.
Camera: Canon EOS 2000D (Rebel T7) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Greenway Stables, Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm, and Dogwood Trail; Greenway Stables and Farm Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic rest of your week. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week’s host for Monochrome Madness is Stupidity Holewith a theme of The Space Between. Looking forward to exploring the various interpretations on The Space Between.
Monochrome Madness
Here are a few I came up with for this week’s challenge …
The Road Between leading to Hearst Castle
The Boy (Coleman) Between the Railings on the Bridge at Anne Springs Close Greenway
The Feathers Between Coleman’s Fingers
The South Fork Catawba River Between the Grounds of Goat Island
Location: Lake Norman; Pier at Ramsey Creek Park; Ramsey Creek Park; Cornelius, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a fantastic rest of your week and weekend ahead. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week I’m doing something a little different. I am joining Dan withNo Facilities and Marsha from the alwayswrite.blogin posting black and white photos (may include flowers) in memory of Cee Neuner. Cee hosted several challenges over her blogging career and as many know we lost a good friend and mentor earlier this year in March. Cee is missed tremendously, she is in our hearts, our thoughts, and her legacy lives on.
Dan Antion is continuing her Fun Foto Challenge and I’m continuing her Which Way Challenge. We are celebrating her birthday with black and white photos, with our memories, with flowers to remember Cee. I will continue the Which Way Challenge with the Any Which Way in Black and White for two (2) weeks to give anyone who wishes to join us in remembering Cee to participate.
For this Friday, November 7th I am posting One Day/One Photo in memory of Cee.
A collage for Cee
The Black and White photos for the Which Way Challenge can be Any Which Way, but remember Cee loved bridges and old barns. As you might recall Cee loved photographing Flowers so you may include flowers in your which ways or anywhere in your posts.
Cee Neuner, Friend and Legacy Blogger
Click on each image to enlarge.
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.
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy a hike/walk in Nature. Admire Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Squares are back hosted by Becky from The Life of B. Click the link in the previous line to Check out her post for details regarding the #NovemberShadows squares challenge.
Coleman at the door of the Faires/Coltharp Cabin Anne Springs Close Greenway
The town of Cramerton was originally a mill town providing light weight Khaki uniforms to the military known as Army Khaki. The Mill offices operated within the building currently known as the Town Hall.
Cramerton Town Hall
The Town Hall building hosts the offices of the Cramerton Town Hall such as the Town Manager, Town Clerk, Finance Director, Planning Director, and the Zoning Administrator. It also is the location for the Cramerton Police Department.
View of Town Hall from the south side of the tracks
This week is a no theme week for Monochrome Madness, so I thought I’d share some from Standing on the Corner. Shots taken while waiting on the school bus watching the Train rolling slowly down the track. It was going slow … slower … slowly creeping to a stop not having enough power to complete its journey.
Open Food Market in Germany Bakery in San Francisco, CABirkholm’s Bakery & Cafe Solvang, CAJack’s Grocery Julian, CAAshe County Cheese West Jefferson, NCJim’s Produce Deep Gap, NCHarris Teeter Charlotte, NCColeman in Harris Teeter Gastonia, NCAunt Sophrona in front of Deep Gap Cash Store Deep Gap, NCMy Grandpa Harvey Watson & eldest son Marvin Watson Corner Store Coshocton, Ohio
Brian from Bushboys World is this week’s host for Monochrome Madness he has given us a wide range of options to explore and choose from to select our own interpretations forhis theme of Ceramics.
Here are my entries for this week’s challenge …
A glimpse into depicting Early American Pottery in the Graham Cabin at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Early American Pottery
Let’s look next at a display of Native American Indian Pottery in the Catawba Cultural Center at the Catawba Reservation in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Catawba Indian Pottery
And now for discovering Early Native American Catawba Indian Pottery inside and outside The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Walking through Goat Island Park and Greenway was/is a fantastic way to unwind and reflect on the goodnesses I have been blessed with throughout my life and in the environment I currently dwell. God is so good, He’s so good to me. His artistic creations and colour palette are displayed in all the different places we meander through here on earth. The changing colour scheme with every season keeps me in awe of his mighty power to make all things new and beautiful in His time.
This season of change from Summer to Autumn the colours have become more subdued and neutral bringing out the amazing shades of brown, tan, red, and orange. Today, however, I am picturing signs of Autumn as seen through a black and white colour palette.
Location: South Fork Catawba River; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Capture the beautiful Autumn colours. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
October 4th was World #Animal Day. This year’s theme is “Save Animals, Save the Planet.” The idea behind the theme is to highlight how protecting animal lives supports a healthier, sustainable planet. 2025 marks the 100th Anniversary of World Animal Day.
Many of us (speaking specifically for myself) do not see Safari, exotic, or any non domesticated animal species other than perhaps in one of the many Zoos around the world.
Here are a few photos I have captured of Animals living in a Zoo or Safari Park environment.
