2024 CFFC: Alleys, Driveways, Parking Lots, Dirt Roads

For Cee’s CFFC this week I have dug Theo my archives and chose what I hope y’all will enjoy. Sorry, I don’t have any alleys, but I do have Driveways, Parking Lots, and as always Dirt Roads.

Driveways

Driveway of
Gastonia Fire Station #4
Gastonia, North Carolina
Driveway of Waters home
S. Meadowbrook Drive
San Diego, California

Parking Lots

Parking Lot
Rankin Lake Park
Gastonia, North Carolina
Parking Lot
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Charlotte, North Carolina
Parking Lot
Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
San Diego, California

Dirt Roads

Persimmon Trail
Carolina Thread Trail
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Belmont, North Carolina
Dirt “Road”
Persimmon Trail
Carolina Thread Trail
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Belmont, North Carolina

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge-Alleys, Driveways, Parking Lots, Dirt Roads

Photo Credit:2)©️Nornal H. Waters (my dad); 4) ©️Trisha L. Wilson (my daughter); 5) Post Card from Harvey M. Watson (my maternal grandfather); All others ©️2017-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 05.22

Lathyrus odoratus

Sweet Pea ‘Turquoise’

Sweet Pea ‘Turquoise’
Lathyrus odoratus

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Becky’s #SquareRenew

Cee’s Flower of the Day

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 FOTD: 05.21 —

Appalachian Ragwort 

Packera anonyma,
AKA Appalachian ragwort 

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Becky’s #SquareRenew – Burgeoning

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.

Judy’s Numbers Game #22 — 143 (My #2)

Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm
Sign at Entrance
Patterson Pond
on the pathway
to the Farm Animals
Canada Goose
Swimming in
Patterson Pond
Canada Geese
Flying away
from the Pond
A Horse
by the
Greenway Stables
Spotting a Couple
of Horses
in the Pasture

It just happened by chance that all my “143” photos were taken at Anne Springs Close Greenway. My grandson and I love moving forward along the trails and pathways enjoying a relaxing time surrounded by nature and the reconstructed Children’s Farm.

Judy’s Numbers Game #22

Becky’s Square Challenge-Renew/Moving Forward/Reconstruct/Burgeoning

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved

Cameras: 1-2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with 1) Canon EF75-300mm and 2) Canon EF-S18-55mm lenses; 3-6) iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Greenway Farm and Stables Entrance; 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.

2024 Macro Monday: 05.20

Windows to the Soul

Do you think the eyes being the windows to the soul are only for humans? Have you ever really looked into a horse’s eyes? What do you see? One can tell a lot about a horse by looking into the eyes. You can see his/her strength, calmness, his playfulness, gentleness, and/or her steadfast heartbeat.

Do you see yourself in the horse’s eyes? Does the horse see you as playful, gentle, generous, knowledgeable. and a kind calm steadfast friend?

Horses can sense the type of person you are. They can tell whether you are frustrated, stressed, or irritable. They can also tell whether you are relaxed, calm, trusting, playful, and/or friendly. Horses can sense your mood and respond accordingly.

“The eyes are the mirror
of the soul and
reflect everything
that seems to be hidden;
and like a mirror,
they also reflect the person looking into them.”


Paulo CoelhoManuscript Found in Accra

The horses my grandson, Cole, and I visit at the Greenway can sense our love for them. They respond to his friendliness and calm loving manners. Sometimes they approach much closer than we expect, knowing they will receive gentle loving attention and affection.

I see their strength, their gentleness, their trusting spirit, and their responsiveness to our hearts and our touch. I also see the reflections of the beauty surrounding them within the Greenway. I can also see the reflection of myself in their eyes.

Macro Monday

Becky’s #SquareRenew

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max – Telephoto Camera.

Location: Greenway Stables; Greenway Stables Entrance; 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.

2024 Monday Portrait: 05.20

Close Up with an Alpaca

You wanna See Me?
Here I Am.
Do you Like What you See?
Monochrome Close-Up

This is one of several Alpacas 🦙 in the Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm. As you might can tell, he is not afraid of getting close to visitors. He would welcome your visit if you were ever in his neighborhood.

Monday Portrait

Monochrome Monday

John’s Cellpic Sunday

Becky’s #SquareRenew

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Sunday — Panoramas

Panoramas of

Anne Springs Close Greenway

Landsford Canal State Park

Catawba River

In Honor of

Armed Forces Day May 18

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Panorama

Photo Credit:©️2022-2024 Deb L. Waters

Cameras: 1-2) iPhone 14 Pro Max; 3-6) iPhone 13 Pro

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 OWS: Splashiness Reconstructs the Esthetics

Different splashiness affects the Aesthetics of trail and the desirability to attract hikers and visitors to the Greenway.

