2024 Words for Thought #48: 12.31

All Praise to God

Ephesians 1:3

Think About It Tuesday

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment.

Location: Off Cramerton Mountain Road; Near Baltimore Fishing Pier; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much. 

Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier

Lovely View

of the

South Fork Catawba River

Posting as part of WWE and Judy’s Numbers Game #54-175. This week I have decided to post photos from the Baltimore Fishing Pier instead of finding the 175 numbered photos. These all linked in a new album in my files. I thought you’d enjoy the photos I shot from the Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier. Enjoy the video.

Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier

 Water Water Everywhere #252

Judy’s Numbers Game #54-175

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 52

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

Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment

Location: Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take Care. Here’s to many happy days of love, joy, and laughter in 2025. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

A Few Ripples and a Splash

Water Water Everywhere

Coleman and I hiked to the Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier on Christmas Day. Whenever we a near a lake or river, Coleman likes to throw sticks, rocks, or whatever he can find into the water. He likes seeing the ripple effect and even more so when he can get a big splash from whatever he throws into the water.

Here’s what I managed to capture from his efforts …

Jez’s  Water Water Everywhere #251

WWE

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment.

Location: Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have a wonderful week and a Happy New Year. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Silent Sunday: 12.15

South Fork Catawba River

Coleman
throwing sticks
into the
South Fork Catawba River

Silent Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #249

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55 mm lens and Altura for Canon UV & ND4 Filter attachments plus Altura Wide-Angle Fisheye lens.

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 12.11

Lake Haigler

Reflections

Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #249

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Lake Haigler; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy your Yourselves! Don’t let the upcoming holiday season stress you out. Relax it’s not about the presents it’s about the birth of Christ. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much. 

2024 Words for Thought #45: 12.10

Peace

Think About It Tuesday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #249

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. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much. 

2024 Words for Thought #44: 12.04

Advent Week One: Hope

Isaiah 9:6

Think About It Tuesday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #248

Photo Credit: © 2020 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Location: Caribbean Sea; Gulf of Mexico; Enchantment of the Sea; Caribbean Cruise Ship

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much. 

2024 Last On the Card – November

Brian from Bushboys World invites everyone to post their Last Photo on the Card or smartphone. Here are Brian’s suggestions regarding his Last On the Card Challenge…

Your last photo doesn’t have to be on the very last day of the month if you didn’t take any photos on that day. Maybe it was earlier in the month when the last photo was taken.

So let’s see what you have for November

The rules are simple:
1. Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 31st or whenever your last photo was taken.
2. No editing – who cares if it is out of focus, not framed as you would like or the subject matter didn’t cooperate.
3. You don’t have to have any explanations, just the photo will do
4. Create a Pingback to this post or link in the comments
5. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard

For the past month of moving, unpacking, trying to organize our “Sweet, Sweet, Home” (as Coleman calls it); I have only been out photographing with Coleman and my iPhone. So here’s my last photo from November.

South Fork Catawba River

Last On the Card

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #248

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 CPC/LAPC/Numbers Game #49 — Smiling By the River

What makes me smile? My grandson, Coleman makes me smile. Spending time in any one of our Warm Places makes me smile. Spending time out in nature, especially with Coleman, makes me smile and feeling all warm inside. Coleman loves to spend time by the Catawba River. There are several different areas by the Catawba River we enjoy spending time at. This week we enjoyed spending time on a warm sunny afternoon at Riverside Park and Greenway. It makes me smile when I am able to watch Coleman having a Funtastic time playing by the Catawba River. On this day he was having a fabulous time playing in the sand along the banks of the South Fork Catawba River at Riverside Park and Greenway.

Here are a spattering of photos depicting some of what makes me Smile and Warm Inside in one of our Warm places.

Lens-Artists Challenge #326-This Made Me Smile

Cosmic Photo Challenge-In My Warm Place

Judy’s Numbers Game #49-170

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #247

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very muchg.

2024 Thursday Trios: 11.28

Kayaks on the River

Capturing kayakers enjoying an afternoon on the South Fork Catawba River as seen from the banks at Riverside Park and Greenway in Cramerton, North Carolina. Care to Pull Up a Seat and join the fun on the South Fork Catawba River?

