Deb L Waters

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day: Thank You for Your Service

Let’s celebrate the 69th anniversary of the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. It was on this day 69 years ago in 1953 that the United States of America and North Korea reached a ceasefire agreement. This is a time to remember the many American troops which is estimated to be around 50,000 who died in the conflict and more than 100,000 soldiers were wounded and thousands of prisoners of war.

My dad never talked with me about his time in the U S Navy or his time serving during the Korean War. I wish I knew more, to have asked questions while he was still alive. I honor my dad’s service to America, remember and appreciate the sacrifices he made for our country. My dad was fortunate to not have been wounded or made a prisoner of war, however, thousands plus were not as fortunate. I remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who were wounded, and those who were captured and held prisoners of war. Our Korean War Veterans should be remembered, honored, and appreciated for their service to America and the freedoms we have because of their service. My dad, Nornal Hule Waters, served in the U S Navy from the time he enlisted on September 24, 1948, until his release on September 12, 1952. He was a hospital corpsman stationed on the USS Consolation during his service in the Korean War. While he was aboard ship serving his country, his brother, Eddie Woodrow Waters, was service on the ground in the mist of the battleground. My uncle was wounded during his time of service in the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart. I am proud of my Korean War Veterans and will continue to remember and honor their service.

The Korean War was fought on the ground, in the air, and on the seas for three years before the Ceasefire Agreement was signed at Panmunjom in 1953. North Korea has at times refused to recognize the armistice. This on-off engagement has historically been frustrating for world leaders. Both South Korea and the United States of America hold observances remembering the armistice in which they honor and remember the veterans who served during the Korean War. Let us all remember and thank our Korean War Veterans for their service as we should do for all our servicemen and women.

***U S S Consolation***
*The ship my dad, Nornal Hule Waters*
*served on during the Korean War*

God Bless America. God Bless y’all. Veterans and active-duty military, thank you for your service. I appreciate your service and your sacrifice for our country. Thank You!

Wordless Wednesday: Golden Sulfur Cosmos

God Bless. Thank you. I appreciate y’all.

Coleman: Birthday Boy Turned Three

***Happy Birthday*** 🎂
***Coleman*** 🎉
***3 Years Old***
***Today*** 🎈

***Coleman***
***Black & White***
***Portrait***
***Collage***

***Coleman***
***Birthday***
***Expressions***

***Coleman***
***My Heart*** ♥️
***My Love***
***My Grandson***

***Coleman***
***Investigating***
***His Presents*** 🎁.
***Bat, Ball, Puzzles, Pound Puppy***
***and Thomas the Train*** 🚂

God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.

My Cell Pic Sunday: Lake Haigler

***Lake Haigler.***
***Anne Springs Close Greenway***

Johnbo’s challenge: Cell Pic Sunday

God Bless. Thank You! Remember I appreciate y’all.

Contentment: We are to be content, but are we?

Contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction. Are you content and satisfied with your life? Am I?

Contentment is being happy with what you have, who you are, and where you are. Do you respect your present reality? Do you appreciate what you have and where you are in life?

I have to admit I am not always happy with my life right now. I wish things, my circumstances were different. I accept my present reality and I do appreciate what I have and where I am, but that does not mean I am always content. I do dream of a different reality, but making that dream come true isn’t the simplest of things.

Did you know there are 4 States of Contentment in life? I hadn’t realized that before. What are those states you ask? Let me tell you.

Good Contentment – Use to enhance your joy.
Bad Contentment – Use to remind you of what to avoid.
Bad lack of contentment (bad discontentment) – Use to spur your life toward the goal.
Good lack of contentment (good discontentment) – Use to invigorate and inspire you toward growth.

“ Life is about balance. Be kind, but don’t let people abuse you. Trust, but don’t be deceived. Be content, but never stop improving yourself.” —- Zig Ziglar

I really like this quote. We definitely should not be so content that we become complacent. There is always room for growth and improvement in our lives. If you are discontent, understand what you should avoid and take steps to change your circumstances to strive to become a better you.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” —– Philippians 4:11 (NIV)

In the Bible, Paul faced many circumstances that he could have been discontent with, but instead He lend on God to be content regardless of his situation.

I am content whenever I am at the Greenway or near the lake at a state park, or near the local river. My grandson, Coleman, is the most content when he is out in nature hiking or near a body of water such as a lake or river. His favorite place to be outdoors is at Anne Springs Close Greenway a few miles away from where we live.

Where are you most content? I challenge you to continue to grow and improve yourself. Embrace change and enhance your life with joy.

God Bless. Thank you for stopping by. Remember I appreciate y’all.

ASCG:Greenway Stables Entrance-Part Two_Dogwood/Blue Star….

For our second day of hiking Dogwood at the Anne Springs Close Greenway Stables Entrance, we began on the Dogwood Trail on the right side after passing through one section of the horse stables.

But before we began hiking, we stopped to enjoy the Sweet Black Eyed Susan Seeds and the honeybees feasting on their nectar behind the Gibson House.

**Sweet Black*-Eyed Susan*** ***Seeds***
***and Sunflowers***
***@Greenway Stables***
***Gibson House***

Shortly after we began hiking along the Dogwood Trail, we came upon the Airport Pond. We enjoyed the views of the water and the reflections within the water. Whenever possible my grandson loves to play in the water either with his hands or his whole body. Luckily on this day it was just his hands.

***ASCG***
***Stables Entrance***
***Airport Pond***
***off Dogwood***

After snapping a few pictures, we hiked on further down on Dogwood. My grandson, Coleman, loves to have his picture taken at the Trail Posts. The Trail Posts serve the purpose of letting people know where they are along the trail and which trail they are hiking on. Keeping track of the numbers on the trail posts allows us to know exactly where we are at and how much further we need to travel.

***ASCG***
***Dogwood Trail***
***Coleman hiking***
***leading the way***

We proceeded onto the Blue Star after we had been hiking for approximately 1.4 miles. This trail contains several mushrooms of varying heights and sizes. I have to watch Coleman, or he’ll swipe at them breaking them apart. O try to teach him about varying things along the trail and that we shouldn’t disturb them. Also, that what is in the park should remain in the park and what we bring in, we must also take out with us. Leave No Trace.

***ASCG***
***Coleman***
***checking out his map***
***and the Trail posts***
***for directions***

The Blue Star trail is mostly natural surface with some plank bridges and a couple of swinging bridges. At Blue Star H27, Coleman stops to check his map. He likes to carry his own map instead of just looking at mine. We venture off of Blue Star and onto Hickory Trail which leads us back to Dogwood.

***ASCG***
***Dogwood***
***and***
***Hickory Trails***
***Which way should we go?***

Once back on Dogwood, the trail leads us back to the horse stables and eventually back to our car (Mommy’s car as Coleman would say since I use her car to take him places.)

***Horse Stables***
***(Not the same stables as we first entered)***
***Greenway Stables Entrance***

***Coleman petting and***
***loving on the horses.***
**The horses**
**instinc*tively***
***come straight***
***up to him.***
***They know***
***he is not afraid***
***and loves them.***

***Coleman Expressions.***
***My Heart*** ❤️ ***My love***

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy a hike, a walk, or any adventure communing with nature. Thank you for visiting. See you next time. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Silent Sunday: Dragonflies

God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.

Plants 🪴 and Flowers 🌺: ASCG – Ford Gap_Lake Haigler Entrance

**American Bumblebee**
**on Golden**
**Sulfur Cosmos**

***American Bumblebee.***
***Sulfur Cosmos***

***Coleman.***
***Jane Spratt McColl***.
***Wildflower Meadow***

God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

Cross: Monochrome

***Living Water***
***Westminster Park***

Together: Better Alone or Together?

