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
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … gfpacificbee … All Rights Reserved.
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. Stay Cool. Have a Fun Adventure. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Click on image to enlarge.
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Admire the beautiful flowers and plants. Have a funtastic week. 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 …
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.]
Click on images to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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
Note: The Rheas can run up to forty (40) miles per hour (mph). Did you guess right? If not that’s okay, then you learned something new.
God Bless. Have a wonderful adventurous week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
For this Sunday I am combining Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Water with Terri’s Sunday Stills-#Animal of the Month and her Sunday Stills-Reflections. The #Animal of the Month for me is the Fallow Deer.
Coleman and I were able to observe Fallow Deer 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.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Water
Terri’s Sunday Stills-#Animal of the Month
Terri’s Sunday Stills-Reflections
Jez’s Water Water Everywhere (#WWE)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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.
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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.
I’m combining Debbie’s Six Word Saturday with XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat this week while continuing our Adventures at the Lazy 5 Ranch.
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.
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.
The last gallery illustrates Coleman feeding Giraffes during the Safari Wagon Ride plus showing a bit more of the Wagon.
Click on images to enlarge.
Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-2026.07.25
XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat #30-2026.07.25
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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; 15100 Mooresville Road; Mooresville, 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.
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.
Here are my entries …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness/2026.07.23 (Free Week)
Leya’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge (LAPC) #405 — Adventures
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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 …
The Lazy 5 Ranch is 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.
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.
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.
Suzette’s For Deb’s CWWC Any Which Way Paved [in Black and White]
Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery’s Roads And Bridges
Marina’s Fence
Cath’s Which Way… {Monochrome Roads}
Dan’s Ain’t No Cure — SoCS
Dawn’s Which Way: Train Track in the Weeds
Marilyn’s My Way Or The Highway?
Dawn’s Around the Bend in BnW
Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)
Next week we’ll continue with the theme of CWWC: Any Which Way (Your Choice) [07.31.2026].
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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; 15100 Mooresville Road; Mooresville, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have an adventurous weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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 …
As per the Lazy 5 Ranch’s Guidebook this 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.
Click on image to enlarge.
Carol’s Thursday Trios-2026.07.23
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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.
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.
Click on images to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Castle Playground; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stay Cool. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Monarch Butterflies are one of the most familiar and recognized species of butterflies of North America butterflies. The Danaus plexippus, which are widely known as Butterflies Monarch or Monarch Butterfly, are famous for their 3,000 mile annual migration.
North and South Carolina serve as a crucial geographical corridor for the Eastern migratory population. Monarchs are a welcome sight in the Carolinas and a sign of seasonal change. The Monarchs pass through the Carolinas twice a year. Once in the Spring and again in the Fall.
When we see them arriving in the beginning of Spring (late March and April) they are migrating northward. The first generation Monarchs stop to lay eggs on emerging native milkweed. The second generation continues the migration journey all the way into Canada. In the Fall (Autumn)the “Methuselah generation” (aka the “super generation”), the Monarchs born at the end of summer, fly southward towards Mexico from September through mid-October.
This Monarch and ones shown in other posts are maintained in a controlled environment in the Butterfly Bungalow at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. To see more Monarch Butterflies check out my Whatsoever is Lovely post by clicking here.
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Butterfly Bungalow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Admire the beautiful flowers and plants. Have a funtastic 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 #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 Monarch Butterfly. 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 …
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.
Click on images to enlarge.
Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2026 Week 28
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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.
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.
Click on images to enlarge.
Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-2026.07.18
Jez’s Water Water Everywhere (WWE)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
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 …
Click on images to enlarge.
XingfuMama’s Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2026-Week 29
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stay Cool. Stay Adventurous. 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 theme is Any Which Way in Black and White On Asphalt Roads or Paved Pathways. In choosing the Black and White theme for this week’s Which Way Challenge I am honouring the memory of Cee’s Black and White Challenge. The Which Way can be any paved pathway, sidewalk, paved trail, or paved 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.
