Who Invited Mr.Grinch to the Parade?

This week has been a week for Christmas Parades in our area. Have you been to a Christmas Parade yet this year? Coleman and I have actually been to two different Christmas Parades this week. One was in the neighbouring town of Belmont and the other one was in our Town of Cramerton.

To our amazement, one of the first people was saw as we approached the Parade site yesterday was Mr. Grinch all decked out for the Christmas Parade.

Who do you think kicked off the Parade? Well, what’d you know, it was Mr. Grinch himself. Mr. Grinch made his appearance throughout the Parade in one manner or another. We never knew when or how he would appear. It didn’t matter how or when, people enjoyed seeing Mr. Grinch and the entire Parade. You may click on each photo for enlarged viewing.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday 

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

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

2024 CPC: Looking for Trees with Bare Branches

Cosmic Photo Challenge

For this challenge I went searching through my archives to see if I could find any Bare Branches that I might like to select for y’all to enjoy in this post. Guess what? I found several I liked that I hope you’ll like and enjoy as well.

Crowders Mountain State Park
Kings Mountain, North Carolina
March 2023
Baxter Village Trail
Carolina Thread Trail
Fort Mill, South Carolina
January 2023
Old Town
Cramerton, North Carolina
November 2024
Old Town
Cramerton, North Carolina
November 2024
The Schiele Museum
Gastonia, North Carolina
March 2024
Nature Trail
The Schiele Museum
Gastonia, North Carolina
March 2024
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina
February 2024
Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina
March 2024
Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina
March 2024

Most of these were taken in the afternoon, after the weather warmed up a bit, while Coleman and I were out hiking and enjoying nature. Right now as I write it is only 27° degrees outside. I’ve already been out in the freezing cold and gotten Coleman on the bus for school. I’m glad I’m inside now out of the freezing cold. Burr, I wish we didn’t have to go out in the freezing cold for him to get on a bus for school. Winter weather has arrived even it won’t be officially winter till the twenty-first.

Cosmic Photo Challenge-Bare Branches

#CosPhoChal

Photo Credit: ©️2023-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Apple iPhone 13 Pro; Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; and Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Locations: Crowders Mountain State Park; Baxter Village Trail; Old Town Cramerton; and Anne Springs Close Greenway; in North and South Carolina

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

2024 Numbers Game #48 —169

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.

Judy’s Numbers Game #48-169

Cee’s Flower of the Day

CocPhoChal-Down in the Park

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

God Bless. Take time for yourself. Walk around a Park or Greenway. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. 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 Monday Portrait: 10.14 —

Coleman’s Horse Affection

Monday Portrait

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

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

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

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

2024 CMMC: October Fern Green Color

Green in the Garden

Green by the Lake

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge

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

2024 Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge – Mainly Orange — Autumn Orange +

— Autumn Orange

Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge – Mainly Orange

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

2024 CWWC: October Week 1 — Any Which Way

Cee is back and allowing us to post any type of road, path, step, bridge or sign this week for her Which Way Challenge. This week I have mixed it up with a little new with a little from my favourite place from my archives. Hope you enjoy!

Path to a small prayer garden
Highway 200 leading from Lancaster to Great Falls, South Carolina closed due to Hurricane Helene.
Nature Trail Andrew Jackson State Park
Coleman on the Trail at AJSP

Cee’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)

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

2024 Last on the Card — September

Brian from Bushboy world would like us to show the last photo on our SD card or smartphone for September 30th or whenever your last photo was taken. No editing. Explanations are not necessary. Create a pingback to Brian’s post. Use tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard.

Here are mine. Mine are mostly of Coleman plus one from my dad’s camera. If desired, you may click on each image for enhanced clarity.

From my Dad’s Minolta XG-7:

Candles from Germany

From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

My Grandson, Coleman Sleeping

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Upside down Coleman

Brian’s Last on the Card-September 2024

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. Please continue to Pray for those affected by Hurricane Helene. Many of my friends and cousins are affected by. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 09.25

Squirrel 🐿️ Watching

Sciurus carolinensis
Eastern gray squirrel

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History Nature Trail; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 CPC: The nights are drawing in

Soon Nightfall will begin earlier and earlier, as Autumn approaches the sunsets come more quickly (or so it may seem) and we adjust accordingly. These are some of my favourites, hope you enjoy them. Click on each photo to enlarge for enhanced viewing.

