Nornal Hule & Doyce Eileen Waters Taken in 1976 for their 25th Anniversary If they were alive today, it’d be their 73rd. Love lasts a lifetime and into eternity.
May God’s hope, peace, joy, and love surround you this Advent season.
Location: Allied Gardens Community; San Diego, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
My father, Nornal Hule Waters (often spelled Norman in military paperwork.) joined the U. S. Navy on September 24, 1948. He enlisted in South Carolina and had his training in San Diego, California. He attended the U.S. Naval Hospital Corps School and is listed as graduating from the School on July 4, 1950. These photos were scanned from his graduation ceremony program. [My dad saved everything.]
Close-up of the U. S. Naval Hospital U. S. Naval Hospital and Hospital Corps School Taken from the Program U. S. Naval Hospital and Hospital Corps School San Diego, California
Traveling across the United States off and on over the years I have seen and visited many different locations with crosses on display.
This first cross is one Coleman and I came across as we were hiking in Westminster Park. We noticed it after we parked and started hiking. We hadn’t hiked very far before we noticed it, but we didn’t stop to check it out until we completed our hike along the Catawba River. With its location being close to the parking area we chose to save it for last. You can see spectacular views standing by the cross and looking outward towards River.
Living Water Chapel at Westminster Park Rock Hill, South Carolina
This next cross is one dear to my heart. It sits beside my 2nd great grandfather’s, John Thomas Waters, gravesite. It is the Confederate Maltese Cross. These crosses are often located on the site of those who served in the Confederate Army during the United States Civil War.
Confederate Maltese Cross Memorial Brannon Family Cemetery Bethune, South Carolina
When I traveled to Texas in 2020 I came across the Discovery Center Creation Museum in Abilene. During the time I was visiting my Aunt Irene (Erma Irene Watson) I would often go out for walks about the neighborhood for exercise and to relieve my curiosity about what interesting things and places I could discover. On this particular day I discovered the Discovery Center Creation Museum. Intrigued by the sign and dinosaurs portrayed outside the building I decided to go inside and have a look around. “The Miracle of Israel” exhibit is the location for the three crosses, a representation of the Resurrection.
Discovery Center Creation Museum Explore•Discover•Believe Abilene, Texas
This last cross, the Padre Cross, is one of my favorites. Having lived in San Diego for most of my childhood I often visited El Presidio Real de San Diego. It was established on Presidio Hill on July 1, 1769.
The San Diego Presidio was built to protect the original colonist from American Indian attack and became the military headquarters for continued Spanish exploration of the interior lands, and throughout Northern California.
The San Diego Presidio is a National Historic Landmark and part of San Diego’s Presidio Park. Presidio Park enables you to walk in the footsteps of California’s early European settlers. The popular attraction is the location where Gaspar de Portola and Junipero Serra constructed the San Diego Presidio and the Mission San Diego de Alcala in 1769.
The Padre Cross also known as Serra Cross was erected in 1913 and is made up of tiles from the Presidio ruins. It is located east of Presidio Drive across from the Junípero Serra Museum.
Padre Cross Junípero Serra Museum Presidio Hill San Diego, California
Scott Memorial Baptist Church San Diego, California
The above photo is of the church I grew up in as a child. It holds many memories for me. The church was originally founded in North Park, San Diego in 1912 as Scott Memorial Baptist Church, in memory of U.S. Army chaplain Winfield Scott. My family and I began attending this church approximately in the Spring of 1958. The exact time I am not really sure about. I know we moved to San Diego in April of 1958. [My mom attended First Baptist Church of San Diego beginning in her pre-teen years. My maternal grandmother served as a cook for that church until shortly before she passed.]
Scott Memorial Baptist Church is where I first learned about God, about his love. grace, and forgiveness. It is the church I was baptized in at the young age of seven. It was where I learned to memorize scripture, study the Bible under the marvelous leadership of our Youth Pastor Jeremiah Riffe. It is through their youth program that I learned to enjoy hiking and camping.
This church has undergone several changes over the years. For example, after twenty-five years under the same pastoral leadership the leadership changed, and a new senior pastor was introduced. More pastoral changes occurred over the years as well as changes to the name of the church.
