2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): March Week 4 — Any Which Way with Bridges

Deb’s/Cee’s Which Way Challenge

Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge. Another week has passed and we’re almost through with one-quarter (1/4) of 2025. Hope you’re all doing well and will be joining in on the Which Way Challenge .

This week I have chosen a theme of Bridges. As you can see from my images the Bridges can be of a variety of types from Road Bridges to Swinging Bridges to Garden Bridges. Any type of Bridge will be suitable for this post.

Here are my entries for this week’s Which Way Challenge.

Swinging Bridges:

Road Bridges & Trellises:

Trail Bridges:

Throwback Bridges:

Be sure to check out these other Which Ways. Thank you for participating in the Which Way Challenge.

Tgeriatrix’s Animals on the road

GERIATRI’X’ FOTOGALLERY’s ANIMALS ON THE ROAD

Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)-Any Which Way with Bridges

Photo Credit: 1-8) ©️2022-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

2025 Thursday Trios: 27 March

Follow the Leader

in Kayaking

the River

Springtime in the Carolinas brings kayakers to the river for Funtime paddling in the water with rays of sunshine bringing warmth and tranquility to their lives.

Hey, Wait for me … I’m coming …
Okay, y’all who’s taking the lead?
Just let me finish maneuvering
and I’ll by straight to follow y’all.
I’m ready now, shall we venture on?

Three kayakers in kayaks as seen from the banks of the South Fork Catawba River as Coleman and I were hiking the Disc Golf Trail parallel to the river. We watched the fellow in the red kayak maneuver his kayak away from the River bank and paddle to catch up with the other two kayakers to continue joining them on their adventure downstream.

Thursday Trios — Follow the Leader

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #262

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachments.

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

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy the Spring Sunshine and have fun. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Thursday Doors: 27 March

Skillet Southern Bistro

Center Street in Downtown Cramerton is the central location hub for get togethers and dining. The image below is of one of the many eating establishments that people gather for some fine dining experiences.

We mostly prefer to eat at home and not waste our resources on eating out at restaurants. Therefore, I cannot personally substantiate or invalidate the claims of being a highly recommended restaurant. However, from everything I hear about the restaurant, the food is high quality and the service is exceptional.

Skillet Southern Bistro

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachments.

Location: 119 Center Street; Downtown Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Cee’s Flower of the Day: 27 March

Spring Garden

Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Cee’s FOTD

Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters

Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Stop and admire the Beautiful Flowers. Thank you visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Words for Thought #57: 03.25

Proverbs 4:25 (NIV)

“Peace doesn’t come from finding a lake with no storms. It comes from having Jesus in the boat.”

—John Ortberg

Turn off Distractions and Keep Your Eyes Focused on Jesus, Trusting Him in all aspects of Your Life.

Think About It Tuesday

Photo Credit: © 2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachments

Location: South Fork Catawba River; 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. 

2025 OWS: Pets in Parks & Greenways

Janet from This, that and the other thing is this week’s host for the One Word Sunday challenge. She has chosen a theme of Pets for this week’s One Word Sunday .

Currently, we do not own any pets, however, Coleman and I see Pets while we are hiking along trails in various Parks and Greenways. Many visitors to Parks and Greenways bring their companions/Pets along with them. Some of the Greenways have Doggie Park sections for the Dogs to enjoy running around and playing with other dogs.

The following are some of the companion Pets we have encountered on our hiking adventures.

Janet’s One Word Sunday-Pets

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2019-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-9) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm and Canon EF-S75-300mm lens; 10) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 11) Apple iPhone XR

Locations: as stated with images.

God Bless. Thank you Janet for hosting One Word Sunday this week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Benches Along the Trail

On Saturday Coleman and I went hiking along the Disc Golf Trail at Goat Island Park and Greenway trying to follow the trail in numerical order for the Disc Golf Course. While hiking along the pathway crossing back and forth from paved to dirt trails we came upon these benches. Who knows, maybe people need a bit of rest in between “holes”.

I’m posting these benches for Jude’s Bench Anniversary Challenge and Xingfu Mama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge.

Jude’s Bench Anniversary Challenge

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 12

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachments.

