Margaret from From Pyrenees to Pennines is hosting the Monochrome Madness Challenge this week. She has chosen a theme of Music. Looking forward to seeing what everyone decides to post regarding this theme. Luckily, Coleman and I attended a Children’s Concert last week in downtown Cramerton’s Confluence. Some words to think about before I add my photos …
“Music speaks what cannot be expressed. It soothes the mind and gives it rest. It heals the heart and makes it whole. It flows from heaven to heal the soul.”
When I first decided to take Coleman to the Children’s concert last Saturday, I thought it was going to be a concert especially designed to appeal to children. I did not expect it to be a children’s karaoke show. Most of the children were hesitant to participate; a few banged on the drums and one brave girl sang a couple of songs for the audience while her proud grandfather filmed her singing. Coleman did enjoy listening to the music, however, he enjoyed playing in the playground at Goat Island Park and Greenway better.
Location: Confluence; Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have a funtastic weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.
I’ve missed Cee so much and know this is a difficult time for her and Chris. Praying for strength and comfort for them both. I’ve been trying to keep up with the Which Way Challenge even though Cee is unable to do so. I encourage everyone who wishes to show Cee our Which Ways by posting your Stairs, Steps, and/or Ramps this week. . Just post any Which Way you desire and link up to Cee’s Which Way Challenge.
This week I am again posting a Which Way My Wayshowing Which Ways one might use by venturing up or down Stairs, Steps, and or Ramps. This week I chose to post my Stairs, Steps, and Ramp in Monochrome. You may use Monochrome, but not necessary. You may choose any format you desire if you choose to participate.
We begin our Which Way by walking down our front Steps …
Our Front Steps
Journeying on our way Coleman decides to climb the Steps at Cramer United Methodist Church …
Steps at Cramer United Methodist Church
Next, we explore the KayakRamp and Stairs at Goat Island Park and Greenway …
Kayak Ramp & Stairs Goat Island Park and Greenway
Coleman and I continue our wandering around Cramerton, the next day, after he walks down the School Bus 98 Steps …
School Bus 98 Steps
After Coleman exits the school bus, we drop off his school backpack and grab his hiking backpack with snacks and drinks. Then, we head on down to Riverside Park and Greenway for a relaxing afternoon noon of hiking and exploring.
While hiking the trail, we come upon the Stairs to one of several Fishing Piers at the Greenway …
Catawba Riverkeepers Water Recommended Flow Sign by the Fishing Pier Staircase
Lastly, we see interesting Halloween Decorations on each side of a neighbouring house Front Porch Steps …
House #89 Decorations and Front Porch Steps
Hope you enjoyed visiting our Which Ways this Week. I would love to see y’all’s Which Ways. Remember to click on each photo for larger enhanced viewing.
Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Plus Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy the Outdoors. Take a Hike. Relax in a Park. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
As I write on this Thanksgiving Day, I am grateful for the friends and followers I have made on WordPress and in my life. I am grateful for all y’all’s insights, inspirations, and encouragement. I am grateful y’all have come into my life and I am able to call y’all my friends.
“I awoke this morning with devoutthanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Zen Color App
“Gratitude is a flower that blooms noble souls.”
~ Pope Francis
“May your day unfold with love and grace. May your heart be filled with gratitude.”
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.
What makes me smile? My grandson, Coleman makes me smile. Spending time in any one of our Warm Places makes me smile. Spending time out in nature, especially with Coleman, makes me smile and feeling all warm inside. Coleman loves to spend time by the Catawba River. There are several different areas by the Catawba River we enjoy spending time at. This week we enjoyed spending time on a warm sunny afternoon at Riverside Park and Greenway. It makes me smile when I am able to watch Coleman having a Funtastic time playing by the Catawba River. On this day he was having a fabulous time playing in the sand along the banks of the South Fork Catawba River at Riverside Park and Greenway.
Here are a spattering of photos depicting some of what makes me Smile and Warm Inside in one of our Warm places.
Capturing kayakers enjoying an afternoon on the South Fork Catawba River as seen from the banks at Riverside Park and Greenway in Cramerton, North Carolina. Care to Pull Up a Seat and join the fun on the South Fork Catawba River?
Location: South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week and enjoy nature. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
For larger enhanced viewing, please click on each individual photo. Sometimes the Sky seems like God painted a beautiful picture just for us to enjoy and be amazed at His Majestic Creation.,
Always trying for a few interesting shots as I walk up and wait for the bus to arrive bringing Coleman back from school. On this day i decided to use the monochrome feature on my iPhone to see what I could capture in Black and White around the neighbourhood. Looking up the road I spotted a train coming down the tracks, later I took a photo of the tracks from below looking upward; trying different angles and viewpoints than my normal viewpoint.
