Let’s Explore Squaring with Nuts

#NovemberShadows#5

Coleman enjoys Exploring along the banks …

… of the South Fork Catawba River searching for Nuts.

He often finds Acorns …

which are true botanical Nuts from Oak trees.

He thinks the squirrels will eat them, however, …

the squirrels near us tend to enjoy …

swiping the bird seeds from our feeder.

As you can see he has gathered a handful of Acorns (Nuts).

RDP Tuesday! Explore!

Ragtag Daily Prompt

Becky’s November #Shadows

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-N

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion & Ultra Wide Cameras

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

Beautiful in Fuschia

Helleborus orientalis
Aka Christmas Rose,
Hellebore Lenten Rose,
Rose-colored Christmas Rose
Helleborus orientalis,
the Lenten Rose

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday_Fuschia

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens

Settings: f/5.6 • 1/320s • 229mm • ISO1250

Location: The Nature Trail; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a funtastic weekend. Take Care. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Shining Bright in the Evening Sky

Street Lamps
Fort Mill, SC

Maybe not exactly street lamps, but maybe close enough??

Airport Lights
Charlotte, NC

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday 

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Thursday_Street Lamp

Photo Credit:©️2022-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

2025 RDP: Tuesday! Reptilian!

Anolis carolinensis

Green Anole
(Anolis carolinensis)

The Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole) is a tree-dwelling species of anole lizards native to the Southeastern United States. It is small to medium-sized a trunk-crowned ecomorph green anole which can change its colour to several shades from brown to green. It is sometimes referred to as American chameleon due to its colour-changing ability, but it is not a true chameleon.

Green Anole
(Anolis carolinensis)

The dewlap is usually pink for Anolis carolinensis and is very rarely present in females. The color of the dewlap is variable and different from the lizard eye to the human eye. Green anoles are thought to be capable of seeing a larger range of the UV spectrum, and that the dewlap reflects ultraviolet light to attract mates.

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) — Tuesday! Reptilian!

Photo Credit:©️2021-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; 2) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max Telephoto

Locations: 1) Seven Oaks Preserve Trail, Belmont, North Carolina; 2) Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

2025 RDP: Saturday — Sandwich

Pita Sandwich

Click on image to enlarge.

Ragtag Daily Prompt:Saturday-Sandwich

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max Ultra Wide Camera

Location: Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

Not Pulling the Wool over You

Honestly, I would just like to show you some lovely Lanose creatures which can be seen at The Farm at The Schiele Museum of Natural History in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Do you like my Lanose?
My friends Lanose
are different shades than mine.
Mine is lighter, more fluffier than theirs ↖️.
Bet you’d love
to run your fingers
through my Lanose.

You know what? I’m not gonna come close enough for you to even try. You may look 👀 all you want, but you’re not gonna touch.

Ragtag Daily Prompt

#RDP-Lanose

Photo Credit: ©️2023-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA 

God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Take time for yourself and relax. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Thunder, Lightning — Wait it’s a Downpour

In the Morning …

In the Evening …

It went from that to this …

The Weather can Change quickly from one minute to the next. One needs to prepare for all Weather Changes possible in a day or night.

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Skywatch Friday-2025.09.05

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP)-Downpour

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Change!

Hopefully you are able to see what we saw. It was an amazingly awesome sight to watch. 

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 

Location: Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA 

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

2025 Monday Window: 16 June

Kitty by a Window – 2 — AI creation by PR

John Deere

Construction Windows

As Coleman and I were walking along the Carolina Thread Trail with all the twists and turns we wound up at a dead end. Not knowing which way to go from there we tried this trail and that trail without much success. Thinking we might be Lost as we kept trying to figure our way back out of the trail and back to the Trailhead Store where our adventures began; we spotted a few construction vehicles working across a road from the trail we were on.

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

After while we were not only confused and turned around encountering another dead end of a trail; I decided to try our Luck and approached one of the construction workers to see if he could help us figure out how to get back on the correct trail to take us where we needed to go.

