Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography
This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
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 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.
The Northern Sugar Maple is a deciduous tree in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) native to Eastern and central North America from Canada south through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and west to Minnesota to northeast Texas.
Here in North Carolina, it is found in the mountains and sporadically in the Piedmont region. Northern Sugar Maple trees may reach around fifty (50) to one hundred twenty (120) feet tall with a dense, spreading crown that provides heavy shade and grows slowly to medium, although it may grow faster in open areas. It tends to grow best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil in full sun, but it tolerates average well-drained soils in sun to part shade.
This particular tree is located on the grounds of The Trailhead Store, a property of Daniel Stowe Conservancy. It provides shade for visitors to enjoy a respite from the hot sun and humid heat of a sunny summer day.
Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy the Outdoors. Have a rest under a shade tree. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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.
…. Or this little Pond with a waterfall surrounded by rocks a short distance away from the Dog Park.
Moving along further down the trail we spot an interesting painting on the pathway with a Trail crossing sign nearby.
And lastly for today, I’m Looking Down upon Coleman looking down at something on a bench.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Looking Down
Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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.
Click on image for enhanced viewing.
Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2025 Week 23
Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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.
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.
Elke’s Monochrome Madness-Naturally Monochrome
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #36 – Naturally monochrome
Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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.
Coleman and I went to the Daniel Stowe Conservancy to investigate all their new upgrades and additions to what was once known as the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens (DSBG). Along with the name change, many improvements, upgrades, and additions were added to DSBG.
The Farmhouse Garden Center and The Trailhead Store are just two of the many new developments on the grounds of the Daniel Stowe Conservancy. [I’ll discuss more on these facilities on another later post.] There is also an addition of a Dog Park, additional trails and connecting trails encompassing approximately eight plus (8+) miles of hiking trails on Stowe Property.
Coleman and I began our hiking adventure from The Trailhead Store. We hiked past an extra small waterfall pond, by the Dog Park and around the Big Pond Loop and then crossed the road to continue hiking on the Carolina Thread Trail.
While walking/hiking on the Conservancy property you’ll encounter some concrete paths, crushed concrete trails, natural trails filled with rocks, roots, rises, falls, switchbacks and changes in elevation which inhabits the feeling of adventure.
It was while hiking along the Carolina Thread Trail portion that we noticed a wooden Shed standing amongst the Trees. I’m not sure what the Shed was once used for, but found it interesting to be almost in the middle of nowhere.
No, we didn’t attempt to go inside the Shed. We only glimpsed a look at it from the trail … no off trail wandering for a closer look. No need when I could zoom in for a better view.
Dan’s Thursday Doors-12 June 2025
Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: Carolina Thread Trail; Daniel Stowe Conservancy (DSBG); Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take a Hike/Walk. Have an adventurous day. Nature is beautiful, admire it. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Spring Garden
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and admire the Beautiful Flowers. Thank you visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Chairs are Everywhere
The host this week for Monochrome Madness is Brian from bushboy.blog. Brian has chosen a theme of Chair or Chairs for this week’s challenge. Let’s play along and discover what Chairs we can find.
Everywhere Coleman and I go there’s always someplace Coleman can find to Pull Up a Seat …
We might find a Chair to Pull Up a Seat at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden …
Or we might find a Chair to relax in The Center …
We could locate a table and Chairs to Pull Up a Seat and enjoy a refreshing drink and snack before continuing on a hike …
Then there’s a chance we could spot a couple of Chairs on display in an office setting at a museum …
Coleman and I enjoy Pulling Up a Seat in a camping Chair at a State Park after a long hike around the lake …
But a fond memory of a place of comfort was the opportunity to Pull Up a Seat on my paternal grandparents front porch.
Now over to y’all to show us some Chairs by clicking here.
Brian’s Monochrome Madness #29-Chair/Chairs
XingfuMama’s Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 9
Photo Credit: 1-5)©️2020-2025 Deb L. Waters … 6) ©️1978 From my Dad’s Slides
Cameras: 1-4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i; 5) Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max; 6) Minolta XG-7 35mm (my dad’s).
God Bless. Pull Up a Seat for a spell. Enjoy the peace and comfort of a day’s journeys ending. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Rose ‘Livin La Vida’ PP
(Rosa hybrid)
Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. There’s a Time for Rain, a Time for Sunshine, and a Time to Stop and Smell the Roses. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Antirrhinum majus
Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Breathe. Stop and Smell the Flowers. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
@Daniel Stowe
Botanical Gardens
PPAC (Photographing Public Art Challenge)
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
To join the challenge, release a post featuring a window or windows any time during the week.
► Tag your post “Monday Window” (NOTE: Put a space between Monday and Window, no “s”, Window is singular.) The WordPress Reader will show most of the recent posts tagged this way (alas, not all).
► Add a comment to the latest Monday Window post and include a link to your latest Monday Window post.