Carol’s Thursday Trios

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 48

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #247

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA 

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

2024 Words for Thought #43: 11.26


The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. Psalm 23:1–2 (NIV)

Think About It Tuesday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #247

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much. 

2024 CPC/CWWC: Down in the Park

By the River

Since we moved to Cramerton at the end of October; Coleman’s new favourite place to go visit is the Goat Island Park and Greenway. The following are a few shots from our latest visit on Saturday.

Cosmic Photo Challenge-Down in the Park

CosPhoChal

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #246

Cee’s Which Way Challenge

Which Way My Way

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. Enjoy the Outdoors. Take a Hike. Relax in a Park. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Words for Thought #42: 11.19

Praise Him!

Psalm 150:1 (ESV)

Praise Him even when your hands are full.

Think About It Tuesday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #246

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. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much. 

2024 Judy’s Numbers Game #47-168

Judy invites us all to play along with her each week for her Numbers Game. To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find that include that number and  post a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.

Once Silent, Now Lively

The playground at Goat Island Park and Greenway had been “Silent” since the winds and storms caused by Hurricane Helene came through our area flooding many a Greenway including Goat Island Greenway. While there is still work to be done around the Greenway and the playground area, enough has been done to allow the playground to mostly reopen with the exception of the big green slide and a few other insignificant areas (at least as far as the children are concerned). The Goat Island Park and Greenway’s Playground now welcomes children once again inviting them to play, climb, and enjoy its equipment; hence the Playground is Alive and Lively once more.

Judy’s Numbers Game #47-168

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 45

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 45

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #243

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

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 11.13

Shadows or Reflections or Both?

South Fork River
Goat Island Greenway

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #245

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: South Fork River, Goat Island Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Silent Cell Pic Sunday: 10.27

A View Thru the Trees

Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Silent Sunday 

John’s Cell Pic Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location:Lake Haigler; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

Monochrome Which Way in the Greenway

Cee’s Which Way My Which Way

I’ve been missing Cee’s posts this week. I pray she is doing alright. This week I am again posting a Which Way My Way showing Which Ways in Monochrome. My grandson, Coleman and I had the privilege of hiking in our favorite Greenway on Tuesday. I only had my smartphone with me; I chose to take some of our adventures in monochrome and silvertone via my smartphone features. I hope you’ll enjoy them.

I hope y’all will share your Which Ways with us. I am linking to Cee’s Which Way Challenge and Leanne’s Monochrome Madness.

Cee’s Which Way Challenge-10.24.2024

Which Way My Way

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

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

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 10.23 — Amazingly Beautiful View of Lake Haigler @ ASCG

Coleman
Looking Out Upon
Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Wordless Wednesday 

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #242

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Lake Haigler; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Click on image for enhanced viewing. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very, very much.

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 10.16 — Almost

A Place of Quiet Reflection

“Art is not a reflection of reality, it is the reality of a reflection.”

~ Jean-Luc Godard

“It’s on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly.”

~ Claude Monet

Wordless Wednesday

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Throwback Thursday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #241

Photo Credit:©️2019 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Location: Lake at Garden of the Waxhaws Trail; Andrew Jackson State Park; Lancaster, South Carolina, USA

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

2024 The Numbers Game #42” — #163

To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find under that number and include a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.

This week’s number is 163. My 163 photos happen to come from a few trips I have taken and a few lakes I’ve visited over the years.

From our trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Blue Ridge Mountains:

From my trip to Cozumel, Mexico:

From New Braunfels, Texas:

The New Braunfels Railroad Museum
New Braunfels, Texas

From Lakes we enjoy visiting:

Judy’s Numbers Game 42 – 163

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit: ©️2017-2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. Have a fabulous rest of your week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Numbers Game #41 – 162

To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find under that number and include a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.

This prompt will repeat each Monday with a new number. If you want to play along, please put a link to your blog in comments below. Below are my contributions to the album:

I am choosing to post photos of volunteers helping across Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Appreciate Prayers for every affected person, family, animal in the areas impacted.

