The Plestiodon fasciatus, also known as the American Five-lined Skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the six native species of lizards in Canada.
Calling it the American five-lined skink to distinguishes it from the African skink Trachylepis quinquetaeniata (otherwise known as five-lined mabuya).
They are small to medium in size, growing to approximately 12.5 to 21.5 centimetres (4.9 to 8.5 in) total length (including tail). The young American Five-lined skinks are dark brown to black with five distinct white to yellow stripes (this one’s are yellowish) running along the body and a bright blue tail. The blue color fades to light blue with age, and the stripes also may slowly disappear.
The range of the American Five-lined skink extends in the north to southern Ontario, Michigan and eastern New York. The western border is in Minnesota, Missouri and eastern Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas.
P. fasciatus is inclined to be most abundant on the coastal plain in the southeastern United States and along the Gulf Coast.
The American Five-lined skink is a ground-dwelling animal. It prefers moist, hardwood areas with a permanent water source such as rivers or streams, as well as sites to bask in the sun. [The church this skink visited sits along the South Fork Catawba River, so it didn’t have to wander to far to meander inside.]
The common five-lined skink’s diet consists primarily of a variety of arthropods, particularly spiders, crickets, beetles and other insects. However, they have been reported to also eat newborn mice, frogs, and other lizards. [Tiny frogs, beetles, spiders, and other insects are easily found along the banks of the South Fork Catawba River, easy feasts for skinks].
Location:The Center; Town of Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Take time to admire the beautiful flowers. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Northern Sugar Maple is a deciduous tree in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) native to Eastern and central North America from Canada south through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and west to Minnesota to northeast Texas.
Aka Hard Maple
Here in North Carolina, it is found in the mountains and sporadically in the Piedmont region. Northern Sugar Maple trees may reach around fifty (50) to one hundred twenty (120) feet tall with a dense, spreading crown that provides heavy shade and grows slowly to medium, although it may grow faster in open areas. It tends to grow best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil in full sun, but it tolerates average well-drained soils in sun to part shade.
Aka Northern Sugar Maple
This particular tree is located on the grounds of The Trailhead Store, a property of Daniel Stowe Conservancy. It provides shade for visitors to enjoy a respite from the hot sun and humid heat of a sunny summer day.
Location: The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy the Outdoors. Have a rest under a shade tree. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Aka the North American wheel bug or simply wheel bug, a species of large assassin bug in the family Reduviidae and the only species of wheel bug found in the United States.
The North American Wheel Bug is one of the largest terrestrial true bugs in North America, reaching up to 1.5 inches (38 mm) in length in its adult stage.
North American wheel bugs prey on caterpillars and beetles, such as Japanese beetles, the cabbageworm, orange dogs, tent caterpillars, and the Mexican bean beetle, all of which they pierce with their beak to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue.
The North American wheel bug is most active in daylight, but may engage in predatory behaviors at night in areas illuminated by lights.
It is considered beneficial since most of its prey are pests, however, I did not consider myself a pest and didn’t care for it as my sitting companion.
To do so, simply share the photo (not a screenshot) you have set as your wallpaper; Provide as little or as much detail as you wish; Use a pingback, or post a link here so I know you have joined in on the fun; Then finally, share the fun around.
I am sharing my Wallpaper from both my Laptop and my Smartphone. I enjoy looking at different images each month. Most of which revolve around Coleman (my grandson) and nature.
Here are my Desktop Wallpaper and Screensaver for my Laptop:
From My HP Laptop:
Desktop Background Wallpaper
Coleman looking over the Pond by The Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Desktop Screensaver
Color Pop of Coleman sitting on a Fence Post on The Carolina Thread Trail by The Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy
From My Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max:
Focus
Coleman sitting on a Cairn at Rocky Branch Trailhead
Personal Focus
Coleman sitting on a Bench inside a Gazebo by The Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Reading Focus
Coleman sitting on a Fence Post on The Carolina Thread Trail by The Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Hiking Focus
Coleman by a Do Not Enter Trail Post on the Rocky Branch Trail
Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachment; 2-6) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Locations: 1-2 & 4-5) The Trailhead Store, Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont, North Carolina; 3 & 6) Rocky Branch Trail, Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Having a Wonderful Week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Backyard; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Feel the Love. Nature demonstrates Love in abundance. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
There are times Coleman and I run across traffic as we walk to our destination or Trailhead. On Saturday we had to walk along a few different roads (some with sidewalks and some without sidewalks) to reach our intended destination to begin our hike for the day.
