2024 Weekend Sky #131: 09.16 — Rain ☔️ Rain 🌧️ Go Away

Not exactly a normal weekend, however, Monday’s are my daughter’s only day off, so it is her “weekend.” This was our view or perhaps lack of visibility yesterday while she was driving us home.

While rain is needed for plants to grow and the sustainability of earth and the world we live in, it also has its downsides. It isn’t pleasant to walk a child to and from school in the rain, but I do what I must. It isn’t easy to drive in a downpour with nearly zero visibility ( I’m glad I wasn’t driving). It isn’t easy keeping a child indoors when all he was to do is run, jump, climb, and play outdoors. Sometimes life isn’t easy, but we endure and carry on.

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Seen along the I-85 driving (I wasn’t driving) South from Charlotte, North Carolina, USA 

God bless. Get out and enjoy the outdoors. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much. 

Words for Thought #35: 09.17

Don’t Worry … God’s Got It.

He Cares for You!

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

Think About It Tuesday

Cee’s Flower of the Day 

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

Location: Gastonia, 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. 

2024 Macro Monday— Seven Pinecones

Seven Pinecones

Macro Monday

Becky’s Squares 

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max 

Location: Springdale, Lancaster, South Carolina, USA 

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

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 Window/Becky’s Squares: Seven House Windows

Windows on
Backside of Home
in
Lancaster, South Carolina

Ludwig’s Monday Window 

Becky’s Squares 

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max 

Location: Springdale, Lancaster, South Carolina, USA 

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

2024 Silent Cell Pic Sunday: 09/.15

Seven Arcade Games

Coleman’s First Arcade Experience
Shop Arcade Games

John’s Cell Pic Sunday

Silent Sunday

Becky’s Squares

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max 

Location:Springdale, Lancaster, South Carolina, USA 

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

2024 SYD: September 15

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos hosts the Share Your Desktop Challenge. She invites everyone to share what is on the desktop and/or our smartphones wallpapers and/or screensavers.

Here are my wallpapers and screensavers for September.

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Personal Focus

Coleman

Reading Focus

My Mom at Gateway Arch

Hiking Focus

Sequoia National Forest

Television Focus

Coleman-Magnetic Tiles

Work Focus

Coleman in the Kitchen

From my HP Laptop:

Laptop Screensaver

San Diego Wild Animal Park

Laptop Wallpaper Background

Washington D.C.

Clare’s Share Your Desktop

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: 2-3 & 6-7)©️Nornal H. Waters; 1, 4-5)©️Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Minolta XG-7 35 mm & iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

2024 Sunday Stills: September Color Challenge — Orange and/or Peach

Terri from Second Wind Leisure Perspectives hosts Sunday Stills Monthly Color each month. Her colour theme for September is Colors of Peach and Orange.

Here are my selections for Terri’s Color Challenge for September.

Terri’s Sunday Stills-Orange and/or Peach

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

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 Weekend FOTD: 09.14/15

Hypochaeris radicata

Taken at 4:27pm
Lancaster, South Carolina
Aka Flatweed, False Dandelion,
and Catsear

Hypochaeris radicata is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. Interestingly all parts of the catsear plants are edible even though the leaves and roots are the parts most often harvested. The leaves have a bland taste, but can be eaten raw in salads, steamed or used in stir-fries. If you care to try roasting and grounding the roots, they may be used as a coffee substitute.

Cee’s Weekend FOTD

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Springdale, Lancaster, South Carolina, USA

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

Coleman’s Kindergarten Creations

For Fandango’s One Word Challenge word choice of Create I decided to share a couple of items Coleman has created while in his Kindergarten class this year.

Coleman

FOWC With Fandango — Create

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location Gardner Park Elementary; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

Becky’s Squares: #Seven for September—7

Becky’s Squares-Seven for September

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

2024 Thursday Trios — Flags in the Park

American Flag, POW Flag,
North Carolina Flag
Lineberger Park
Gastonia, North Carolina

Carol’s Thursday Trios-09.12

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

#Seven Sunsets for September

Becky’s Square Challenge

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Seen along the I-77 driving (I wasn’t driving) North from Lancaster County, South Carolina, USA 

God bless. Get out and enjoy the outdoors. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much. 

2024 OWS/Pull Up a Seat in Something RED

Here are a few REDS for your selection to Pull Up a Seat and catch your breath. Maybe you’d enjoy taking a trip in a mini

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Red

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 37

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: 1-4) ©️1979 Nornal H. Waters (my dad); 5)©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-4) Minolta XG-7 35 mm; 5) iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. 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.

