Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography
This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit: Copyright ©️1974 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7
Digitized via Wolverine Digital Converter
Location: Queen Mary; Long Beach, California, USA
God Bless. Have a lovely weekend filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
John from Journeys with Johnbo is this week’s host for the Lens-Artist Photo Challenge. He is asking us to look at water a little differently to focus on the landscapes, structures, and stories that they might tell. John commented on my Cell Pic Sunday photo and suggested I could use it for this challenge. I opted to use it as my header image. It shows the landscape of trees surrounding Lake Haigler at Anne Springs Close Greenway.
I searched through my photos to determine which photos I wanted to use for this challenge. Let’s take a look at my selections.
In May of this year my daughter flew out west to see her dad’s grave in Boulder City, Nevada. After meeting with her uncle (her dad’s brother) at the cemetery, she drove east into Colorado where she hoped to get a transfer (that didn’t work out for various reasons). She drove north on the I-15 leaving Nevada into Utah and transferred to the I-70 East and on towards Colorado. While driving she was kind enough to oblige me with stopping at a few site seeing spots along the route. One of those sites was The Blue Mesa Reservoir. It is a part of the Curecanti National Recreation Area. It is the largest body of water in Colorado and a crucial part of the Wayne N. Aspinall Storage Unit. This reservoir was formed by the Blue Mesa Dam on the Gunnison River. It is a focal point for recreational activities like fishing and boating. In addition, it plays a vital role in providing water and power to the region.
Going backwards through the calendar year, my family and I took a mini-vacation for New Year’s weekend. We drove down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and stayed for almost a week. Having not been to the beach in years and the kids first time to the beach, we took in some “touristy” activities. One of our first activities was to drive down to Murrells Inlet and go on a Dolphin Excursion via the Crazy Sister Marina. Pictured here is a portion of the boat dock to the left of the Crazy Sister’s boats. That was a fun adventure, one Coleman really enjoyed.
Heading back another month to November of 2025, we went to Charlotte to try out a pizza place that served a specialty pizza known in some entices to induce labour. In my daughter’s case it didn’t have the expected outcome she was hoping for. The pizza was delicious despite that fact. After leaving Charlotte we decided to stop at Ramsey Creek Park to walk off our lunch and give Coleman time to run around and burn some excess energy. (He always has an abundance of energy). Ramsey Creek Park is a beautiful spot along the shores of Lake Norman in Cornelius, North Carolina. Lake Norman is North Carolina’s largest man-made lake. It is often referred to as “the Inland Sea” due to its vast size. While there Coleman and I walked along the lake shore and along the trail. (He loves to hike.) My daughter didn’t do as much walking (being about 36 weeks, she wasn’t up to much walking). It was a fun outing and a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the afternoon.
In October, Coleman and I walked to Goat Island Park and Greenway for a bit of hiking and Funtime on the playground. This shot was taken from the Goat Island bridge looking back towards town. Once on the Greenway, Coleman hiked along the trail spotting the Autumn colours of the leaves and enjoying spending time together. Now of course, after a hike a boy still needs to burn off even more energy, so a stop at the playground was a must.
Back in early 2024 the Gastonia Transit system still ran. In February, Coleman and I rode the city bus to the Warlick Family YMCA. The Warlick Family YMCA has three different hiking trails; Blue, Yellow, and Green. On this day, if my recollection is correct, Coleman and I hiked the Green Trail. The trails start near Robinwood Lake (pictured above). Robinwood Lake is a scenic 34-acre freshwater lake which the YMCA allows kayaking, paddleboarding, bank fishing (largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish). In order to fish in Robinwood Lake, you’d need to purchase a North Carolina inland fishing license for anyone age 16 or older to fish. Coleman and I live to walk along the lake shores and enjoy its natural beauty.
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This final image is of the USS Consolation. It is not a ship I have seen or visited other than in my dad’s photo album. Why is it so special to me? It is special because this is the hospital ship my dad was stationed on during his Korean War service in the United States Navy. I’m not sure which Naval port it was taken at, possibly in San Francisco, but really could be any U.S. Naval port. I like the visibility of the mountains behind the U.S. Naval ship.