Since we moved to Cramerton at the end of October; Coleman’s new favourite place to go visit is the Goat Island Park and Greenway. The following are a few shots from our latest visit on Saturday.
Location: Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy the Outdoors. Take a Hike. Relax in a Park. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy invites us all to play along with her each week for her Numbers Game. To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find that include that number and post a link to your blog in myNumbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.
God Bless. Take time for yourself. Walk around a Park or Greenway. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
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.
Confluence, what is it you might ask? Coleman and I came across this place called Confluence when we walking around downtown Cramerton. We didn’t know what type of a place it was; curiosity took the better of us and we proceeded inside to check it out.
Confluence by definition is the convergence of two rivers, especially rivers of approximately equal width; an act or process of merging. In our area it is the Confluence of the Catawba River and the South Fork River converging into one.
Confluence, the place, is a place for the community where music, art, and recreation come together along the banks of the South Fork, the largest tributary of the Catawba River, in Cramerton, NC. Confluence is operated by Catawba Riverkeeper. Catawba Riverkeeper is the local nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting local waterways.
Children’s Play Area
Goat at Entrance to Confluence
On the Back Hallway Walls Catawba RiverKeepers
Confluence is about supporting the health of the river. Art is the convergence where inspiration, creativity, and talent combine to give life to beauty. It has the power to create social and cultural bonds within communities. Their goal is to support the lives of those who use their proximity to the Catawba River as their inspiration for the creation of art pieces, as well as enrich the lives of those living along the river by providing them access to affordable, local artwork.
Coleman & I enjoyed putting a puzzle together.
Confluence is about supporting lives along the river. Music is the ultimate confluence where a plethora of notes come together to create magic. It is the soul of a place, bringing people together to experience joy or sadness, to toe-tap together in sync to a blazing beat, or lean shoulder to shoulder and sing along to a melody from a bygone era. Their goal is to support and showcase local musicians while giving the community a central gathering spot to grab a drink, make new friends, and listen to good music.
Confluence is about supporting Fun at the River. Life on the river is about more than just watersports. It’s about movement, about getting your heart to pump a little bit faster, about acknowledging the air filling your lungs. It’s appreciating being surrounded by nature and feeling connected to the earth beneath you and the water around you. Their goal is to help you bring movement and fun into your outdoor recreation journey. Even if that includes a fishing pole, a competitive game of disc golf, a lazy game of cornhole, or a kayak trip down the South Fork.
Coleman and I met the ladies running Confluence the day we stopped in. They informed us of all their facilities, their programs, their children’s area, the opportunities for families to come together for quality time and fun.
Coleman and I came back the following Saturday and spent time in the children’s area. The children’s area is filled with books, colouring books, crayons, puzzles, blocks, and all sorts of stuff to do individually or as a family. Coleman and I worked on putting a puzzle together. After completing what we could, we discovered it was missing three pieces. That didn’t really matter. What mattered was our spending time working on it together.
South Fork Catawba River Goat Island Park & Greenway
Television Focus
Coleman Cramerton Community Center
Reading Focus
Coleman Riverside Park and Greenway
Hiking Focus
Coleman off Trail Riverside Park and Greenway
As you can see I use multiple wallpapers on my phone and laptop. I bet you can guess what or rather who is my main inspiration for my wallpapers. Click on each photo for enhanced viewing. Thank you Clare for hosting Share Your Desktopwith us.
The Ragtag Prompt of Seesaw fits right into some of the pictures of Coleman I took this past weekend at Goat Island Park and Greenway. The Goat Island Park’s Playground only opened back up this past weekend after having been closed for renovations to repair damage generated by the strong winds and storms which caused flooding to the Greenway’s Playground and a majority of the rest of the Greenway.
When we went to the playground Coleman was hoping to be able to not only play on the playground’s equipment, but also with other children. However, that is not exactly how it worked out. Yes, he was able to play on the various playground equipment including the Seesaw, but not with other children. Other parents or grandparents kept their children at a distance from other children playing in the playground. Thus the many facial expressions displayed by Coleman. He found it difficult to enjoy playing on the Seesaw especially when no other child would get on the Seesaw with him. I tried getting on the Seesaw with him, however, that didn’t work so we. My end sank all the way to the ground and he was stuck up in the air until I could manage to extend my legs for my end to go up. (Actually I ended up having to get off for his end to come down.) Here are photos of Coleman Pulling Up a Seat on the Seesaw.
Location: Goat Island Playground; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Playground with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a wonderfully funtastic day. I appreciate y’all very much.