One Word Sunday-Splash

Becky’s Squares-Reconstruct

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Dogwood Trail; Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Whatsoever is Lovely for Sunny Sunday and Macro Monday 2024.05.19/20

Neotephritis finalis,
the sunflower seed maggot
Heliantus Anuus
Color Pop Sunflower

Whatsoever Is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 19

Macro Monday

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Becky’s #SquareRenew

Sunny Sunday

John’s CellPic Sunday

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. Sending y’all my birthday wishes of happiness, good health, peace, and an abundance of love throughout 2024 and beyond. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

A Gaggle Honks Honks Honks Loudly

A Gaggle of Three
Geese Honk Honk
and Honk some more
as they Move Forward
around the Pen
Embden Geese Honk
Seems really loud
when a Gaggle of Geese
are Honking as One.

Thursday Trios

Six Word Saturday

Becky’s #Square Renew/Moving Foward

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.

Sunday Stills Monthly color challenge: Cobalt Blue

I’m not sure if these are actually Cobalt Blue or not, but they’re the closest I have for this month’s color challenge for Terri’s Sunday Stills.

Here’s looking
at the Blue Sky
as we begin hiking
on Dogwood Trail.
Another day,
another beautiful blue sky
When we hike around Patterson Pond
we spot a Canada Goose
swimming in the Blue Waters.
This is one of the views
we saw when we were
searching the skies
for the Northern Lights.

Sunday Stills-Cobalt Blue

Becky’s #SquareRenew

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CMMC: May — Pick a Topic from my Photo 

Luckily we had a beautiful sunny day on Sunday which enabled me to capture plenty of signs, and shots with words in them as Cee’s CMMC – Pick a Topic from my Photo requests us all to post.

Our visit to Anne Springs Close Greenway is extremely accommodating in the aspect of Signs and various Objects with Words.

Signs can be found all around the Reconstructed Children’s Farm ..,

Ducks Signage
by Patterson Pond

Along all the various Trails …

Trail Signs

In front of buildings such as The Hangar …

The Hangar

Or on and in front of an Historic Tack Shed …

Historic Tack Shed

And even in a flower bed informing everyone about the Sylvia Epps Baker Metal Sculpture.

Sylvia Epps Baker

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-Pick a Topic from my Photo

Becky’s #SquareRenew

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 visiting the Greenway with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 SYD: May 15

Can you believe it? We are half through the month of May and one-fourth (1/4) of the way through twenty twenty-four (2024). It is already time for another of Clare’s Share Your Desktop where Clare asks us to share our desktops/wallpaper either from our desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphones.

Now it’s my turn to share my desktops/wallpapers with you. First up is from my iPhone followed by my laptop.

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Personal Focus

Coleman

Hiking Focus

Coleman at a crossroads
between Dogwood, Timberline
and Peach Loop Trails

Reading Focus

Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway

From my HP Laptop:

Screensaver Wallpaper

Coleman

Desktop

Horses
at Dairy Barn Entrance
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Clare’s Share Your Desktop

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Squared “142” Numbers Game #21

This is my first time participating in Judy’s Number Game. My entry is being combined with Becky’s Squares Challenge

Getting out in nature always helps to renew my mind, refresh my spirit, and rejuvenate my soul. This view is from the side porch of the Gibson House.

On Sunday, Coleman and I drove into Fort Mill to visit the newly renewed and reconstructed Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm at the Anne Springs Close Greenway. The newly reconstructed children’s farm is accessible through the Greenway Stables Entrance. We are moving forward ( I know you can’t see our movements, but you can imagine them) to visit the Farm animals (chickens, rabbits, alpacas, and cattle.)

After visiting the farm animals, Coleman and I went back to the car to grab our snacks and put my backpack in it as my camera battery had died. So then I continued taking photos with my iPhone as we proceeded to Move Forward through the horse stables on towards the trails for a bit of hiking. We hiked along on the Dogwood Trail, made a loop onto Peach Loop to watch out over Lake Haigler before heading back to the car and home.

While gazing out over Lake Haigler, I reminisced for a short while remembering a time of apple picking, fresh apple cider, and fresh bread with a dollop of fresh homemade apple butter in Julian, California.

Now that I have your mouth watering for the delicious delightful aroma of fresh homemade apple delicacies, I trust you’ll have a wonderful rest of your weekend and a blissful weekend.