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

The John Deere 700L series was designed with a 17-percent-larger cab than models prior to them. It features more glass
area, larger doors, and a streamlined
hood profile, optimizing comfort and
visibility to the blade ahead and the surrounding jobsite.

Monday Window

Monday Window-16 June 2025

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Lost

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Luck!

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments

Location: New Construction Site; By The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Contributed; Belmont, North 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.

A Restful Peaceful Mellow Feeling

The World in its vastness may not seem a calm and mellow place to find peace and rest. However, there are some amazingly wonderful places out there in this big beautiful world where you can find respite from the hectic stressful times life throws your way.

Moon & World
Planetarium Show at
The Schiele Museum of Natural History

Taking time to get away from every day normalcy is a privilege and often a personal necessity.

I feel the most calm and mellow when I am out in nature camping in my favourite campground away from any and all folks or situations which would be stressful.

My Campsite at
Andrew Jackson State Park

Naturally, a bit of rest in a hammock would be nice and relaxing allowing for me to mellow out and enjoy my time in nature’s outdoors.

Hammock in
Andrew Jackson State Park

Of course, whether I am on my own or with Coleman a hike along a trail is sure to be had. Hiking out among the trees in nature always brings about calmness and tranquility. Our hikes sometimes brings about interesting sights and experiences, like gnomes or even Stitch.

Stitch in
Anne Springs Close Greenway

The Vast Outdoors is where Coleman feels calm, relaxed, and mellow. He dislikes being in doors and much prefers being outside and preferably in the woods surrounded by trees and water.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #352-Mellow

Weekly Prompts Weekend Colour Challenge-Blue

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP)-Folk

Photo Credit:©️2019-2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. Stay Calm. Mellow out and relax. Take Care. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 RDP: Friday! — Black & White!

Black & White Cows
in Black and White
on Black Background

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Friday-Black and White!!

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Settings: f/2.8 • 1/267 • 15.66mm • ISO50

Location: 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.

2025 OWS: March — Belief

Belief Down in My Soul

Crosses at The Billy Graham Library
Charlotte, North Carolina

I have a belief from the Depths of my Soul in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. My belief lies in knowing Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. My belief lies in knowing Jesus died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again into heaven. My belief lies in knowing God is always with me and will never leave me; he is my protector, my comforter, my all in all. From the bottom of my Soul, I know no one can ever take my beliefs away.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Belief

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Monday-Soul

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

Cosmic Photo Challenge – At the River shoreline

The closest Shorelines we have near us are t hr e banks of the Catawba River, therefore I have chosen to show y’all what Coleman and I have seen recently on the Shoreline of the South Fork Catawba River. The first few photos are taken on the banks of the South Fork Catawba River at the Goat Island Park and Greenway.

On both days the weather was Tepid which was a delightful experience and quite a contrast to our recent freezing weather of snow and freezing rain. The Tepid weather was just perfect, not too hit and not too cold.

This next set of images were taken on Monday of the South Fork Catawba River’s Shoreline from the Riverside Park and Greenway mainly featuring Coleman playing on the Shoreline banks.

Cosmic Photo Challenge: At the shoreline.

RDP Monday – TEPID

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved

Cameras: Images 1-4 & 6-11) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; Image 5) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: 1st set of Images) Shoreline of the South Fork Catawba River, Goat Island Park and Greenway; 2nd set) Shoreline of the South Fork Catawba River, Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature’s beauty. Relax and have some fun. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 RDP: Thursday —Chopper

In the Air Force

… On the Ground

Helicopter Flying over
Gastonia, North Carolina

Harley-Davidson “Chopper” Motorcycle
North Carolina Transportation Museum
Spencer, North Carolina

Ragtag Daily Prompt Thursday-Chopper

Photo Credit: 1)©️2023; 2)©️2021 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 2) Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Location: 1) Gastonia, North Carolina; 2) NC Transportation Museum; Spencer, North Carolina, USA

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

Hiking through a Lush Green Canal Trail

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.

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.,

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Photograph

Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge-Green

Fandango’s One-Word Challenge—Willing

Judy’s Numbers Game #59-180

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Wide Camera

Location: Canal Trail; Landsford Canal State Park; Catawba, 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.

