Deb L. Waters – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

2025 The #Flower Hour #11 — Last Chance Holiday Florals

Revisiting Christmas Florals

Terri from Second Wind Leisure Perspective is the host for The #Flower Hour #11. This week she is giving us a Last Chance to share our Holiday Florals. Having already posted several Holiday Florals I dug deep into my archives to reshare some Christmas Florals with all of you.

Poinsettias are a popular Christmas floral, however, you probably don’t see this one around your everyday Christmas displays.

*Euphorbia pulcherrima*
(Stelle di Natale)
Christmas Star, Poinsettia

Let’s now take a look at a different Christmas floral known as the Christmas Berry. The Christmas Berry is a compact shrub with dark green elliptic leaves, but are crimson red when young in early spring. The shrub tolerates moderate shade and grows in well drained soil.

Next, we are admiring a succulent known as the Christmas Kalanchoe, a popular house plant known for its vibrant, long-lasting flowers in colors like red, white, pink, and orange. It is a succulent that thrives in bright, indirect light and well-drained soil, making it a great festive gift for the holidays.

And finally, we are changing colours from red to green for our Christmas florals. This plant was seen at Anne Springs Close Greenway’s garden at the Stables Entrance. It is a Helleborus orientalis, often referred to as Christmas Rose, or Lenten Rose. It is a winter-blooming, broadleaf evergreen, clumping perennial in the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family.

Helleborus orientalis
Aka Christmas Rose,
Hellebore, Lenten Rose

Terri’s The #Flower Hour #11

Also posting for:

Bren’s Floral Friday

Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Have a very Merry Christmas Holiday Season. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): 12.19 — Any Which Way with a Holiday theme. — Part 2

Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge. This Friday’s Which Way Challenge theme is CWWC: Any Which Way with a Holiday theme. Your Which Ways can be Any Which Way on any Road, Pathways, Walkways, Sidewalks, Stairs, etc. as long as your Which Ways are clearly visible.

Here are my contributions …

Click on each image to enlarge.

Thank you to all who have supported and contributed to the Which Way Challenge this past week or at any time. Be sure to check out other Which Ways by clicking on the links below.

Cath’s Which Way… {Cloudy or Stormy Day}

Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery’s Xmas Market Up And Down

Dawn’s Crossover Bridge at Shenandoah University with Christmas Lights

Suzette’s For Deb’s Any Which Way CWWC Holiday Theme – Part 1

CWWC: Any Which Way with a Holiday theme – Part 2 (Will run for two (2) weeks). [12.19.2025]

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Parade Route; Downtown Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

• NOTE: For next week the theme will be CWWC: Any Which Way with vehicles.

2025 Skywatch Friday/Weekend Sky: 12.19

Click on image to enlarge.

2025 Skywatch Friday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky-2025.12-19

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion

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

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

2025 CosPhoChal: Lights, Camera, Christmas around the Neighborhood

This year our neighborhood is not adorned with very many Christmas Lights or Festive Decorations. I did, however, manage to capture a few Christmas Lights and decorations within our walking pathways.

Here is what I found …

Click on each image to enlarge.

Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge-Lights, Camera, Christmas!

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

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

2025 Thursday Trios: 18 December

Three Horses,

Three Riders,

One Trail Ride

As stated in my Monochrome Madness post, Coleman and I saw several horse owners at Anne Springs Close Greenway taking advantage of a beautiful afternoon to enjoy riding their horses on the trails.

I’m also linking this post to XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge.

Here are a few of the horses and riders we saw visiting the Greenway taking advantage…

***Three Horses, Three Riders, One Trail***
**Pull Up a Seat**
***Anne Springs Close Greenway***

Click on each image to enlarge.

Carol’s Thursday Trios

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 50

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T7 (2000D) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Dogwood Trail; Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy your weekend. Spend time Outdoors and admire Nature’s beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Visiting the Horses and Trails (at the Greenway)

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Whenever Coleman and I have the opportunity to visit Anne Springs Close Greenway we almost always (but not always) visit the horses. Coleman loves horses. The Anne Springs Close Greenway has five different entrances to the Greenway for hiking, mountain biking, or just visiting.

