Trespassing pays!

My friend Risee and I had one of our adventures today to visit Kalmia Gardens in Hartsville which is about an hour and a half from where we live.  We got there about 10 and walked for a couple of hours.  The garden is a rare thing as when you park you are street level with a few paths and landscaped flowers.  There were actually columbines here which is sort of unusual in our area.   And mountain laurel..we think this is because behind the flat area there was a big drop off down into a swampy area around the Black Creek. The mountain laurel grows on the steep hill.    Two long flights of steps down the hillside.  Swampy areas with cypress trees are my favorite kind of place to explore.  Most of the trail was an elevated boardwalk over the mud and water.   We could see and hear birds but none would stay still except this black and white warbler (?).   The water was wonderful with its many reflections.   A great place to visit.  We were so happy we made the drive and wish we lived closer to this place.   I would walk it every day.   A collage in the extras.

Then we took a road I had never traveled to get to LeNoir Store at Horatio.  The store dates back to the 1800's and is the oldest general store that is still open in South Carolina but only as the local Post Office!   We were able to take some photos of the old things in the store.  They are looking for someone to take over that part to keep it as a tourist attraction.   We were hoping they would sell hot dogs as it was way past lunch and nothing in the area to eat!!   

Then onward toward the way home...u turn at an old church from 1895.  Really pretty sitting in the oaks and magnolias.  Mr. Horatio LeNoir who the town and store were named for and his family are all buried in the graveyard.  Photo in the extra.  

Then heading toward home again..u turn.... as we spotted an old grist mill building and some other buildings.   Boykin Mill and mill pond.   There is a steak house that overlooks the pond but it appeared to not be open now.   Through the trees we saw another building that was Swift Creek Church.   Photos in the extras. 

Finally on the road again..oh look at the spillway that we could just see from the road so with no traffic I stopped in the road for Risee to take a photo.. what are those white things in the trees I asked!    Egrets nesting!   Lots of them!     I pulled off into the little driveway area and stopped at the posted sign.   Trying not to trespass.   We took some photos as best we could (guess who did not take the long range lens! )  As we were walking to get in the car a truck pulled up behind it...caught!    I walked up the man and told him we had seen the birds from the road and were trying to get photos as we rarely see that many at one time where we live.   He said pull on up on the road and take as many as you want!!!   Talk about some happy girls!!!    He went in to the area to close up the spillway as they were draining some of the water from the pond from all the recent rain.   He told us to stay as long as we wanted and waved goodbye!!     So we were out there about 45 minutes among possible hundreds of egrets and other birds.   They were building nests, some were sitting on the nests and some were standing by the nests which might have had eggs.    What a great day for us!!   More photos of the egrets in the extras.   (I don't know why these photos did not load in order as taken!)

Always take the road never traveled!!