Judy’s Numbers Game Challenge – 142

Becky’s #SquareRenew – Renew-Reconstruct-Moving Forward

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300 mm and Canon EF-S18-55mm lenses.

Location: 1-3) Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA; 4) Julian, California, USA

God Bless. Thank you for trekking along with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 05.15

No Words Necessary

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Horse Stables; Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a fabulous rest of your week. Enjoy the Outdoors. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Words for Thought #18

Sylvia Epps Baker
Exceptional Equestrians Program
Established in 1983 and
renamed in memory of Sylvia,
a loyal supporter of the
Anne Springs Close Greenway
from its inception.

Think About It Tuesday

Cee’s FOTD

Becky’s #SquaresRenew

Photo Credit: (c) 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 us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Happy Mother’s Day!

It has been a beautiful day to rejuvenate, to renew the mind, and enjoy nature with my grandson today.

Patterson Pond
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Becky’s #SquareRenew

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens and Altura UV filter attachment.

Location: Patterson Pond; Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; 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.

Birds of the Carolinas #5

Great Blue Heron 

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) can be spotted around ponds and lakes. I normally see them around the smaller lakes and ponds in and around Anne Springs Close Greenway.

Great Blue Herons can hunt during the nighttime as well as during the day. Interestingly they have a high percentage of rodents-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision. They congregate at fish hatcheries, creating potential problems for the fish farmers.

Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron

Anne Springs Close Greenway

The Great Blue Heron is a majestic sight to behold. Its subtle blue-grey plumage frequently stands motionless as it scan for  prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps. They may move slowly, but Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish or snap up a gopher. In flight, look for this widespread heron’s tucked-in neck and long legs trailing out behind.

Informational Sign
includes
The Great Blue Heron
The Schiele Museum of Natural History

Did you know that the Great Blue Heron is often seen as a symbol of patience? This I had not previously heard or known. Several Native American Tribes look at the heron as a symbol of patience and good luck. On the Northwest coast, people believe that if Native American fishermen spot a heron, it means good luck is with them, and they will have a successful fishing trip.

I have always considered the Great Blue Heron to be an amazing bird to observe. I did not ever realize that they were considered symbols or omens if you saw them. Evidently they are though.

In China, the Great Blue Heron represents strength, purity and long life. According to Native American tradition the heron symbolizes wisdom and good judgment. In ancient Egypt the heron was a symbol of creation while in Africa and Greece the heron was a messenger of the gods. Watching a heron fish also instructs us in patience.

Another interesting note regarding the Blue Heron is that it is believed to symbolize being calm, presence, being at peace, uniqueness, and balance. When seeing a Blue Heron one should take a moment to look inside yourself and consider nurture all aspects of yourself. Embrace who you are; your flaws (your weaknesses), your uniqueness, and ever your feelings of shame with self-love.

Birds of the Carolinas 

Bird of the Week 2024

Becky’s #SquareRenewal

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. May you have strength, purity, patience and long life. 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.

2024 CWWC: May — Squared Lancaster’s Way

Moving Forward at

Lindsay Pettus Greenway

The forward thinking of concerned citizens, volunteers, business partners, and in partnership with the Katawba Valley Land Trust; the ideas, planning, and reconstruction of certain areas into a Greenway of trails in Lancaster began to develop beginning in 2014. The Greenway includes numerous pedestrian connections with linkages to residential, commercial, and local school properties, trail heads, and nature centers, bridge crossings, and sidewalk improvements.

Comporium Communications Trail Access is the starting point for Coleman’s and my hike along the first phase of the Greenway’s Master Plan. The first phase of the Reconstruction of Land in Lancaster was completed in 2019. Our hike took place in February of 2022.

As we moved forward in our adventure, we encountered several informational signs which were a tremendous help in guiding us as we moved forward along the Greenway.

Coleman and I decided to move forward together along the nature trail towards creek overlook and eventually the Wetlands Overlook.

Here Coleman takes a minute to look out over the bridge at the creek below.

Coleman can’t resist climbing on the bridges railing at this next point or interest.

Informational Signs are located strategically throughout the Greenway. This particular one gives information about out the Lindsay Pettus Greenway and Lindsay Pettus himself.

The forward thinking of Mr. Lindsay Pettus and the many volunteers ensured the Greenway is and will continually be accessible to everyone regardless of their mobility needs.

Cee’s Which Way Challenge-Any Which Way

Becky’s Square’s-Moving Forward

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 13 Pro

Location: Lindsay Pettus Greenway; Lancaster, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CFFC: April — Locks, Keys, Knobs and Handles

Canal Locks

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge was is a weekly themed challenge where Cee asks everyone to search through their photos and post photos they feel meet the criteria of the week’s current theme. This week Cee is challenging everyone to post photos of Locks, Keys, Knobs, and Handles.

