Judy from Life Lessons blog hosts a weekly photo challenge called The Numbers Game. This week’s number is 212. Her instructions for playing along are listed below …
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 Judy’s 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.
Please click on photos to enlarge.
Here are my entries …
Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium Bird in TreeSchiele Museum of Natural History and PlanetariumHoover High School San Diego, California Dogs in Greenway Black Vultures Riverwalk Park Rock Hill, SCColeman Baxter Village TrailFort Mill, SCColeman & Alona Goat Island Park and Greenway Cramerton, NCColeman Piedmont Medical Center Trail Rock Hill, SCColeman Seven Oaks Preserve Trail Belmont, NCColeman Riverside Park and Greenway Cramerton, NCColeman & Trisha Goat Island Park and Greenway Cramerton, NCReunion Deep Gap, NCAlona Cane Creek Park Waxhaw, NCDora, David, & Trisha Rock Hill, SC
Judy from Life lessons hosts The Numbers Game . She has chosen the number 204 for this week’s #82” Numbers Game challenge. To play along, go to your photos file folder 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. This prompt repeats each Monday with a new number. If you want to play along, please put a link to your blog post here.
Here are my contributions to the album.
Germany Faires/Coltharp Cabin#SimplyRedNornal, Dalline, & Eddie WatersAlonaAlona & ColemanAtlantic Ocean Alex Marina Murrells Inlet, South CarolinaAmerican PekinDiscovery Center Creation Museum Abilene, TexasHylotelephium cauticolaAnne Springs Close Greenway Coleman McDowell Nature Preserve New Braunfels Railroad Museum Greenville ZooThe Schiele Museum of Natural History
Coleman got a long over due Haircut. His hair went from hanging down in his eyes to really short for summer. For something different and unique, he received a design with his haircut.
Beforehand:
Before Haircut
Coleman is the grandson of a Vietnam Veteran and even though he didn’t take his own life he battled with PTSD throughout his life and addicted to drugs and alcohol which both slowly destroys the mind and body. In our home we remember all veterans and pray that they can find the courage to reach out for help to overcome their struggles and inner pain.
The sad fact is that approximately 22 U.S. Veterans take their own lives every day. The 22 design in Coleman’s hairstyle is to remember the 22 and to help create awareness of the invisible deaths of veterans within the United States who give in to the struggles they battle within and take their own lives. Everyday, 22 veterans lose their battle to post traumatic stress on American soil. That is 1 veterans every 65 minutes.
It is important to remember and honour our veterans. If possible whenever you see someone reach out in kindness. You never know the pain they hold inside or the struggles they are silently battling within.
Location: Landry’s Barber Shoppe; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Remember our veterans and pray for them. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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.
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.
These were taken back in February of 2023 when Coleman and I convinced my daughter and granddaughter to Tag-along on one of our hiking adventures. For this hike, we chose to visit the Baxter Village Trail which begins near the Library in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Hiking along on the trail we encounter plenty of Brown and a bit of Black as well as some other colours.
The Baxter Village Trail is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail network of trails within North and South Carolina. It is also a part of a 9-mile network of trails within the Baxter Village Community. This particular trail is a 3.3-mile segment of the Thread Trail trail is moderately hilly and features several streams along its length.
Baxter Trail Map
The trail consisted of natural surfaces, boardwalks, and some pavement. The rating for the trail is moderate, but for Coleman and I it was rather easy. As you can see we wound through a forest of trees and through tunnel and for my grandchildren over the tunnel as well.
To take a look at other Which Ways from this past week check out the links below:
Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S15-55mm lens.
Location: Baxter Village Trail; Baxter Village Community; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderfully fabulous rest of your week. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan from no facilities has chosen a them of Nursery Rhyme for this week’s CFFC Challenge. There are many variation, but that’s not too important. Look at the rhyme as written and use any or all of the bold words as prompts. If the words are numbers, use them the way you used them earlier. Otherwise, use the words themselves. This should give you lots of opportunities to choose a photo. New or archive photos are acceptable.
Judy from Life Lessons Blog hosts The Numbers Game Challenge and invites us all to play along with her. This week’s number is 179.
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 myNumbers 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. Here are my contributions to the album.
Good Day to y’all. Welcome to the fourth Which Way Challenge for 2025. This week I have chosen a theme of Any Which with Stairs, Steps, and/or Ladders. It can be anywhere you might find Stairs , Steps, or Ladders whether on a road, a trail, a mall, a construction site or any place conceivably possible for Stairs, Steps, or Ladders. As always, signs are welcome in your Which Ways.
