For the past few days we have had intermittent grey cloudy skies and freezing temperatures and light snowfall showers off and on throughout the day and night. Not enough Snow? There was not enough Snow for Coleman to really play in and definitely not enough Snow to build a snowman.
Too much Snow? Why do I ask? Let me tell you, I’m partial to warmer sunnier weather like in Spring and Summer. I’m not too keen on winter freezing temperatures or having to wait at bus stops for Coleman’s school bus (which tends to run late lately). Maybe I should plan on moving to a warmer climate location? If I did or when we move; if I wanted to see Snow then I could drive to the mountains. I believe I (we) could have a delightful great time without driving into the mountains during the freezing cold winter Snowy season.
Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; 2-5+Video) Apple 16 Pro Max
Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Stay Warm. Take care of yourself and each other. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
While visiting my Aunt in Texas in 2020 I would take a walk around her neighbourhood several times a week. Mostly I would walk for the exercise, but also investigating the area around where she lived just to see what I could see. I would try to average around 10,000 steps each time I ventured out for one of my walkabouts.
On this particular walkabout, I had across seem interesting places with signage drawing my attention. This remarkable place, Catfish Corner, is a restaurant which unquestionably serves Catfish. However, they have a wide variety of other entrees to please any sophisticated palate. I believe regardless of what your preference is for food consumption, you’ll enjoy whatever you choose to order at the Catfish Corner.
780 S. Treadaway Blvd. Abilene, Texas
Brighten the doorstep, all are welcome within …
Catfish Corner Restaurant
… Bring your friends along, y’all enjoy the food and fellowship together.
From Hither and Thither and Yon I have traveled back and forth across the United States from the California to the Carolinas.
Hither and Thither and Yon, I traveled on and on Seeking adventure with family and friends.
Hither and Thither and Yon to a land used once long ago. From San Francisco to Alcatraz,Hither and Thither and Yon we traveled on and on.
The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary or United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, off the coast of San Francisco, California, USA, which operated from 1934 to 1963.
Hither and Thither and Yon we venture on and on. We wander to this land and that land stopping to see what’s near and far. From Northern California to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Hither and Thither and Yon we wondered how the Hopi Native Americans lived and how long it took them to build the Hopi House.
Hither and Thither and Yon the architectural design built in 1904 by local Hopi artisans. It was designed to resemble a traditional Hopi pueblo.
Hopi House is located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, within Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. state of Arizona.
Hither and Thither and Yon we journey on and on for a long adventure to the Carolinas in the southeastern portion of the United States. Over hills and mountains and through the wide plains and plateaus of Texas onward and upwards to the Carolinas we travel on and on.
Hither and Thither and Yon we roam the vast acreage of Anne Springs Close Greenway and are amazed by the moving and reconstructing of the Graham Cabin.
Graham Cabin located in the grounds of Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.The cabin is more than two hundred (200) years old. According to an early 1800’s census the Reverend Billy Graham’s grandfather, Archibald Graham, born in this cabin and lived there for a time.
Hither and Thither and Yon how I wonder why we roam Hither and Thither and Yon. Hither and Thither and Yon we seek the vast lands of America taking in its rich history and absorb the knowledge left behind by those who came before us.
Hither and Thither and Yon we travel south from the Graham Cabin to see the Mebane Grammer School in the town where my father grew up. Hither and Thither and Yon I wonder why I travel on and on seeking whatever’s in the vast beyond.
Mebane Grammer School (Original Great Falls Grammar School) was built in 1924 in Great Falls, South Carolina. It was named for the Mebane family who were officers with Republic Mills. [The company that ran the mills in Great Falls. My paternal grandfather worked in the Republic ‘s #3 mill]. The school burned down in 1976.
Hither and Thither and Yon maybe it’s time to be close to family once again. Hither and Thither and Yon to the Old Watson Homestead we travel on and on. Hither and Thither and Yon It’s time to relax and feel at home on the Old Homestead with family close by.
Jeramiah (Jerry) Watson Family Home place. This is the homestead place of my maternal Great Grandparents (my mother’s father’s parents) near Deep Gap, North Carolina. It was a place known for the family to gather together and share good times and fellowship with one another.