” None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things with great love, and together we can do something wonderful”
— Mother Teresa

I really like this quote my Mother Teresa. Alone we might not be able to conquer the Goliath’s of the world and accomplish great things. That is true. It is also true that if we all work together, united as one, we can execute amazingly wonderful achievements.

Together by definition is being in or into one group, body, or place. It is being in partnership, walking or working with or near someone. Usually this means that two or more people are united for a common goal, whether in the workplace, walking about on a trail, or praying.

***United in Prayer***
**AdobeStock.com**

The word Together is my Pray a Word a Day word for today. Therefore, I am looking at what it means and how things might be better if shared or done along with someone else instead of alone. For the most part since by children grew up and moved out of my home, I have done things on my own except for when I was at work. I find that, sometimes solitude can be good for the soul. At other times, it is better to spend time with others, either working on a project together or enjoying the companionship of another at on a trail or for “coffee.” I do not actually drink coffee, but fellowshipping with another over food or drinks can bring enlightenment to the heart.

On our own, we might not have much to offer, but if every person around the world gave a little, doesn’t matter if it’s financial, clothing, food, their time or whatever, it’s the small things when done together which can be accomplished with great love.

The thoughts of Together, united for a common goal or purpose reminds me of a couple of songs. One song is entitled “We Are the World.” Below is just a small fraction of the lyrics of the song.

“There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
, and it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can’t go on
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We’re all a part of God’s great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day,
so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day,
just you and me
Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Lionel Richie/Michael Jackson

We Are the World lyrics

(c) Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

The other song that comes to mind is a Christian song I learned as a teenager in my church youth group entitled “They’ll Know we Are Christians by Our Love” written in 1966 by Peter Scholtes found on LyricFind.com. I won’t go into all the lyrics with you here, I’ll let you look them up yourselves. The first line is “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.” This line repeats itself and the third line is “And we pray that our unity will one day be restored.” The Lord God created the whole world and everyone living creature. we are of one Spirit.

Together we are strong. Together we can change the world. Together we can end hunger. Together can make a difference. Remember alone we can do little, but coming together is just the beginning, and working together we can bring about success in making this a better world for all of us.

God Bless. Pray for the world. Pray together for a better future. Work together to create change. We can succeed when we work together. Together we are Strong.

Wordless Wednesday: Coleman Nuzzling with Horse

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Sweet Black-Eyed Susan Seeds: Rudbeckia subtomentosa

**Yellow Honeybee**
**on top of**
**Yellow Black-E*yed Susan***
**Also known as**
**Sweet** ***Coneflower***

God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

ASCG: Greenway Stables Entrance: Part One -Horses and Hiking — Dogwood and Peach Loop Trails…..

My hiking 🥾 buddy, Coleman, and I drove to the Horse 🐎 Road Entrance of the Anne Springs Close Greenway on Thursday. It turned out to be a beautiful day. We’ve been having rain 🌧 showers off and on lately. So time on the trail without rain 🌧 interfering with our hike was fantastic.

The main point of interest at this entrance is of course the horses 🐎. Seeing the horses 🐎 is a highlight for Coleman. He loves seeing and petting the horses 🐎. Visiting the horses was not our main purpose on this day, even though very pleasant. Knowing Coleman, we had to stop and visit with the horses before we could begin our hike for the day.

***Coleman***
***saying hi***
***to the horses***

The Greenway Stables Entrance is also sometimes referred to as the Horse Road Entrance. The Greenway Stables are located at 1046 Horse Road, Fort Mill, South Carolina. On Horse Road you take a quick left on the road to enter the parking lot. When you first exit your car in the parking lot you will see the Gibson House. The Gibson House overlooks the pond and fields and offers a time for relaxing while watching the horses run. It is available for rent as a venue for wedding ceremonies, receptions, parties, picnics, and much more. Restrooms are located on the right-hand side of the building.

One of the paths to the trails is entered through the first horse stable location. After a short visit with the horses, we moved on down the path to the Dogwood Trailhead. We followed along left side of the Dogwood Trail. At this point, there were two choices to make to begin to begin the trail. We chose the path on the left. This trail passes through a scenic pasture area on the south end of the property connecting with Peach Loop.

***Coleman***
***leading the way***
***to the Dogwood Trail***

Coleman has a fascination of having his picture taken by the trail posts. Capturing the trail posts also reminds us of where we’ve been and what we encountered along the trail. we connected to Peach Loop after we reached trail marker 7. The Peach Loop breaks off from Timberline and the Blue Star trails as well. Dogwood runs into Timberline, so if you are not familiar with the trails you might get confused on which trail you are on or which direction you need to proceed on when the trails signs say different trails. The Peach Loop route keeps you inside the wooded area rather than being outside the timber line for this section. The loop takes you back onto the trail you started on. Therefore, after coming full “circle” on Peach Loop, it brought us back to Dogwood.

Back on Dogwood the trail wound around and led us back to the horses and the Gibson House where we began our day. The sights along the trail are amazing. The dirt surface can become muddy after the rains. On this day the trails were pretty good. The only things we had to watch out for were the tree roots sticking up along the path. If you’re not watching where you are going you could trip and fall over a tree root, so be careful as you hike the trails.

Naturally, we had to stop along the way back to the car to watch the horses in the pasture grazing about. The horses are beautiful creatures, and the views are spectacular.

God Bless. Get Outdoors and enjoy nature. There’s nothing my grandson loves more than being out in nature and hiking the trails. Thank you for visiting. Looking forward to your next visit. Remember I appreciate y’all,

Catawba Indian Nation Trail: Carolina Thread Greenway Trail

***Catawba*** ***Indian Nation***
***Carolina Thread Greenway Trail***

For our Wednesday Wanderings, Coleman and I visited a different local trail we had never hiked before. I had heard about the trail, and it really wasn’t that far away from us. I decided that we should change up our routine and hike something different, see what other trails existed in our area. With the yearning to change things up a bit, I drove us to the Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail.

The Catawba Inian Nation Greenway Trail is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The trail is a natural surface trail which runs along the Catawba River through the Catawba Indian Nation Reservation. The trail is open to the public to enjoy and learn about the area’s Native American Tribe. The Catawba Indian Nation is the only federally recognized tribe in South Carolina.

The Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail. There are three trails on this reservation that connect to each other. One trail begins behind the Cultural Center called the Cultural Center Trail or the Yehasuri Trail. The Loop Trail leads towards the Government Center before the Greenway Trail ends. The third trail is the Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail. This third trail is the one Coleman and I hiked. It begins at the Government Center. The trail has benches located in various areas along it for a chance to rest a bit or to just sit, relax, and enjoy the views of the Catawba River. Parts of the trail are packed with gravel; other parts are a natural surface. When we hiked the trail, the natural surface portions were muddy after the previous days rain. One had to be careful not to slip and fall in the mud.

The Yehasuri Trail hosts interpretive signage about the importance of the land to the tribe’s cultural as well as Catawba dwelling, a bark house, dugout trees, story circle and active archeological dig. The Catawba Indian Nation Trail is 1.6 miles in length. This trail follows alongside the Catawba River. There are plenty of spots along the trail to not just view the river, but as my grandson loves to do, get in the river and play around. The Loop Trail is 0.3 miles long. If you begin at the Government Center, you hiked down a long green grassy meadow for approximately 0.6 miles bringing you down to the river and the Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail.

