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 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 Numbers Game Challenge …
My dad is the very first military veteran I ever met. I have of course had other very close friends and relatives who were also military veterans, however, they do not compare to the importance of my very first military veteran.
In honor of the United States Celebration of Memorial Day and in memory of my father’s birthday I am dedicating this post to my late father, Nornal Hule Waters.
Nornal Hule Waters was born and raised in South Carolina. After completing high school he joined the United States Navy on September 24, 1948 when he was nineteen (19) years of age. He attended basic training in San Diego, California at the Naval Training Center (NTC) located in the Balboa Park area. His specialized training was conducted at the Balboa Naval Hospital.
After completion of his training at Balboa Naval Hospital he was stationed on the USS Consolation where he served as a hospital corpsman. Nornal dedicated four (4) years of his life to the United States Navy before his discharge on September 12, 1952.
HN Nornal Hule Waters US Navy 1948-1952 Korean War Veteran
He served his country with honor aboard the USS Consolation during the Korean War. During his time of service he was issued fuel rations which he had to use sparingly.
Fuel Rations
Nornal Hule Waters, my father, my Forever Hero, my Korean War Veteran. He loved his country and his family. He was a man of Honour.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting, for listening, and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Ford introduced the Model T in 1908. It was Ford’s universal car that put THE WORLD ON WHEELS. Henry Ford wanted the Model T to be affordable, simple to operate, and durable. The vehicle was one of the first mass production vehicles, allowing Ford to achieve his aim of manufacturing the universal car.
Ford Model T
This particular Ford Model T was owned and operated by my late maternal grandfather, Harvey Martin Watson. It is one of the earliest automobiles which I have photos of that were given to me by my maternal grandmother after his passing in 1968. I cherish all of my grandfather’s photos, they contain so much family history within them.
1925? Ford Model T with my Maternal Grandfather, Harvey Martin Watson and oldest son Marvin Houston Watson
On another note; my Paternal Great Grandfather, Thomas E. Waters also owned a Ford Model T. I have a photocopy (somewhere in my files) of a newspaper article from June 1928 which states that my Great Grandfather, Thomas E. Waters was racing his Model T against a car my Grandfather, John Thomas Waters drove. They were racing down the old country road between Lancaster and Bethune, South Carolina when the Model T flipped killing him and injuring his daughter, Francis Penelope Waters (My Paternal Aunt). This is a sad, but true story which I hadn’t known about until I began researching our family history. Model T’s were not designed for speeding down old country back roads.
God Bless. Be careful driving through the back country. Be safe. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
There are two ways in which you can participate: Leave your answers to this week’s questions in the comments box below or create your own post and link back to this one. Ping-backs are activated, but don’t always work properly, so to play safe, leave a link in a comment or if you prefer, leave just the link so that I can see it.
Here are this week’s questions:
Have you ever danced round a maypole? The only time I can remember dancing around a Maypole was one year in elementary school.
Does the month of May hold any specific memories or events for you? The month of May holds memories and events special or significant to me.
1) 8th — my sister-in-law’s birthday
2) 2nd Sunday — Mother’s Day
3)10th — Loss of my Maternal Grandfather
4) 19th — My Day
5) 24th — My Dad’s Special Day
6) 30th — Birth of my Daughter
Does your country celebrate a May Day holiday? I haven’t heard or seen anything regarding May Day holidays here in America. I think it is more of an individual or family event with some giving out May Day baskets.
Have you booked a vacation for this year? I have not booked a vacation for this year. I have dreamed about the possibility of taking a vacation. We all know that is not the same as actually taking a vacation. In reality, I have not had a vacation since 2020.
Gratitude:
“Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.”
Thank you Dan for keeping Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge alive, challenging, and inspiring. This week Dan is continuing with the Transportation theme. This week’s theme focus is on Bridges and Ferries.
I have so many photos of Bridges and Railroad Trestle Bridges that I could fill multiple posts with multiple images of Bridges. Instead of doing that, I have decided to make my entry selections of Bridges and Ferriesfrom what I have within my archive files.
First off, I am selecting Bridges and a Ferry from our trip to San Francisco a long, long time ago (back in 1979). I do not exactly remember if this trip was strictly a family trip or one taken with my church youth group. I do remember that our church group visited and performed a Christian musical at a few churches up in the San Francisco and San Jose area some year.
On this trip we took the Harbor Emperor Ferry sightseeing around the San Francisco Bay Area viewing the Bridges, the infamous Alcatraz Island, and simply experiencing a wonderful time together as a family.