My interpretation of this week’s challenge I know is different from what you might expect, but then again it is my insight for this challenge regarding Locks, Keys, Knobs, and Handles where I am focusing on Locks.

The land along the Catawba River, now apart of Landsford Canal State Park, played a vital integral role in the lives of the surrounding inhabitants for over a thousand years. It was used by the native people like the Catawba as a ford to cross the river, a long long time prior to Tomas Land acquiring the land in 1754.

The Ford’s importance as a river crossing was extremely significant during the American Revolution when it was used as a staging ground by Patriot general Thomas Sumter before the battle of Hanging Rock. The British Army under Lord Charles Cornwallis also used the ford as they withdrew from Charlotte after the Battle of Kings Mountain.

After the War of 1812, the Port of Charleston lost its significant importance to the Port of New Orleans. In an attempt to revitalize the port, projects were undertaken around the state to improve the ability of moving freight to and from the port and within the State of South Carolina.

One of those projects included constructing a series of four canal. The Landsford Canal construction was the last and northern most in the canal system. It was built under the supervision of Scotsman Robert Leckie by both Irish Masons and the local enslaved population. The Canal ran approximately two (2) miles along the Catawba River at its most treacherous point.

The Canal required a total of four lifting locks and a dread lock for the thirty-two feet of descent along its length. It was completed in 1823, was twelve feet wide, ten feet deep, and two miles long. Five locks raised and lowered barges through the thirty-two-foot fall of the river. Three bridges crossed the canal, and six storm culverts carried streams underneath it. 

Today, Landsford Canal is the last of the Catawba River Canals and still accessible as well as one of the last in the entire state. The remains of the Canal still visible are the earthen walls of its upper side, four lifting locks and a dread lock. None of the bridges still remain, but the stone foundations are still intact. Ruins of stone culverts and retaining walls still stand in their original locations. The Canal Trail runs along the ruins of the old canal. Hiking the 1.5 mile length you can see the diversion dam in the Catawba River, The dead Lock upstream that let water into the canal, and the Lifting Locks near the south entrance. Along the way you can also see the ruins of much of the stone work and retaining walls. Interpretive signage points out major points of interest.

In Early May hundreds of visitors flock to Landsford Canal State Park. The majority of them are more interested in seeing the Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies. I have hiked the entire length of the nature trail and found the historical signage interesting and informative.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Locks, Keys, Knobs, and Handles

Photo Credit: ©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 13 Pro

Location: Nature Trail; Landsford Canal State Park; 2051 Park Dr, Catawba, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 WWE #219 —

Anne Springs Close Greenway

Lakes, Pond, & Creek

Lake Haigler

Lake Haigler is one of the most favourite areas for hiking and fishing at the Greenway. Love to see the many beautiful views and reflections around the Lake.

Patterson Pond

This previously unnamed Pond has recently been given the name of Patterson Pond. It is located at the Children’s Farm accessible from the Greenway Stables Entrance. Beautiful day for observing amazing reflections.

Steele Creek

Steele Creek can be seen from several of the Greenway trails while one is hiking. Here you can see the shimmering ripples and the beautiful reflections of the trees.

Lake Haigler

Lake Haigler is a 28-acre lake in the Anne Springs Close Greenway. It was built in 1952 by Colonel Elliott W. Springs. It was named for a great Catawba Indian King.

The Lake is periodically restocked with Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Shellcracker, and Channel Catfish.

The Lake Haigler Loop is a 3.3 mile pedestrian-only loop which wraps around the 28-acre Lake Haigler. It is generally considered an easy hiking/walking route. It takes approximately an average of 1 hour 10 minutes to complete the entire loop. This extremely popular area is excellent for birding, fishing, and hiking. You’ll have plenty of opportunities for exploring and photography at this location if you’re ever in the area to visit.

Lake Haigler Map

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #219

Photo Credit:©️2024 Larry Underwood

Location: Lake Haigler; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 WWE #218

Some Murky, Some Reflections, Ripples, & Splashes

For Jez’s Water Water Everywhere this week I’m posting a variety of photos taken of Robinwood Lake.

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #218

Photo Credit:©️ 2024 Deb L. Waters …. All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens and Altura UV & NP Filter attachments.

Location: Robinwood Lake; Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CMMC: April —Alphabet a CK or CH in a word in Monochrome

My CK and CH seen while Coleman and I walked around the neighbourhood.

