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.
If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?
The main object I would sell if I was going to open up a shop would be books 📚. Mainly I would sell used books 📚. I love books 📚 and would like being a facilitator to many people’s imaginations through the reading 📖 of books 📚 I would maintain. I would encourage others to come and buy, sell, or trade books 📚 to help enhance their enjoyment of reading.
I have boxes 📦 and boxes 📦 of books 📚 in storage that I would use to help start setting up the shop. The shop would be in a small quaint town filled with awesome people whom I hope would love reading 📖 books 📚 and the fascination to explore the many wondrous experiences the would enjoy through their imaginations.
I would have a wide selection of Amish, Mystery, and Romance fiction. However, I would seek to provide a wide variety of books 📚 across all genres.
In my bookstore, I would also like to encourage authors to come and set up displays for book signing.
I do not think I’d ever be financially stable enough to actually open a shop, but I can imagine and dream.
Sedum sexangulare, also known as Tasteless StonecropLantana ‘New Gold’Sunflower Black Eyed Susan Coneflowers Coleman ( not a flower, but blossoming before my eyes)
Hopefully this counts, it not a lake, river, creek or any other waterway. Instead it is of a Splayground, or in other words a Splash Pad.
I took Coleman to Lineberger Park where there is a Splash Pad known as Splayground. I believe he had tons of fun. He thoroughly enjoyed himself and wished he could have stayed longer.
Coleman running through the Splash 💦 Pad
It’s a delight when I can bring a smile to my grandson’s face and watch him enjoying himself having a fabulously funtastic time.
These are just a sampling of what the weather has been like in my area. Storm after storm after storm keeps thundering down upon us. It might start out sunny in the mornings, but then by nightfall it is pouring down with thunderous rain again. At other times our mornings could start out with dark cloudy skies full of raindrops falling down our way. Sometimes it rains all day and then other times it will clear up during the afternoon only to have thunder showers again during the evening hours.
Raindrops keep falling from the sky Gray Skies
So to say I am tired of having rainy days is no small feat. I think we have had more rain this summer than any other summer in at least the last five years; ( note: my opinion only). I just wish with all this rainfall that our creek would rise, our spillways would be overflowing, and our lakes and rivers would rise. At this time period, our creeks are dry in a lot of areas, are lakes, rivers, and streams are down. Our spillways are not flowing; I love to see the spillways overflowing. Henceforth, even though I am tired of the rainy days I know and understand we need the rain.
Laurel Springs Baptist Church Deep Gap, North Carolina Fairfield Cemetery West Lafayette, Ohio Bobcat Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina Coleman on a Farmall Tractor Clover, South Carolina North Carolina Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park Raleigh, North Carolina
It just seems fitting that the Prompt for Wednesday is Cat. Coleman and I went to The Schiele Museum of Natural History and then across the road to the Gaston County Library. While we we walking around The Farm at the Museum I spotted a cat 🐈 roaming around behind the chicken coop.
Normally cats are not the type of animals one sees in The Farm. Goats 🐐, Sheep 🐑, Chickens 🐓, Rabbits, and Turkeys 🦃 are the farm animals that are kept and cared for here. Cats 🐈, however, are not what’s cared for here.
Evidently, this cat 🐈 thought it belonged roaming around at The Farm. Therefore, I snapped a few photos of it. Then, I read what the Prompt was and knew that it was fate that I spotted the cat 🐈 yesterday.
Deep Pink & Middle Yellow Flowers vs. Black & White Purple & lone Yellow Flowers vs. Black & White Red & Yellow Flowers vs. Black & White Pink & Yellow Quilt Square vs. Black & White [Side Note: Quilt made by my Maternal Grandmother]
Coleman Enjoying Time in the Sunshine with His Mom
This is a rare occasion when Coleman has his mom running around and playing with him. She’s usually working all the time, seven days a week. She’s usually exhausted when she gets home from working and her only desire is to relax. Therefore, seeing her having fun outdoors with Coleman brings joy and sunshine 🌞 to my soul.
Does your kitchen have a pantry or utility room? Our present kitchen has a pantry closet. It’s not very big but it suffices for now.
How good are you at DIY? No, I am not too good at DIY’s. However, my daughter is very talented at DIY’s.
Does your home lack something you wish it had? (ie. an open fire, second bathroom, garage, etc). My home lacks being a house. It is an apartment and doesn’t have the same appeal or feel to it when we lived in a house. Other than that, it does not have an area where I can set up my sewing machine to work on projects I’d like to do. It also doesn’t have a garage, but as an adult I have never had a garage. It would be nice though.
