This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
Author: Deb L Waters
I am an avid reader. I read mostly Amish fiction but also read other novels. I enjoy romance, mystery, and Christian devotionals. I enjoy hiking in the outdoors, especially in Greenways and State or National Parks. I love my grandson. He is my favorite subject, so I'll post about him and his antics.
Ritva is this week’s host for the Lens-Artist Challenge and she has chosen a theme of Shoot From Above. I do not always shoot from above, however, on occasion I have a fantastic opportunity to do just that.
Here is remembering one of those occasions …
A Look from Mount Jefferson State Natural Area West Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina
More Shots from above at The Peak at Mountain Jefferson State Park …
These were taken in August of 2017 when my eldest son and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway and visited Mount Jefferson, North Carolina. I was in the area for a family reunion in Deep Gap, North Carolina. While in the area, we decided to do some sightseeing and a little hiking. It was a fun weekend of one on one time together.
God Bless. Take a Hike. Get Outdoors. Enjoy the Beauty all Around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy the Outdoors. Ready for Spring yet? I am. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
My first Bench photos for Jude’schallenge are from the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina. I took my grandson, Coleman there in 2021 for a fun day together. I am also linking this post to XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge.
Location: Room Balcony; Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas Cruise Ship; Caribbean Sea; Gulf of Mexico; Near Cozumel, Mexico
God Bless. Travel through Books, On Land or Seas. Enjoy an Adventure. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: It’s a Small World; Disneyland; Anaheim, California, USA
God Bless. Be Observant. Geometric shapes are all around us. Stay Warm. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Good Day to y’all. Welcome to the fourth Which Way Challenge for 2025. This week I have chosen a theme of Any Which with Stairs, Steps, and/or Ladders. It can be anywhere you might find Stairs , Steps, or Ladders whether on a road, a trail, a mall, a construction site or any place conceivably possible for Stairs, Steps, or Ladders. As always, signs are welcome in your Which Ways.
Steps on Haigler Loop Trail in Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina
Steps at South Fork Park Trail McAdenville, North Carolina Steps on Fern Trail Crowders Mountain State Park Kings Mountain, North Carolina Landsford Canal State Park Catawba, SC
Stairs …
Two Sets of Stairs to travel into Town Stairs leading to Inaccessible Railroad Tracks Cramerton, North Carolina
Ladders …
Ladders at a Construction site Coleman climbing Ladder -Age 2
Bonus Throwback Steps …
My Paternal Grandparents Great Falls, South Carolina
Sharing your Which Ways could be one photo or several, it’s all up to you. Don’t feel obligated to share as many as I do.
God Bless. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s Which Ways. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all so very much.
“Advice from a sunflower. Be bright, sunny, and positive. Know your roots. Spread seeds of happiness. Rise, shine, and hold your head up high. Keep on growing. Even on the darkest days, stand tall and find the sunlight.”
~ Unknown
Zen Color App
“True friends are like bright sunflowers that never fade away, even over distance and time.”
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Smell the Flowers. I am Grateful for each and every one of y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Let’s not be in a Conundrum. Let’s be Content. God is in Control. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coleman used his MagnaTiles to construct a bridge over his Brio Railroad Track so his Hot Wheels cars could drive over the track while his Brio trains chug chug chugged down his track.
In Memory Doyce Eileen (Watson) Waters, aka my mom
Six years ago January 18, I received some devastating news, yet expected news. I was at work when my manager called me into his office saying I had a phone call. [Mind you now, I do not normally receive calls while I’m working and especially not on a work phone.]
What news did I receive, you ask? The phone call was from my brother in Texas. He called to let me know our mom had passed during the early morning hours. Yes, that is devastating news to receive and even more so while you are working. Needless to say, my work day ended after that phone call. I had arrangements I needed to make. Arrangements for my daughter and myself to travel to Texas for her memorial service and help my brother with the arrangements. Most of her arrangements were already preplanned.
Notice I said in the beginning the news was expected, just not the when. Why was it expected, you may wonder or might not? You see, my mom was dying from cancer. The type of cancer doesn’t matter. By this time in her life she had had several different types of cancers. She had received the chemotherapy, the radiation, and whatever was decided by her doctors for her previous cancers. This time around she made the decision that she wasn’t going to go through all of those treatments again. She had previously watched how the treatments affected my dad when he received the treatments when he was diagnosed and treated for cancer. (As of December 31st, it has been 28 years since my dad passed from cancer.) After receiving her diagnosis of cancer this last time, I believe she was ready to join her husband, loved ones, and friends in heaven.
