2024 RDP: Older /|\ Rise

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

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

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

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

Train Robbers
escaping from
the Sheriff

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

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

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

Hawkins Rails

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

Ragtag Daily Prompt-OLDER

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Rise

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

Leanne’s Monochrome madness-Blast from the Past

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

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

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

2024 Monday Window

Historic Windows/Doors

The Davis House
Formerly Known as
the Dickey House

The Dickey House is a historic home in Stone Mountain Park, Georgia. It was built in the 1840’s on a 1,000 acre plantation in Dickey, Georgia. The house was the manor house of the property. The descendants of the original owners lived in the home until it was moved 200 miles away to Stone Mountain’s Historic Square in 1961.

 The roof, porches, and chimneys were removed and the house was quartered for transport, then reassembled by master carpenters. The house was filled with antiques from the 1800s and was considered a historic representation of the 1860s.

Pull Up a Seat was once possible beneath the second story. Sadly, that is no longer possible as the house was destroyed by fire in 2023.

The Dickey House was the focus of the Stone Mountain “antebellum plantation” and the state’s effort to develop a tourist attraction at the site of the Confederate Memorial, a high-relief sculpture of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson that is carved into Stone Mountain.

The Dickey House opened to the public in 1963. More sophisticated than a Georgia “plain style plantation” such as the Tullie Smith House in Atlanta, and less grand than the Gone With the Wind image of Tara as the assumed typical antebellum plantation of the South, the Dickey Plantation, with its collection of period furnishings, collected outbuildings of the era, and gardens, provides a unique illustration of pre–Civil War architecture.

In November of 2023, Nearly 200 years of history went up in flames on a Tuesday morning when a fire broke out consuming the Dickey House in Stone Mountain Park’s Historic Square that predate the Civil War. The fire completely destroyed the home making it irreparable.

Ludwig’s Monday Window 

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 22

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

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

2024 CMMC: May —Alphabet a D anywhere in the word

Visiting “D” Places From

California to North Carolina

Movieland Doors
Movieland Wax Museum
Buena Park, California
in May 1966
Moving Forward on
TWEETSIE RAILROAD
Boone, North Carolina

in July 1969
It’s a Small World
Disneyland
Anaheim, California

in June 1970
Hopi House
Pueblo Indian Dwelling
Grand Canyon, Arizona

in January 1971
View from Angels Landing
Angels Landing Trail
Zion National Park, Utah

in August 1971

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-May Alphabet a D anywhere in the word

Becky’s Square Renew-Moving Forward

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️1966-1971 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Digital Conversion of my dad’s slides were done using Wolverine’s Digital Converter.

God Bless. Thank you for traveling back in time across America with us. We had fun moving forward with memories reconstructing my dad’s old slides to share and preserve. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Presidential Garage & Doors of a Death Car

Roosevelt’s Little White House

Warm Springs, Georgia

Growing up almost three thousand miles (actually 2,512 by today’s calculations) away from my dad’s family in South Carolina; we only traveled the long distance every three (3) to five (5) years. My parents always drove straight through switching off driving every several hours and/or miles as deemed necessary.

On every family vacation to visit my dad’s family, my parents would plan places for us to visit during our trip. One place would always represent a place of historical significance. The other place would always be some fun attraction. Sometimes it’d just be our immediate family visiting the chosen places and at other times my dad’s sister’s family would join us.

On our trip in July of 1967, my dad selected The Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia for us to visit. The Little White House was the personal retreat for Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States of America. It is located in the historic district of Warm Springs, Georgia.

When Roosevelt first started coming to Warm Springs (previously known as Bullochville) in 1924 it was to receive treatment for Polio. He loved the area tremendously, so he had a home built on Pine Mountain located close to Warm Springs. On April 12, 1945, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died in this home shortly after he began his fourth term in office.

In 1948, Roosevelt’s Little White House was opened to the public as a museum. Part of the Museum displays include his 1938 Ford V-8 convertible coupe and his custom built 1940 Willys roadster. Many of his cars were equipped with special controls that allowed the partially paralyzed Roosevelt to operate the foot pedals with his hands.

Death Car used in movie
Similar to Car
FDR was riding in when
an Assassination  Attempt Occurred

There was a movie made in 1933 that depicted the attempted assassination on Franklin D. Roosevelt. It references the assassination of Chicago Mayor Anton Joseph Cermak and his who was mistakenly killed during the attempt on FDR. The Death Car shown here and in the museum is the car that was used during that filming.

To learn more about the assassination attempt on Franklin D. Roosevelt click on Death Car or to learn more about FDR click on his name.

Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday 

Becky’s #Square Renew/Reconstruct/Moving Forward

Photo Credit:©️1967 Nornal H. Waters (my dad) … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Pictures were Reconstructed from slide format to digital format via a Wolverine Digital Converter Renewing them for preservation and future generations.

Location: Roosevelt’s The Little White House; Warm Springs, Georgia, USA

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

2024 LAPC #298: To Be Young Again

We can’t go back to being young again, but that doesn’t stop us from feeling young once again. When we reminisce we remember how we felt when we were young, the excitement of getting on a bus for a week of adventure with friends.