Here are my entries …
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.
Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery’s Into The Black
Suzette’s For Deb’s CWWC Any Which Way With The Colors Black or Brown
Marina’s Sidewalk with Black
Dan’s Nothing Special Saturday — SoCS
Cath’s Which Way… {Black Angus Cows}
Marilyn’s Brown & Black inThe Which Way
Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)
Cee’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, 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: Next Week we will be exploring and sharing the theme of CWWC: Any Which Way (Your Choice) [07.24.2026]
While these may look like real, they are not. These “Cattleya Orchid” are glass blown orchids created by master glassblower Jason Gamrath. He specifically tailored this highly intricate large scale Cattleya Orchid glass statue for Daniel Stowe Conservancy (formerly known as Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden). His Cattleya sculpture was designed to display all progressive phases of the flower’s life. This statue was originally apart of a Grandiflora Exhibition. Jason created the Cattleya Orchid glass statue by using highly intense, collaborative modelling and glass-blowing process.
Even though Jason calls the sculpture “Cattleya Orchid” according to the Daniel Stowe Conservancy website call these flowers Glass Daffodils. However, in its description it calls the statue an orchid piece stating that Jason’s purpose was to allow people to “observe with the same eyes through which ‘he’ humbly and graciously experiences our natural world” (Quote by Jason Gamrath).
Click on each image to enlarge.
Carol’s Thursday Trios-2026.07.17
Also posting in Remembrance of:
Bren’s Floral Friday
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: William H. Williamson, III Orchid Conservatory; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, 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.
Last week I shared the entrance Doors to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; this week I sharing Doors within the Gardens.
Click on images to enlarge.
Dan’s Thursday Doors-2026.07.16
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic rest of your week and weekend ahead. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with w. I appreciate y’all very much.
Good Day everyone! This week Terri with Second Wind Leisure Perspectives has given us the prompt of Groups of Three (3) or More. I have selected Groups of Three or More in The Gardens at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Having selected floral Groups of Three (3) or More I am linking this post with Terri’s The #Flower Hour.
Click on rack image to enlarge.
Terri’s Sunday Stills-Groups of 3 or More
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm and Altura UV Filter Attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the beautiful Flowers. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Succulents in the Garden at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Admire the beautiful flowers and plants. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, 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.
Debbie with Travel with Intent has selected the word Bicoloured for this week’s One Word Sunday theme. When I first saw the term Bicoloured, I thought of duotoned images not two distinct colours or shades. Hence the last images has both Bicoloured and Duotoned.
Floral Examples …
One …
Two …
Duotoned vs. Bicoloured …
Click on images to enlarge.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday (#OWS)-Bicoloured
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1-2) Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment; 3-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers. Be observant of the amazingly beautiful colours found in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dale, the host of the Cosmic Photo Challenge, has challenged us to post a few close-up shots for this week’s challenge. Coleman and I had just recently visited the Butterfly Bungalow watching the butterflies fluttering to and fro from flower to flower feasting on nectar and/or pollen till their hearts content. Therefore, I thought it might be worth it to share a few close-ups with you.
First, in the image above we are viewing two Eastern Giant Swallowtails enjoying the tasty delight in the butterfly feeder.
Next, let’s take a closer look at the Butterfly feeder. Not only are the Swallowtails having a delicious feast of the sugar water solution mixed with fruit to provide them with energy, but severe black ants are joining in to sample it as well.
And finally for a close-up view of the Eastern Giant Swallowtails themselves. Observe the delicate line, pattern, and color details in the design of the Swallowtails wings. Notice their distinctive appearance with their prominent antennae that are dark, slender, and distinctively club-tipped. Its legs are also slender, dark, and segmented allowing it to grip the edge of the feeder.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Cosmic Photo Challenge (#CosPhoChal)-Close-Up
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Butterfly Bungalow; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Be observant of all creatures large and small that call our Earth home. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Welcome, I’m thrilled you stopped by for a visit. This week I’m holding off on Further Adventures of Coleman Pulling Up a Seat at Anne Springs Close Greenway. Instead I’m posting a few benches from our recent visit to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina.