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

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

2025 Monochrome Monday

Discarded & Unused

It is interesting sometimes what Coleman and I run across while hiking. Things like posts with no apparent rhyme or reason (even if there is one), a discarded trash can (all the Greenway Trash cans are large with a Goat on them & are accompanied by a recycling bin), or a board discarded and tossed into the river. I’ve been teaching Coleman to LEAVE NO TRACE, so he notices when things have been left behind and discarded without thought of keeping the environment safe and clean.

These are examples of what we found discarded and left behind this week.

Post with no sign
or reason for being there
(it probably had a sign at one time).
Discarded trash can,
don’t know why someone
would even bring one
to the Greenway
except for maybe fishing.
Discarded board tossed into the river.
( We need to keep our rivers safe from contamination.)

Monday Monochrome

Photo Credit: 2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachments.

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

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

2025 Silent Sunday: 23 March

Streaming Upstream

A Pair of Canada Geese
on the
South Fork Catawba River

Silent Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #262

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV + CPL Filter attachments.

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

God Bless. Time to Get Outdoors and Enjoy the Beauty in Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Soul Mates Together at the River

Canada Geese Soul Mates

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #261

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2025 Week 11

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 

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

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

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): March Week 3 — Any Which Way with Shades of Green

Good Day my friends and fellow bloggers. I trust y’all are well. This being the week of St Patrick’s Day, I thought I would have us show our Which Ways with Any Shade of Green in them. Posting your Which Way for this CWWC challenge could be one photo or multiple photos depending on what you desire to post. I look forward to seeing all your Which Ways with Shades of Green . Remember signs are always welcome in your Which Way Challenge posts.

Here are my entries for this week’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any Which Way with Shades of Green:

Pathway at
Texas Welcome Center
I-20 near Waskom, Texas
Pathway at
Glencairn Garden
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Coleman behind Prairie Loop Sign
Prairie Loop, Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina
Nature Trail
at Warlick YMCA
Gastonia, North Carolina
Nicotiana tabacum
Cultivated Tobacco by Pathway at
Schiele Museum of Natural History
Gastonia, North Carolina

Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC): March Week 3 — Any Which Way with Shades of Green

Photo Credit:©️2019-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-2) Apple iPhone XR; 3-4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens and Canon EF-S75-300mm lens; 5) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Here’s hoping y’all will share your Which Ways this week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Numbers Game #64 — 185

Birds of the Carolinas

Bird of the Week

Great Blue Heron

Admiring the Views

… Watching the Great Blue Heron Looking around admiring his views and insights on the South Fork Catawba River.

The Great Blue Heron is stated to be seen year-round in the Carolinas, however, in our area of Southwestern North Carolina the Herons and other Cormorants tend to be seasonal in the inland regions. On this day, it was the first time the Cormorants and Great Blue Herons had been spotted since the end of summer.

The Great Blue Heron (Egretta thula) is the largest heron in North America and one of North Carolina’s most familiar and frequently seen wading birds. It is commonly observed around shores of open water and in wetlands where it stands  silently or walks very slowly waiting for prey to get close enough so it can spear it with a rapid thrust of its bill.

The Great Blue Heron stands more than three (3) feet tall as an adult and weighs approximately 5.5 pounds (lbs). Its wingspan extends nearly 6.5 feet.

The Great Blue Herons live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, including marshes, swamps, shores, rivers and tidal flats. These sightings were located near the shoreline of the South Fork Catawba River around Goat Island in Cramerton, North Carolina.

For the most part the South Fork Catawba River is a slow-moving river with calm waters. The Great Blue Heron prefers the calm waters to forage and the ability to feed on almost anything that comes within striking distance of its long, pointed bill. They typically feed in shallow waters. 

Coleman and I were delighted to watch the Great Blue Heron soar over the river and land on the opposite bank from where we were hiking. Naturally, I aimed my camera towards the Great Blue Heron and proceeded to snap several shots. The Great Blue Heron stood tall and upright looking all around the waters of the South Fork Catawba River being observant of his entire environment.

Judy’s Numbers Game #64-185

Bird of the Week CVIII

Birds of the Carolinas

Ragtag Daily Prompt Sunday-Watch

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #261

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment. [This was a time I wished I had a longer lens or at least a 2X converter to capture a closer view.]