Monochrome Dump Truck
Coleman
wearing a Backpack
walking to the Dump Truck
in Monochrome
Monochrome Close-up
of the Door
on a Dump Truck

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-April Alphabet_a CK or CH in a word

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: New Hope Road; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CFFC: Things that are Rough

Rough Wood
Rough Rocks
Rough Bricks

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge-Things that are Rough

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens; 2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens; 3) iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: 1-2) Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina; 3) Patio; Gastonia, North Carolina

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Flow & WWE #218

Flowing Downstream

Here is my compilation for this week’s  Weekly Prompt’s Weekend Challenge. I’m also applying it to Jez’s Water Water Everywhere Challenge.

These are just a few of the ways we see water flowing as we walk through the neighbourhood or as we hike among the trees in and around the Carolinas.

Small Spillway in
Gastonia, North Carolina
Anne Springs Close Greenway Spillway
Fort Mill, South Carolina
Spillway
The Schiele Museum’s Nature Trail Gastonia, North Carolina
Fort Mill Dam
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Flow

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #218

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-3) iPhone 14 Pro Max; 4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CosPhoChal: In the Canopy

Cosmic Photo Challenge: In the Canopy

Photo Credit: ©1) 2024 Trisha L. Wilson; 2-5) ©️2024 Deb L. Waters; 6) ©️2022) Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) iPhone 14 Plus; 2-3&5) iPhone 14 Pro Max; 4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.

Locations vary from North and South Carolina to Georgia.

God Bless. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Rooftop Garden of Stonecrop

Pyxidanthera barbulata
Common Pyxie-moss
Sedum kamtschaticum
Russian Stonecrop
Phedimus kamtschaticus,
the orange stonecrop

Thursday Trios

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge 

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S75-300mm lens with Altura CPL filter attachment.

Location: The Rooftop Garden; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.

2024 CMMC/CWWC: Any Latte Way

We managed to have a beautiful clear day yesterday (almost), so Coleman and I rode the bus to the Y for some fresh air and a bit of hiking.

All aboard, we’re on our way.

Before we begin our hike, it’s Coleman swing time. If we waited till later the school kids would have taken over and he couldn’t have been able to play.

Next, Coleman cools down with a snack as I gaze out over the lake.

Now for our hiking, Coleman leads the Way. I constantly have to instruct him to slow down. He hikes much faster than I’m able to hike.

Through the woods along the bank of the lake we traverse. Across the dam and deeper into the woods. Upward, downward, and around and around we go.

Coleman spots the Fitness Challenge area off the Yellow Trail and climbs aboard for some fun before continuing our hike and back up to the Y.

Tired from our hike we’re gonna Leaf it all behind, and venture to the bus stop and head home.

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-April Latte Color

Cee’s Which Way Challenge-Any Way

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: iPhone 14 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura UV & NP filter and also Altura Wide-Angle Fisheye attachments.

Location: Gaston County Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors and Enjoy Our Beautiful Earth. Thank you for traversing the trail with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Birds of the Carolinas #2

Red-headed Woodpecker

Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Red-headed Woodpecker
(Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpeckers have an entirely red head, and their belly is white and unstreaked. It is a mid-sized woodpecker found in temperate North America. Its breeding habitat is open across southern Canada and the east-central United States. One should not confuse the red-headed woodpecker with the red-bellied woodpecker. Even though they are similar in size, the red-bellied woodpecker is named for the pale reddish blush of its lower belly and has a distinct patterned black and white back whereas the red-headed woodpecker has the solid black back and a vibrant orange-red crown and nape. These Red-headed woodpeckers were spotted at the Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Birds of the Carolinas 

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Maria De Jesus … All Rights Reserved.

Location: 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. 

Wordless Wednesday: 04.17.24

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura UV and NP Filter attachments plus Altura Photo 58MM 0.35x Fisheye Canon Wide Angle Lens (w/Macro Portion).

Location: Robinwood Lake; Robinwood Lake Dam; Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 SYD: April 15

Clare @ Clare’s Cosmos invites us each month to share our desktops on the 15th of each month. Can you believe it the month of April is half over already? Here it is time once again to join Share Your Desktop. I like to share my wallpaper for my iPhone as well as for my Laptop. For my iPhone I use different wallpaper’s for the different focuses I use; personal, hiking, and reading.

Share Your Desktop

From my iPhone:

Personal Focus

Hiking Focus

Reading Focus

From my Laptop:

Share Your Desktop-April 15

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s desktops. I appreciate y’all very much.

Let’s Play I Spy as We Travel

Before we head out on the road I suggest we stop and fill up the car with some good old fashioned gasoline ⛽️. I doubt you’ll find these prices nowadays though.