Last Saturday, Coleman and I went to the Greenway Stables and Farm Entrance to visit the Farm animals and (of course) the horses.

We arrived late due to heavy traffic and congestion on the roads leading to the Greenway Stables. Therefore, we only had a short amount of time to visit the farm animals.

*One last look at the Farm*
*animals before venturing*
*towards the horses.*

Moving on to hiking and visiting the horses stabled at the Greenway. We saw and visited with several owners who were there to enjoy a ride on their horses along the trails.

*Trailing behind a horse*
*& rider down Dogwood Trail*

*Still hiking along Dogwood Trail.*
*The rider is up around the bend.*

The Greenway has several horse stables scattered along the Dogwood Trail and are maintained by the Greenway staff. Quite a few of the horses are privately owned and as the sign says you’re not supposed to pet or feed the horses. However, some of the owners will allow Coleman to pet their horses. If an owner’s horse is skittish the owner will not recommend petting it or coming too close.

*Coleman visiting horses*
*at one of the*
*Greenway Stables.*

We recommend checking with a horses owner before petting them. The owners are not always present, but when they are they are friendly and usually willing to answer any questions about their horses.

An AI sketch rendering
of few Greenway horses
enjoying their feed.

Click on each image to enlarge.

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Camera: Canon EOS 2000D (Rebel T7) with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Greenway Stables, Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm, and Dogwood Trail; Greenway Stables and Farm Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

2025 Wordless Wednesday: 17 December

Click on image to enlarge.

Wordless Wednesday-2025.12.17

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion

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

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

LAPC #378 – Last Chance for 2025

Tina from travelsandtrifles is the host this week for the Lens-Artist Photo Challenge. Tina is giving us the opportunity for one Last Chance to share photos we have taken and loved throughout 2025 and hadn’t had an opportunity to share for one challenge or another.

Here are some of my favorites from this year that I believe I haven’t as yet shared with y’all …

***Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #378***
**Last Chance**

Tina’s Lens-Artist Challenge-Last Chance

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 SYD: 15 December

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 (not a screenshot) 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.

I will only be sharing a small portion of my Desktop/Wallpaper images that I am seeing. The reason being I have been required to not post any pictures on any form of social media at this time of our newest family member, aka my new granddaughter.

Here are my Desktop Wallpaper and Screensaver for my Laptop:

From My HP Laptop:

Desktop Background Wallpaper

*Coleman at*
*Anne Springs Close Greenway*
*Horse Stables*

Desktop Screensaver

*Muscovy Ducks*
*in Patterson Pond*
*Anne Springs Close Greenway*
*Fort Mill, South Carolina*

From My Apple iPhone 16 Pro:

I have two images alternating on my Hiking Focus for my iPhone …

*Coleman petting*
*a rider’s horse*
*Anne Springs Close Greenway*

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

Clare’s Share Your Desktop-December

Cameras: Canon EOS 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

2025 CFFC: 13 December — Looking Back to Winter ‘24-‘25

Dan, the host for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is asking us to share photos of Winter, Summer or Both. Lately our weather has been so cold and extremely windy that it feels like winter. Yesterday morning our low was down to 14°, which for me, extremely freezing weather with the wind chill making it feel even colder. Our lowest temperatures of the day are when I need to wait with Coleman at the school bus stop. His bus always runs late, so I am always chilled to the bone by the time I get back to the house.

Enough talk about our current “Wintry” weather conditions and let’s move on to showing you some images from last Winter.

Here are my contributions for this week …

Click on each image to enlarge.

Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-Winter or Summer— or Both

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

Note: You might want to take a look at this Friday’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC) (another one of Cee’s challenges) to see the new ideas for the new theme of Any Which Way with a Holiday theme. — Part 2 which will go live on Friday 12/19 just past midnight EST.

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

Monday Window: 2025.12.15

Gibson House

Christmas Decor in
alignment with Window

*Pull Up a Seat*
*in front of the Windows*
*and Enjoy the View*

Click on each image to enlarge.

Monday Window

See Monday Window posts in Reader

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

2025 Monday Portrait: 15 December

Holstein Friesian

Click on image to enlarge.