Her passing affected me even though we were not close in my adult life. I loved my mom, don’t doubt that and I know she loved me. However, I truly felt that she did not like me or anything about me. To me, (my opinion only) she favored my brother and his family over me and my family. Now if you asked him, he’d probably disagree with my opinion. That doesn’t matter, that’s how I felt.
When she passed in January of 2019, I had not seen my mother since 2010 when she along with my brother came out to watch my daughter graduate from high school. Even then, she only spent a few hours with my daughter and myself the whole time she was in the Carolinas. They stayed with my dad’s sister, we saw them the for an hour the Thursday before my daughter’s graduation, at her graduation, and then for an hour at her graduation/birthday party the Sunday after her graduation. To me, it felt like very little time. Especially since afterwords, she moved from her home in San Diego to Plano, Texas to be near my brother and his family. Back then, I felt hurt and probably resented that she was closer to my brother.
Nowadays, I think I should have reached out to her more instead of just living my life struggling to provide for my family. It is sad that we didn’t have the kind of relationship that I now wish we had. The saying is true, you never know what you have or could have had until it is gone. I still think of my mom at times. Especially this time of year and in October around her birthday.
I do not mean to sound frustrating, angry, or like I’m having a “pity party.” Sometimes, you just need to let go of things, pour your heart out, and try to remember the good times.
Here is a few photos of my mom …
Remember you may click on each photo for larger enhanced viewing.
Monday Window is a weekly blog post challenge featuring one or more photos of windows, prominently or as the main subject.
Geometric Construction Windows
► Tag your post “Monday Window” (NOTE: Put a space between Monday and Window, no “s”, Window is singular.) The WordPress Reader will show most of the recent posts tagged this way (alas, not all).
I wish I had a telescope 🔭 and could take pictures through it. This week the evening sky is delightful. Several planets are visible and a rare planetary parade is coming to the skies on the 21st. That’s why I wish I had a telescope, six planets (maybe seven) will be visible including Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus.
Enough of my wishes and here’s to show you what I could see just through my iPhone tonight.
Original
Reel Filter effect
Vista Monochrome filter effect
According to Google Lens Search what I captured is the Constellation Orion.
Now to show you what stylized creation Google Photos Al created of my evening sky.
Google Al Stylized effect
Before you ask, I will tell you that I really do not comprehend how Al arrived at this interpretation of my evening sky. Your guess would be as good as mine.
Location: Our Backyard View; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Look up and enjoy the fantastic wonders of the 🌌. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very my.
On Monday, after our weekend winter weather, was a delayed start for school for Coleman. Therefore, we were at the bus stop an hour later than normal and were treated with an amazing Red Sky. I am not sure if we need to take warning, that bad weather is coming or not. The weather forecast keeps changing from possible more winter weather to only rainy days ahead.
Welcome to the third Which Way Challenge for 2025. This week I have chosen a theme of Any Which Way with People in it. It can be where you capture people unaware as your out and about on the road, path, or trail. As always, signs are welcome in your Which Ways.
Coleman and I went hiking along the Disc Golf Trail at Goat Island Park and Greenway before the freezing cold weather it our area. The Disc Golf Trail is a natural dirt trail, mostly smooth with some tree roots and lots of leaves this time of the year.
Coleman on the trail
Coleman loves to lead the way and is often ahead of me. I allow some lead way as long as he’s in my line of sight.
Looking across the river at another trail, we spot a small group of visitors checking out the fishing access.
Moving along the way we came across several of the disc catchers. This is number 10 of 20 along the trail course.
Coleman checking out the disc golf sign and catcher.
While hiking along the trail Coleman spots a downed tree and decided to climb up And investigate. He hence Pulls Up a Seat waiting for me to catch up.
Crossing over onto another section of the trail we encounter a man jogging through the trail.
A Lone Jogger
Continuing on our hike we try to maneuver around to reach the bridge.
Coleman heading towards the Bridge
We managed to reach the bridge and were able to venture on towards where we began.
Coleman crossing the bridge & noticing the shadows
As we near the end of the bridge heading back to the entrance, we see a family approaching our way. One of the little girls is attempting to ride her bike up the hill.
I am looking forward to seeing y’all’s Which Ways with People. I am grateful for those who have chosen to participate and support this challenge. Won’t you take the initiative and join the Which Way Challenge? For more information on the Which Way Challenge Check out the new Which Way Challenge Page here.
Still a bit behind, but better late than never. Trying to catch up … too cold (for me) to go hiking. That’s okay, it gives me more time to think and write.
Here are my answers to this week’s questions:
1. Of all the household chores (laundry, dusting, hoovering, washing up, cooking etc) which is your least favourite?
My least favourite household chore tends to be sweeping and dusting. ( Does that count as one? Oops it’s probably two, but go hand in had.) I have allergies to dust, so anything that stirs dust up is put off until absolutely deemed necessary.
