2025 CosPhoChal: Welcome Summer’s Floral Blossoms

We didn’t do anything different on the 20th than we would normally do on any other day. Coleman and I enjoy being outdoors and wander through the woods whenever we possibly can. Right now in our area the weather is in the mid to high 90’s, much too hot to be out in the sun for any length of time.

With the heat advisory regarding the extreme heat temperatures, we only go out for short periods at a time. In those short periods Coleman likes to check to see what new blossoms have started blooming. These are some of what we have seen within the past week till now.

Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge Shades of #Pink in the Great Outdoors

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Say hello to Summer

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

Sunrise Sunset Throughout the Years

This week Terri has chosen a theme of Sunday Stills: Capturing the #Sun in Public Parklands in the Great Outdoors aiming to celebrate the summer and winter solstices which occurred on the 20th of this month.

Sunrise Sunset reminds me of an old song sung by Perry Como entitled Sunrise Sunset. [My dad loved to listen to Perry Como on 45 rpm records, of which I now own].


“Sunrise sunset, sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as they gaze
Sunrise sunset, sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears”


Sunrise, Sunset” by Perry Como was written by Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick.

The Sunrises and Sunsets flow from day to day and throughout the Years. One season following another, where does all the time go? Days, Years, and Seasons swiftly fly by filled with happiness and tears Like Sunrise Sunset.

Here are a few Sunrises and Sunsets from throughout the years …

2017

Sunset
Pisgah Inn
Pisgah National Forest

Canton, North Carolina

2019

Sunset
Andrew Jackson State Park
Lancaster, SC

2020

2022

Sunset Seven Oaks Preserve Trail
Belmont, North Carolina

2025

Sunrise
Cramerton, North Carolina

For enhanced viewing click on each image to enlarge.

Sunday Stills: Capturing the #Sun in Public Parklands in the Great Outdoors

Photo Credit: ©️2017-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. May your week be filled with love, and Happiness. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monday Portrait: 23 June

A Church’s Guest

Plestiodon fasciatus

The Plestiodon fasciatus, also known as the American Five-lined Skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the six native species of lizards in Canada.

Calling it the American five-lined skink to distinguishes it from the African skink Trachylepis quinquetaeniata (otherwise known as five-lined mabuya).

They are small to medium in size, growing to approximately 12.5 to 21.5 centimetres (4.9 to 8.5 in) total length (including tail). The young American Five-lined skinks are dark brown to black with five distinct white to yellow stripes (this one’s are yellowish) running along the body and a bright blue tail. The blue color fades to light blue with age, and the stripes also may slowly disappear.

The range of the American Five-lined skink extends in the north to southern Ontario, Michigan and eastern New York. The western border is in Minnesota, Missouri and eastern Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas. 

P. fasciatus is inclined to be most abundant on the coastal plain in the southeastern United States and along the Gulf Coast.

The American Five-lined skink is a ground-dwelling animal. It prefers moist, hardwood areas with a permanent water source such as rivers or streams, as well as sites to bask in the sun. [The church this skink visited sits along the South Fork Catawba River, so it didn’t have to wander to far to meander inside.]

The common five-lined skink’s diet consists primarily of a variety of arthropods, particularly spiders, crickets, beetles and other insects. However, they have been reported to also eat newborn mice, frogs, and other lizards. [Tiny frogs, beetles, spiders, and other insects are easily found along the banks of the South Fork Catawba River, easy feasts for skinks].

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Cramerton Independent Presbyterian Church; Eighth Avenue; By the South Fork Catawba River; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 OWS: Movement

Flying Disc:

Coleman in Motion:

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Movement

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 3-5) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Riverlink Greenway Trail; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Floral Cell Pic Sunday: 22 June

Canna Toucan® Yellow

(Canna Lily)

Aka Indian Shot ‘Toucan Yellow’
Canna Lily ‘Toucan Lily’

John’s Cell Pic Sunday 

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location:The Center; Town of Cramerton, North Carolina, USA 

God Bless. Have a wonderful week. Take time to admire the beautiful flowers. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Sunday Stills: B/W Pathways in the Great Outdoors

This week’s theme for Terri’s Sunday Stills Photography Challenge is Paths and #Trails in the Great Outdoors. This week’s theme is difficult except in deciding which photos to select for the challenge. Coleman and I go hiking along trails and pathways at least once a week, most times several days out of a week.

For this week’s challenge I have chosen to select images from our latest adventure hiking from The Trailhead Store in black and white.