You might not think about this being Weird, Wild, or Oddballs, however, I think it is in an amazing way. Weird in that this is not something you see or experience every day. Wild to see all the Numerous Volunteers leaving their homes to come and help communities, towns, cities, families in tremendous need. Oddballs in that I never imagined the Pack Mule Teams, helicopter pilots, and many others coming together for a single mission.

All of this unity coming together to restore, rescue, and rebuild to lovely to see. This is the very essence of Whatsoever Is Lovely.

Thank you Cajun Navy! Thank you Mike Tobber and crew with Cajun Navy! Thank you National Guard! Thank you Garrett Mitchell and Volunteer Helicopter Pilots! Thank you Linemen! Thank you Search and Rescue Teams! Thank you Mountain Mule Packer Ranch! Thank you to all Volunteers for helping those affected by Hurricane Helene. I appreciate all you’ve accomplished and will continue to do to support the community and families impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.

Judy’s Numbers Game

Sunday Stills-A World of Weird, Wild, and Oddballs

Whatsoever Is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 39

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

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

2024 Words for Thought #37 — 10.01

Rejoice in the Lord Always

Philippians 4:4-7

Pray for all those affected by Hurricane Helene.

Think About It Tuesday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #239

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much. 

2024 LAPC #314: Shorelines

I once lived very close to Southern California beaches, but I have not lived there for many years. Pacific Beach, Mission Bay, Coronado Beach, and La Jolla Shores are some of my favourites and hold precious memories.

For years I have enjoyed the peacefulness of God near the shorelines of a couple different lakes. One of my all time favourites is the lake at Andrew Jackson State Park in Lancaster County, South Carolina.

Another lake my grandson and I have enjoyed relaxing, observing nature, having fun is Lake Haigler at the Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

One last “lake” to share with y’all is one we visit and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the beautiful atmosphere is at Little Glade Millpond off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the North Carolina Mountains.

I could sit at the shore of a lake anytime anywhere. I dream of walking along the shores of the California coastline. I have fond memories of doing just that. Someday, I hope to take my grandson to see & play in the Pacific Ocean. What shoreline do you wish you could walk along everyday? Click one of the links below to join the challenge & link your own adventures along Shorelines.

Lens-Artist Challenge: Shorelines

Anne’s LENS-Artist —Shorelines

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

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

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 09.04

Huck Finn

Tom Sawyer

Riverboat Cruises

Riverboat Cruises
Huck Finn
Tom Sawyer
St. Louis, Missouri

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #235

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️1985 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Location: Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn Riverboat Cruises; St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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

Amazing Beach Finds for Monochrome Madness

West Coast — East Coast Finds

The majority of beaches are more than three hours away from where we live except for around the lakes. It has been awhile since I’ve been to any beaches, so I combed through my archives to see what I could sea.

Here are my findings from out along the WEST Coast and Pacific Northwest Coast.

Moving back to the East Coast, we can Sea these beautiful and interesting beach finds.

Brian’s Monochrome MadnessFound(on the beach)

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #15-At the Beach

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Throwback Thursday

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

2024 CWWC: My Which Way — August – Week 2

For this week in doing Cee’s Which Way My Way I’m choosing a theme of Roads, Pathways, or Waterways. And as always, signs are welcome anytime. I’d love for y’all to join me in posting your Which Ways whether on Land or Sea. Remember to link your Which Way posts to Cee’s Which Way here or if you wish you can link to My Which Way here.

For my own Which Way this week I have combined it with Sunday Stills Challenge from Terri with her theme of #Float, #Afloat. In other words, my Which Ways are on both Land and Sea. These are from a visit my parents took to The Ports O’ Call in San Pedro, California. They toured the Ports O’ Call Village walking the pathways and took a tour cruise around the Bay. My dad loved to take pictures when they went places (thus my love of photography).

