Shadows can be seen everywhere, at least when the sun is shining brightly. Shadows materialize along walkways, piers, and trails as well as anywhere imaginable.
Here are my entries for Debbie’s OWS Challenge this week which calls for us to show our SHADOW.
Shadows of Bushes, Trees, & Coleman Warlick Family YMCA
Shadows of the Fencing & Coleman Warlick Family YMCA
Shadows of Trees The Schiele Museum of Natural History
Shadows of Trees, Coleman, & Myself Anne Springs Close Greenway
Shadows along the Pier & in the Lake Anne Springs Close Greenway
Normally, most people would only think about wreaths and or the laying of wreaths at cemeteries around the Christmas holiday season. The Christmas Season being the annual time for wreaths to be laid in the Arlington National Cemetery as well as other cemeteries across America.
Wreaths Across America Mobile Unit
Wreaths Across America was formed in 2007 by the Worcestershire Family with the support of Veterans Organizations and a variety of other groups. These groups had previously helped with their annual wreath ceremony in Arlington. Wreaths Across America was formed as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, to continue and expand this effort, and support others around the country who wanted to do the same.
Welcome Home Wreaths Across America
The organization’s mission which was established is to Remember. Honor. Teach.
WELCOME HOME [Signabove Door]
Wreaths Across America is dedicated to teaching all generations about the value of their freedoms, and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
In 2022, the organization launched its expanded TEACH Program and collaborated with like-minded organizations focused on character development and service projects for young people of all ages, with lesson plans for all grade levels and learning abilities.
POW-MIA WELCOME HOME Wreaths Across America
The Wreaths Across America (WAA) continues its commitment to remember our fallen servicemen and women all throughout the year. One way they do this is with the Remembrance Tree Program.
The Remembrance Tree Program was established as another way to remember and honor our veterans. WAA established this program for families of veterans to provide a living memorial to their lost loved ones.
Wreaths Across America Mobile Unit
The Remembrance Tree Program is a part of the Wreaths Across America organization that we ( my daughter and I) had not been familiar with prior to visiting the Wreaths Across America Mobile Unit when it came to Fort Mill, South Carolina.
The WAA purchased their own dog-tag machine which allows feed families of the veteran the ability to customize their message for the dog-tag. The family or their representative is taken out to the balsam tip land, in Harrington, Maine, to find a tree that will become a living memorial to their loved one. The dog-tag is then placed on the trunk of an evergreen tree of their choosing and a red marker is placed on the tree to show that it has been chosen as a memorial.
One of the Volunteers with Wreaths Across America was kind enough to inform us of this special program and gave us the opportunity to provide the information for a dog-tag to be made. The information has been given and we are waiting to hear when it will be placed on a tree as a living memorial to my late husband and father to my children, Sgt. Terry Leon Wilson Vietnam Veteran (1954-2018).
“To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen… to be forgotten is the worst.”
— Pierre Claeyssens (1909-2003)
The WAA is continuing doing all they can to ensure that no veteran is ever forgotten. They have been traveling all across America with their mobile unit to provide support and assistance to honor their commitment to Remember. Honor. Teach.
To all who have served and or are serving, Thank You for your Service. To all Vietnam Veterans, Welcome Home!
Location: Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take a hike. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting the Greenway and for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time for yourself, take a walk, smell the flowers and enjoy your week. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
When Coleman and I visited The Farm On at The Schiele Museum on Tuesday Mike and Lucky were busy chomping away. It was feeding time and they were hungrily munching their food to their hearts (and belly’s) contentment.
I do not believe I would partake in their diet, however, they did appear to enjoy it themselves.
With the weather somewhat improving and a bit warmer (still not warm enough – jacket weather), Coleman and I are able to venture out on the trails for some delightful hiking. The trails are pretty muddy due to all the strong rainstorms we’ve been experiencing. Some of the trails are blocked off as closed for maintenance due to the damage occurring from the storms.
However, we managed to observe some amazingly beautiful sights ( not posted here.) Since we always hike in the woods, we (I) were able to capture a variety of weathered wood for this week’s challenge of Cee’s CFFC.
Weathered Wood Inside a Tree Trunk Bird HousesWeathered Log Floating in Robinwood Lake
“This table is reserved to honor our missing comrades in arms. The tablecloth is white — symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call of duty. The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing and their loved ones and friends of these Americans who keep the faith, awaiting answers. The vase is tied with a red ribbon, symbol of our continued determination to account for our missing. A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by those missing and their families who seek answers. The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God. The glass is inverted — to symbolize their inability to share this evening’s toast. The chair is empty — they are missing.”
Location: Airport Pond; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. May you gain insight into your purpose and may your heart be blessed throughout life. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
The construction on the new school next to The Schiele Museum is making extremely slow progress. However, I think with spring being on the way the construction progress may increase as the weather starts to improve.
