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
Be Flourishing —
Be Resilient —
— Be Tenacious
Cee’s Flower of the Day (Sorry, no bloom, just beautiful gigantic trees).
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters ( My dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Sequoia National Forest; Tulare County, 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.
Bees and Blooms
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge-A Single Flower
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Enjoy nature. Stop and Smell the Flowers. I appreciate y’all very much.
—- Out in Nature
Good Day y’all! For this week’s challenge I dug into my archives to see what Lime or Lemon colours I could find to fit the theme. Hope y’all enjoy the selections I found.
Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Lime or Lemon
Photo Credit: ©️2020-2023 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.
For this week in doing Cee’s Which WayMy Way I’m choosing a theme of Any Roads, Any Pathways, or Any Trails. Basically Any Which Way you choose; be sure we can see your Which Ways Clearly. And as always, signs are welcome anytime. I’d love for y’all to join me in posting your Which Ways you have Chosen to Share. Remember to link your Which Way posts to Cee’s Which Way here or if you wish you can link to My Which Way here.
Road Trippin’ USA #1
Which Ways
Petersburg National Battlefield
Petersburg, Virginia
In the Summer of 1985 my parents went Road Trippin’ across the United States of America. They began their Road Trip leaving from their home in San Diego, California. They always planned what or whom they wanted to visit ahead of time.
On this Road Trip, their first stop was to visit my dad’s sister in Charlotte, North Carolina. That stop was a brief visit; a time of relaxation before continuing on their long journey they had planned for themselves.
Their first planned stop after leaving my Aunt and Uncle’s home was to visit the Petersburg National Battlefield in Petersburg, Virginia. These are a few of the sights they saw while walking around the battlefield grounds and trails.
Next week I’ll continue with their Road Trippin’ adventures for My Which Way of Cee’s Which Way Challenge.
Photo Credit: ©️1985 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Location: Petersburg National Battlefield Park; Petersburg, Virginia, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Clare from Clare’s Cosmos is asking all of us once again to share our desktops. All you need to do is share the photo (not your actual desktop) you have set as your wallpaper. Provide whatever information you desire about the photo. Use a pingback, or post a link to her blog here so she knows you’ve joined in on the fun. Then, enjoy sharing the fun around.
Here are my August Desktops:
From my Laptop:
My Laptop Screensaver Wallpaper-
My Laptop Wallpaper Background-
From My iPhone 14 Pro Max
Personal Focus-
Television Focus-
Hiking Focus-
Reading Focus-
Work Focus-
Come on along and join the fun. Share one or more, it doesn’t matter whether the photos are from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or your smartphone wallpaper(s).
Clare’s Share Your Desktop-August 2024
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s desktop photos. Have a wonderful week. I appreciate y’all very much.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Photo Credit: ©1963 & 1985 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm (I’m not sure what camera my dad had in 1963).
Converter: Wolverine Digital Converter
Location: Carlsbad Caverns National Park; Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA
God Bless. Thank for visiting Carlsbad Caverns & our memories with us. Thank you sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
I’m hoping to have some sunny sunshine anyways. We’ve been having a tremendous amount of rain and wind from the outskirts of Hurricane Debby/Tropical Storm Debby ( now Tropical Depression Debby). At least I can dream of sunshine even if we do not get it for several days yet.
Leigha’s Sunny Sunday Challenge
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 31
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to stop and smell the flowers. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
For this week in doing Cee’s Which Way My Way I’m choosing a theme of Roads, Pathways, or Waterways. And as always, signs are welcome anytime. I’d love for y’all to join me in posting your Which Ways whether on Land or Sea. Remember to link your Which Way posts to Cee’s Which Way here or if you wish you can link to My Which Way here.
For my own Which Way this week I have combined it with Sunday Stills Challenge from Terri with her theme of #Float, #Afloat. In other words, my Which Ways are on both Land and Sea. These are from a visit my parents took to The Ports O’ Call in San Pedro, California. They toured the Ports O’ Call Village walking the pathways and took a tour cruise around the Bay. My dad loved to take pictures when they went places (thus my love of photography).
