One week of the New Year is done and gone, looking forward to all there is to discover as we continue moving forward in 2025. Here is my First Monday Window for 2025 …
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Please visit the participating blogs.You will be delighted and astounded by the rich and imaginative offerings by the bloggers from around the world.
When Coleman and I visited the Greenway on New Year’s Afternoon we actually Pulled Up a Seaton a bench on the other side of the Pier. Couldn’t resist taking a picture of this one with the resident Muscovy Duck sitting nearby.
This Muscovy Duck was friendly with no qualms about approaching Coleman. ( Those pics are for a future post). It would come really super close to Coleman. When we first arrived Coleman sat down with his construction trucks and dinosaurs near his favourite tree. The Muscovy Duck seemed to think that tree was its spot. It appeared to be saying “Why are you in my area?” It walked all around Coleman and decided he was friendly enough, so he would share the area.
It wasn’t until some people came to the river with a dog that the duck switched locations to the area pictured above.
Location: At the South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Talk a Walk. Pull Up a Seat and Relax in Nature. Enjoy the Views. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week’s Which Way Challenge theme is Any Dirt roads or dirt pathways or trails. You may post one or as many as you like, just make sure your Which Way is clearly distinguishable. Remember signs are always welcome.
Here are my Which Ways for this week …
These are leaf covered dirt trails at the Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier location in Cramerton, North Carolina. Coleman and I hiked them, on Christmas Day, to see where they’d take us. Unfortunately, due to unrepaired damage to the trails from Hurricane Helene, parts of the trails are unrestored and nonfunctional at this time.
This Bridge was barricaded declaring it was unsuitable and hazardous rendering it off-limits to hikers/pedestrians.
Many thanks to WoollyMuses, for their Which Ways. You might want to check out their Silver and/or Gold Which Ways.
Cameras: 1-5) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max; 6-7) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura NP filter attachment.
Location: Historic Baltimore Fishing Pier Trails; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Hope to see your Which Ways showing your Dirt roads or dirt pathways or trails. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Happy New Year to one and all. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Smell the Flowers. I am Grateful for each and every one of y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Side Garden; Cramer Memorial United Methodist Church; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. May your blessings abound throughout this New Year. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Brian from Bushboys World invites everyone to post their Last Photo on the Card or smartphone. Here are Brian’s suggestions regarding his Last On the Card Challenge…
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.
Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 31st or whenever your last photo was taken. No editing. No explanations needed. Create a Pingback to this post or link in the comments on Brian’s Post. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard.
First off, let’s take a look at a TALL building in Abilene, Texas. I visited my Aunt (my mom’s sister) in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since our plans of visiting other relatives didn’t pan out due to social distancing mandates, I took many long walks around my Aunt’s neighborhood. I was not just out for the exercise, but also to explore the area. I came across this Tall Building on one of my walkabouts.
The Enterprise Tower Abilene, Texas
The Enterprise Tower was originally known as the First State Bank Tower and then Bank of America Building. It was constructed in the early 80’s and completed in 1984. This is the tallest building in Abilene with its twenty (20) stories at Two Hundred Eighty-Five (285) feet (87 meters). It ranks as the 6th tallest building in West Texas.
And now we’ll take a look see at a building on the shorter side of things located at The Schiele Museum of Natural History’s Catawba Indian Village in Gastonia, North Carolina. The Schiele Museum is a favourite place Coleman enjoys visiting. [The museum also has Dinosaurs 🦖 🦕 on display.]
Early Log Cabin
Information listed on the sign in front of the Early Log Cabin …
This log house reflects the rapid change that the Catawba lifestyle was undergoing throughout Scots-Irish and German settlements of this region in the 18th century. This home is a native adaptation of the log cabins being built by these settiers. The first Catawba cabins were built of unhewn logs with shingle roofs and a central smoke hole. These smoke holes began being replaced with chimneys of stone and logs, as seen here, in the mid-1700s.
This Early Log Cabin is one of several different types of homes in the Catawba Indian Village that were once used by the native Catawba Indians in our area.