Cosmic Photo Challenge

#CosPhoChal

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

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

2024 Sunday Stills: September Color Challenge — Orange and/or Peach

Terri from Second Wind Leisure Perspectives hosts Sunday Stills Monthly Color each month. Her colour theme for September is Colors of Peach and Orange.

Here are my selections for Terri’s Color Challenge for September.

Terri’s Sunday Stills-Orange and/or Peach

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have a fabulous day! 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.

All about Bugs, Squares, & Games

#Seven Bugs/Insects for September

Instead of separate posts I decided to combine Terri’s Sunday Stills with Judy’s Numbers Game and Becky’s Squares Challenges. Therefore, instead of using the number 158, I have chosen to use the Words Bugs and Insects to use for Judy’s Numbers Game this week. Oh, of course, going along with Becky’s Squares Challenge they will all be Squared. The words Bugs and Insects fits right into Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge-All about Bugs.

Uno (One, 1):

Ebony Jewelwing
(Calopteryx maculata)
AKA Black-winged Damselfly
June 2017 on Canon EOS Rebel T3i Sesquicentennial State Park
Columbia, South Carolina

Dos (Two, 2):

Acanthocephala Declivis
Giant Leaf-footed Bug

Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Tres (Three, 3):

Argiope aurantia
AKA yellow garden spider
Black and Yellow Garden Spider
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Cuatro (Four, 4):

Melanoplus differentialis
Differential grasshopper
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Cinco (Five, 5):

Libellula luctuosa
Widow skimmer
Species of dragonfly
July (7) 2023
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Seis (Six, 6):

Siete (Seven, 7):

Scolia dubia AKA
 Two-spotted Scoliid Wasp 
or a Blue-winged Scoliid Wasp
& Megachile montivaga
Silver -tailed Petalcutter Bee
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Warlick Family YMCA
Gastonia, North Carolina

Terri’s Sunday Stills- All about Bugs

Judy’s Numbers Game: #37-158

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

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

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

Birds of the Carolinas #17/Bird of the Week #LXXIX

Anas platyrhynchos

The Anas platyrhynchos is commonly known as Mallard or wild duck. The males (also called drakes) have green heads, while the females (called hens) have mainly brown speckled plumage.

The Mallard is approximately 50-65 centimeters (20-26 inches) long, the body making up the majority (about two-thirds) of their length. They are oftentimes slightly more heavier than the most othe dabbling ducks, weighing 0.7-1.6 kilograms (1.5-3.5 pounds).

Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and are social animals preferring to congregate in groups or flocks of varying sizes. The Mallards shown here are quite commonly seen at Rankin Lake and other local lakes and parks in the vicinity.

They are a very adaptable species in that they are able to live and thrive in urban areas which may have supported more localised, sensitive species of waterfowl before development.

The name Mallard originally referred to any wild drake, and sometimes it is still associated in this way.

Mallards tend to frequently interbreed with their closest relatives in the genus Anas, which for example might be the American black duck. They might possibly interbreed with other species, such as the northern pintail or various hybrids that could be fertile.

In North America, Mallards winter in the south to southern United States and Northern Mexico. [The Mallards here were shot on camera in January, mid-winter for the southern United States.]

In summer, a combination of hot temperatures and reduced water levels place mallards at an increased risk of contracting botulism. Outbreaks of botulism among mallard populations can lead to mass die-offs.

Birds of the Carolinas

Birds of the Week LXXIX

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

Location: Rankin Lake Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA 

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

2024 Numbers Game #34-155/LAPC/MM — What’s in a Garden?

Welcome to The Numbers Game #34”.Today’s number is 155. 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 I am combining Judy’s Numbers Game with Leanne’s Monochrome Madness and Leya’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge . I am choosing to use the Word Garden for this week’s challenges.

Glencairn Gardens

Glencairn Gardens is ideal for a Spring stroll through the gardens of blooming azaleas, pansies, wisteria, and periwinkle. When visiting the Gardens be sure to meander through the Veterans Garden which pays tribute to Veterans of all branches of service. Also, during Spring, you be able to enjoy the blossoms of Viburnum, Pink and white Dogwoods, Redbuds, peonies, magnolia trees, and flowering Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees.