It was an extremely hot and humid afternoon here in our region of North Carolina, so a few benches scattered here and there around the Gardens were a welcome relief to hydrate and catch (at least mine) our breath before venturing on around the Gardens.
Here are my entries for this week …
Click on images to enlarge.
XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat 2026 – Week #28
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stay Cool. Stay Adventurous. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Floral Trios
Click on each image to enlarge.
Carol’s Thursday Trios-2026.07.10
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location:
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.
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 theme is CWWC: Any Which Way with the colours of Brown and/orBlack. 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.
For the adventure we parked at the Dairy Barn Entrance to Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina. We hiked down the pathway towards the Spillway, crossed the Swinging Bridge, and on towards Lake Haigler where we hiked along the Blue Star Trail. We encountered many Brown objects along our route and even a few Black one too.
Let’s take a look at our hiking adventure …
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.
Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery’s Dirt Track
Brian’s Down the road a piece
Marina’s Path with Brown
Cath’s Camera’s Which Way… {The Muddy Road Ahead}
Cath’s Camera’s Which Way… {Not Just Blue Skies}
Pepper from HeavensSunshine’s Between the Wildflowers
Dawn’s Which Way: Along the Brown of the Creek
Rich’s Brown The Trail
Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)
Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameta: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250 mm and EF75-300 mm lenses.
Location: Blue Star Trail; Dairy Barn Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South 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: Next Week we will be exploring and sharing the theme of CWWC: Any Which Way in Black and White On Asphalt Roads or Paved Pathways [07.17.2026]
Click on image to enlarge.
Also posting in remembrance of …
Bren’s Floral Friday
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens
Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
RED …
WHITE …
BLUE …
Happy Birthday America!
Click on each image to enlarge.
Also posting in remembrance of …
Bren’s Floral Friday
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2023-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; Apple iPhone 13 Pro; Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Stop and smell the flowers. Admire them and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Hosting Monochrome Madness this week is Margaret from Pyrenees to Pennines blog. She has chosen a theme of as Bright as Can Be. How Bright is Bright as Can Be? Maybe my selections are as Bright as Can Be, but maybe yours might be brighter.
Here are my entries …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Photo Credit: ©️2022-2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Apple 14 Pro Max; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; Canon EOS Rebel T3i, and Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.
Locations: As stated above.
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.
Anyone wishing to join in and participate, please go to the Monochrome Madness page to find out how.
Brian from Bushboys World hosts 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
Here are my contributions …
From my Canon EOS T7 (2000D):
From my Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max:
Click on each image to enlarge.
#Brian’s Last on the Card-2026 June 30
God Bless. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan from No Facilities hosts the Fun Foto Challenge at and this week he is asking for our The Crayola Box of 8 – Blue . I have gone into my recent and archive files to see what I could locate to best represent this week’s theme. I will also be sharing Blue Along Trails as part of Friday’s CWWC post (Stay tuned to more Blue and feel free to share your blue with Cee’s Which Way Challenge as well as Dan’s CFFC challenge this week.
Here are my entries …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-Blue
Photo Credit:©️2020-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Enjoy your week. May it be filled with love, joy, laughter, and lots of fun. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
I’m joining Terri Webster Schrandt in her new Sunday Stills theme of Animal of the Month. This challenge will be for posting photos of an Animal, Bird, insect, reptile or other Creature of the Month. This month she also has a subtheme of Wild. I am focusing my images on Reptiles in the Wild areas of the Southeastern United States (mainly the Carolinas).