Terri’s Sunday Stills-Paths and #Trails in the Great Outdoors

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Pathway around the Big Pond; From The Trailhead Store; The Village at Stowe; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 The Numbers Game #77-198

To play along, go to your photos file folder 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 titleThis prompt will repeat each Monday with a new number. If you want to play along, please put a link to your blog in comments below.

Here are my contributions to the Numbers Game Challenge … Click on photos for enlarged and enhanced viewing.

Judy’s Numbers Game #77-198

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

2025 LAPC #353 – Stormy

This week’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge is hosted by Beth from Wandering Dawgs. She has chosen a theme for this week of Stormy.

Here is my entry for LAPC … Click on image to enlarge.

Thunderstorm
Wilkinson Blvd
Charlotte, NC

Beth’s Lens-Artist Photo Challenge-Stormy

Lens-Artist Challenge

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Wilkinson Blvd; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Sunday Trees: 15 June

Acer saccharum

The Northern Sugar Maple is a deciduous tree in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) native to Eastern and central North America from Canada south through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and west to Minnesota to northeast Texas.

Aka Hard Maple

Here in North Carolina, it is found in the mountains and sporadically in the Piedmont region. Northern Sugar Maple trees may reach around fifty (50) to one hundred twenty (120) feet tall with a dense, spreading crown that provides heavy shade and grows slowly to medium, although it may grow faster in open areas. It tends to grow best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil in full sun, but it tolerates average well-drained soils in sun to part shade. 

Aka Northern Sugar Maple

This particular tree is located on the grounds of The Trailhead Store, a property of Daniel Stowe Conservancy. It provides shade for visitors to enjoy a respite from the hot sun and humid heat of a sunny summer day.

Sunday Trees #590

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Enjoy the Outdoors. Have a rest under a shade tree. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 One Word Sunday (OWS) : Looking Down

Last week Debbie had us Looking Up, it was fun to see everyone’s take on Looking Up. This week’s theme is Looking Down. There are many different and interesting things available to see all around us if we only Look and observe what’s all around us.

Coleman and I paid a visit to the expanded and upgraded Daniel Stowe Conservancy, formerly known as The Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. Looking all around the trails surrounding The Trailhead Store at the Conservancy there were some interesting views which we Looked Down upon.

…. Such as the Pond down and slightly to the right of The Trailhead Store.

Looking Down upon the
Reflections in the Pond

…. Or this little Pond with a waterfall surrounded by rocks a short distance away from the Dog Park.

Moving along further down the trail we spot an interesting painting on the pathway with a Trail crossing sign nearby.

Looking Down upon
the painted pathway
before crossing the road.

And lastly for today, I’m Looking Down upon Coleman looking down at something on a bench.

Coleman Looking Down on the Bench while I’m Looking Down the small incline at him.

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Looking Down

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1 & 5-6) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 2-4) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: The Trailhead Store; Carolina Thread Trail; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 SYD: June 15

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos invites everyone to join her in Sharing Your Desktop (SYD). Below are her suggestions for participating in the Share Your Desktop Challenge .

To do so, simply share the photo (not a screenshot) you have set as your wallpaper; Provide as little or as much detail as you wish; Use a pingback, or post a link here so I know you have joined in on the fun; Then finally, share the fun around.

I am sharing my Wallpaper from both my Laptop and my Smartphone. I enjoy looking at different images each month. Most of which revolve around Coleman (my grandson) and nature.

Here are my Desktop Wallpaper and Screensaver for my Laptop:

From My HP Laptop:

Desktop Background Wallpaper

Coleman looking over the Pond
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Desktop Screensaver

Color Pop of Coleman
sitting on a Fence Post
on The Carolina Thread Trail
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

From My Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: 

Focus

Coleman
sitting on a Cairn
at Rocky Branch Trailhead

Personal Focus

Coleman
sitting on a Bench
inside a Gazebo
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Reading Focus

Coleman
sitting on a Fence Post
on The Carolina Thread Trail
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Hiking Focus

Coleman
by a
Do Not Enter
Trail Post
on the
Rocky Branch Trail

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

Share Your Desktop – June 2025

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachment; 2-6) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Locations: 1-2 & 4-5) The Trailhead Store, Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont, North Carolina; 3 & 6) Rocky Branch Trail, Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina, USA

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

Even Trees Spread Love ❤️ for Y’all

“Open hearts see Love everywhere…”

Truth Beckons
Pinterest

If you ever feel down …

… Look at Nature

“Hearts are everywhere
in nature.”

Nell Regar Kartychok

If you ever feel unloved …

… Look to Nature

Nature will distinctly showcase love …

“Rest your heart in nature’s warm, and the deepest love of life
will form.”

