To celebrate the start of fall, our family decided to enjoy all of Heron Bay’s outdoor activities in one day. I’m here to report that it can’t be humanly done. As herons, we were able to take shortcuts by flying, and even we couldn’t do it.

We started out with by going to the Canongate Grille for a filling breakfast.  Spalding and I had a putting contest on the practice green while we waited for the girls to finish eating. I hate to admit that he beat me three out five putts.

Our next stop was to enjoy some of the trails in the neighborhood. This time, Haley created a contest to see who could identify the most native plants. Over the course of the morning, our little environmentalist identified more flora and fauna than the rest of us could imagine. Luckily, she had brought along her plant guide, so Helen and I were able to verify her answers. Poor Spalding. He wouldn’t have had a chance at all if it hadn’t been for the markers Heron Bay has placed along the trails.

Next came a picnic at Lakefront Park. Helen had fixed lunch, and Spalding ate most of it himself in the sandwich-eating contest. Afterwards, the kids wanted to have a race to the playground. I beat both of them this time. While they challenged each other to everything from swinging the highest to crossing the monkey bars the fastest, Helen snapped pictures and I watched.

When Helen woke me up, it was time to head to the lake for a canoe trip. You wouldn’t believe who paddled the fastest – Helen! Once we got to our favorite, secluded spot, we just relaxed on the water awhile. The kids were tired, so Helen told them a story. While they napped, Helen and I enjoyed watching the other other birds, the dragon flies and all the other creatures who make their homes there. It really took us back to the old days.

That evening, we went to the Lodge and gathered around the outdoor fireplace with neighbors. The kids challenged the parents to a game of kickball on one of the playing fields, and, wouldn’t you know it, the kids won. Isn’t that always the way?

When the day came to a close – and you can tell it was a fast-paced day – we still hadn’t played golf (I would have won easily) or tennis (Haley’s the champ there). We hadn’t visited the trails at Cubihatcha Outdoor Center, which is just adjacent to us. And we hadn’t even played in our own backyard!

One thing is for certain: there’s no contest when you want to spend day enjoying the nice fall weather. Heron Bay is definitely the place to be.

They say the early bird gets the worm, and as a result I have not told you about Canongate Grill before now. I’m normally up at the crack of dawn, and I knew this little spot by the golf course opened at sunrise. It’s my favorite place to fly by for breakfast before I hit the links – and sometimes even when I’m headed somewhere else.

Well, as a heron, I was always taught that you keep your best fishing spots to yourself lest some other heron come along and get all your fish. Old habits die hard, and I have to admit that I was worried too many people might start eating breakfast at Canongate Grill and all the food might be gone. Was I ever wrong? You see, people, unlike birds, just keep the plates coming. Recently, I’ve gotten there as late as 11 a.m., and I learned that not only was there still plenty to eat, but they serve lunch and dinner, too. They have a large variety of food, including things the kids will like. Hamburgers, steak salads and their signature wraps are just a few. The prices range from $4 to $15, so it’s a great place to take the whole family.

For guests who can’t fly in, they have walk up service. You can also sit at a table if you have time. They have room to seat 80 inside, plus extras on the patio. I hate that I have missed some of the fun events they have for members, especially the seafood luau and the low country boil. There’s nothing better than having someone else do your fishing for you.

Canongate Grill is open seven days a week. They generally start serving breakfast around sunrise, but they don’t close until 7 p.m. I don’t think it will be my morning stop anymore – I think it’s going to be my stop-by-anytime place. They’re just that friendly, the menu is that good, and they’re not running out of food anytime soon.

I guess this is one case where the early bird isn’t the only one who gets to eat!

I took some time to fly around the neighborhood the other day and was hit in the head with a tennis ball! I flew down to take a look, and it was a lob by my own Haley, who’s working hard on her backswing. As I watched her finish up her lesson, a little birdie told me some great news: Heron Bay’s Summer Mixed ALTA Team won their B# Division! It was the team’s first year together, and they made it all the way to the third round of city playoffs.