Terri’s Sunday Stills: Animal of the Month – Wild
Photo Credit:©️2024-2025 Deb L. Waters (Spiny Softshell by Trisha L. Wilson) … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have an adventurous week. Stay Cool. Enjoy the Outdoors. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Nature Trail; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a terrific week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
In the Catawba Indian Village …
XingfuMama’s Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2026-Week 25
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: 1-2)Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment; 3-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: The Catawba Indian Village; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, 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.
This week’s host for Monochrome Madness is Brian from Bushboys World. He has chosen a theme of Jugs for this week’s challenge. Jugs have been around for ages and made from varies materials like clay, glass, and even plastic. I much prefer sun-dried clay or glass-blown jugs to the more modern lightweight high-density polyethylene (plastic) jugs.
These are a few of the Jugs I have found in my archives to share with y’all.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness (MM)
Photo Credit:©️2022-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm & EF-S18-55mm lenes; Apple iPhone 13 Pro; Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Locations: As stated above.
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.
Anyone wishing to join in and participate, please go to the Monochrome Madness page to find out how.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Click on image to enlarge.
Terri’s The Flower Hour-2026.06.15
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a terrific week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
XingfuMama’s Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2026-Week 24
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, 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 hiked along Wagon Loop a couple of weeks ago. Wagon Loop is one of 25 unique trails in Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
This trail follows part of Steele Creek and connects to Haigler Loop, Blue Star, Steele Creek, North Steele Creek, Ford Gap, Muscadine and Wild Azalea trails. You can access the trail behind the Williams Education Center or off Haigler Loop.
The distance for the complete Wagon Loop trail is 1.4 miles in length.It meanders through forested landscapes, creeks, and open fields (like this field of cut and rolled hay bales). It is often combined with Muscadine, Billy’s Walk, and the Lake Haigler Loop trail for a longer hiking experience.
As you meander along the Wagon Loop trail you’ll pass by several points of historical significance such as the Nation Ford Trail. The trails are well maintained, however, I would recommend you wear a good pair of hiking shoes. There are exposed tree roots and when the rains occur so does the mud along the trails.
There is a few to enter Anne Springs Close Greenway of $17 per adult, youth (ages 3-12) $8 (kids under 3 are free). The Greenway does offer memberships which I recommend if you live near the Fort Mill, South Carolina area. To find out more about the Greenway’s memberships click here.
Carol’s Thursday Trios-2026.06.12
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Wagon Loop; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South 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.
Why go for the ordinary shot when you can capture the exceptional, unconventional, and unique beauty from a different and unusual perspective? I like to capture views from underneath bridges and/or trestles. The structural integrity and design in each bridge or trestle are unique and some with intricate characteristics and features.
The beauty of black and white/monochrome photography brings a unique perspective on how we see and experience the world around us. What will you photograph in monochrome this week?
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness (MM)
Photo Credit:©️2022-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; 2-3) Apple iPhone 13 Pro Ultra Wide
Locations: As stated above.
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.
Anyone wishing to join in and participate, please go to the Monochrome Madness page to find out how.
Obscure or Not
Sometimes when Coleman and I are out and about hiking or visiting a museum like The Schiele Museum of Natural History I will try to capture objects, like doors, the majority of people wouldn’t ordinarily think to capture with their cameras. These I’m sharing today are ones more obscure than others you might expect to see.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Dan’s Thursday Doors-2026.06.11
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take Care. May your week by filled with love, laughter, and happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Pollinator Garden; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature’s beautiful creations. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Fragaria virginiana, is also known Scarlett Strawberry and Wild Strawberry. It is a flowering perennial that produces edible fruit. It spreads by runners making it an easy choice for use as groundcover. It can also be used as erosion control holding soil on slopes.
Wild Strawberries are native to North America, from Newfoundland and Alberta in Canada , south down Georgia, Tennessee, and Oklahoma as well as the states in between like North and South Carolina. The plant produces small white flowers in the Spring with tiny, highly flavorful red berries following in late spring and early summer. They are primarily pollinated by a diverse mix of native bees, hoverflies, and small butterflies.