Cee, I have loved being apart of all your challenges for the past three years. You have always been encouraging and inspiring with all your challenges, comments, and friendly kindness and support of my (all of our) photography and posts. I’m thinking of you and praying for you.
God Bless. Thank you Cee for all your support and encouragement. I have cherished our blogging friendship. Chris, thank you for keeping us informed and taking care of Cee for us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Judy invites us all to play along with her each week for her Numbers Game. To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find that include that number and post a link to your blog in myNumbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.
Once Silent, Now Lively
The playground at Goat Island Park and Greenway had been “Silent” since the winds and storms caused by Hurricane Helene came through our area flooding many a Greenway including Goat Island Greenway. While there is still work to be done around the Greenway and the playground area, enough has been done to allow the playground to mostly reopen with the exception of the big green slide and a few other insignificant areas (at least as far as the children are concerned). The Goat Island Park and Greenway’s Playground now welcomes children once again inviting them to play, climb, and enjoy its equipment; hence the Playground is Alive and Lively once more.
Our new home we moved to is a short distance from the railroad tracks; Coleman loves it. He is fascinated with trains and has his own Brio train set he designs different layouts for each time he sets it up to [play. A little off track there, however, the point is that he tries to run outside regardless of the weather every time he hears a train chug chugging along up or down the track. As in Johnny Cash’s song “I’ve Got a Thing About Trains,” Coleman has a thing about trains.
Whenever Coleman sees a train or hears a train a chug chugging down the track, he wants me to take a picture(s) of the train. Being the devoted Grandma that I am, of course, I oblige him and snap a picture or two, or three or sometimes more.
Location: Old Town; 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.
Coleman and I had the privilege of attending a Veterans Day Celebration at the Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church on Eighth Avenue in Cramerton, North Carolina on Monday,November 11th at 11:11 Am. The service was hosted by The Cramerton Community Committee and Cramerton Historical Society.
Coleman was anxious to leave the house, so we left early and walked to the church from Seventh Street south of the railroad tracks to uptown along Eighth Avenue for approximately 0.5 miles down hill and up hill until we reached our destination of the church location.
Coleman actually sat quietly waiting and watching for the service to begin. (I had already explained to him that the service was to honour the Veterans, the men and women who served in the military, like his Pawpaw had served.) [FYI – the patches on Coleman’s shirt were his Pawpaw’s patches from when he served in the U. S. Army.]
The service began with the presentation of colours by the Cramerton Police Honour Guard. Next, was the singing of the National Anthem, prayer, introduction and recognition of dignitaries, veteran remembrances, and closing comments with taps.
Flower & Flag in a Vase Table Decorations
After the service was concluded those hosting the service led everyone downstairs for an appreciation meal. The meal was catered by Georgio’s Restaurant to give veterans and their families an opportunity to eat afterward. (I wasn’t sure about attending the meal, but as the spouse and grandson of a Vietnam Veteran we were invited to participate in the meal.) It was greatly appreciated and enjoyed by all who attended the service.
My Dad, Nornal H. Waters, U.S. Navy Korean Veteran and My Spouse, Sgt. Terry L. Wilson. U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran A Sampling of My Military Family who served in various Wars from the Civil War to World War I, to Korean War, and Afghanistan. My Military Family Sgt Terry Leon Wilson My husband, Terry Leon Wilson SP4 US Army Vietnam Buried in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, Nevada
To All Veterans, Thank you for your Service!
God Bless. Thank a Veteran! Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Smell the Flowers. See the Beauty in Simplicity. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Our view of the Skyline often changes from day to day; moment to moment; and even minute to minute. It can be beautiful clear blue skies one minute and a few hours, minutes, or seconds later you might encounter hazy grey skies or dark cloudy skies with an amazing view of the sun rising into the Sky.
I’ve been missing Cee’s posts. I pray she is doing alright. This week I am again posting a Which Way My Wayshowing Which Ways in My New Neighbourhoodand Town. My grandson, Coleman and I are beginning to roam around our new neighborhood and town investigating what interesting things and places we can find in the area. Here are a few shots from our walk through our new town.
What do you see when you look up into the Trees? Do you just see the leaves and branches? Or do you perhaps see a variety of birds singing their songs. This week we not only have spotted a few birds perched in the trees, but also squirrels fretting to and fro from branch to branch and tree to tree. Here is what we’ve managed to see and capture in monochrome.
God Bless. Thankful He watches over every living thing; the birds, squirrels, and you and I. Take Care. Enjoy the Outdoors and your weekend. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) is a duck native to the Americas. Small wild and feral breeding populations have also established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, the Big Island of Hawaii, South Carolina, as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada.