John’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge-Shaped by Water
To find out more about the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, please click here.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️2024-2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. [The USS Consolation photo was taken around 1950-1951. The photo belonged to my father.]
God Bless. Be Happy. Be Cool. Be a Blessing to those around you. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Location: Friedrich Building; Heidelberg Castle; Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This weekend in the United States is Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, some people still have to work on Labor Day (which is celebrated on Monday). Who really wants to work on a holiday during the Summer or for that matter any other long weekend.
I am remembering a Summer in 1963 (not in September, but in July) when I was vacationing in Great Falls, South Carolina with my family. We drove out from San Diego, California to visit my paternal grandparents and my dad’s brother and sister.
On this particular weekend the men and boys went fishing 🎣 along the Catawba River in Great Falls, South Carolina. Why is it that the majority of times (at least back then) they never asked the girls or women to go fishing? However, they expected the women to cook up whatever fish they caught and brought home.
The Catawba River is just a short drive from my grandparents home. The “men“ landed an impressive catch of freshwater fish including Bullhead Catfish, Crappie, and Bluegill.
I do not recall which one actually caught the most fish or if this was my brother’s first time fishing or not. I do know they definitely made sure to capture their catch with a camera for prosperity or probably to remember the funtastic time they had spending the day together.
Regardless of who caught what, or who caught the most, what mattered most was the quality time they had together. You better believe we had us a feast of fried catfish and other freshwater panfish for supper that night.
How do you like to spend a long holiday weekend? Do you get together with friends and family? Stay home and barbecue on the grill? Or just enjoy a relaxing weekend at home?
Click on each image to enlarge.
Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-2026.09.05
Photo Credit: Copyright ©️1963 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Great Falls, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a pleasant and peaceful weekend. May it be filled with love, happiness, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit: Copyright ©️1963 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Great Falls High School; Great Falls, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a lovely weekend filled with love, joy, and laughter. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
I do not visit the beach as often as I did in my youth, however, I do have memories of being at the beach with family and friends over the years.
Going back in time to see A vintage family day with my Aunt and Uncle at Springmaid Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
In 2010, My “children” and I ventured down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to celebrate my daughter’s high school graduation.
Moving forward in time to 2017, we (my eldest son and I) take a drive to North Topsail Beach from Jacksonville, North Carolina for a relaxing stroll along the waterfront.
Let’s take a sidetrack from the East Coast Carolina beaches to visit west coast beaches in San Diego County, California.
Now back to the East coast and our adventures at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Well, that’s all folks. Till next time have a splendid week filled with love, happiness, and laughter. God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan with No Facilities, the host of Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is continuing with the theme of Where/What/When we do various things. This week’s focus is on Where/What/When We Watch. This new series will continue for approximately six (6) more weeks.
I’ve scoured my photo files to figure out which images would best represent the theme for this week. The following is what I’ve gathered to share with y’all. My featured photo is with Coleman waiting for a symphony concert to begin at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Click on images to enlarge.
Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge-Where/What/When We Watch
Photo Credit:©️1970 – 2026 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a lovely week. Enjoy a walk/hike if possible. Keep Cool. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Back in 1970 Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was an incredible experience, it was a classic Disneyland attraction that was a great marvel for its time.
It first debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair as a highlight of the Illinois pavilion before Walt Disney himself decided it needed a permanent home at Disneyland in 1965. When we went as a family in June of 1970, the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln had only been at Disneyland for approximately five (5) years.
It was groundbreaking at the time because it featured one of Walt Disney’s first full-scale audio-animatronics figures, bringing President Lincoln to life with incredibly realistic movements and a powerful speech. The show combines a historical presentation with a speech delivered by the animatronic Lincoln, using recordings of his actual words. It aims to inspire guests with Lincoln’s legacy and the ideals of the United States.
Entering the beautifully designed theater, often called the Main Street Opera House, the anticipation waiting for the show to begin was part of the “Disney” magic. Then, President Lincoln’s figure, so lifelike with its movements and expressions, would rise from his chair and begin to speak. We were amazed at how realistic he looked and sounded, delivering a powerful address compiled from his actual speeches, focusing on themes of liberty, union, and the importance of preserving the nation.