I Spy Something Red

I Spy Red on the Gas Station Sign

Now that we’ve filled up the car 🚘 and made sure we have everything we need, let’s get going on our adventure.

I Spy Red Street Lights

Where are we going you might ask? It doesn’t really matter as long as we have a bit of fun along the way.

I Spy Red Trail Signs

How about we pull over for a while and go on a hike. These signs might direct us on our way.

I Spy Coleman Wearing a Red Shirt

Oh Look, Stairs. Shall we go down them? What might we see when we reach the bottom? Who knows, but let’s go on down and discover what we can find.

I Spy Coleman
Looking Out
Over the Water
at a Dam

Wasn’t that fun? Did you enjoy our little game of I Spy? I know Coleman and I had a great time together on our adventures.

Cee’s Which Way Challenge is fun to join and exciting to see everyone’s take on the challenges. No two people have the exact same perspective and I look forward to seeing y’all’s perspectives. Click Here to link to Cee’s blog.

God Bless. Thank you for traveling with us. I truly hope you enjoyed the adventure. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CMMC: April – Cafe Latte Color

My entries for Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge are mostly from South Carolina from my archives. Feel free to join in and post your own Cafe Latte color photos and link them to Cee.

Solar Eclipse
as seen on Tiles
Sesquicentennial State Park
Columbia, South Carolina
Riverbanks Zoo
Columbia, South Carolina
Andrew Jackson
State Park Lake

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-Cafe Latte Color

Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Photos taken between 2017-2019 except eclipse is from 2024.

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Weekly Color Challenge- Black

Good Day everyone! Welcome to my blog. The following are my entries for this week’s Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge. The challenge is asking for photos depicting the colour BLACK.

Children’s Blackboard

Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge-Black

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment.

Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 WWE #216 — ASCG’s Lake Haigler

Lake Haigler Loop

View of

Lake Haigler

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #216

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens with Altura CPL filter attachment.

Location: Lake Haigler; Lake Haigler Loop; Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.

God Bless. Enjoy your week and have a fabulous weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Window: 04.08

Faires/Coltharp Cabin Window

Pasture Reflections
Faires/Coltharp Cabin

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Dairy Barn 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.

2024 Monday Portrait: 04.08

A Greenway Horse Greets Coleman

Here I come
“Little Man”
Maybe you’ll
like this
Pose Better?
Alright, I’ll come Closer
Coleman visiting the Horses

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit: 2024 ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Dairy Barn Entrance; 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 very much.

Children Climbing/Playing on Opening Day

Schroering Forest Playground

Opening Day for the Schroering Forest Playground was on March 30th. The Playground is a new addition for Anne Springs Close Greenway. Being its opening day list of families came to visit the Greenway the check out the new Playground. Children young and old alike investigated and explored the many different features and structures within the playground.

The number of people on the climbing structure varied throughout the day with the greatest impact of visitors being early in the morning and dwindling later on in the afternoon.

When Coleman and I first walked around the playground and the Climbing Structure it was intimidating with so many people in and on the various structures. Overwhelming especially for Coleman, so we chose to hike around the lake and come back later hoping for fewer children to be in the playground.

Coleman slowly getting the courage to try climbing on the Climbing Structure.

After climbing a short distance, Coleman sits down and looks around unsure of what to do next.

He eventually decides he was to get down, but was uncertain about how to go about climbing down. After watching for a little bit I realized he wanted help getting down. So we went hiking back up towards the car visiting the historic cabins, cows, and horses along the way.

Six Word Saturday: 04.06.24

John’s Cell Pic Sunday

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Schroering Forest Playground; Lake Haigler Entrance; 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.

Fairy 🧚‍♂️ Seating — It’s Swing Time

As Coleman and I were hiking along Steele Creek Trail back towards the car we spotted this little Fairy Garden tucked away in the base of a tree. I have seen pictures which other hikers have taken before, however this was the first time we had ever spotted the Fairy Garden. If you weren’t looking at the surrounding landscape you could possibly miss seeing it.

Spotted along
Steele Creek Trail
Fairy Garden
Time to Swing
and Relax

Pull Up a Seat-2024 Week 14

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: 1&3) iPhone 14 Pro Max; 2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300 mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment.

Location: Steele Creek Trail; Dairy Barn 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.

2024 CWWC: Any Type of Road, Path, Step, Bridge or Sign.

Following Cee’s lead on

Narrow Walkways

Mine are Along the

Blue Star Trail

On this hiking adventure I parked at the Dairy Barn Entrance to the Anne Springs Close Greenway. After exiting the car we proceeded to hike along the fencing before hitting the trails. Following the fence line we were able to view the horses, some of which trotted over to our location. [More on horses later].