There is beauty to be seen no matter when one decides to visit Glencairn Gardens. Summertime brings on the colourful bright blooms of crape myrtles, daylilies and hundreds of other annuals.

The trails through the Gardens pass by several fountains, ponds, as well as the vast variety of flowering plants and trees. we enjoy strolling pass the Fountains, especially when they are flowing during the springtime. We always stop by the Veterans Garden when we go visit and remember our family members who have served in our Armed Forces.

Glencairn Gardens began in 1928 as a backyard garden by David and Hazel Bigger who lived in the h9use that serves as the park’s welcome center. It was the inspiration for Rock Hill’s annual Come-See-Me Festival which is a festival celebrating music, frogs, and fun. The Bigger’s gifted this Gardens to the City of Rock Hill through a deed in 1958. The peak blooming season is from the end of March to the middle of April. The Veterans Garden was created with the partnership with The American Legion Post 34 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2889. It h9onors women and men from the past, present, and future who served in the United States armed forces.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #311 – What’s in a Garden?

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Judy’s Numbers Game #34 — 155

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Cameras: Apple iPhone XR and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300 mm and Canon EF-S18-55mm lenses.

Location: Glencairn Gardens; Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA

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

2024 FOTD: 08.12 — Rosa ‘Anuschka’ 

Rosa ‘Anuschka’ 

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. 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 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 Weekend FOTD: 07.06/.07 ——

Dianthus

Dianthus (Telstar Carmine Rose)

Weekend FOTD: 07.06/.07

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

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

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

God Bless. Glad you are home and joining in when able with Chris’ help. Thank you Chris for taking good care of our friend. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 OWS: June 16 — Green

Green in the Garden

Better Boy Tomatoes
King Arthur Hybrid Bell Pepper
Korean Peppers
Cabbage

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Green

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

2024 Share Your Desktop: June 15

Clare at Clare’s Cosmos hosts the Share Your Desktop Challenge. She invites us all to share our desktops; whether that be from our desktops, laptops, tablets, or smartphones it does not matter. Join in the challenge and let us all see what you look at every day.

Here are my desktops, wallpapers, wall savers, from my Laptop and my iPhone:

From my HP Laptop:

Laptop Wallpaper:

My Grandson, Coleman
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Laptop Desktop:

Patterson Pond
Anne Springs Close Greenway

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Reading Focus:

Alpaca
Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Television Focus:

Horse Drinking Water
Greenway Stables Entrance
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Personal Focus:

Coleman with the Horses
Greenway Stables
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Hiking Focus:

Coleman Hiking
Dogwood Trail
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Share Your Desktop-June 2024

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

Cameras: Laptops) Canon EOS Rebel T3i; iPhone) iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

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

Playing the Numbers Game #25

The number for Judy’s Numbers Game this week is 146. Time to play.

Lesser Daisy Fleabane
(Erigeron strigosa)
Zinnias
The Farm
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Coleman & Goat
Schiele Museum
Coleman
Schiele Museum

Judy’s Numbers Game-#25_146

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

2024 Macro Monday: 06.10

Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
Trigonopeltastes delta
&
Eastern black swallowtail butterfly
on a Buttonbush

Macro Monday 

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.

Location: 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.

2024 Weekend FOTD: 06.08/09

Brassica rapa

Field Mustard 
Brassica rapa

Cee’s Weekend FOTD

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

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

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

God Bless. Cee, you are strong, you are appreciated, and we miss you. Get Better soon. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 FOTD: 05.29

Calopogon tuberosus

Simpson’s grass pink and it is in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae) grasspink (Calopogon tuberosus var. simpsonii).

The genus name “Calopogon” is Greek and means “beautiful beard.” It refers to the hairlike structures on the upper petal. It has a bulb-like corm that resembles a tuber, hence the name “tuberosus.” The slender grass-like leaves give rise to the name “grass pink.” It is a stunning wildflower.

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Becky’s #SquareRenew

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. Take time to renew your body, mind, and spirit. Like the Garden we also need to renew ourselves to further our growth. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Numbers Game #23 — 144

Day Trippin’ with Coleman …

… At the YMCA

… At the Schiele Museum of Natural History

… At Anne Springs Close Greenway

Be sure to click on each photo for a larger view. Have a fabulous day!