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

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

2025 Thursday Trios …

Beside the River

On Tuesday after Coleman arrived home from school, his mom and I took him to the Baseball field to practice his hitting and fielding. Coleman just recently been assigned to a team for T-Ball.

Anyway, after his mom was tired of helping him practice Coleman and I took a short hike down to the river. The C.B. Huss River access is located off the Eleventh (11) Street parking lot. The Kayak rack is located at the river access trailhead.

Coleman
checking out the
Three Kayaks

Last Thursday, Coleman and I hiked the backside of Goat Island Park and Greenway. We hiked along a back road to reach the far side of the South Fork Catawba River. When we reached our starting point, we came upon these three pipes seemingly discarded near the river.

Three pipes
near the
South Fork
Catawba River

Walking a bit off trail, we saw these three tree stems, limbs, or branches sticking up out of the water. It is always intriguing to see what interesting things we can find along our hikes.

Three Tree Stems

These Wild Daffodils were saw near the river while we were walking up the road to begin our hike for the day.

A Trio of
Narcissus pseudonarcissus
(wild daffodil)

Thursday Trios

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1,3-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

God Bless. Have triple the fun. Enjoy Outdoor life. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 OWS: 16 March – Monotone

Catawba River In Monotone

This week Debbie with Travel with Intent has chosen a theme of Monotone for this week’s One Word Sunday (OWS) challenge.

Here are my entries for this week’s OWS Challenge

A floating piece of Wood
Coleman through into the River.
Looking through the Branches
as the Water passes on by.
Canada Geese
enjoying an afternoon swim
in the South Fork Catawba River.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Monotone

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: 1)Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment. 2-3) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

God Bless. Enjoy the Warm Springlike days when they come. Have a walk in Nature to refresh your mind and soul. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Silent Sunday: 16 March

A Boy’s Treasure

Coleman’s Pinecone

Silent Sunday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters All Rights Reserved.

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

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.

Goat Island Playground in Monochrome

Last weekend was a fairly warm sunny day, therefore, Coleman and I walked over to Goat Island Park and Greenway for him to run around a play outdoors awhile. He enjoys going to Greenways to hike and play.

While Coleman was playing a snapped a few shots of the various sections of the Playground using a couple of different lenses and attachments. I used Google monochrome filters to alter the images into black and white.

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters

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

God Bless. Get outside and enjoy the beauty in nature. Have a funtastic weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

One-Liner Wednesday: 2025.12.03

One-Liner Wednesday
Badge by Laura

One-Liner Wednesday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Photo Credit ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter Attachment.

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

God Bless. Don’t be bogged down by Murky Waters; instead Look on the Bright-side of Life. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Wordless Wednesday: 12 March

South Fork Catawba River Soars

Canada Geese
Soaring Over the
South Fork Catawba River

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

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

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

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

2025 Words for Thought #55: 03.11

Show Me the Way

Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

Think About It Tuesday

Photo Credit: © 2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

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

Settings: f/11 • 1/320s • 55mm • ISO100

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. 

Pull Up a Seat on a Lone (Jude’s) Bench

While hiking a hidden (almost) dirt trail at Riverside Park and Greenway this past weekend, Coleman and I came upon this lone Bench in the middle of a sandy area near the South Fork Catawba River.

Backside of Bench

I am not sure if anyone else knows about this Bench and the Sandy area along the South Fork Catawba River or not. Coleman and I have not seen anyone else around the area. Most people stay near the Fishing Piers at the Greenways.

Frontside of Bench

It gives Coleman an opportunity to play undisturbed in the Sand with his Little Tikes construction vehicles. He is quite the “engineer” designing his own roads, bridges and tunnels in the sand.

It also allows me to have a peaceful serene tranquil relaxing place to Pull Up a Seat to relax and enjoy watching Coleman play.

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 10

Jude’s Bench Challenge

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

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

2025 Monday Portrait: 03.10

Greenway Trail Guest Lou

Coleman and I met Lou and his owner while hiking the Carolina Thread Trail at Goat Island Park and Greenway. He was friendly and welcomed the attention. Later he enjoyed romping around with the other dogs in the dog park located at the far end of the trail.