While hiking the trail we came upon an area containing a balance beam of sorts, bars to lift up on or in the case of my grandson, Coleman, swing on. A little further down the trail Coleman spotted a slide. I’m not sure the slide was actually on the trail or on private property. I wasn’t actually sure. After I allowed Coleman to have fun sliding down the slide and left the area, that’s when I thought it might have been on private property adjoining the trail.

The entire length on the trail is 2.5-miles one way. We did not quite hike the full 2,5 miles. We turned around shortly after hiking 2 miles one way and hiked back up to the Government Center and to the car. Whenever you hike make sure you bring plenty of water to drink, a hat to shade the sun, sunscreen on hot sunny days to protect your skin from burning, and possibly a scarf or rag to wipe the sweat off your face on hot and humid days.

God Bless. Take Care and stay safe. Get Out in Nature and Enjoy God’s Creation. Thank You for visiting. Looking forward to your next visit. I appreciate y’all.

Plan Ahead but Do Not Boast

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
Proverbs 27:1 (NIV)

What does it mean to boast? It means to talk excessively with pride about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities. We should not praise ourselves extravagantly in our communication, we should not be prideful. Proverbs 27:1 reminds us that we never know what tomorrow holds so it would be foolish to be boastful about our plans for the future. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

***Proverbs 27:1***
***Verseoftheday.com***

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:34

Along with not bragging about what we plan to do in the future or about what we have, we should also not worry about what tomorrow might bring. We have enough to think about each day without being anxious about what may or may not happen in the future. God wants us to rely on Him for all our needs today, and tomorrow, and in the future. Let Him handle everything and you will not need to be concerned about having enough to eat, having a place to live, or anything else because God will provide. You just need to trust Him that He will meet all your needs.

What are we to do instead of being anxious and worrying about our lives? We should Pray. Let God know what you need and be sure to thank Him for everything He has done for you. When you pray and release your troubles to God, He will give you peace far beyond anything you can comprehend.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians $;6-7 (ESV)

Remember tomorrow is not guaranteed, so never brag about your plans. Do not worry about the future. Trust God. He will take care of everything; He will always be there for you taking care of all your needs.

God Bless. Thank you. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Fruit Tree or not??: Located on Peach 🍑 Loop_ASCG

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

City Walk on the Fourth to Riverwalk Park

The Fourth in our house was not a big day of partying or barbecuing or gathering of friends and family. It was an ordinary day for relaxation. However, my grandson, Coleman’s form of relaxing is to go for a walk. Short on gas money and his mom not wanting to do anything but rest, I took Coleman for a walk to Riverwalk Park so he could play.

You say walk, no problem. The only thing was Riverwalk Park, which is the closest park by the way, is 2.5 miles away from where we live. Think 2.5 miles isn’t that far. Be there in just a few short minutes, think again. Remember I said we walked to Riverwalk Park. Thinking about walking 2.5 miles makes it seem more exhausting, now wouldn’t you say?

Believe me, it was tiring. Not all of the route had sidewalks, so we walked at the edge of the road parts of the way. Did you do alright walking to the park? Absolutely, he is a trooper and had way more energy thank I do.

I know I said he’s a trooper and he is. I don’t know how he has the stamina to walk the distance, but he manages just fine even in the high heat and humidity we’ve been having. When we arrived at the park, he said “Yeah we did it.” Meaning we made it there. After opening the gate to allow him to play on the various playground equipment, I checked the weather app on my phone. Temperature when we arrived was 87°. You might think that’s not too bad, but factor in the high humidity and that’s a different story. The 97% humidity made it feel like 96°.

***Coleman***
***sliding,***
***sliding,***
***and sliding***
***to his***
***hearts content.***

***Coleman***
***at Riverside Park***
***Spinning round***
***and around***
***and around.***

Did he have fun? He had tons of fun. Wonder if we walked back home. Think about that heat and humidity……No we did not walk home. Instead I texted my daughter and asked if she’d come pick us up. Coleman continue to play and run around the entire time we were there. He didn’t know that he wasn’t going to be walking back home. At least not until he saw his mommy’s car drive up. His reaction when he saw her car wasn’t hooray. It was “Oh No.” However, when I asked him if he wanted to walk home, he pointed to his mom’s car and said “mommy’s car.” Which no doubt meant he wanted his mom to give us a ride back and that was fine by me.

God Bless. Stay safe. Stay cool. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.

BUT GOD….Have you ever known your life might be different if it wasn’t for God? Have you ever been ready to give up…? But God….

“And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Luke 18:27 (KJV)

Do you lose hope when you pray and pray and pray some more and you do not think you could possibly find an answer to your situation? Sometimes when you pray and continually pray, you are expecting a solution to fall out of the sky, or you expect to receive the answer that you want to receive. God’s answers or resolutions and not ours. His ways are not our ways. Sometimes the answer is NO. And sometimes God wants you to let Him have control and show you the way in which He would have it done. Sometimes He just wants us to exert patience and let God be God.

Have you ever had a ‘But God’ moment in your life? Do you know what a ‘But God’ moment but look or feel like? we may or may not have had a ‘But God’ moment. We may have and not realized it. ‘But God’ moments arrive in those seasons in life when everything seems to be going against us. These moments occur when you recognize that there is no solution to your predicament, whatever that may be. When you feel like you have lost all hope, that is when a ‘But God’ moment has or will happen.

‘But God’ is mentioned approximately 44 times in the Bible, the King James Version. I will only list a few for you here. Feel free to look for others as you read your Bible.

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'”
— Matthew 19:26

“But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.”
Psalm 49:15 (KJV)

“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength my heart, and my portion for ever.”
— Psalm 73:26 (KJV)

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
—Romans 5:8 (KJV)

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
—1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV)

Your life may not make sense right now, but God makes sense of all of it. Whenever you feel trapped like there is no way out, no solution, God will make a way. God will help you understand. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will always be there for you. Whatever you may need, whatever you feel, God will be there to comfort you, to strengthen you, and He will lift you up and give you hope.

God Bless. Thank You for visiting. Looking forward to your next visit. Remember I appreciate y’all.

ASCGREENWAY: Coleman hiking 🥾 the trails in his Trail Passport…… 5 Trails in One Day…… Loooong Hike.

The Anne Springs Close Greenway has a Hiking Challenge one can choose to participate in or not. I participated in the challenge earning mu Trail Passport certificate a year and a half ago in December of 2020. My grandson, Coleman, has been hiking the trails at the Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG) since March of 2021 when he was only a year and a half (1 1/2). A person earns the Passport Challenge certificate by completing all twenty-six (26) trails consisting of thirty-six miles (36) within and around the Greenway. There is a Trail Passport booklet that one can pick up at most any of the five (5) entrances to the Greenway. After completing a trail, initial and date verifying that you completed that trail. All the trails are listed in the passport. After completing all the trails, turn your initialed passport into the Greenway Gateway to receive your certificate.

***Coleman***
***exploring the***
***Nature Center***
***area prior to***
***starting our hike.***

While you are out on the trails, be respectful and remember the Leave No Trace Principles.

Plan Ahead and prepare.
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of other visitors.

These are very important guidelines everyone should follow no matter which Greenway trail, State or National Park trail, or even a local trail you choose venture onto to for an awesome hike. My grandson being only 2 1/2 doesn’t understand all the rules yet. I constantly remind him to leave what is in the park in the park, what is on the ground must stay on the ground. He usually will pick up leaves, rocks, or sticks off the ground and I remind him to put them down that they have to stay in the Greenway.