Photo Credit: 2020-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved
Cameras: 1) Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max; 2) Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
God Bless. May your blessings be long upon the Earth and be you experience tons of joy, peace, love, and happiness throughout the rest of 2024 and all throughout 2025. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Helix/R coming soon to Cramerton has begun construction. The Helix/R Project is a privately funded partnership between Cramerton and the Carolina Thread Trail. The Helix was originally installed in Charlotte in 1983. It was donated to Cramerton in 2018. Its installation began this past week in Riverside Park and Greenway near the bridge. Riverside Park and Greenway is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail; connecting people to nature and the surrounding environment.
Coleman and I refilled our bird feeder today to the delight and contentment of Northern Cardinals as well as a variety of other bird species.
The birds have a tendency to jostle some of the bird seeds around while they are grabbing a bite and flying off. Some will stay awhile for a bit of contented munching while others snatch and flee to and fro. They do fly here and there spreading the word and then flying back for more.
After filling the feeder, we had some loose seeds, so instead of putting them back in the back we spread them out on the railing. Coleman loves to watch the birds eating the bird feed we put out. Today, the Female Northern Cardinals were displaying contentment, enjoying the feed we spread out for their content.
Location: As seen through our Front Window; Our Front Porch Railings; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Be Content with who you are. You are loved. Dwell in the Contentment of our Lord God. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coleman and I spotted these flowers while hiking along the trail in Central Park the other week. There’s not much in this Wildlife Habitat that we could see, but maybe it’ll seem more appealing in the Spring.
Location: Wildlife Habitat; Hiking Trail; Central Park; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. As we approach 2025, may God watch over you, keep you safe, fill you with hope, joy, peace, and love. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Out of the Darkness and into the early Dawn as Coleman walked out the back door for us to head to the bus stop, he said look Grandma and pointed towards the back fence. He wanted me to see what he was seeing.
Here’s what he was seeing …
These were taken in the early dawn when it was still dark outside. I have cataracts and cannot see out of my left eye, it is difficult for me to see in the dark. Thus, these are not as clear as I would prefer but will still give you an idea of what Coleman was seeing coming out of the darkness.
Location: Our Backyard; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Come out of the Darkness and Dwell in the Light of Jesus. Hallelujah! Christ’s birth is the Reason we celebrate Christmas. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Today’s sightings at our bird feeder reminded me of a previous post. Today’s visitors were several Female Eastern Bluebirds. Therefore, I thought it’d be fitting to reblog my previous post Birds of the Carolinas #18.
Eastern Bluebird
The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) is one of many common species of birds in North and South Carolina. It is a small North American migratory thrush which is found in woodlands, farmlands, and orchards.
The Male Bluebirds have a bright head, back, and wings. Their breast is a reddish-brown colour. The females are lighter with gray on the head and back and some blue on their wings and tail. The females breast is lighter in colour than the males, and is more orangish.
Eastern Bluebird
The Eastern Bluebird is observed east of the Rockies, from southern Canada down to the Gulf States, and southeastern Arizona to Nicaragua. Bluebirds tend to live in open country surrounded by trees, but with little understory and sparse ground cover.
Eastern Bluebird
The Eastern Bluebirds pictured above were observed sitting on a wire outside my front porch in our area of Western North Carolina. They are social, and sometimes gather in flocks of over a hundred. Even so, they are territorial during the breeding season and may possibly continue to defend a feeding area throughout winter.
Eastern Bluebirds eat mostly insects, wild fruit and berries. Occasionally, Eastern Bluebirds have also been observed capturing and eating larger prey items such as shrews, salamanders, snakes, lizards and tree frogs.
Eastern Bluebirds can live for around six (6) to ten (10) years. The oldest recorded Eastern Bluebird was at least 10 years, 6 months old. It had been banded in New York in May 1989, and was found dead in South Carolina November 1999.
In spite of this, most bluebirds die within their first year of life. Even though Starvation and freezing are a danger to the young, that is not their largest threat. The largest threat to the Eastern Bluebirds comes from other animals including humans. Some of the animals which are dangerous and threatening to the bluebirds are rat snakes, racers, American kestrels, and domestic cats.
Take time to enjoy nature. Observe your surroundings, you might see interesting birds or other interesting finds. The birds in the above two photos were first spotted by my grandson and he insisted I snap a picture of them. One is never too young to observe nature and enjoy birdwatching.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Enjoy the show. Have a Happy Holiday Season filled with Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The first half of the week our skies were nothing but hazy skies where we live. By Wednesday the haziness of dawn slowly disappeared as the day progressed. By mid-afternoon noon I was pleased to see the beautiful blue skies despite the various clouds scattering hereabouts.
