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
Create – Renew – Restore
Pray for all those affected by Hurricane Helene.
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.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Cracker Barrel; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Cee is back and allowing us to post any type of road, path, step, bridge or sign this week for her Which Way Challenge. This week I have mixed it up with a little new with a little from my favourite place from my archives. Hope you enjoy!
Cee’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)
God bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
What is most commonly referred to as the Carolina Gull is the Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla). Laughing Gulls can be typically observed swirling over beaches like Springmaid and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. Laughing Gulls provide sights and sounds evocative of summer on the East Coast. Large numbers of these Gulls at beaches, docks, and parking lots, where they wait for handouts or fill the air with their raucous calls.
In the Northeast, Laughing Gulls are summer visitors. However, in the Southeast and along the Gulf of Mexico they can be spotted year round along the coasts.
Some interesting cool facts about Laughing Gulls are:
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Boone, North Carolina
Comparing the Doc Watson “Man of the People” Statue from 2016 to 2024. The first photo was taken when I was in Boone, North Carolina for a family reunion. [Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson is my fourth cousin].
The Statue was dedicated on June 24, 2011. It commemorates the Grammy Award-winning artist and Watauga County (Deep Gap) native Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson. The depiction of “Doc” Watson sitting on a bench playing a model of his favorite guitar, customized Gallagher was created
Alexander M. Hallmark, a local Blowing Rock, NC, Sculptor. The inscription on the statue reads Doc Watson / “Just one of the People.”
The bronze statue of Doc Watson is located at the Northeast corner of North Depot and West King streets in downtown Boone, North Carolina.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Close-Ups Around the Greenway
Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-Close Up or Macro
Photo Credit:©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1-2) iPhone 13 Pro; 3-4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing time and thoughts with us. Have a great rest of your week. I appreciate y’all very much.
Old Buildings Houses, School, & Church:
Old Sheds:
Old Barns:
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge-Old Buildings
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. Please Pray for Hurricane Helene Victims, Relief Workers, & Volunteers during this difficult time. I appreciate y’all very much.
Rejoice in the Lord Always
Pray for all those affected by Hurricane Helene.
Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #239
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.
Dahlia coccinea
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters
Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Pray for Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina & Tennessee as they try to recovery from Hurricane Helene. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
7 Riverbanks 🦒 Giraffes 🦒
This week I am combining Monday Portrait with Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September. I am posting Seven (7) Giraffes from 7 years ago in 2017.
Photo Credit:©️2017 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden; Columbia, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a fabulous week. I appreciate y’all very much.
For Tina’s Lens-Artist Challenge this week I chose to show a recent neighbourhood belonging to a friend which we meandered around to check out the area. Our friend’s neighbourhood is in southern Lancaster County in South Carolina.
We enjoyed our stroll through the neighbourhood; hope you enjoyed sharing our walk.
Tina’s Lens-Artists Challenge #317 – Walking the Neighbourhood
Xingfumama’s Pull Up A Seat challenge
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Springdale, Lancaster, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Sunflower
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Squirrel 🐿️ Watching
Photo Credit :©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History Nature Trail; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Love ❤️ One Another
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Carlsbad, New Mexico, 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.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Gardner Park Elementary; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all.
Destination Fun
Blue Ridge Parkway
Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway from South Carolina to the Virginia Border and back down to Pisgah National Forest and then on into South Carolina once again was a trip I’ll always remember.
It has been seven years since I made that trip with my eldest son. We took the drive on his birthday weekend in October 2017. We stopped at various milestones along the Blue Ridge Parkway to see the beautiful views and tour a few different places along the route. We stopped at Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, North Carolina and hiked the Stone Mountain Loop Trail beginning at the Upper Trailhead. We continued driving the Blue Ridge Parkway once we left Stone Mountain State Park; we drove to Wilson, North Carolina (Wilson was my married name & the surname of my children.)
On the adventure South on the Parkway, we took a detour to my Cousin Jim’s Produce Market for some fresh produce & a break to stretch our legs. Before we arrived at Jim’s Produce, we stopped for a photo by the Doc and Merle Watson Highway sign ( Doc & Merle Watson are my fourth cousin & fourth cousin once removed respectively).
Venturing further south, we stopped at several more milestones to enjoy the beautiful scenery and views overlooking the valley. We stopped for supper at The Pisgah Inn’s restaurant. The food was delicious and the views were spectacular. The Pisgah Inn is located in the Pisgah National Forest amongst the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway (Blue Ridge Pkwy Milepost 408.6, Waynesville, NC).