On Sunday when Coleman and I went to the Greenway, we hiked 5 trails:

North Steele Creek Trail – This trail follows a portion of Steele Creek and connects two sections of Blue Star.
Blue Star Trail – Blue Star is the longest trail on the Greenway (7.8) miles. This trail is dividing into 5 sections, and it connects to nearly every trail on the Greenway. It follows portions of the Historic Nation Ford Road. [We hike 2 sections on this day.]
Muscadine Trail – This trail connects with Blue Star and Trestle Trail and Wagon Loop, Wild Azalea and Hickory trails. This trail is accessible from either the Lake Haigler Entrance or the Adventure Road Entrance.
Wild Azalea Trail – The main point of interest along this trail is Lake Haigler. This trail is accessible to hikers via either the Wagon Loop or the Haigler Loop. This trail connects with Wagon Loop, Muscadine Trail and Haigler Loop. One may use Billy’s Walk as a short cut between Wild Azalea and Muscadine to be able to view the Lake Haigler Spillway.
Haigler Loop – This is a very popular trail for most visitors. It loops around Lake Haigler, the largest scenic lake on the Greenway. It connects to Blue Star, Wild Azalea, Hickory and Timberline Trails and Wagon Loop.

We began our hike on North Steele Creek Trail and continued onto the Blue Star Trail. The Blue Star Trail led us to the Railroad Trestle. Coleman loves trains and was a little disappointed when a train did not pass overhead once we arrived at the Trestle. He has seen other Railroad Trestles, but this was the first time seeing the Trestle at the Greenway. Whenever he sees a trestle, he will say choo choo. He does not say train yet, but he says choo choo anytime he sees or hears a train.

The Blue Star Trail runs along one side of the Railroad Trestle and Muscadine runs along the other side. Upon leaving the Railroad Trestle area, we started on another section of the Blue Star Trail, across a swinging bridge on then ventured onto Muscadine to head back towards the Lake Haigler Entrance and the Canteen. On the Muscadine side of the Railroad Trestle, Coleman found an opportunity to get close to (and even in) the water. Being a hot and humid day, I did not object to him getting in the water. We skittered off of Muscadine and onto Wild Azalea which led us to Lake Haigler. Once down by the lake, we wondered over to the kayak launch area to obtain some information about renting a kayak on another day. I wanted to know if they had life jackets to fit Coleman. They assured me they did and informed me of the costs and for the length of time which you can rent a kayak. Coleman’s birthday is coming up later this month, so I will try to make it possible for him to go out on the lake in a kayak close to his birthday. He wanted to go out right then and there, but I let him know he’ll need to wait until another day. That we will try to kayak for his birthday.

Leaving the kayak launch area, he chose to hike part of the Haigler Loop before returning to the Rush Pavilion and the Canteen. Once at the canteen we refilled our bottles with ice and water. By this time, we had run out of drink from the 3 bottles we had on the trail with us and were in much need of replenishing our fluid intake. It was so good to just sit and relax for a couple of minutes before heading home.

God Bless. Stay Safe. Enjoy Nature. Thank you! And always remember I appreciate y’all.

Happy Independence Day America!

Today, July Fourth, is a day set apart to celebrate America’s Independence from Great Britain. It is a day to celebrate the 13 original colonies decision to renounce British rule and form the United States. The representatives of the colonies voted for independence on July 2, 1776. It was approved two days later with the Declaration of Independence, a document which explained the vote.

**Photo used with permission.**
**The artwork was created by Norm Daniels.**
**He is an artist in San Diego County, California and a friend.**
**To see more of his artw*ork, check out his website: http://www.normhere.com/***

This is a well-illustrated artwork about the Independence of America. The Declaration of Independence and its ratification is why we have the freedoms we have today. We have the freedom to live peaceably to worship as we so choose. We have the freedoms to say and do as we please. everyone might not like some of the things we choose to say or do, but we are guaranteed our unalienable rights. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

***I’m Free***
***Because of***
***The Brave***

We continue to be free in the United States of America because of the brave men and women who willingly serve this country fighting wars at home and abroad to ensure those freedoms.

Sometimes it seems like the fourth of July is just an excuse to party and set of fireworks. Even though everyone has the freedom to do as they so choose, I wish when they choose to set off fireworks that they would take into consideration the location in which they choose to set them off. Think about the people being affected by the loud noise, and the potential fire damage that fireworks could cause to nearby property. Fireworks are nice and pretty to watch if they are in a location set apart from close buildings and vehicles. Some people and animals are severely affected by the loud booming noise that fireworks make when they are set off. For example, people suffering from PTSD, small children and animals’ loud booming noises can and are very disturbing. It would be appreciated very much, if before setting off fireworks, one would consider how others are and will be affected by them.

The above pictures were taken with my phone. They were taken just outside my front door of our apartment complex. They show how close to parked cars the fireworks were being shot off. The loud noise affected our service dog and my two-year-old grandson. The people shooting them off close to the buildings and cars did not take into consideration how the fireworks would affect the people and animals living in the apartments. They just thought it would be fun and they had the freedom to do so. My problem is that being in the city, close to buildings and automobiles, it is not illegal for anyone to shoot fireworks. It is legal for anyone and everyone to shoot off fireworks in the city anywhere they please. I grew up with fireworks being illegal in the city close to homes and tight close surroundings. SO, being in a city that has no restrictions on where fireworks can be shot off is very disturbing to me.

Enough of my rant for the day. I hope everyone had a pleasant and enjoyable fourth of July. God Bless America, May God bless y’all. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

**GOD BLESS AMERICA**
***Happy Independence Day***

Plants and Flowers at the Greenway: Lake Haigler Entrance

Sunday was a sunshiny day It a a blistering 96° in the Piedmont area of South Carolina. My grandson and I visited the Lake Haigler Entrance of the Anne Springs Close Greenway for our morning adventure of hiking and enjoying nature.

As we walk/hike the trails we observe nature and the beautiful plants and flowers we see as we stroll along. There are plenty of plants and flowers in the Greenway, you just need to slow down and “stop and smell the roses.”

From the entrance we walked down past the Rush Pavilion to the Nature Center and placed a book in the Little Yellow Lending Library. From there we hiked down to the Swinging Bridge and strolled over the the North Steele Creek trail. The was the first time hiking this trail with my grandson, Coleman.

The North Steele Creek trail winds around the left side of a creek. It is 1.5 miles in length and connects to the Blue Star trail. We hiked the North Steele Creek trail, the proceeded onto the Blue Star trail. The entire Blue Star trail is 7.5 miles long. We only hiked the portion of Blue Star which led us to the Railroad Trestle. My grandson loves trains. Unfortunately, however, no trains passed along the trestle while we were there.

***Flowers***
***near the***
***Railroad Trestle***

After a short break resting on a bench just passed the trestle, ( much needed for replenishing our fluids and a snack for Coleman), we continue on Blue Star crossing another swinging bridge and onto the Muscadine trail. The Muscadine trail portion we were on leads back towards Lake Haigler and the canteen. The whole Muscadine trail is 3.5 miles long. We hiked Muscadine until we approached the Wild Azalea trail. The Wild Azalea trail is 1.5 miles in length.

***Coleman***
***showing***
***the way***
***to go***

The Wild Azalea trail led us to the Lake Haigler Loop and to the kayak launch area. My grandson has now decided he wants to go out in a kayak one weekend ( the kayaks are only rented out on weekends.)

This was a long and tiring 6.6 mile hike ( at least for me.) After seeing the kayaks, my grandson got a burst of energy. Instead of going straight back to the Rush Pavilion from the kayak launch, he decided to stroll along a portion of the Lake Haigler Loop which passes by Lake Haigler. He loves the water, looking at it, playing near it, or if he can get away with it, playing in the water.