2024 Monday Window: 09.09 — Government Windows

Gaston County

Department of Social Services

Department of
Social Services facility

This DSS facility, the County Courthouse, Sheriff’s Office, and County Jail were all designed by Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects and were constructed simultaneously. These facilities firm the Gaston County Governmental Complex.

The Department of Social Services facility is approximately 127,890 square feet and contains all the Social Services offices and functions which were previously scattered throughout Gaston County.

Ludwig’s Monday Window 

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Seen from the Bradley Station Dog Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Macro Monday: 09.09

Butterfly-bush

Pink Butterfly-bush

Macro Monday

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 CellPic Sunday: 09.08 — Lineberger Park

Lineberger Park
Gastonia, North Carolina

John’s CellPic Sunday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God bless. Get out and enjoy the outdoors. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Seven Butterfly-bush blossoms delight your Saturday

Butterfly-bush

Becky’s Square Challenge

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Lineberger Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Take time to enjoy the beautiful flowers. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 LAPC #314: Shorelines

I once lived very close to Southern California beaches, but I have not lived there for many years. Pacific Beach, Mission Bay, Coronado Beach, and La Jolla Shores are some of my favourites and hold precious memories.

For years I have enjoyed the peacefulness of God near the shorelines of a couple different lakes. One of my all time favourites is the lake at Andrew Jackson State Park in Lancaster County, South Carolina.

Another lake my grandson and I have enjoyed relaxing, observing nature, having fun is Lake Haigler at the Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

One last “lake” to share with y’all is one we visit and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the beautiful atmosphere is at Little Glade Millpond off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the North Carolina Mountains.

I could sit at the shore of a lake anytime anywhere. I dream of walking along the shores of the California coastline. I have fond memories of doing just that. Someday, I hope to take my grandson to see & play in the Pacific Ocean. What shoreline do you wish you could walk along everyday? Click one of the links below to join the challenge & link your own adventures along Shorelines.

Lens-Artist Challenge: Shorelines

Anne’s LENS-Artist —Shorelines

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have an enjoyable relaxing weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.

All about Bugs, Squares, & Games

#Seven Bugs/Insects for September

Instead of separate posts I decided to combine Terri’s Sunday Stills with Judy’s Numbers Game and Becky’s Squares Challenges. Therefore, instead of using the number 158, I have chosen to use the Words Bugs and Insects to use for Judy’s Numbers Game this week. Oh, of course, going along with Becky’s Squares Challenge they will all be Squared. The words Bugs and Insects fits right into Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge-All about Bugs.

Uno (One, 1):

Ebony Jewelwing
(Calopteryx maculata)
AKA Black-winged Damselfly
June 2017 on Canon EOS Rebel T3i Sesquicentennial State Park
Columbia, South Carolina

Dos (Two, 2):

Acanthocephala Declivis
Giant Leaf-footed Bug

Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Tres (Three, 3):

Argiope aurantia
AKA yellow garden spider
Black and Yellow Garden Spider
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Cuatro (Four, 4):

Melanoplus differentialis
Differential grasshopper
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Cinco (Five, 5):

Libellula luctuosa
Widow skimmer
Species of dragonfly
July (7) 2023
Canon EOS Rebel T3i
Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Seis (Six, 6):

Siete (Seven, 7):

Scolia dubia AKA
 Two-spotted Scoliid Wasp 
or a Blue-winged Scoliid Wasp
& Megachile montivaga
Silver -tailed Petalcutter Bee
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Warlick Family YMCA
Gastonia, North Carolina

Terri’s Sunday Stills- All about Bugs

Judy’s Numbers Game: #37-158

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

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

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and 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.

2024 Squared Macro Monday

Begonias

Pink Clubbed Begonias
Shot at 7:17 am

Macro Monday

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Last on the Card – August

Brian’s Busboys World is the host for Last on the Card requests us to share our last photo on our SD cards or on our phones for August 31 or whenever your last photo was taken. No editing — just however it came out in focus, blurry, or whatever it may be. No explanations necessary. Be sure to create a pingback to Brian’s post or leave a link in his comments. Be sure to tag your post with The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard.

Here are my Last on the Card photos for August:

From my Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Coleman’s Brio Railroad design

From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

From my Dad’s Minolta XG – 7:

The last photo I digitized in August.

Brian’s Busboys World is the host Last on the Card

God Bless. Have a great week and join in on the fun. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Monday Portrait #Square for September

Dachshund

My Aunt’s Dachshund Misty
taken on March 7th

Monday Portrait

Becky’s Squares-#Seven for September

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️03.07.2020 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Location: Abilene, Texas, USA

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

2024 Weekend FOTD: 08.31/09.01 — HT Landscape Begonias

Begonia cucullata

Begonias landscaped around the entrance to Harris Teeter (local grocery store).