Our first stop along the Blue Star Trail was to take a look at the Faires/Coltharp Cabin. To our surprise and delight it was open to the public (first time we’d seen it open). So naturally, Coleman with me following went inside to see what was inside.

A Look
inside the
Faires/Coltharp Cabin

After leaving the cabin, we hiked further along the Blue Star Trail towards the Swinging Bridge and the Schroering Forest Playground located on the other side of the Spillway.

Blue Star Trail

When the Spillway is up and streaming with a steady flow of water, the only way to cross it is to walk across the Greenway’s Swinging Bridge. Since our destination was on the far side of the Swinging Bridge we/I slowly walked across. Coleman used to walk across it when he was younger, but now if no one else is on it he’ll run across.

Coleman
crossing the
Swinging Bridge

We made it safely across the Swinging Bridge, walked around the Artisan Market, ordered lunch from the Greenway’s Canteen and rested a bit before heading to the Schroering Forest Playground. We had a clear view of the Playground from where we chose to sit. This was the first official day the Playground was open. They had been working on it all fall and winter. Being its opening day, the playground was crowded with children from all age groups.

Coleman
hiking the
Blue Star Trail

Upon completion of our lunch we noticed there were still a lot of children on the playground. I decided to have Coleman wait to play in it until it wasn’t nearly so crowded. Therefore, we continued on with our hiking and headed down to Lake Haigler.

Blue Star Trail
Almost down to
Lake Haigler

We hiked along the narrow side pathway towards the lake. The straight pathway is wider and more widely traveled by the majority of visitors to the Greenway.

We hiked a short loop with great views of Lake Haigler and then hiked back up to the Playground. Coleman climbed up on the Climbing structure and wasn’t sure about what to do after climbing up a short ways and just sat down for a few minutes. [The all natural wood climbing structure seemed to puzzle Coleman. He’ll probably climb more next time we visit.]

Steele Creek Trail

After a full afternoon of hiking and Coleman playing I decided it was time to head home. Hence, we proceeded to hike back up to the car. Instead of hiking the exact same trail we hiked down, we started out hiking on the Steele Creek Trail. The Steele Creek Trail is a narrow trail that leads up towards the Graham Historical Cabin.

From the cabin we traverse back onto the Blue Star Trail. After short distance from the cabin, Coleman starts searching for the cows. Sometimes they are up close to the fence line, but on this day we really had to look for them. Searching the pasture as we hiked up the trail, two of the cows came walking towards our direction from the far end of the pasture. That made a Coleman’s day. He was then ready to go home.

Cee’s Which Way Challenge- Any Type of Road, Path, Sign, Step, or Bridge 

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Cameras: iPhone 14 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens and Altura CPL Filter attachment.

Location: Dairy Barn Entrance; Blue Star Trail; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.

God Bless. Thank you for hiking along the Blue Star Trail with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Looking In & Through an Historic Cabin’s Doors

Faires/Coltharp Cabin

Take a walk with us inside Faires/Coltharp Historic Cabin. You can see Coleman has no qualms about going through the door to check everything out. He is extremely inquisitive and loves to investigate everything he sees and comes across.

A Bit of History:

The Faires/Coltharp Cabin:

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Slides-1-3) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; All other photos) iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Location Faires/Coltharp Cabin; Dairy Barn Entrance; 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.

Gathering of Friends (Not Just for Humans)

For this week I selected trios from the pasture which Coleman and I enjoyed watching on our hike at the Anne Springs Close Greenway.

Thursday Trios-04.04.24

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens with Altura CPL Filter attachment.

Location: Dairy Barn Entrance; 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.

2024 Wordless Wednesday: Gazing Over the Pasture

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens with Altura CPL Filter attachment.

Location: Near Comporium Amphitheater; Blue Star Trail; Dairy Barn 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.

Words for Thought #12

“Guide me in your truth
and teach me, for you
are God my Savior,
and my hope is in
you all day long.

Psalm 25:5 (NIV)

Think About It Tuesday

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 LAPC #293: Water Flowing Through the Spillway

We had a very beautiful sunny weekend. It was warm and windy day. We decided it was a lovely day for hiking at Anne Springs Close Greenway. Due to the massive abundance of vehicles parking at the Lake Haigler Entrance for the Artisan Market I chose to park at the Dairy Barn Entrance. There was another reason for parking at this entrance as well; they charged extra at the other entrance because of the Artisan Market. Who wants to pay extra? I certainly didn’t, not in addition to my membership for the Greenway.

