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.
1. What is your idea of a good holiday? Seeing the sights, lazing on a beach, hitting the night spots, getting away from it all……………….
My idea of a good holiday is spending it with those I love and care about. Now if you want to talk about seeing sights or petite on a beach, to me, that would be a vacation not a holiday.
2. You are offered tickets to a show. Which would you prefer, Opera, Play, Cinema, Entertainment, Ice Gala, something else?
If offered tickets to a show I would go see any of those choices, however, my favorite would be to attend a local play.
3. Have you ever won a sports trophy (or something similar for a particular achievement)?
No, I have never won a sports trophy or any other kind of a similar award.
4. What is your dream car (fact or fictional)?
My dream car would not really be a car ( in my opinion), but it would be a camper van. I long to own one and travel across America visiting every one of the forty-eight connected states. I would travel to see National Parks and monuments as well as visit family and friends in the various cities and states while traveling to my heart’s content.
I actually have a different wallpaper for three different focus pages:
Coleman Collage Coleman on Engine 4 Gastonia Fire Department Station 4 Gastonia, North Carolina, USA Terry Leon Wilson 1954-2018 Vietnam Veteran
On my Laptop:
Lake Haigler Lake Haigler Entrance Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA Coleman laying on the grass after sliding down the “Slide” Lake Haigler Entrance Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
Not sure if wintery frigid cold days count or not, however, I couldn’t resist adding a couple anyway-
Aftermath of Wintry Storms: Cloudy skies over Anne Springs Close GreenwayDoes Foggy Weather count as Cloudy? Historic Hutchinson Homestead; Stone Mountain State Park; Roaring Gap, North Carolina, USACloudy Skies while Driving the BlueRidge Parkway Near Boone, North Carolina, USA
Graffiti-PPAC Founders Trail Carolina Thread Trail Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA Catawba River Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA Coleman BMX Playground Riverwalk Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
For the past two weeks (since Thanksgiving) I haven’t been able to get out and capture any scenery around me. Coleman and I have been sick with a bacterial infection consisting of chest congestion and a really bad cough. Over the counter medicine was not working for him so we finally took him to the doctor who prescribed an antibiotic. Hopefully all will be better soon.
We’ve been having issues in our townhome with pests and so today we bombed our place. (The pest controls the complex uses does not work!) So, we took it upon ourselves to try to remedy the problem. With bombing the place, we needed to get out of the place for a few hours, therefore we decided to go for a drive.
Driving around down in the Clover area, I noticed this table and seating outside the Clover Post Office and located near the drop off area. I have never seen seating outside of a post office before. My daughter obliged me to stop the vehicle a moment so I could snap a photo of the unusual (to me anyway) seating at the post office.
Southern Industries Mill Clover, South Carolina, USA
Former Southern Industries Mill in Clover, SC was a Yarn Spinning Mill that closed in 2007. This was originally built in 1923 (per tax records) as part of the Hampton Spinning Mill (until 1945), then American Thread Company until 1985.
In 1945, it was home to the American Thread Company.
This abandoned mill was one of the last textile mills in South Carolina to fall, following a long line of closures throughout the second half of the twentieth century as competition from foreign countries like China and India crippled an industry that once dominated South Carolina’s Upstate. Called Southern Industries of Clover, its doors closed in 2007.
Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson was my fourth cousin, but more importantly than that he was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, and gospel music. He won the Grammy Awards seven times as well as earning the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Doc Watson was born in Deep Gap, North Carolina on March 3, 1923, and passed from this life into the next on May 29, 2012, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the age of 89. Doc was blind from infancy. He grew up on a farm and was encouraged at an early age, by his father, to learn to play the guitar, banjo, and harmonica. He often picked out tunes he heard on the radio or on old records. He introduced a flat-picking style which elevated the acoustic guitar from a rhythmically strummed background instrument to a leading role in bluegrass, country, folk, and rock music.