2. With food prices going up all the time, do you buy less, find substitutes, or don’t buy at all?
Regardless of food prices, we try to continue buying the food items we prefer and or need. I have always tended to buy store brand labels whenever possible. All store brand products are manufactured by name brand suppliers and most of the time are equal to the brand name labels. My grandson does not like meat unless it’s veggie meat with the exception of tuna. He prefers to eat fruits and vegetables. For any can or frozen fruit and vegetables, I buy store brand products. And yes, they may cost more but we do buy him plenty of fresh fruits. However, we try to buy them when they are on sale.
3. Do you enjoy meals with left overs?
I grew up having leftovers for meals at least once a week. Serving leftovers for meals helps reduce waste and helps reduce stored food in the refrigerator. So, yes, we still have leftovers for meals at least once a week.
4. Do you prefer bagels, crusty bread, or toast?
Let’s add a few more selections like muffins or biscuits.For breakfast, I prefer Bagels and/or Biscuits. I tend to alternate them throwing in toasted Oat Bread for egg sandwiches on occasion. For lunch, if I have bread it is Oat Nut Bread. For Supper, I like to have Biscuits or Crescents depending on what I choose to fix. Some meals I do not eat any bread.
Gratitude:
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Smell the Flowers. I am Grateful for each and every one of y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Let’s roam around and embrace numbers in life and in nature. As many of you might know my grandson, Coleman and I enjoy hiking together out amongst the trees, along Greenways, and within our state and local parks. This first image is of a group of about eleven painted rocks some of which display a message which the painter wishes to convey. Others are just for the fun and beauty to hopefully bring you joy and a smile.
“Embrace life with a smile.” Author unknown
“Life is a journey, not a destination.”(Author unknown). As we continue embracing life and nature, shall we stop and enjoy the beauty of five flowers along the pathway.
“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson
As the flowers bloom and remind us there is hope for the world and life needs to be embraced wherever and whenever possible.
Embracing the living creatures two by two different yet enjoying the same space and time. Embrace the NumbersTwo Horses sharing the pasture with Two Canada Geese at Anne Springs Close Greenway.,
“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” — Stephen R. Covey
Whether one is out in nature or in a classroom, there is unity in numbers. Children learn the importance of Embracing Togetherness. They can learn that even though we are different, we are all the same, united for a purpose.
Nine Students and a teacher all wearing green and embracing togetherness in the classroom.
“The unlike is joined together, and from differences results the most beautiful harmony.” — Heraclitus
Leaving the indoor classroom for the classroom in nature, we can learn to embrace the beauty, the elegance, the love one for another, and the strength and power in unity and in numbers.
We can enjoy the beauty and elegance in every flamingo. We can admire their stance and embrace their uniqueness as we observe Five Flamingos and their reflections.
“Embrace the elegance of a flamingo, and let it inspire your life.” — Unknown
Each friendship is as unique and beautiful as a flamingo.”- Unknown. Every creature whether human or animal is unique and beautiful in their own way. Every family has its own uniqueness. They may have the same numbers as other families or may not. They maybe similar, but still different in their own special way. No two families are exactly alike, that’s why we should embrace our own families with love and respect.
We see and observe various “families” in nature, like this family of Seven Canada Geese sticking together yet apart at Andrew Jackson State Park.
We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another. — Luciano De Crescenzo
Let’s keep on moving and striving for unity for there is power in numbers. Turtles gather together in numbers sunning on logs and enjoying time swimming together in a river. Fourteen Turtles embracing the warmth of the sun and being together in the South Fork Catawba River by South Fork River Park in Northern section of Gastonia, North Carolina.
“There is power in unity, and there is power in numbers.” From Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech “Keep on Moving.”
Now for each of y’all to embrace the challenge and show us how you Embrace the Numbers.
God Bless. Embrace Life. Embrace One Another. Embrace Togetherness. Embrace the Numbers. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
These Throwback images are from my maternal grandfather’s collection of photos I was given from my maternal grandmother after his passing back in 1968. The photo images were originally on personal post cards.
Old Coal Trucks in early 1900’s.
Not sure, but I think this is my maternal grandfather next to the truck.
Original image
I have always thought these were taken in Deep Gap, North Carolina, but I am not one hundred percent (100%) sure. My maternal grandfather did work for a time for a coal mining company.
Remember for enhanced viewing click on each image.
Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stay Safe. Keep Warm. Be Observant. Geometric shapes are all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Today our high was 49° with a low of 26°. It was warmer than the weather we had over the weekend which dipped down into the upper teens and brought us a wee bit of Snow ❄️ (not enough make a Snowman ☃️ and lots of freezing rain overnight. But alas when the Sun came out the next day (even though still cold – low 40’s°) the Snow ❄️ and Ice 🧊 melted.
2. Have you booked your annual vacation yet?
No, I have not booked a vacation yet. Hopefully we will have one this year. Haven’t really had a vacation since 2020.
3. Do you have a passport, and when does it expire?
I do have a passport which I obtained in 2020 and is valid until 2030.
4. When was the last (or first) time you went abroad?
The first time I went abroad to another country was riding a church bus into Tecate, Baja California, Mexico with our church youth group to volunteer and minister to children at the Tecate Mission Orphanage. For this trip crossing into Mexico in the early 1970’s I didn’t need a passport; only needed my U.S. Birth Certificate.
The last time I went abroad was on the Enchantment of the Seas Caribbean Cruise Ship in February of 2020. While on this cruise we docked in Costa Maya, Mexico and Cozumel, Mexico. While docked at the port, I disembarked and wandered around the ports checking out the shops and other places of interest.
Gratitude:
“Today I choose to live with gratitude for the love that fills my heart, the peace that rests within my spirit, and the voice of hope that says all things are possible.”
To do so, simply share the photo* you have set as your wallpaper;
Provide as little or as much detail as you wish;
Use a pingback, or post a link here so I know you have joined in on the fun;
Then finally, share the fun around.
I am sharing my Wallpaper from both my Laptop and my Smartphone. I enjoy looking at different images each month. Most of which revolve around Coleman (my grandson) and nature.
Here are my Smartphone Wallpapers:
Personal Focus
Coleman & Muscovy Duck in Riverside Park and Greenway
Hiking Focus
Coleman checking out the Disc Golf Catcher at Goat Island Park and Greenway
Reading Focus
Coleman playing in the Sand at Riverside Park and Greenway
Here are my Wallpapers from my Laptop:
Laptop Desktop Wallpaper
Coleman sitting on a Tree Limb Goat Island Park and Greenway
Cameras: 1-3) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 4-5) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.
Location: 1-2) Riverside Park and Greenway; 3-5) Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic week. Keep Warm. Stay Safe. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy invites us to join in with her to play “The Numbers Game #56.”Today’s number is 177. To play along, she suggests you go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find that include that number and post a link to your blog in herNumbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.This prompt will repeat each Monday with a new number. If you want to play along, please put a link to your blog in comments below.
Here are my contributions to The Numbers Game Challenge:
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & Star filter attachment.
Location:Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV and Star filter attachments.
Location: Banks of the South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Count your blessings one by one. Be Grateful for all you’ve been given. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
To join the challenge, release a post featuring a window or windows any time during the week.
► Tag your post “Monday Window” (NOTE: Put a space between Monday and Window, no “s”, Window is singular.) The WordPress Reader will show most of the recent posts tagged this way (alas, not all).
► Add a comment to the latest Monday Window post and include a link to your latest Monday Window post.
Please visit the participating blogs. You will be delighted and astounded by the rich and imaginative offerings by the bloggers from around the world.
Location: Outside Confluence South Fork; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Be Kind. Love One Another as Yourself. Don’t let anything get your Goat. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Relax by the River. Be inspired to be You. Nature’s Beauty is amazing. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
For some snow last longer than others depending on your location. In the southeast, snow is not a yearly occurrence. The last Snow we saw was in late January of 2022, three years ago. This year we only received a dusting of snow before it changed to a wintry mix ending with freezing rain.
Now for a look at The Day After …
For my friends in Atlanta, Georgia, they welcomed the snow. They had plenty for their to be played in, but alas it won’t last for long there either.
God Bless. Stay Safe. Keep Warm. Be Observant. Geometric shapes are all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Thursday was cold with lows in the low twenties (21°) warming into the low 40’s.
Friday Afternoon, 01.10
Currently, it is 29° and snowing where we live. Normally, if we get snow ❄️, we don’t get it until near the end of January/early February. We haven’t seen snow since mid-January 2022. WSOC 9 Now reported that this is the “First snow in Charlotte in 1076 days.” [The Town of Cramerton is just 18-20 minutes southwest of Charlotte International Airport.]
As you may have noticed, Coleman managed to scoot past me without proper attire to see our first drops of snow ❄️. Don’t worry, I didn’t let him stay out for very long with no jacket or shoes.
It is supposed to keep snowing until around 6:30 (more or less) and then switch over to a wintry mix throughout the evening and on into early Saturday morning.
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Smell the Flowers. I am Grateful for each and every one of y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 