The Dairy Barn Entrance has a few different trails that can be accessed with various sites and scenery to observe. We hiked down the Blue Star Trail which leads down to the Greenway’s Spillway passing horses and the Faires/Coltharp Historic Cabin along the way.

Coleman loves to stop and watch the horses. Moving along, to crossover the Spillway we had to walk across the Swinging Bridge. We stopped on both sides of the Spillway to observe the water flowing down, around, and under the Swinging Bridge.

Coleman
crossing the
Greenway’s Swinging Bridge
Lovingly Watching
the Water Flowing
Through the
Greenway Spillway

Anne’s Len-Artist Photo Challenge – Water in Motion

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #214

Photo Credit:©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens and Altura CPL Filter.

Location: Swinging Bridge; Dairy Barn Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, 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.

2024 Last on the Card —

March

It just so happens that the last photo on my phone and on my camera are of the exact same object, a windmill.

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Windmill
at the
Dairy Barn

From my Canon EOS T3i:

Dairy Barn
Windmill

Last on the Card

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Location: Dairy Barn 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.

Historic Graham Cabin Windows

Monday Window

On Saturday, March 30th, Coleman and I visited the Anne Springs Close Greenway. We parked at the Dairy Barn Entrance and hiked down the Blue Star Trail and hiked back up on Steele Creek Trail. From this entrance one can visit two historic cabins: 1) Faires/Coltharp Cabin and 2) The Graham Cabin. On this trip we had the unique experience of going inside the cabin to view what it would have been like back in the 1800’s. This was a new experience for us since the cabins had previously been closed to the public.

The Graham Cabin is more than 200 years old and was once the home of Archibald Graham, the grandfather of Reverend Billy Graham. Here is a look at the inside of the Graham Cabin and its windows.

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.

2024 Weekend Sky: 03.31.24

~ Beautiful Weather for Easter ~

Beautiful Day
for Coleman
Petting a Horse
Beautiful Day
for a Hike
Beautiful Day
for Reflection
at Lake Haigler

Hammad’s Weekend Sky-03.31

Whatsoever Is Lovely Challenge 2024 Week 13

John’s Cell Pic Sunday

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Dairy Barn Entrance; Lake Haigler; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God’s Blessings to y’all this Beautiful Easter Sunday. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CWWC: March 28 —Any Which Way

Which Ways in Monochrome

For this week I’ve dug into my archives for various selections of which way to travel.

First, let’s make a stop in Raleigh, North Carolina where I attended Ancestry Day hosted by The Friends of the Archives in conjunction with the State Archives of North Carolina, the Government and Heritage Library, and the North Carolina Genealogical Society.

Next, we’ll head over to Lenoir, North Carolina for a Watson/Greer/Trivette family reunion at the Yadkin Valley Community Park.

Greer/Watson/Trivette Family Reunion Yadkin Valley Community Park
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
June 2016

Then we’ll spend some time in Jacksonville, North Carolina where one of my sons ( my 2nd born, David) was stationed while serving in the United States Marines. While there for the weekend my eldest son, John and I visited the Lejeune Memorial Gardens.

Lejeune Memorial Gardens
Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA
February 2017

Finally, let’s take another drive. This time let’s drive to Columbia, South Carolina before returning home for some quiet time of rest and relaxation. In Columbia I am joined by my daughter, Trisha and her daughter, Alona. We decided to visit the Riverbanks Zoo to see the animals. We enjoyed the short train ride around a small portion of the Zoo.

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
Columbia, South Carolina, USA
August 2017

Cee’s Which Way Challenge – 03.28

God Bless. Thank you for visiting with us in our memory travels and for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 OWS: Direction

Directions for Where to Go,

What to Do, & How to Act

Where to Go:

First off, let’s look out Trail Maps. Trail Maps let us know what trails are at a location and give us directions to follow for our selected trail route we desire to hike.

Next, we’ll look at Trail Signs that give Directions for which way to go to continue to a specific destination.

Continuing on, we look at trail signs which tell us the rules and how we should behave while we are on the trail. Some of the directions might seem like we should already know how to act while on a trail, but reminders are beneficial for those that need one on common courtesy.

How to Act:

Lastly, we’re looking at signs that give us directions on what we should do. Some remind us to stay Calm, others give us directions on what to do in case of an emergency, while others let us know what (or rather where) not to do.

What to Do & Not to Do:

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Direction

Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Relax and Stay Calm. Remember y’all are amazing. I appreciate y’all very much.