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Location: Ports O’ Call, San Pedro, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Ports O’ Call Village with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dawn from The Day After is this week’s host for Monochrome Madness with her chosen theme of Shadows and Silhouettes . I decided to display my shadows in two different monochrome aspects to see which aspect the shadows are represented better.
These photos were all taken at Hume Lake Christian Camps located in Hume, California. They were taken by my dad using his Minolta XG-7 35 mm camera. For enlarged viewing click on each image.
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Locations: Hume Lake Christian Camps; Hume, Fresno County, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Sequoias with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much. Have a wonderful day.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. 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 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.
I’m using a Word in place of the number 154 this week. My Word I’m choosing to use is Julian.
Visiting Beautiful Julian
From where I used to live in San Diego; we would drive east on I-8 towards the mountains for a day of exploring, hiking, and a stop for Apple pie Julian Pie Shop before returning home. The first half ( more or less) are from our day trip back in 1978. The rest of the photos are from a virtual trip I took with a friend of mine from San Diego this past weekend.
Julian is a popular destination in the beautiful Cuyamaca mountains. It is approximately 0ne (1) hour and six (6) to fourteen (14) minutes away from the Allied Gardens Neighborhood in San Diego. The route we took takes us through the backcountry and into the Cuyamaca mountains past Cuyamaca State Park and Stonewall Peak (both wonderful places for hiking.)
When visiting Julian it is like stepping back in time to the days of Julian’s beginning rooted in the 1870’s gold rush. You can see where gold was discovered plus several historical buildings which date back to the 1870’s. When you go hiking in the area, you won’t want to miss stopping by Lake Cuyamaca for relaxation and great photo opportunities of the amazingly beautiful scenery. If you’re inclined to go out on the lake the area does have boat rentals or you might decide to fish along the bank.
Judy Dystra-Brown’s Numbers Game #33-154
Photo Credit: ©️1978 Nornal H. Waters ( my dad) and ©️2024 Felix Navarro … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Julian, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting Julian with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have a great rest of your week. I appreciate y’all very much.
For One Word Sunday this week Debbie has chosen Framed. She is not referring to placing a photo in a frame, but rather using nature to frame a scene or subject.
Photo Credit: 1-3)©️1979 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved; 4) ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: 1-3) Minolta XG-7 35 mm; 4) iPhone 14 Pro Max
Locations: 1-3) Sequoia National Forest; Tulare County, California; 4) Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Viburnum opulus
Photo Credit: ©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Location: Riverwalk; Piedmont Medical Center Trail; Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
For this week in doing Cee’s Which Way My Way I’m choosing a theme of Any Dirt Roads, Pathways, or Trails. I’d love for y’all to join me in posting your Dirt Roads, Pathways or Trails.
For Cee’s Which Way doing it My Way I have chosen to select Dirt Trails from our favourite Greenway with Coleman. If desired, you can click on each photo for enlarged viewing.
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Dogwood Trail; Horse Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your Dirt Roads, Pathways, and or Trails with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Brian from Bushboy.blog asks us to post our last photo on our SD card or phone on the last day of the month. No editing. Explanations not necessary. Create a Pingback or leave a link in comments to Brian’s blog. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard. Your last photo doesn’t have to be on the very last day of the month if you didn’t take any photos on that day. Maybe it was earlier in the month when the last photo was taken.
From My iPhone:
From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:
From My Dad’s Slides taken with his Minolta XG-7 35 mm Via My Wolverine Digital Converter:
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and 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: Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Smell the Flowers. Enjoy the Outdoors. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post your choice of 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.
Visiting the
Sequoia National Forest
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…” “You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So… get on your way!”HERE THERE
ANYWHERE EVERYWHERE
The places You’ll GO!
~ Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go
Dr. Seuss’s’ book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” is most often thought of as a children’s book, but it is sometimes given as a gift to a graduate. Inferring to the amazing places and things a graduate can do. Did you ever wonder what places your parents went to without you or without your knowledge? Have you ever wondered about the kinds of things they did either as they were growing up or after you became an adult?
It’s interesting to see some of the things my parents did with and without me in years past. I honestly don’t recall every outing or trip we took together as a family. What is more surprising though is I do not remember them going off for weekend outings or week long trips and leaving me home. Mind you now, most of these trips/outings, took place after I was out of high school and supposedly a grown adult.
Yes, I was an adult, but I was only working part time and going to school. As I look over my dad’s slides, I wonder where I was. What was I doing when they were off to the mountains or wherever they were off gallivanting around with their friends?
With all that in mind, these photos were taken when they went up to the Sequoias with their friends from church (just adults not children, well then we were all adults now).
Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 30
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm
Locations: Sequoia National Park; Tulare County; and Hume Lake Christian Camps; Hume, Fresno County, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Sequoias with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much. Have a wonderful day.
Photo Credit:©️1978 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Converter : Wolverine Digital Converter
Location: Julian, California, USA
God Bless. Thank for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week’s Monochrome Madness theme was selected & hosted by Sarah from Travel with Me; she has selected Trees as the theme for this week.
Trees are almost everywhere we go regardless of whether we are in the city, the country, near the beach, or in the mountains. I love spending time in the forests and especially when the forest is in the mountains.
Looking back over my dad’s old slides as I have been doing these past few weeks, I have been enjoying the memories, or seeing what my parents enjoyed doing back in years past. The trees here are from their time in the Sequoia National Forest.
Monochrome Madness hosted by Sara
Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Converter : Wolverine Digital Converter
Location: Sequoia National Park, California, USA
God Bless. Thank for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Julian Mountain Flowers
Photo Credit:©️1978 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Converter : Wolverine Digital Converter
Location: Julian, California, USA
God Bless. Thank for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Flowers & Wings
in the Bright Sunshine
Wings on Bright Flowers
Terri’s Sunday Stills-Wings
The Cosmic Photo Challenge-What’s flowering where you are?
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #308-Perfect Pairs
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thankful for a slight break from all the rain. Wish we could have a break from this extreme heat. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy the flowers. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coneflower
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Hume Lake is a reservoir in the Sierra Nevada, located within the Sequoia National Forest 65 miles east of Fresno, California. It is in the unincorporated community of Hume, California adjacent to Hume Lake.
The 87-acre lake lies behind the world’s first concrete reinforced multiple arch dam, designed by John S. Eastwood and constructed in 1908 by the Hume-Bennett Lumber Company.
Hume Lake is a popular destination for a variety of recreational activities including camping, boating, fishing, hiking, and swimming.
Hume Lake Christian Camps is a non-denominational, nonprofit parachurch organization and is one of the largest operators of Christian camps and conference centers in the world. Hume has camps and conferences for every age group ( for children and adults alike).
My parents,along with other couples from our church, spent a weekend at Hume during the summer of 1979. I’m not sure if they were attending one of the marriage retreats offered at the campground or they were all volunteers for the weekend. It seems they had plenty of leisure time to explore and photograph the Sequoia National Forest and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
I attended weekend at Hume in my late teens with others from my church one winter. Somewhere, not sure where, I have pictures from when I was there. I remember seeing and walking by the lake.
Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 29
Jez’s Water Water Evverywhere #229
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Location: Hume Lake Christian Campgrounds; Hume, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Hume Lake with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Standing
at the Foot
of the Cross
Photo Credit: ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Minolta XG-7 35mm
Location: Hume Lake Christian Campgrounds; Hume,California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Campground Cross with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Young Alpacas
These three Alpacas can be visited at the Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm at the Horse Road Entrance to the Anne Springs Close Greenway. The Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm offers a unique blend of education and exploration for visitors of all ages.
