Tag: Canon Photography

Cameras: 1,3-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

God Bless. Have triple the fun. Enjoy Outdoor life. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 OWS: 16 March – Monotone

Catawba River In Monotone

This week Debbie with Travel with Intent has chosen a theme of Monotone for this week’s One Word Sunday (OWS) challenge.

Here are my entries for this week’s OWS Challenge …

*A floating piece of Wood*
*Coleman through into the River.*

*Looking through the Branches*
*as the Water passes on by.*

*Canada Geese*
*enjoying an afternoon swim*
*in the South Fork Catawba River.*

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Monotone

Camera: 1)Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment. 2-3) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

God Bless. Enjoy the Warm Springlike days when they come. Have a walk in Nature to refresh your mind and soul. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Silent Sunday: 16 March

A Boy’s Treasure

Silent Sunday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

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

2025 SYD: March 15

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos invites everyone to join her in Sharing Your Desktop (SYD). Below are her suggestions for participating in the Share Your Desktop Challenge

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:

From My HP Laptop:

Desktop Background Wallpaper

*Coleman*
*Taken with my*
*Canon EOS Rebel T3i*

Desktop Screensaver

From My Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max:

Personal Focus

*Coleman*
*Taken with my Apple*
*iPhone 16 Pro Max*

Reading Focus

Hiking Focus

Television Focus

*Canada Geese*
*Taken with my*
*Canon EOS Rebel T3i*

Sleep Focus

As you can see Coleman and his antics and expressions are in all, but one of my wallpapers. These were all taken at Riverside Park and Greenway in Cramerton, North Carolina.

Clare’s Share Your Desktop-March 2025

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #261

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Old Town; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

Goat Island Playground in Monochrome

Last weekend was a fairly warm sunny day, therefore, Coleman and I walked over to Goat Island Park and Greenway for him to run around a play outdoors awhile. He enjoys going to Greenways to hike and play.

While Coleman was playing a snapped a few shots of the various sections of the Playground using a couple of different lenses and attachments. I used Google monochrome filters to alter the images into black and white.

*Canon EF-S18-55mm with Altura Wide-Angle Fish-eye lens*

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters

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

God Bless. Get outside and enjoy the beauty in nature. Have a funtastic weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Wordless Wednesday: 12 March

South Fork Catawba River Soars

*Canada Geese*
*Soaring Over the*
*South Fork Catawba River*

XingfuMama’s Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 9

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

God Bless. Have a fabulous rest of your week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Words for Thought #55: 03.11

Show Me the Way

Think About It Tuesday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Settings: f/11 • 1/320s • 55mm • ISO100

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, 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.

Pull Up a Seat on a Lone (Jude’s) Bench

While hiking a hidden (almost) dirt trail at Riverside Park and Greenway this past weekend, Coleman and I came upon this lone Bench in the middle of a sandy area near the South Fork Catawba River.

I am not sure if anyone else knows about this Bench and the Sandy area along the South Fork Catawba River or not. Coleman and I have not seen anyone else around the area. Most people stay near the Fishing Piers at the Greenways.

It gives Coleman an opportunity to play undisturbed in the Sand with his Little Tikes construction vehicles. He is quite the “engineer” designing his own roads, bridges and tunnels in the sand.

It also allows me to have a peaceful serene tranquil relaxing place to Pull Up a Seat to relax and enjoy watching Coleman play.

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 10

Jude’s Bench Challenge

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Dirt Trail; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

2025 Monday Portrait: 03.10

Greenway Trail Guest Lou

Coleman and I met Lou and his owner while hiking the Carolina Thread Trail at Goat Island Park and Greenway. He was friendly and welcomed the attention. Later he enjoyed romping around with the other dogs in the dog park located at the far end of the trail.

Monday Portrait

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

God Bless. Get outdoors. Take a walk and enjoy the sunshine while seeing the beautiful landscape and interesting views all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Silent Sunday: March 09

Construction on the Riverbank

Coleman & his Little Tike Truck
South Fork Catawba River

Silent Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #260

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: South Fork Catawba River; 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.

2025 Thursday Doors: March 6

Historic Baltimore School Doors

This Historic Baltimore School is a little less than a mile walk from our home. Coleman and I visited here last weekend. The school building is in bad shape, however, funds are being raised to restore and preserve the school building. It already has Historic recognition and is awaiting the necessary funds to begin the restoration process. It will be used as a community center and museum once it is restored.