San Francisco Bridges & Ferry:
Next and lastly, I am travelling further back in time to the 1960’s. My family moved back to San Diego in 1958 shortly before I turned two (2) years old. During the 1960’s the only way to travel from San Diego to Coronado was by Ferry. The Ferries transported passengers and vehicles to and from San Diego and Coronado. They were they only source of transportation to visit the Hotel del Coronado, the Coronado Beach, the military installations including the Naval Amphibious Base (NAB), and the Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island.
The Construction of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge began between 1967-1969. The Bridge was dedicated on August 2, 1969, with Governor Ronald Reagan providing the dedication address.
I remember travelling on the San Diego Ferries crossing over to Coronado to walk along the Beach with a group of friends. I remember riding the San Diego Ferry with my parents (my dad driving our car onto the Ferry). I remember riding the San Diego Ferry during its last days of operation in 1969 after the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge was completed. [Side Note: I have a certificate and poster verifying I rode the ferry on its last day somewhere in storage.]
Ferry service began once again in April of 1986. The current Ferry service is operated by Flagship Cruises & Events. They currently have two ferries in use, the Silvergate and Cabrillo.
Be sure to check out this week’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any Which Way with Shadows coming up on Friday (posting just after midnight Early Friday morning).
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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.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.
Here are my entries for this week’s Numbers Game …
These images were taken in 1934 in Coshocton, Ohio. They are of my mom when she was about two and a half (2 1/2) years of age and her older brother. When my mom was a young child she lived on a farm and as you can see from the bottom photo they had a pony cart they could ride in. My mom rode, my uncle (her brother) held the reins to drive the pony cart.
The Mexican Fan Palm is known for its slender, columnar trunk that can reach 100 feet tall and swell slightly at the base. Its trunk is brown and bumpy when young, but smooths and grays over time. It has large, fan-shaped leaves that can grow 3–5 feet wide and have sharp spines at the base.
Washingtonia robustais one of two species in the genus Washingtonia. The other species closely related to it is the Washingtonia filifera (California Fan Palm). Both Washingtonia are grown as ornamental trees. The Mexican Washingtonia has a narrower trunk (which is typically somewhat wider at the base), and grows slightly faster and taller; it is also somewhat less cold hardy than the California fan palm, hardy to about −8 °C (18 °F).
Aka the Mexican fan palm, Mexican washingtonia, or skyduster
The Mexican Fan Palm is normally grown in the desert areas of the Southwestern United States. Those areas include California, Arizona, and southern Nevada, as well as the extreme southwestern regions of Utah and Texas.
Both of the above locations for the Washingtonia robusta are located inland a short distance area from the Coast of the Pacific Ocean. The images were taken in Spring and Summer of 1979 by my father when we visited these places.
Location: 1) Hearst Castle; San Simeon, California; 2) Ports O’ Call Village; San Pedro, California, USA
God Bless. Have a marvelous week. Explore Your World. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
I haven’t really taken any pictures of doors since the Cruz-In (we’ll get back to those next week), so I went roaming through my archives to see what I might use that I do not believe I have used as of yet. I found a couple of photos my brother took and passed on to me that were taken in 1980 while he was in the Air Force.
Old Jail Cell Doors under bridge Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1980
For this post I am combining Dan’s CFFC-Air Travelwith Judy’s Numbers Game #69-190. While searching through my photos and archives to find which selections I might like to choose, there’s so many from years back to present it is difficult to limit my choices. Therefore, I decided to combine the two challenges to show y’all some of what I’ve seen in the manner of Air Travel through the years.
Judy with Life Lessonsgives us the option of picking a word or words instead of numbers, so that is exactly what I have chosen to do. Dan with No Facilities hosts CFFC(Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge) with themes focusing on Transportation. This week’s CFFCtheme is focusing on Air Travel . Therefore, my focus for the combined challenges is on Air Travel through the Years.
Let’s begin our Air Travel way back in 1976 … for an amazing Air show by the Thunderbirds.
Thunderbirds Air Show Randolph Air Force Base 1976
Moving onto 1984 … we pay a visit to the San Diego Air & Space Museum when my dad took my eldest son to the museum in Balboa Park in San Diego, California.
Nornal H. Waters (my dad) and his grandson, John 1984
From San Diego, we travel to Tucson, Arizonato the Pima Air & Space Museum. This is one of the many stops my parents took on a cross country road trip in 1985. My dad loved anything to do with automobiles, trains, and airplanes.