Are you an early bird or night owl? I am definitely a night owl. Despite that fact my grandson wakes me up early every morning. I tend to be awake late at night when our place is extremely quiet and peaceful. That is the time when I am able to accomplish most of my thinking, blogging, reading and relaxing.
Gratitude:
It is always good to receive, but so much better to give.
Have you ever seen an Eumorpha pandorus? I had not seen one before today. Do you know what it is? I did not when I first saw it as I looked through my kitchen window. Usually I only see the pesky flies I posted for Denzil’s Nature Photo Challenge – Denzil Nature #23-Flies.
Eumorpha pandorus on outside Common Fly on inside Close-Up of Pandorus sphinx moth Shot from Outside of Window
The Pandora sphinx moth (Eumorpha pandorus), also called the pandorus sphinx moth, is a North American moth in the family Sphingidae. It is a large, greenish gray moth with darker patches and pink edges and small pink eyespots. The underside is usually pale yellow-green or brown. It has a wingspan of 3¼–4½ inches (8.2–11.5 cm), females being slightly larger than males. Pandora sphinx moths fly during dusk. Some places see only one generation a year, while others…. iNaturalist.com
Pandora sphinx moth (Eumorpha pandorus) from the Inside of the Window
This Pandora sphinx moth was very different than other moths I’ve seen hanging around and definitely not one of the pesky flies that can be annoying.
Adult moths fly at dusk. Like other Sphingidae, adult pandora sphinx moths have a long proboscis that is used to feed on nectar.
The species is widespread in the east, the southeast and the center of North America, from Nova Scotia and Ontario to Florida and eastern Texas. It is not present in Mexico or the American Southwest. Wikipedia
What do you think about my new visitor? I that it was interesting. Since I did not previously know what it was I had to look it up. Being new to me I thought I’d share it with all of you, my friends. The Eumorpha pandorus decided to hand around all day and last I checked was still hanging around.
Ludwigs Monday Windows(I know it’s not Monday but couldn’t resist linking it up anyway.)
Horizontal & Vertical Knotted Robe LinesColeman in the Middle of Diagonal Rope Lines Wooden FenceLinesLine Breaks on a Wooden Pathway Thunder Clouds above Power lines
Common Name(s): Carolina Wild-petunia Wild Petunia
The Carolina Wild Petunia are extremely common in North Carolina. They are found in lawns and woodlands. This Wild Petunia was seen at Anne Springs Close Greenway along the trails at the Adventure Road Entrance. Many times, even though these flowers are beautiful, they are overlooked and sometimes considered a lawn weed. The Carolina Wild Petunia’s flowers only last a day, but they also have a long flowering period which compensates for the shorter blooming time.
Common Name(s): Cuckoo’s Pint Italian Arum Italian Lily Italian Lords and Ladies Orange Candle Flower Previously known as: Arisarum italicumItalian Arum is a herbaceous perennial and member of the Araceae family. It was originally planted as an ornamental groundcover. It is now considered invasive in some parts of the United States because it is difficult to control and spreads rapidly. All parts of this plant are poisonous to humans and wildlife. The plant can cause skin irritation and illness. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
I never know how many photos I will have to delete whenever Coleman gets ahold oh my phone. This time it was over > 100 photos. Luckily I caught it in time before the backup to the cloud was initiated.
Some of the other photos were similar to these and others were of the rug, parts of his train tracks, or nothing at all. Hope you are not bothered too much by the open with food it mouth shots. It just turned four (4) so his pictures can be interesting at times.
Playing in his Turtle SandboxSplashing in the Greenway Spillway Relaxing on our New Recliner Loveseat A Year Comparison Playing in Lake Crandall Riding His New 2-Wheel Bicycle
Road to Sonic Abilene, TexasDown Broadway San Diego, California [From my Post Card Collection]Along the Blue Ridge Parkway Traphill Road North Carolina To Downtown West Jefferson, North Carolina Up a Dirt Road By Horse and Buggy Deep Gap, North Carolina Throwback Photo From my Maternal Grandfather
Carolina Phlox is a lovely long-flowering native with clusters of purple-pink flowers.Phlox carolina, the thickleaf phlox, is a species of flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae.
The specific epithet carolina refers to its native habitat in the eastern United States. It grows in woodland edges and openings. Flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
Catawba Woven Basket Disc Golf MarkerIpomoea pandurata Wild Potato Vine Shot on Canon EOS Rebel T3iCampsis radicans American Trumpet Vine Coleman on his New 2-Wheel Bicycle
What is a library card? A library card is a card provided by a library so that library patrons can borrow a variety of materials including books and magazines. A library card is often required if a person wants to take advantage of other library services as well. Public libraries issue library cards free of charge to people who live in the library’s city but require patrons to pay for replacement cards.