Restoration and Preservation is necessary for future generations to learn and understand the historical structure significance of the Baltimore Village School. To learn and understand why there was such a need for the school and how people and society’s views back then were so dramatically different than they are today.

I didn’t live in this area back during that time period. I do remember when buses were used to transport black students from one neighbourhood to another to integrate the schools. Times were definitely different back in the day.

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Cameras: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Historic Baltimore School; Historic Baltimore Village; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take a Walk. Visit an Historic Site. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Monochrome Madness #29 – Chair or Chairs

Chairs are Everywhere

The host this week for Monochrome Madness is Brian from bushboy.blog. Brian has chosen a theme of Chair or Chairs for this week’s challenge. Let’s play along and discover what Chairs we can find.

Everywhere Coleman and I go there’s always someplace Coleman can find to Pull Up a Seat …

We might find a Chair to Pull Up a Seat at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden …

Or we might find a Chair to relax in The Center …

We could locate a table and Chairs to Pull Up a Seat and enjoy a refreshing drink and snack before continuing on a hike …

*Lake Haigler Entrance*
*Anne Springs Close Greenway*
*Fort Mill, South Carolina*

Then there’s a chance we could spot a couple of Chairs on display in an office setting at a museum …

*The Schiele Museum of Natural History*
*Gastonia, North Carolina*

Coleman and I enjoy Pulling Up a Seat in a camping Chair at a State Park after a long hike around the lake …

*Andrew Jackson State Park*
*Lancaster, South Carolina*

But a fond memory of a place of comfort was the opportunity to Pull Up a Seat on my paternal grandparents front porch.

*My dad and Paternal Grandfather*
*Great Falls, South Carolina*

Now over to y’all to show us some Chairs by clicking here.

Brian’s Monochrome Madness #29-Chair/Chairs

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Photo Credit: 1-5)©️2020-2025 Deb L. Waters … 6) ©️1978 From my Dad’s Slides

Cameras: 1-4) Canon EOS Rebel T3i; 5) Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max; 6) Minolta XG-7 35mm (my dad’s).

God Bless. Pull Up a Seat for a spell. Enjoy the peace and comfort of a day’s journeys ending. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Wordless Wednesday — March 5

Liquidambar styraciflua

American Sweetgum

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: South Fork Catawba River; Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Cee’s FOTD: March 3rd

Calico Aster

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

Location: Catawba River Access; Fort Mill Dam; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

Rocky Shores of the Catawba

Greetings my friends and fellow bloggers. We’ve had some days where the weather’s been a bit warmer, but do not be fooled. Some cooler days are still gonna be hanging around reminding us that Winter is in no way over yet.

Sitting here enjoying the peace and quiet of the evening’s (Coleman’s asleep) fleeting moments; I’m reflecting and remembering a Spring hiking adventure Coleman and I took to the Fort Mill Dam. My memories fade from time to time, however, the wonderful feeling my memories of time past spending time together will always remain with me (and hope with Coleman as well.)

On this day in 2021 (Coleman was only one year and ten months old), Coleman and I decided to visit the Fort Mill Dam while his mom was working. We dropped his mom off at work and then using directions she gave me (keyed into GPS) we proceeded to locate the entrance to the parking lot for the Fort Mill Dam.

As usual, for us, we walked down to the water to look around. However, we are never satisfied until we hike around the entire area. Therefore, we wandered past the main access to the Catawba River and ventured downstream to get a closer look at the Dam. The area closest to the dam is rather Rocky according to my memory and these photo images I snapped on the particular day.

The vast amount of rocky shoreline did not prevent Coleman from investigating the area surrounding the Dam. He climbed up and down and all around the rocks. We saw quite a number of Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) on the rocks and in the water. Coleman had an amazing time visiting the Fort Mill Dam and hiking around the river. He loved watching the various species of birds flying to and fro over the water as well as swimming in the river. Oh, it’s good to reflect and recall memories we are forging together.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Rocky

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Memory

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

Location: Catawba River Access; Fort Mill Dam; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Be Grateful for the Memories and the loved ones you share with them. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monday Portrait: 03.03

Unexpected Trail Visitor

Coleman and I go hiking along trails whenever the weather isn’t too cold and windy to roam about outdoors. We often encounter other hikers/walkers walking their dogs on the trails in Greenways and, Nature Preserves, as well as State and Local Parks.