Pima Air & Space Museum Tucson, Arizona 1985
We progress to 1987 with a visit to March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California. This was an outing my husband and I enjoyed with our son for him to see the many military Airplanes the museum had on display.
Terry Leon Wilson, and our son John 1987
Flying way up high in the sky; Up, Up, and Away in Hot Air Balloons we watch the many Hot Air Balloons at the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2002.
Hot Air Balloons International Balloon Fiesta Albuquerque, New Mexico
Transporting ourselves from one coast to another and through the years we arrive in 2011 at MMS Aviation in Coshocton, Ohio. MMS Aviation is a Christian organization whose mission is to prepare people and airplanes for worldwide missionary service. Friends of ours told my daughter and I about a museum they have we could visit and view the different aircrafts used by missionaries.
MMS Aviation Coshocton, Ohio 2011
Jumping or rather soaring into a new decade to 2023, my daughter, grandson (Coleman) and I stop at the local Gastonia Municipal Airport. Coleman was excited and overwhelmed to be able to see the Airplanes up close. We went into the office to make sure it was okay for him to see the aircraft and were pleased to have one of the pilots give us a tour. She explained about the aircraft and even allowed Coleman to sit in one of the Airplanes.
Gastonia Municipal Airport Gastonia, North Carolina 2023
There are many others I could have selected, however, I think these give a nice variety to Air Travel through the Years.
God Bless. Stop on by Friday for the next Which Way Challenge (CWWC) which will be featuring Any Unpaved Roads or Pathways. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Thinking about what I might want to use for this challenge took some thinking on my part. Then it took some searching through my archives to find exactly what I was looking for to use. The first set of photos are shared photos from a private group I belong to on Facebook called I Remember Springs Park, Lancaster, SC. These images show what the Abandoned Springs Park Pool looks like in recent years.
Springs Park Pool Lancaster, South Carolina
This next group of images are from a time when my family along with my dad’s brother’s and sister’s families and my dad’s aunts and uncles as well as my dad’s parents all met up at Springs Park to enjoy a summer day filled with fun, swimming and picnicking in the park.
Springs Recreation Park Lancaster, South Carolina July 1963
Springs Park has been abandoned since its closure in 1989 and the property is in a state of total disrepair. Springs Recreation Park opened in 1924 and operated until 1989. In its heyday, it was a popular amusement park destination for local residents. It offered a variety of recreational activities, including swimming in an Olympic-style swimming pool, skating in an outdoor skating rink, it had its own bowling alley, miniature golf course and amusement park rides for children of all ages to enjoy.
The Olympic-style pool (16 feet deep) was half-surrounded by an ancient Greek-style amphitheater with a triple-decker high dive platform. It has been stated that the amphitheater was made to house 5,000 onlookers. The Springs Park also featured a Carousel, a small Ferris Wheel and a mini train. I remember the Park also had a “kiddie” pool alongside the Olympic-style swimming pool.
I was young at the time we visited the Park and remember playing in the “kiddie” pool with my younger cousins. I didn’t get to visit Springs Park often because we only visited it when we came to the Carolinas to visit my dad’s family. I still remember getting together with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and having a fabulous fun-filled day playing, swimming, and simply enjoying time with family.
Bonus: My Family at Springs Park …
John Waters, his brother Woodrow Waters, his sisters Vermel Waters Hunter, & Frances Waters NealJohn & Alma Waters, my paternal grandparents Aunt Vermel (Waters) & her husband, Fred HunterUncle Woodrow & his wife Mary Bost WatersAunt France’s Waters Neal & her daughter, Debbie Aunt Dalline (Waters) & “Shorty” Lebonville Uncle Eddie Waters & his wife Barbara Barbara (Farmer) Waters, Dalline (Waters) Lebonville, & Doyce Eileen (Watson) Waters My mom, my dad’s sister, & his sister-in-lawWaters Family Gathering at Springs Park Lancaster, South Carolina
My dad took the photos and it appeared our immediate family didn’t get a group photo.
Location: Springs Recreation Park; Lancaster, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a blessed Easter and a funtastic Spring Break (if you’re able to have one). Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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.
Judy Dykstra-Brown with the blog lifelessons hosts a challenge called The 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.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.
This week’s number is 184. Here are my entries for this week’s Numbers Game #63 challenge.
This week’s images are a mixture of places I’ve visited throughout the years. From California to Mexico; from Georgia to the Carolinas and northward up to Ohio. And of course, I had to include a picture of Coleman. I hope you enjoy and decide to play along as well.
