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.
Just about everything irritates me regarding the “home” I currently reside within. You might wonder why I stay in my current residence if everything about it irritates me. The predominant reason I reside where I do is my grandson. Right now he is my world 🌎. I take care of him 24/7 in my daughter’s apartment. If it weren’t for him, I’d leave in a heartbeat. But then there’s financial issues which makes it difficult to leave. This is not what or where I thought I’d be just a few short years ago.
What irritates you about the home you live in? Is it the neighborhood? The people you live with? What can you change about it? Would you make changes if you could?
Take a walk with me through the backwoods of the Greenway. See what my grandson and I see as we meander through the trees and along the creek on the Blue Star Trail. The Greenway is one of the happiest places that my grandson loves to be, hiking and enjoying nature.
We entered the Greenway through a path in a Fort Mill neighborhood. This was our first-time entry through this area. we were not sure where we were going or onto which trail, we would encounter as we hiked from this new point of entrance.
We missed the pathway to start with and crisscrossed through the trees until we emerged near a wooden bridge. We saw the Blue Star Trail sign and knew we were about to be in the Greenway. To the left of the wooden bridge is a swinging bridge that was blocked off with caution tape signifying it was unsafe to use. So, we crossed the wooden bridge to begin our hike for the afternoon.
Coming upon a crossroads we weren’t sure whether to go to the right or the left. We went to the left, and it took us away from the Greenway onto a section belonging to the Town of Fort Mill. We didn’t realize this until we stopped at a gate which indicated it was a restricted area. At such time we turned around and proceeded back the way we had traveled. The pathway runs alongside a creek. In the Greenway the trails run along creeks thus we didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary at first.
Once we arrived back at the crossroads, we proceeded to hike the direction we should have gone in the first place, to the right. In this direction we came to another swinging bridge, the Blue Star. This one was okay to cross. My grandson, Coleman loves to run across swinging bridges. It wasn’t that way the first time he went across one, but now he thinks they are fun to cross.
Being the first time, we hiked via this pathway we didn’t go very far. We were not wearing our proper hiking boots and we were just out for a short adventure. Therefore, we at this point went back to the house we were visiting to relax and reflect on our time in the woods.
Not much activity going on in my area this weekend even though we did have rain earlier in the week. It was interesting to see the changes in the cloud formations from one day to the next.
Dale offers the prompt “one winter’s morning”for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge.
One Evening you go to sleep …Thinking about the possibility …Of Snow falling …In your area and think you’re dreaming…Until you wake up and see all this Snow.
And you realize it really truly did snow during the night.
Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge for this week is the Alphabet Letter A at the beginning of a word.
Here are my entries….
Andrew Jackson on screen Andrew Jackson Statue Alabama We Dare Defend Our Rights Alabama Motto Alabama Welcome CenterWall Art North Carolina Transportation Museum Piedmont Airlines Airplane Aquilegia formosa
First of all, Is the billion dollars post taxes? If not, the government would take a huge chunk of it. That being said, with the portion I would actually be able to spend I would first off put a portion of it into stocks and/or bonds to hopefully increase the value.
gettyimages.com
Next, I would set a portion aside in trust funds for my grandchildren that would become theirs when they turn twenty-one. Who knows, I might if I deemed necessary, raise the age in which they would have access to it.
Then, I would purchase or build a modest home somewhere in the country with plenty of land around it. I prefer not having neighbors super close. I do not need or want a gigantic house. Just one that would sufficiently meet my needs.
countryliving.com
I would also donate some of the money to charities that are close to my heart. I would be extremely selective on those charities in which I would choose to contribute.
I would like if at all possible to use a small portion of the money to travel to the various places I can only dream about visiting.
Facebook.com
It is fanciful to think about what one would do with a billion dollars. Saying you’d spend it one way, however, good intentions aside one never knows until one would actually obtain it.
How would you spend a billion dollars if you had it? Spend it on yourself? Give it away? Invest it? Lots to think about on the subject.
Feet 👣 Andrew Jackson State ParkShadow Legs Anne Springs Close GreenwayYoung Legs & Feet 👣 Anne Springs Close Greenway Feet 👣 in Crocs Anne Springs Close Greenway
What language do you wish you could speak? The language I wish I could speak would be Spanish. Hablo un poquito de español. I speak a little Spanish, however, I would like to speak it fluently. I took some Spanish in high school, but with lack of constant use I am lacking the ability to truly communicate. I can understand more than I am able to speak. It would be a wish of mine to be able to speak, write, and truly be able to hold a conversation in español.
Cross over the stairs to the Door2 Crosses on Green DoorDual crests on dual colored Door Via Dolorosa – the Way of the Cross. Station 6 | Jerusalem, Holy land israel, Dome of the rock
These photos were taken in the Holy Land, Jerusalem by a friend of mine. I enjoyed seeing the Holy Land through his eyes.
Photo Credit: Jim Elder
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
It was a lovely day watching the birds in flight going back and forth over the Catawba River by the Fort Mill Dam.
Such a beautiful sight to behold, the majestic scene soaring above our heads. We were in awe of the wonder and were amazed how they would maneuver across the clear blue skies.
My preferred mode of travel is by car. Usually when I’m going on a long trip I will rent a car. Rental cars have more space and in better condition than any vehicle I have ever owned.
Is there an advantage to using a rental car for road trips? In my opinion, yes definitely. What are those advantages?