What or should I say whom we never expected to see while hiking on the trail was a man hiking with his Cat. He had a pet carrier on his back with the Cat inside on a leash. The Cat could (and did) leap to the ground, walk around and investigate the area and then spring back up to her carrier whenever she desired to do so.

These are shots of the Cat in his carrier people watching…

Monday Portrait

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

2025 Last on the Card — February

Brian from bushboy.blog is 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.

Brian’s 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

Here are my Last photos for February 2025 …

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

*Coleman*
*at the*
*South Fork Catawba River*
*via the Rocky Branch Trail*
*Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina*

From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

South Fork Catawba River
Via Riverside Park and Greenway
Cramerton, North Carolina

Brian’s The Last on the Card-February 2025

Marie’s WHICH WAY CHALLENGE – ROADS WITH TRAFFIC OR VEHICLES

Cameras: 1) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV filter for Canon.

Location: Belmont/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.

1-to-3 Photo Processing: 2025 February

Walking around Riverside Park and Greenway this week along a dirt trail Coleman and I came across this small tree with a few Green Sprouts popping amongst a sand-filled area near the South Fork Catawba River. Its location seemed an oddity, life beginning anew.

Here’s playing around with varying aspects of the image …

One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge-February 2025

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Dirt Trail parallel to South Fork Catawba River; 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.

Look Train — Oops, Not a Train

Hey Grandma, That’s not a Train

We took a walk yesterday after Coleman got off the School Bus. We had a lovely walk around Riverside Park and Greenway. We took a new (to us) dirt path along the river.

On the way back home, we walked on the sidewalk parallel to the Railroad Tracks. When Coleman heard a noise coming down yonder on the tracks he thought it was a train chugging along down the Railroad Tracks. Imagine our surprise when we saw work vehicles running down the tracks. Oh my, that was such a sight to behold.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Railroad Tracks; Old Town; Riverside Community; 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.

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): February Week 4 — Any Which Way — Your Choice

Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge . For this week you may choose Any Which Way, just be sure your Which Ways are clearly distinguishable.

For this week I have chosen to show various Which Ways in Black and White/Monochrome. You do not need to post Monochrome Which Ways unless you desire to do so. My Which Ways consists of paved roads, pathways, sidewalks and tracks. Choose your own Which Ways, you your image, be creative, be uniquely you in your inspired style and selections.

That’s all for this week. Next week will be CWWC: Any which way with lines.

With much appreciation for those who entered this past week, click on the links below to check out their Which Ways.

GERIATRI’X’ FOTOGALLERY’s ROAD TO KOTOR

gwh photos2’s CWWC – Traffic

Which Way Challenge (CWWC): February Week 4 — Any Which Way — Your Choice

God Bless. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s Which Ways. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Cee’s FOTD: February 27

Juncus effusus

Aka Common Rush
Green Bull Rush
Soft Rush

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: The Center; Downtown Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Smell the Flowers. Thankful for Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Canada Geese in Flight, On Land, & in Water

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) are very common sight here in the Carolinas. With the warmer temperatures and spring weather approaching, the Canada Geese are flocking to the lakes and rivers.

The Canada Goose is a large species of goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. They are herbivorous and normally migratory in nature. They are often found on or close proximity to fresh water. They are also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons. In our area they are oftentimes on and near the Catawba River or its tributaries, such as the South Fork (Catawba) River.

This week I am linking to Bird of the Week; Judy’s Numbers Game #61-182 and Carol’s Thursday Trios and XingfuMama’s Whatsoever Is Lovely.

It was a tremendous pleasure to watch the Canada Geese sunning on the river’s shoreline, diving into the water, taking flight and landing in the water.

Judy’s Numbers Game #61-182 (#2)

Birds of the Week CV

Birds of the Carolinas

Carol’s Thursday Trios

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2025 Week 08

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #259

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

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

Random NC Monochrome Pix

This being a non-theme week, I have decided to post a random variety of Monochrome images. I am linking to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness here.