Hey, You Looking at Me?Maybe You’d Like a Frontal Snapshot?Or Perhaps I Should Come a Little Closer?Is This Close Enough? Let’s Make a Deal, I’ll Give You One More Shot … This is My Final Pose!
One never knows where Coleman will decide to Pull Up a Seatfor a spell. The first two are of places he chose to Pull Up a Seatat the Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia and the third one is of his selection in the Greenway.
Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?
The item I am most attached to from my youth is a stuffed monkey. Yes, I said a stuffed monkey. It is not just any ordinary stuffed monkey. It is a vintage red and white Mr. Bim The Monkey rubber face plush toy. I’ve had him since I was about five years old, (I really do still have him.)
The Mr. Bim The Monkey was a plush toy made to resemble a real chimpanzee from the 1947 children’s show Howdy Doody. (As a sign note, I still have a 45rpm with the Howdy Doody song.) In the 1950’s the Rushton Toys Co. produced a chimpanzee plush named Zippy Zip, which became popular with children. Mr. Bim Monkey stands roughly 18 inches tall. The majority of the 1960’s Mr. Bim the Monkey plush toys were black and yellow with red suspenders with a yellow banana in its right hand. The red suspenders had bells attached on them.
Above shows Coleman holding my Red and White Mr. Bim The Monkey. He is over fifty (50) years old. His suspenders have broken due to lots of love and play. His bells have long since vanished and he is a little dirty from lack of cleaning. However, he’s been a faithful companion throughout the years.
Friday was the first day of 2024 without too many clouds or rainstorms. The first time since before winter that we could see the aircrafts flying over our area. Blue skies and semi-warm weather warms the body and the soul.
I was just thinking about the many times Coleman and I have enjoyed hiking together along the Catawba River when the RDP (Ragtag Daily Prompt) appeared showing the today’s prompt to be River. Our minds seem to be in sync on thinking about River.
We’ve had a tremendous amount of rainfall recently and so I’ve been remembering beautiful sunny days spent with Coleman at the Catawba River. I’ve had photos of the Catawba River come across in my Google photos app as memories.
These are some of the memory photos that I’ve enjoyed looking over this week.
National Park Service Doughton Park Visitor Center
In front of the Doughton Park Visitor Center are welcoming chairs and a table to rest a bit and enjoy the view or perhaps to wait for the Park store to open if you are camping in one of their many campsites.
Doughton Park is located off of the Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 238.5 – 241. Besides the beautiful scenery surrounding this Park one may choose to explore The Brinegar Cabin, observe craft demonstrations, and talk a gander down one of several diverse hiking trails.
This area has one of the Parkway’s largest campgrounds, a popular picnic area, and more than thirty (30) miles of hiking trails where one may access forested slopes, streams, and backcountry in Basin Cove.
Doughton Park Legend
Originally called The Bluffs, 6,000 acre Doughton Park was created in the 1930s when the Blue Ridge Parkway was routed through this part of North Carolina. It was one of the first parts of the Parkway to be completed and remains its largest recreation area. In the 1950s, it was renamed for Robert Lee Doughton (1863-1954), a local landowner and politician, who was instrumental in getting the Parkway built. Mr. Doughton lived in the nearby Laurel Springs, North Carolina. [Note: the Laurel Springs area is also the area where my maternal grandfather grew up.]
The northern and western borders of Doughton Park are formed by the Parkway itself, which here follows the crest of the mountains, traveling at more than 3,000 feet above sea level through rolling highland meadow. The other borders of the Park are traced by steeply descending mountain ridges: Flat Rock Ridge along the southern side of the Park and Cedar Ridge along the eastern side. Within these borders is the rugged and remote watershed of two mountain streams, Basin Creek and Cove Creek. Together, the double valley – or double gorge – is known as Basin Cove.
In October of 2017 my eldest son and I took a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway meandering the scenic route enjoying the beautiful Autumn colours. I allowed him to drive as he had never previously driven the Parkway. We stopped at several mileposts along the way observing the beautiful landscape. At various mileposts including Milepost 238.5 – 241, we stopped, stretched our legs, and proceeded to hike along several of the many trails found along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I do not recall which trail we hiked at Doughton Park, however, I do know we visited The Brinegar Cabin. I encourage y’all if you are ever in the Western Part of the Carolinas to take a scenic drive along The Blue Ridge Parkway.
Views from the Backyard (1-2) Views from the Front Yard (3-4)
We have been having a lot of rain throughout the year. This is today’s view of our rainy weather. I am thankful it is not as devastating here as for some of my friends in San Diego, California. I do long for a California visit to see old friends and acquaintances. It will have to wait for another time. In my dreams the weather is perfectly sunny ☀️, not too hot 🥵 , not too 🥶, but just right. No jacket or sweater necessary. A time to enjoy the beautiful beaches, take a hike in the desert or the mountains or possibly both. In my dreams, the days are filled with love and happiness surrounded my friends I care deeply about. Hopefully, one day it will come to pass.