There are several advantages:
No wear and tear on your personal vehicle …
Drive Something More Comfortable…
Don’t Stress About Pre-Trip Tuneups …
More Space so You Won’t Feel Cramped…
Drive a Car in Great Condition…
Save Gas … rentals tend to be more fuel-efficient …
These advantages are the reason I prefer to travel by car whenever I travel, especially for long distances.
What chore do you find the most challenging to do?
The chore that I find the most challenging to do would be any chore I try to do while my grandson is awake. He demands so much of my attention that I can’t take my eyes of of him to do laundry, watch dishes, sweep or mop. I especially find it challenging to do any chores during the day. I have to clean the bathroom late in the evening, so as not to have my grandson near the cleaning materials, such as the toilet cleaner and the toilet brush.
The most challenging chore during the day is trying to sweep and mop the floors. Why is it challenging? It is because my grandson loves to try to help, but he is more in the way than helping when I move furniture to clean the dust from under where they lay.
Have you ever tried to clean with a three year old trying to help? It takes twice as long and is sometimes irritating even though I know he only wants to be a good helper.
Stone Mountain State Park stands prominently just beyond the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Straddling the border between Wilkes and Allegheny County, Stone Mountain, NC is a beloved place for locals to hike, fish, picnic, ride horses, and survey the Piedmont spreading eastward.
The 15,000 acres encapsulated by Stone Mountain State Park includes historic sites where homesteaders settled in the 1800s, first-rate camping facilities, miles of trails for hiking or horseback riding, numerous streams, and extensive picnicking grounds for day visitors.
State Mountain State Park
ADDRESS: 3042 Frank Parkway, Roaring Gap, NC 28668
Original Shot on CanonBlack and White CopyOriginal Shot on CanonBlack & White CopyOriginal Shot on CanonCopy Black and WhiteOriginal Shot on CanonMonochrome CopyOriginal Shot on CanonMonochromatic Copy
All shots taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T3i camera.
I do not think I have a favorite meal that I like to cook or eat. However, my family likes it when I make homemade enchiladas.
My enchiladas are made using ground turkey 🦃, diced green chilies 🌶️, chopped black olives 🫒, and shredded cheddar pepper jack cheese 🧀, all inside a fajita tortilla. I use red enchilada as inside and out.
Homemade Enchiladas
My family likes them better than frozen enchiladas and even restaurants enchiladas. Where we live it is difficult to find authentic Mexican food.
What is your favorite meal to prepare, cook, and/or eat? What do you prefer: to cook and eat at home or go out to a restaurant to and eat?
Success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. It can also be considered the attainment of fame, wealth, or social status.
Whether one defines success by reaching a goal, accomplishing a task, or completing what one sets out to do or not; success is usually considered a job well done.
Success is not just about having a great career, financial wealth or respect from your peers. Even though those things are desirable. Success may involve goals that improve your relationships, your health, and even your creativity.
How do I define success? At one time, I considered success as completing high school, obtaining a degree, even having a family. Successes come and go. Sometimes I make mistakes, I fail. However, from those mishaps I learn and grow to become a better person.
Nowadays, I define success as having a loving God, a loving family, and friends that care enough to pray for me.
…. Coleman goes with me, either beside or in front leading the way.
Coleman leading The WayAlong the Path. This particular Trail Is Paved For easy AccessFor Everyone Regardless of abilityYoung and Old Alike.
Over the weekend, Coleman and I enjoyed a beautiful sunshiny day hiking 🥾 along the Catawba River by the Fort Mill Dam. We’ve had a lot of rain lately and Coleman does not like to be cooped up in the home all day. It is always a joy to be able to take him out in nature where he can be free to run.
Has a book changed my life? I have read many books throughout my years. I have read fiction, non-fiction, romance novels, family history, and many other various types of books. I have read actual physical books 📚 and other books I have read through Kindle and/or iBooks.
While most books I read only once, there are others I have read several times. Do any of them affect me in any way? Yes, some do. Some make me laugh, some make me cry, and yet others make me think 🤔 and ponder on what I have read.
Holy Bible
The book that has had the most influence on my life is the Holy Bible. How has it influenced my life, you might ask? The Holy Bible has changed my life in so many ways. It is the source that let me know God loves me. It has provided the knowledge the God forgives me, not just once, but over and over again. It is my lifeline, my guide book about how to live my life. It is the authority, the origin of my faith in Jesus Christ.
The most memorable gift I have ever received is the gift of everlasting life from God, my Heavenly Father.
This I know from my Bible which was given to me at church when I was a mere teenager.
Holy Bible
In my Bible I discovered the verse in the book of John that tells me that everyone who believes in God will have eternal life. That is a promise that I believe. It is a gift I have received the day I chose to believe in God.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”
How far can I go back in my family tree? It varies on the line I follow. On my paternal side, I can trace the paternal line back for elevengenerations. On my father’s maternal line I can trace back for ten generations.
For my maternal line, I can trace my mother’s paternal line back for twelve generations. Now for my mother’s maternal line, I have only been able to trace back six generations.
The paternal line traces my father’s paternal ancestors. My father’s father, his father’s father, and so on.
The paternal maternal line traces my father’s mother’s mother, her mother’s mother and so on and so on.
The maternal line traces my mother’s side of my family. My maternal paternal line traces my mother’s father’s father, his father’s father, etcetera. My maternal maternal line traces only the females. My mother’s mother, her mother’s mother, her mother’s mother and so forth.
Have y’all tried to trace your family history? It can be quite interesting and for some very confusing. Our ancestral DNA 🧬 often reveals a different story then the one we’ve been told all our lives.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 