Hither and Thither and Yon I wish all your dreams and desires come to fulfilment. Hither and Thither and Yon You are loved. Enjoy those close at hand. Hither and Thither and Yon.
Location: Catawba River; Landsford Canal State Park; Catawba, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Looking forward to Spring and the Spider Lilies. Have a terrific day. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
To do so, simply share the photo* you have set as your wallpaper;
Provide as little or as much detail as you wish;
Use a pingback, or post a link here so I know you have joined in on the fun;
Then finally, share the fun around.
I am sharing my Wallpaper from both my Laptop and my Smartphone. I enjoy looking at different images each month. Most of which revolve around Coleman (my grandson) and nature.
Here are my Desktop Wallpaper and Screensaver for my Laptop:
Desktop Wallpaper:
Coleman sitting on a tree branch at Goat Island Park and Greenway. Also My Smartphone Hiking Focus
Desktop Screensaver:
Coleman playing with his Brio Train set & his MagnaTiles on his Road mat.
Smartphone Wallpapers:
Personal Focus
Coleman Swinging on a rope at Goat Island Park and Greenway
Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; 2) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 3-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
God Bless. Play Along. Share Your Desktops with Clare’s Share Your Desktop Challenge. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens
Location: Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Smell the Flowers. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Locations: 1) Corona, California, USA; 2) Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a Swinging Good Time. Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
I’m learning to use the Fusion camera’s Monochrome features in my new iPhone 16 Pro Max. While Coleman was playing out back on one of our rare warm winter days, I looked up into the sky and saw a small group of black birds flying through the air. I pointed my iPhone towards the sky in hopes of capturing shots of the birds as they flew overhead of us. Cease the Moments. Enjoy the World around you. Capture the Memories each day.
These were taken back in February of 2023 when Coleman and I convinced my daughter and granddaughter to Tag-along on one of our hiking adventures. For this hike, we chose to visit the Baxter Village Trail which begins near the Library in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Hiking along on the trail we encounter plenty of Brown and a bit of Black as well as some other colours.
The Baxter Village Trail is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail network of trails within North and South Carolina. It is also a part of a 9-mile network of trails within the Baxter Village Community. This particular trail is a 3.3-mile segment of the Thread Trail trail is moderately hilly and features several streams along its length.
Baxter Trail Map
The trail consisted of natural surfaces, boardwalks, and some pavement. The rating for the trail is moderate, but for Coleman and I it was rather easy. As you can see we wound through a forest of trees and through tunnel and for my grandchildren over the tunnel as well.
To take a look at other Which Ways from this past week check out the links below:
Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S15-55mm lens.
Location: Baxter Village Trail; Baxter Village Community; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderfully fabulous rest of your week. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
As Coleman and I were walking around Downtown Cramerton on the way back from Goat Island we walked through the backside of the businesses that run along Center Street. What we noticed were the Mural that were painted on the businesses back walls covering a good portion of the wall including the doors. The Mural pictured in the photos on the left are from the Skillet Southern Bistro’s back patio and outside dining area with plenty of room to enjoy the evening.
Skillet Southern BistroConfluence South ForkSkillet Southern BistroConfluenceWall Murals on the Backside of Businesses
The Mural pictured on the right are from the outside back wall of Confluence South Fork.Confluence is a place to gather for young and old alike. It is run by the Catawba Riverkeepers. It offers beer for adults, sells artwork created by a local artist and souvenirs. It holds concerts for all to enjoy some specifically designed for children. It offers the ability for visitors to rent disc golf discs, cornhole bags, and ping pong paddles to ball at Goat Island Park and Greenway located across the road from its location.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. There’s a Time for Rain, a Time for Sunshine, and a Time to Stop and Smell the Roses. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. 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 that include that number and post a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.This prompt will repeat each Monday with a new number. If you want to play along, please put a link to your blog in comments below. Here are my contributions to the album.
This week I am choosing to use a theme of Playground focusing on the CLT Airport Overlook playground in Charlotte, North Carolina. Coleman enjoyed playing in CLT Charlotte Douglas International) Airport Overlook’s Playground. He kept zipping to and fro checking out all the various playground equipment and all the unique places to Pull Up a Seat.
