Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Historic Cabin; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, 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.
Woolly Mammoth statue & Coleman Gaston County Dino Trail The Schiele Museum of Natural History
I thought about telling you all about Woolly Mammoths, but then I remembered something else about this particular Woolly Mammoth Statue. What did I remember? This Woolly Mammoth statue is one (1) of twenty-one Prehistoric Dinosaur statues along the Gaston County Dino Trail. This Prehistoric journey across Gaston County is a way for the county to celebrate The Schiele Museum’s new Elizabeth Williams RobinsonHall of Dinosaurs.
Pick up a map for the Dino Trail at The Schiele Museum or any one of the participating businesses and attractions. At each location you may collect Dinosaur Trading Cards and discover prehistoric surprises.
Gaston County Dino Trail
The Dino Trail runs from September 1st through December 31st. To find out more information about the Dino Trail and/or The Hall of Dinosaurs click here.
Salvia rosmarinus, Aka Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis
Rosemary, is one of several herbs grown in the Heritage Garden in The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina. Its needle-like leaves are incredibly aromatic and have been a staple in Mediterranean cuisine for centuries. It is often used to flavour meats, vegetables, and bread. Cooking is not the only reason Rosemary is cherished, it is revered for its traditional medicinal properties. It is also occasionally associated with memory and remembrance.
A armored and dangerous dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period. It is a type of ankylosaur (which means “fused lizard,”) known for its formidable body armor and spikes.
The Gastonia
The “Gastonia,” although it shares the name with the City of Gastonia in North Carolina, was actually named after Robert Gaston, the paleontologist who discovered the dinosaur in eastern Utah.
Gastonia Dinosaur Signage
Unlike later Ankylosaurs, it relied on an intense array of body armour and shoulder spikes rather than a heavy tail club. Its tail ended in sharp lateral projections instead of a fused bony mallet. It measured about 15 feet (4.5–6 meters) long and weighed roughly 1 ton, making it much smaller and sleeker than a true Ankylosaurus.
Coleman looking at the “Gastonia.”
The “Gastonia” fossils were found in the same Utah quarries as Utahraptor. That fact meant that its spikes served as a defense against pack-hunting dromaeosaurs. It was a low-slung quadrupedal herbivore with a toothless beak which was specialized for cropping ferns and low-lying vegetation.
No matter where Coleman and I hike/walk you can guarantee he’ll find a place to Pull Up a Seat. Whenever he does you can most likely expect to see a variety of antics, expressions. He likes to have me take his picture, but sometimes he doesn’t. It is Autumn in an our area, so naturally the Schiele Museum has Autumn decor set out in The Farm. This year there is less hay to than in previous years (same affect on my allergies though). After waiting his turn inside the “Pumpkin”, he wasn’t really enthusiastic about my taking his picture as you might could tell.
Here are a few of what I managed to capture … of Coleman Pulling Up a Seat …
Location: Entrance to the New Elizabeth Williams Robinson Hall of Dinosaurs; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Love & Peace to y’all. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, North Carolina
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.
Sunday Stills Animal of the Month Antlers, Horns & Hooves
Terri has recently started a new theme for the Sunday Stillschallenge called Animal of the Month. This month this theme is focusing on Antlers, Horns & Hooves. I’ve decided to share some that are on supper The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Here are my contributions …
Antlers, Horns & Hooves at The Schiele Museum of Natural History
Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy your week. Have a wonderful good and safe 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 #4. 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 Dryas iulia, Aka Julia Longwing butterfly,Julia heliconian, the flame, or flambeau.
Dryas iulia
Dryas iulia is often misspelled incorrectly as julia. It is theonly representative in the genus Dryas. It is a species of brush-footed butterfly, native from Brazil to southern Texas and Florida. In the summertime it can sometimes be found as far north as eastern Nebraska. They are considered rare immigrants or temporary strays in both North and South Carolina. That doesn’t mean they won’t be spotted though. During the warm summer months, individual adults occasionally migrate or drift northwards from their permanent breeding grounds in southern Florida and southern Texas.
Julia Longwing butterfly
The Julia Longwing butterfly was are known for their striking bright orange wings. They can have black markings, and their have notably long and narrow forewings which gives them that “Longwing” moniker.