Begonia cucullata are also known as clubbed begonia and wax begonia. When grown as groundcover, the flowers of the plant are red, pink, or white that bloom in summer or year-round in warmer places, and the fruits have three wings. [This time of year it is extremely hot here (I know it could be hotter) in the mid-nineties. These begonias thrive where we (Coleman and I) are overwhelmed by the extreme heat and are rolling in sweat just walking him to school and back home.

Cee’s Weekend FOTD

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Harris Teeter; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

A Few of My Favorites in Monochrome — 08.29

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness-A Few Favorite Monochromatic Moments

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

2024 FOTD: 08.27 —

Pink Velour Crape Myrtle

The Pink Velour Crape Myrtle is a type of Lagerstroemia indica crape myrtle tree. The flower colouring changes with the season. In the summer its blooms are a bright Hot Pink changing to a burgundy in the fall.

One can find the Lagerstroemia all across the Southern Atlantic States. Similar to the southern Magnolia, the crape Myrtle has come to symbolize the American South due to its extensive planting and ability to thrive in hot, humid summer climates with regular precipitation. It has brilliant color in late summer and autumn unlike other trees/shrubs which have already exhausted their blooms.

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

Floral Macro Monochrome Monday: 08.26 — Liriope muscari 

Liriope muscari is commonly referred to as big blue lilyturflilyturfborder grass, and monkey grass. It has grass-like evergreen foliage and lilac-purple flowers which produce single-seeded berries on a spike in the fall.

It is late summer here, however, these Big Blue Lilyturf can be spotted around all over the city in landscape manicured gardens. They are one of the few plants in bloom right now besides the varieties of Crape Myrtle.

Being an easy plant to grow, landscapers tend to use the Liriope muscari as groundcover for borders along sidewalks, trails, driveways, shrubbery, and trees. It is one of the most popular groundcovers in the southeastern United States.

Monochrome Monday

Macro Monday

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Cee’s Flower of the Day 

Monochrome Monday 

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

2024 Weekend FOTD: 08.24/.25 — Lagerstroemia indica

Lagerstroemia indica,
AKA Crape Myrtle

Cee’s Weekend FOTD

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Gardner Park Neighborhood; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 FOTD: 08.24 — Catawba Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica ‘Catawba’

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Gardner Park Elementary School; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 OWS: Lime or Lemon

—- Out in Nature

Good Day y’all! For this week’s challenge I dug into my archives to see what Lime or Lemon colours I could find to fit the theme. Hope y’all enjoy the selections I found.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Lime or Lemon

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit: ©️2020-2023 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

2024 Bird of the Week —

Entomyzon cyanotis

The Blue-faced honeyeater is a passerine bird of the honeyeater family, Meliphagidae. The Blue-faced honeyeater is considered large at 29.5 centimeters ( 11.6 inches) in length. Its plumage is distinctive in coloration; having olive upper parts, white underparts, and a black head and throat with white nape and cheeks. Unlike some other bird species, males and females are similar in external appearance.

Common name: Blue-faced honeyeater
Binomial name: Entomyzon cyanotis
AKA Bananabird

The Blue-faced honeyeaters are found in open woodland, parks, and gardens. [This one was shot at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia, South Carolina.] They are common in northern and eastern Australia, and southern New Guinea.

These birds feast on a diet of mostly invertebrates along with nectar and fruit. The name of banana-bird was given to it due to its propensity for feeding on the flowers and fruit of bananas in North Queensland. One of the early naturalist, George Shaw, called it the blue-faced honey-sucker in 1826.

Bird of the Week LXXVII

Throwback Thursday

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 7 Plus Telephoto camera

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

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

2024 Monday Portrait: 08.19

Greenway Horse

Coleman
being friends
with a
Greenway Horse

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: iPhone 13 Pro Wide Camera

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

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

2024 Judy’s Numbers Game #35 — 156

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 under that number and include 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.

Here are my 156 & variation contributions for this week of Judy’s Numbers Game #35-156 (Hope the numbers right—I got in a hurry, sorry).

Judy’s Numbers Game #35-156

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

1-2-3 Cell Pic Photo Processing — August 2024

Macrolepiota procera

the parasol mushroom

Original
Monochrome

John’s CellPic Sunday

One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge-August 2024

Cee’s Flower of the Day 

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Photo Processing done via Pixlr

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

Coleman’s Firsts ….