Monday Portrait

Camera: Canon EOS 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Greenway Farm Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

2025 Macro Monday: 15 December

Callicarpa americana

American Beautyberry is a woody deciduous, perennial shrub native to the southeastern United States including the Carolinas.

Clusters of small flowers bloom on the late spring and early summer. However, what you are seeing here are clusters of vibrant purple berries in the Carolinas that peak in late summer through autumn (August to November). The vibrant berries often persist into early winter providing significant food for birds and wildlife, making it a quintessential fall shrub for the region. The colors vary; most common is the vivid purple, though white and pink varieties exist.

The American Beautyberry offers many ecological services. How might you ask does it work? Its seeds and berries provide an important food source for a tremendous amount of songbirds of America. Some of those include American robin, brown thrasher, northern bobwhite, purple finch and eastern towhee. It is also a nectar source for butterflies and has fragrant foliage.

What I found interesting is that the American Beautyberry has been used by farmers successfully since at least the early 20th century to repel biting bugs from mules and horses by rubbing it on their coats and under harnesses. Why did I found this information so fascinating? The location of this particular American Beautyberry shrub is located near the horse stables at Anne Springs Close Greenway.

Click on image to enlarge.

Macro Monday (MM)

Terri’s The #Flower Hour

Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)

Camera: Canon EOS 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

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

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

2025 Cell Pic Sunday: 14 December

*Coleman petting*
*an Owner’s Horse*
*at Anne Springs Close Greenway*

John’s Cell Pic Sunday

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Ultra Wide Camera

Location: Dogwood Trail; Greenway Stables Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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 Silent Sunday: 12.14

Matching

*Canada Geese*
*Patterson Pond*
*Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm*
*Anne Springs Close Greenway*

Click on image to enlarge.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday – Matching

Silent Sunday

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Camera: Canon EOS 2000D with Canon EF-S55-250 mm lens with Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Patterson Pond; Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Greenway Stables and Farm Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Take a hike/walk amongst God’s beautiful creatures. Have a funtastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Pull Up a Seat on a Hospital Bed

On Monday evening I received a message from my daughter to meet her at the Atrium Health Hospital in Pineville, North Carolina. We previously arranged, when necessary, for Coleman to spend the night with one of our neighbors whom Coleman adores.

On Wednesday evening, Coleman was brought to the hospital to see his mom. He was not told in advance what he would be seeing when he arrived in her room.

Here he is Pulling Up a Seat on her hospital bed …

At this time, I’m not allowed to post any pictures of whom he was able to meet for the first time (More about that in a future post). Let’s just say, Coleman is a Monster Big Brother now.

Click on each image to enlarge.

XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge 2025 – Week 50

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion

Location: Atrium Health Pineville Hospital; Pineville, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Rejoice in God’s wonderful blessings and new life. Have a fantastic week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

One White, One Brown, Baby Alpacas

Six Word

Saturday

On Saturday, Coleman and I were able to borrow my daughter’s car and go down to the Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina. It is an hour away from where we currently live, so it is a bit of a drive. Traffic was terrible. I very rarely drive in traffic (I don’t care for heavy traffic, I try to avoid it if at all possible).

Anyway, after we arrived and maneuvered around the Farm to the Alpaca section, we were delighted to discover the new Baby Alpacas born recently at the Greenway. There is One White, and One Brown Baby Alpaca.

Here are a few shots of the Baby Alpacas …

***Baby Alpacas***
***in Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm***
***at Anne Springs Close Greenway***

Click on each image to enlarge.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday-12.13.2025

Camera: Canon EOS 2000 D with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV Filter attachment.

Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Greenway Stables and Farm Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

Observing What’s in the Space Between

This week’s host for Monochrome Madness is Stupidity Hole with a theme of The Space Between. Looking forward to exploring the various interpretations on The Space Between.

Monochrome Madness

Here are a few I came up with for this week’s challenge …

*The Road Between*
*leading to Hearst Castle*

*The Boy (Coleman) Between*
*the Railings on the Bridge*
*at Anne Springs Close Greenway*

*The Feathers Between*
*Coleman’s Fingers*

*The South Fork Catawba River*
**Between** the Grounds
*of Goat Island*

Click on each image to enlarge.