Julia heliconian
The Julia heliconian butterflies are extremely fast and erratic fliers; they were quite a challenge to capture with my camera. Their fast movements prevented me from being able to catch all of them clearly, however, I still did managed to catch a few good shots with my Canon.
Julia Butterfly
Besides being very fast fliers, they frequent clearings, paths, and margins of forests and woodlands. They feed on the nectar of flowers, like lantanas (Lantana) and shepherd’s-needle. They drink the tears of caiman, the eye of which the butterfly irritates to produce tears.
the flame
The Dryas iulia butterfly species is real popular in butterfly houses similar to the Butterfly Bungalow at the Daniel Stowe Conservancy. Their popularity is due to its longevity and its activity throughout the day. They were intensely fascinating to watch them zipping to and fro, hither and yonder faster than your (at least mine) eyes could follow them.
flambeau
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. The Dryas iulia are a featured seasonal resident of the Butterfly Bungalow at Daniel Stowe Conservancy. Since these butterflies thrive in tropical environments, the Garden imports them chrysalides as part of their summer pollinator exhibition. The warm, humid greenhouse enclosure provides an ideal environment for them to fly alongside other native and tropical species like the Zebra Longwing and Malachite.
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.
Whenever Coleman and I visit The Schiele Museum of Natural History we almost always walk along The Nature Trail (we only miss it if we arrive too late and it’s already closed).
Coleman Style
at The Schiele Museum
of Natural History
Whenever Coleman and I visit The Schiele Museum of Natural History we almost always walk along The Nature Trail (we only miss it if we arrive too late and it’s already closed).
Walking around the Nature Trail, there are strategically placed benches for one to Pull Up a Seat and rest a spell if desired or needed. On this adventure Coleman pushed his sister, Sophia, along the dirt trail. While walking he came across a bench where he stopped and Pulled Up a Seat keeping the stroller with his sister by his side.
Here’s my contributions of Coleman Pulling Up a Seat …
XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat Coleman Style at The Schiele Museum of Natural History
Being a cool early evening on Tuesday, Coleman and I spent some time
outside in the backyard. I relaxed while he played with his bat and balls. Take a look at some of his antics and expressions as you see trios of balls (not all are t-balls).
Thursday Trios Coleman’s Antics & Expressions Playing Ball in the Backyard
Location: Unity Community; Gastonia, 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.
Brahman cattle originally came from India and are a hybrid of four different Indian cattle breeds. They are well-suited for the hot climates like we’ve been experiencing this summer.
We saw this one and others like it at The Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, North Carolina. Their loose skin, short, sleek hair, and ability to sweat efficiently are the reasons they adapt so well to our hot and humid summer climates. Their distinctive hump on their shoulders is the key feature which helps store fat. They are known to be gentle temperament creatures.
Whenever Coleman and I visit The Schiele Museum of Natural History we almost always visit The Farm (we only miss it if we arrive too late and it’s already closed). Walking around the Farm we visit the animals (the goats, the sheep, and Mike & Lucky, aka the cows) and admire the Flowers (at least I do anyway). Coleman likes to climb on the red tractor and other interesting things. What other things would interest a rambunctious little boy? An old wagon with a hay bale, of course. Yep, that’s right, he climbed up on the wagon and made himself at home by #PullingUpaSeat on a Hay Bale.
Here’s my contributions of Coleman Pulling Up a Seat on a Wagon’s Haystack …
#PullUpaSeat Coleman Style on a Haystack at The Schiele Museum of Natural History
Embrace the adventure with CWWC 2026: Any Which Way – Your Choice! Whether you’re exploring nature trails, navigating indoor staircases, or venturing onto paved paths, there’s a route for everyone. Sign up now and discover your unique Which Way!
Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge (previously hosted by Cee Neuner). This week our theme is CWWC (2026): Any Which Way —Your Choice. Your Which Ways can be Outdoors, Indoors, Paved or Unpaved, Dirt Trails or any natural surface. Your Choice is exactly that, Whichever Way you choose. As always Signs are always welcome.
My choices for this week’s Which Way Challengeare naturalized surfaces on The Schiele Museum’s Nature Trail.