Once back at the Rush Pavilion canteen we had our bottles filled with ice and then filled them with water. We sat inside (his choice) to enjoy the color air and relax before heading home.

***Flowers***
***along the path***
***to the parking lot.***
***Anne Springs Close Greenway***

God Bless. Have a safe and fun-filled fourth. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Canon Photography: ASCG

Most of the time I hike the Anne Springs Close Greenway with my grandson, Coleman, I just use my iPhone13Pro to take pictures while we are hiking along the trail. Earlier this week I purchased new batteries for my Canon Rebel. Since I had new batteries, I thought I would give it a try to see how the lasted and snap a few pictures at the Greenway with my actual camera instead of just with my iPhone.

**Lake Crandall**
**Anne Springs Close Greenway**

***Trekker Loop***
***Anne Springs Close Greenway***

***Flowering Tree***
***Trekker Loop***
***ASCG***

***Lovely Purple Flower***
***Anne Springs Close Greenway***

I hope you enjoy the photos. I’m still relearning how to use my Canon Rebel camera. I haven’t used it since before COVID-19 appeared in the United States. It will take time, but with practice, I believe I’ll be able to take some fantastic shots. Until then, God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Hope you’ll come back soon. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Silent Sunday: Monochrome

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Seed of Faithfulness; Seed of Diligence; Seed of Righteousness

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.”
—- Ecclesiastes 11:6 (KJV)

Sow the seed diligently in the morning… what does this mean? What seeds are we to sow? We are to diligently and faithfully trust God for every outcome in our lives. We are to sow seeds of goodness, working day and night and not let ourselves become discouraged. We might not be able to see the fruit of our labors right away, but God is faithful to make everything work for good. God rewards our diligence, our faithfulness, and our perseverance.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
—- Isaiah 40:8 (NKJV)

The Word of God never fades, it will last for an eternity. We sow seeds of goodness, kindness, demonstrating God’s love to those around us; sharing God’s Word to others in the morning and in the evening. We may not see the impact of our labor, but God will continue to work in the hearts and lives of those we are faithful to share God’s Word.

“All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower fades away, But the word of the LORD endures forever.”
—— 1 Peter 1:24-25

God is faithful to keep His promises. Everything in this life will eventually fade away and will be no more except for the Word of God. It is important that we share God’s Word with others. We can demonstrate His love through our kindness, and caring for others.

We need to remember our time on earth is temporary. God had provided a home and security in heaven with him. It is by God’s grace and through our faith in Jesus Christ that we can live with Him forever. Our bodies here will fade, but our spirit, our souls ( if we believe) will live on forever.

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Quotes by Charles Wagner

Charles Wagner is the author of Simple Life. He was a French reformed pastor, his writings influential in shaping reformed theology. In 1904 he was invited to preach at the White House by Theodore Roosevelt. His Simple Life book made an impression on the President. I hope his inspiring writings leave an impression on your heart and souls.

“A man is simple when his chief care is the wish to be what he ought to be, that is honesty and naturally human.”
—- Charles Wagner

“Joy is not a thing, it is in us.”
—— Charles Wagner

“Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.”
——- Charles Wagner

“Simplicity is a state of mind.”
—— Charles Wagner

“If there are people at once rich and content, be assured that they are content because they know how to be so, not because they are rich.”
——- Charles Wagner

God Bless. Be inspired. Inspire others. May your life be rich with joy from within. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Thursday Traversing the Trails with Coleman: ASCG-Blue Star Entrance

Coleman is always wanting to go Bye Bye. He loves to spend time hiking 🥾 at The Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG). For our Thursday outing we went to the Blue Star Entrance of the ASCG. The ASCG is located behind the Y Complex. From the beginning of the trailhead there are two choices one can choose the hike. The Paradise Loop and the Blue Star Trail.

For our traversing I chose the Paradise Loop for us to hike. Coleman wanted to go on the Blue Star Trail. He got upset when I said we were not hiking 🥾 that trail. We had only hiked that trail before and he needed to hike the Paradise Loop to help complete all the trails on his trail passport.

***Coleman***
***by the***
***Paradise Loop***
***trail post***

The trail is full of ups and downs, curves, tree 🌳 roots, and rocks 🪨. Not a smooth trail, more of a medium level for hiking 🥾 status. Trail markers are placed every 1/4 mile along the trails. Around Trail marker B5 you can choose to traverse on the Avery Loop. The Avery Loop is 0.4 miles long and loops back into Paradise Loop.

Avery Loop is surrounded by plants and flowers close on each side of the trail. The trees and plants provide a cooling canopy that is calming to the soul.

Coleman
watching ants 🐜
on the ground

Hiking 🥾 back to the car (his mom’s car) Coleman is tired and ready to go to the grocery store so we could get him more Lactaid Milk. when he gets tired, he wants to stop every few minutes on the trail and wants to sit anywhere he can find to sit. When he’s tired I keep encouraging home to keep moving, that we’re almost “back to mommy’s car.)

***Coleman***
***Hiking*** 🥾
***back to***
***Mommy’s***
***Car***

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Wednesday Wanderings: Walking 🚶‍♀️ _Running 🏃 @ Riverwalk

Welcome to my blog. Today I’ll be talking about my Wanderings with my grandson, Coleman, yesterday. Coleman is 2 1/2 and loves to be out in nature and go hiking 🥾. He has been hiking for over year and a half now. He’ll be turning 3 next month. I have pictures of him on hikes since at least March 2021. There is no place he’d rather be then out on a trail, out in nature, walking, running, or hiking 🥾. Anywhere, Anytime outdoors is where he would rather be.

Wednesday morning we left the house ( actually our apartment) by 10 am. Getting him and me both ready takes time. I’m not alert too early in the mornings any more. Not only do I need to get us both dressed, I have to make sure we eat a healthy breakfast and have plenty of drinks and snacks packed fir our day of hiking.

On this outing we went to our local Riverwalk Catawba Trailhead to begin our day of wandering through nature. Riverwalk has two entrances to choose from. One on the north side and one on the south side. We chose the one on the south side closest to the railroad trestle. He loves choo choo’s (trains).

***Coleman***
***at the***
***Riverwalk***
***entrance***

Coleman is always ready for a hiking 🥾 adventure. He loves to have is picture 📷taken. As you can see, he also likes to climb. Shortly after we crossed through the covered bridge we were able to view the railroad 🚆 trestle.

***Riverwalk***
***Catawba River***
***Railroad Trestle***

Not only does he like to view the railroad 🛤 trestle, he also likes to go down to the water 💦 and watch the waters 💦 movements, and play in the water if he can get away with it.

***Catawba River.***
***Coleman resting***
***on a park swing.***

He enjoys a good swing and will run to one any time he sees one along the trail. Continuing along the trail, he spots a log 🪵 on the ground and immediately decides to climb on it. He then walked along the top of it like you would a balance beam ( he’s never seen a balance beam).

***Coleman***
***balancing***
***on the log*** 🪵
***and walking***
***across it.***

Anytime there is an opening along the trail to go to the water 💦 or at least to view the water 💦, he is off and running 🏃‍♂️ towards it.

On the way back to the car, Coleman hears the train 🚂 whistle. He automatically says choo choo. I find an opening amongst the trees 🌲 along the trail for him to see the train 🚊 as it is moving along the railroad 🚞 tracks 🛤. He loves watching the train pass. He would have liked it better if we were closer to the railroad 🚞 trestle 🛤 , but he still hasn’t stopped talking about seeing the train 🚆.