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

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

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

God Bless. Get outdoors. Take a walk and enjoy the sunshine while seeing the beautiful landscape and interesting views all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Silent Sunday: March 09

Construction on the Riverbank

Coleman & his Little Tike Truck
South Fork Catawba River

Silent Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #260

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

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

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

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

2025 Wordless Wednesday — March 5

Liquidambar styraciflua

American Sweetgum

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

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

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 LAPC #338 — Pick a Word

John with the blog photobyjohnbo is the host for this week’s Lens-Artist Challenge and he is giving us an opportunity to choose our own Word which would be appropriate for our topic, sharing three to four photos that go along with our Word topic choice.

For John’s Pick-a-Word challenge this week I have chosen to use the word Historic. The Word Historic means that something is famous or important in history, for an example a historical site.

The Town of Cramerton, (which we currently reside in) has a couple of different Historic places within walking distance to our home. On Saturday, Coleman and I walked up the road and around a bend for approximately 0.9 miles to the Historic Baltimore School.

Coleman
pointing to the
Historic Baltimore Village
sign.

The Historic Baltimore Village sign is located at the beginning of the road leading to the Historic Baltimore School. The Historic Baltimore School is located at 575 Baltimore Drive in Cramerton, North Carolina. It was built by Stuart Cramer, in the late 1920’s for the children of African American men and women who worked in the Cramer Mills and Cramer’s Dairy Farm and Orchards. The intention of the school was to educate the African Americans and provide skills to navigate segregation.

The Baltimore Village School sits on a hill near the South Fork Catawba River. Inside the building are cracked windows covered by boards, an old refrigerator on one side of the room, and patches of peeling paint hanging off the roof.

The school has been closed for quite some time, but a former Cramerton resident stepped in to preserve its history. Former residents Fred Glenn and his wife, Ernestine Glenn purchased the school building with plans to renovate it. They bought it to prevent it from being burned to the ground by the city’s fire department which had planned to do a control burn.

However, knowing the Historic importance of the Baltimore Village School, the Glenn’s wanted to protect and preserve the school for generations to come to be able to learn about its history and significance to the community.

Mr. Glenn has stated that the Baltimore Village School, where his mother and Aunt attended in the 1930’s, was the heartbeat of the community. The school building provided an alternative to places off-limits to African Americans. Back during that particular time period, African Americans did not have the opportunity of going to a cinema, or any such facility or theatre. The school building became the theatre for the Baltimore Village Community. The school building was also used as a place of worship and later used as a community center.

The Glenn’s and the Board of Directors for the Baltimore Village School are currently still trying to raise enough funds for the restoration of the Historic school. Once enough funds are raised the money will be used to turn the building into a community center and a museum for people to learn about a critical piece of history in the small town of Cramerton.

“History is not the past but a map of the past, drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveler”

— Henry Glassie

Lens-Artists Challenge #338-Pick a Word

Natalie’s Public Art Challenge

Monday Window

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Historic Baltimore School; Historic Baltimore Village; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Tour an Historic Place. Learn about history not found in books. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Cee’s FOTD: March 3rd

Calico Aster 

Calico Aster 
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
‘Horizontalis’

Photo Credit: ©️2021 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.

Location: Catawba River Access; Fort Mill Dam; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

Rocky Shores of the Catawba

Greetings my friends and fellow bloggers. We’ve had some days where the weather’s been a bit warmer, but do not be fooled. Some cooler days are still gonna be hanging around reminding us that Winter is in no way over yet.

Sitting here enjoying the peace and quiet of the evening’s (Coleman’s asleep) fleeting moments; I’m reflecting and remembering a Spring hiking adventure Coleman and I took to the Fort Mill Dam. My memories fade from time to time, however, the wonderful feeling my memories of time past spending time together will always remain with me (and hope with Coleman as well.)

On this day in 2021 (Coleman was only one year and ten months old), Coleman and I decided to visit the Fort Mill Dam while his mom was working. We dropped his mom off at work and then using directions she gave me (keyed into GPS) we proceeded to locate the entrance to the parking lot for the Fort Mill Dam.

