Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens and Altura Wide Angle Fisheye lens attachment.
Settings: f/9 • 1/80s • 24mm • ISO100
Location: Baxter Village Trail; Baxter Village; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Grateful for all of y’all for following, commenting, liking, and sharing your photos and stories with us. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Moses Cone Memorial Park Blue Ridge Parkway, NC Tunnel Trail Anne Springs Close Greenway Trail Underpass Anne Springs Close GreenwayTrail Underpass Anne Springs Close GreenwayTrail Underpass Anne Springs Close GreenwayTrail Underpass Anne Springs Close GreenwayTrail Underpass Anne Springs Close GreenwayTunnel Trail SignAnne Springs Close GreenwayTrail Underpass Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, SCTrail Underpass Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, SCTrail Underpass Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, SCTunnel Trail Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, SCTunnel Trail Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, SCTunnel along Baxter Village Trail Fort Mill, SCTunnel along Baxter Village TrailFort Mill, SCTunnel along Baxter Village TrailFort Mill, SCTunnel along Baxter Village TrailFort Mill, SCTunnel along Baxter Village TrailFort Mill, SCTunnel along Baxter Village Trail Fort Mill, SCTunnel along Avon and Catawba Creeks Greenway Gastonia, NCTunnel along Avon and Catawba Creeks GreenwayGastonia, NCTunnel along Avon and Catawba Creeks GreenwayGastonia, NCEighth Avenue Underpass Cramerton, NCEighth Avenue Underpass Cramerton, NCEighth Avenue Underpass Cramerton, NCEighth Avenue Underpass Cramerton, NC
Click on each image to enlarge.
Thank you to those who have participated and supported the Which Ways Challenge. I appreciate y’all sharing your Which Ways with us.
For an idea of other’s Which Ways from this past week’s challenge, be sure to click on the following links below.
Sport according to the Cambridge dictionary it is defined as “all types of physical activity that people do to keep healthy or for enjoyment.” And according to Reverso dictionary it is described as “activity for pleasure or exercise.” (Hiking is a sport enjoyed by many.) Other dictionaries define it as “An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.”
However, for me, I am using it in the context of physical activity done for enjoyment and to keep healthy which can be done individually or in a group.
Here are my contributions …
Cornhole ( considered a sport due to its competitive nature) …
Coleman playing Cornhole
Horseback Riding … ( a Sport due to requirements of significant physical exertion, mental skill, and discipline from the rider) …
Alona on horseback Coleman on horseback Horseback riding
Baseball (a competitive team sport) …
Coleman playing T-Ball
Disc Golf (an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which individuals compete for entertainment) …
Not exactly the way Disc Golf is played
Kayaking (a water sport that involves paddling a kayak, a small, narrow watercraft propelled by a double-bladed paddle and a seated position with legs extended forward.) …
Coleman in a Kayak (and no he didn’t go out alone)
Other Fun “Sports/Games …
HikingBicycling Exercising Coleman Following the LinesColeman playing Hopscotch Coleman playing Hopscotch
Hope y’all don’t mind I took a loose meaning to the term Sport and not the normal say people ordinarily think of it.
Remembering a fun family trip with my daughter and granddaughter to the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. This upcoming week my granddaughter will turn twelve (12). These are memories from when she was four (4).
Alona on an elephant sculpture
Her mom and I took her down to Columbia, South Carolina to visit the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. It was a special time and memories I will always cherish. [She currently lives with her father & he does not allow her to visit with us even though there is a shared custody agreement.]
Alona petting an Anglo-Nubian goat
Alona enjoyed being able to pet the goats and other animals in the children’s petting area.
Alona riding a Giraffe on the Merry-Go-Round
As well as the merry-go-round and all the amazing animals located within the Zoo.
Alona on a Gorilla sculpture
Every time we came near any of the animal sculptures she thought she had to go up and climb on them. It made for some interesting poses (or lack of posing).
Alona on Happy the Tiger in the Riverbanks main plaza
After a long tiring day, we stopped at the entrance/exit area for one final photo opportunity before traveling back home through Great Falls, Lancaster, and finally to get home in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Columbia, South Carolina with Alona
Location: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden; Columbia, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Memories are precious. Treasure your memories. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy from Life Lessons blog hosts a weekly photo challenge called The Numbers Game. This week’s number is 206. Her instructions for playing along are listed below …
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 under that number and include a link to your blog in Judy’s 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.
I have not been to the ocean in years, but we venture to lakes and rivers which are nearby. Here’s a look 👀 at our “Seasides”.
Myrtle Beach SeasideRankin LakeAndrew Jackson State Park Lake w/AlonaAndrew Jackson State Park Lake w/ColemanColeman by the South Fork Catawba River Riverside Park and Greenway
We didn’t do anything different on the 20th than we would normally do on any other day. Coleman and I enjoy being outdoors and wander through the woods whenever we possibly can. Right now in our area the weather is in the mid to high 90’s, much too hot to be out in the sun for any length of time.
With the heat advisory regarding the extreme heat temperatures, we only go out for short periods at a time. In those short periods Coleman likes to check to see what new blossoms have started blooming. These are some of what we have seen within the past week till now.