We hiked for 2.6 miles round trip. This is one of his shorter hikes. If you have the opportunity, I would highly recommend you visiting a Greenway, a local park, a local trailhead and enjoy spending time hiking 🥾 (or walking 🚶‍♀️) and observing nature.

God bless. Thank you for visiting. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Yellow Wildflower: Riverwalk Trail

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

God’s Heart ❤️ Overflows: God Loves You!

***God***
***Loved***
***the***
***World***

“He escorts me to the banquet hall; it’s obvious how much he loves me.”
—— Song of Solomon 2:4 (NLT)

Do you ever feel like no one loves you? That you are unlovable? Sorry to say, you are not alone. One of the greatest human needs is love ❤️. Many people feel there is a deficit of love in their lives.

The deepest desire of every human heart is to be known and to be loved. Father Joe Campbell once said “This desire reaches its fullness in the desire to be known by God himself.”

Love is a deep affection for someone. We begin learning about love from the moment we are born. Children either feel loved by their parents or not. Sometimes parents are too wrapped up in themselves to notice how their child/children feel or what they think. Whether they are too absorbed in work, drinking, or their own desires doesn’t matter. What matters is the children. Children need to feel loved. Everyone needs to know they are loved, respected, and understood. To be loved for who they are unconditionally.

God is the essence, fulfillment, and source of love. His love is strong and resilient, forgiving and boundless. God has more than enough love for everyone, no matter how many come to Him. God’s love is a feast in the wilderness. God’s love is a free gift. If you ask, He will fill your heart to overflowing. If you allow him to fill you with His love, you need to share it with others.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
—- John 3:16

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
—- Ephesians 3:18-19

***“… He has given us***
***the Holy Spirit***
***to fill our hearts***
***with His love.”***
***—— Romans 5:5***

Human love can never fully satisfy the love starved heart. Only when it is mingled with God’s love can it stand the test of time. God wants to love you like you have never been loved before. He has invited you to His banquet table. Come share in His love.

***“…You bless the godly,* O LORD; *You surround them with Your shield of love.”***
***—- Psalm 5:11-12***

“We love him, because he first loved us.”
— 1 John 4:19 (KJV)

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Word of the Day: Change

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”
—- Norman Vincent Peale

***Norman Vincent Peale***
*Woman’s Day*

Change is to make something or someone different by altering or modification. It is the act or instance making or becoming different. We can change our appearance, our circumstances, or even our attitudes. Sometimes we can make those changes ourselves and sometimes we need to be brave and ask for help in order for change to be made possible. Never be ashamed for needing assistance in making changes in your life. Whether you seek help from a friend, a counselor, or from God doesn’t matter so much as the realization that change is needed and you’re willing to make change happen.

“When in doubt, choose change.”
—- Lily Leung

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future.”
—— John F. Kennedy

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
—— Maya Angelou

“People change for two reasons; either they learned a lot or they’ve been hurt too much.”
—- Author unknown

Sometimes, in life, we don’t want to admit that change or changes need to occur. Sometimes we are too forgiving and overlook faults or feel things are our fault. Sometimes we don’t believe that change is possible and instead we accept that life is just how it is.

I’m telling you that change is possible. If you don’t believe me, ask God. God can make anything possible. He can help change our situations, our circumstances, our attitudes and our reactions. There is nothing that God can’t do.

If you need help He Will always be there to help. He may bring people into your life to bring you into awareness that change is needed or he may bring someone into your life to help that changes to occur. Never be afraid to ask for help. Never be skeptical about making changes. Changes in this life are natural and may happen regardless of what you say or do.

God Bless. Be brave. Help is there for the asking. Change is possible. Let’s grow through life’s changes. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

Monday Meanderings: ASCG With Coleman

Welcome everyone. I’m glad you could join me today.

On our Monday Meanderings, Coleman and I returned to the Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG) for some hiking 🥾. Coleman is my two (2) year old grandson. He has been 🥾 with my for approximately a year and a half (1 1/2) now. He recently has decided he wants to earn his certificate for completing his trail passport. The passport contains a list of twenty-six (26) trails which span a total of thirty-six (36) miles within the ASCGreenway.

***Coleman***
***hiking*** 🥾 ***from***
***the Adventure Road***
***Entrance***

Coleman loves to be outdoors. He loves to visit the Greenway. Does he get tired on the trail? Sometimes yes. Does he have fun on the trail? Yes, he definitely does.

Today, we parked at the Adventure Road Entrance. We began our meanderings on the Trekker Loop. We first spotted Lake Crandall and a group of young boys which are a part of the fishing 🎣 day camp offered to youth at the ASCG. He immediately went down towards the water 💦. He grabbed a stick and tried mimicked their fishing 🎣.

***Coleman***
***at ASCG***
***prosiding towards***
***Fern Forest*** 🌳 ***Trail***

Along the Archers Loop/Trekkers Loop trail we view the beautiful Lake Frances. He sorta got muddy as he was approaching the water 💦. He enjoys putting his hands 🙌🏼 (if not his whole body) in the water. When he stood up, his one hand ✋ and arm was all muddy.

We went along Fern Forest 🌳 and then back to Archers Loop hiking 🥾 back towards the car. Today was rather a short hike. But there is no place he would rather be than out on a trail hiking 🥾.

***Coleman***
***taking a break***
***having a few sips***
***of his juice***

We always bring bottles of water 💦 and juice 🧃 for us to drink along the trails. It can get hot, sweaty, and thirsty hiking 🥾 along the trails. We always remember to stay hydrated. That is very important when you go hiking 🥾.

God bless. Hope you’ll visit with us again on our next adventure. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Greenville Zoo_Family Outing

***Entering the*** ***Greenville Zoo***
***Greenville, South Carolina***

We woke up really early (at least for me) to get ready and leave for Greenville, South Carolina. We intended on going to the Greenville Zoo and then to an A & W Restaurant afterwards. This first half of the plan went as planned. However, the second half did not (I’ll explain later).

The Greenville Zoo is located in Greenville, South Carolina. It is set on 14 acres in the city’s Cleveland Park. The Zoo was founded in 1960. Compared to other parks, the Greenville Zoo is rather small in size. At the time of the opening, most of the animals were indigenous species who already called the Upstate region home. A monkey dome was added in 1962 and was populated with 26 Colobus Monkeys. The monkeys were not indigenous to the area, however, the became a tremendous hit with the park’s visitors. The Zoo is open year-round, but hours vary based on the season. The Zoo has several programs and events that provide a fabulous opportunity for adults and children alike to visit and learn.

After entering the Zoo, we first visit the monkeys and then the reptiles. My grandson enjoyed looking at the snakes, he doesn’t shy away from anything.

Lions, leopards are the cats in the zoo. Monkeys, South American Pampas, giraffes, and pink flamingos are some of the animals you’ll encounter if you choose to visit the Greenville Zoo. If you plan on visiting the Greenville area, I’d say go ahead and stop by the zoo for a visit. However, if the zoo is the only reason you are coming to Greenville, then I’d say pass on the zoo and visit one of the many parks and enjoy a hike. Save the Zoo trip for one of the Zoos in a larger city.

As you walk along the path to the various animal enclosures, the Zoo has canopies which one can walk through the sprays a mist of water to cool you off on a hot summer day. My grandson enjoyed running through the canopies and feeling the mist of water on his body.

Besides the various animals located throughout the zoo, it is also home to several tropical plants and flowers. I enjoy seeing the beauty of God’s creation regardless of it is out in nature, at the zoo, or in a lovely garden.