… First Day of School

… First Day of Kindergarten

… First Day Wearing New Backpack

… First Day Walking to School

… First Day for Many New & Exciting Experiences

Coleman’s
First Day of School
First Day of Kindergarten

Coleman’s Excited … Grandma’s jittery.

I do not recall being this jittery when my children went to their first days of school. How is it so different now than then? Do I worry too much? Am I more protective of my grandson than I was with my own children? Definitely things to ponder and pray about.,

The First Day of School

I’ve got a brand-new lunchbox. My shoes are shiny clean. I’ve got a cool, new bookbag And a pencil box that’s green.
But I don’t know my teacher, Or where my desk will be. I don’t know if I’ll like the kids, Or if they’ll play with me.
I peek inside my classroom. I stand there for a while. My teacher’s tall and kind of loud, But has a great big smile.
And, best of all, she’s got my Favorite book upon the shelf! I kiss my mother Grandma at the door And walk in by myself.

by Ruth Donnelly
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com

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

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

2024 SYD: August

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos is asking all of us once again to share our desktops. All you need to do is share the photo (not your actual desktop) you have set as your wallpaper. Provide whatever information you desire about the photo. Use a pingback, or post a link to her blog here so she knows you’ve joined in on the funThen, enjoy sharing the fun around.

Here are my August Desktops

From my Laptop:

My Laptop Screensaver Wallpaper-

Coleman

My Laptop Wallpaper Background-

Vincent Thomas Bridge
Only Suspension Bridge in Greater Los Angeles area.
Links San Pedro with Terminal Island
Los Angeles Harbor
Port O Call
Los Angeles, California

Photo Credit:©️1979 Nornal H. Waters ( My dad)

From My iPhone 14 Pro Max

Personal Focus-

Coleman in the Playground

Television Focus-

Coleman with his Magnetic Tiles

Hiking Focus-

Lindsay Pettus Greenway

Reading Focus-

Alaskan Brown Bear
Photo Credit:©️2024 John Palone (cousin)

Work Focus-

Coleman in the Kitchen

Come on along and join the fun. Share one or more, it doesn’t matter whether the photos are from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or your smartphone wallpaper(s). 

Clare’s Share Your Desktop-August 2024

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. Looking forward to seeing y’all’s desktop photos. Have a wonderful week. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Numbers Game #34-155/LAPC/MM — What’s in a Garden?

Welcome to The Numbers Game #34”.Today’s number is 155. 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 under that number and include 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.

This week I am combining Judy’s Numbers Game with Leanne’s Monochrome Madness and Leya’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge . I am choosing to use the Word Garden for this week’s challenges.

Glencairn Gardens

Glencairn Gardens is ideal for a Spring stroll through the gardens of blooming azaleas, pansies, wisteria, and periwinkle. When visiting the Gardens be sure to meander through the Veterans Garden which pays tribute to Veterans of all branches of service. Also, during Spring, you be able to enjoy the blossoms of Viburnum, Pink and white Dogwoods, Redbuds, peonies, magnolia trees, and flowering Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees.

There is beauty to be seen no matter when one decides to visit Glencairn Gardens. Summertime brings on the colourful bright blooms of crape myrtles, daylilies and hundreds of other annuals.

The trails through the Gardens pass by several fountains, ponds, as well as the vast variety of flowering plants and trees. we enjoy strolling pass the Fountains, especially when they are flowing during the springtime. We always stop by the Veterans Garden when we go visit and remember our family members who have served in our Armed Forces.

Glencairn Gardens began in 1928 as a backyard garden by David and Hazel Bigger who lived in the h9use that serves as the park’s welcome center. It was the inspiration for Rock Hill’s annual Come-See-Me Festival which is a festival celebrating music, frogs, and fun. The Bigger’s gifted this Gardens to the City of Rock Hill through a deed in 1958. The peak blooming season is from the end of March to the middle of April. The Veterans Garden was created with the partnership with The American Legion Post 34 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2889. It h9onors women and men from the past, present, and future who served in the United States armed forces.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #311 – What’s in a Garden?

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Judy’s Numbers Game #34 — 155

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit:©️2019 & 2023 Deb L Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Apple iPhone XR and Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF 75-300 mm and Canon EF-S18-55mm lenses.

Location: Glencairn Gardens; Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA

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

Bright Yellow Zinnia on Sunny Saturday

I’m hoping to have some sunny sunshine anyways. We’ve been having a tremendous amount of rain and wind from the outskirts of Hurricane Debby/Tropical Storm Debby ( now Tropical Depression Debby). At least I can dream of sunshine even if we do not get it for several days yet.

