2024 RDP: Contentment

Cardinals Contentment

Coleman and I refilled our bird feeder today to the delight and contentment of Northern Cardinals as well as a variety of other bird species.

The birds have a tendency to jostle some of the bird seeds around while they are grabbing a bite and flying off. Some will stay awhile for a bit of contented munching while others snatch and flee to and fro. They do fly here and there spreading the word and then flying back for more.

After filling the feeder, we had some loose seeds, so instead of putting them back in the back we spread them out on the railing. Coleman loves to watch the birds eating the bird feed we put out. Today, the Female Northern Cardinals were displaying contentment, enjoying the feed we spread out for their content.

RDP Wednesday: TODAY

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Friday! Contentment

Birds of the Week XCVI

Birds of the Carolinas

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: As seen through our Front Window; Our Front Porch Railings; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Be Content with who you are. You are loved. Dwell in the Contentment of our Lord God. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Tuesday 12.17 — Darkness

Out of the Darkness and into the early Dawn as Coleman walked out the back door for us to head to the bus stop, he said look Grandma and pointed towards the back fence. He wanted me to see what he was seeing.

Here’s what he was seeing …

These were taken in the early dawn when it was still dark outside. I have cataracts and cannot see out of my left eye, it is difficult for me to see in the dark. Thus, these are not as clear as I would prefer but will still give you an idea of what Coleman was seeing coming out of the darkness.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Tuesday! Darkness!

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Our Backyard; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Come out of the Darkness and Dwell in the Light of Jesus. Hallelujah! Christ’s birth is the Reason we celebrate Christmas. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 My Bestie for OWS/RDP

Bestie is a person’s best friend. I had friends growing up, but I do not recall one being a bestie. I know, as an adult, have had friends that come and go, but none of them have ever been close enough to be called a bestie. Nowadays, I spend practically all my time with my grandson, Coleman. He is my hiking buddy. He and I are closer than he is with his own mom. The reason for that is most likely due to the fact that we spend the most time together as his mom works a lot to provide a place for us to live. So in a sense he is my bestie. He is not a confident, but he is someone I love and care very deeply about; someone I’d give my life to protect.

Coleman playing at CB Huss Recreation Complex.

Coleman colouring an ornament at the Town of Cramerton Community Center.

Coleman and myself affectionately loving each other.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Any word beginning with C

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Bestie

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP Sunday: Sunlight

Here are my contributions for the Ragtag Daily Prompts Sunday Challenge — Sunlight.

Sunlight Peeking Through the Branches
Shimmering Sunlight Shining Bright
Enjoying the Sunshine

Ragtag Daily Prompts Sunday Challenge — Sunlight

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. May His blessings shine upon y’all. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Saturday—Boat

Coast of Cozumel; Caribbean Sea;
Gulf of Mexico
From Enchantment of the Sea
Caribbean Cruise Ship
Alex’s Marina
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
Gastonia County Police Boat
in Cramerton Christmas Parade
Cramerton, North Carolina,

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday Boat

RDP

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #249

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

RDP: Saturday — Grey

Grey in the Farm

Zebu, AKA Humped Cattle
Brahmin cattle, Indicus Cattle

I have plenty of photos of Grey clouds, Grey skies, but I chose to choose instead a Grey Zebu located in the Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday Grey

RDP-Grey

Photo Credit:©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300 lens.

Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Farm with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Wednesday 11.13 — Pull Up a Seat on a SEESAW

The Ragtag Prompt of Seesaw fits right into some of the pictures of Coleman I took this past weekend at Goat Island Park and Greenway. The Goat Island Park’s Playground only opened back up this past weekend after having been closed for renovations to repair damage generated by the strong winds and storms which caused flooding to the Greenway’s Playground and a majority of the rest of the Greenway.

When we went to the playground Coleman was hoping to be able to not only play on the playground’s equipment, but also with other children. However, that is not exactly how it worked out. Yes, he was able to play on the various playground equipment including the Seesaw, but not with other children. Other parents or grandparents kept their children at a distance from other children playing in the playground. Thus the many facial expressions displayed by Coleman. He found it difficult to enjoy playing on the Seesaw especially when no other child would get on the Seesaw with him. I tried getting on the Seesaw with him, however, that didn’t work so we. My end sank all the way to the ground and he was stuck up in the air until I could manage to extend my legs for my end to go up. (Actually I ended up having to get off for his end to come down.) Here are photos of Coleman Pulling Up a Seat on the Seesaw.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Seesaw

#RDP

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 45

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Goat Island Playground; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Playground with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a wonderfully funtastic day. I appreciate y’all very much.