A map of the Zoo is located just inside the entrance for your convenience. The map will guide you to the desired locations of the animals you wish to visit. There are a few sights situated for capturing your loved ones sitting on a “bear”, or a “lion.” And before you ask, no they are not real but indeed statues designed to sit upon and enjoy. Of course, I had to capture my grandson sitting upon the statues.

***Map of the Greenville Zoo***
***150 Cleveland Park Drive***
**Greenville, South Carolina**
**greenvillezoo.com**

Our other purpose for visiting the Greenville area was to stop at an A & W Restaurant for a frosty mug of A & W root beer and to purchase a few A & W glass mugs to take home. Now for the disappointing part of our trip. The A & W Restaurant location we stopped at was drive through only (a disappointment especially since we planned to sit and enjoy some root beer after our visit to the zoo.) This location also did not have any of the A & W glass mugs on hand to sale (another big disappointment.)

Disappointments and all, the day was a good outing to spend with family. We ended up stopping to eat closer to home and chose to stop at The Greek Grill for some authentic Greek Gyros. They were super delicious by the way. If you are ever in the Tega Cay, South Carolina area I would highly recommend a stop for food at The Greek Grill located at 1143 Stonecrest Blvd. #101, Tega Cay, SC 29708. The hours are 11am to 8pm except on Sundays when they close at 7pm.

God Bless. Thank You for visiting. Till next time. Spend quality time with you family. Love and enjoy them while you can. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Silent Sunday: God’s Beauty

God Bless. Thank you! Enjoy God’s beautiful creations. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Coleman: Antics …Expressions

This afternoon Coleman tried on a new outfit we got him that is intended fir swimming. Does he care or even realize what the outfit is for? Absolutely not. But who cares? He put it on all by himself. He usually doesn’t dress himself completely, but then he is only two (2). He’s learning.

***Coleman***
***Disregard his mom’s leg***

Coleman loves to ham it up in front of a camera. He loves getting his picture taken. He also loves looking at himself in pictures.

***Coleman***
***climbed on his***
***mom’s shoulders***

***Coleman***
***harassing his mom.***
***AKA Loving her.***

Coleman may love having his picture taken, however, his mom does not. The therefore, it is difficult to get really good shots of her and him together.

***Coleman and Trisha***
***Mom and Son***

***Coleman***
***and***
***his expressions***
***Gotta love him***

God bless. Take care and spend time loving your family. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Lord Make Me Big

Lord make me big, too big to bear grudges and an unforgiving spirit; Too big to be and discredit others who have been more successful than I; Too big to be dishonest even in the smallest things; Too big to be selfish and small of soul in an hour that calls for Christian men and women. Direct me in every way that I might be conformed to the image of Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen. Author unknown

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Sage Advice: Quotes by Julia Child

Being born in the 50’s, growing up in the 60’s and 60’s one may have heard about or seen Julia Child’s cooking show on television. You may have seen it in black in white or if you we fortunate in color.

I heard about Julia Child and knew about her cooking show, but as I recall, do not remember my parents ever turning on her cooking show.

Julia Child was born in California on August 15, 1912. She moved to Paris in 1949 where she enrolled in the infamous French Cooking school Cordon Bleu. She was the only woman in her cooking class. That, however, did not stop her from becoming a well recognized French Chef. In 1961, she co-authored a cooking book entitled Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Two years later, she returned to the United States and introduced America to the art of French Cuisine.

She debuted her television show The French Chef. During her show she would impart sage advice. That advice was not just about food though. She gave wise life lessons through the lens of cooking. Her show was on before the age of modern technology and thus was unedited. What you watched was live, if a mistake happen on the show, you saw it all. No edited out. It was real and her quips and reflections led to authenticity as me approachability in television.

***Julia Child***
***On Her Cooking Show***

Her sage advice is still pertinent in this day and age. Below are a few we can learn from today.

“Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?”
Julia Child,
On Letting Go

“A cookbook is only as good as its poorest recipe.”
Julia Child,
On Excellence

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”
Julia Child,
On Taking Risks

“The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It’s doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile. I think of my strawberry soufflé. I did that at least 28 times before I finally conquered it.”
Julia Child,
On Diligence

“Just speak very loudly and quickly, and state your position with utter conviction, as the French do, and you’ll have a marvelous time!”
Julia Child,
On Confidence

“People are uncertain because they don’t have the self-confidence to make decisions.”
Julia Child,
On Indecision

“The more you know, the more you can create. There’s no end to imagination in the kitchen.”
Julia Child, On Creativity

***Julia Child***
***Demonstrating her cooking lessons***
***Britannica.com***

Whether we heard her lessons when she was on tv back in the day or a current PBS Julia show or just from these quotes, we can all learn and apply her wise sage advice in our own lives.

God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

Goodness:

Goodness: what is it? It is the quality of being morally good or virtuous according to the Oxford dictionary. Examples of goodness are volunteering at a homeless shelter, a food bank, or it could be the nutritious skin on a vegetable. Basically, it is the state of being good.

***God is good,***
***even when life is not.***
***Believe in Him.***
*www.idlehearts.com*

The Bible tells us that the word ‘good’ means holy, pure, and righteousness. Goodness is Godliness. Our goodness can be seen by others in our actions. We also need to have pure hearts. We should demonstrate the goodness of Christ daily in our lives.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:6 (KJV)

***Be kind and compassionate***
***to one another,***
***forgiving each other,***
***just as in Christ***
***God forgave you.***
***Ephesians 4:32***

“For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
1 Peter 1:5-7

Where would this world be without goodness in it? It would be in a lot worse shape than it is now. everyone deserves to be shown goodness and kindness. Everyone deserves to be loved. God loves each and every one of us and we should do no less than show love to everyone we come in contact with without reservation or conditions.

***Find Good***
***in Everything***
***& Everyone***
***People of the Second Chance***
***POTSC.com***

Do we always feel like showing goodness to others? Probably not. It is when we do not feel like it that we should do it all the more. That is when we need to call on the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ to help us show HIs love and Goodness to others. We need to remember that God love us very much and will never stop loving us and showing us goodness and mercy. God is Great.

***GOD is GREAT***
*www.TheGodQuotes.com*

Let us not stop being a person, no matter what life’s circumstance throw our way. Let my heart be pure and genuine. Help me, Lord, to always show love and kindness to my fellow mankind, to every man, woman, and child that crosses my path. Thank you, Lord, for loving me and showing me your love, goodness, and mercy.

God Bless. Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate y’all.

World Rainforest Day: The Time is Now

Today, June 22, is World Rainforest Day. I find it hard to keep up with all the significant days to remember on our calendars. Many of which, like this one, I didn’t know existed. On World Rainforest Day we recognize the significance of tropical rainforests for our planet. This year’s theme is “The Time is Now.” This theme aims to make people more sensitive to how crucial rainforests are for survival of life on Earth.

Rainforests support the largest variety of plants and animal species of any other ecosystem in the world. Besides, sustaining life they also influence weather patterns and act as major carbon sinks, moderating local temperatures and keeping our air clean. Did you know everything which Rainforests do? I am not sure that I did. Oh, I know they exist and have a purpose, but to this extent, probably did not know.

Did you know that an average of 137 Species of Plants and Animals are driven into extinction every day in the World’s Tropical Rainforests? I know that Plants and Animals go into extinction all the time, but I was not aware of the significant number that become extinct.

