Hello neighbors! I had a lovely Sunday afternoon full of excitement and fun. Three boisterous boys and I flew from one end of Heron Bay Golf and Country Club to the other playing games and enjoying the weather in our neighborhood. I am continually surprised by the fun and trouble my fine feathered son can get into!

Spalding had his four best friends over to play yesterday, and they certainly had a blast. First, they had a rowing contest at Spalding’s favorite hole in the beautiful Cole Reservoir. They rowed and rowed all around the lake, enjoying the breeze and the sunshine! All of the boys had a blast!

Next, the boys went swimming at the neighborhood Aquatic Center. They wanted to spend time in each of the pools, soaking up the rays. First, the boys visited the shallow beach-entry pool to get used to the water temperature. Then, they progressed to the nine brightly colored, mushroom- shaped waterfalls where they splashed around and chased one another through the maze of mushrooms. Next, the boys climbed all the way to the top of the two spiraling waterslides and raced one another down the slides to the plunge pool below. After 8 or 9 trips up the slides, the boys (more…)

This past Sunday was a beautiful summer day, and so I decided to make the most of it. My family and I have spent quite a few hot summer days at the pool, so this time I had the shade of trees keep me cool, and got a little nature lesson in the process. Heron Bay has an extensive trail system that encompasses the entire community and offers beautiful views of the whole community, including the Cannongate golf course and the Cole Reservoir. There are so many trails to choose from – White Oak, Buckeye, Fern, Azalea and Hemlock, just to name a few – it was hard to make a decision. Luckily, each trail is marked with a difficulty level and the distance, helping me to narrow down the options!

I made the decision to try out the Oak Trail, which is an easy walk. I wasn’t really looking for exercise as much as I was trying to enjoy the natural surroundings. So, I was incredibly pleased to see that the trail markers tell me specifically what animal and plant species to look out for on the trail. I began my hike down the wooded path, eager to see a White Oak tree standing tall. Just often enough, I ran into trail markers, making the path quite easy to navigate.

I was about half way through when out of nowhere one of my kin popped out of the woods to say hi! It was a wild turkey, and I had no idea that any were even in the area. It was great to catch up and tell him all about the family and how we are now living at Heron Bay and loving it. He told me that he and his friends have run into Heron Bay residents while out and about, but had no idea that we were now in this splendid community.

All in all, it was a fantastic summer afternoon, and I recommend that all of my neighbors try out the nature trails for themselves – you just my run into one of my kin folks!