Black Muscovy Duck
Muscovy Ducks are large with the males growing to about 76 cm (30 in) long, and weighing up to 7 kg (15 lb). The females are relatively smaller, and only grow to approximately 3 kg (6.6 lb), roughly half the males’ size. They are predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on their neck and head vary , as well as their bill. Their bill can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these colors. (The Muscovy Ducks we saw all had a pinkish bill with one having a touch of black on the end.)
Black Male Muscovy Duck
The Muscovy Ducks are a non-migratory species normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams and nearby grassland and farm crops, and often roosts in trees at night. ( The Muscovy Ducks we saw are located near Patterson Pond at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.)
Male and Female Muscovy Ducks
Their diet consists of plant material ( such as the roots, stems, leaves, and seeds of aquatic plants and grasses, as well as terrestrial plants obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water for small fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, spiders, insects, millipedes, and worms.
Black Male Muscovy Duck
Muscovy Ducks, one of the oldest species of fowls domesticated in the world, have several spiritual meanings associated with them. They are associated with love and relationships in some cultures and with luck, prosperity, and even new life and fertility in others. The ducks also represent inner strength and courage. thethe Celtic culture that if you dream of a Muscovy duck or spot it while awake, it’s a sign to trust your intuition and strength and not give up in the face of challenges. According to Celtic culture if you dream of a Muscovy duck or spot it while awake, it is a sign to trust your intuition and strength and not give up in the face of challenges.
Black Muscovy Duck Flapping its wings after coming out of the water.
The Egyptians believe the Muscovy duck has healing powers and can resurrect the dead, making it a sacred animal. The Egyptian culture sees Muscovy ducks as a symbol of starting afresh. Therefore, seeing a Muscovy duck in your dream is interpreted as a sign of resurrection.
We enjoyed watching the Black Muscovy Ducks swimming in Patterson Pond, as well as them flapping their wings as they came out of the water, shaking the water off to dry themselves.
Location: Patterson Pond; Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Greenway Stables and Farm 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.
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.
The morning glory plants entwine themselves around structures, growing to a height of 2-3 m (6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in) tall. Their leaves are heart-shaped and the stems are covered with brown hairs. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, predominantly blue to purple or white.
These Purple Morning Glories are located on the side of a small hill below railroad tracks up the street from our home. I found it interesting how they are entwined with the gravel as they climb the hill and how they rise up towards the sky in the mornings.
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Smell the Flowers. See the Beauty in Simplicity. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
in primo piano – photos Dan Antion’s Thursday Doors photo
While walking about our new town, I notice doors, windows, and the entire surrounding sites that might capture our interest. These are a couple we spotted this week while we were on our walkabout.
South Fork Commons United methodist Church Cramerton, North Carolina
This “Church” building is on the other side of the Railroad tracks from where we now live. I am not sure if any church services are available at this location. When I try to Google information regarding the church all I receive is information about South Fork Commons Apartment Homes. I am wondering if it has gone by the wayside the same as previously posted Mayworth School turned into Mayworth School Apartments. Maybe more investigation will determine the answer I am seeking.
Seen on a lower level of a house across from the Greenway
For Judy’s “The Numbers Game #46” Game she invites all to play along. Here are her ideas on how to play along in this challenge. This week’s number is 167. To play along, go to your photos file and type that number into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find that include that number and post a link to your blog in my Numbers Game blog of the day. If instead of numbers, you have changed the identifiers of all your photos into words, pick a word or words to use instead, and show us a variety of photos that contain that word in the title.
God Bless. Take Care. Don’t be Upset and Angry about Political Results; Remember God is in Control. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Lake Haigler Entrance; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thinking of Cee & Becky. Pray you’re feeling better. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
As Coleman and I were walking along the trail (and even a little off trail) around the Riverside Greenway, I noticed a marshy area where the flood waters were still surrounding many plants and vegetation. Other areas where the flood waters had recently receded were still mushy and difficult to walk through, but Coleman is a trooper and loves to explore everything. With all the devastation caused by the storm and strong winds, I was amazed to see signs of new plant life sprouting in amongst the tremendous amount of leaves near fallen trees. No matter how things may seem, God is in control. New life begins once again.
“The marsh did not confine them but defined them and, like any sacred ground, kept their secrets deep.”
From Where the Crawdads Sing. – Delia Owens
Marsh in Riverside Park and Greenway
“Every day is a fresh beginning; Every morn is the world made new.” – Sarah Chauncey Woolsey
New Growth after the Storms
“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”
– T.S. Eliot
New Life Beginning Anew
“Be a miracle that grows. Live deeply from the soul.”
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Smell the Flowers. See the Beauty in Simplicity. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 