RDP: Friday – Thankful/SATURDAY — PUMPKIN

Out of Hardship

Comes Blessings

For the past few months, we have been in unrest. I live with my daughter and grandson whom I take care of while she works. Up until recently (like three months ago) her husband (who never liked my being there) was also in the home. He moved out leaving my daughter with a whole heap of debt and a rental amount she could not afford without his assistance. He really didn’t think he should contribute to the financial obligations before he moved out and definitely didn’t think so afterwards even though his name was also on the lease. this made it difficult for my daughter to find another place to live; one in which she would be able to afford. Thus, creating extreme hardship and high levels of stress and anxiety.

A Pile of Pumpkins
Ready for Children’s Pickin’

After much searching and reaching out to anyone and everyone she finally found another place for us to move to. Just one catch, the landlord was still working on the house, and she didn’t have the financial resources to move in immediately. Therefore, we had additional expenses of staying in a motel for a week until everything could be completed to satisfaction. during this transitional period my grandson was missing several days of kindergarten and speech class.

So, what do you think I did? Since we couldn’t provide transportation to his school, I took him to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes, hiking. Coleman and I went hiking three days in a row to his delight. In the mist of trials, it was a blessing to enjoy being out in nature spending quality time with him. Our motel for the week was a short distance from his favorite hiking place, Anne Springs Close Greenway. Therefore, where else would I take him but to the Greenway, of course. These Pumpkins were seen on our fourth day of hiking. They were situated at the Lake Haigler entrance to the Anne Springs Close Greenway. The Greenway also had other fun Fall/Autumn activities set up for the children to enjoy. During this week we visited three of the five entrances to the Greenway. Each entrance offers different trails and activities for visitors to utilize and enjoy.

Who Wants a Pumpkin?

I am extremely grateful for my daughter and her strength and persistence in searching and locating a place for us to live and feel at peace. Home is the nicest word in our vocabulary right now. We are all thankful for having a home to live in. Thankful to be out of the motel. Thankful to be out of turmoil. Thankful to be relieved of a heavy load of stress and worry. I know, all our troubles and worries should be laid in the hands of God, our Heavenly Father. It is difficult sometimes to lay everything at his feet and not continue to worry.

We (mostly me) still have a tremendous amount of unpacking to do but alas, it will all get done in due time. I am still processing the fact that we have a home to live in. Understanding that we are all safe and can relax and enjoy our home (it is a rental, but it is our home for now). Coleman has his own little room, with his own bed (he had been having to share mine). He has a fairly good size yard to play in and we don’t have to worry about him not having enough space to run and pay. This home is a blessing, and I am truly thankful for being allowed to share it with my daughter and grandson.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday_Pumpkin

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Friday_Thankful

Photo Credit: (c) 2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Pumpkins) Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA; Home) Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting with us. Thank you for sharing your time ana thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Remembering …

Doyce Eileen (Watson) Waters

October 11, 1931 — January 18, 2019

Five years ago I received an expected yet saddening phone call from my brother. I was working when I received the call that my mother had passed.

My mom and I were not close after I became an adult and was on my own. I was felt she favored my brother and his family. I harbored ill feelings for the longest time towards my mother. I guess you could say I was jealous of the close relationship I felt she had with my brother and his family. I felt she spent much more time with his family and only gave me and my family a few minutes of her time. To me it seemed she cared more about them and even my dad’s sister’s family more than she cared about me.

Regardless of how I felt about her as an adult, she was still my mother. She is here any longer, I can’t let her know how I felt. I was never open with her about my thoughts and feelings. Sometimes I wish I had felt like I could have been open with her and closer. You can never get back the time lost with loved ones. Regrets can never be taken back once loved ones are no longer with us. I still think about my mom, especially on her birthday.

CHERISH EVERY MOMENT AND EVERY PERSON IN YOUR LIFE, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE THE LAST TIME YOU SEE SOMEONE.

quoteslife101.net

Cherish Your Loved Ones

Cherish your family each and every day Life is unbelievably unpredictable Enjoy the people in your life, Invest in forgiveness Stop wasting precious time And be thankful for what you have Cherish your loved ones. You never know when God will call them home.

