2025 OWS: 9 March — Haze

Hazy Skies

Over the

Blue Ridge Mountains

Debbie’s One Word Challenge theme this week is Haze. My entries this week are from a trip with my eldest son in 2017. He had a birthday wish to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We drove to the Parkway beginning our trip in Lancaster, South Carolina driving through Chester to the US-321N. This direction led us through Blowing Rock before traversing over onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. We (He) drove the Parkway from this southern point all the way to the North Carolina/Viginia Border. We did not drive the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We stopped at various milestones along the parkway for breaks, hiking, and to check out the scenery. At a few stops we incurred a bit of Haze which impaired the views somewhat.

We stopped more on the way back southbound than we did going northbound. Our northern most stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway was at Stone Mountain Overlook at Milepost 232.5. We stopped here shortly before proceeding to Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, North Carolina where we hiked the Stone Mountain Loop Trail. We had great views of Stone Mountain, saw the Middle and Lower Waterfalls, and visited the Hutchinson Homestead. The Hutchinson Homestead is a mid-19th century farm with well maintained old buildings, a large meadow with terrific views of Stone Mountain State.

Our next stops were at Devils Garden Overlook at Milepost 235.7; Doughton Park at Milepost 241.1; Bluff Mountain at Milepost 243.4; Raven Rocks Overlook at Milepost 289.5; Moses H. Cone Memorial Park (not pictured) at Milepost 294.1; Craggy Gardens (not pictured) at Milepost 364.6; and Mount Pisgah at Milepost 408.6.

It was a long enjoyable drive and valuable experience full of memories spent with my eldest son. As you can see from the images some of our views were obscured and opaque due to the hazy atmosphere.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Haze

Throwback Thursday

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Location: Blue Ridge Parkway; North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have you had any hazy days lately? Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Portrait/#Seven for September: 09.30

7 Riverbanks 🦒 Giraffes 🦒

This week I am combining Monday Portrait with Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September. I am posting Seven (7) Giraffes from 7 years ago in 2017.

Monday Portrait

Becky’s Squares 

#Seven for September

Throwback Thursday

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus 

Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden; Columbia, South Carolina, USA

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

A Look Back at Penguins from 2017

Posting for Becky’s Squares-Seven for September Challenge and Bird of the Week LXXXII

One (maybe two) Penguins
One Penguin
Two Penguins
Two (maybe Three) Penguins

1(or 2) + 1 + 2 + 2 (or 3) = 7 (or 7)

While visiting the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina we were able to observe the King Penguins. King Penguins have a mobile nest – right on top of their feet! Who would have guessed? The female will lay one egg and both parents will take turns incubating the egg by balancing it on top of their feet under a warm fold of skin.

King Penguin nest sites are on sub-antarctic islands surrounding Antarctica. They spend long stretches of time at sea. [Except those found in zoos like the Riverbanks Zoo.) They eat fish, krill, crustaceans, and squid.

Riverbanks Zoo supports penguins of all species by encouraging sustainable seafood consumption through Seafood Watch. Riverbanks’ Satch Krantz Conservation Fund and Field Conservation Associates have also supported sustainable guano harvest in Peru and chick bolstering and rehabilitation in South Africa.

Becky’s Squares 

Throwback Thursday

Bird of the Week LXXXII

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden; Columbia, South Carolina, USA

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

Throwback Monday Portrait: Ring-tailed Lemur 

Ring-tailed lemur 
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
September 2017

Monday Portrait

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September 

Throwback Thursday

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

2024 Monday Portrait: 09.09 — #Seven for September

Throwback to 2017

Sundance, the Sunshine Bear

I visited the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina with my daughter, Trisha and granddaughter, Alona back in August of 2017 [Seven (7) years ago]. We were able to enjoy the various zoo animals and the entertaining antics of Sundance, the Sunshine Bear.

Sadly, Sundance passed away on April 30, 2022 due to declining health. He came to the Riverbanks Zoo along with his brother, Butch, at the young age of only nine (9) months old. Sundance had a gentle disposition, kind eyes, and loved to interact with his zookeepers. He was known as the Sunshine Bear, always bringing a bit of sunshine to those who came to see him.

Monday Portrait

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

Throwback Thursday

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Location: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden; Columbia, South Carolina, USA

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

A Look Back to February 2017 — #Seven for September

Looking back to a trip I took seven years ago to Jacksonville, North Carolina; I visited with my sons. My eldest son, John and I toured the Lejeune Memorial Gardens on February 2017. The Lejeune Memorial Gardens honors those who serve our country and is a place to gather to remember those who have given the greatest sacrifice for our freedom. It is home to the Beirut Memorial, the Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Montford Point Marine Memorial, and 9/11 Memorial Beam from the World Trade Center.

Beirut Memorial 
Taken at 3:47pm
in February 2017
(Also was the 7th photo
I took at the Gardens)
Eagle, Globe and Anchor Sculpture
at Lejeune Memorial Gardens
Taken at 3:27pm
in February 2017.

Whenever I visit Veterans Memorial Gardens I reflect on the men and women in my family who have served in the United States Armed Services. I thank God for their services and sacrifices they made to ensure the Freedom I am so freely able to enjoy today.

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Location: Lejeune Memorial Gardens; Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, USA

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

Slow Streaming Over Stones

Upper Waterfalls

Stone Mountain State Park

Leanne’s hosting Monochrome Madness with the theme of Waterfalls this week. To join the challenge just post photos of waterfalls on your blog and tag Monochrome Madness or leave a pingback to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness post.

My eldest son and I took a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway back in the Fall of 2017 as a way to celebrate his birthday. During our drive we stopped at several overlooks prior to stopping at Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina. At Stone Mountain State Park there is the Upper and Lower Waterfalls you may hike towards.

We hiked along Stone Mountain Loop Trail to view the Upper Waterfalls. I took several photos along the route as we watched the Waterfall cascading down over Stone Mountain.

Enjoy the view, however, I would prefer you not to YAWN during the viewing. I would hope it would not bore you but rather enable you to dawn a smile instead.

Can you just visualize the water streaming down over the stones?

The Waterfall slowly increases its strength and speed as it continuously cascades down the Mountain.

Monochrome Madness-Waterfalls moving

RDP Wednesday-YAWN

Jez’s Water water Everywhere #224

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

Camera: iPhone 7 Plus

Location: Stone Mountain State Park; Roaring Gap, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for viewing the Waterfalls at Stone Mountain State Park with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Wordless Wednesday: 11.15

Lejeune Memorial Gardens
Jacksonville, North Carolina

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

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

Camera: iPhone 7 Plus

Location: Lejeune Memorial Gardens; Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA

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