Cee’s Which Way Challenge 

Which Way My Way

Sunday Stills-#Float #Afloat

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm 

Location: Ports O’ Call, San Pedro, California, USA 

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

2024 Thursday Trios: Boats on Hume Lake

Click on each photo for enlarged viewing of images. These were taken at Hume Lake Christian Campgrounds in Hume, California by my dad back in 1979 with his Minolta XG-7 35 mm camera. Fun and relaxing times can be had at Hume Lake.,

Carol’s Thursday Trios-08.08

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Location: Hume Lake Christian Camps; Hume, California, USA 

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

2024 Monochrome Madness #Turtle Sunbathing

Turtle 🐢
San Diego Wild Animal Park

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️1978 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm

Converter : Wolverine Digital Converter 

Location: San Diego Wild Animal Park; Escondido, San Diego County, California, USA 

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

2024 Numbers Game #32 —153

 To play along with Judy’s Numbers Game simply go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a choice of the photos you find under that number and include a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.

I have chosen to pick a word to select my photos for this week’s Numbers Game hosted by Judy Dykstra-Brown’s blog. The Word I have chosen is Zoo. My selections come from four different zoos.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

Greenville Zoo

San Diego Wild Animal Park

Judy’s Numbers Game #31-153

Throwback Thursday

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 31

Jez’s Water Water Evverywhere #230

Photo Credit: Sets 1-3) ©️2012-2022 Deb L. Waters; 4th Set)©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: 1-3) Canon EOS Rebel T3i; 4) Minolta XG-7 35 mm

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

2024 Last On the Card — July

Brian from Bushboy.blog asks us to post our last photo on our SD card or phone on the last day of the month. No editing. Explanations not necessary. Create a Pingback or leave a link in comments to Brian’s blog. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard. Your last photo doesn’t have to be on the very last day of the month if you didn’t take any photos on that day. Maybe it was earlier in the month when the last photo was taken.

From My iPhone:

Coleman
in his new
Grave Digger shirt

From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

Patterson Pond
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

From My Dad’s Slides taken with his Minolta XG-7 35 mm Via My Wolverine Digital Converter:

San Diego Wild Animal Park
San Diego, California, USA

Brian’s Last On the Card

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

2024 RDP: Olympics!

Paris Olympics 2024

The Olympic Games are only held every four years. They are an athletic festival/competition that originated in Ancient Greece. Athletes from all over the world compete in various sports competitions. Athletes train for years for the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games.

This year the Summer Olympics are currently taking place in Paris, France. There has been much controversy surrounding the Opening Ceremonies which took place on Friday. I’m not discussing the specifics or opinions regarding the controversy.

I am interested in discovering whether you are watching this year’s Olympic Games. I am watching/ following how the United States athletes are performing during their Olympic qualifying Trials and Final Medal matches for their respective events. I believe the athletes have worked extremely hard to achieve their goals of becoming an Olympian and should be supported for their efforts.

If you are watching the Paris Olympic Games, are you watching every single game/competition or are you just watching and enjoying specific events? As for me, I am only watching/following specific sporting events like swimming and gymnastics.

Did your children complete/play in sporting activities while they were growing up? My daughter participated in ROTC Drill Team competitions during high school. My eldest son participated in Taekwondo (aka Tae Kwon Do), football, and swimming. He concentrated on swimming and competed in many swim meets from twelve (12) through eighteen (18) years of age. His best events were the 100-meter, 200-meter butterfly even though he competed in all strokes including the individual medley and team relays.

These pictures show him swimming the butterfly in the California Interschlastic Federation’s (CIF) State Swimming Championships in 1999. He was there competing with his High school Swim Team.

These may not be at the same level as the Olympics, but many Olympic Athletes begin their training through local clubs, training programs, or their high school or college athletic programs.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-OLYMPICS!

Jez’s Water Water Evverywhere #230

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: ©️1999 Deb L. Waters

Location: Long Beach, California

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

Amazingly Beautiful Mountain Escape

Viewing the
Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains
and Hume Lake
from
Hume Lake Christian Campgrounds.

Hume Lake is a reservoir in the Sierra Nevada, located within the Sequoia National Forest 65 miles east of Fresno, California. It is in the unincorporated community of Hume, California adjacent to Hume Lake.

The 87-acre lake lies behind the world’s first concrete reinforced multiple arch dam, designed by John S. Eastwood and constructed in 1908 by the Hume-Bennett Lumber Company.

Hume Lake is a popular destination for a variety of recreational activities including camping, boating, fishing, hiking, and swimming.