The building itself is a fantastic example of Disney’s immersive theming. It’s designed to look like a classic turn-of-the-century opera house, perfectly blending into the nostalgic atmosphere of Main Street, creating a sense that you’re stepping back in time. Architecturally, the facade you see, which houses the attraction, is a brilliant example of Disney’s Main Street, U.S.A. design philosophy. It’s crafted to evoke a grand, late 19th or early 20th-century opera house or theater. This style, often referred to as Victorian or Edwardian, features ornate details, classical proportions, and a sense of historical grandeur, all intended to transport guests to a romanticized turn-of-the-century American town. The prominent marquee, the arched windows, and the decorative elements all contribute to this immersive illusion, making it feel like a real historic landmark.
This attraction was one of the very first to showcase Walt Disney’s revolutionary innovation. Audio-Animatronics are essentially sophisticated robots, specifically designed to mimic human or animal movements, with their actions precisely synchronized to pre-recorded audio tracks.
For the Mr. Lincoln figure, this meant intricate hydraulics and pneumatics controlled the movements of his head, eyes, mouth, arms, and even subtle shifts in his posture, making him appear incredibly lifelike as he delivered his speech. The audio was meticulously matched to these movements, creating a seamless and convincing performance. This was incredibly advanced for 1964 and 1970 giving audiences an unprecedented experience of history brought to life through robotics, far beyond simple static mannequins. It was truly a marvel of engineering and storytelling that we enjoyed watching every time we visited Disneyland.
[I’m not sure where I was at the time (probably standing near my dad who took the picture), but the three prominent figures (two looking this way, at the camera, and the lady in the red and white tank top) are my mom, my cousin, and my brother.
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1970 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Location: Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln; Main Street; Disneyland; Anaheim, California, USA
God Bless. Stay Cool. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1968 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Location:Between Ocotillo Wells and Borrego Springs, California, USA
God Bless. Take time to enjoy the flowers. Get Outdoors and commune with nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Sometime when I open Google Photos it displays memories that it thinks I would be interested in seeing. That was the case this past weekend when it wanted me to see the black and white image shown in the second photograph.
In seeing this photo it reminded me of my parents anniversary, they would have been married for seventy-five (75) years on Friday if they’d still been alive. They were married forty-five (45) years when my dad passed in 1996. My mom is also gone now and only memories remain alive.
This is the first house I can remember living in even though it wasn’t the first house my family called home. We moved into this house about 1961. The front window you see would have been the window in my parent’s bedroom. The bedrooms were all on the right side of the house. Mine was in the middle between their’s and my brother’s bedroom.
I lived in this house during my entire childhood elementary school days (Kindergarten through Sixth Grade). It holds so many memories, to many to share. When we walked past the windows behind my mom and dad we’d enter the living room. To me in was a large area we gathered to watch programs on our black and white console television. The kitchen and dining rooms were to the left of the entrance with a door in between that led to the garage. We always sat at the dining table as a family for our meals.
Even the windows of an ordinary house can bring fond memories of happy times of love, laughter, and togetherness.
God Bless. Stay Cool. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Location: Roman Pool; Hearst Castle; San Simeon, California, USA
God Bless. Enjoy the rest of your week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The above image is one my dad took with his Minolta camera while he and my mom visited my brother in Germany.
Click on image to enlarge.
Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP):Monday-Laneway
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
In 1978, my parents and I took a trip north on the I-5 and switching over to Highway 101. We went up the coast of California to a small Danish-inspired village called Solvang. Solvang is located approximately a half-hour north of Santa Barbara, California. Solvang is known as the “Danish Capital of America.”
It was founded by Danish immigrants in 1911. The village is prominently known for its authentic half-timbered architecture, iconic windmills, and world-class Danish bakeries. It has a unique offering of a slice of Scandinavian culture blending with the Central California sunshine.