Doc’s Appalachian culture and roots enabled him to be presented to become the region’s unofficial ambassador to the world stage. He made appearances all across the country and recorded his first solo album in 1964. Je also recorded an album with his son, Merle in 1965. In 1973, Arthel “Doc” Watson received his first honorary doctorate. He continued to perform his musical talents until 2012, when he made his final appearance at MerleFest. MerleFest was started in 2009 in honor of Doc’s son Merle who passed on in 1985.
Doc Watson recorded over 40 albums; been awarded eight Grammys; held honorary doctorates from University of North Carolina Asheville and Berklee College of Music as well as Appalachian State University at the time of his death. He also received the North Carolina Award, the North Carolina Folk Heritage Award, a National Heritage Fellowship, and the National Medal of the Arts; been inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor; and was honored with a life-size statue on King Street in Boone, North Carolina.
For this challenge I decided to go with a holiday/Christmassy take on Unique. A different perspective on Christmas trees and a snowman for the winter season.
The day Pearl Harbor, a U. S. Naval Base in Hawaii was attacked in a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. This attack devastated Pearl Harbor enormously. The United States lost 2,403 Americans, and 1,178 others were seriously wounded. This strike also produced significant naval and military asset losses some of which included battleships and aircraft. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the major factor that impelled the United States to enter World War II.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day December 7, 2023 (twitter.com)
President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that this day would live in ‘infamy.’ This day also noted a significant shift in the global conflict and was a pivotal moment in the History of the United States of America.
Every year on December 7, Pearl Harbor Survivors, veterans, and visitors from all around the world unite together to honour and remember those 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
It was on August 23, 1994 that the United States Congress designated December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Each year events are held in remembrance at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, concluding with a commemoration ceremony on December 7.
This year marks the 82nd Commemoration of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Events were held at the USS Utah, USS Oklahoma, USS Arizona (the Pearl Harbor National Memorial) as well as many other locations around the country.
Many here as well as myself were not alive yet when this attack took place, however its significance still impacts people tremendously.
As a personal note, a friend I knew in the church I grew up in was a Pearl Harbor Survivor. His name is Stuart Hedley. He was my church’s Sunday School Superintendent, an usher, a much loved father, friend, business man, and a much honoured U.S. Navy Veteran having served during World War II, Korean War, and a Pearl Harbor Survivor. He was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and participated in many Veteran ceremonies including Pearl Harbor National Remembrance Day ceremonies. He amongst the many survivors and those who lost their lives that day will forever be remembered in infamy.
Stuart Hedley Pearl Harbor Survivor World War I Veteran
For more information on Stuart Hedley and is remembrance of Pearl Harbor click here.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
I would rather bake a cake, but however, with a lactose intolerant family member we usually do not bake or eat cake. I have not found a lactose free icing recipe I really like and therefore we do not celebrate special occasions with cake. We do occasionally eat lactose free ice cream for special days.
2.Do you have your main meal during the day or in the evening?
If I lived alone, I would have main meal in the middle of the day, but since I don’t, we have it in the evening.
3. Do you have a sweet tooth or prefer Savoury food?
I prefer savory foods nowadays. When I was younger, I enjoyed sweet foods, but not anymore.
4. What is one food you absolutely detest?
Pickles, if I had to pick just one. I do not care for anything salty or vinegary.
No, I do not watch or enjoy reality TV shows. Years ago, I would watch American Idol, but lost interest over the years.
2. If you had the power, where would you send anyone you didn’t like?
Timbuktu. A place often referred to in the heat of the moment when one wants to be far away from someone regardless of whether there is a dislike of the person or just infuriated with them currently. Most times I would not want to send someone away permanently, maybe I might distance myself for a time, but would be better to just show kindness and ask the Lord to help you to understand and show love towards others.
3. Do you enjoy your own company and what do you do with your ‘Me Time’?
I do enjoy my own company and I think I always have. When I have “me time,” which is rare lately, I read and work on blog posts. I used to go on walks or hikes by myself, however, that is currently impossible as am the primary caretaker of my grandson. The only “me time” I get is when I can finally get him to sleep for the night which means I am awake very late into the early morning doing what I love to do, read and write.