Integrating the former petting zoo and adding a pastoral habitat, observation areas for various animals, a half-mile loop trail, gathering lawn, educational garden, and open-air learning center, the Children’s Farm aims to provide daily interpretation and demonstrations on a variety of topics in an immersive learning environment.
Tours of the Children’s Farm are self-guided. On Saturdays and Sundays Animal Care Volunteers may possibly be on site during specified times. If interested, please check the Greenway’s website prior to visiting for further details.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Clare from Clare’s Cosmos is asking all of us once again to share our desktops. All you need to do is share the photo (not your actual desktop) you have set as your wallpaper. Provide whatever information you desire about the photo. Use a pingback, or post a link to her blog here so she knows you’ve joined in on the fun. Then, enjoy sharing the fun around.
Here are my July Desktops:
From my Laptop:
Wallpaper:
Screensaver:
From my Smartphone
(iPhone 14 Pro Max)
Hiking Focus:
Television Focus:
Personal Focus:
Reading Focus:
Come on along and join the fun. Share one or more, it doesn’t matter whether the photos are from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or your smartphone wallpaper(s).
Clare’s Share Your Desktop-July 2024
Photo Credit: 1 & 3)©️1963 Nornal H. Waters (my dad); 2 & 4-6) ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s desktop photos. Have a wonderful week. I appreciate y’all very much.
Katie’s Horses
Katie Brown owns five horses she keeps at the Anne Springs Close Greenway pastures.
On this day, her horses were seen at the Greenway’s Dairy Barn Entrance.
Murphy can be very playful and entertaining.
Photo Credit:©️2024 Cathy States (hiking club friend) …All Rights Reserved.
Location: Dairy Barn Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Hope it’s not too hot for all y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus |
Common Sunflower ‘Titan’
The ‘Titan’ sunflower, as the name suggests, is a giant annual sunflower variety with an extra thick stem, supporting huge, alternating leaves, and a massive flower head that can reach 16-22 inches across! Plus Titan sunflowers can grow to heights of 12-14 feet! Blooms from July to September. Sunflowers attract a myriad of pollinators including bees, birds, butterflies and many others as well.
Leigha’s Sunny Sunday Challenge
Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 28
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week I’m continuing Cee’s Which Way Challenge doing it My Way. Therefore for this the first week of July, I have chosen a theme of Dirt Paths, Dirt Roads, Roads and Signs. I welcome anyone who desires to join me on this week’s Which Way Challenge.
Let’s Go Fishing …
Photo Credit: ©️1963-1980 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Location: Catawba River; Great Falls Dam; Great Falls, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Great Falls Dam. Enjoy the beautiful great outdoors. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy’s Numbers Game can bring about interesting results and insights from those who choose to participate. The challenge is alive, let’s join the fun. In searching for the #149 and its variations the results that popped are displayed below in this post.
#149. Around the Greenway
#149 Deviations Around Gastonia
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Star Reflections
Debbie’s One Word Sunday’s word this week is Star. Here are my interpretations on Star for this week’s challenge.
Using a Star Filter
Canon Photography
Altura ⭐️ Star✨ Filters
Star Reflections
in Robinwood Lake
Star Flowers
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: 2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i and iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with y. I appreciate y’all very much.
Passerina cyanea
This week we are discussing a different yet unique bird in the Cardinal family. Last week I talked about the Northern Cardinals; this week we’re going to discover the distinct qualities of the Indigo Bunting.
Passerina cyanea, also known as Indigo Bunting is a small seed-eating bird in the Cardinal family. It is a migratory bird, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter.
It often migrates by night, using the stars to navigate. Its habitat is farmland, brush areas, and open woodland. The indigo bunting is closely related to the lazuli bunting and interbreeds with the species where their ranges overlap.