Debbie’s One Word Challenge theme this week is Haze. My entries this week are from a trip with my eldest son in 2017. He had a birthday wish to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We drove to the Parkway beginning our trip in Lancaster, South Carolina driving through Chester to the US-321N. This direction led us through Blowing Rock before traversing over onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. We (He) drove the Parkway from this southern point all the way to the North Carolina/Viginia Border. We did not drive the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We stopped at various milestones along the parkway for breaks, hiking, and to check out the scenery. At a few stops we incurred a bit of Haze which impaired the views somewhat.
Stone Mountain Overlook Bluff Overlook/Doughton Park Devils Garden Overlook Raven Rocks OverlookBalsam Grove/Pisgah Inn Observation DeckPisgah National ForestAlong the Blue Ridge Parkway
We stopped more on the way back southbound than we did going northbound. Our northern most stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway was at Stone Mountain Overlook at Milepost 232.5. We stopped here shortly before proceeding to Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, North Carolina where we hiked the Stone Mountain Loop Trail. We had great views of Stone Mountain, saw the Middle and Lower Waterfalls, and visited the Hutchinson Homestead. The Hutchinson Homestead is a mid-19th century farm with well maintained old buildings, a large meadow with terrific views of Stone Mountain State.
Our next stops were at Devils Garden Overlook at Milepost 235.7; Doughton Park at Milepost 241.1; Bluff Mountain at Milepost 243.4; Raven Rocks Overlook at Milepost 289.5; Moses H. Cone Memorial Park (not pictured) at Milepost 294.1; Craggy Gardens (not pictured) at Milepost 364.6; and Mount Pisgah at Milepost 408.6.
It was a long enjoyable drive and valuable experience full of memories spent with my eldest son. As you can see from the images some of our views were obscured and opaque due to the hazy atmosphere.
The host this week for Monochrome Madness is Brian from bushboy.blog. Brian has chosen a theme of Chair or Chairs for this week’s challenge. Let’s play along and discover what Chairs we can find.
Everywhere Coleman and I go there’s always someplace Coleman can find to Pull Up a Seat …
We might find a Chair to Pull Up a Seat at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden …
Belmont, North Carolina
Or we might find a Chair to relax in The Center …
Downtown Cramerton, North Carolina
We could locate a table and Chairs to Pull Up a Seatand enjoy a refreshing drink and snack before continuing on a hike …
Lake Haigler Entrance Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina
Then there’s a chance we could spot a couple of Chairs on display in an office setting at a museum …
The Schiele Museum of Natural History Gastonia, North Carolina
Coleman and I enjoy Pulling Up a Seat in a camping Chair at a State Park after a long hike around the lake …
Andrew Jackson State Park Lancaster, South Carolina
But a fond memory of a place of comfort was the opportunity to Pull Up a Seaton my paternal grandparents front porch.
My dad and Paternal Grandfather Great Falls, South Carolina
Now over to y’all to show us some Chairsby clicking here.
Cameras: 1-4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i; 5) Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max; 6) Minolta XG-7 35mm (my dad’s).
God Bless. Pull Up a Seat for a spell. Enjoy the peace and comfort of a day’s journeys ending. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge . For this week you may choose Any Which Way, just be sure your Which Ways are clearly distinguishable.
For this week I have chosen to show various Which Waysin Black and White/Monochrome. You do not need to post Monochrome Which Ways unless you desire to do so. My Which Ways consists of paved roads, pathways, sidewalks and tracks. Choose your own Which Ways, you your image, be creative, be uniquely you in your inspired style and selections.
Ports O’ Call; San Pedro, CaliforniaThe Rose Garden; The Huntington Library; San Marino, CaliforniaRoad in Germany Hare Snipe Creek Greenway Trail; Raleigh, North Carolina Lejeune Memorial Gardens; Jacksonville, North CarolinaRiverbanks Zoo; Columbia, South CarolinaTrain Tracks in Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina Warlick YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina Warlick YMCA; Gastonia, North CarolinaWarlick YMCA; Gastonia, North CarolinaPearson Ford; 12th and Broadway; San Diego, California (1941)2912 E Street; San Diego, California
That’s all for this week. Next week will be CWWC: Any which way with lines.
With much appreciation for those who entered this past week, click on the links below to check out their Which Ways.
Which Way Challenge (CWWC): February Week 4 — Any Which Way — Your Choice
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 very much.