These Scarlett Strawberries (Fragaria virginiana) are grown in the garden in The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina. The Garden also contains several bee hives providing the bees which pollinate many of the flowers grown here.
Terri’s The #Flower Hour #34-2026.06.09
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Smell the amazing fragrance of flowers. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
These Swamp Dogwood Flowers are located on the banks of Lake Haigler by the Hunter E. Martin Kayak Launch on Haigler Loop at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Click on image to enlarge.
Terri’s The Flower Hour-2026.06.08
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Haigler Loop; at Hunter E. Martin Kayak Launch; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a terrific week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Whenever Coleman and I go hiking no matter where we go we can just about always discover swirls. Sometimes they can be swirly lines on bents (piers), or found naturally in nature, or sometimes they can be something simple as a child’s scribbles of swirls and squiggly lines.
Here are a few examples of Swirls we have discovered while hiking.
Now for the piece to resistance …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Swirl (2026.06.07)
Photo Credit:©️2022-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a terrific week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Gardens; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, 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 snowy petals whisper grace,
And leave a perfume in this place.
These luminous and trusting blooms,
Are shining through the solemn glooms.
A sacred blossom, pure and white,
Unfolds its heart to meet the light.
The elegant and silent trust,
Will bloom in beauty since it must.
This graceful flower shows devotion,
To stir the spirit like an ocean.
It rests beneath the moonlit skies,
Where quiet magic never dies.
Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-2026.06.06
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden in The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. May your day be filled with love, peace, happiness and an abundance of laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coleman Style In
Anne Springs Close Greenway
XingfuMama’s Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2026-Week 23
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. May you have a lovely week filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot) is also referred to as wild bee balm, Appalachian Bergamot, Eastern Bergamot. It is a hardy, perennial wildflower native to North America and is in the mint genus family. It has distinctive lavender-pink blossoms, aromatic foliage which has an exceptional ability to attract pollinators and historically has been used for medicinal purposes.
It serves as a pollinator magnet drawing an enormous amount of bumblebees, native bees, predatory wasps, and butterflies. [The Garden where these are planted also has a section of four beehives with plenty of bees to help pollinate the flowers grown therein.]
For those interested in expanding their palates, you might want to try tasting its edible leaves and flowers. They add a spicy, citrusy, oregano-like kick to salads, jellies, and meat dishes. Also may note that historically the leaves have been used, by indigenous peoples, to brew teas to treat colds, flus, and digestive issues.
Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge-What’s Flowering Where You Are?
Also posting in remembrance of …
Bren’s Floral Friday
Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Photo Credit:©️2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: The Garden; In The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Admire the Flowers and the beauty found in nature. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The FOWC prompt for Tuesday is Pumpkin. Know I’m behind a couple of days, but still wanted to share these Pumpkins with y’all.
Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC)-Pumpkin
Photo Credit:©️2023-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1-2 &4)Apple iPhone 14 Pro Ma; 3) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens
Locations: As Stated above.
God Bless. May you have a Stable of Love, Friendship, and Joy. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week’s Monochrome Madness is hosted by Leanne Cole. She has chosen to challenge us to post images which show water flowing. Mine not only includes waterfalls, but also Spillways, Oceans, Dams, Lakes, Rivers and Garden Fountains. Water flows in many different ways from straight upwards to upstream and downstream, including over rocks and barriers.
Now to show y’all my entries …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #61-Flowing Water
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.
Anyone wishing to join in and participate, please go to the Monochrome Madness page to find out how.
Click on image to enlarge.
God Bless. Love One Another. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
![Which Way Challenge (2026) CWWC: Any Which Way (Your Choice) Week 1 —07.24.2026 -07.31.2026 Will run for 2 Weeks]](https://gfpacificbeeintrospection.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-1-1.jpg?w=489)