Here are my entries for this week’s challenge … from our walk …
Bicycles/Bicyclists:
Bicyclists on the Road
Cars, SUV’s, and Trucks:
Vehicles on the Road
For enhanced/enlarged viewing click on each image.
Thank you to all who have supported and contributed to the Which Way Challenge this past week or at any time. Be sure to check out other Which Ways by clicking on the links below.
Coleman and I went to the Daniel Stowe Conservancy to investigate all their new upgrades and additions to what was once known as the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens(DSBG). Along with the name change, many improvements, upgrades, and additions were added to DSBG.
The Farmhouse Garden Center and The Trailhead Store are just two of the many new developments on the grounds of the Daniel Stowe Conservancy. [I’ll discuss more on these facilities on another later post.] There is also an addition of a Dog Park, additional trails and connecting trails encompassing approximately eight plus (8+) miles of hiking trails on Stowe Property.
Trail Map Click image to enlarge.
Coleman and I began our hiking adventure from The Trailhead Store. We hiked past an extra small waterfall pond, by the Dog Park and around the Big Pond Loop and then crossed the road to continue hiking on the Carolina Thread Trail.
While walking/hiking on the Conservancy property you’ll encounter some concrete paths, crushed concrete trails, natural trails filled with rocks, roots, rises, falls, switchbacks and changes in elevation which inhabits the feeling of adventure.
It was while hiking along the Carolina Thread Trail portion that we noticed a wooden Shed standing amongst the Trees. I’m not sure what the Shed was once used for, but found it interesting to be almost in the middle of nowhere.
The Shed in the Woods
A closer look at the Shed
No, we didn’t attempt to go inside the Shed. We only glimpsed a look at it from the trail … no off trail wandering for a closer look. No need when I could zoom in for a better view.
Location: Carolina Thread Trail; Daniel Stowe Conservancy (DSBG); Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take a Hike/Walk. Have an adventurous day. Nature is beautiful, admire it. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Whataburger, an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered and based out of San Antonio, Texas, opened its first North Carolina restaurant in Gastonia on May 29th. The opening of the legendary Texas Burger Chain has been a long wait full of anticipation, full of excitement in the expectation of Whataburger finally becoming a reality in North Carolina.
Whataburger Gastonia
The Grand Opening of the Gastonia River Whataburger is one moment of an exciting full year celebration for Whataburger’s 75th Anniversary year. The residents of North Carolina have been excitedly waiting since around 2022 for a Whataburger to open one of its legendary Texas Burger restaurants.
Gastonia Whataburger E. Franklin Blvd
What’s all the hype about Whataburger? Whataburger serves fresh never frozen beef patties on 5-inch buns, and craveworthy classics like the Patty Melt and Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit – always made-to-order and fully customizable. They serve a grilled chicken sandwich unlike anything you’ve ever eaten before. It is so delicious, it’s amazingly worth the wait and anticipation of finally being able to order a delicious meal from Whataburger.
Whataburger Gastonia, North Carolina
Those who have never had anything from a Whataburger before were not sure what all the big excitement and hullabaloo has been about. Well, those of us who have eaten at a Whataburger restaurant before know how awesome, exceptional, and sensational Whataburger food truly is mouthwatering delicious.
The lines to enter Whataburger were extremely long with cars, trucks, and SUV’s back up across the parking lot across the road and then some. The parking for dining in was packed and overflowing into the shopping centre parking lot across the street. Lines were monitored by private security and the Gaston County Sheriff’s Department. There were lines to enter the store with a few parties by allowed in to the store at a time to afford overcrowding.
Mile long lines waiting to enter Whataburger
No need to worry about finding a place to sit. Whataburger had that all planned out with extra sitting outside under a tent set up with plenty of tables and chairs. The Whataburger staff brought our food right out to us and everyone else who chose to eat outside.
Whataburger Outdoor sitting for Grand Opening week.
The demand was so strong that the Whataburger delivery trucks had a difficult time getting into the location to deliver more products for the much needed restaurant.
Remember your Which Ways can be any way one travels, whether on foot, or other means. This week we are focusing on people in our Which Ways. And as always, Be sure to have fun.
For other Which Ways, check out the links below. Thank you to all who contributed to the Which Way Challenges.