What can you and I do to help prevent the extinction of Plants and animals and Save our Rainforests? Below are a few suggestions:

Donate to organizations which dedicate themselves to preserving the rainforests. Suggested organizations are Greenpeace.org, RainforestTrust.org, Earthday.org, Rainforest Alliance, Amazon Watch, and Amazon Conservation Team.
Purchase the Planting of a Tree …
Eliminate Deforestation from your diet …
Buy responsibly Sourced Products …
Support indigenous Communities …
Email You Preferred News Outlet …
Choose Products that Give Back …
Reduce you Carbon Footprint …
Share Rainforest News on Social Media …
Contact your Elected Representatives …
Volunteer your Time …
Host a Fundraiser …

God Bless. Join me and thousands of others in helping to end deforestation, reduce our carbon imprint, and Preserve our World Rainforests. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

Wordless Wednesday:

***Coleman***
***trying to***
***open door*** 🚪

***Coleman***
***checking out***
***the Grist Mill***

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Freedom Quotes: In Honor of Juneteenth

Just a few quotes about freedom and the importance of remembering the past and to inspire a better more equitable future.

“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”
— Toni Morrison, “Beloved “

“I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.”
— Harriet Tubman

***Harriet Tubman*** ~
***http://www.history.com***

“I had reasoned this out of my mind; there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive.”
— Harriet Tubman

***Harriet Tubman*** ~
***National Women’s History Museum***

“I prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”
— Frederick Douglass

***Frederick Douglass***
***~ NPS / FRDO 2169***

“Liberty is slow fruit. It is never cheap; it is made difficult because freedom is the accomplishment and perfectness of man”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

***Ralph Waldo Emerson*** ~
***Encyclopedia Britannica***

“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”
— Malcolm X

***Malcolm X***
***~ Encyclopedia Britannica***

Each of these people had an influence on our American culture. They were abolitionist, social activists, and spokespersons who were active in speaking and in action to bring awareness to injustice and inequalities. Some were extremely active in ensuring the freedom of enslaved people.

Let us honor and remember so no one ever becomes enslaved again. Let us honor those who spoke out for freedom and equality for all.

God bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

Juneteenth: What is it? Why is it celebrated?

Yesterday was Juneteenth, a federally recognized holiday celebrated on June 19th each year. [I have to admit I never heard of the federal holiday until a few years ago.] Even though Juneteenth has been a holiday since June 19, 1986 it did not become a federal holiday until June 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the legislation. Juneteenth has actually been around a lot longer than that, since June 19, 1865.

Juneteenth is also known as “Emancipation Day” or “Freedom Day”. It commemorates June 19, 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and gave word to enslaved African Americans that they were free. It was more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

Who declared Juneteenth to be a holiday? General Granger’s announcement put into effect the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation had been issued practically two and a half years earlier, on January 1, 1863, by President Abraham Lincoln.

“Juneteenth” is named thusly by combining “June” and “nineteenth.” It references the date of the holiday. It was on June 19, 1865 that people in Galveston were informed of their freedom and the end of the Civil War. Before then they hadn’t known it was over and they were freed. The reason being the plantation owners did not inform their slaves of the proclamation. So they did not know until the federal government sent troops down to Texas to let them know.

Freed black men and women of Texas rallied around June 19th, not because it was the date that they were freed but because it was the date they were informed of their freedom. They turned the day from a day of unheeded military orders into an annual rite, beginning in 1866. The day they were informed they whooped and hollered and and bored holes in trees. They packed them with gun powder and lit them so there would be a blast for their celebration. This information has been quoted in Hayes Turner’s essay.

The Juneteenth flag was created by Ben Haith in 1997. The flag is a symbolic representation of the end of slavery. In the United States. Ben Haith is the founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). Haith had help from collaborators and illustrator Lisa Jeanne Graf who was instrumental in bringing their vision to life. The date June 19, 1865 was not added to the flag until 2000.

The holiday has been around awhile now, but like me not everyone knew of its existence until a couple of years ago. Even though I was born in the South, I grew up out west in San Diego, California. I do not remember having African American classmates until high school. Yes, we were taught about the Civil War and the Emancipation. However, the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t realized by myself and probably others when I was a child.

All people of all races deserve to be free, respected, and treated equally no matter where they live. They deserve equal rights and equality in all aspects of life.

God bless. Hope everyone was able to celebrate not Father’s yesterday, but also Juneteenth. Remember freedom for everyone is to be celebrated. We are all free or should be. I won’t go into Modern Slavery except to say all slavery of every time should be abolished everywhere, for everyone.

Plants & Flowers: Blue Star Trail_Anne Springs Close Greenway

***Sun*** ☀️ ***shining through the Trees*** 🌲

***Plants*** 🌱 ***& Flowers*** 🌺
***Along the Blue Star Trail***

God Bless. Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

Silent Sunday: Water

Running Water

***Downward glance at the Creek Water*** 💦

God Bless. Thank you. May you be filled with the Living Water 💦. Remember I appreciate y’all.

Father/Daughter Quotes: I Miss My Dad!

***My dad holding me next to my brother***

In many countries and across the United States of America, Father’s Day is a recognized public holiday in which we celebrate on the third Sunday in June. This coming Sunday is that third Sunday in which many people will celebrate Father’s Day. It is a day to honor fatherhood and the paternal bonds. It is also to celebrate the influence fathers have had in our society.

Even though Father’s Day is a joyous celebration for most everyone, for some it is a day of sadness and of remembering their fathers who are no longer with them. Whether the loss of a father is recent or not doesn’t matter. People grieve and feel the loss, not for a short time, but for the rest of their life’s. Missing the times that will never be had or what one wishes they could have had with their father.

My dad’s been gone from this world since December 31, 1996, and I miss him every day of my life. I appreciate the things he taught me and the unconditional love he bestowed upon me. I never once doubted the love he had for me. I appreciated the times we sat down together and worked on model cars, the times sharing stamp collecting – putting the stamps in collector albums, and sharing his passion for photography.

“My father died many years ago, and yet when something special happens to me, I talk to him secretly not really knowing whether he hears, but it makes me feel better to half believe it.”
— Natasha Josefowitz

“The reason why daughters love their dad the most is…that there is at least one man in the world who will never hurt her.”
— Anonymous

“Daddy, thanks for being my hero, chauffer, financial support, listener, life mentor, friend, guardian, and simply being there every time I need a hug.”
— Agatha Stephanie Lin

My father taught me how to ride a bicycle as a child and later taught me how to drive a car. When I wanted a 10 speed, he took a used one and rebuilt it, painting the frame a metallic gold color (the same as used on some cars back in the day). I loved it more than if he’d bought a brand-new bike. Besides teaching me how to drive a car, he taught me how to change the oil and how to change the tires so that I’d be able to handle any situation and understand how to properly maintain a vehicle. I appreciate him teaching me everything he taught me as I was growing up. I wish he was still around so I would be able to continue learning from him.

“A good father will leave his imprint on his daughter for the rest of her life.”
— Dr. James Dobson

**This is the last picture of just me and my dad**
**— Nornal Hule Waters You are Always in My Heart**

God Bless. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. May all the daughters appreciate their fathers. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

PPAC: Metal Art Dog Statues

I saw this challenge on Aletta’s nowathome blog featuring the PPAC challenge from Marsha Ingrao’s Always Write blog.

Public art according to Wikipedia is art in any media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It adds tremendous value to the cultural, aesthetic and economic vitality of a community.

***Each statue depicts a different breed of dog***

***From small, to medium, to large breeds***

**What do you think about this one, Nan**a?

**That’s all folks…. t*ime for some fun.***

God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.

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