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness-2025.12.13

Stupidity Hole’s Monochrome Madness-The Space Between

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

2025 The #Flower Hour #10 — Festive Holiday Florals and Decor

Reflecting on

National Poinsettia Day

Yesterday, on December 12th, people celebrated National Poinsettia Day. It is an annual celebration commemorating the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American diplomat that introduced the Poinsettia plant to the United States. It honours its deep ties to Christmas traditions, especially the Mexican legend of a poor girl whose humble gift of weeds bloomed into the beautiful “Flower of the Holy Night.”

Red Poinsettias

National Poinsettia Day is a day for spreading holiday cheer with the Red-leafed plants. Churches line them up in front of pulpits & many are donated by members in honor of loved ones no longer with us. Poinsettias are often given as gifts during the. Christmas holiday season.

Terri’s The #Flower Hour #10-Festive Holiday Florals and Decor

Also posting for:

Bren’s Floral Friday

Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Have a very Merry Christmas Holiday Season. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): 12.12 — Any Which Way with a Holiday theme. — Part 1 (Will run for two (2) weeks).

Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge. This Friday’s Which Way Challenge theme is CWWC: Any Which Way with a Holiday theme. Your Which Ways can be Any Which Way on any Road, Pathways, Walkways, Sidewalks, Stairs, etc. as long as your Which Ways are clearly visible.

Here are my contributions …

***2025 Cramerton Christmas***
**Parade – Part One**

Click on each image to enlarge.

Thank you to all who have supported and contributed to the Which Way Challenge this past week or at any time. Be sure to check out other Which Ways by clicking on the links below.

Suzette’s For Deb’s CWWC – Any Which Way – Your Choice

Dawn’s Through the Twinkling Lights of the Walking Mall

• NOTE: For next week we will continue the theme of CWWC: Any Which Way with a Holiday theme.

Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Parade Route; Downtown Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 CFFC: 13 December — Autumn or Spring — or Both

Focusing on Autumn

Feels Like Winter

Dan, the host for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is asking us to share photos of Autumn or Spring — or Both. It may still be officially Autumn, however, lately our weather has been so cold and extremely windy that it feels more like winter. Therefore I rummaged through my archives to add to my few Autumn 🍂 images that I hadn’t already used for one post or another.

Here are my contributions for this week …

Click on images to enlarge.

Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-Autumn or Spring — or Both

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

Note: You might want to take a look at this Friday’s (Today’s) Which Way Challenge (CWWC) (another one of Cee’s challenges) to see the new ideas for the new theme of Any Which Way with a Holiday theme. — Part 1 which Will run for two (2) weeks.

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

2025 Thursday Doors — A Look Back at Holiday Doors

***A Look Back at***
***Past Holiday Doors***

Click on images to enlarge.

Dan’s Thursday Doors-2025.12.11

God Bless. 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: 10 December

The Second Week of Advent

Candle Symbolism of PEACE

Aka “**Bethlehem Candle**”
or “Preparation Candle“

Click on image to enlarge.

Wordless Wednesday-2025.12.10

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Telephoto lens

Location: Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 CosPhoChal: 03 December — Abstract

Dale host the weekly challenge The Cosmic Photo Challenge with a different theme each week. This week’s theme is Abstract.

Here are a few Abstract images from around the Carolinas …

*The Schiele Museum*
*of Natural History*
*and Planetarium Show*
*Gastonia, NC*

*Sky-view*
*Riverside Park and Greenway*
*Cramerton, NC*

*AI Abstract of Mountains*
*from my dad’s slides.*

Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge-Abstract

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

2025 Weekly Prompts Colour challenge – Red

RED Poinsettias

Poinsettias decorating the various areas of Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church.

Poinsettias atop of the piano …

Poinsettias holiday displayed in the Fellowship Hall …

Poinsettias adorn the front of the church’s sanctuary.

Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge – RED

Terri’s The #Flower Hour #9 – Poinsettias

Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD)

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion & Telephoto Lenses

Location: Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Macro Monday Portrait: 08 December

Calopteryx maculata

*Ebony Jewelwing*
*Broad-winged Dragonfly*

Click on image to enlarge.