The early libraries were non-circulating libraries. That meant that patrons needed to use the book or books in the library, and could not check out any books to take home for usage by themselves or their families.
In the 19th century, a free public library movement began. Before 1850, libraries consisted of subscription collections for members only to use. The first known publicly funded library was established in Peterborough, New Hampshire, where in 1833 the town meeting voted to use a part of the state literary fund for the support of schools instead to purchase books for a free town library.
However, the free public library movement really began in 1849, when the New Hampshire legislature authorized towns to levy taxes for the establishment and support of public libraries.
When did library cards become necessary? With the public library movement in the 19th century, it became necessary to register users who were permitted to borrow books and connect those users with the borrowed items. Originally this was done with cumbersome ledger systems, with each page representing a borrower and the books borrowed (and returned) listed.
1955 Library Card San Diego, California
The above library card was issued to my mother with an expiration date of May 1955. My mom was avid reader all her life. I do not remember going to a brick and mortar public library in my grade school days. Where we lived a bookmobile came onto our street approximately a long block away from our home. I do recall going into the bookmobile and being allowed to check out books 📚 to bring home to read. In the beginning, my mom would accompany my brother and me to the bookmobile.
Gaston County Library Card
As you can see the contrast from the San Diego Library Card from the 1950’s and the present day Library Card, there are several differences and yet they both serve the same exact purpose. That of allowing someone to check out various materials such as 📚 to take home to peruse at their leisure.
I have had several library cards over the years and have taken great pleasure in checking out books, movies. I also enjoyed the ability to use the libraries resources and computers for family research, search for jobs or for whatever purpose I needed at various times.
How about you? Do you or have you owned a library card? A library card opens the world to a vast resource of knowledge.
Early Log House Catawba Indian Village Schiele Museum of Natural History Gastonia, North Carolina
A Look Inside an Early Log House:
Sleeping Area Eating Area
Hand Woven Basket Fireplace Wooden Chair and TableHand Woven Baskets on Floor
Outside an Early Log House:
Coleman Looking Inside the Door Coleman thinking about Shutting the Door
Weakened by diseases. broken treaties , and the loss of tribal lands to European settlers, many Catawba people moved westward into the North Carolina Mountains where they were greatly influenced by their Cherokee neighbors, This cabin known as a Log House (ca. 1860) contains European-style fumiture, crockery, and other items that reflect the time period. It reflects the continued assimilation of the Catawba People into European settler culture and is similar to many 19th century homes found in non-native seftlements of the mountains and piedmont.
These photos of an Early Log House and its contents are examples of how the Catawba Indians lived and how European culture influenced their everyday existence.
1. Expensive or sentimental, what is priceless to you? For me, what is priceless is the memories made with family and friends. Memories of trips we’ve taken, activities we shared, and the love we had/have for each other.
Now if you’re interested in objects, it is not the expensive but rather the sentimental value of an object that makes it priceless to me. For example, I have a shelf unit that, for me, it irreplaceable. Why is it irreplaceable? It is because of the sentimental value attached to it. Why is it sentimental? It is sentimental since my dad made it for me, out of love, with his own two hands.
2. What do you consider to be ‘a quiet night in’?A “quiet night in” would, for me, require complete quiet. A quiet evening for me to read, blog, or just chill. Most often I alternate between reading and blogging and completing my thoughts so I am better able to communicate what’s on my mind and heart.
3. Do you believe in Soul Mates? I’m sure many people believe in soul mates, however, if they exist I do not think I’ve ever truly found mine. I had someone whom I thought was a life partner but it didn’t turn out to be a reality for me.
4. Can you dance? (for example: old time, disco, jive) Dancing is something I have not done too much of and not at all such my husband and I split years ago. I grew up in a church that did not approve of dancing, thinking it inappropriate behavior. After I moved out of the family home in my early twenties, I did go to places where dancing took place a few times. The type of dancing I used to do was the country two-step. I can still remember dancing with my husband and how it made me feel.
Gratitude:
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
Hello, my community circle of friends. We do live in a big world in the atmosphere of Earth. We all share a common interest in a blogging universe. We want to share our voice, with the world. We may share it through our words, through our photography, or through our stories. Regardless of our methods we all share a love with our circle, our community of friends both online and in person, within our vast differences and our commonalities.
Thank y’all for being my friends, for being a part of my community, for being within my circle of friends, and sharing your photos, your gracious comments, your interests, your challenges and also your encouragement. I am blessed to be in this community, having each of you in my circle of friends. Thank you!
These flowers are really small herbaceous perennial. They have grass-like evergreen foliage and lilac-purple flowers which produce single-seeded berries on a spike in the fall.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 