The U.S. Air Flight 1016 Memorial honors the people who died on board the flight from Columbia, S.C. to Charlotte on July 2, 1994. The Memorial includes a plaque in memory of those who died or were injured and those who helped rescue efforts. The Memorial is located in a section of the CLT (Charlotte Douglas International) Airport Overlook in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The U.S. Air Flight 1016 crashed in Charlotte 30 1/2 years ago. During that horrific crash in 1994 thirty-seven (37) of the fifty-seven (57) people on board died. The people in Charlotte and the surrounding areas have not forgotten.
On July 2, 1994, the flight encountered heavy thunderstorms and microburst-induced windshear while attempting to land, and crashed into heavy trees and a private residence near the airport. The crash and ensuing Fire caused 37 fatalities and seriously injured 20 people.
The New CLT Airport Overlook Memorial was designed to represent Morse Code for CAE (Columbia) and CLT, the origin and destination airports for the flight. It includes a plaque in memory of those who died or were injured and those who helped rescue efforts.
This past Tuesday Coleman, my daughter Trisha, and I paid a visit to the CLT Airport Overlook to allow Coleman to play in the Overlook’s new playground. While there we also visited the U.S. Air Flight 1016 Memorial. The reverse side of the pillar about U.S. Air Flight 1016 lists the names of the thirty-seven (37) people who died in the crash.
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.
U. S. National Whitewater Center
The U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, North Carolina has the largest the world’s largest manmade whitewater river and has outdoor activities all year long. Besides the Whitewater River area, the Center also has 1,300 acres of protected woodlands along the Catawba River. No matter your preference, the Whitewater Center offers a wide range of recreational opportunities to intrigue your interest for a fantabulous experience in the great outdoors.
I have not done many water sports since my younger more limber and flexible days of my youth. What does perk my interests in visiting the U.S. National Whitewater Center are the forty (40) miles of trails designed for mountain biking and trail racing. You don’t have to ride a mountain bike or race on the trails to enjoy them. The 40+ miles of trails are a great opportunity for hikers as well. The trails are shared by hikers, runners, and bikers at all times.
The trails are natural surface and wind across the 1,300 acre woods of the Center. The trails run along the Catawba River and through hardwood and pine forests. The use of the trails are free not requiring an access pass, however, the Whitewater Center does charge $12 for a day parking pass and $40 for an annual parking pass.
Parking legend & Off Leash Facility Trail Map
I think Coleman and I would enjoy hikers some of the various trails at the WhitewaterCenter given the opportunity for warmer weather, costs and transportation to and from the Center.
For more information about the U.S. National Whitewater Center and what it has to offer click here .
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Tina from Travels and Trifles is this week host for the Lens-Artist Challenge. She has chosen a theme of Cats and Dogs.
At this present point in time we do not have any cats or dogs. The only cats that have been around in places we lived were feral cats that would roam the neighborhood. Sometimes female cats would have their litter under our home and their would stick around for awhile.
Here are some photos of those cats …
Here are a few pix of my Aunt Irene’s Dog plus one of a Dog Statue at Andrew Jackson State Park in Lancaster, South Carolina.
The F-4 Phantom II was built by the McDonnell Douglas Corporation ( McDonnell Aircraft Corporation). It was a supersonic, all-weather, twin-engine, two seat fighter-bomber and interceptor jet. It was originally designed for the U.S. Navy in 1953.
The F-4 Phantom II was the most produced American fighter jet. It had become a symbol of the Cold War. It was a formidable aircraft which played a pivotal role in military aviation from the 1960s into the 1990s.
The F-4 was designed around an all-missile armament system with the expectation that air combat would take place at a distance. Its combination of speed, range, and versatility made it a key player in air combat and ground support, leaving a lasting legacy in military history.
The F-4 Phantom II was retired from service in the United States Navy in the 1980’s. The F-4 Phantom II was also retired from the Royal Air Force in 1992. The last active duty F-4 Phantom II was launched from an aircraft in 1986. The last carrier landing of an F-4 Phantom II was in 1986. The last F-4 Phantom target drones were retired in 2004.