Monday Portrait

Macro Monday (MM)

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

Location: Sesquicentennial State Park; Columbia, South Carolina, USA

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

Monday Window: 2025.12.08

Click on image to enlarge.

Monday Window

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion

Location: Eighth Avenue; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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 OWS: 12.07 — Pink

Good Sunday Morning to y’all. This week Debbie from Travel with Intent has chosen Pink for the theme for One Word Sunday (OWS).

Here are my entry …

A Pink onsie all ready for Sophia’s arrival, when she finally decides to make her appearance.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday (OWS)-Pink

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

2025 Silent Sunday: 12.07

Silent Night, Holy Night

Silent Sunday

Camera: Apple iPhone Pro Max

Event: Christmas in Cramerton presented by the Cramerton Historical Society and Performed by Stuart W Cramer Varsity Singers at Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church.

Location: Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

St. Nicholas Day — Why didn’t I know about it?

Growing up I had only known about Christmas and Santa Claus arrival on Christmas Day. I was never taught about St. Nicholas Day … Were you?

As I grew older I was taught about the reason we celebrate Christmas … the birth of the baby born in a manger, Jesus Christ.

Several of the Christmas movies would mention other names for Santa Claus including, Father Christmas and Saint Nicholas. However, I never knew that there was a specific day to celebrate St. Nicholas.

What is St. Nicholas Day? According to Google (yes, I had to look it up), it is a Christian observance and not a federal public holiday in the United States of America. Since it is not a federal holiday no businesses close to observe the day.

The traditions for St. Nicholas Day vary by country. They usually centered around generosity and give-giving. These traditions were influenced by the 4th-century bishop known for anonymously donating his wealth to the poor.

What are some of these traditions?

Leaving Out Shoes: It is a common tradition in Europe and some American communities for children to leave their shoes or boots outside their bedroom doors or by their fireplace on the evening of December 5th.
Gifts and Treats: Similar to Christmas, if the children have been good (aka on the nice list), then when they wake up in the morning on December 6th they will find their shoes (or boots outside) filled with small gifts (similar to Christmas stockings), candies, cookies, nuts, or fruits.
Feasts and Events: This Day is also known as the “Feast of St. Nicholas.” It is celebrated with special meals and community events like the Saint Nicholas Day Celebration at Philipse Manor Hall.
Focus on Giving: The central aspect of St. Nicholas Day is performing acts of kindness and helping individuals and families in need , mirroring St. Nicholas’s life of charity.

Celebrations vary by country. Have you (or do you) celebrated St. Nicholas Day? If so, how do you celebrate the day?

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

Invitingly Beautiful … Sorry, Beach is Closed

*Beach at Lake Norman*
*Ramsey Creek Park*

The day we visited Ramsey Creek Park may have been on the chillier side, but that wouldn’t have stopped Coleman from playing in the sand.

*One of several signs*
*near the Beach.*

The Beach area was blocked off with signs posted stating the Beach is Closed. We did find smaller areas he could access the sand for a little playtime. We also managed to walk along the edge of the waters of Lake Norman, still it would have been nice if the Beach would’ve been open.

*Beach at Lake Norman*
*barricaded off.*

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

2025 Skywatch Friday-12.06

Hammad’s Weekend Sky-2025.12.06

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion

Location: Lake Norman; Ramsey Creek Park; Cornelius, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): 12.05 — Any Which Way (Your Choice)

Welcome back to the Which Way Challenge. This Friday’s Which Way Challenge theme is Any Which Way (Your Choice). Your Which Ways can be Any Which Way on any Road, Pathways, Walkways, Sidewalks, Stairs, etc. as long as your Which Ways are clearly visible.

This week I am sharing our hike along the dirt trail at Ramsey Creek Park in Cornelius, North Carolina. Here are my entries …

Dirt Trail at
Ramsey Creek Park
Cornelius, North Carolina

Click on each image to enlarge.

Thank you to all who have supported and contributed to the Which Way Challenge this past week or at any time. Be sure to check out other Which Ways by clicking on the links below.