Click on Image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1978 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Location: Solvang, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, California, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic and pleasant week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Click on image to enlarge.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday (#OWS)-Tall
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Location: Hume Lake Campground; Sequoia National Forest; Hume, Fresno, California, USA
God Bless. Be Gentle as the ‘Gentle Giant’. Be Passionate, with soft and nurturing words towards all. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
For this week’s Monday Window I went searching through my archives, specifically my dad’s old slides to find an image I might could consider using for today’s post. Well, I found one I sharing with y’all. However, I could not locate any information on the location or history of the place. The only information I could find was that it was taken by my dad in February of 1965.
It was hard to distinguish the original colours from the digital conversion of my dad’s old slide. The house number is 720, but I have no idea what street it was on, what city or town it was in, or even which state it was located. I know the in February of 1965 we lived in San Diego, California. We visited Tecate, Baja California during this time period as well as other places.
Click on images to enlarge.
See Monday Window posts in Reader
Photo Credit: ©️1965 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved .
God Bless. Open up the Window of your mind to unique opportunities for creativity. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
My dad, Nornal H. Waters, grew up in Great Falls, South Carolina. Before he joined the U.S. Navy he worked for this Ford Dealership in Great Falls. He also worked here again for a couple of years after he married my mom after his service was completed.
These images were taken in 1963, by my dad, on a trip home to visit his parents and siblings. Our family had moved to San Diego, California in 1958 when I was 2. This was our first trip back to the Carolinas since moving to California. (I would have been seven (7) years old during this time period.)
Can you name the make and models of all these cars? I’m not sure that I am capable of naming them. For a small town, a population of approximately 2,875 residents, the dealership did a thriving business maintaining the needs of its residents.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Dan’s Thursday Doors-2026.06.25
Photo Credit:©️1963 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Digitization done via Wolverine Digital Converter by Deb L. Waters in 2020.
Location: Bradley Motor Company; 721 Chester Avenue; Great Falls, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a funtastic rest of your week and weekend ahead. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with w. I appreciate y’all very much.
A Look back to 1965 through the window of my dad’s slides of a past adventure at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. One can look out the window while riding the Monorail around the park.
Have you ever had the opportunity to ride in a Monorail? The only one I remember riding in is this one at Disneyland.
Photo Credit:©️1965 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm (Slide)
Digitized via Wolverine Digital Converter
Location: Disneyland; Anaheim, California, USA
God Bless. Have an adventurous week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Long Neck …
Long River …
Long Road …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Long (2026.06.21)
Photo Credit:©️1967-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a safe and funtastic weekend. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
It is a stunning 14th-century Roman Catholic parish church that serves as an architectural anchor for Nuremberg’s main market square, the Hauptmarkt. This church was visited by my parents as my brother took them around touring near where he was stationed in Germany.
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Digitized: ©️2019 Wolverine Digital Converter by Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Location: The Frauenkirche; (Church of Our Lady); Nuremberg, Germany
God Bless. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge is hosted by Beth from Wandering Dawgs. She has chosen to have us Look Back to John’s LAPC #155 – On the Water. (I know I’m a little late posting for this challenge, having a grand-baby to take care of during the day hinders my ability to search through my archives for photos depicting “On the Water.” I finally managed to find a selection I hope you’ll enjoy.
I wonder, Does in the water count as well as on the water?
How about a hydroelectric plant?
This one may or may not count …
If that doesn’t work, then I know this one will …
And lastly, let’s take a look at other recreational activities on the water …
Beth’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #395-Looking Back to #155 On the Water
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature on or off the water. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Republic Textile Mills Company was founded in Great Falls, South Carolina around 1905-1910 by the Southern Power Company (later became known as Duke Power Company). It was founded to capitalize on Catawba River water power. The Republic Textile Mills Company expanded to three mills by 1923.
[My paternal grandfather worked in the #3 Mill located on Argonne Avenue kitty-corner from Walnut Street where my paternal grandparents lived. When he worked there the Mills were owned by J. P. Stevens and Company.]
The Republic Textile Mills Company operated as a major textile producer in the region, complete with a company town, before being sold to J. P. Stevens and Company in 1946. The #3 Mill opened in 1923. The company town included a company store, where workers could charge goods against their wages.