Pictured here is one of the F-4 Phantom II retiredU.S. military fighter jet which is on display at the CLT (Charlotte Douglas International) Airport Overlook. With this exhibit one can learn about the Carolinas’ aviation history and the types of planes that fly in and out of CLT.
Location: CLT Airport Overlook; Charlotte Douglas International Airport; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. I encourage you if you’re ever in the Charlotte area to visit the Charlotte Douglas International Airport Overlook. The views our amazing and children of all ages will love it. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Centennial Center; Downtown Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Spring is Coming. Maybe not soon enough for some. Let the Sonshine/Sunshine shine through everyday. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Dan from no facilities has chosen a them of Nursery Rhyme for this week’s CFFC Challenge. There are many variation, but that’s not too important. Look at the rhyme as written and use any or all of the bold words as prompts. If the words are numbers, use them the way you used them earlier. Otherwise, use the words themselves. This should give you lots of opportunities to choose a photo. New or archive photos are acceptable.
Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge (CWWC), I’m so glad you are enjoying this challenge. For this week I have chosen the theme of (CWWC): Any Which Way with Paved Pathways or Sidewalks. Remember to be sure your Which Ways are clearly defined. Remember signs are always welcome in your Which Ways.
Here are my Which Ways for this week:
Sidewalks around the CLT Airport Overlook’s Playground Paved Runway Strip (Pathway) at CLT Airport Overlook USAir Flight 1016 memorial at CLT Airport Overlook (Paved Sidewalks)
On Tuesday my daughter had a day off of work and decided to give Coleman a surprise. After he got off the school bus in the afternoon, she drove us to the Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) Airport Overlook.
In 2024 the CLT Airport Overlook underwent a major overhaul. This overhaul project cost a whopping $8 million. This is the fifth overlook for the Charlotte Douglas International Airport since 1937.
This New CLT Airport Overlook has two (2) age-specific playgrounds with shaded areas. Of course, being at the airport, the playgrounds have an airport theme including runway, a cargo transport vehicle, and a mini air traffic control tower.
The CLT Overlook also has a covered space with ten (10) covered picnic tables plus uncovered picnic tables and benches with LED lighting for pedestrian and parking areas. There are a couple of other features which I will discuss in an upcoming future post.
Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Be Observant. Show Gratitude. Love to all. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coleman and I love to go hiking and whenever I am Willing to go hiking, he is always Willing to put on his hiking boots rearing to go on a hiking adventure. No matter when or where we might venture on our adventures I am usually almost always Willing to bring my Canon along to take photographs of the amazingly beautiful nature surrounding whatever hiking trail we choose to tackle for the day.
Most often than not Coleman and I close to hike in a local Greenway, Nature Preserve, or a State Park. Coleman is always excited and rearing to go out for a hike. He distastes being cooped up indoors. The majority of Greenways or State Parks are filled with Green trees, lawns, and vegetation. It’s like walking through a lush Green forest snapping photographs one by one with my Camera. I often take photographs with my iPhone as well as my Canon.
For this post I am combining several challenges into one post. I Willing chosen to select Photographs with plenty of Green using Green and Hiking as my theme for Judy’s Numbers Game.
Here are the Photographs with Green I am Willing to share with y’all for Judy’s Numbers Game, the RDP prompt of Photograph, Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge of Green, and lastly, but no less important FOWC prompt of Willing.
Landsford Canal State Park Catawba, South Carolina
I trust you have enjoyed seeing the Photographs of the lush Green trees as we hiked the Canal Trail at Landsford Canal State Park I do Willingly captured for your viewing pleasure. Click on any image for an enhanced view. Be sure to take a look at each Photograph Challenge I’ve included to get a look at what others have posted.,
Debbie from Travel With Intentis the host for the One Word Sunday Challenge. She is giving us an opportunity to continue to share square (s) with Becky’s GeometricJanuary challenge ending and a new month of blogging adventures beginning.
The Sky is a wondrous example of how as the weather changes quickly, so can the events in our lives. Be thankful for the good and the bad and remember God is in Control. Just as we need the rain and look forward to sunny days; our lives may seem dreary but blessings abound amongst us. Be thankful for the Rain as well as the Sunshine. Both are needed even if we prefer the good ole sunshiny days of life.
