Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography
This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
I’m a little late for NPC #25, but I hope better late than not at all. This one was a challenge for me. I hope I’ve done it justice.
Nature Photo Challenge #25-Seedheads
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: iPhone 14 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
The Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris deffinis) is a moth of the order Lepidoptera, family Sphingidae. It mimics a bumblebee in appearance. It is sometimes called a “Hummingbird Moth” due to its ability to dark quickly from flower to flower, and its ability to hover over nectar sources.
The Snowberry Clearwing is hovering from flower to flower, which are called Phlox Carolina ‘Gypsy Love’. The Phlox carolina ‘Gypsy Love’ have narrow, pointed foliage and pink flowers in early summer. The Carolina Phlox are native to the southeastern United States. They are an herbaceous perennial boasting broadly cylindrical clusters of lavender to pink or white flowers over a long season.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura Fisheye Lens attachment.
Location: Out Front of The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: 2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Avon Catawba Creeks Greenway; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Forms in Nature
Photo Credit: 2023 Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Leannes Monochrome Madness
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Pull Up a Seat:
Coleman’s choices for Pulling Up a Seat in August differentiated from various Playground equipment to Picnic Table and Lounge chairs and even to Sand and Rocks. I never know where he’ll select to Pull Up a Seat. Where will you Pull Up a Seat this week?
Photo Credit: 2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens and iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Avon Catawba Creeks Greenway Trail; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: 2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Lens-Artists Challenge #262: Framing Your Photos
Photo Credit: 2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i and iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: 2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2023 Week 32
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens with Altura Wide-Angle Fish-Eye Attachment. f/5.6 • 1/80 • 55mm • ISO160
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium; Gastonia, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
XingfuMama’s One to Three Processing Challenge: August 2023
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EFS 18-55mm lens with Altura Fisheye Wide Angle Lens Attachment
All Effects were created on Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
This is a rare occasion when Coleman has his mom running around and playing with him. She’s usually working all the time, seven days a week. She’s usually exhausted when she gets home from working and her only desire is to relax. Therefore, seeing her having fun outdoors with Coleman brings joy and sunshine 🌞 to my soul.
Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.
— Laura Ingalls Wilder
Leigha’s Sunny Sunday Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens. f/7.1 • 1/400 • 300mm • ISO1250
Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Lines Shot on Canon:
One Word Sunday: Lines Pt 2
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all.
Taken Sunday afternoon, 6 August 2023, on way to car before the rainstorms began pouring down from the thunderous sky.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge-Simply Orange
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-Close Up of Macro
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters…All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Photos 1-2 & 4-5 ~> iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:
From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: (c) Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
WHATSOEVER IS LOVELY CHALLENGE-2023 WEEK 30
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters. All Rights Reserved
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
These are also known as Indian Potato, Man-of-the-Earth, Manroot, Morning Glory, Wild Potato Vine, Wild Sweet potato, Wild Sweet potato Vine.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens. f/7.1 • 1/400 • 300mm • ISO1000
Location: Warlick Family YMCA; Gastonia, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Leannes Monochrome Madness
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i and iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Hiking 🥾 Trails marked on Tree Barks:
Denzils Nature Challenge #22: Tree Bark
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Dale of The Cosmic Photo Challenge prompt is Freestyle this week.
Since this is freestyle week I decided to let you visit with me on one of the hikes Coleman and I took this past week. This hike was a little bit different in that we had my daughter, Coleman’s mom, along with us. On Tuesday we needed to be out of the home for awhile because a pest control company was going to come in and spray per the Complex management.
Therefore, we decided to go hiking in one of Coleman’s favorite places. The place we chose was Anne Springs Close Greenway about twenty minutes or so from our residence. Mind you now my daughter is not fond of hiking at all. When we arrived, we should them my membership card and proceeded to park. We thought Trisha, my daughter, was just gonna sit and relax near the canteen while Coleman and I hiked. It didn’t exactly go like we had thought. You see, Trisha brought her dog along with on our adventure ( he had to be out of the home as well).
Chewbacca, Trisha’s dog, decided he wanted to hike with us, therefore she had to tag along. We walked down to the lake and proceeded along the trail, Lake Haigler Loop, around the lake.
Coleman loves to run along the trail. I prefer a slower pace since I normally take many photos along the trail of the various sites we see. Often we observe different angles around the lake, seeing flowers, butterflies, sometimes turtles, bees, and even dragonflies.
At other times we see amazing reflections in the water.
I love seeing various creatures feasting on the nectar of wildflowers her at the Greenway.