Judy’s Numbers Game #23-144

Photo Credit:©️2022-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm, Canon EF-S55-250mm, and Canon EF 75-300mm lenses.

Locations: 1)Warlick Family YMCA; 2-5) The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina; 6-11) Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort South Carolina, USA

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

Judy’s Numbers Game #22 — 143 (My #2)

Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm
Sign at Entrance
Patterson Pond
on the pathway
to the Farm Animals
Canada Goose
Swimming in
Patterson Pond
Canada Geese
Flying away
from the Pond
A Horse
by the
Greenway Stables
Spotting a Couple
of Horses
in the Pasture

It just happened by chance that all my “143” photos were taken at Anne Springs Close Greenway. My grandson and I love moving forward along the trails and pathways enjoying a relaxing time surrounded by nature and the reconstructed Children’s Farm.

Judy’s Numbers Game #22

Becky’s Square Challenge-Renew/Moving Forward/Reconstruct/Burgeoning

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

Cameras: 1-2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with 1) Canon EF75-300mm and 2) Canon EF-S18-55mm lenses; 3-6) iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Greenway Farm and Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.

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

Squared “142” Numbers Game #21

This is my first time participating in Judy’s Number Game. My entry is being combined with Becky’s Squares Challenge

Getting out in nature always helps to renew my mind, refresh my spirit, and rejuvenate my soul. This view is from the side porch of the Gibson House.

On Sunday, Coleman and I drove into Fort Mill to visit the newly renewed and reconstructed Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm at the Anne Springs Close Greenway. The newly reconstructed children’s farm is accessible through the Greenway Stables Entrance. We are moving forward ( I know you can’t see our movements, but you can imagine them) to visit the Farm animals (chickens, rabbits, alpacas, and cattle.)

After visiting the farm animals, Coleman and I went back to the car to grab our snacks and put my backpack in it as my camera battery had died. So then I continued taking photos with my iPhone as we proceeded to Move Forward through the horse stables on towards the trails for a bit of hiking. We hiked along on the Dogwood Trail, made a loop onto Peach Loop to watch out over Lake Haigler before heading back to the car and home.

While gazing out over Lake Haigler, I reminisced for a short while remembering a time of apple picking, fresh apple cider, and fresh bread with a dollop of fresh homemade apple butter in Julian, California.

Now that I have your mouth watering for the delicious delightful aroma of fresh homemade apple delicacies, I trust you’ll have a wonderful rest of your weekend and a blissful weekend.

Judy’s Numbers Game Challenge – 142

Becky’s #SquareRenew – Renew-Reconstruct-Moving Forward

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300 mm and Canon EF-S18-55mm lenses.

Location: 1-3) Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA; 4) Julian, California, USA

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

Words for Thought #17

Autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
AKA Silverberry, Russian-olive

Think About It Tuesday

Cee’s FOTD

Becky’s #SquaresRenew

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens

Location: Gaston County Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 FOTD: 05.02

Dianthus chinensis x barbatus

Pink Dianthus
Dianthus Floral Lace Red
Dianthus Floral Lace Mixture
Dianthus chinensis x barbatus

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens and Altura UV filter attachment.

Location: The Heritage Garden; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Last on the Card —April

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Wheatear
(Oenanthe oenanthe)
Backyard Birds
Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

Spot of Red among the Green
The Schiele Museum of Natural History Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

Brian’s Last on the Card – April 2024

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

Words for Thought #16

John 15:1-2 NIV

Think About It Tuesday

Cee’s FOTD

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura UV filter attachment.

Location: The Heritage Garden; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 WWE #218

Some Murky, Some Reflections, Ripples, & Splashes

For Jez’s Water Water Everywhere this week I’m posting a variety of photos taken of Robinwood Lake.

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #218

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens and Altura UV & NP Filter attachments.