God Bless. Do you remember losing your first tooth? I don’t remember when, but I remember only receiving a quarter a tooth from the “tooth fairy.” Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
While Coleman was enjoying playing in the sand near the South Fork Catawba River, I changed the setting my iPhone to Muted B & W for some shots and Stage Light Mono for taking Portraits of Coleman at play. Enjoy watching Coleman in his element.
Coleman South Fork Catawba River Riverside Park and Greenway
Location: The Big Sand Pit; By the South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have Fun. Enjoy Nature’s beauty in the great outdoors. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Leanne Cole has chosen the theme of Woods, Rainforests, and Bushland for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge. For Coleman and I, every time we go hiking we are hiking through the woods along one trail or another. These are from our hike on Saturday at Riverside Park and Greenway.
There is a dirt trail a few feet away from the main fishing pier which Coleman loves to hike. A few yards down the trail is a large sand area close to the South Fork Catawba River. It has been raining quite a bit here lately, so the trail was muddy but still doable.
Here you can see Coleman hiking along the muddy dirt trail through the Woods pulling his Little Tike Dump Truck/Excavator. He enjoys playing the sand and this trail and sand pit is conveniently close to our home.
Coleman Hiking through the Woods beside the South Fork Catawba River
Brian from Bushboys World gives these rules forThe Last on the Card Challenge. 1. Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 30th April 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
Have you ever had a child tell you something and you thought there’s no way that could be true? Let be tell you about an incident that happened this morning (yesterday 5/30). We go outside our front door to check to see if we have any mail. No mail, so what else is new. We don’t receive much in the way of snail mail anyway.
We go back inside the house and Coleman informs me there’s a frog in the house. I’m thinking there’s no way that there’s a frog in our house. He’s insistent that there really is a frog in the house. First he tells me that it went under the couch. Then he tells me it is hopping behind the couch.
At this point I’m not believing him. I’m not seeing any frog in the house, so how could there be a frog in the house. I inform him I do not believe him, he must be lying. He insists his not lying, that there really truly is a green groom the house.
After a little bit of time, guess what hops out from behind the couch and into the middle of the living room floor. Yep, you are right. Coleman was right. I had to apologize to Coleman and admit he was right. There was a green frog in our house.
Needless to say that the little green frog went mmm mmm ahhh hopping across the living room floor. The Little Green Frog reminded me of an old children’s song which starts out with “’Mmm Ahh’, went the little green frog one day, “Mmm ahh,” went the little green frog. “Mmm ahh,” went the little green frog one day, And they all went, “Mmm mmm AHHH!”. I’m not sure who wrote the song, however, the lyrics can be found online by searching in your web browser or by clicking here.
After my finally seeing the Little Green Frog I proceeded to capture the Little Green Frog and escort him outside. Once outside I set the Little Green Frog down on the porch by the stairs. The Little Green Frog merrily hopped down the stairs and into the vast greenness of our front yard. And we said goodbye Little Green Frog.
Next time Coleman tells me something I think might not be true, I’m gonna believe him that it is true until something or someone proves otherwise. Children may say the darnedest things, but often young people speak the truth.
Location: Our Home; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. God Bless the little children. Love your children/grandchildren. Believe in them. Listen and believe what they tell you. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Sky watching can be dramatic, amazing to watch the Sun Rise in the mornings. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Yesterday, after talking a long hike along the South Fork River Trail we stopped in Confluence for a bit of respite and to cool off from the high humidity. Luckily it didn’t rain until after we arrived back home.
Sun Parasol® White Mandevilla
On display to the left of the entrance is a Kayak. Normally, it is just the kayak … no decoration inside of it. We found it to hold a pot of White Mandevilla which drew our attention to the beautiful flowers.
Location: Out Front; Confluence; Center Street; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take Care. Be Observant. Admire the beauty all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to admire the beauty of God’s creations. Observe the Flowers, how they grow and blossom. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Canada Geese are quite often spotted on the banks or in the waters of the South Fork Catawba River. These are just a few of the trio shots, mostly I captured the large number (about a dozen or more) of CanadaGeese along the river’s banks.
Location: South Fork Catawba River; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a fabulous week. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Be sure to check out Friday’s Which Way Challenge. This week’s theme will be (CWWC): Any Type of Road, Path, Step, Bridge, or Sign. Looking forward to seeing the Which Ways y’all share with everyone.
On Friday evening the Town of Cramerton held a concert in Centennial Center in Downtown Cramerton. The headliner was a Trio called Chairmen of the Board.