Further down the trail as we hike around the lake I notice what appears to be a shape of a triangle formed with the reflections in the lake.
As we keep going I slow down observing butterflies flittering to and fro. Naturally I stop to snap a photograph. Meanwhile, my daughter’s trying to convince me to stop taking pictures. Guess what? She didn’t convince me, not one single solitary moment.
Next on our hike we come across a dragonfly and several turtles along the edge of the lake.
By this time my daughter is tired and wants to get this hike over with. Naturally, Coleman and Chewbacca want to keep going. They’re enjoying the outdoors adventure. Hence, we keep chugging along.
After awhile we decide to pull up a seat and relax a bit before finishing our hike. But first there’s more to observe as we near the picnic tables along the backside of the lake.
Finally to a spot to snack relax near the water’s edge.
The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Freestyle
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2023-Week 29
Alive and Trekking’s Which Way Photo Challenge.
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i and iPhone 14 Pro Max
I hope you enjoyed trekking along with us on our hike around Lake Haigler. God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens. f/7.1 • 1/400 • 300mm • ISO600
Location: Lake Haigler; Lake Haigler Loop; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
The widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) is one of the group of dragonflies known as king skimmers.
This species is found commonly in muddy substrates, or still bodies of waters such as ponds, lakes, streams, and creeks.
They are predators that prey on other insects such as mosquitoes. They catch their prey using their legs and use their fangs to bring prey into their mouth.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Location: Lake Haigler Loop; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts.
Hammad Rais’s Weekend Sky #108
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens.
Location: Lake Haigler; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts and for visiting my Weekend Sky view. I appreciate y’all.
I do not have my own personal garden where I currently reside. There are various Gardens close by where I am able to visit occasionally with my grandson. The following are a few examples of what can be seen at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, North Carolina.
The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Around the garden.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Location: Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Belmont, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Lens-Artists Challenge #257: Simplicity Photography
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters …All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Donkeys with us. I appreciate y’all.
Ludwigs Monday Windows
Photo Credit : Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens. Settings: f/5.6 ISO125 1/160s 105mm
God Bless. Thank you for following along with my blog. I appreciate y’all.
Debbies One Word Sunday: Two
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Location: Last 2 – Rankin Lake Park, Gastonia, North Carolina Shot on Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
WHATSOEVER IS LOVELY CHALLENGE-2023 WEEK 27
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters. All Rights Reserved
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Wildflower Garden, Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill, South Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate y’all.
XingfuMama’s One to Three Processing Challenge: July 2023
Photo Credit: (c) Deb L, Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens. All effects were done on my Canon EOS Rebel T3i.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with a Canon EF75-300mm lens.
Location Rankin Lake Park, Gastonia, North Carolina
Leannes Monochrome Madness
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm Lens
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge
Photo Credit: (c) Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with a Canon EF75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank You for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
These historic cabin windows are attached to the Crook Graham Cabin. The cabin is located at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
What makes these windows and this cabin historic, you might wonder? Let me tell you a little something about the significance of this particular historic cabin. The Crook Graham Cabin once belonged to Billy Graham’s paternal grandfather, William Crook Graham. He lived in a log house in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Billy Graham’s hometown.
The Graham Cabin is preserved on the Anne Springs Close Greenway a few miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina and is open to the public.
William Crook Graham later acquired acreage along a dirt track called Park Road, that land became a dairy farm.
These photos were taken of the right side of the cabin and the upper front window. On the front side of the cabin are wooden rocking chairs for visitors to relax and enjoy the views. My grandson, Coleman loves to take a break from hiking and relax on one of the rocking chairs for a bit.
Ludwigs Monday Windows
Terri’s Sunday Stills – Historical
Photo Credit: (c) Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with a Canon EF75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting Graham’s Cabin with me. I appreciate y’all.
After a week of solid rainfall Coleman and I were itching to get outside to roam around in nature. It was decided on Friday that we should be adventurous, after errands were completed. Our errands took us down to Lancaster which is an hour and a half away from our current home. Coleman was being extremely patient, he deserved a break on the way make home. Therefore, to relieve his itch to run around, we stopped at one of his favorite places.
What is that favorite place, you ask? It is the expansive Anne Springs Close Greenway. It was an extremely hot 🥵 and humid summer day. We walked around along the trails, across the swinging bridge, and up to the Wildflower Meadow to observe which flowers were thriving.
These coneflowers are common in the Mountains and the western Piedmont of the Carolinas. They are abundantly growing throughout the Greenway’s grounds.