Youth group loading
onto the church bus
for a time of fun and
adventure in the desert.
Children from an Orphanage
in Tecate, Baja California.

We remember the fun times of venturing into Baja California ( or a place we’d never been to before), of sharing our time and helping others. We remember the dreams and ideas we had, the places we wanted to see, the things we wanted to do.

A Young Family
resting a spell
by the church’s Chuck Wagon

We remember sharing our love,passion, enthusiasm, and experiences with children and families. We remember how it was when we were young and smile at all our happy memories.

Done with reminiscing for a while; we share our memories, our stories, our experiences with the young of today … our grandchildren. Just maybe they will find joy and excitement in doing some of the same things we enjoyed doing when we were young.

Coleman
and his
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #298 -To Be Young Again

Becky’s Squares-Renew

Dan’s  Thursday Doors

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Photo Credit: 1-3)©️Nornal H. Waters (my dad); 4) ©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

Door to the Vast Unknown

Door in the Redwoods

Thursday Doors, hosted by blogger and author, Dan Antion.

Photo Credit: ©️2024 Fred Blackburn … All Rights Reserved.

Location: Redwood National Park; Orick, Humboldt County, California

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

2024 Monday Window: 04.29

Throwback Windows and Doors

Union Church
Big Horse Creek; Tuckerdale,
Ashe County, North Carolina, USA
Newer Building
Union Baptist Church
Big Horse Creek; Tuckerdale,
Ashe County, North Carolina, USA
[Photo Credit: ©️2019 Christian Eckmam (my paternal cousin)]
Article about Union Church — Baptist

Union Church (Baptist) was originally constituted in August of 1866 in the Mountain Union Baptist Association. Some of the charter members were some of my paternal ancestors on my Waters ancestral line.

The Union Church has undergone several changes over the years and has existed for One Hundred Sixteen (116) years. More information about the early churches and the history of Ashe County may be found on the Ashe County Historical Society’s Facebook or Website.

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

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

2024 CMMC: April —Alphabet a CK or CH in a word in Monochrome

My CK and CH seen while Coleman and I walked around the neighbourhood.

Monochrome Dump Truck
Coleman
wearing a Backpack
walking to the Dump Truck
in Monochrome
Monochrome Close-up
of the Door
on a Dump Truck

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge-April Alphabet_a CK or CH in a word

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: New Hope Road; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

Looking In & Through an Historic Cabin’s Doors

Faires/Coltharp Cabin

Take a walk with us inside Faires/Coltharp Historic Cabin. You can see Coleman has no qualms about going through the door to check everything out. He is extremely inquisitive and loves to investigate everything he sees and comes across.

A Bit of History:

The Faires/Coltharp Cabin:

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

Cameras: Slides-1-3) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens; All other photos) iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Location Faires/Coltharp Cabin; Dairy Barn Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

2024 Thursday Doors: A Look through our Doors

Instead of doors in and around the neighborhood, our town, or surrounding areas I am giving you a look of my view from our home’s doors.

… Through our Front Door
… through the Bathroom Door

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

2024 Thursday Doors: 03.07

Don’t Let the Chickens Escape

Chicken Coop Door

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max – Ultra Wide Camera

Location: The Farm; 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.

2024 Thursday Doors: 02.22

Mobile Unit Doors

Normally, most people would only think about wreaths and or the laying of wreaths at cemeteries around the Christmas holiday season. The Christmas Season being the annual time for wreaths to be laid in the Arlington National Cemetery as well as other cemeteries across America.

Wreaths Across America
Mobile Unit

Wreaths Across America was formed in 2007 by the Worcestershire Family with the support of Veterans Organizations and a variety of other groups. These groups had previously helped with their annual wreath ceremony in Arlington. Wreaths Across America was formed as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, to continue and expand this effort, and support others around the country who wanted to do the same. 

Welcome Home
Wreaths Across America

The organization’s mission which was established is to Remember. Honor. Teach.

WELCOME HOME
[Sign above Door]

Wreaths Across America is dedicated to teaching all generations about the value of their freedoms, and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms. 

THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE

In 2022, the organization launched its expanded TEACH Program and collaborated with like-minded organizations focused on character development and service projects for young people of all ages, with lesson plans for all grade levels and learning abilities.

POW-MIA
WELCOME HOME
Wreaths Across America

The Wreaths Across America (WAA) continues its commitment to remember our fallen servicemen and women all throughout the year. One way they do this is with the Remembrance Tree Program.

The Remembrance Tree Program was established as another way to remember and honor our veterans. WAA established this program for families of veterans to provide a living memorial to their lost loved ones.

Wreaths Across America
Mobile Unit

The Remembrance Tree Program is a part of the Wreaths Across America organization that we ( my daughter and I) had not been familiar with prior to visiting the Wreaths Across America Mobile Unit when it came to Fort Mill, South Carolina.

The WAA purchased their own dog-tag machine which allows feed families of the veteran the ability to customize their message for the dog-tag. The family or their representative is taken out to the balsam tip land, in Harrington, Maine, to find a tree that will become a living memorial to their loved one. The dog-tag is then placed on the trunk of an evergreen tree of their choosing and a red marker is placed on the tree to show that it has been chosen as a memorial. 