As usual, for us, we walked down to the water to look around. However, we are never satisfied until we hike around the entire area. Therefore, we wandered past the main access to the Catawba River and ventured downstream to get a closer look at the Dam. The area closest to the dam is rather Rocky according to my memory and these photo images I snapped on the particular day.

The vast amount of rocky shoreline did not prevent Coleman from investigating the area surrounding the Dam. He climbed up and down and all around the rocks. We saw quite a number of Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) on the rocks and in the water. Coleman had an amazing time visiting the Fort Mill Dam and hiking around the river. He loved watching the various species of birds flying to and fro over the water as well as swimming in the river. Oh, it’s good to reflect and recall memories we are forging together.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Rocky

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Memory

Photo Credit: 2021 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.

Location: Catawba River Access; Fort Mill Dam; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Be Grateful for the Memories and the loved ones you share with them. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monday Portrait: 03.03

Unexpected Trail Visitor

Coleman and I go hiking along trails whenever the weather isn’t too cold and windy to roam about outdoors. We often encounter other hikers/walkers walking their dogs on the trails in Greenways and, Nature Preserves, as well as State and Local Parks.

What or should I say whom we never expected to see while hiking on the trail was a man hiking with his Cat. He had a pet carrier on his back with the Cat inside on a leash. The Cat could (and did) leap to the ground, walk around and investigate the area and then spring back up to her carrier whenever she desired to do so.

These are shots of the Cat in his carrier people watching…

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

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

God Bless. Get outdoors. Take a walk and enjoy the sunshine while seeing the beautiful landscape and interesting views all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Last on the Card — February

Brian from bushboy.blog is the host for the #LastontheCard challenge. His rules are simple to follow. As per Brian, 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.

Brian’s 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

Here are my Last photos for February 2025 …

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Coleman
at the
South Fork Catawba River
via the Rocky Branch Trail
Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina

From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

South Fork Catawba River
Via Riverside Park and Greenway
Cramerton, North Carolina

Brian’s The Last on the Card-February 2025

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

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

Cameras: 1) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV filter for Canon. 

Location: Belmont/Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

1-to-3 Photo Processing: 2025 February

Walking around Riverside Park and Greenway this week along a dirt trail Coleman and I came across this small tree with a few Green Sprouts popping amongst a sand-filled area near the South Fork Catawba River. Its location seemed an oddity, life beginning anew.

Here’s playing around with varying aspects of the image …

One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge-February 2025

Photo Credit ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

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

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

Look Train — Oops, Not a Train

Hey Grandma, That’s not a Train

We took a walk yesterday after Coleman got off the School Bus. We had a lovely walk around Riverside Park and Greenway. We took a new (to us) dirt path along the river.

On the way back home, we walked on the sidewalk parallel to the Railroad Tracks. When Coleman heard a noise coming down yonder on the tracks he thought it was a train chugging along down the Railroad Tracks. Imagine our surprise when we saw work vehicles running down the tracks. Oh my, that was such a sight to behold.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 

Location: Railroad Tracks; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA 

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

2025 Cee’s FOTD: February 27

Juncus effusus

Juncus effusus
Aka Common Rush
Green Bull Rush
Soft Rush

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

Location: The Center; Downtown Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Smell the Flowers. Thankful for Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Canada Geese in Flight, On Land, & in Water

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) are very common sight here in the Carolinas. With the warmer temperatures and spring weather approaching, the Canada Geese are flocking to the lakes and rivers.

The Canada Goose is a large species of goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. They are herbivorous and normally migratory in nature. They are often found on or close proximity to fresh water. They are also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons. In our area they are oftentimes on and near the Catawba River or its tributaries, such as the South Fork (Catawba) River.

This week I am linking to Bird of the Week; Judy’s Numbers Game #61-182 and Carol’s Thursday Trios and XingfuMama’s Whatsoever Is Lovely.

It was a tremendous pleasure to watch the Canada Geese sunning on the river’s shoreline, diving into the water, taking flight and landing in the water.