2025 RDP: Tuesday! — Goat!

Goat at
Confluence South Fork
Town of Cramerton

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Tuesday! Goat!

Becky’s GeometricJanuary

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Outside Confluence South Fork; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Be Kind. Love One Another as Yourself. Don’t let anything get your Goat. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Contentment

Cardinals Contentment

Coleman and I refilled our bird feeder today to the delight and contentment of Northern Cardinals as well as a variety of other bird species.

The birds have a tendency to jostle some of the bird seeds around while they are grabbing a bite and flying off. Some will stay awhile for a bit of contented munching while others snatch and flee to and fro. They do fly here and there spreading the word and then flying back for more.

After filling the feeder, we had some loose seeds, so instead of putting them back in the back we spread them out on the railing. Coleman loves to watch the birds eating the bird feed we put out. Today, the Female Northern Cardinals were displaying contentment, enjoying the feed we spread out for their content.

RDP Wednesday: TODAY

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Friday! Contentment

Birds of the Week XCVI

Birds of the Carolinas

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: As seen through our Front Window; Our Front Porch Railings; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Be Content with who you are. You are loved. Dwell in the Contentment of our Lord God. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 My Bestie for OWS/RDP

Bestie is a person’s best friend. I had friends growing up, but I do not recall one being a bestie. I know, as an adult, have had friends that come and go, but none of them have ever been close enough to be called a bestie. Nowadays, I spend practically all my time with my grandson, Coleman. He is my hiking buddy. He and I are closer than he is with his own mom. The reason for that is most likely due to the fact that we spend the most time together as his mom works a lot to provide a place for us to live. So in a sense he is my bestie. He is not a confident, but he is someone I love and care very deeply about; someone I’d give my life to protect.

Coleman playing at CB Huss Recreation Complex.

Coleman colouring an ornament at the Town of Cramerton Community Center.

Coleman and myself affectionately loving each other.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Any word beginning with C

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Bestie

Monday Portrait

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 RDP Sunday: Sunlight

Here are my contributions for the Ragtag Daily Prompts Sunday Challenge — Sunlight.

Sunlight Peeking Through the Branches
Shimmering Sunlight Shining Bright
Enjoying the Sunshine

Ragtag Daily Prompts Sunday Challenge — Sunlight

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 RDP: Saturday—Boat

Coast of Cozumel; Caribbean Sea;
Gulf of Mexico
From Enchantment of the Sea
Caribbean Cruise Ship
Alex’s Marina
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
Gastonia County Police Boat
in Cramerton Christmas Parade
Cramerton, North Carolina,

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday Boat

RDP

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #249

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

RDP: Saturday — Grey

Grey in the Farm

Zebu, AKA Humped Cattle
Brahmin cattle, Indicus Cattle

I have plenty of photos of Grey clouds, Grey skies, but I chose to choose instead a Grey Zebu located in the Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday Grey

RDP-Grey

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300 lens.

Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

2024 RDP: Wednesday 11.13 — Pull Up a Seat on a SEESAW

The Ragtag Prompt of Seesaw fits right into some of the pictures of Coleman I took this past weekend at Goat Island Park and Greenway. The Goat Island Park’s Playground only opened back up this past weekend after having been closed for renovations to repair damage generated by the strong winds and storms which caused flooding to the Greenway’s Playground and a majority of the rest of the Greenway.

When we went to the playground Coleman was hoping to be able to not only play on the playground’s equipment, but also with other children. However, that is not exactly how it worked out. Yes, he was able to play on the various playground equipment including the Seesaw, but not with other children. Other parents or grandparents kept their children at a distance from other children playing in the playground. Thus the many facial expressions displayed by Coleman. He found it difficult to enjoy playing on the Seesaw especially when no other child would get on the Seesaw with him. I tried getting on the Seesaw with him, however, that didn’t work so we. My end sank all the way to the ground and he was stuck up in the air until I could manage to extend my legs for my end to go up. (Actually I ended up having to get off for his end to come down.) Here are photos of Coleman Pulling Up a Seat on the Seesaw.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Seesaw

#RDP

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 45

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Goat Island Playground; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Playground with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a wonderfully funtastic day. I appreciate y’all very much.