While I focused a few of my images specifically on the Hands, others I chose to capture the whole experience of Coleman using and/or displaying his Hands.
God Bless. Take Care of Yourself and Each Other. Help one another. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
While visiting my Aunt in Texas in 2020 I would take a walk around her neighbourhood several times a week. Mostly I would walk for the exercise, but also investigating the area around where she lived just to see what I could see. I would try to average around 10,000 steps each time I ventured out for one of my walkabouts.
On this particular walkabout, I had across seem interesting places with signage drawing my attention. This remarkable place, Catfish Corner, is a restaurant which unquestionably serves Catfish. However, they have a wide variety of other entrees to please any sophisticated palate. I believe regardless of what your preference is for food consumption, you’ll enjoy whatever you choose to order at the Catfish Corner.
780 S. Treadaway Blvd. Abilene, Texas
Brighten the doorstep, all are welcome within …
Catfish Corner Restaurant
… Bring your friends along, y’all enjoy the food and fellowship together.
My earliest memory of gathering here with family was in May of 1968. We were gathered together to pay our respects and say a final goodbye to my maternal grandfather, Harvey Martin Watson. I wasn’t able to see him before he passed on while he was in the hospital suffering the effects of a heart attack. He was hospitalized at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. At this time, children were not allowed to visit (I was only eleven (11)).
This place is a connection between generations and between family who were once very close. One can gain valuable insight and knowledge into the history behind the people who reside here. They have a connection to the past, to me, to an array of family members stretching from the west coast to the east coast. Knowledge is power, growth and resilience. It can hopefully learn from their lives and experiences and acknowledge to strive to become better in our own lives.
My mom’s eldest brother preceded my grandfather in this resting place here on earth by three years. I, however, do not recall being here for his service even though I probably would have been. He was only forty-three (43) years when he became a resident in this destination.
Family and most likely friends as well would gather here and then family would return to the family home for further consolation and nourishment.
I have visited here off and on throughout the years. Not so much as late, but will again one day soon in the future. When I return I’ll be laying flowers on my parents and grandparents graves as a sign of respect and remembrance.
I remember gathering here with family members when my maternal grandmother, Myrtle Melvina (Tebo) Watson was laid to rest in 1986. This occasion was the first time my eldest son experienced the formality of a loved one being lowered to earth’s humble abode. You get through the difficult times this place brings you here and move on, but forgetting what brought you here still lingers in the recesses of your heart and mind to be recalled and remembered from time to time.
The last time I came here for a short, but necessary, visit (in 1996) was to honour my father after he left his earthy home to become a resident (in body) here near my maternal grandparents gravesites. This was the hardest visit ever in my lifetime. He and I were very close and at times I wish he was still here.
My mom’s ashes are buried with my father after she passed on in 2019. The family held a celebration of life service for her in Plano, Texas where she was residing at the end of her time here on earth. My brother later traveled to San Diego, California to have her ashes entombed with my father. I have yet to back it back to this location to once again pay my respects to family long gone. Plans are in the works for the near future (within the next year) to once again travel to this destination and converse with family even if they can only communicate in spirit.
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.]
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.
Today (yes, I know I’m behind in getting this posted) is World Cancer Day. Cancer has affected millions of people worldwide. It is estimated that about Twenty (20) million new cancer cases occur and close to 9.7 million cancer related deaths each year. Even though the number of Cancer related cases and death are outrageous, that is not my main focus for discussing World Cancer Day.
Like it or not the majority of us have been affected by Cancer. Some suffering or are currently experiencing Cancer, while others have friends and/or relatives battling cancer’s effects and treatment side effects.
My mom, in January 2019, laying in a hospital bed afflicted by the debilitating effects of Cancer with my niece holding her hand.
I’ve known and currently know way too many family and friends who have suffered in one manner or another with the debilitating and devastating effects of the horrendous numbers of Cancer diseases which affect too many people to even consider imagining. It is mind boggling.
My dad died from Cancer on December 31, 1996. He had prostate cancer, cancer in his lymph nodes, kidney cancer, and lastly bone cancer. He suffered for several years and through the prescribed treatments, surgeries, and medications and yet cancer after cancer continuously infected his body. He never let himself get defeated. He never wavered in his faith in the Lord.