Judy’s Numbers Game #61-182 (#2)

Birds of the Week CV

Birds of the Carolinas

Carol’s Thursday Trios 

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2025 Week 08

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #259

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

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

God Bless. Time to Get Outdoors. Relax and enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

LAPC #337 – BOLD

This week’s Lens-Artist Challenge is hosted by Sofia Alves with the blog PHOTOGRAPHIAS. She has chosen a theme of BOLD for this week.

Being Bold is not always easy especially if you’re timid or introverted, however being Bold in your photography is well worth it if you’re able to capture that thrilling moment, that “perfect shot.”

“Your life is your canvas, and you are the masterpiece. There are a million ways to be kind, amazing, fabulous, creative, bold, and interesting.”

Kerli

“Be original;
don’t be scared
of being bold!”

Ed Sheeran

Sofia’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #337 – BOLD

Cee’s Flower of the Day

RDP Tuesday! Masterpiece!

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

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

Cosmic Photo Challenge – At the River shoreline

The closest Shorelines we have near us are t hr e banks of the Catawba River, therefore I have chosen to show y’all what Coleman and I have seen recently on the Shoreline of the South Fork Catawba River. The first few photos are taken on the banks of the South Fork Catawba River at the Goat Island Park and Greenway.

On both days the weather was Tepid which was a delightful experience and quite a contrast to our recent freezing weather of snow and freezing rain. The Tepid weather was just perfect, not too hit and not too cold.

This next set of images were taken on Monday of the South Fork Catawba River’s Shoreline from the Riverside Park and Greenway mainly featuring Coleman playing on the Shoreline banks.

Cosmic Photo Challenge: At the shoreline.

RDP Monday – TEPID

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved

Cameras: Images 1-4 & 6-11) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; Image 5) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: 1st set of Images) Shoreline of the South Fork Catawba River, Goat Island Park and Greenway; 2nd set) Shoreline of the South Fork Catawba River, Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature’s beauty. Relax and have some fun. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Wordless Wednesday: February 26

Sunbathing Turtles

Pseudemys concinna concinna
Eastern River Cooter

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

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

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

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

2025 Words for Thought #53: 02.25

Trust God’s Guidance

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

Think About It Tuesday

Photo Credit: © 2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250 lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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. 

2025 Monday Portrait: 02.24

Coleman’s Snow Day

This past week Coleman was out of school for Two days due to winter weather advisory reporting impending snow and possible hazardous road conditions. Since We only get snow in our area every two-three years, I decided to bundle Coleman up to protect him from the elements and allowed him to run around outside while it was snowing. He had fun even though there wasn’t enough snow to adequately play with … no snowmanno snowballs … just light fluffy snow falling lightly to the ground.

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-5) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens with Altura UV filter attachment; 6) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Location: Home; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take Care. Stay Warm. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Silent Sunday: February 23

Snow Capped

Plant Life

Silent Sunday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L.Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens

Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take Care. Stay warm. Spread the Love of Friendship. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 RDP: February 22 — Friday! Beast!

Replica Ancient Beasts

The term beast is often referred to any non-human animal species, especially large four -footed mammals. However, the term Beast is determined upon by scientific and biblical interpretations. Biblically, the word “Beast” is referring to large, walking animals excluding humans, amphibians, and small animals. Beasts fall into several different categories including Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, Dinosaurs, and Giant Animals.

Birds, Fish, and insects aren’t normally thought of as beast by many people. Birds are descended from the theropod dinosaurs; some of which include the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Velociraptor. People may think that Pterodactyls are dinosaurs, but they are actually an extinct clade (monophyletic group) of flying reptiles. In the Fish category, Sturgeons are sometimes referred to as “living dinosaurs” (even though they are not) due to their coexistence with dinosaurs and have a prehistoric appearance. Dinosaurs didn’t live in water like  ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs which are not dinosaurs, but are prehistoric marine reptiles. In the Insect category, the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus) and the Aethiocarenus burmanicus are described as resembling dinosaurs. Some think the wheel bug may resemble a stegosaurus or a triceratops.

Here are some typical dinosaur replicas which have been on display at one time or another. Children especially are enthusiastically captivated by seeing dinosaurs (like my grandson, Coleman).

The term “Beast” can also be used to apply to a person or thing that is unpleasant, difficult, or powerful. It can refer to a person’s physical appearance or their behaviour such as annoying, cruel, or uncivilized. It can also refer to something that is unpleasant, and/or difficult.