Yellow Zinnia elegans

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Leigha’s Sunny Sunday Challenge

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge 

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2024 Week 31

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take time to stop and smell the flowers. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Floral Friday: 08.09 —Colouring Flowers #32

Flowers on Stamps
Coloured by Me
Via Zen Color App

Floral Friday

Cee’s Flower of the Day 

God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Take time to Smell the Flowers. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.

OWS: Nature’s Framework

For One Word Sunday this week Debbie has chosen Framed. She is not referring to placing a photo in a frame, but rather using nature to frame a scene or subject.

One-sided framing
Sequoia National Park
Double Framed

Debbie’s One Word Sunday

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit: 1-3)©️1979 Nornal H. Waters … All Rights Reserved; 4) ©️2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-3) Minolta XG-7 35 mm; 4) iPhone 14 Pro Max

Locations: 1-3) Sequoia National Forest; Tulare County, California; 4) Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

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

2024 Macro Monday/FOTD: 08.05

Viburnum opulus

Guelder-Rose
Guelder Rose 

FOTD

Macro Monday

Photo Credit: ©️2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro

Location: Riverwalk; Piedmont Medical Center Trail; Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA

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

2024 LAPC #309 – Balconies

PR from the blog flightofthesoul wants us to show balconies we’ve come across on our adventures or in our localities. I had to search through my photos to find some balconies. Luckily, I managed to find a few.

PR’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #309 – Balconies

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

2024 CWWC: My Which Way — August – Week 1

For this week in doing Cee’s Which Way My Way I’m choosing a theme of Any Dirt Roads, Pathways, or Trails. I’d love for y’all to join me in posting your Dirt Roads, Pathways or Trails.

For Cee’s Which Way doing it My Way I have chosen to select Dirt Trails from our favourite Greenway with Coleman. If desired, you can click on each photo for enlarged viewing.

Cee’s Which Way Challenge 

Which Way My Way

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your Dirt Roads, Pathways, and or Trails with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Last On the Card — July

Brian from Bushboy.blog asks us to post our last photo on our SD card or phone on the last day of the month. No editing. Explanations not necessary. Create a Pingback or leave a link in comments to Brian’s blog. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard. 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.

From My iPhone:

Coleman
in his new
Grave Digger shirt

From my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

Patterson Pond
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

From My Dad’s Slides taken with his Minolta XG-7 35 mm Via My Wolverine Digital Converter:

San Diego Wild Animal Park
San Diego, California, USA

Brian’s Last On the Card

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

Birds of the Carolinas #15

House Sparrows

The House Sparrow is a common to abundant resident throughout the Carolinas. These birds can be found nesting almost everywhere people live. They are often strongly associated with man-made habitats. They are found in the Piedmont region year-round in good numbers with counts sometimes as high as 300 in a single day.

The House Sparrow is a small bird with a typical length of merely 16 centimeters (6.3 inches). Females and young birds are colored pale brown and grey. The males have brighter black, white, and brown markings.

The House Sparrow feed on almost any type of seed or grain, and also enjoy eating insects. Even though insects are considered highly nutritional being rich in protein calcium, and low in carbohydrates; I think I will pass.

South Carolina Ornithologists consider the House Sparrow to be noisy, quarrelsome, and aggressive. I have not noticed them being aggressive. I have seen them flighty and a little noisy, but then I like hearing the variety of sounds from different birds.

The House Sparrow, having originally been native to Eurasia, has adapted to and thrived within man-made environments throughout the world for hundreds of years.

Birds of the Carolinas

Bird of the Week LXXIII

Photo Credit:©️2023 Deb L. Waters (except where noted) … All Rights Reserved.

Location: Martha Rivers Park; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

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

2024 Macro Monday: 07.29 — Rudbeckia hirta 

Rudbeckia hirta L.
Black-eyed Susan

Macro Monday

Cee’s Flower of the Day

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

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

Happy 5th Birthday Coleman! 07.25

Today my grandson turned Five. Where has the time gone? He’s currently 43.78 inches tall and weighs 42.20 pounds. He will start kindergarten next month.

Coleman
and his new
train track set

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

Sunday Stills/OWS/CPC — Bright Flowers & Wings

Flowers & Wings

in the Bright Sunshine

Fiery skipper
on Zinnia violacea

Wings on Bright Flowers

Wings on a Zinnia
Birds in Flight
Canada Geese
Black-Eyed Susans
Zinnias

Terri’s Sunday Stills-Wings

One Word Sunday-Bright

The Cosmic Photo Challenge-What’s flowering where you are?

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #308-Perfect Pairs

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge

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

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

God Bless. Thankful for a slight break from all the rain. Wish we could have a break from this extreme heat. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.