Here are my entries …
CWWC Cee’s Which Way Challenge Deb’s Which Way Challenge
Click on images 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.
Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, 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.
Terri has recently started a new theme for the Sunday Stills challenge called Animal of the Month. This month she is challenging us to share images of insects. Insects include a wide variety of animal species. Common examples of Insects are Bees, ants, wasps; Beetles, ladybugs, fireflies; Butterflies and Moths; True Bugs (Cicadas and aphids); as well as Dragonflies and Damselflies.
In this second Sunday Stills Animal of the Month post I am beginning with the European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) located in The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.
The Beehives The Farm The Schiele Museum
North Carolina’s European honey bees are a highly social insect species native to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
The Schiele’s Honeybees
They are the world’s primary pollinator for agriculture. The Honey Bees at The Schiele Museum’s Farm pollinate the wide variety of plants and flowers grown in the Garden.
European honey bees
The European honey bee was first introduced to the Americas by European colonists in March of 1622. The English colonists shipped the first hives to Jamestown, Virginia.
Foraging to the Colony
The Schiele Museum of Natural History has four live apiaries located on The Farm. [The Farm is an outdoor exhibit showcasing Piedmont agricultural history alongside live farm animals.]
Returning to the Hive
Visitors to The Schiele Museum’s Farm are capable of safely look into an observation hive during the Annual Bug Day. During this special day visitors can watch honey bees crawl across honeycomb structures through an indoor -facing window housing a working observation hive.
The museum integrates their apiaries into seasonal student programming, including specialized “Buzz about bees” summer camps and hands-on pollination lab experiments.
European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Enough about Honey Bees, shall we take a look at a gallery of other insects/bugs?
Acanthocephala declivis, aka the giant leaf-footed bugPapilio glaucus, aka the eastern tiger swallowtailCommon Blue Mud DauberBrood XIX cicadaEastern Boxelder bugEremnophila aureonotata, aka gold-marked thread-waisted waspTrigonopeltastes delta, aka delta flower scarabMonarch butterflies Sunday Stills Animal of the Month
Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Telephoto; Gallery various cameras.
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA ; Gallery various locations.
God Bless. Enjoy your week. Have a wonderful good and safe week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Terri has recently started a new theme for the Sunday Stills challenge called Animal of the Month. I’m not sure if my animal fits this week’s animal of the month theme or not since I write mine in advance, but hopefully it’ll be alright.
See the Pig Eyeing the Pool
With our extreme heat wave we’ve been experiencing, I found it fascinating that even the Pigs in The Farm area at The Schiele Museum of Natural History thought it was too hot.
Pig slowly approaching pool
Coleman and I stood watching this Pig for a while enjoying its antics and Wallowing.
Pig’s by the pool. What’s he gonna do?
With it being so hot and humid what else should the Pig do but get in the pool and cool off.
Pig is in the pool.
Turn, turn, turn …
Round and round goes the Pig …
Pig says it’s time to wallow.
And keep wallowing till it’s completely cooled down …
Turn, turn, turn
Maybe I’ll just take one more spin wallowing in the pool before I get out and mingle.
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy your week. Have a wonderful good and safe week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This is a free week for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness. I decided to show you images of a Grist Mill in black and white monochrome tones this week. This Grist Mill can be seen along the Nature Trail at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.
The Grist Mill Nature Trail The Schiele Museum of Natural History Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, 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.
As we rode the Safari Wagon at the Lazy 5 Ranch many of the animals which reside on the property roam freely and tend to follow the Wagons as they bring visitors along the dirt road. It seems like all the animals know that the Safari Wagons have feed buckets aboard for the guests to feed them.
Hey there, I’m here.
This Black Llama sure made its presence known to us (my family). The Black Llama was trying every possible means to get my daughter’s attention to be able to be handed feed from her feed bucket.
This is me trying to get your attention …
The Llama was first domesticated by the Indians of Peru around 4,000 years ago. The Llama is known for its surefooted travels in high mountain areas. It’s docile by nature, but can also be stubborn. When upset, a Llama may spit a foul smelling liquid.