I might think Coleman is being difficult and annoying at times, however, he is no beast.

Coleman, a dinosaur loving kid.

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Friday! Beast!

Public Art:Dinosaurs

Photo Credit:©️2017-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Apple iPhone XR, 11 Pro Max, 14 Pro Max, and Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Locations: The Discovery Center; Abilene, Texas; Carowinds; Charlotte, North Carolina; The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Weekend Sky(Watch) Friday

❄️ Snow ❄️ — Not Enough? Or Too Much?

For the past few days we have had intermittent grey cloudy skies and freezing temperatures and light snowfall showers off and on throughout the day and night. Not enough Snow? There was not enough Snow for Coleman to really play in and definitely not enough Snow to build a snowman.

Too much Snow? Why do I ask? Let me tell you, I’m partial to warmer sunnier weather like in Spring and Summer. I’m not too keen on winter freezing temperatures or having to wait at bus stops for Coleman’s school bus (which tends to run late lately). Maybe I should plan on moving to a warmer climate location? If I did or when we move; if I wanted to see Snow then I could drive to the mountains. I believe I (we) could have a delightful great time without driving into the mountains during the freezing cold winter Snowy season.

If you love Snow, enjoy.

Lightly Snowing in Southwestern North Carolina

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Sky

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; 2-5+Video) Apple 16 Pro Max

Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Stay Warm. Take care of yourself and each other. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Wordless Wednesday: February 19

Branta canadensis

Branta canadensis,
Canada Geese

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

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

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

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

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

2025 OWS: February 16 — Cross

Southern Cross of Honor

At the End of Life a Cross Signifies a life of service and dedication … The Southern Cross of Honor is placed on the graves of Confederate Veterans who served honourably during the American Civil War. For further information about the Southern Cross of Honor click here.

This Southern Cross of Honor is placed on my paternal 2X Great Grandfather’s grave. My 2X Great Grandfather John Thomas Waters ( Gravemarker reads THO’S WATERS) served honourably during the Civil War as a soldier of the Lucas Guards, a South Carolina unit of the Confederate Army.

[This is a part of my ancestral history and is not up for discussion. Like most soldiers regardless of who what unit or side of any war they served in, he and his comrades believed in what they were fighting for during their time period in history.]

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Cross

Fandango’s One-Word Challenge-End

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️2016 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens.

Location: Brannon Family Cemetery; Bethune, South Carolina, USA

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

2025 SYD: February 15

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos invites everyone to join her in Sharing Your Desktop (SYD). Below are her suggestions for participating in the Share Your Desktop Challenge 

  1. To do so, simply share the photo* you have set as your wallpaper;
  2. Provide as little or as much detail as you wish;
  3. Use a pingback, or post a link here so I know you have joined in on the fun;
  4. Then finally, share the fun around.

I am sharing my Wallpaper from both my Laptop and my Smartphone. I enjoy looking at different images each month. Most of which revolve around Coleman (my grandson) and nature.

Here are my Desktop Wallpaper and Screensaver for my Laptop:

Desktop Wallpaper:

Coleman
sitting on a tree branch
at Goat Island Park and Greenway.

Also My Smartphone Hiking Focus

Desktop Screensaver:

Coleman
playing with his Brio Train set
& his MagnaTiles on his Road mat.

Smartphone Wallpapers:

Personal Focus

Coleman
Swinging on a rope
at Goat Island Park and Greenway

Reading Focus

Coleman
playing at the
CLT Airport Overlook

Share Your Desktop-2025 February

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; 2) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 3-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

God Bless. Play Along. Share Your Desktops with Clare’s Share Your Desktop Challenge. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Cee’s Weekend FOTD: February 15/16

Agraulis vanillae on Zinnia elegans

Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) on a Red Zinnia Elegans (Zinnia elegans)

Cee’s Weekend FOTD

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens

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

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

2025 Cee’s FOTD: February 12

Rose ‘Livin La Vida’ PP

(Rosa hybrid)

Garden Rose
Garden Rose

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens

Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. There’s a Time for Rain, a Time for Sunshine, and a Time to Stop and Smell the Roses. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.