4. If you wanted to change anything about your partner/pet/family what would it be?
If I could change anything about my family, I would change some of their habits like vaping, but I know I cannot do that, that can of habitual behavior change had to come from within themselves. I would instead change, if it were possible, our current living environment. I would live in a completely different and separate dwelling and possibly different environment than now. I would prefer, not financially possible currently, to live in a camper van and travel continuously across America visiting relatives and seeing parts of this vast great country I have never seen before.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s Last on the Card photos. I appreciate y’all very much.
Is it too Early for Christmas decorations? For Christmas themed store Windows and Doors? Evidently not for some businesses. These Festive Holiday Doors and Windows were painted by a friend of mine out in San Diego County. Hope y’all enjoy them.
The Goat in the middle of the trio was getting a shot and medicinal cream for his eczema. It took two to hold him during the process he wouldn’t buck, sometimes precautions are necessary.
The Goats can relax and have fun now. Goat 🐐 Life at The Farm
These are Collard Green Plants grown at The Gardens in The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina. Many people in the South eat Collard Greens on a regular basis. Personally, I did not grow up as a child eating Collard Greens even though I was born in the South. My mom never fixed them. Now we ate plenty of Spinach and other types of greens just not Collards. What are your thoughts on eating Collard Greens?
The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium is our favorite place to go to in our city, however, the most favorite place we love to go, and hike is in a town called Fort Mill. Fort Mill has many interesting places to visit where you can hike, or just enjoy the scenery.
The place we like to go and hike the most is called Anne Springs Close Greenway. The Greenway has five (5) different points of entrance and one can hike any one of the many trails on the 2,100 acres of nature preserve. The trails cover thirty-six (36) miles of hiking pleasure for hikers, runners, walkers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders to enjoy. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.
Whenever we are able to visit the Greenway, we like to enter at a different entrance point every time. Visiting different entrances gives us access to the many different trails and beautiful scenery accessible at the various locations. The most popular entrance is the Lake Haigler Entrance and is used by guests frequently. The entrances are:
Lake Haigler Entrance/Greenway Gateway – activities my include hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing (free for members only, must have an SC Fishing License), or enjoy a meal at the Canteen. A new children’s playground is being constructed at this entrance.
Points of Interests: Greenway Gateway (Visitor Center), Gateway Canteen (Dining), Bruce Rush Pavilion, Historic Nation Ford Road, Kayak Launch, Swinging Bridge, and Scoville Dock.
Dairy Barn Entrance – hiking, close to the main Suspension Bridge and the Greenway Spillway.
Points of Interest: Founders Dairy Barn, Betsy McLean Plant-A-Row for the Hungry Garden, Comporium Amphitheater, Faires-Coltharp Cabin, Graham Cabin, and Swinging Bridge.
Adventure Road Entrance – hiking and mountain biking, fishing (members only), disc golf, dog park play (Add-on membership required).
Points of Interests: Bob Reid Field Trial Barn, Lake Crandall, Lake Frances, Marion Walsh Outdoor Classroom, Mary Warner Mack Dog Park, Stumpy Pond, Swinging Bridges (3).
Greenway Stables Entrance – hiking, horseback riding (Advanced registration required), visit farm animals, a new children’s farm is in process of being constructed. Coleman loves to visit the many horses and farm animals at this location.
Points of Interest: Greenway Stables, Farm animals
Blue Star Entrance – Mountain biking and hiking
Points of Interest: Garrison-Webb Grist Mill, North Tunnel
I encourage y’all if you are ever in the area to stop by and visit the Anne Springs Close Greenway. Beautiful Nature Preserve, Wildflower Garden, and many amazing sights to see and photograph. My grandson, Coleman, and I love to visit the Greenway any and every opportunity we receive. I highly recommend visiting.
When Coleman and I took an early morning hike along the Nature Trail at The Schiele Museum of Natural History, just before Thanksgiving, I was amazed at the spectacular view of the tremendous number of leaves which had fallen on the ground and in the Pond. It was such an amazing sight I had to capture the moment with my camera. This slideshow is my entry for Dawn’s Festival of Leaves and Jez’s Water Water Everywhere.