Dawn’s Around the Tree in Gettysburg

Pepper’s The Road to Adventures in Maui

• NOTE: For the next two (2) weeks the theme for the Which Way Challenge will be CWWC: Any Which Way with a Holiday theme. (Will run for two (2) weeks).

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion

Location: Ramsey Creek Park; Cornelius, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Thursday Doors: 04 December

Caterpillar 349F Excavator

Last week we visited the CLT Airport Overlook in Charlotte, North Carolina. While watching for Airplanes to take off or come in for a landing, Coleman noticed an Excavator and went over to the fence to take a closer look at it working in the construction area just a short distance from the playground area.

The CAT 349F Excavator is built with a powerful, 49-ton hydraulic excavator known for heavy-duty digging and earthmoving tasks. Its features a CAT C13 ACERT engine with advanced hydraulic systems for efficiency and precision.

*Coleman*
*watching the*
*CAT 349 Excavator*
*at Work.*

The CAT 349F has a spacious and ergonomic cab which is designed to be quiet and comfortable. It features air suspension seats and intuitive controls to reduce operator fatigue during long shifts.

Dan’s Thursday Doors-2025.12.04

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Construction site by Charlotte-Douglas International Airport Overlook; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

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

Peering Out Across the Pier

Monochrome Madness

*Can you see where*
*Coleman is standing?*

*Lake Norman*
*Cornelius, North Carolina*

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness-2025.12.03

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Lake Norman; Pier at Ramsey Creek Park; Ramsey Creek Park; Cornelius, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 LAPC #376 — Wings

Feathered or Not

Beth from Wandering Dawgs is this week’s host for the Lens-Artist Photo Challenge . She is challenging us to show off Wings of any kind. I am displaying Non-Feathered Wings as well as Wings on a variety of Feathered Friends with Wings.

Let us first take a look at some of my Feathered Friends that grace my pathways.

*Female Northern Cardinal*
*grace my porch railing*
*enjoying a nice snack.*

*A Northern Mockingbird*
*stopped by for a visit.*

*A Lovely Mourning Dove*
*graces us with a beautiful song.*

*A Chipping Sparrow*
*(Spizella passerina)*
*graces our pathway*
*while on a hike.*

***A Gallery of Geese Flying Overhead***

Now to display a few Non-Feathered Wings Landing and Taking off from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

Beth’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #376-Wings

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Locations: Feathered Friends) Cramerton, North Carolina, USA; Non-Feathered Wings) Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

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 CosPhoChal: 03 December — Reflections

Dale host the weekly challenge The Cosmic Photo Challenge with a different theme each week. This week’s theme is Reflections.

“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.”
– Ernest Holmes

Here are a few Reflections from around the Carolinas …

*Lake Crandall*
*Anne Springs*
*Close Greenway*

“Your life is a reflection of your thoughts. If you change your thinking, you change your life.”
– Brian Tracy

Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge-Reflections

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

2025 Wordless Wednesday: 03 December

***South Fork Catawba River***
***from Goat Island Bridge***

Click on image to enlarge.

Wordless Wednesday

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

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

2025 CFFC: 02 December —Travel Hubs

Dan, the host for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is asking us to share photos of Travel Hubs. Looking through my files I did not find many actual Travel Hubs, but just maybe what I did find might somewhat be along the lines even if they’re not actually hubs.

Here are my contributions …

Are Ports Hubs?

Bus Stations …

Now how about let’s take a look at Trains. These aren’t actually Train Stations where you would board a train, but you could.

*New Braunfels*
*Train Museum*
*(and yes they do*
*offer train rides)*
*New Braunfels, Texas*

And last but not least, let’s look at views of the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

***Charlotte-Douglas International Airport Charlotte, North Carolina***

Click on images to enlarge.

Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC)-Travel Hubs

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

Note: This Friday’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC) will be a free week with Any Which Way (Your Choice).

2025 Last on the Card – November

Brian from Bushboys World hosts a monthly challenge called Last On the Card. His rules are simple to follow if you’re interested in participating.