Please visit the participating blogs. You will be delighted and astounded by the rich and imaginative offerings by the bloggers from around the world.
Camellia japonica
Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take Care. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Calopogon tuberosus
Simpson’s grass pink and it is in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae) grasspink (Calopogon tuberosus var. simpsonii).
The genus name “Calopogon” is Greek and means “beautiful beard.” It refers to the hairlike structures on the upper petal. It has a bulb-like corm that resembles a tuber, hence the name “tuberosus.” The slender grass-like leaves give rise to the name “grass pink.” It is a stunning wildflower.
Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to renew your body, mind, and spirit. Like the Garden we also need to renew ourselves to further our growth. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge-02.05.24
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max — Telephoto camera
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Welcome back Cee! Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all very much.
2023 — A Year in Review — Second Chance/LastChance
Posting a Year in Review is something I have never done or dreamed of doing before. It is, however, a chance to reflect on the past year and reflect on the choices I’ve made. Why was one picture chosen previously, but not this particular one? Isn’t this picture worthy of being shared as well? I have decided to divide this challenge into two parts. Part One will be covering the first six months of 2023 giving a second/last chance to a select chosen photo from each month. In Part Two, I will dedicate to the last six months (including this one) of 2023 breathing life into previously passed over photos.
January 2023:
February 2023:
March 2023:
April 2023:
May 2023:
June 2033:
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge—Last Chance
God Bless. May your New Year be Blessed, Be Prosperous, and Full of Happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Narcissus tazetta ( bunched-flowered daffodil) is a perennial ornamental plant that grows from a bulb.
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Miltoniopsis (Pansy Orchids)
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
I do not have my own personal garden where I currently reside. There are various Gardens close by where I am able to visit occasionally with my grandson. The following are a few examples of what can be seen at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, North Carolina.
The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Around the garden.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Belmont, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God bless. Thank you for visiting. Stay tuned for Artistic Doors #6. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S-18-55mm lens f/5.6 • 1/250 • 55mm • ISO100
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
WHATSOEVER IS LOVELY CHALLENGE-2023 WEEK 20
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm Super Macro and Altura for Canon Wide-Angle Fisheye Lenses
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Selection to Pull Up a Seat:
And Just Because:
XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat Photo Challenge
Photo Credit: Deb L Waters
Cameras:
First Photo – Canon EOS Rebel T3I with CanonEF-S 18-55mm with Altura Fisheye Wide-angle Lens for Canon
Second – Last Photo — iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for sharing a seat & your time. I appreciate y’all.
These Artistic Doors 🚪 are all painted by local artisans. They are displayed in various locations throughout and around the Gardens at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, North Carolina. For the next few weeks I’m going to post different Artistic Doors for Thursday Doors.
Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i with Altura Wide-Angle Macro Fisheye Lens for Canon EF-S 18-55mm.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm with Altura Wide-Angle Fisheye Lens for Canon
God Bless. Thank you for spinning around to my blog. I appreciate y’all.
The Scilla Peruviana is also known as the Portuguese Squill. It is a spring-blooming bulb with striking, lavender-blue flowers. The flower heads can be as large as a softball, with star-like florets that open gradually over a period of 3 weeks or more. The plants have long, strappy leaves similar to a hyacinth, and grow 12-20” tall.
Information from www.longfield-gardens.com/article/all-about-scilla-peruviana.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm Super Macro Lens
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
WHATSOEVER IS LOVELY CHALLENGE-2023 WEEK 19
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Coleman and I took a 4.3 mile long hike along from the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Persimmon Trail connecting to the Carolina Thread Trail on Duke Kimbrell Trail and ending with connecting to Worrells Walk back up to the Gardens.
After the long hike Coleman deserved some . Sprinkler Smashing Stupendous Funtime. Here is a video of showing the Sprinkler Fun he enjoyed.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Altura Fisheye Macro Lens for Canon.
Debbies One Word Sunday: Busy
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for sharing in Coleman’s Sprinkler Funtime. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
These Artistic Doors 🚪 are displayed in various locations around the gardens at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. They are painted by local artists. Each door has a tag listing the artist who painted it.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
WHATSOEVER IS LOVELY CHALLENGE-2023 WEEK 15
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Many blessings to you this Orthodox Holy Week. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
WHATSOEVER IS LOVELY CHALLENGE-2023
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with a Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Alura Fisheye Macro Lens for Canon
Also posting as part of Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Lenses: Altura Fisheye Lens for Canon and Canon EF 75-300mm
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a refreshingly wonderful day. I appreciate y’all.
iPhone 14 Pro Max:
Canon EOS Rebel T3i:
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Copyright: ©️2023@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.
Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.
Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge: Two
Cee‘s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Lens: Canon EF 75-300mm
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. Remember I appreciate y’all.
One can select a variety of seating of your choosing around the beautiful picturesque Gardens.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Gardens with me. I appreciate y’all.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 