The indigo bunting is a small bird, with a length of 11.5–13 cm (4.5–5.1 in). The male is vibrant blue in the summer, with brightly colored plumage during the breeding season to attract a mate. Unlike summer, the male is brown during the winter months. Contrastingly enough the female is brown year-round. The females are solely responsible for the nest-building and incubation of their offspring.
The diet of the indigo bunting consists primarily of insects during the summer months and seeds during the winter months.
The Habitats for the Indigo Bunting are brushy pastures and bushy wood edges. For nesting favors roadsides, old fields growing up to bushes, edges of woodlands, and other edge habitats such as along rights-of-way for powerlines or railroads. Also in clearings within deciduous woods, edges of swamps
Lens-Artists Challenge #306 – Habitats
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Plants Thriving
Around the Neighbourhood
Sunday Stills: June-Plant Life
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Huntingtowne Neighbourhood; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Plants in my neighborhood. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
A Scattering of Pix
from Here to There
From Here —- Road Work in the Neighbourhood …
Taking a Break … Maneuvering around the Roadwork …
From Over Yonder … Looking Over the Geological Layers of the Grand Canyon …
Moving Further Westward … Wishing we could Cool off in this Magnificent Historical Pool …
Deciding that won’t be allowed … Returning to our own Carolinas … to be Refreshed in the Catawba River …
Back Here … Thinking of Family.
Photo Credit: 1-2)©️2024 Deb L. Waters; 3-6, ≠5) ©️1963-1979 Nornal H. Waters; 5)©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for Scattering the Pix with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Delicious Delectable Devoured
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. Enjoy Nature. Smell the fragrant flowers. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coleman’s Choices
This week’s Pull Up a Seat selections were determined by Coleman. We walked around the neighbourhood and after walking for several blocks he decided he wanted to Pull Up a Seat at the picnic table outside of the Walmart Neighborhood Market which is used mainly by employees.
We get up and continue on our walk where he sees a rock he figures would be a nice place to Pull Up a Seat. We hadn’t walked far when he chose to sit a spell, but I was fine with that since I had taken a tumble upon the uneven torn up asphalt.
After catching our breath, we continued walking ending up at the school playground. Coleman always finds places he can Pull Up a Seat in a playground.
Sometimes he chose the slide …
… Or at the top of a climbing structure …
… Or on a Swing.
It doesn’t seem to matter to him where he Pulls Up a Seat. He’s having fun, so it doesn’t matter to me either.
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for walking with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Watching Coleman at the Swings from various perspectives is something I do periodically. Therefore, it fits right into the Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge of Perspective.
The first perspective view is taken from the side of the Elementary School looking through the bars of the Swing-Set.
Another view from the same side of the Swing-set.
Here’s to watching Coleman from behind.
The last two perspectives are from the opposite side of the Swing-Set …
Coleman decides to try a different Swing down the line from the first.
Having moved to the opposite side before coming to push him. This perspective I looked through the Swing-Set towards the School buildings.
Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge-Perspective
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Gardner Park Elementary School Playground; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Upper Waterfalls
Stone Mountain State Park
Leanne’s hosting Monochrome Madness with the theme of Waterfalls this week. To join the challenge just post photos of waterfalls on your blog and tag Monochrome Madness or leave a pingback to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness post.
My eldest son and I took a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway back in the Fall of 2017 as a way to celebrate his birthday. During our drive we stopped at several overlooks prior to stopping at Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina. At Stone Mountain State Park there is the Upper and Lower Waterfalls you may hike towards.
We hiked along Stone Mountain Loop Trail to view the Upper Waterfalls. I took several photos along the route as we watched the Waterfall cascading down over Stone Mountain.
Enjoy the view, however, I would prefer you not to YAWN during the viewing. I would hope it would not bore you but rather enable you to dawn a smile instead.
Can you just visualize the water streaming down over the stones?
The Waterfall slowly increases its strength and speed as it continuously cascades down the Mountain.