Hume Lake Christian Camps is a non-denominational, nonprofit parachurch organization and is one of the largest operators of Christian camps and conference centers in the world. Hume has camps and conferences for every age group ( for children and adults alike).

My parents,along with other couples from our church, spent a weekend at Hume during the summer of 1979. I’m not sure if they were attending one of the marriage retreats offered at the campground or they were all volunteers for the weekend. It seems they had plenty of leisure time to explore and photograph the Sequoia National Forest and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

I attended weekend at Hume in my late teens with others from my church one winter. Somewhere, not sure where, I have pictures from when I was there. I remember seeing and walking by the lake.

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 29

Sunny Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Evverywhere #229

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm 

Location: Hume Lake Christian Campgrounds; Hume, CaliforniaUSA 

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

A Walk Through a Japanese Garden

A walk back in time to visit a place my mom and dad visited with friends, remembering the love they shared. I believe this was a day trip they took with friends from their Sunday school class.

On this day trip from San Diego, California, in 1979, they ventured to The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens located in San Marino, California. The Botanical Gardens section of Huntington has approximately 120 acres of specialized botanical landscaped gardens, including the “Japanese Garden”, the “Desert Garden”, and the “Chinese Garden”.

Walking through
a floral passageway
with friends.

The Huntington’s Botanical Gardens showcase plants from around the world. Huntington worked diligently to make them thrive in the generous climate conditions of California. The gardens are divided into more than a dozen themes including the ones mentioned earlier.

Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden creation began in 1911 with a donation from art dealer George Turner Marsh and was completed in 1912. However, it did not open to the public until 1928. In the Japanese Garden you can find three distinct gardens: the original stroll garden with koi-filled ponds and a drum or moon bridge, the raked-gravel dry garden which was added in 1968, and the traditionally landscaped tea garden.

Japanese Garden Bridge

An interesting side note: the gardens are frequently used as a filming location. Shits can be seen in the Carpenter’s music video, “Only Yesterday” (1975), in Star Trek the Next Generation’s episode Justice (1987), in CSI Miami’s episode of You May Now Kill the Bride (2008) and in many other productions.

The Huntington Botanical Gardens were honored on May 13, 2020 with a postal stamp as part of the American Gardens stamps. The Desert Garden was featured on the postal stamp.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Jez’s Water Water Evverywhere #228

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm 

Location: Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, San Marino California, USA 

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

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 07.17

Catalina Island

Catalina Island
Catalina Island is located off the coast of Southern California a mere twenty-two (22) miles south of Los Angeles.

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Throwback Thursday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #227

Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm

Location: Santa Catalina Island; View from Los Angeles, California, USA 

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

2024 SYD: July

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos is asking all of us once again to share our desktops. All you need to do is share the photo (not your actual desktop) you have set as your wallpaper. Provide whatever information you desire about the photo. Use a pingback, or post a link to her blog here so she knows you’ve joined in on the fun. Then, enjoy sharing the fun around.

Here are my July Desktops:

From my Laptop:

Wallpaper:

Catawba River
near the
Great Falls Dam
Great Falls, South Carolina

Screensaver:

Coleman
My
❤️
My Grandson

From my Smartphone

(iPhone 14 Pro Max)

Hiking Focus:

Nornal Hule Waters (my dad)
and
Larry Dean Waters (my brother)
taken in
Great Falls, South Carolina
in July 1963.

Television Focus:

Hawksbill Turtle
Ocean Conservancy

Personal Focus:

Coleman
playing with his
Titan Magnetic Tiles

Reading Focus:

Coleman
in his
Camouflage Flag Shirt

Come on along and join the fun. Share one or more, it doesn’t matter whether the photos are from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or your smartphone wallpaper(s).