After we moved into our new place Coleman insisted, we needed a bird feeder. He watches the bird feeder every day to see if any birds come to eat from it. It was slow in the beginning, but after the birds investigated the feeder and spread the word, we have had plenty of activity on the feeder. However, the majority of activity seems to occur in the mornings after Coleman goes to school. He is delighted when he can see birds enjoying the feeder.
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Smell the Flowers. I am Grateful for each and every one of y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
The Which Way Challenge (CWWC)is all about capturing the means we travel from place to place such as roads, walkways, trails, and rails. The roads could be paved or unpaved, gravel, or dirt. Walkways could cover sidewalks, hallways, or pathways. Trails are paths we travel through Greenways, Local, State, or National Parks. Also permissible are any kinds of signs and any bridge angle. Remember to ensure your “Way” is visible and the main focus of your photo.
This week’s Theme for the Which Way Challenge (CWWC) is Any Which way with the colors of Red and Green.
My Which Ways this week are from the Cramerton Christmas Parade and Goat Island Park and Greenway. Remember signs are always welcome in the Which Way Challenge.
Letters to Santa North Pole
Chick-Fil-A Parade Float
Cramerton Fire Engine Ladder 41
Goat Island Bridge Cramerton, North Carolina
Coleman’s Which Way Goat Island Playground
1962 Chevrolet Corvair 700 Wagon with Christmas Tree on Rooftop
Please make sure your which way is the main object of your photo. Thanks.
Next week’s Which Way theme will be CWWC: Which way with the colors of Silver and Gold.
Location: Downtown Parade Route; Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Season Greetings. Enjoy your holidays. Remember the Reason for the Season. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coleman and I visited a “new to us” park this past week. The name of the park is Central Park located here in Cramerton. According to the Cramerton website, Central Park prides itself natural surface mountain biking trails, walking trails and a natural stream running the length of the park.
While we were hiking along the trails, we had a difficult time distinguishing between the walking trails and the mountain biking trails. Some of the trails had water running across them from the creek (stream).
Alongside one of the trails we came across this unique seating arrangement with tall mushrooms which provide shade for hikers taking a bit of a rest.
Central Park Trail Map
Remember for larger enhanced viewing you may click on each image.
Cameras: 1-3) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF75-300mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment; 4-5) Apple iPhone Pro Max
Location: Central Park; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Walk amongst the Trees and/or alongside a creek, river, or lake. Happy Holidays. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us.
Location: Cramer Memorial United Methodist Church; 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.
Bestie is a person’s best friend. I had friends growing up, but I do not recall one being a bestie. I know, as an adult, have had friends that come and go, but none of them have ever been close enough to be called a bestie. Nowadays, I spend practically all my time with my grandson, Coleman. He is my hiking buddy. He and I are closer than he is with his own mom. The reason for that is most likely due to the fact that we spend the most time together as his mom works a lot to provide a place for us to live. So in a sense he is my bestie. He is not a confident, but he is someone I love and care very deeply about; someone I’d give my life to protect.
Coleman playing at CB Huss Recreation Complex.
Coleman colouring an ornament at the Town of Cramerton Community Center.
Coleman and myself affectionately loving each other.
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:
South Fork Catawba River Goat Island Park and Greenway
Desktop Screensaver:
Coleman by the Railroad Tracks
Smartphone Wallpapers:
Personal Focus
Coleman playing in the Sand Riverside Park and Greenway
Hiking Focus
Coleman Riverside Park and Greenway
Work Focus
South Fork Catawba River Goat Island Park and Greenway
Reading Focus
Coleman with Santa & Mrs. Claus Confluence, Town of Cramerton
Remember you may click on each image for enlarged enhanced viewing. Looking forward to seeing y’all Desktops.
Location: Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy your Holiday Season. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Relax & Destress. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Photo Credit: 2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Location: The Farm; The Schiele Museum of Natural History; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Take time to 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.
My Which Ways this week are from the Cramerton Christmas Parade. Remember signs are always welcome in the Which Way Challenge.