Rosie Bourget

Ragtag Daily Prompt—TIME

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP’s: Thursday-Wall_Tuesday-Nostalgia!_Sunday-Want

When I think about Wall I don’t think about any ordinary wall. I think about the Vietnam Veterans Walls I have been fortunate to visit. When I have visited Vietnam Veterans Walls, I think about the sacrifices that men and women have made to ensure our freedoms. I think about the tremendous ultimate sacrifices made by too many. I think about the lifetime suffering our Vietnam Veterans endured due to the effects Agent Orange that were forced upon our soldiers during their service to the United States of America.

The above depicts the Veterans Wall in the Veterans Garden at Glencairn Gardens in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The Veterans Garden was created by the City of Rock Hill in partnership with the American Legion Post 34 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2889. It honors women and men from the past, present, and future who served in the United States armed forces.

I look back with Nostalgic whenever I reflect on the time I traveled to Jacksonville, North Carolina visiting sons. The time spent with my eldest sightseeing various sites in the area including the  Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Lejeune Memorial Gardens.

It is dedicated to all men and women who served during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a recognition for the nearly ten million Veterans of the five branches of the Armed Forces who served active duty during the Vietnam era. This memorial remembers the 303,704 service members who were wounded in Vietnam, the many POW/MIAs who are still unaccounted for, and the 58,229 men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Upon entering the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, you’ll encounter an entry wall with medallions and flags representing all branches of the military, a walkway and bridge with French design, and a glass wall etched with names of those MIA, POW or dead. 

One Wall I truly Want to visit one day is the Memorial Wall which is apart of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D. C.. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a U.S. National memorial in Washington D. C.. It honors service members of the U.S. armed forces who served in the Vietnam War. The two-acre site is dominated by two black granite walls engraved with the names of those service members who died or remain missing as a result of their service in Vietnam and South East Asia during the war.

The United States fully entered the Vietnam War on March 8, 1965 when 3,500 United States Marines came ashore at Da Nang as the first wave of U.S. combat troops into South Vietnam. The U. S. had already been in Vietnam with 25,000 U.S. military advisers at that time period. The United States involvement in the War lasted until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. The last combat units left Vietnam in 1973. However, it took years to bring home those who had died during the conflict and those who were held in prison camps (POW’s) or listed as Missing in Action (MIA).

Why is the Vietnam War Memorial Wall so important to me? Even though I did not loose family in Vietnam, I did have family members who served during the Vietnam War (Conflict). My brother enlisted in the United States Air Force in January 1973. My husband and both his brothers served during this time period. I have many friends who were drafted or enlisted in the early 1970’s. My husband & many of my friends were on the ground during the height of the conflict in Vietnam Nam. Quite a number have or are still affected by the results of the spraying of Agent Orange over the area. Many have had lasting PTSD, as others in other wars have also suffered. Our Vietnam Veterans were not given a welcome home as in previous wars or actually any welcome home except from their families. This was a war very real and personal in my growing up years and one I will always remember. If anyone reads this who served during the Vietnam Nam War era, Welcome Home!

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Wall

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Nostalgia!

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Want

God Bless. Thank you for visiting with me. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Wednesday — 🦕 Dinosaur 🦖

Dinosaurs at

The Schiele Museum

How lovely to have the prompt of dinosaur. My grandson, Coleman, loves Dinosaurs. We’ve been fortunate this past year to live within a relatively short distance from the local Schiele Museum of Natural History. The most popular exhibits at The Schiele Museum are the Dinosaur exhibits. They are definitely Coleman’s favourites. Every year the Museum has a special Dinosaur Day. On Dinosaur Day, the museum has special activities and events for everyone to enjoy (especially the children) and participate.

Since Coleman loves Dinosaurs so much; we got him a dinosaur backpack, lunchbox, and matching bottle to use for school. We couldn’t forget to add dinosaur shirts, socks, and shoes. He loves all his dinosaur items, even his toy dinosaurs.

Ragtag Daily Prompt_Wednesday-Dinosaur

Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank God for Coleman and Dinosaurs. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Saturday — Landslide

Landslides occur whenever they choose to happen even in the most unlikely of circumstances or in areas you least expect. This one happened on a portion of my cousin’s property. Better be careful where you walk. Never know what Mother Nature will decide to do next.

Along my cousin’s property
after all the rain
from Tropical Storms.

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Saturday-Landslide

Fandango’s One Word Challenge-Outside

John’s CellPic Sunday

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.