RDP: Friday – Thankful/SATURDAY — PUMPKIN

Out of Hardship

Comes Blessings

For the past few months, we have been in unrest. I live with my daughter and grandson whom I take care of while she works. Up until recently (like three months ago) her husband (who never liked my being there) was also in the home. He moved out leaving my daughter with a whole heap of debt and a rental amount she could not afford without his assistance. He really didn’t think he should contribute to the financial obligations before he moved out and definitely didn’t think so afterwards even though his name was also on the lease. this made it difficult for my daughter to find another place to live; one in which she would be able to afford. Thus, creating extreme hardship and high levels of stress and anxiety.

A Pile of Pumpkins
Ready for Children’s Pickin’

After much searching and reaching out to anyone and everyone she finally found another place for us to move to. Just one catch, the landlord was still working on the house, and she didn’t have the financial resources to move in immediately. Therefore, we had additional expenses of staying in a motel for a week until everything could be completed to satisfaction. during this transitional period my grandson was missing several days of kindergarten and speech class.

So, what do you think I did? Since we couldn’t provide transportation to his school, I took him to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes, hiking. Coleman and I went hiking three days in a row to his delight. In the mist of trials, it was a blessing to enjoy being out in nature spending quality time with him. Our motel for the week was a short distance from his favorite hiking place, Anne Springs Close Greenway. Therefore, where else would I take him but to the Greenway, of course. These Pumpkins were seen on our fourth day of hiking. They were situated at the Lake Haigler entrance to the Anne Springs Close Greenway. The Greenway also had other fun Fall/Autumn activities set up for the children to enjoy. During this week we visited three of the five entrances to the Greenway. Each entrance offers different trails and activities for visitors to utilize and enjoy.

Who Wants a Pumpkin?

I am extremely grateful for my daughter and her strength and persistence in searching and locating a place for us to live and feel at peace. Home is the nicest word in our vocabulary right now. We are all thankful for having a home to live in. Thankful to be out of the motel. Thankful to be out of turmoil. Thankful to be relieved of a heavy load of stress and worry. I know, all our troubles and worries should be laid in the hands of God, our Heavenly Father. It is difficult sometimes to lay everything at his feet and not continue to worry.

We (mostly me) still have a tremendous amount of unpacking to do but alas, it will all get done in due time. I am still processing the fact that we have a home to live in. Understanding that we are all safe and can relax and enjoy our home (it is a rental, but it is our home for now). Coleman has his own little room, with his own bed (he had been having to share mine). He has a fairly good size yard to play in and we don’t have to worry about him not having enough space to run and pay. This home is a blessing, and I am truly thankful for being allowed to share it with my daughter and grandson.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday_Pumpkin

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Friday_Thankful

Photo Credit: (c) 2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Pumpkins) Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA; Home) Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

Remembering …

Doyce Eileen (Watson) Waters

October 11, 1931 — January 18, 2019

Five years ago I received an expected yet saddening phone call from my brother. I was working when I received the call that my mother had passed.

My mom and I were not close after I became an adult and was on my own. I was felt she favored my brother and his family. I harbored ill feelings for the longest time towards my mother. I guess you could say I was jealous of the close relationship I felt she had with my brother and his family. I felt she spent much more time with his family and only gave me and my family a few minutes of her time. To me it seemed she cared more about them and even my dad’s sister’s family more than she cared about me.

Regardless of how I felt about her as an adult, she was still my mother. She is here any longer, I can’t let her know how I felt. I was never open with her about my thoughts and feelings. Sometimes I wish I had felt like I could have been open with her and closer. You can never get back the time lost with loved ones. Regrets can never be taken back once loved ones are no longer with us. I still think about my mom, especially on her birthday.

