A Saturday walk by the Congaree River

 Saturday Scott and I went for a lovely walk along the river and it was so lovely. I took my Lumix camera and captured as much fungi and blue tailed five lined skinks as I could spy along the way. So many people just walk or run along that walkway not seeing all the beauty around them. Beauty comes in small packages a lot of the time and it only takes a moment to see them if you just slow down and observe. 

Fungi first...

I just so love all the different types of fungi you can see along this city Riverwalk. 

 

Now for some flowers and leaves: 

Autumn is coming

Grapevines, Kudzu and Privet.... all obnoxious! At least with grapes you can make jam or wine.

The only tropical fruit in South Carolina... Paw Paw's - Fruit

Paw Paw tree/leaves

Paw Paw before Scott cut it open. These have ZERO shelf life/

"Monkey Grass" - Liriope

Another glimpse of Autumn

Why you NEVER want to plant Kudzu - it grows 1 FOOT a day!!!!

Kudzu Leaf

Bark from a Sycamore tree... Doesn't it look happy?

All the lovely "Critters". We saw Canadian Geese, 5 lined Sinks and a snail as well as so many illusive dragon flies and other shy bugs. 

SO much beauty in such a small package.

And before we knew it was time to get back to the car to head home. T little hut is a Community board and the larger building is the restrooms. There is also a lovely picnic area right there near the restrooms and it is a covered area. 

Time for another walk by the river

Toad Sentry at the beginning of our walk.

Scott and I sitting by the river together.

Dead Man's Finger's and another Fungi on a stump.

Paw Paw's - We can hardly wait for these to ripen so that I can try to make some Paw Paw Bread.

It was wonderful just sitting and watching the River go by for awhile.

English Ivy

Curious Box Turtle

Mating Skinks.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable time last night and that they aren't hurting too badly this morning for those that perhaps partied a little too hard. We went to bed about 10 since I had to be up early today to go to work at 8:30 but at about 10 til 12 the neighborhood was filled with LOTS of booms and bright lights from all the fireworks. I think everyone was EXTRA glad to see 2010 go away. It was a rough year for many people... HERE'S TO 2011 BEING AWESOME!

A view of the old damn and locks on the river through the trees

One of my favorite things - FUNGI - proof that something lives on after death

A closer view of the damn remnants and the old locks.

Scott and Amelia

The locks and the old damn from the lower side where a little "beach" had developed with the river being so low this year.

Last night I posted that I will be working and sewing today and then this morning I got to thinking Scott and I better fit a walk by the river in since thats something we definitely want to do ALL year long. We went there yesterday and had a lovely time. With the leaves off the tree's you get to see things you don't when they are lush and green. The moss is a lime green now and against the brown dirt looks amazing - perhaps a lime green and brown quilt will be created this year. We took Amelia with us and she had a grand time sniffing and grinning at the people we passed. She was one happy dog. I keep picking on Scott that I am going to get one of those pet strollers so the cats can go too. 

I'm going to go work a bit on the Mystery quilt now before I have to shower and dress for work. I love "working" at home as you don't have to "dress" for work - PJ'S RULE!