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Thursday Doors

God Bless. Black & White or Colour; the World is a beautiful convas for artistic expression. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Wordless Wednesday: February 26

Sunbathing Turtles

Pseudemys concinna concinna
Eastern River Cooter

https://videopress.com/v/rhLfeKdi?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

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

2025 Words for Thought #53: 02.25

Trust God’s Guidance

Think About It Tuesday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250 lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

2025 Monday Portrait: 02.24

Coleman’s Snow Day

This past week Coleman was out of school for Two days due to winter weather advisory reporting impending snow and possible hazardous road conditions. Since We only get snow in our area every two-three years, I decided to bundle Coleman up to protect him from the elements and allowed him to run around outside while it was snowing. He had fun even though there wasn’t enough snow to adequately play with … no snowman … no snowballs … just light fluffy snow falling lightly to the ground.

Monday Portrait

Cameras: 1-5) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens with Altura UV filter attachment; 6) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

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

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

2025 Silent Sunday: February 23

Snow Capped

Plant Life

Silent Sunday

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

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

God Bless. Take Care. Stay warm. Spread the Love of Friendship. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Weekend Sky(Watch) Friday

❄️ Snow ❄️ — Not Enough? Or Too Much?

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.

If you love Snow, enjoy.

Lightly Snowing in Southwestern North Carolina

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Sky

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.

2025 Wordless Wednesday: February 19

Branta canadensis

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

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

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

2025 OWS: February 16 — Cross

Southern Cross of Honor

At the End of Life a Cross Signifies a life of service and dedication … The Southern Cross of Honor is placed on the graves of Confederate Veterans who served honourably during the American Civil War. For further information about the Southern Cross of Honor click here.

This Southern Cross of Honor is placed on my paternal 2X Great Grandfather’s grave. My 2X Great Grandfather John Thomas Waters ( Gravemarker reads THO’S WATERS) served honourably during the Civil War as a soldier of the Lucas Guards, a South Carolina unit of the Confederate Army.

[This is a part of my ancestral history and is not up for discussion. Like most soldiers regardless of who what unit or side of any war they served in, he and his comrades believed in what they were fighting for during their time period in history.]

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Cross

Fandango’s One-Word Challenge-End

Woolly Muses: WhichWayChallenge25-0207-Paved-Roads-Sidewalks

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens.

Location: Brannon Family Cemetery; Bethune, South Carolina, USA

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

2025 SYD: February 15

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos invites everyone to join her in Sharing Your Desktop (SYD). Below are her suggestions for participating in the Share Your Desktop Challenge

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*

Reading Focus

Coleman
playing at the
CLT Airport Overlook

Share Your Desktop-2025 February

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.

2025 Cee’s Weekend FOTD: February 15/16

Agraulis vanillae on Zinnia elegans

Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) on a Red Zinnia Elegans (Zinnia elegans)

Cee’s Weekend FOTD

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.

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): February Week 2 — Which way with the colors of brown or black

I’m combining this week’s CWWC with Dan’s CFFC Black and…? — CFFC. For the Which Way Challenge I have selected Any Which Way with the Colours Brown &/or Black. To me, this ties in nicely with Dan’s Black and ? Challenge for this week. Let’s have fun and see what we can all achieve together.

Here are my entries for this week’s challenge:

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.

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:

LinsArt: Friday Catch Up – 7th February 2025

GERIATRI’X’ FOTOGALLERY: STAIRS WITH PEOPLE

Judy Dykstra-Brown: Walk This Way! (For the Which Way Challenge) Feb 9, 2025

______________________________________________

Which Way Challenge: With the Colours Brown and/or Black

Dan’s CFFC: Black and?

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.

2025 Cee’s FOTD: February 12

Rose ‘Livin La Vida’ PP

(Rosa hybrid)

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.

Floral Macro Monday: 02.11

Antirrhinum majus

Macro Monday

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens

Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Breathe. Stop and Smell the Flowers. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 CFFC: Nursery Rhyme

One, Two,

Buckle My Shoe …

Nineteen, twenty,

MyPlate’s Empty.

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.

One, two, buckle my shoe;
Three, four, knock(er) at the (Thursday) door;
Five, six, pick up sticks;
Seven, eight, lay them straight;
Nine, ten, a big fat hen;
Eleven, twelve, dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen, maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen, maids in waiting;
Nineteen, twenty, my plate‘s empty.