Grace Church San Diego Formerly Scott Memorial Baptist Church San Diego, California
This photo is of how the church looks at the present time. The leadership has changed, the name has changed, however, the teachings are still built on the foundation of Biblical Truth with a message of God’s Grace, love and hope anchored in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They believe in making resilient disciples who direct their lives to live as Christ lived and taught. The building is the same and the teachings are primarily the same. It doesn’t matter that some of the people has changed, or the staff has changed, or that the name has changed and now goes by Grace Church San Diego. When I look at it or see the activities through the eyes of my friends, I still see it as a special place and it will continue to have special meaning for me.
Throwback photo from the early 1960’s taken at my maternal grandparents place in San Diego, California. Pictured are my immediate family, my maternal grandparents, my mom’s sister & her husband, our cousin, his wife & sister-in-law. Taken back during a time when families used to gather together for Sunday Dinners. Can you guess where I am in the picture? I would probably bet ( if I bet, which I don’t) y’all would have no problem guessing correctly.
New Holland TractorTractor Massey Ferguson 135 (front loader, bucket & trolley) – 1969Military Tank Location: March Air Field Museum Riverside County, California M8 Greyhound US Military Tank San Diego, California Fieldcrest Cannon Fire Services of Kannapolis, NC “Former Engine 503” 1966 Ford C/American LaFrance North Carolina Transportation Museum Spencer, North Carolina 1950 Dodge Luxury Liner Deluxe Sedan Christopher Beltz Standing by car are: My mom, Doyce Eileen Watson on right in back Her brother Jerry Alexander Watson and Her sister, Erma Irene Watsonin front. San Diego, California 1916 Ford Model T North Carolina Transportation Museum Spencer, North Carolina Dual Horse and Buggy driven by my maternal grandfather, Harvey Martin Watson Deep Gap, North Carolina
Mission Beach Boardwalk Sand in Mission Beach San Diego, Californiaca. 1920 San Diego Union-Tribune CollectionClyde Wilson Jr (My father-in-law) Sand at the BeachSeals on the Beach La Jolla Cove La Jolla, San Diego County, CailforniaLove San Diego written in the Sand. Pacific Coast Highway San Diego, California
For this challenge I went to my archives. I grew up in San Diego. California. I miss the beaches, the warm sunshiny weather, and friends I had there. Some still live there while many others have moved away, like me, due to the high cost of living.
What is my earliest memory? That is a good question. I wish I could say I remember everything, but that would be nearly impossible. Our minds, especially mine, tend to have selective memories.
That being said, I do remember parts of my childhood. I remember living on South Meadowbrook Drive in San Diego, California. I remember playing outside all day. Playing baseball in the neighbors backyard. Part of the time I would play with Mary a few doors down from me, but mostly my brother & I would play with the three boys next door. We’d all play outside all day without question. Never had a desire to be stuck indoors. We’d play baseball, basketball, freeze tag, hide-n-go seek, and whatever else we could. We’d ride our bikes up and down the street, around the block, and sometimes up to the school on Saturdays; just to play on the playground. There were no fancy skate boards for us. We’d take the wheels off of street skates & attach them to scrap boards to make our skateboards. Those were such fun times.
I also remember all the girls wore dresses to school. Pants were not allowed until around my ninth grade in junior high school. Yes, my school was a junior high not a middle school. We moved after I was promoted from sixth grade to seventh. I didn’t know anyone in our new neighborhood or my new school. Therefore. I tended to ride my bicycle by myself, walk to and from school by myself carrying my books in my arms. I don’t recall backpacks back then.
I remember always having Sunday dresses that were only worn for church. We went to church every Sunday morning, every Sunday evening, and on Wednesday evenings. There was always Church worship and Sunday School. In the evenings after Sunday church worship, the youth would gather at a members house for a time of fun. In the summers, we would meet at someone’s house that had a pool so we could swim and splash around. Occasionally, we would meet at Mission Bay. Those were fun times. That’s where I learned how to water ski. No matter what activity we enjoyed, there was always singing & a short devotional.
There are more things I remember, but then that would be like writing a memoir. Too much for a single post.
One thing I remember and treasure from my early days, are given a love for the outdoors, the enjoyment of camping & hiking, and being taught about the live of Jesus Christ and His wonderful mercies.
This photo goes way back to before I was even imagined. I’m not sure who took the photo, however, it is a picture I inherited.
Doyce Eileen Watson
This is a photo of my mom back probably in the mid to late 1940’s, before she graduated from high school. It was taken in San Diego, California.
It is a piece of nostalgia, a small piece of my mom’s past. A way to know about her life especially since she never talked about her childhood or any portion before the life I knew with my family.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 