Maybe if I turn this way you’ll notice me …
Let me assure you that at The Lazy 5 Ranch if they want feed, they are more than likely to receive it. Llamas are used as pack animals and can carry loads up to 130 pounds for up to 10-20 miles a day over rugged slopes in high altitudes, but they are not ridden. When weary or overloaded Llamas just lie down and refuse to move. The Llama is often referred to as the “South American Camel.” Its long, coarse wool is used in the weaving of textiles.
Finally, that’s exactly what I wanted.
Llamas are herbivores with a three-chambered stomach for digesting fibrous plants. They primarily graze on grasses and plants. Llamas are also very social animals, preferring to live in herds, and are known for being quite gentle and intelligent. You might hear their soft humming, which they use to communicate a range of emotions – from contentment to concern – they also have unique warning calls, like a high-pitched alarm, if they sense danger.
Coleman looking over a Native American Exhibit in the Henry Hall of the American Indian at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge (previously hosted by Cee Neuner). This week we are exploring Outdoor Steps or Stairs. You may not ordinarily think about photographing Outdoor Steps or Stairs, I usually do. So many places Coleman and I hike have Outdoor Steps or Stairs along trails which we climb to get to our intended destination before completing our journey.
These are some of the Outdoor Steps or Stairs we have climbed … at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.
CWWC Cee’s Which Way Challenge Deb’s Which Way Challenge
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.
Photo Credit: 2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: The Farm and Nature Trail; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Happy Adventures. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Next Week we will be moving from Outside/Outdoor to Inside/Indoors for a theme of: CWWC 2026: Any Which Way with Indoor Steps and/or Stairs [08.21.2026]
Elke from pictures imperfect blog has chosen a theme of Getting On In Years for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge. Getting on in Years can refer to many different things, (objects or people). Ive chosen to go with objects getting on (getting old) as in Antiques. Are Antiques still useful? Maybe some still are, but others like these are not useful for their intended purpose. However, they are useful for educational purposes and displays in museums.
Here are my contributions …
Julian Museum Julian, California April 1978
These Antique Mining Lamps were once useful to provide crucial light needed to navigate dark tunnels and identify gold veins. Nowadays, people use more modern versions of oil or kerosene lamps.
Fireplace in a Historic Cabin The Schiele Museum of Natural History Gastonia, North Carolina
This fireplace has definitely seen better days. At one time it would have kept a family warm during cold winter months. It was probably also used to cook food for family and friends who may have stopped by.
A Disc Plow on Display at the Farm The Schiele Museum of Natural History
The above and below images are photos of an Antique Two-Disc Plow. Disc plows use large, concave steel discs, rather than moldboards, to cut and turn the soil. They’re especially effective in tough conditions like hard or sticky soils, or where there’s a lot of crop residue.
Another angle of the Disc Plow The Schiele Museum Gastonia, North Carolina
The Disc Plows were revolutionary in farming, especially for breaking up tough soil and preparing fields for planting. Unlike single-bladed plows, the two discs allowed for more efficient turning and mixing of the soil, which was a huge advantage for farmers back in the day.
Coleman testing out an Antique horse- or mule-drawn walking plow
An Antique Horse or Mule drawn Walking Plow (like this single-bottom moldboard plow) was once a cornerstone of 19th and early 20th century American agriculture. It along with the Two-Disc Plow is on display at The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina. It is an outdoor exhibit dedicated to showcasing historical regional farming technology in the North Carolina Piedmont.
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, 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.
This Aoudad resides at the Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, North Carolina. The habitat range for Aoudad’s is northern Algeria to central Mauritania, east to west Egypt & west Sudan. Their height averages around 30-40 inches with the Males weighing approximately 220-308 pounds and females weighing much less at about 88-121 pounds. They have a lifespan of around 20 years in captivity.
Aoudads are expert climbers and are often seen running at “top gun” speeds up very steep slopes. You probably won’t see them near the creek or pond at the Lazy 5 Ranch, but you might just see them on a stump, fallen tree, or running up a steep rocky slope. Aoudad’s can survive up to five (5) days without access to fresh water. Hey are herds animals so when see one most likely more are not too far away.
Aoudad are often referred to as sheep, but they are more closely related to goats. Unlike the young of sheep which are called lambs, the Aoudad and young are called kids.
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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
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