Brian from bushboy.blogis the host for the #LastontheCard challenge. His rules are simple to follow. As per Brian, 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.
The rules are simple: 1. Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 31st or whenever your last photo was taken. 2. No editing – who cares if it is out of focus, not framed as you would like or the subject matter didn’t cooperate. 3. You don’t have to have any explanations, just the photo will do 4. Create a Pingback to this post or link in the comments 5. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard
Friday, January 31st turned out warm before the rain storms hit in the evening. So Coleman and I took a walk down to Goat Island Park and Greenway. Of course, I had to bring my camera along and not just my smartphone.
Here are my Last photos for January 2025 …
From my iPhone 14 Pro Max
Winter Hydrangea paniculata located at the entrance to Goat Island Park and Greenway.
From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i
South Fork Catawba River
As an added bonus I thought I would post a comparison of first & last photo for January from my Canon.
Cameras: 1) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 2-4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV filter for Canon.
Location: 1-2 & 4) Goat Island Park and Greenway; 3) Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Image 1 of comparison is the South Fork Catawba River taken on January 1, 2025, from the Riverside Park and Greenway. Image 2 of comparison is the South Fork Catawba River taken on January 31, 2025, from Goat Island Park and Greenway. ↩︎
We decided to take a risk with the impending rain and meandered down to Goat Island Park and Greenway for Coleman to have some Funtime in the playground. He loves to swing. Even though he is learning to pump his legs to keep swinging, he still enjoys having me push him to go higher and higher towards the sky.
As you might could tell, he had loads of fun. Especially after a friend from school showed up to play in the playground. His friend, Liam, is a little bit older and rides the same school bus with him. He lives on the other end of our street close to the railroad tracks.
Camera:Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.
Settings: f/4.5/5 • 1/800 • 79mm • ISO320-400
Location: Swings; In the Playground; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a Swinging Good Time. Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a Sweet Sensational Weekend filled with love and happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Regardless of where you spend your time at Andrew Jackson State Park you are bound to see a vast selection of geometric shapes and patterns. They could be lines, circles, rectangles, triangles, or columns.
You may see them near the parking lot, at the Meeting House, in the Museum in the building with the office, in and around the school house or within the playground or by the lake. Geometric designs are all over the Park, just be observant and you’ll notice the wide array of different types of geometrics.
For more information about Andrew Jackson State Park and the events and activities it has to offer click here.
Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge (CWWC), I’m so glad you are enjoying this challenge. For this week I have decided to let it be your choice, Any Which Way. Just be sure your Which Ways are clearly defined. Remember signs are always welcome in your Which Ways.
My Which Way selections for this week are my grandson, Coleman’s choices for how prefers his Which Ways. They include dirt trails, bridges, and even trees.
Here we are hiking at Anne Springs Close Greenway beginning on North Steele Creek Trail and crossing onto the Blue Star Trail.
We parked at the Dairy Barn Entrance down almost to the Spillway, then ventured onto North Steele Creek Trail for our hiking adventures of the day. After our fill of hiking we eventually wound our hiking around and back up to the Dairy Barn parking lot to go back home.
To learn more about Anne Springs Close Greenway and what all it has to offer click here.
I am grateful for those who shared there Which Ways last week. To view their Which Ways clink on their links below:
First Baptist Church of Abilene, TexasFirst San Diego school & where my mom went to high school. Seven Seas Marine Life ParkColeman First Day Hike at Anne Springs Close Greenway Coleman First Day Hike 1/01/2023First Baptist Church of Cramerton The Eleventh President of the United States of America
Judy from Life Lessons Blog hosts The Numbers Game Challenge and invites us all to play along with her. This week’s number is 179.
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 that include that number and post a link to your blog in myNumbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.This prompt will repeat each Monday with a new number. If you want to play along, please put a link to your blog in comments below. Here are my contributions to the album.
The Bridge over the Mississippi River in Vicksburg, Mississippi as seen at night while traveling back from Texas to the Carolinas in 2019. The architectural design is fascinating viewing all the angles, lines, triangles, and squares that were used to construct the bridge. The lighting helps the bridges features stand out in the evening’s darkness.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 