Clare’s Share Your Desktop-July 2024

Photo Credit: 1 & 3)©️1963 Nornal H. Waters (my dad); 2 & 4-6) ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s desktop photos. Have a wonderful week. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Silent Sunday: 07.14

Horseshoe Bay

and

Alcatraz Island

Horseshoe Bay
and Alcatraz Island
from Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, California

Silent Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #227

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Location: Horseshoe Bay; San Francisco Bay; San Francisco, California, USA

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

2024 Judy’s Numbers Game #29 — 150

A Hodgepodge of Pix

Blue Ridge Mountains
North Carolina, USA
Fountain at
Central Ohio Technical College
Newark, Ohio
License Plates Display
NC Transportation Museum
Spencer, North Carolina
Business Garden
Gastonia, North Carolina
Grave Marker
for Eddie W. Waters
( my Paternal Uncle)
Great Falls, South Carolina

A Hodgepodge of Coleman

Judy’s Numbers Game #29-150

Cee’s Flower of the Day

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I look forward to seeing y’all’s pictures for Judy’s Numbers Game. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Window: 07.08

The Fishing Creek Hydro Station

The Fishing Creek Hydro Station, ( I grew up knowing it as the Great Falls Hydro Station/Dam), is located on the Catawba River in Great Falls, Chester County, South Carolina. It borders Lancaster County, South Carolina. It was built in 1916 by the Southern Power Company, predecessor to the station’s current owner, Duke Power.

Just like the name suggests, the creek is a popular area for fishing 🎣 and recreation. Fishing Creek Lake – created by the dam – has four access point along the 61 miles of shoreline, including Landsford Canal State Park. [Of a side interest, the Catawba River at Landsford Canal State Park is an excellent area for seeing the Spider Lilies each Spring.]

Hydropower provides about one percent of Duke Energy’s U.S. energy production, but the company’s more than 30 stations are able to activate quickly to meet customer demand during extreme temperatures. In addition to reliable power, communities near lakes created by Duke Energy’s stations are able to enjoy fishing, swimming, kayaking, and even photography. 

Ludwig’s Monday Window 

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #226

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 27

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️1980 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

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

2024 Judy’s Number Game #27 – 148

A Scattering of Pix

from Here to There

From Here —- Road Work in the Neighbourhood …

Roadwork;
Huntingtowne Neighbourhood;
Gastonia, North Carolina

Taking a Break … Maneuvering around the Roadwork

Coleman
Huntingtowne Neighbourhood;
Gastonia, North Carolina

From Over Yonder … Looking Over the Geological Layers of the Grand Canyon …

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Moving Further Westward … Wishing we could Cool off in this Magnificent Historical Pool …

Hearst Castle Pool
San Simeon, California

Deciding that won’t be allowed … Returning to our own Carolinas … to be Refreshed in the Catawba River …

Catawba River;
Piedmont Medical Center Trail;
Rock Hill, South Carolina

Back Here … Thinking of Family.

Aunt Vermel (Waters) & Uncle Fred Hunter; Springs Park;
Lancaster, South Carolina

Judy’s Numbers Game #27-148

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: 1-2)©️2024 Deb L. Waters; 3-6, ≠5) ©️1963-1979 Nornal H. Waters; 5)©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

Slow Streaming Over Stones

Upper Waterfalls

Stone Mountain State Park

Leanne’s hosting Monochrome Madness with the theme of Waterfalls this week. To join the challenge just post photos of waterfalls on your blog and tag Monochrome Madness or leave a pingback to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness post.

My eldest son and I took a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway back in the Fall of 2017 as a way to celebrate his birthday. During our drive we stopped at several overlooks prior to stopping at Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina. At Stone Mountain State Park there is the Upper and Lower Waterfalls you may hike towards.

We hiked along Stone Mountain Loop Trail to view the Upper Waterfalls. I took several photos along the route as we watched the Waterfall cascading down over Stone Mountain.

Enjoy the view, however, I would prefer you not to YAWN during the viewing. I would hope it would not bore you but rather enable you to dawn a smile instead.

Can you just visualize the water streaming down over the stones?

The Waterfall slowly increases its strength and speed as it continuously cascades down the Mountain.

Monochrome Madness-Waterfalls moving

RDP Wednesday-YAWN

Jez’s Water water Everywhere #224

Photo Credit:©️2017 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 7 Plus

Location: Stone Mountain State Park; Roaring Gap, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for viewing the Waterfalls at Stone Mountain State Park with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Portrait: 06.17

Coleman’s Water 💦

Antics and Expressions

Here you go Clare —- Coleman’s latest … May his antics and expressions bring a smile and a bit of laughter to your day.