Monochrome Madness-Waterfalls moving
Jez’s Water water Everywhere #224
Photo Credit:©️2017 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 7 Plus
Location: Stone Mountain State Park; Roaring Gap, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for viewing the Waterfalls at Stone Mountain State Park with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Clare at Clare’s Cosmos hosts the Share Your Desktop Challenge. She invites us all to share our desktops; whether that be from our desktops, laptops, tablets, or smartphones it does not matter. Join in the challenge and let us all see what you look at every day.
Here are my desktops, wallpapers, wall savers, from my Laptop and my iPhone:
From my HP Laptop:
Laptop Wallpaper:
Laptop Desktop:
From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:
Reading Focus:
Television Focus:
Personal Focus:
Hiking Focus:
Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Laptops) Canon EOS Rebel T3i; iPhone) iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gladioli
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Historic Tack Shed Doors
At the Greenway Stables you’ll always need a place to store your tack and what better place than in an historic tack shed.
Now for a closer inspection …
And for a bonus Let’s cool off with a Kona Ice. Shall we?
Photo Credit: 2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Welcome to Our Hive
Bee 🐝 Happy
Photo Credit: 2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Barred Owl
Strix varia
The Barred Owl is often spotted in the various Greenways throughout South Carolina. Two of the Greenways they have been seen in are; 1) Lindsay Pettus Greenway located in Lancaster and 2) Anne Springs Close Greenway located in Fort Mill.
The Barred Owl (Strix varia) is the most commonly seen owl in South Carolina since they are often active during dawn and dusk. It is a large, round-headed owl with no ear tufts and a reasonably long, rounded tail. Its back is a mottled brown, the belly is buff coloured with vertical streaking, and the chest is horizontally barred. It has a yellow bill and dark eyes.
The barred owl is distributed throughout most of the eastern United States, as well as much of southern Canada. Barred Owls live in large, mature forests made up of both deciduous trees and evergreens, often near water. They nest in tree cavities. They usually choose cavities six to twelve metres above the ground in tall trees.
Barred Owls can be found in many areas around the state. Still, the best places to find this owl are Sumter National Forest, Francis Marion National Forest, and Clemson Experimental Forest. In Lancaster and York Counties the Barred Owls are seen in the area Greenways near Lakes, Creeks, and Rivers. Most often spotted nestled high up in trees along the water banks.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Bos taurus indicus
The Zebu (Bos indicus or Bos taurus indicus), sometimes known in the plural as indicine cattle, Camel cow or humped cattle, is a species or subspecies of domestic cattle originating in South Asia.
Zebu cattle are well known for being resistant to really high temperatures with high humidity concentrations (like we have here in the Carolinas.) They also have a greater resistance to parasites such as ticks, and have maternal behavior that allows them to take care of their offspring from possible predators, however, they are also docile if they are frequently handled.
Brahman are a breed of Zebu. This breed of Zebu is developed in the United States from cattle imported from India and Brazil. There are two distinct types of Brahman cattle; the Red Brahman and the Grey Brahman.
Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Zephyranthes atamasca
Rain lily, Atamasco lily, Zephyranthes atamasca, is a native Southeastern member of the regular “old” amaryllis family.
These were taken at Landsford Canal State Park while hiking the Canal Trail. The Canal Trail is an easy 1.5 mile hiking trail that runs alongside the Catawba River.
Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 21
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 13 Pro Telephoto lens.
Location: Canal Trail; Landsford Canal State Park; Catawba, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a fantastic weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.
A Tale of Two Stones
Stone Mountain State Park (NC)
Stone Mountain State Park is located in Alleghany and Wilkes counties 60 miles northwest of Winston-Salem. Within the Park lies a 600-foot granite dome which has been designated as a National Natural Landmark, and the historic Hutchinson Homestead, a restored mid-19th-century farm situated at the mountain base.
Stone Mountain State Park offers nearly all types of outdoor activity to experience a high country landscape adorned with beautiful waterfalls, winding creeks, and bountiful trout streams. A portion of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail runs through the park near the backcountry campsites.