It was a lovely and enjoyable trip, not just for the scenery, but always for the quality time spent with my son. Click on each photo for enhanced viewing. Have a wonderful day!
Lens-Artists Challenge #316 – Destination: Fun
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Memories
Photo Credit:©️2017 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Location: Various locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway; North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing in our adventure memories. If you have the opportunity I’d recommend driving the Blue Ridge Parkway. You’ll enjoy the scenery as much as we did. I appreciate y’all very much.
Waiting For Guests
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Waiting
Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 38
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Springdale, Lancaster, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Soon Nightfall will begin earlier and earlier, as Autumn approaches the sunsets come more quickly (or so it may seem) and we adjust accordingly. These are some of my favourites, hope you enjoy them. Click on each photo to enlarge for enhanced viewing.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy’s Numbers Game begins each Monday with a new number. This week we are on Numbers Game #39 and the number is 160.
To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find under that number and include a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.
Here are my entries for this week’s Numbers Game. Click on photos to enlarge.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Hope to see y’all playing along. I appreciate y’all very much.
Seven Beehives
Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all.
Don’t Worry … God’s Got It.
He Cares for You!
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Springdale, Lancaster, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all.
Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have a fabulous day! I appreciate y’all very much.
Clare from Clare’s Cosmos hosts the Share Your Desktop Challenge. She invites everyone to share what is on the desktop and/or our smartphones wallpapers and/or screensavers.
Here are my wallpapers and screensavers for September.
From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:
Personal Focus
Reading Focus
Hiking Focus
Television Focus
Work Focus
From my HP Laptop:
Laptop Screensaver
Laptop Wallpaper Background
Photo Credit: 2-3 & 6-7)©️Nornal H. Waters; 1, 4-5)©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Minolta XG-7 35 mm & iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Ritva with Ritva Sillanmäki Photography is hosting this week’s Lens-Artist Photography Challenge. She is challenging us to show Common Objects highlighting the ordinary we might not otherwise think to capture.
Here are my entries for Ritva’s Lens-Artist this week.
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #315-Common Objects
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Here are my entries for Judy’s Numbers Game for this week. These are all from 2017, seven (7) years ago. Previous Memories.
Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have a wonderful weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Location: U.S. Air Force Sembach Air Base, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters ( My dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Location: The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens; San Marino, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy the nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Here are a few REDS for your selection to Pull Up a Seat and catch your breath. Maybe you’d enjoy taking a trip in a mini
Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 37
Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September
Photo Credit: 1-4) ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad); 5)©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1-4) Minolta XG-7 35 mm; 5) iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Throwback to 2017
Sundance, the Sunshine Bear
I visited the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina with my daughter, Trisha and granddaughter, Alona back in August of 2017 [Seven (7) years ago]. We were able to enjoy the various zoo animals and the entertaining antics of Sundance, the Sunshine Bear.
Sadly, Sundance passed away on April 30, 2022 due to declining health. He came to the Riverbanks Zoo along with his brother, Butch, at the young age of only nine (9) months old. Sundance had a gentle disposition, kind eyes, and loved to interact with his zookeepers. He was known as the Sunshine Bear, always bringing a bit of sunshine to those who came to see him.
Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September
Photo Credit:©️2017 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Location: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden; Columbia, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Riverbanks Zoo with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gaston County
Department of Social Services
This DSS facility, the County Courthouse, Sheriff’s Office, and County Jail were all designed by Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects and were constructed simultaneously. These facilities firm the Gaston County Governmental Complex.
The Department of Social Services facility is approximately 127,890 square feet and contains all the Social Services offices and functions which were previously scattered throughout Gaston County.
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Seen from the Bradley Station Dog Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Butterfly-bush
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God bless. Get out and enjoy the outdoors. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Take time to enjoy the beautiful flowers. I appreciate y’all very much.
I once lived very close to Southern California beaches, but I have not lived there for many years. Pacific Beach, Mission Bay, Coronado Beach, and La Jolla Shores are some of my favourites and hold precious memories.
For years I have enjoyed the peacefulness of God near the shorelines of a couple different lakes. One of my all time favourites is the lake at Andrew Jackson State Park in Lancaster County, South Carolina.
Another lake my grandson and I have enjoyed relaxing, observing nature, having fun is Lake Haigler at the Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
One last “lake” to share with y’all is one we visit and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the beautiful atmosphere is at Little Glade Millpond off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the North Carolina Mountains.
I could sit at the shore of a lake anytime anywhere. I dream of walking along the shores of the California coastline. I have fond memories of doing just that. Someday, I hope to take my grandson to see & play in the Pacific Ocean. What shoreline do you wish you could walk along everyday? Click one of the links below to join the challenge & link your own adventures along Shorelines.