Here are The rules:
1. Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 30th 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 mine for November …

From my Canon EOS T7 (2000D):

Coleman At Centennial Center
Cramerton, North Carolina

From my Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max:

*Playground at Ramsey Creek Park*
*Cornelius, North Carolina*

Click on each image to enlarge.

#LastontheCard

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

One Day Walking Through the Woods

One Day while hiking along a trail Coleman and I came across a section with textured wood that had seen better days.

*Trail near*
*Gardner Park Elementary*
*Gastonia, North Carolina*

One Day while hiking in Anne Springs Close Greenway we spotted a mysterious hole within a rotting tree stump that drew our attention.

*At Anne Springs Close Greenway*
*in Fort Mill, South Carolina.*

One Day we decided to take a break in the shade to catch our breath before contour hike. (Coleman was just under 2 at the time.) we found some interesting shadows and a Dragonfly.

*Chestnut Trail;*
*McDowell Nature Preserve*;
Charlotte, North Carolina

One Day during a hike to Coleman’s favourite sandpit in Riverside Park and Greenway we noticed some interesting texture of Hypnum cupressiforme, (the cypress-leaved plaitmoss or hypnum moss).

Textured hypnum moss growing on a tree Coleman enjoys climbing.

One Day at Riverside Park and Greenway I was trying to locate the log I usually sat on while Coleman played in the sand. It took some looking around before we spotted it. Someone had decomposed our log by using it as a fire log. (No fires are to be built in the park especially during the summer fire season.)

*Burnt Log destroyed by fire.*
*So much for my sitting on it.*

Terri’s Sunday Stills-Textures

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Decay

Becky’s #NovemberShadows #30

Weekly Prompts The One Day Prompt-(19 )

Patti’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge #375-Mysterious

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

2025 Monday Window: 01 December

Bob Evans Restaurant

Kitty by a Window – 2
— AI creation by PR

For Monday Window this week I am taking you to the Bob Evans Restaurant in Huntersville, North Carolina. It has been awhile since we’ve been out to eat at a Bob Evans, the one closest to us closed & the building was demolished.

We decided to go out to eat on Thanksgiving first a Turkey Dinner (Our oven quit working & cooking a Turkey on the stovetop was highly impractical and improbable.) The closest Bob Evans near us was in downtown Charlotte or up a little further in Huntersville. We chose to go to the one in Huntersville and then go somewhere for a little holiday hiking.

Here are a few shots of the Bob Evans Restaurant; its doors, windows, and seating.

Bob Evans Restaurant
Huntersville, North Carolina

Click on image to enlarge.

Monday Window

See Monday Window posts in Reader

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 48

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

2025 Monday Portrait: 01 December

Northern Mockingbird

Monday Portrait

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Telephoto

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

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

Pull Up a Seat on a Jude’s Bench or Two+

On Thanksgiving, my grandson, (Coleman) and I were joined by his mom for a lovely chilly afternoon. After devouring a delicious Turkey dinner (except for Coleman-He doesn’t like meat), my daughter (Trisha) drove us to a quaint park on the edge of Lake Norman called Ramsey Creek Park. At first, Coleman and I were not sure if his mom was going to join us hiking around the park.

Coleman and I started out walking by ourselves walking along the waters edges absorbing all the beautiful scenery. After a while, his mom joined us whilst he was picking up small seashells from the sandy seashore.

We noticed several Benches throughout our time walking around; from park benches to picnic tables and benches, they were scattered all around the park for visitors to relax and enjoy.

Here are some of the views and Benches we encountered …

***Ramsey Creek Park; Lake Norman; Cornelius, North Carolina***

Jude’s Bench Challenge -2025.11.30

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 48

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Ramsey Creek Park; Cornelius, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 November #Shadows #30

American Airlines

Shadows on the Runway

Becky’s #NovemberShadows

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Telephoto

Location: CLT Airport Overlook; Charlotte-Douglas International Airport; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Stay Safe. Stay Warm. Chill is in the Air. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Cell Pic Sunday: 30 November

*Trisha watching Coleman*
*watching a speedboat*

John’s Cell Pic Sunday-2025.11.30

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Cameras: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max;

Location: Lake Norman; Ramsey Creek Park; Cornelius, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy Nature. Take a Walk/Hike. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

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