My mom died on January 18, 2019 from Cancer. She too suffered through various types of Cancers, including the cancer related surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy. After having taken care of my dad and watch him suffer through the endless treatments and debilitating side effects; she chose not to undergo any more treatments when she was diagnosed with cancer, once again, in 2018. Through it all my mom learned to Trust in God. She stated that Trust meant to
Total
Reliance
Under
Stressand
Trial
This meaning of Trust could be applied regardless of our circumstances. God is faithful to Not allow us to go through anything He won’t be right there beside us comforting us, strengthening us, and guiding us every single day of our lives.
My former spouse died of Cancer on June 15, 2018, his younger brother died of cancer this past year.
I have numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as too many friends to count who have suffered from Cancer, some still managing through the effects of Cancer and others who are no longer with us in body, but will always be with us in spirit.
World Cancer Day’s theme for 2025-2027 is “United by Unique.” It places people at the centre of care and explores new ways of making a difference. This theme highlights the importance of personalized care and treatments to cater to each individual’s unique needs.
World Cancer Day aims to
Raise Awareness Globally of
The Importance of Prevention
Early Detection
Available Treatments
Promoting Prevention and Early Detection
Significance of Prevention through Lifestyle Changes
Screening and Early Detection
Prioritize Cancer Prevention
Supporting Those Affected by Cancer
Support Provided to those currently fighting Cancer
Provides a sense of Community and Solidarity
Need for Improved Access to Cancer Care
Advocating for Better Treatment and Funding
Advocating for increased investment in Cancer Research
Amplifies Demand for Better Health Care infrastructure
Push for International collaboration
Uniting the Global Community
Uniting People Across Borders
Cancer knows no boundaries
Impact is felt by millions — geographically, socially, and economically
Tackling Cancer is Global issue
Requires Collaboration
Build a Global Movement for Change
You and I may not be personally suffering with Cancer, but we can be there for someone we know who might (or is currently) experiencing fighting Cancer. How can we be there for someone? What can we do?
There actually are many different ways that we (you and I) can offer and/or provide help to someone with Cancer. We can provide practical support, offer emotional support, and by simply being a good listener.
Practical support includes running errands, providing a meal, assisting with household chores, caring for children or whatever means would best benefit the person you choose to support.
Emotional support includes being a good listener, no judgements and being aware of their thoughts and feelings. Letting a person know you’re willing to listen if and when they are ready to talk. Sometimes a hug will mean a great deal to someone in need. Let people know you care, whether telling them face to face or sending them a card or message. And no matter what a person situation or circumstance might be, always remember to Pray for them.
Let’s not forget that not just the afflicted need our support, but also the families and caregivers also. Pray for all those affected by Cancer; the patient, their families, their caregivers, and their doctors. Prayers are a tremendous gift one can offer to someone in need, to someone fighting this Cancer battle on a daily basis.
God Bless. Thank you for listening. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
First Baptist Church of Abilene, TexasFirst San Diego school & where my mom went to high school. Seven Seas Marine Life ParkColeman First Day Hike at Anne Springs Close Greenway Coleman First Day Hike 1/01/2023First Baptist Church of Cramerton The Eleventh President of the United States of America
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.
The Ragtag Daily Prompt for today has prompted a look back to Reunions in years past. In my younger days we had a few Family reunions with members of my maternal grandfather’s side of the family. So far, I have not located any of the photos my dad or other relatives would have taken of those get togethers. Some were held at my maternal grandparents home and others at my maternal grandfather’s sister’s daughter’s home. The memories of those Reunions are sporadic and fragmented, but do somewhat remain in the crevices of my mind.
After my maternal grandfather passed away the family reunions seemed to fade away. I hadn’t gone to a reunion in years until after we moved back to the Carolinas and made family connections through AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, and Facebook. It was with those connections that I found out about the Greer/Watson/Trivette Reunions and the Watson Family Reunions in and surrounding Deep Gap, North Carolina. [My maternal grandfather was born in the Deep Gap area in 1890.]
Here are a few photos from those Reunions …
Watson Family Reunions
2015
Greer/Watson/Trivette ReunionWatson Family Family Reunion Yadkin Valley Community Park Lenoir, North Carolina
2016
Greer/Watson/Trivette Reunion Greer/Watson/Trivette Family Family Reunion Yadkin Valley Community Park Lenoir, North Carolina
2017
Watson Family Reunion David Watson X TwoWatson Family Deep Gap, North Carolina
The Bridge over the Mississippi River in Vicksburg, Mississippi as seen at night while traveling back from Texas to the Carolinas in 2019. The architectural design is fascinating viewing all the angles, lines, triangles, and squares that were used to construct the bridge. The lighting helps the bridges features stand out in the evening’s darkness.