[Source: Wikipedia.org]

Here are my One, Two Buckle My Shoe Nursery Rhyme photo selections:

Dan’s CFFC-Nursery Rhyme

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

2025 FOTD: February 6

Pyrus calleryana

Aka Bradford Pear,
Callery ‘Bradford’ Pear,
Callery Pear

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

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

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

Public Art in a Perennial Garden/FOTD

@Daniel Stowe

Botanical Gardens

*Coleman discovering the Perennial Garden*

Washington Matan Development
Opal Stone
Donated By
Villam and Laura Moore

PPAC (Photographing Public Art Challenge)

https://videopress.com/v/tzeLp0x5?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens.

Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Weekend Sky: February 2

Stormy Clouds Rolling In

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.

Taken between 2:18pm and 3:43pm on Friday, January 31st.

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Sky #142 – February 2nd

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Old Town; Riverside Community & Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Silent Sunday/WWE: February 2

With a Push & Shove,

a Splish & Splash

Silent Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #257

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura for Canon UV Filter attachment.

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

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

2025 Last on the Card — January

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

As an added bonus I thought I would post a comparison of first & last photo for January from my Canon.

Brian’s The Last on the Card-January 2025

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. ↩︎

Higher, Higher Reaching for the Sky

… At 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.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

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.

2025 Ultimate Finale of GeometricJanuary Squares

Geometric Shapes

and Patterns at

Andrew Jackson State Park

This being the 31st of January and the last day of the month for Becky’s GeometricJanuary Squares Challenge for 2025, I decided to give you my ultimate finale of Geometric Squares all from Andrew Jackson State Park.

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.

Becky’s GeometricJanuary #31

Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; Apple iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Location: Andrew Jackson State Park; Lancaster, South Carolina, USA

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

2025 CFFC: Ordinal Numbers

Dan Antion is the new host for the CFFC (Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge). Participating in the CFFC has always been fun and sometimes challenging for me. Let’s support day and continue our support in the CFFChallenge.

Here are my selections from my archives for Dan’s Ordinal Numbers challenge…

*First Baptist Church of Abilene, Texas*

Dan’s CFFC-Ordinal Numbers

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

2025 The Numbers Game #58

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 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.

Here are my 179 photo selections for this week’s Numbers Game.

Judy’s Numbers Game #58-179

Lens-artists Photo Challenge #332 – Shoot From Above

Becky’s GeometricJanuary

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

2025 RDP Tuesday Reunion!

Looking Back

at Past Reunions

The Ragtag Daily Prompt for today has prompted a look back to Reunions in years past. In my younger days we had a few Family reunions with members of my maternal grandfather’s side of the family. So far, I have not located any of the photos my dad or other relatives would have taken of those get togethers. Some were held at my maternal grandparents home and others at my maternal grandfather’s sister’s daughter’s home. The memories of those Reunions are sporadic and fragmented, but do somewhat remain in the crevices of my mind.

After my maternal grandfather passed away the family reunions seemed to fade away. I hadn’t gone to a reunion in years until after we moved back to the Carolinas and made family connections through AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, and Facebook. It was with those connections that I found out about the Greer/Watson/Trivette Reunions and the Watson Family Reunions in and surrounding Deep Gap, North Carolina. [My maternal grandfather was born in the Deep Gap area in 1890.]

Here are a few photos from those Reunions …

Watson Family Reunions

2015

2016

2017

Ragtag Daily Prompt: Tuesday! Reunion !

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens

Locations: 2015-2016) Yadkin Valley Community Park; Lenoir, North Carolina; 2017) Deep Gap Fire Department; Deep Gap, North Carolina

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

2025 LAPC #332 — Shoot From Above

Looking Down at the Valley

Ritva is this week’s host for the Lens-Artist Challenge and she has chosen a theme of Shoot From Above. I do not always shoot from above, however, on occasion I have a fantastic opportunity to do just that.

Here is remembering one of those occasions …

*A Look from*
*Mount Jefferson State Natural Area*
*West Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina*

More Shots from above at The Peak at Mountain Jefferson State Park …

These were taken in August of 2017 when my eldest son and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway and visited Mount Jefferson, North Carolina. I was in the area for a family reunion in Deep Gap, North Carolina. While in the area, we decided to do some sightseeing and a little hiking. It was a fun weekend of one on one time together.

For my information regarding Mount Jefferson State Natural Area and what the area has to offer click here.