CHERISH EVERY MOMENT AND EVERY PERSON IN YOUR LIFE, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE THE LAST TIME YOU SEE SOMEONE.

quoteslife101.net

Cherish Your Loved Ones

Cherish your family each and every day Life is unbelievably unpredictable Enjoy the people in your life, Invest in forgiveness Stop wasting precious time And be thankful for what you have Cherish your loved ones. You never know when God will call them home.

Rosie Bourget

Ragtag Daily Prompt—TIME

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

2024 RDP: Saturday — Landslide

Landslides occur whenever they choose to happen even in the most unlikely of circumstances or in areas you least expect. This one happened on a portion of my cousin’s property. Better be careful where you walk. Never know what Mother Nature will decide to do next.

Along my cousin’s property
after all the rain
from Tropical Storms.

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Saturday-Landslide

Fandango’s One Word Challenge-Outside

John’s CellPic Sunday

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

2024 RDP: Olympics!

Paris Olympics 2024

The Olympic Games are only held every four years. They are an athletic festival/competition that originated in Ancient Greece. Athletes from all over the world compete in various sports competitions. Athletes train for years for the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games.

This year the Summer Olympics are currently taking place in Paris, France. There has been much controversy surrounding the Opening Ceremonies which took place on Friday. I’m not discussing the specifics or opinions regarding the controversy.

I am interested in discovering whether you are watching this year’s Olympic Games. I am watching/ following how the United States athletes are performing during their Olympic qualifying Trials and Final Medal matches for their respective events. I believe the athletes have worked extremely hard to achieve their goals of becoming an Olympian and should be supported for their efforts.

If you are watching the Paris Olympic Games, are you watching every single game/competition or are you just watching and enjoying specific events? As for me, I am only watching/following specific sporting events like swimming and gymnastics.

Did your children complete/play in sporting activities while they were growing up? My daughter participated in ROTC Drill Team competitions during high school. My eldest son participated in Taekwondo (aka Tae Kwon Do), football, and swimming. He concentrated on swimming and competed in many swim meets from twelve (12) through eighteen (18) years of age. His best events were the 100-meter, 200-meter butterfly even though he competed in all strokes including the individual medley and team relays.

These pictures show him swimming the butterfly in the California Interschlastic Federation’s (CIF) State Swimming Championships in 1999. He was there competing with his High school Swim Team.

These may not be at the same level as the Olympics, but many Olympic Athletes begin their training through local clubs, training programs, or their high school or college athletic programs.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-OLYMPICS!

Jez’s Water Water Evverywhere #230

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: ©️1999 Deb L. Waters

Location: Long Beach, California

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

2024 RDP: Older /|\ Rise

Welcome Friends, Guests, and Visitors! This is June 2024, I am realizing that the Older I get the harder it is for me to Rise. It is harder for me to Rise in the mornings, and harder for me to Rise from the floor. Let’s face it the Older I get the harder it is for me to do a lot of things. But, do I let that stop me? No. The Older I get the more determined I am to Rise above any and all obstacles that may arise.

Now that all that has been said, how about we take a ride down memory lane (or in this instance – tracks.) As I have been looking back through my dad’s Old old slides, I realise how much I do not remember about the family trips we took. I remember taking them, but the details are obscure. In the process of digitizing his old slides, the memories are Rising to the forefront of my mind.

On this trip down memory lane, I can see the photos and recall our ride on a vintage Railroad at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia.

The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad is an open-air train that chugs around the 5-mile base of Stone Mountain. The ride takes 40 minutes and includes a live “train robbery” skit. Trains depart from Railroad Depot, an old-fashioned train station, where there’s a restaurant with all the fixings for a fried-chicken picnic, just in case you forgot to bring your own.

Train Robbers
escaping from
the Sheriff

The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad, Inc. was formed in 1960 to construct a tourist railroad encircling the mountain. Three secondhand steam locomotives and several rebuilt passenger cars were purchased for hauling mountain visitors. Attempts were made to backdate two of the steamers to appear more like Civil War era engines, as the railroad’s theme was based on the “Great Locomotive Chase” involving the General and the Texas.