Chairmen of the Board is an American-Canadian Soul music group based out of Detroit, Michigan. The group saw their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The group underwent changes over the years and was reformed in 1978 with members General Norman Johnson, Danny Woods, and Ken Knox. In 1980, they founded Surfside Records and began playing beach music.
The Chairmen of the Board were inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 1999. The group still plays on with the exception of General Johnson (who passed in 2010 from lung cancer) and Danny Woods (who passed in 2018). Ken Knox (a 38 year member), at the request of General Johnson, has kept the legacy strong. He continues to lead the group, Chairmen of the Board, touring with current members Thomas Hunter and Patrick McGuire and 6 musicians.
Chairmen of the Board
The Town came out in droves to listen to Chairmen of the Board perform. The Center was packed with people from all age groups, and even a few dogs as well. The group put on a show stomping performance with people dancing, clapping, and really enjoying a tremendous good ole time performance. Coleman and I really enjoyed listening to them sing and play their songs.
Friday evening Cramerton had a concert in Centennial Center Park. Large crowds of people and a few dogs gathered outside to listen to a mixture of R&B and Soul music from the Detroit, Michigan based group called “Chairmen of the Board.”
This American Pitbull weaved in and out of the crowds and then looked our way as if to pose for his photo op.
Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge (CWWC), I’m so glad you are enjoying this challenge. For this week I have chosen the theme of (CWWC): Any Which Way with Dirt roads or dirt pathways or trails. Remember to be sure your Which Ways are clearly defined. Remember signs are always welcome in your Which Ways.
School is out for the summer or about to be if not already in your area. Summer is a fitting time to be out in the nature hiking (or taking a walk) leisurely enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.
Here are my entries for (CWWC): Any Which Way with Dirt roads or dirt pathways or trails. Now over to y’all to show us the dirt roads, pathways, or trails you enjoy while you’re hiking or walking about in y’all’s favorite areas.
Coleman hiking in Riverside Park and Greenway’s Dirt Trail
You might enjoy taking a look at other Which Ways from this past week; check out the links below:
Location: Dirt Trail; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take a hike. Enjoy a stroll through nature’s beautiful pathways and parks. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Sky watching can be dramatic, amazing to watch the Sun Rise in the mornings. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Next-Gen Office Solutions is a family owned business in Cramerton, North Carolina that provides office equipment and services to the Charlotte, North Carolina market. Their focus is on serving businesses in the community, particularly small businesses. It was formerly known as B & L Office Equipment, Inc. prior to their rebranding as Next-Gen Office Solutions in 2022.
Next-Gen Office Solutions offers a wide range of office equipment, including including printers, copiers, and other related supplies. They also offer to provide maintenance and repair services for office equipment. Another aspect of their services is offering a free technology assessment to businesses to evaluate their needs.
Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stop and Admire the Flowers. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The buildings the Mayworth School Apartments were once Cramerton’s historic Mayworth School. It was at one time the center of Cramerton’s small community.
The 49,000 square foot building was renovated and now houses 32 affordable apartments for the elderly as well as storage rooms, offices, a laundry room, and computer center. The original auditorium was converted into a community gathering room and two apartments were created in the upper balcony.
The renovation was completed in 2008 with an astounding construction cost of $4,100,000.
As Coleman and I left the C.B. Huss recreation center I snapped a couple of photos of the backside of the Mayworth School Apartments which shares the parking lot with the Recreation Center.
The Juglans nigra, Eastern American Black Walnut is a species of deciduous tree in the Walnut family, Juglandaceae, native to central and eastern North America. Black Walnut trees are used commercially for its rich deep brown colour and is easily worked.
The Walnut seeds (aka nuts) are cultivated for their distinctive and desirable taste. Walnut trees are grown for lumber and food. An interesting note is that in 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture valued U.S. Walnut timber at $530 billion. Also noted that a significant portion is grown in Missouri.
Location: Banks of the South Fork Catawba River; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a Gander of your surroundings. Enjoy nature’s beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Breaking the Rules? Whoever said one had to follow Rules in photography? Up, Down, Sideways, it doesn’t always matter if you shoot straight, point and shoot vertical or horizontal. Instead follow your own instincts, make your own interpretations on your shooting style. After all, you are the one you need to please.
What’s your angle?
Mine are whichever way I so desire
Shooting across the river from a laying down position …
Shooting Subject Slightly off-center … background slightly blurred ( might be a rule though – who cares, I don’t read rules).
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 