Ritva is this week’s host for the Lens-Artist Challenge and she has chosen a theme of Shoot From Above. I do not always shoot from above, however, on occasion I have a fantastic opportunity to do just that.
Here is remembering one of those occasions …
A Look from Mount Jefferson State Natural Area West Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina
More Shots from above at The Peak at Mountain Jefferson State Park …
These were taken in August of 2017 when my eldest son and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway and visited Mount Jefferson, North Carolina. I was in the area for a family reunion in Deep Gap, North Carolina. While in the area, we decided to do some sightseeing and a little hiking. It was a fun weekend of one on one time together.
God Bless. Take a Hike. Get Outdoors. Enjoy the Beauty all Around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: It’s a Small World; Disneyland; Anaheim, California, USA
God Bless. Be Observant. Geometric shapes are all around us. Stay Warm. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
In Memory Doyce Eileen (Watson) Waters, aka my mom
Six years ago January 18, I received some devastating news, yet expected news. I was at work when my manager called me into his office saying I had a phone call. [Mind you now, I do not normally receive calls while I’m working and especially not on a work phone.]
What news did I receive, you ask? The phone call was from my brother in Texas. He called to let me know our mom had passed during the early morning hours. Yes, that is devastating news to receive and even more so while you are working. Needless to say, my work day ended after that phone call. I had arrangements I needed to make. Arrangements for my daughter and myself to travel to Texas for her memorial service and help my brother with the arrangements. Most of her arrangements were already preplanned.
Notice I said in the beginning the news was expected, just not the when. Why was it expected, you may wonder or might not? You see, my mom was dying from cancer. The type of cancer doesn’t matter. By this time in her life she had had several different types of cancers. She had received the chemotherapy, the radiation, and whatever was decided by her doctors for her previous cancers. This time around she made the decision that she wasn’t going to go through all of those treatments again. She had previously watched how the treatments affected my dad when he received the treatments when he was diagnosed and treated for cancer. (As of December 31st, it has been 28 years since my dad passed from cancer.) After receiving her diagnosis of cancer this last time, I believe she was ready to join her husband, loved ones, and friends in heaven.
Her passing affected me even though we were not close in my adult life. I loved my mom, don’t doubt that and I know she loved me. However, I truly felt that she did not like me or anything about me. To me, (my opinion only) she favored my brother and his family over me and my family. Now if you asked him, he’d probably disagree with my opinion. That doesn’t matter, that’s how I felt.
When she passed in January of 2019, I had not seen my mother since 2010 when she along with my brother came out to watch my daughter graduate from high school. Even then, she only spent a few hours with my daughter and myself the whole time she was in the Carolinas. They stayed with my dad’s sister, we saw them the for an hour the Thursday before my daughter’s graduation, at her graduation, and then for an hour at her graduation/birthday party the Sunday after her graduation. To me, it felt like very little time. Especially since afterwords, she moved from her home in San Diego to Plano, Texas to be near my brother and his family. Back then, I felt hurt and probably resented that she was closer to my brother.
Nowadays, I think I should have reached out to her more instead of just living my life struggling to provide for my family. It is sad that we didn’t have the kind of relationship that I now wish we had. The saying is true, you never know what you have or could have had until it is gone. I still think of my mom at times. Especially this time of year and in October around her birthday.
I do not mean to sound frustrating, angry, or like I’m having a “pity party.” Sometimes, you just need to let go of things, pour your heart out, and try to remember the good times.
Here is a few photos of my mom …
Remember you may click on each photo for larger enhanced viewing.
These Throwback images are from my maternal grandfather’s collection of photos I was given from my maternal grandmother after his passing back in 1968. The photo images were originally on personal post cards.
Old Coal Trucks in early 1900’s.
Not sure, but I think this is my maternal grandfather next to the truck.
Original image
I have always thought these were taken in Deep Gap, North Carolina, but I am not one hundred percent (100%) sure. My maternal grandfather did work for a time for a coal mining company.
Remember for enhanced viewing click on each image.
Judy invites us to join in with her to play “The Numbers Game #56.”Today’s number is 177. To play along, she suggests you 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 herNumbers 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 Numbers Game Challenge:
Judy invites us to join in with her to play “The Numbers Game #55.”Today’s number is 176. To play along, she suggests you 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 herNumbers 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 Numbers Game Challenge:
This week has been pretty cold ( low’s in the low 20’s), I know that’s not as cold as some of y’all see but it’s freezing for us. Therefore, I chose to go through my archive file of doors. Look out all the lines, angles, squares, and rectangles. Can you spot other Geometric patterns/shapes? Hopefully you’ll enjoy viewing Coleman’s antics as I fondly remember them. I am also linking up with GeometricJanuary and Throwback Thursday.