Lens-Artist Challenge: Shorelines
Anne’s LENS-Artist —Shorelines
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have an enjoyable relaxing weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a funtastic weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.
Birds in Monochrome
Elke’s, from elastic, Monochrome Madness-Birds
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #16
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
#Seven Bugs/Insects for September
Instead of separate posts I decided to combine Terri’s Sunday Stills with Judy’s Numbers Game and Becky’s Squares Challenges. Therefore, instead of using the number 158, I have chosen to use the Words Bugs and Insects to use for Judy’s Numbers Game this week. Oh, of course, going along with Becky’s Squares Challenge they will all be Squared. The words Bugs and Insects fits right into Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge-All about Bugs.
Uno (One, 1):
Dos (Two, 2):
Tres (Three, 3):
Cuatro (Four, 4):
Cinco (Five, 5):
Seis (Six, 6):
Siete (Seven, 7):
Terri’s Sunday Stills- All about Bugs
Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Huck Finn
Tom Sawyer
Riverboat Cruises
Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #235
Photo Credit:©️1985 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Location: Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn Riverboat Cruises; St. Louis, Missouri, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Looking back to a trip I took seven years ago to Jacksonville, North Carolina; I visited with my sons. My eldest son, John and I toured the Lejeune Memorial Gardens on February 2017. The Lejeune Memorial Gardens honors those who serve our country and is a place to gather to remember those who have given the greatest sacrifice for our freedom. It is home to the Beirut Memorial, the Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Montford Point Marine Memorial, and 9/11 Memorial Beam from the World Trade Center.
Whenever I visit Veterans Memorial Gardens I reflect on the men and women in my family who have served in the United States Armed Services. I thank God for their services and sacrifices they made to ensure the Freedom I am so freely able to enjoy today.
Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September
Photo Credit: 2017 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Location: Lejeune Memorial Gardens; Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Happy Squaring! Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Anas platyrhynchos
The Anas platyrhynchos is commonly known as Mallard or wild duck. The males (also called drakes) have green heads, while the females (called hens) have mainly brown speckled plumage.
The Mallard is approximately 50-65 centimeters (20-26 inches) long, the body making up the majority (about two-thirds) of their length. They are oftentimes slightly more heavier than the most othe dabbling ducks, weighing 0.7-1.6 kilograms (1.5-3.5 pounds).
Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and are social animals preferring to congregate in groups or flocks of varying sizes. The Mallards shown here are quite commonly seen at Rankin Lake and other local lakes and parks in the vicinity.
They are a very adaptable species in that they are able to live and thrive in urban areas which may have supported more localised, sensitive species of waterfowl before development.
The name Mallard originally referred to any wild drake, and sometimes it is still associated in this way.
Mallards tend to frequently interbreed with their closest relatives in the genus Anas, which for example might be the American black duck. They might possibly interbreed with other species, such as the northern pintail or various hybrids that could be fertile.
In North America, Mallards winter in the south to southern United States and Northern Mexico. [The Mallards here were shot on camera in January, mid-winter for the southern United States.]
In summer, a combination of hot temperatures and reduced water levels place mallards at an increased risk of contracting botulism. Outbreaks of botulism among mallard populations can lead to mass die-offs.
Photo Credit ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Rankin Lake Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Brian’s Busboys World is the host for Last on the Card requests us to share our last photo on our SD cards or on our phones for August 31 or whenever your last photo was taken. No editing — just however it came out in focus, blurry, or whatever it may be. No explanations necessary. Be sure to create a pingback to Brian’s post or leave a link in his comments. Be sure to tag your post with The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard.
Here are my Last on the Card photos for August:
From my Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max:
From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:
From my Dad’s Minolta XG – 7:
Brian’s Busboys World is the host Last on the Card
God Bless. Have a great week and join in on the fun. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Becky has resumed her Square Challenge for September with the theme of Seven for September. It has been Seven (7) years since the first Squaring Challenge Adventures began, thus remembering the good times of Squaring for Seven.
I have not been Squaring for Seven years, however, I have enjoyed being apart of Becky’s Square Challenge. I will do my best with this new theme of Seven for September.
As Becky so cordially reminded us that September was originally the Seventh month of the year in the Roman calendar; it is fitting to see what everyone decides to post for Seven for September. September comes from the Latin word septem which means, you guessed it, seven.
Here is my first selection for this month’s Becky’s Square Challenge:
Photo Credit:©️1978 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Location:Huntersville, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a Sunny Square September Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious day. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 