 A single locomotive pulls a consistent of open-air cars and often a caboose around the 3.88 mile loop track. Two or more trains are run during busy park hours. Passengers board at the Train Station near the Memorial Lawn. On the far side of the mountain, trains often stop for skit entertainment in the small yard area that includes mock up building fronts, a maintenance shed, and several spurs that store previous rolling stock.

Don’t let the clown face fool you, this is no good guy. He is attempting to “rob” the train.

Hawkins Rails

The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad ride is just one of several activities one may choose to take part in while visiting the Park. Regardless of whether you’re into history, hiking, or want to enjoy some relaxing entertainment Stone Mountain Park can accommodate your interests. For more information about what to do and see at the Park click here.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-OLDER

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Rise

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

Leanne’s Monochrome madness-Blast from the Past

Photo Credit: ©️1972 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Location; Stone Mountain Park; Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA.

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

2024 RDP: Saturday – Boat

From Dock to Shining Sea

Docked Boats
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, USA Throwback Photo
Sailboat
In the Caribbean Sea
off the Coast of
Cozumel, Mexico
February 2020 iPhone 11 Pro Max
Boating on Lake Wylie
Taken from
McDowell Nature Preserve

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
July 2020 iPhone 11 Pro Max

RDP Saturday-Boat

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

2024 RDP: Quilt

Barn Quilts & Such

Amish Country
Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio

Did you know that Barn Quilt Trails are located in 43 states of the United States of America and Canada has 3? Barn Quilts are believed to have originated in Pennsylvania almost 300 years ago when Europeans immigrated to America.

Have you ever wondered what a Barn Quilt is or their significance? A Barn Quilt is a large piece of wood painted to look like a quilt block and hung on the exterior of a barn, house, garage or other building. During the Revolutionary War, “Barn Quilts” were used to show American forces that an area was safe, secure, and supplies were available. Barn Quilts are a popular form of Americana folk art. They help to preserve the country’s quilting tradition and the regional heritage of various communities.

Barn Quilt Trails

The first Barn Quilt Trail was started by Donna Sue Groves.  She came up with the idea while working for the Ohio Arts Council in the 1990s.  Donna Sue shared her story in “Following the Barn Quilt Trail.” Soon barn quilts spread to other states, becoming driving tours, drawing in tourists and bringing the Appalachian way of life to the forefront. The Barn Quilts in the slideshow are located in the Ohio Barn Quilt Trails and the Appalachian Quilt Trail.

My Favorite Quilt

Even though this Quilt is not a Barn Quilt, it is extremely special to me. It was made by maternal grandmother with remnants of fabric used to make uniforms for me when I worked as a nursing assistant after high school. She lovingly made it with love to fit my bed. It was sewn on an old fashioned black Singer Sewing Machine to make each quilt top. She used colorful yarn to hand quilt and tie-off the quilt.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Quilt! 

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 RDP Sunday: Aurora

An Aurora as seen

from Lemon Grove, California.

Aurora Borealis
Northern Lights

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Aurora

Cosmic Photo Challenge-In the Evening

Photo Credit:©️Wayne A. Wilson (my brother-in-law) … All Rights Reserved.

Location: Lemon Grove, California, USA

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

A Pair of Trumpet(ers) Delight Your Weekend

Trumpeter Swan
(Cygnus buccinator)

Ragtag Daily Prompt Saturday-Trumpet

Six Word Saturday

John’s Cell Pic Sunday

Photo Credit:©️2012 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Location: Columbus Zoo & Aquarium; Powell, Ohio

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

Taking Flight in Gastonia

Coleman
watching an Airplane
becoming Airborne

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Monday – Airborne

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

2024 RDP: Tuesday — Ink

Ink Art — Tattoos

Continue to Live
I Got Your Back
22 Too Many
In Memory
&
Cancer Awareness
for Grandmother & Dad
( My Daughter’s Tatoo)
A Tattoo
on my Husband’s Arm

These tattoos all have meanings behind them. I do not remember my husband, Terry’s meaning for his tattoo. Regrettably I do not have a better quality photo of it. May he continue to Rest in Peace.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Ink

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

Papantla Flyers in Costa Maya, México

Looking back in time to Sunday, February 23, 2020; I remember walking off the Enchantment of the Sea Caribbean cruise ship onto the docks of the Costa Maya Port and seeing an amazingly entertaining sight.