This week I have chosen to combine Dan’s CFFCwith Judy’s Numbers Game. After all Judy gives the option (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.) Dan’s theme this week is View from Below—High Angle combining some of his chosen photos with my CWWC—Any animal in your which way.
My entries for Dan’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge are a hodgepodge of photos shot from below (looking up) from various places and years.
Canada Goose flying over the South Fork Catawba RiverLancaster, South Carolina Over the Fort Mill Dam Fort Mill, South Carolina Coleman on top of a Cairn Cramerton, NCColeman on top of a Cairn Cramerton, NCColeman on top of a Cairn Cramerton, NCAmerican Airlines Airplane Over Charlotte, NCAmerican Airlines Airplane Over Charlotte, NCAmerican Airlines Airplane Over Charlotte, NCAmerican Airlines Airplane Over Charlotte, NCColeman up a tree Cramerton, NCColeman walking on a low tree branchColeman up a tree Cramerton, NCLooking up at a construction site from the CTTUnderside of a Bridge Goat Island Park & Greenway Coleman on a Swinging Bridge at ASCGRailroad Trestle Piedmont Medical Center Trail Rock Hill, SCRailway Trestle ASCG Fort Mill, SCAlona on top of a tunnel Baxter Village Trail, Tega Cay, SCAlona & Coleman on top of a tunnel Baxter Village Trail, Tega Cay, SCAlona on top of a tunnel Baxter Village Trail, Tega Cay, SCLooking up through the Trees Belmont, NCUnderside of Gazebo Roof Belmont, NCCee’s Fun Foto Challenge Dan Antion Perspective-View from Below Judy’s Numbers Game Cee’s Which Way Challenge
God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Thinking about the Coca-Cola 600 today as I work on my blog; I am remembering a time when I took my granddaughter, Alona to Carowinds. She was fascinated to see Dale Earnhardt’s #3 NASCAR race car on display in front of the then “Intimidator” hypercoaster(now called “Thunder Striker”).
Alona Dale Earnhardt’s #3 Race Car
The iconic “Intimidator” coaster ride at Carowinds opened with great fanfare in 2010. Carowinds had a long standing contract enabling them to license the name “Intimidator” through Dale Earnhardt Inc..
Alona “The Intimidator”
Carowinds “Intimidator” hypercoaster was renamed Thunder Striker after the licensing contract with Dale Earnhardt Inc. expired in December of 2023. The “Intimidator” carried its name for over a decade. The name “Intimidator” was the nickname for NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.
Judy invites us to join in with her to play “The Numbers Game #55.”Today’s number is 176. To play along, she suggests you 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 herNumbers 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 Numbers Game Challenge:
Judy invites us all to play along with her each week for her Numbers Game. 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.
I searched my archives and found only a few 171 photos, so I switched it up and searched for 117 photos. I found plenty more to choose from for my selections.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Hope to see your selections for Judy’s Numbers Game soon. I appreciate y’all very much.
For this week’s challenge I dug into my archives to share some throwback photos of things one might choose to “Just Do It.”
Just Ride a Monorail 🚝 Throwback Photo – Mid 70’sJust Fly an Elephant Disneyland Mid 70’sJust Fly an Airplane Camp Snoopy Carowinds May 2018Just take a Drive Along the Blue Ridge Parkway October 2017
Nature’s Pollinators More than just Bees Lindsay Pettus Greenway Lancaster, South Carolina Clover, South Carolina Mason Bees 🐝 McDowell Nature Center and Preserve Charlotte, North Carolina Xylocopa virginica, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Carpenter Bee 🐝 Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina Pollinator Habitat Eastern Bumble Bee McDowell Nature Center and Preserve Charlotte, North Carolina Eastern Carpenter Bee 🐝 Lake Haigler Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina Town Hall Busy Bees Fall Scarecrow Display Fort Mill, South Carolina My Granddaughter, Alona, in a Bee 🐝 Outfit April 15, 2014 Charlotte, North Carolina
Camp Snoopy is a Peanuts-themed area for children at several Cedar Fair amusement parks. Camp Snoopy was first introduced at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1983. This was the first amusement park with a section dedicated to children under 12 years old.
On March 20, 2018 Carowinds opened its gates to its youngest guests as the stars. Carowinds has transformed its kids’ area into the new Camp Snoopy.
Camp Snoopy has a variety of attractions. In addition to the kid-sized rides, there are shows featuring the characters from Peanuts, and the Camp Depot, where you can shop and dine.
Snoopy and my granddaughter, Alona
These photos were taken on August 1, 2018 when I took my granddaughter to Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina about a half hour from where we lived. This was the year Carowinds introduced the Pre-K pass. The Pre-K pass allows children between the ages of three to five to visit the park for free with an accompanying paid adult.
This week has been Holy Week for many across the world. Regardless of how you celebrate this week or what your beliefs are, I pray that you will have many blessings bestowed upon you.
Any and all holiday celebrations have changed drastically for me since 2020. In my younger years families would gather together for the special occasions. We would go to church every Sunday morning and evening. In between we would gather at my maternal grandparents home for a family dinner and enjoy being together with each other.
