James Boyce Park

James Boyce Park is located in a suburban area of Charlotte, NC near Sardis Road going towards Matthews, North Carolina. You can find it at 300 Boyce Road off Sardis Road.  The hours are from 8am to 6pm everyday. It is a free park. See website for more information  https://www.mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/Parks/ParksByRegion/SouthRegion/Pages/James.aspx

It has many walking trails and some you can use your bike on. There is a restroom located here. It has a playground the children, a softball and soccer field and plenty of places to have a picnic. The day I went I took one of the trails. It took me back into the woods where 2 picnic tables were and wrapped me all the way around to the playground and back up to the parking lot. I then turned around and went back to see if I saw anymore bits of nature. 

So down the trail the first time I saw these pieces 

Then on my way back I spotted all these pieces 

A mushroom that I thought was a piece of gum or a squished marshmallow.

This was a tree that someone had painted these pastel colors on the bark but what I liked the most about it was how well the colors played off the layers of mold inside the slivers of bark.

A tree "fruit". I thought it was a leftover rotten piece of food but come to find out that they are everywhere on the trail.

Fungus and seed pods.

Then as I was getting back into the car, drenched from a nice walk I saw these beautiful flowers. I thought they were blue when I drove by them but they are actually quite purple. The play of the eye. 

So pretty that I halted the car about half mile back and put my hazards on so I could run back for a photo of them.  Delicate and beautiful.

So until next time.

This is a ginger walking. Hoping for daisy finds.

Mary

Marshville, North Carolina

The last few days I have been stuck inside my apartment. No means to move around except necessities. I collected a cold somewhere. 

So now that I am much better I am capable of showing the places I went to last week. I went for a drive through Wingate, Locust, Marshville, Wadesboro and Peachland. I was trying to get into the towns to see their collection of parks but I realized that I should have started earlier in the morning. 

Much to my dismay I got to 4 parks. Two were in Marshville and two were in Charlotte. Not as many as I liked to see in the small towns but one town had 11 parks to visit. Sounds like I have to plan better. 

Marshville, North Carolina is a 55 minute drive on Highway 74 heading towards Wadesboro. It is a small but beautiful town. I though must warn you that you should not be caught going above 20 mph in town. The area is enforced and protected. 

This town is located in Union County and has the population of just under three thousand residents. There is a diverse economic environment including agriculture, industrial, retail, small businesses and high techs. 

For me, I wanted to explore any  kind of nature they had available. I visited Marshville Municipal Park and Lois Morgan Edwards Memorial library which also had a nature area surrounding it. 

Marshville Municipal Park includes a walking path, a playground , tennis courts, 3 baseball diamonds (which also can have softball games), areas for picnics and a concert area. Plenty to do if active in sports or just want to have a quaint place to have a picnic or family fun. 

See this website for more information https://www.naturefind.com/places/marshville-municipal-park/

Then the next were the scenes around town that I loved. I am sure there were more. 

If you have more questions about Marshville, North Carolina please see their website 

http://www.marshville.org/

So until next time. 

This is a ginger walking. Hoping for daisy finds.

Mary

Windsor Park, Matthews, North Carolina

This place is so quaint. It is just over 5 acres. It is missed by so many people. Definitely suits the slogan of many local guides - a hidden gem of a park.  The park is located on 10200 Northeast Parkway; Matthews, North Carolina 28105.

If you want more information about this park checkout their website
http://www.matthewsnc.gov/facilityview.aspx?fid=49


When I went it was nearing 6 pm and definitely getting bitten by bugs and the water in the little creek was really low. However that did not stop me from wandering nor two young ladies watching either minnows or tadpoles in the water.

All that I am going to show you is what I was able to get in fifteen minutes time.


These are all scenes from the creek. As you can see that it is really low.

A green metal bridge.

So low almost not existent.

So I reverted to looking all around me for interesting sights. Nature is grand even in the smallest pieces.


Texture texture texture.. QUEEN!!!

I love the lines inside the pod

This wonderful leaf  makes me think of a nice flame in a bonfire.

Pods, shells and seeds. Cracked texture and grain details on edges as well as defined lines inside the empty shells. 

So that is all I have in fifteen minutes at this hidden gem of a park. I hope the next time I go the water will be higher.

So until next time.

This is a ginger walking. Hoping for daisy finds.

Mary

Rob Wallace Park; Midland, NC

I was on my way, last Monday, up to Ablemarle towards Morrow Mountain State Park. I didn't quite make it up there. Yet I did make it to two different, smaller parks that day. The first one was Rob Wallace Park in Midland, NC and Windsor Park in Matthews, NC. (will be posted next)

It was good place to stop to walk around. Rob Wallace Park is located on 12900 Bethel School Road; Midland, North Carolina 28107 near Locust. Rob Wallace Park has 143 acres of a lake, bridges, trails and many view of animals. I did see some geese, plenty of butterflies, dragonflies, birds and squirrels. I am also told that it is a fishing place as well. Plenty of activities to do here even with small children. 

When I arrived there was a track meet getting started so I could not stay more than 45 minutes. The young track team was in process of warming up and as I was leaving several more buses were coming in with other track teams. 

I found it a peaceful place. In the front there is a restroom and information area as well as a good size parking lot. It was all free.

The park hours and more information about its expansion is on their website. 

https://www.cabarruscounty.us/government/departments/active-living-parks/Pages/Rob-Wallace-Park.aspx

I still thought that the website needed to be updated. I believe some of the things mentioned in the expansion were already there. Last known post of expansion pictures was in 2015. So I am sure someone can let them know to update information.

All these photos are on the side walk and ground as I was getting out of car. 

I love the little bubbles

A smashed acorn .

An exhausted leaf

Another one

Love love this photo. All because of the bubbles, the textures and the ripples from the vibrations around on the leaf at the top of photo.

Steal my heart. Moss cover stone with a heart shaped leaf with a hole in it. Just beautiful.

Tiny buds

Bridge first bridge over lake. I only walked on 2. Not sure how many there are.

Just simple water views at different angles on the two bridges I walked on. 

So I hope the next time I go I will be allowed to go to the rest of the park. What I saw it was beautiful.

So until next time.

This is a ginger walking. Hoping for daisy finds.

Mary