When I first saw the ritualistic performance, I didn’t realize exactly what I was watching, however, I later learned that I was observing four men dancing in the sky.

Would you SIT
on top of an
80 foot pole?

These four dancers are tied by their feet with long ropes; they descend to the ground as the ropes unwind and fly around the pole. There is a fifth dancer who remains at the top of the pole, playing the flute and drum. This ceremony is not just for mere entertainment to display bravery and courage, but it actually has a much deeper, more valuable meaning.

The Papantla Flyers are also known as the Voladores de Papantla or Birds from Earth. The Dance of the Voladores or Papantla Flyers is a pre-Hispanic ritual that originated in Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico. The Papantla Flyers is the most famous of the Totonac dances.  This ancient Mesoamerican ritual is used to ask the gods to end a drought and bring rain for crops during extended dry seasons. It is said that the brave men falling symbolizes the fall of raindrops from the sky in the search of earth’s fertility. The flute represents the singing of a bird, and the drum resembles the voice of the gods; similar (almost) to the sound of a thunderstorm. In the past, the ritual began by choosing and cutting the tree from which they would take the flying post.

As a tourist this traditional ritual of the Papantla Flyers was stunning yet seemed dangerous. To the locals, it is a normal common and ancient tradition. It was amazing to watch even though I doubt that I would ever climb that high on any pole. Rest assured that these men who perform the important ceremony have been trained since childhood to perform this ritual. The tourists, like me, in actuality only see the final part of the ceremony.

Six Word Saturday

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 3

Ragtag Daily Prompt – Time

John’s Cellpic Sunday

Photo Credit: ©️2020 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max – Telephoto Camera

Location: Costa Maya Port; Costa Maya, Mexico

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

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 01.17

Winter Storm 2024 Hits Southern Tennessee

If I enjoyed being knee deep in snow, I might be full of envy seeing all the snow ❄️ my cousins received yesterday at their places in Tennessee. However, I I do enjoy observing their snow covered lawns, porches, and cars from a distance of my rain drenched home.

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Tuesday-Envy

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit: My cousins Rick and Ronald Fleming

Locations: 1-4)Lenoir, Tennessee and 5) Tullahoma, Tennessee

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

2023 RDP: Daylight Savings Time

This past Sunday, November 5th was the end of Daylight Saving Time for this year. The time is set at 2 am, so the major people try to remember to set their clocks backwards before they go to sleep at night. Most of the time I forget and just change clocks ( the oven & microwave clocks) whenever I get around to it. Smartphone and other Smart technology devices automatically change their times alleviating our need to do so.

Is Changing Clocks backwards and forwards to compensate for Daylight Saving Time beneficial? Yes or No? In 1974 President Richard M. Nixon argued that it would Save Energy when he signed into law the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act during a fuel crisis.

Other benefits to Daylight Saving Time include:

  • Longer Daylight hours Promotes Safety
  • Daylight in the Evening makes it safer for joggers
  • It’s safer for those walking their dogs after work
  • It’s safer for children playing outside
  • Greater visibility reduces criminal activity
  • Reduce the Nation’s Energy Consumption
  • It promotes active lifestyles

What are some disadvantages to Daylight Saving Time?

  • Daylight Saving Time is bad for your health
    • Changing sleep patterns has negative consequences for our health
    • Increase in headaches after fall time changes
    • Increase in auto and work place accidents the day after time changes
  • Daylight Saving Time drops productivity
    • The Monday after is one of the most sleep-deprived days of the year
    • Increased “Cyber loafing” (wasting time browsing the internet)
    • Decreased quality of life
    • Increased susceptibility to illness
    • Increase in tiredness
      • Note: Till Roenneberg, a German scientist observed that the human circadian clock does not adjust to Daylight Saving Time.