One of the Volunteers with Wreaths Across America was kind enough to inform us of this special program and gave us the opportunity to provide the information for a dog-tag to be made. The information has been given and we are waiting to hear when it will be placed on a tree as a living memorial to my late husband and father to my children, Sgt. Terry Leon Wilson Vietnam Veteran (1954-2018).

“To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen… to be forgotten is the worst.”

— Pierre Claeyssens (1909-2003)

The WAA is continuing doing all they can to ensure that no veteran is ever forgotten. They have been traveling all across America with their mobile unit to provide support and assistance to honor their commitment to Remember. Honor. Teach.

To all who have served and or are serving, Thank You for your Service. To all Vietnam Veterans, Welcome Home!

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Wreaths Across America Mobile Unit: In front of Cabela’s; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

Doughton Park Visitor Center and Store

National Park Service
Doughton Park Visitor Center

In front of the Doughton Park Visitor Center are welcoming chairs and a table to rest a bit and enjoy the view or perhaps to wait for the Park store to open if you are camping in one of their many campsites.

Doughton Park is located off of the Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 238.5 – 241. Besides the beautiful scenery surrounding this Park one may choose to explore The Brinegar Cabin, observe craft demonstrations, and talk a gander down one of several diverse hiking trails.

This area has one of the Parkway’s largest campgrounds, a popular picnic area, and more than thirty (30) miles of hiking trails where one may access forested slopes, streams, and backcountry in Basin Cove.

Doughton Park Legend

Originally called The Bluffs, 6,000 acre Doughton Park was created in the 1930s when the Blue Ridge Parkway was routed through this part of North Carolina. It was one of the first parts of the Parkway to be completed and remains its largest recreation area. In the 1950s, it was renamed for Robert Lee Doughton (1863-1954), a local landowner and politician, who was instrumental in getting the Parkway built. Mr. Doughton lived in the nearby Laurel Springs, North Carolina. [Note: the Laurel Springs area is also the area where my maternal grandfather grew up.]

The northern and western borders of Doughton Park are formed by the Parkway itself, which here follows the crest of the mountains, traveling at more than 3,000 feet above sea level through rolling highland meadow. The other borders of the Park are traced by steeply descending mountain ridges: Flat Rock Ridge along the southern side of the Park and Cedar Ridge along the eastern side. Within these borders is the rugged and remote watershed of two mountain streams, Basin Creek and Cove Creek. Together, the double valley – or double gorge – is known as Basin Cove.

In October of 2017 my eldest son and I took a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway meandering the scenic route enjoying the beautiful Autumn colours. I allowed him to drive as he had never previously driven the Parkway. We stopped at several mileposts along the way observing the beautiful landscape. At various mileposts including Milepost 238.5 – 241, we stopped, stretched our legs, and proceeded to hike along several of the many trails found along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I do not recall which trail we hiked at Doughton Park, however, I do know we visited The Brinegar Cabin. I encourage y’all if you are ever in the Western Part of the Carolinas to take a scenic drive along The Blue Ridge Parkway.

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Dan’s Thursday Doors

XingfuMamas Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge: 2024-Week 4

Photo Credit: ©️2017 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus — Wide Camera 28mm • screen f1.8 • 1/656s • ISO20

Location: Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 238.5 – 241

Doughton Park;

45338 Blue Ridge Parkway

Laurel Springs, NC 28644

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

2024 Thursday Doors: “Snowman” Greeter

UPS Snowman
by front door
Thank
You

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: UPS Store; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Thursday Doors: Decorated Cabinet

Decorated Cabinet Doors

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

2023 Thursday Doors — Deadly Traps

Deadly Traps
Venus Fly Trap

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S 10-18mm lens

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

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

Painted Doors & Windows

Is it too Early for Christmas decorations? For Christmas themed store Windows and Doors? Evidently not for some businesses. These Festive Holiday Doors and Windows were painted by a friend of mine out in San Diego County. Hope y’all enjoy them.

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Photo Credit: (c) 2023 Karen Myers

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

Church Doors & Windows

The Galilee Baptist Church
was built in 1963.

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Dan’s Thursday Doors

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Location:

Galilee Baptist Church
1011 Briarwood St
Abilene TX 79603

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

Peek-A-Boo I See You – Thursday Doors

Thursday Doors, hosted by blogger and author, Dan Antion.

Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 55-250 mm lens.

Location: The Horse Stables; Horse Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

2023 Thursday Doors: Decorated for the Season

Decorations on Doors can be interesting and insightful this time of the year. Some choose to keep it simple; others minimalistic, and still others go all out in their decorations for Halloween. Whether you choose to decorate for Autumn or for Halloween is entirely up to you. Not everyone chooses to decorate their doors or their yards to coincide with the holidays/seasons. That is perfectly okay. Me, myself, I choose not to decorate the outside of our apartment for Halloween. It is a holiday I celebrated as a child, but as an adult I no longer do. These are a few doors I seen lately displaying Autumn/Halloween decorations.

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Photo Credit: ©️2023 Deb L. Waters

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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