Nowadays our families do not gather together on Sundays and not much on holidays either. I use to go to church every week when I didn’t work on Sunday. Holidays were special, choirs at churches performed special music which was very uplifting.
I remember when I was young and living at home, I was always given a new dress to wear on Easter Sunday morning to church. In our family the dresses were rarely store bought, but sewn my mother with love. During the teenage years, we often had matching dresses that my mother had sewn. It was always interesting to see everyone dressed up so special on Easter.
Back then, Spring Break wasn’t called Spring Break or Spring vacation from school. It was at that day and age called Easter Break or Easter vacation. This years Holy Week also coincided with the Jewish Holy Week and the Passover, a festival of freedom.
This year is the first year my grandson was introduced to the Easter Bunny. I haven’t done bunch with Easter bunnies, Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts or anything similar in a very long time.
Today, however, as we were walking through the mall we came across an Easter bunny set up for those wishing to have pictures taken. So we figured, why not? My grandson wasn’t too sure what to think of the Easter bunny at first. He decided to wait for his half-sister before approaching the Easter bunny. Even then he wasn’t to sure if he want to sit next to the bunny or not until I sat next to the bunny with him. After a few shots with me holding him, he decided he’d be okay with sitting next to the bunny without me. The following photo is the result of today’s mall adventure.
Pictured are: my grandson, Coleman and my granddaughter, Alona with the Easter Bunny. Taken at Eastridge Mall, Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
Wishing everyone a happy, blessed Easter, Resurrection Sunday, and Passover. May God bless you and yours. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I appreciate y’all.
Coleman sitting on a Black PipeColeman and Alona resting on a Blue Bench
Blue benches like this one are located all around the park and trails at Goat Island Park and Greenway. Punched into it is Cramerton, NC.
Alona perched on a six-foot post
This post was taller than any of us are, so it took two of us to help her up onto the post.
Coleman demonstrating his many expressions while perched on the same post his half-sister was on above.
These were taken with my Canon EOS Rebel T3i on Saturday, February 18th when we visited Goat Island Park and Greenway. The Goat Island Park and Greenway is located in Cramerton, North Carolina just a few miles from where we recently moved (a week ago). The Park and Greenway have many different features for people of all ages and abilities. It has two separate playgrounds: one for children 1-4 years old and another one for children 5-12 years old. It has two pedestrian bridges which cross over the South Fork River, a fishing pier, river access, 1/2 mile of asphalt walking trail, and an Adult Fitness Pavillion. In addition to these features, it also has Large and Small Picnic Shelters, three permanent cornhole courts, two permanent ping pong tables, and an 18-hole Disc Golf Course. For the cornhole, ping pong, and Disc Golf one3 must bring their own equipment in order to play.
This weekend was a rare time spending with my granddaughter, my grandson, and my daughter all on a hiking trail. My daughter does not have her daughter all the time and she does not usually like to go hiking like my grandson and I do. So, being able to be outdoors in nature with all three of them was a lovely experience full of joy.
My grandson loves to climb. It was fun to watch his half-sister follow his lead in climbing up on top of the tunnel. My daughter’s heart was beating so fast, their actions scared her. It is a normal occurrence for me to watch my grandson climb when we are out in nature. If something can be climbed, he’ll climb it.
This toy I received as apart of a monthly toy subscription from Johnson & Johnson in 1982. It was a subscription offered to all new mom during that era.
Red Lettering Pump House Rock Hill, South Carolina
The PUMP HOUSE is a former industrial pump house located on the Catawba River. It now houses a multi-level dining room, complete with a rooftop bar and deck that’s open for dinner and on weekends. One can enjoy terrific views from the main dining room or from the year-round deck, both on the third level.
Coleman wearing a RED shirt standing on a RED caboose
The Little Red Caboose is a historic site in South Carolina. The Little Red Caboose is situated nearby to Millstone Park and Veterans Monument.
Red Leaf
Autumn leaves turn fiery-red in an attempt to store up as much goodness as possible from leaves and soil before a tree settles down for the winter.
Alona hanging on RED monkey bars
The RED monkey bars are included in the playground equipment in Allison Park which we accessed from the Baxter Village Trailhead located in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Instead of a normal cell pic, I am choosing to share a collage I made on my cell phone. The top two photos were taken on a cell phone whereas the bottom photo was taken on my Canon Rebel EOS T3i camera. Hope this is okay since it was created on my cell phone.
Top: Coleman taken in 2019 Middle: Coleman & Alona taken in 2020. Bottom: Coleman taken on Saturday, December 17, 2022
Wishing y’all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
This week my selections come from my archives. It has been cold and rainy, and I decided not to talk my walking/hiking buddy out in this chilly weather. These photos are from a walk around the lake at Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw, Union County, North Carolina I took with my granddaughter in 2018.
My granddaughter and my feet at the edge of the lakePanoramic View of the Lake at Cane Creek ParkDragonfly feasting on the flower’s nectarReflected ImageAmerican Black Duck This type are large ducks with a profile nearly identical to Mallards.Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. These ducks swim freely in the lake and sometimes come onto the shore.
My Granddaughter, Alona, playing at the water’s edge
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 