I know for a fact that my grandson’s internal clock does not adjust to Daylight Saving Time. He will wake up on the same internal “time” schedule regardless of what the actual time is. Being on DST he wakes up around 8 am give or take a few minutes. Off of DST his body tells him to wake up around 7 am. If we did not change the time on clocks, he would be waking up at the same exact time year round.

For myself, I firmly believe that I do not adjust very well to DST. I am extremely more tired in the days and weeks immediately following when time changes occur. I do not have the desire to wake up when he does, however, I must as his 24/7 caretaker. I have less energy, especially after the fall time change. It is harder for me to be motivated and productive in my surroundings. I have less energy for hiking and outdoor activities which I know are beneficial for both Coleman and myself.

RDP Tuesday word prompt is daylight savings time.

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

2023 RDP: Saturday – Sepia

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) Saturday Challenge-Sepia

Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

2023 RDP: Saturday – Sepia

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) Saturday Challenge-Sepia

Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

2023 RDP: Wednesday August 9 – Cat

It just seems fitting that the Prompt for Wednesday is Cat. Coleman and I went to The Schiele Museum of Natural History and then across the road to the Gaston County Library. While we we walking around The Farm at the Museum I spotted a cat 🐈 roaming around behind the chicken coop.

Normally cats are not the type of animals one sees in The Farm. Goats 🐐, Sheep 🐑, Chickens 🐓, Rabbits, and Turkeys 🦃 are the farm animals that are kept and cared for here. Cats 🐈, however, are not what’s cared for here.

Evidently, this cat 🐈 thought it belonged roaming around at The Farm. Therefore, I snapped a few photos of it. Then, I read what the Prompt was and knew that it was fate that I spotted the cat 🐈 yesterday.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Cat

Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina

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

RDP: A WORD TYPED on CLIMATE

Here I sit thinking about what words to type regarding Climate. Where I live now the climate can change within a matter of minutes sometimes catching you unaware. It can be bright and sunny 🌞 needing shades 😎 in the morning, beautiful white ☁️ clouds ⛅️ rolling in the afternoon, and pouring down rain with thunder and lightning ⚡️ ⛈️ by early evening.

Now the Climate in the county where I lived when I was growing up you could travel to the beach, the mountains, and the desert all in one day. If you did ; the Climate would be so you’d need your bathing suit and sunglasses 😎 and sunscreen at the beach, a warm jacket 🧥 in the mountains, and possibly all of the above in the desert 🏜️ depending on time of day and how long you intended to be there. Now don’t forget to bring along an umbrella 🌂 ☂️ ☔️ because you never know when the rains will come tumbling down upon you.

From Morning to Afternoon (Rains came a few later):

Ragtag Daily Prompt -Climate

Ragtag Daily Prompt – Type

Fandango’s One Word Challenge (FOWC)-WORD

Hammad Rais’s Weekend Sky

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

2023 RDP: Troll

Please don’t troll on by, stop and have a look. Trolling doesn’t always have a negative connotation. Fishermen troll the waters while trying to catch fish. Bargain Hunters troll Flea Markets and Yard Sales for terrific finds to take home.

This troll I’ve had for a very long time.
My small trolls are packed away
somewhere in a box.
This is a Troll
I bought for my daughter
when she was a little girl.

Ragtag Daily Prompt – Troll

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

2023 RDP: Strike a Pose

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Strike

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2023-Week 28

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Subject: Trisha Lynn Wilson, my daughter and Coleman’s mom.

Location: Playscape, The Schiele Museum, Gastonia, North Carolina

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

RDP: Visiting the Greenway Horses +

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Horse

Silent Sunday

Photo Credit: ©Deb L. Waters

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

RDP: JAUNT

For Coleman and me, The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium is just a short jaunt of a bus ride away. The bus stop is an even shorter jaunt away from our place than the Planetarium.

The following is what we saw at the Planetarium when we jaunted out for an amazing adventure.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Jaunt

Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters

God Bless. Thank you for sharing in our Planetarium visit. I appreciate y’all.

2023 RDP Sunday: Covert

The Sun is Covert.
Covert Coleman

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Covert

Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters

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