Location: Robinwood Lake; Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 CFFC: Things that are Rough

Rough Wood
Rough Rocks
Rough Bricks

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge-Things that are Rough

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

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens; 2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens; 3) iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: 1-2) Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina; 3) Patio; Gastonia, North Carolina

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

2024 Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Flow & WWE #218

Flowing Downstream

Here is my compilation for this week’s  Weekly Prompt’s Weekend Challenge. I’m also applying it to Jez’s Water Water Everywhere Challenge.

These are just a few of the ways we see water flowing as we walk through the neighbourhood or as we hike among the trees in and around the Carolinas.

Small Spillway in
Gastonia, North Carolina
Anne Springs Close Greenway Spillway
Fort Mill, South Carolina
Spillway
The Schiele Museum’s Nature Trail Gastonia, North Carolina
Fort Mill Dam
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Flow

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #218

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

Cameras: 1-3) iPhone 14 Pro Max; 4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens.

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

2024 CosPhoChal: In the Canopy

Cosmic Photo Challenge: In the Canopy

Photo Credit: ©1) 2024 Trisha L. Wilson; 2-5) ©️2024 Deb L. Waters; 6) ©️2022) Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) iPhone 14 Plus; 2-3&5) iPhone 14 Pro Max; 4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.

Locations vary from North and South Carolina to Georgia.

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

2024 Monday Portrait: 04.22

Bleating to Greet Y’all

Wait a Sec … I’ll Come Closer.

Goat

Can Y’all See Me Now?

Monday Portrait

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment.

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

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

2024 Macro Monday: 04.22

Rhododendron japonicum

Pink Azalea
Rhododendron japonicum

Macro Monday

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura UV filter attachment.

Location: The Nature Trail; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Weekend FOTD: 04.21

Sisymbrium loeselii
Brassicaceae
Leaf Mustard

Cee’s Weekend Flower of the Day

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

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

Location: The Heritage Garden; The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

Grrr, Better to Eat You With …

Dinosaur Teeth

Six Word Saturday

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300 mm lens.

Settings: f5.6 • 1/3 • 75mm • ISO3200

Location: Dinosaur Exhibits; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

Rooftop Garden of Stonecrop

Pyxidanthera barbulata
Common Pyxie-moss
Sedum kamtschaticum
Russian Stonecrop
Phedimus kamtschaticus,
the orange stonecrop

Thursday Trios

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge 

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S75-300mm lens with Altura CPL filter attachment.

Location: The Rooftop Garden; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 CMMC/CWWC: Any Latte Way

We managed to have a beautiful clear day yesterday (almost), so Coleman and I rode the bus to the Y for some fresh air and a bit of hiking.

All aboard, we’re on our way.

Before we begin our hike, it’s Coleman swing time. If we waited till later the school kids would have taken over and he couldn’t have been able to play.

Next, Coleman cools down with a snack as I gaze out over the lake.

Now for our hiking, Coleman leads the Way. I constantly have to instruct him to slow down. He hikes much faster than I’m able to hike.

Through the woods along the bank of the lake we traverse. Across the dam and deeper into the woods. Upward, downward, and around and around we go.

Coleman spots the Fitness Challenge area off the Yellow Trail and climbs aboard for some fun before continuing our hike and back up to the Y.

Tired from our hike we’re gonna Leaf it all behind, and venture to the bus stop and head home.

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-April Latte Color

Cee’s Which Way Challenge-Any Way

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

Cameras: iPhone 14 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura UV & NP filter and also Altura Wide-Angle Fisheye attachments.

Location: Gaston County Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors and Enjoy Our Beautiful Earth. Thank you for traversing the trail with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Wordless Wednesday: 04.17.24

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura UV and NP Filter attachments plus Altura Photo 58MM 0.35x Fisheye Canon Wide Angle Lens (w/Macro Portion).

Location: Robinwood Lake; Robinwood Lake Dam; Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 SYD: April 15

Clare @ Clare’s Cosmos invites us each month to share our desktops on the 15th of each month. Can you believe it the month of April is half over already? Here it is time once again to join Share Your Desktop. I like to share my wallpaper for my iPhone as well as for my Laptop. For my iPhone I use different wallpaper’s for the different focuses I use; personal, hiking, and reading.

Share Your Desktop

From my iPhone:

Personal Focus

Hiking Focus

Reading Focus

From my Laptop:

Share Your Desktop-April 15

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

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s desktops. I appreciate y’all very much.