You may have noticed the last photo doesn’t exactly show a Which Way, however, I decided to include Coleman with Santa and Mrs. Claus anyway. They rode on the Cramerton Fire Engine to end the Parade, but I couldn’t capture a good shot of them. Santa’s arrival signaled the end of the Parade. Santa and Mrs. Claus then made their way down to Confluence for picture taking time with the children.
If I’ve missed anyone please let me know. I do appreciate all who joined in the challenges so far and hope y’all will have fun participating in the Which Way Challenges in the future.
Location: Downtown Parade Route; Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Season Greetings. Enjoy your holidays. Remember the Reason for the Season. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Smell the Flowers. I am Grateful for each and every one of y’all. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
One House Door and One Business Door decorated for Christmas. We are slowly decorating for Christmas. The hanging on the first door was made in the early 1970’s in San Diego, California.
Let’s first take a look at a couple of image comparisons between an original color versus the converted black and white version of photo imageries of clouds.
The first three black and white photos in the left-hand column are from my archives and the other four phots are from my outlook in Apple iPhone’s Silverstone black and white feature of today’s cloudy skies.
A few of our neighbours of their front yards and home decorated with lights for Christmas. When I walk Coleman to the bus stop of a morning the street is illuminating with the homes all lit up for the holidays. Our street is only a small sampling of what one would see if you drove through the streets of Christmas Town USA. We haven’t driven through McAdenville ( which is famously known as Christmas Town USA) yet this year, however, we plan on doing so to allow Coleman to see all the Festive Christmas Illuminations which McAdenville has on display.
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.
God Bless. Take time to enjoy nature. Observe the Flowers. Take Care of yourself. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
These Goats all dressed up for Christmas are located at the entrance to Goat Island Park and Greenway in Cramerton, North Carolina. Coleman spotted the Goats when we first approached the entrance to the Greenway; one was standing and was laying down on it’s side. We stood it back upright, then Coleman wanted a picture. Thus, the photo you see here.
Mayworth’s Public House in downtown Cramerton offers an upscale pub atmosphere and features a menu of classic American favourites. It uses only the finest and freshest ingredients available. Their cuisine is always freshly made to order by their skilled culinary team. Customers, if desired, may choose from a find cocktail menu, a variety of popular wines as well as a fine rotating selection of craft, draft, and local Charlotte and North Carolina beer.
Mayworth’s decorated all three of their front windows similarly with painted white “snow” and red, white, and silver ornaments.
I’m gonna digress for a bit to examine the history behind the naming of Mayworth’s. The town currently known as Cramerton was originally known as Mayesworth in 1906. It was named after John H. Mayes, one of the founders of the Mayes Manufacturing Company. The Mayes Manufacturing Company was a cotton mill built on the banks of the Catawba River.
In 1915, the town name changed its name from Mayesworth to Mayworth. The town was later purchased by Stuart Warren Cramer. In 1922, the town’s name changed once again officially becoming Cramerton. Cramerton became an incorporated town in 1967.
When it came to naming the restaurant and pub the owners chose to name it Mayworth’s in honour of Cramerton’s original founding father.
I have not as yet eaten at Mayworth’s Restaurant and Pub. I have walked past it several times walking through downtown Cramerton and heading towards Confluence. Looking at their menu, I’m not sure they offer any lactose free items, which would be mandatory for Coleman to be able to eat anything from their menu.
Amongst all the Red and Green in the Christmas Parade we saw two Blue vehicles rolling down the Parade Route shining through amidst the bright blue skies.
Location: Downtown; Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Don’t let the blues get you down. You are Valued and Appreciated. Have a Merry Merry Christmas Holidays. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This week has been a week for Christmas Parades in our area. Have you been to a Christmas Parade yet this year? Coleman and I have actually been to two different Christmas Parades this week. One was in the neighbouring town of Belmont and the other one was in our Town of Cramerton.
To our amazement, one of the first people was saw as we approached the Parade site yesterday was Mr. Grinch all decked out for the Christmas Parade.
Who do you think kicked off the Parade? Well, what’d you know, it was Mr. Grinch himself. Mr. Grinch made his appearance throughout the Parade in one manner or another. We never knew when or how he would appear. It didn’t matter how or when, people enjoyed seeing Mr. Grinch and the entire Parade. You may click on each photo for enlarged viewing.
Location: Catawba Street; Parade Route; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Tis the Season for Parades and all things Christmasy. Enjoy your upcoming holiday. Have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 