Coleman’s
Antics and Expressions
in the Water

Monday Portrait – 06.17.2024

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. WatersAll Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Backyard Turtle 🐢 Pool; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 CWWC: June — Week 2

Bridging the Waters

of Time

Thru Architecture

While on our San Francisco Bay Discovery Cruise we were able to see beautiful views surrounding the Bay. We were able to view unique perspectives of the amazing architectural features of the Bay Area Bridges.

Looking at The Golden Gate Bridge from the waters below …

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide (1.6 km) strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

Golden Gate Bridge

The structure links the U.S. city of San FranciscoCalifornia—the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula—to Marin County, carrying both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 across the strait.

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is made up of two (2) bridge segments: a skyway structure/single anchored suspension bridge between Oakland and Yerba Buena Island, and a suspension span from the island to San Francisco. The two (2) are connected by the world’s largest diameter bore tunnel.

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is the region’s workhorse bridge, carrying more than a third of the traffic of all of the state-owned bridges combined. It is also a jewel along the San Francisco waterfront.

San Francisco Bay Bridge

The Eastern Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge underwent an extensive replacement renovation to replace a seismically unsound portion of the Bay Bridge with a new self-anchored suspension bridge (SAS) and a pair of viaducts. The span replacement took place between 2002 and 2013, and is the most expensive public works project in California history. The Eastern Span replacement upgrade was part of a plan to make the bridge more seismically sound. The replacement was necessary due to an earthquake of unanticipated magnitude  of the horizontal motion caused by the Loma Prieta Earthquake causing significant damage to the Bay Bridge. It also caused  section of a major highway along the bay (a portion of it double-decked) to collapse; repairs on these were completed by the late 1990s.

Oakland Bay Bridge

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The Bay Bridge is significant for its influence in the California Bay Area.

Bay Bridge
Architectural Design

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge’s multi-modal design is a direct example of the mindset of commuters during the 1930s. Constructed in 1936, the bridge was used to support the increase of automobiles and public transit lines in the early half of the 20th century.

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

 Today the Bridge continues to pay a vital role in transportation as it serves as a major freeway connector for many who travel to and from the Bay Area.

Looking through the my dad’s old slides the photos of these Bridges reminds me of a 70’s song by Simon and Garfunkel called Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

Cee’s Which Way Challenge -June Week 2

Lens-Artists Challenge #303 – Connections

Whatsoever Is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 23

Throwback Thursday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #224

Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm

Location: San Francisco Bay; San Francisco, California, USA

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

Words for Thought #22

Psalm 93:4
GOOD News Translation (GNTD)

Think About It Tuesday

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Throwback Thursday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #223

Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm 

Location: Eastern San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge; Pacific Ocean; San Francisco, California, USA

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

2024 Sunday Stills: Pastels in California’s Beautiful Outdoors

California has some beautiful coastline. These were taken way back in 1974 in Long Beach, California.

This first one was taken looking over the Pacific Ocean and Pier J, Port of Long Beach. The view was taken from aboard the Queen Mary.

Pier J
Port of Long Beach

The next two photos are of the Shoreline of the Long Beach Harbor with skylines.

Taken from
aboard the Queen Mary

Just look at the pastels in the skyline and shoreline. It’s an amazing view looking out over the Pacific Ocean from the Queen Mary.

Long Beach Shoreline

Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge: Can You Find #Pastels in the Great Outdoors?

Hammad’s Weekend Sky #129

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #223

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️1974 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Location: Pacific Ocean; Pier J; Long Beach Shoreline; Queen Mary; Long Beach, California, USA

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

Sitting on the Sunny Side of Life

The weather has been hot and Sunny 🌞 during the day and stormy at night. Decided to switch out the sand in my grandson’s “Turtle” for Water 💧 to allow him to enjoy 😊 water playtime in the Warm Sunshine.

Coleman Sitting &
Playing on the
Sunny Side of Life.
The Tune Playing
is called “Sunny Side.”

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 23

Sunny Sunday

John’s Cellpic Sunday

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 22

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #223

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Video created in Google Utilities -Highlight Video

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