The Mills ceased all operations due to the broader decline of the textile industry. The last of the Mills closed its doors around 1985.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1963 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Corner of Argonne Avenue and Walnut Street; Great Falls, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful rest of your week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week Monochrome Madness is hosted by Sarah from Travel with Me. She has chosen to challenge us to post images which begin with the letter “P”. Interestingly enough, it wasn’t that difficult to find images in my archives which begin with “P”.
Here are my entries …
Let’s begin by walking out onto the Porch …
Next, how about a trip back in time …
Now back to more current “P” images …
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #58-Begins with P
Sarah’s Monochrome Madness-Begins with P
God Bless. Have a funtastic week ahead. May your week be filled with love, laughter, and happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Click on each image to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Digitized: Wolverine Digital Converter
Location: Ports O’ Call Los Angeles; San Pedro, California, USA
God Bless. Have an adventurous week filled with love and happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Playing around with an old image from the 1960’s …
XingfuMama’s One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge-April 2026
Photo Credit:©️1968 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Location: 228 S. Meadowbrook Drive; San Diego, California, USA
God Bless. Have a fantastic rest of your week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan from No Facilities hosts the Fun Foto Challenge at and this week he is asking for our View from Public Transportation. I have gone into my archives for this one to past adventures on buses past and present.
First off, let me tell you I don’t do public transportation that often and when I do it is rare.
Let’s look at Past Public Transportation…
Now to see what can be seen from a Greyhound Bus …
Moving on toward the Present …
Coleman and I rode the Gastonia Transit Buses for approximately two (2) years before Gaston County disbanded the County Transit system and replaced it with Gaston Go Vans (which I still haven’t figured out how to arrange rides on them). The Buses were really convenient for Coleman and I to hop on and off (reduce fair for under 5 (under 3 was free) and seniors. We used to ride the buses all over Gastonia to various destinations such as: the library, The Schiele Museum of Natural History, Lineberger Park, Edwin Center, Warlick Family YMCA, Avon and Catawba Creek Greenways, and even to Walmart or Food Lion if we desired.
Last, but not least …
Please click on photos to enlarge.
Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-View from Public Transportation
Photo Credit: First Three: ©️1974-80 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved; Second Set: ©️2020 Deb L. Waters … All Rights reserved; Third Set: ©️2023-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1st Set: Minolta XG-7 35 mm; 2nd Set: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max; 3rd Set: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Can you spot Coleman in the last picture? Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Welcome back to another Which Way Challenge (CWWC). This week we are continuing with the theme – Any Which Way with Spring or Autumn Which Ways [2nd Week — pm04.03.2026]) for this week’s theme. The Which Way can be any Dirt trail, road, pathway, sidewalk as long as the Which Way is clearly discernible. As always signs are always welcome.
For further information regarding the Which Way Challenge (CWWC) feel free to check out the home page here.
For my entries this week I am going way way back to April of 1979 when I visited Hearst Castle with friends and family …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Thank you to those who have participated and supported the Which Ways Challenge. I appreciate y’all sharing your Which Ways with us.
For an idea of other’s Which Ways from this past week’s challenge, be sure to click on the following links below.
Dawn’s Which Way: Spring Red Buds Along the Road
Cath’s Which Way… {Autumnal Trails}
Suzette’s Spring or Autumn – Deb’s Any Which Way – CWWC 2026
Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery’s Spring Parade
Rich with Serendipity’s Spring Ahead
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Digitized with Wolverine 96660.
Location: Hearst Castle; San Simeon, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
God Bless. Blessings on Passover. Happy Easter! May you be blessed with Sunshine, Happiness, and Peace. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Note: Next Week’s Theme will be combined with Dan’s CFFC for a theme of – Which Way Challenge (CWWC) 2026: Any Which Way with Views from a walk or hike.
Dan from No Facilities hosts the Fun Foto Challenge at and this week he is asking for our Views from Something on Water. I have gone into my archives for this one to past adventures on ships in the water.