Lemur Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Columbia, South Carolina
Baboons Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Columbia, South Carolina
Giraffes Greenville Zoo Greenville, South Carolina
Chuma and Saied (2022) Greenville Zoo Greenville, South Carolina
Sadly, Saied, one of the African Lions who called the Greenville Zoo home since 2010 is no longer amongst us. Saied was a 15-year old African Lion who had a rapid and irreversible worsening of degenerative joint disease and spinal neurological issues. After much discussion, testing, and constant monitoring the Greenville Zoo staff had the hard decision to consult and come to an agreement on what was best for Saied. It was with a heavy heart that the consensus reached was to euthanize Saied and relief him once and for all of his suffering.
It is extremely important for us to recognize the value of the Animals which share our planet. They cannot speak for themselves, so we must speak for them. Each species which exist here on earth have unique ways in which they help to support life.
World #Animal Day is a reminder for us to maintain and continue protecting animals. Without the animals our very existence and survival would be nearly impossible and meaningless. When we protect the animals, we are essentially protecting ourselves.
God Bless. Remember we must protect the Animals to protect and preserve the earth and ourselves. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
These ruin images were captured by my dad when he and my mom visited my brother stationed in Germany while serving in the United States Air Force. These are various perspectives of the Heidelberg Castle Ruins they saw during their visit.
Elke from pictures imperfect blogis the host for this week’s Monochrome Madness. She has chosen a theme of Pets. I personally do not have any Pets. Most of the places I have lived over the years have not allowed for Pets. My family did have a few different dogs over the years. Unfortunately I do not have any photos of them. The one I remember the most was a Chihuahua Dachshund, that I would walk around our neighborhood.
Now to show you an array of Pets owned by family members, neighbours, strangers, or stray animals.
My Elder Son’s Dachshund My Aunt’s Chiweenie (cross between a Chihuahua and a Dachshund), MistyA Feral Cat born under our mobile home A neighbour’s Cat; Cat Home Outside her home Rabbits at The Schiele Museum Dogs playing in Dog Park at Goat Island Park and Greenway
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature. Capture the beauty all around you. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Early every morning when Coleman and I walk to the bus stop we look up in wonder at the Morning Sky.
Most mornings lately we have had cloudy skies; some white clouds and some dark thunderous clouds, but today not so.
Today, the skies were clear with “stars” shining brightly. What I did not realize until after Coleman was on the bus and I was back home was that the brightest “Stars” we were seeing were not actually “Star” at all.
What we really saw in the early morning skies were the planets Venus, Jupiter and more dazzling images.
Good Day! This being an off week for Monochrome Madness I am doing my own thing, not following with Sand patterns or fence posts like Leanne or Brian. Hope you will not tire of seeing my grandson, Coleman.
Today I am continuing the Coleman’s adventures in the Greenway from his birthday adventures. After cooling off in the Spillway, it was drying off time which (for Coleman) meant playtime in Schroering Forest Playground.
The Schroering Forest Playground is nestled amongst trees a short distance from the Domtar Forest Porch (featured here) where we relaxed sipping cool refreshing water.
Climbing Structure for ages 5 and Up
The climbing structure is Coleman’s favourite area to play in the Schroering Forest Playground. He has always loved to climb and is not afraid to climb anything (even though, I think his mom is sceptical). She’s probably worried he’ll fall, however, I’m not worried he climbs anything and everything anytime anywhere.
The Schroering Forest Playground was constructed in the Lake Haigler Entrance to Anne Springs Close Greenway in 2024. The intention of this unique playground is to reteach children how to play in the woods.
A mom (aka Coleman’s mom) watching her son enjoying the Playground.
The playscape and structures are specially crafted to help activate sensory skills, foster creativity and problem-solving through free play, reduce stress, increase physical activity, develop confidence in the outdoors, improve cognitive abilities and facilitate outdoor learning. Key features of the Schroering Forest Playground include a central climbing structure for older children and a corresponding structure for younger guests.
Coleman
I’ve been taking Coleman to play in the woods and interact with nature since he could walk. He prefers being outdoors and in the woods over being in the house any day. He enjoys hiking all the trails in Anne Springs Close Greenway and if he can combine hiking with playing all the better as far as he is concerned.
On Sunday, Coleman and I took a detour on our walk home from church. We stopped by the local Goat Island Park and Greenway to get a short hike in and permit him to play for a little while before heading back home.
A Stop at the Goat Island Playground
Instead of just using the main camera on my iPhone, I decided to use the fusion camera to do a bit of black and white photography.
The Calmness of the South Fork Catawba River
On Early Sunday afternoons we experience the Silent peaceful serenity surrounding the River and Trails.
Coleman sensing silent reflections in the South Fork Catawba River
While crossing the bridge over the river one can see the small white church we attended. All is calm and quiet as almost everyone has gone home.
Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church as seen from the Goat Island Bridge