Stone Mountain Park (GA)
Stone Mountain Park is Georgia’s most visited attraction. Its more than three thousand two hundred (3,200) makes the park a unique destination for guests and families to experience and enjoy an exciting variety of attractions, entertainment, and recreational activities.
Stone Mountain in Georgia is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock ( an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain) and is the location of Stone Mountain Park. It is located approximately sixteen (16) miles east of Atlanta, Georgia. The Park is owned by the state of Georgia. It is most famous for its artwork on the north face. An enormous relief sculpture carved on the stone itself depicting Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson, three (3) of the Confederate Leaders.
In comparing the two Stone Mountains one can realize that Stone Mountain, Georgia is larger and is not engaged in a series of ridges like its cousin in North Carolina. The one in Georgia is bordered by an actual city named Stone Mountain. It is also a fully developed park with a wide range of attractions to enjoy. The North Carolina Stone Mountain is a more traditional state park, with limited hours and access. Both Stone Mountains have a variety of hiking trails. The Georgia one has a Summit Skyride for easier access to the top. In North Carolina one would hike the Stone Mountain Loop Trail to access an area with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
I visited Stone Mountain Park in Georgia with my family and extended family during the summer of 1972. I do not recall everything we did at the park, however, viewing & reconstructing my dad’s old slides does help to enable some of those memories. In October of 2017, my eldest son & I visited Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, North Carolina. One of his wishes that year was to drive the majority of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Stone Mountain State Park was just one of many places we visited on that trip.
Please I encourage everyone to be polite and I desire no controversy over this post or regarding Stone Mountain Park itself.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #9-Stone/s
Becky’s #SquareRenew-Reconstruct
Photo Credit: 1-2) ©️2017 Deb L. Waters; 3-4) ©️1972 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the two (2) Stone Mountains with me. Thank you for joining me in viewing my memories of my dad’s reconstructed slides of our visit to Georgia. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Great Cormorant
The Great Cormorant are most likely to nest in colonies near wetlands, rivers, and sheltered inshore waters. It builds its nest, which is made from sticks, in trees, on the ledges of cliffs, and on the ground on rocky islands that are free of predators.
The Great Cormorant feeds on fish it dives to capture. It primarily feeds on are wrasses, but will also feast on sand smelt, flathead and common soles. Cormorants consume all fish of appropriate size that they are able to catch in summer and noticeably select for larger, mostly torpedo-shaped fish in winter.
The Great Cormorants were once near extinction due to fishermen hunting them. The fishermen saw them as competition. With terrific conservation efforts, their numbers increased once again.
Even though it is still illegal, in many areas, to kill a bird within a license some are in danger anyway. Fisheries claim that the Cormorants are eating the fish they have in their fish farms. Some licenses are used to reduce and/or control the cormorant population for the purpose of reducing its predation. Cormorant fishing is practiced in China, Japan, and in other areas around the globe. In Norway, the Cormorant is cones traditional game bird. However, in Northern Norway Cormorants are seen as semi-sacred. They are often regarded as good luck for them to gather around or near a village or settlement.
The Great Cormorants are spotted periodically at Lake Haigler in the Greenway. They are amazing to watch and sometimes you can see them diving for their feed. Other times you see them perched on a log or branch in the water or flying off around the lake.
Photo Credit:©️2021 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: iPhone 11 Pro Max
Location: Lake Haigler; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. May all your hopes, dreams, and prayers be fulfilled. Take care of yourselves and have a fantastic rest of your week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Day Trippin’ with Coleman …
… At the YMCA
… At the Schiele Museum of Natural History
… At Anne Springs Close Greenway
Be sure to click on each photo for a larger view. Have a fabulous day!
Photo Credit:©️2022-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm, Canon EF-S55-250mm, and Canon EF 75-300mm lenses.
Locations: 1)Warlick Family YMCA; 2-5) The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina; 6-11) Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for Day Trippin’ with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 