We took a short break for a bite to eat at the Greenway’s Canteen. Enjoying the cool air was nice, but Coleman was itching for a different kind of relief from the hot 🥵 sunny summer weather. What kind of relief do you think he was desiring?
He was itching to get relief splashing in the water at the Greenway’s Spillway. The Spillway was low, however, it still produced enough water flowing across for many to cool 😎 off and enjoy a splashing 💦 wonderfully amazing good time. Coleman delighted in sloshing and splashing through the Spillway’s water 💦.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
John’s Cellpic Sunday
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Here you go I’ll pose for you. Which side do you think is my best side? The Left or the Right? Or maybe you need to take a closer look? I think I like the close-up view the best. How about you?
Photo Credit: (c)Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
These coneflowers are native to North America, and there are nine known species of Echinacea. Echinos is Greek for “hedgehog” or “sea urchin” which is reflective of the plants spiny center cone. Pallida is Latin and translated means “pale.” This is in reference to their petal color which is a pale pink-purple.
Interesting Medicinal Information:
Echinacea was first used by Native Americans for treatment of insect stings and bites as well as snake bites. Currently, Echinacea is used to prevent colds, flu, and other respiratory tract infections. It has also been proven to boost the immune system and treat urinary tract infections. Echinacea preparations can also be topically applied for wounds or skin problems. The roots and whole plant possess a cortisone-like antibacterial property.
WHATSOEVER IS LOVELY CHALLENGE-2023 WEEK 26
Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300mm lens.
Location: Wildflower Garden, Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill, South Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate y’all.
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens
Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway, Dairy Barn Entrance, Fort Mill, South Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time ⏳ and thoughts 💭 . I appreciate y’all.
From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:
From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
The Misadventures to our Adventures began on Late Sunday morning, 2023 June 25th. Deciding not to use to much of my daughter’s gas (No car of my own), I chose to take my grandson to the South Fork Trail and Blueway Access to do some hiking. However, when we arrived, we encountered the Danger Trail Closed signs preventing us from hiking the South Fork Trail.
Upon seeing the Danger Trail Closed signs, we climb back into the car, and I search for where to go next to try to accomplish our hike for the day. I looked up the Carolina Thread Trail and it was closed for the day as well. The next stop on our Misadventure to Adventures was the McDonald Field at the Pharr Family YMCA. There didn’t appear to be a trail that we could hike at that location just a short Fit-Trail. Therefore, we decided to get back in the car and figure out where to try next.
After a short drive Coleman and I arrive at our fourth destination of the day, The South Fork River Park. This location looked more promising. So once again we climb out of the car, load ourselves with our backpacks (mine with camera equipment, his with snacks) and proceed to locate the trailhead. We found the trailhead with no problems and proceeded to hike on the natural surface trail which was approximately 1.25-mile loop trail and also included 800 feet of river frontage. The day was hot and humid; however, I believe Coleman enjoyed his time hiking by the riverfront.
Coleman enjoyed hiking by the river. He probably would have liked it better if I had allowed him to get in the river, but we were not prepared for that adventure. Even though this was a wonderful adventure, our day was not over yet.
On our way back to the car, Coleman heard some noise and thought we should investigate what was making the bleat or baaing sound. Located just across the road from the parking lot was a farm with several goats. I was not sure at first how close to allow Coleman to get to the goats. Turns out the farmer was out in the yard and heard Coleman approaching the gated area. The farmer was friendly and gave permission for him to pet the goats. He liked that idea but was a little shy about doing so.
This turned out to be a pleasant day even though it started out with a few mishaps. Once back in the car, the afternoon was still bright and calling for more adventure. I drove us to another park for more hiking and adventure. I will leave those tells for another day.
Lens-Artists #255: Telling a Story
God Bless. Thank you for partaking in our misadventures to adventuring. I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Black and White Challenge and Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Leannes Monochrome Madness
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens.
Settings: f/7.1 1/320s ISO500 210mm
Location: South Fork Trail and Blueway Access, McAdenville, North Carolina
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
This type of plants are DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. Their typical butter yellow autumn leaves fall leaving the flowers exposed on this later flowering selection with slightly larger flowers than the species.
These particular witch-hazels were located near the Lake Trail at Crowders Mountain State Park in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S18-55mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Jez’s WWE challenge
Photo Credit:©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Photos 1 & 4 – iPhone 14 Pro Max
Camera: Photos 2 & 3 – Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.
Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2023-Week 25
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Altura Macro Wide-Angle Fisheye Lens for Canon EG-S18-55mm.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 