First I’m going to take y’all way back to 1974. We’ll be visiting the historic Queen Mary docked in Long Beach, California. (Dan, you didn’t say it had to be moving.) My family and I toured the Queen Mary the summer after my high school graduation. (Yep, that gives you a clue to how long I’ve been around.)
These are views from aboard the Queen Mary taken with my dad’s Minolta XG-7 35mm camera …
The next Views are from the Enchantment of the Seas Caribbean Cruise Ship taken with an Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max during a cruise in February of 2020.
Please click on photos to enlarge.
Hope you enjoyed our views from Ships on Water. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s.
Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-View From Something on Water
Photo Credit: First Set: ©️1974 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved; Second Set: ©️2020 Deb L. Waters … All Rights reserved.
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan from No Facilities hosts the Fun Foto Challenge at and this week he is asking for our Views from a Car. I have chosen to take you on an adventure of Looking Forward while Venturing backwards in time to Past Views from a Windshield.
Let’s begin with the Current 2026 …
2025 View in Charlotte, North Carolina …
Now to the Past Views from a Car …
2017 …
2012 …
Now to Traverse even Further Back in Time …
1979 …
1973 …
1963 …
Nowadays you don’t need to stop, due to the digital age they just capture your license plate & send you a bill.
Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-View From a Car
Photo Credit: ©️1963-2026 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) and Deb L. Waters (aka me).
God Bless. Take an adventure. See some beautiful sights. Capture the Memories. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week’s host for Monochrome Madness is Stupidity Hole with a theme of The Space Between. Looking forward to exploring the various interpretations on The Space Between.
Here are a few I came up with for this week’s challenge …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness-2025.12.13
Stupidity Hole’s Monochrome Madness-The Space Between
Photo Credit:©️1979-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a fantastic weekend ahead. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Location: Hume Lake Christian Campground; Hume, California, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-Retail Food
Photo Credit: 1975-2019 Deb L. Waters & Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
The last two(2) photos were taken pre-1940. They belonged to my maternal grandfather and given to me on his passing.
Cameras: 1-4) Minolta XG-7 35mm film; 5-6) Apple iPhone 7 Plus; 7) Apple iPhone XR; 8) Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Locations: As stated with each image.
God Bless. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy from Life Lessons blog hosts a weekly photo challenge called The Numbers Game. This week’s number is 216. 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 …
Please click on photos to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
These ruin images were captured by my dad when he and my mom visited my brother stationed in Germany while serving in the United States Air Force. These are various perspectives of the Heidelberg Castle Ruins they saw during their visit.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #44-Ruins
Sarah’s Monochrome Madness-Seen in Black and White
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm camera
Location: Heidelberg Castle; Heidelberg, Germany
God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
“Every window tells a different story”.
If only I could hear some of the stories these windows could tell. I wish I could remember what it was like to gaze out these windows and watch the comings and goings of friends and family.
The above home is the first place I ever lived. If only I could know the stories those windows would tell if times long ago.
“Bless those who see life through a different window and those who understand their view.”
— Unknown author
Through every Window in every home tells a chapter in the story of my journey through life.
The above home is the second home I lived in from the time I was two until the summer before I started kindergarten. That summer we moved to the home shown below. I loved looking through the windows and knew that excitement and adventure was awaiting me on the outside.
“The window is where curiosities meet. Insiders are curious about the outside, and outsiders are curious about the inside”.
— Author Unknown
Peeking through the curtains, watching and waiting with anticipation … wondering who will be dropping by … curiosity beckons me to the window.
“Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.”
— George Bernard Shaw
The many Windows in the church could tell a vast array of stories regarding the comings and goings of all who consider this like home and all its inhabitants like family. This church was almost like a second home spending every Sunday morning and evening, and every Wednesday night as well. Sometimes the rest of the week as well, in my youth many a day was spent with friends playing, connecting, conversing with each other like we couldn’t wait to hear the stories we knew these windows were hearing.