Coleman trying to open Refrigerator Door when he was two (2).
In this last photo (animation) we had a “lock” on the Refrigerator Door to try to keep him from getting into it. As you can see it didn’t keep him from trying.
God Bless. I’m Grateful for being allowed to watch Coleman grow up with all his antics, experiences, and expressions. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Charlotte-Douglas International Airport; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Good Bless. Take time to be Grateful. Appreciate your Blessings. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy from Life Lessons’ invites us to play along with her in her Numbers Game Challenge. Her instructions are simple, just 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.
Nornal Hule & Doyce Eileen Waters Taken in 1976 for their 25th Anniversary If they were alive today, it’d be their 73rd. Love lasts a lifetime and into eternity.
May God’s hope, peace, joy, and love surround you this Advent season.
Location: Allied Gardens Community; San Diego, California, 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.
This post was originally drafted before Cee went into the hospital and was unable to continue with the challenge. I know I already submitted one post for this challenge, but since I found this post in my drafts I decided to go ahead and post this as a second CFFC post for this challenge.
Thank you once again Dan for taking on the Fun Foto Challenge. I know this is a huge relief for Cee. It is also wonderful for those of us who have been previously enjoying participating in this challenge. I for one will look forward to all you have to bring in this CFFChallenge.
Now on to show you may take on Commercial Buildings or Store Fronts. I have dug into my archives for this week’s challenge; some much older than others, however, I hope you enjoy them all.
Shell Service Station Gastonia, NCThe Blue Dolphin Port O Call Los Angeles, CAPresident James K. Polk Birthplace Visitor Center-Museum Charlotte, NCBedazzled Bridal & Formal Gastonia, NCHarris Teeter Charlotte, NCHobby Barn West Jefferson, NCOld Hotel-Antiques-Tavern West Jefferson, NCMy Maternal Grandfather’s Old Store before 1940 Coshocton, OhioCatfish Corner Restaurant Abilene, TXThe Shop Antiques•Refinishing Abilene, TXPalone Barber Shop Coffeyville, Kansas
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 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.
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.
Coleman and I had the privilege of attending a Veterans Day Celebration at the Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church on Eighth Avenue in Cramerton, North Carolina on Monday,November 11th at 11:11 Am. The service was hosted by The Cramerton Community Committee and Cramerton Historical Society.
Coleman was anxious to leave the house, so we left early and walked to the church from Seventh Street south of the railroad tracks to uptown along Eighth Avenue for approximately 0.5 miles down hill and up hill until we reached our destination of the church location.
Coleman actually sat quietly waiting and watching for the service to begin. (I had already explained to him that the service was to honour the Veterans, the men and women who served in the military, like his Pawpaw had served.) [FYI – the patches on Coleman’s shirt were his Pawpaw’s patches from when he served in the U. S. Army.]
The service began with the presentation of colours by the Cramerton Police Honour Guard. Next, was the singing of the National Anthem, prayer, introduction and recognition of dignitaries, veteran remembrances, and closing comments with taps.
Flower & Flag in a Vase Table Decorations
After the service was concluded those hosting the service led everyone downstairs for an appreciation meal. The meal was catered by Georgio’s Restaurant to give veterans and their families an opportunity to eat afterward. (I wasn’t sure about attending the meal, but as the spouse and grandson of a Vietnam Veteran we were invited to participate in the meal.) It was greatly appreciated and enjoyed by all who attended the service.
My Dad, Nornal H. Waters, U.S. Navy Korean Veteran and My Spouse, Sgt. Terry L. Wilson. U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran A Sampling of My Military Family who served in various Wars from the Civil War to World War I, to Korean War, and Afghanistan. My Military Family Sgt Terry Leon Wilson My husband, Terry Leon Wilson SP4 US Army Vietnam Buried in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, Nevada
To All Veterans, Thank you for your Service!
God Bless. Thank a Veteran! Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
For Judy’s “The Numbers Game #46” Game she invites all to play along. Here are her ideas on how to play along in this challenge. This week’s number is 167. 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.
God Bless. Take Care. Don’t be Upset and Angry about Political Results; Remember God is in Control. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 