Steps on Haigler Loop Trail in Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina
Steps at South Fork Park Trail McAdenville, North Carolina Steps on Fern Trail Crowders Mountain State Park Kings Mountain, North Carolina Landsford Canal State Park Catawba, SC
Stairs …
Two Sets of Stairs to travel into Town Stairs leading to Inaccessible Railroad Tracks Cramerton, North Carolina
Ladders …
Ladders at a Construction site Coleman climbing Ladder -Age 2
Bonus Throwback Steps …
My Paternal Grandparents Great Falls, South Carolina
Sharing your Which Ways could be one photo or several, it’s all up to you. Don’t feel obligated to share as many as I do.
God Bless. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s Which Ways. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all so very much.
Thursday was cold with lows in the low twenties (21°) warming into the low 40’s.
Friday Afternoon, 01.10
Currently, it is 29° and snowing where we live. Normally, if we get snow ❄️, we don’t get it until near the end of January/early February. We haven’t seen snow since mid-January 2022. WSOC 9 Now reported that this is the “First snow in Charlotte in 1076 days.” [The Town of Cramerton is just 18-20 minutes southwest of Charlotte International Airport.]
As you may have noticed, Coleman managed to scoot past me without proper attire to see our first drops of snow ❄️. Don’t worry, I didn’t let him stay out for very long with no jacket or shoes.
It is supposed to keep snowing until around 6:30 (more or less) and then switch over to a wintry mix throughout the evening and on into early Saturday morning.
Coleman sitting on a Black PipeColeman and Alona resting on a Blue Bench
Blue benches like this one are located all around the park and trails at Goat Island Park and Greenway. Punched into it is Cramerton, NC.
Alona perched on a six-foot post
This post was taller than any of us are, so it took two of us to help her up onto the post.
Coleman demonstrating his many expressions while perched on the same post his half-sister was on above.
These were taken with my Canon EOS Rebel T3i on Saturday, February 18th when we visited Goat Island Park and Greenway. The Goat Island Park and Greenway is located in Cramerton, North Carolina just a few miles from where we recently moved (a week ago). The Park and Greenway have many different features for people of all ages and abilities. It has two separate playgrounds: one for children 1-4 years old and another one for children 5-12 years old. It has two pedestrian bridges which cross over the South Fork River, a fishing pier, river access, 1/2 mile of asphalt walking trail, and an Adult Fitness Pavillion. In addition to these features, it also has Large and Small Picnic Shelters, three permanent cornhole courts, two permanent ping pong tables, and an 18-hole Disc Golf Course. For the cornhole, ping pong, and Disc Golf one3 must bring their own equipment in order to play.
Reflecting back on Christmases past is something I don’t often do. This year I have been trying to remember what Christmases used to look like while I was growing up. Odd thing is I cannot remember much about them. Not what gifts were given or received. I know I gave and received them, but if you asked me what I received in any particular year I would not be able to tell you.
These photos are from my archives. Most likely taken by my father, Nornal Hule Waters.
The first photo by the date is of my very first Christmas taken with my dad, & my brother. So, this one my mom probably snapped. This first Christmas was spent in Great Falls, South Carolina. Great Falls is a town (not a city). The second photo is also taken in Great Falls, SC with my mom I presume the following year. And the third photo was taken in San Diego, California when I was either in Junior High or a sophomore in high school. Definitely before 1974. My brother went into the Air Force early in 1975 and was no longer home for Christmas afterwards.
The one constant which I remember is that every Christmas Eve growing up, we went to a Christmas Eve Service at church. We would dress up in our very best church clothes to attend the special service. It would be filled with music, both from the choir and the audience. It would be a joyous occasion, extremely uplifting. The emphasis would be given though a message (some would call a sermon) as well as the music on the true meaning of Christmas. The birth of Jesus Christ and the visit by the three wise men presenting the Christ child with precious gifts. This tradition was not continued each and every year after my marriage and living what I consider my hometown (not my birth city). Sadly, it is one that I remember and miss the most.
The above pictures were taken after I had my eldest son and later after my marriage. The first photo is of my eldest son, John Thomas Waters III. He was named after my paternal grandfather who was also named after his paternal grandfather. The next one is the first Christmas photo after my marriage. And the last one is with my daughter for her first Christmas.
The next group of photos are random pictures of my family throughout the years.
More Random Christmas Photos:
Capture the memories with your family and friends while you are still able. You never know when one of them may no longer be with you. Photographs speak a thousand words, more than you’ll ever know. I wish I could spend another holiday with my dad, mom, husband, and grandparents, but sadly they will only be here in spirit.
I pray y’all had a wonderful Christmas and will have a blessed New Year.
Instead of a normal cell pic, I am choosing to share a collage I made on my cell phone. The top two photos were taken on a cell phone whereas the bottom photo was taken on my Canon Rebel EOS T3i camera. Hope this is okay since it was created on my cell phone.
Top: Coleman taken in 2019 Middle: Coleman & Alona taken in 2020. Bottom: Coleman taken on Saturday, December 17, 2022
Wishing y’all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 