God Bless. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan from No Facilities hosts Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge each week beginning on Mondays with a new theme each week. Dan is doing an excellent job since taking over the challenge and is keeping it fresh and alive continuing Cee’s legacy. This week Dan has chosen the theme of Subjects Framed by Things. He has given examples of doors, windows, bridges, and more that subjects can be used to be framed.
Here are my entries …
Click on each image to enlarge.
Dan’s Fun Photo Challenge-Subjects Framed by Things
Photo Credit:©️1979 -2025 Deb L. Waters & Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a funtastic rest of your week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Hope to see y’all on Friday with the Which Way Challenge (CWWC). The theme for this week will be … Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any Which Way (Your Choice).
The Vallecito Stage Station in Julian, California was rebuilt and is a part of the Vallecito County Park operated by the San Diego County Parks. The Vallecito Stage Station was one of the Home Stations along The Butterfield Overland Mail route which carried mail from San Antonio, Texas to San Diego, California beginning in 1857. Passengers on the Stage Coaches ate a good meal once every twenty-four (24) hours at what were called “Home Stations.” Vallecito was one of the “Home Stations” that provided good meals to the Butterfield-Overland travelers from produce and meat supplied by farmers on Mt. Palomar.
Vallecito has been preserved as a 71-acre county park built around a reconstruction of the historic Butterfield Stage Station. Vallecito has been a campsite for literally hundreds of years, beginning first with the native Kumeyaay Indians. This area is part of what is known as the Anza-Borego Desert.
When I was growing up my church youth group would come out here almost every year for camping and hiking. The campground area is primitive and you must bring in your own water supplies as wet as any other supplies you might need.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Empty
Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 38
Photo Credit:©️Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Enjoy the Outdoors. Have some fun. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dawn from The Day After hosts this week’s Monochrome Madness. She has chosen a theme of symmetry. Symmetry refers to an objects balance and harmonious proportions, having its parts similar corresponding to one another. The image below I think is my favourite symmetrical photo I have and even though I have others I’m saving them for another time.
Dawn’s Monochrome Madness-Symmetry
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #43-Symmetry
Photo Credit:©️1985 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Anne from Slow Shutter Speed is the host for this week’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge. She has chosen a unique theme of a Virtual Scavenger Hunt with several ideas for us to select from while searching for our “Scavenger” items.
Here are my “Scavenger Hunt” findings:
Anne’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #363-Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Photo Credit:©️1979-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a funtastic week & fun Scavenging to find things to capture. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy from Life Lessons blog hosts a weekly photo challenge called The Numbers Game. This week’s number is 206. 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 …
Please click on photos to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1979-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy from Life Lessons blog hosts a weekly photo challenge called The Numbers Game. This week’s number is 206. 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 …
Please click on photos to enlarge.
Photo Credit:©️1968-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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.
Photo Credit:©️1974-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
“Swimming” in the Carolinas
Water sports is a common summer activity around the Carolinas. The Canada Geese enjoy swimming in the South Fork Catawba River …
Some people take pleasure in Paddle Boarding …
Others gain satisfaction Kayaking with family …
And then Coleman delights in playing and splashing in the Spillway at Anne Springs Close Greenway …
Lastly, we remember a time when Springs Mill Recreational Park was open and everyone could find contentment in the pool.
Terri’s Sunday Stills: In the #Swim, But Staying Safe
Photo Credit: 1-4) ©️2023-2025 Deb L. Waters; 5) ©️1968 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; 2-3) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 4) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 5) Minolta XG-7
Locations: 1-3) South Fork Catawba River; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina; 4) Lake Haigler Spillway; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina; 5) Springs Pool; Springs Mill Recreational Park; Lancaster, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This theme challenge to see time to think about what to reflections to use, especially since I just recently posted a water reflections post. Looking through my archives I realized the majority of my reflections are water reflections. So what to use, um, um, what should I use?
Let’s go ahead and show a few of my favourite Water Reflections …
Now let’s explore other objects that may at times reflect images …
How about looking at Window Reflections …
And lastly, Ever think about Reflections in your Television Screen?
Anne’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge-Reflections
Photo Credits:©️1975-2025 Deb L. Waters; #3) Nornal H. Waters; #4) Larry D. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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