There’s good news for others who want to get into the swing of things, too. In the fall, the Heron Bay Tennis Club will have a junior boys’ team, two men’s teams, and one ladies’ ALTA team. The Club hopes to have two ladies teams by winter.

Right now, the teams are playing at a really high level, so the Tennis Club plans to start some beginner and intermediate level teams as well. Haley’s hoping they’ll start a junior girls’ team by the time she’s old enough to join, but she needs to practice more first. Trust me. I have the black and blue knot on my head to prove it.

Haley, Spalding, Helen and I have spent recent late summer afternoons practicing our gallops. Galloping is okay if you’re a horse, but it’s a bit difficult for a heron. And we have to make sure we’re ready because the firth annual Goblin Gallop is October 25th – only a couple of months away!

The Goblin Gallop is Heron Bay’s fundraiser for the Hands of Hope Clinic, which provides medical and dental services to uninsured residents of Henry County. Last year, more than 230 of us participated and raised more than $20,000 for the clinic.

To prepare for this year’s Goblin Gallop, our family is doing a few critical things. Helen and I are preparing for the 6K run, and Haley and Spalding are gearing up for the one mile run. Haley’s planning on helping with the tot trot for some of her preschool friends, too.

Just as important as our training, we’re planning our costumes.  Spalding and Haley are both eager to win the prize for the most creative costume, so they’re working on something both unexpected and easy to run in.

The third thing we’re doing is recruiting our friends to run. After all, the Hope Clinic will get more money, and more of our favorite people will have the chance to fall in love with Heron Bay. When I mentioned it at work, I immediately ran into a snag with my friends who attended the University of Georgia – it would appear the Dawgs are playing LSU that day. A quick call to the folks at Heron Bay let me know they really do think of everything. They’re broadcasting the game on a plasma television during the race. And guess what – they’re going to raffle the tv off after the race! That’s more money for the Hands of Hope Clinic, and more hope for me finally getting the tv I’ve always wanted! Helen and I each got a raffle ticket just for registering for the 6K.

Anyone who wants to participate can pre-register at www.HeronBayInfo.com or for a slightly higher fee, register onsite the day of the event. The 6K is $15 ($20 at the door), and the one mile run/walk is $10 ($15 at the door). The 60-yard Tot Trot for ages five and under is free.

If you see our family training around the neighborhood, please stop and say hello. We’ll be the only herons who are attempting to gallop!

All summer long, the children have been begging my wife to make her famous blueberry pie. So last weekend, we decided that we would get the whole family involved in the preparation by going to the “Greenleaf Blueberry Farm” in Hampton.

This family farm is ran by Mrs. Olmstead who takes care of it for her in-laws, who also live on the property. Mrs. Olmstead is a special needs teacher who is passionate about blueberries and opens the farm each summer to allow families to come and pick their own fresh berries.

We had so much fun! When we got there, Mrs. Olmstead gave us each a bucket and pointed us in the right direction. We were followed by some friendly dogs who seemed excited to see some new faces. We spent a while picking the berries and just enjoying the early morning weather. Once we had picked close to three gallons of berries, Mrs. Olmstead was friendly enough to package them for us for the quick trip home. She also shared a few secret family recipes with us, just in case we had some berries left over after we baked our pie.

Once we were home, we all worked together to wash the berries and bake the pie. My kids were so excited to be involved and it was great watching them work together.

We enjoyed the homemade pie after dinner with some vanilla ice cream. It was so delicious, and I could really taste the fresh, juicy blueberries. There’s nothing like fresh berries in a homemade pie! And the kids enjoyed it so much that we decided to take Mrs. Olmstead’s recipe and use the leftover berries the next morning.

Spending the day with my family at the blueberry farm was great fun. My kids really enjoyed it, and are already asking to go back! I would highly recommend that all of my friends and neighbors here at Heron Bay make a trip to the farm a summer tradition. Not  only do you get to spend a wonderful fun day with your family, but you get a yummy pie at the end of that day!

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!