Angie Weiland-Crosby

… Remember You are Loved

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion Camera

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

God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Feel the Love. Nature demonstrates Love in abundance. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monochrome Madness (MM) — Naturally or Almost

This week’s host Elke from pictures imperfect blog is asking us to select images that are naturally monochrome. I searched my photos and think I came up with a few that might work for this week’s challenge.

DSBG Dog Park Entrance
Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Belmont, NC
Garden Metal Wind Spinner
The Farmhouse Garden Center
The Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Belmont, NC
Airplane Overhead
in Grey Cloudy Skies
Riverside Park and Greenway
Cramerton, NC
South Fork Catawba River
Riverside Park and Greenway
Cramerton, NC
Mostly Monochrome
Adirondack Bird Feeder
The Farmhouse Garden Center

Daniel Stowe Conservancy
Belmont, NC

Elke’s Monochrome Madness-Naturally Monochrome

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #36 – Naturally monochrome

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 2-5) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Locations: 1-2 & 5) The Farmhouse Garden Center, Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont, North Carolina, USA; 3-4) Riverside Park and Greenway, Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Roads with traffic (vehicles of any kind, Etc. Cars,Bicycles)

Welcome back to another Which Way Challenge (CWWC). This week I have chosen (CWWC): Roads with traffic (vehicles of any kind; eg. Cars, Bicycles, etc) for this week’s theme. The Traffic in Your Which Ways can be heavy or light as long as your Which Ways are clearly discernible. For further information regarding the Which Way Challenge (CWWC) feel free to check out the home page here. As always remember to have fun.

There are times Coleman and I run across traffic as we walk to our destination or Trailhead. On Saturday we had to walk along a few different roads (some with sidewalks and some without sidewalks) to reach our intended destination to begin our hike for the day.

Here are my entries for this week’s challenge … from our walk …

Bicycles/Bicyclists:

Cars, SUV’s, and Trucks:

For enhanced/enlarged viewing click on each image.

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

Dawn from The Day After’s Which Way: With Random People

Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Roads with traffic (vehicles of any kind; eg. Cars, Bicycles, etc)

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Lakewood & Eagle Road; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Thursday Trios: 12 June —

Trios Flowers & Fungi

Carol’s Thursday Trios

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: 1-6) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments; 7-8) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Thursday Doors: 12 June — Doors at Daniel Stowe Conservancy (Pt 1)

Shed Door in Woods

Coleman and I went to the Daniel Stowe Conservancy to investigate all their new upgrades and additions to what was once known as the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens (DSBG). Along with the name change, many improvements, upgrades, and additions were added to DSBG.

The Farmhouse Garden Center and The Trailhead Store are just two of the many new developments on the grounds of the Daniel Stowe Conservancy. [I’ll discuss more on these facilities on another later post.] There is also an addition of a Dog Park, additional trails and connecting trails encompassing approximately eight plus (8+) miles of hiking trails on Stowe Property.

Trail Map
Click image to enlarge.

Coleman and I began our hiking adventure from The Trailhead Store. We hiked past an extra small waterfall pond, by the Dog Park and around the Big Pond Loop and then crossed the road to continue hiking on the Carolina Thread Trail.

While walking/hiking on the Conservancy property you’ll encounter some concrete paths, crushed concrete trails, natural trails filled with rocks, roots, rises, falls, switchbacks and changes in elevation which inhabits the feeling of adventure.

It was while hiking along the Carolina Thread Trail portion that we noticed a wooden Shed standing amongst the Trees. I’m not sure what the Shed was once used for, but found it interesting to be almost in the middle of nowhere.

The Shed in the Woods
A closer look at the Shed

No, we didn’t attempt to go inside the Shed. We only glimpsed a look at it from the trail … no off trail wandering for a closer look. No need when I could zoom in for a better view.

Dan’s Thursday Doors-12 June 2025

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Carolina Thread Trail; Daniel Stowe Conservancy (DSBG); Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take a Hike/Walk. Have an adventurous day. Nature is beautiful, admire it. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Whataburger Windows & Doors

Kitty by a Window – 2
— AI creation by PR

Whataburger, an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered and based out of San Antonio, Texas, opened its first North Carolina restaurant in Gastonia on May 29th. The opening of the legendary Texas Burger Chain has been a long wait full of anticipation, full of excitement in the expectation of Whataburger finally becoming a reality in North Carolina.

Whataburger Gastonia

The Grand Opening of the Gastonia River Whataburger is one moment of an exciting full year celebration for Whataburger’s 75th Anniversary year. The residents of North Carolina have been excitedly waiting since around 2022 for a Whataburger to open one of its legendary Texas Burger restaurants.

Gastonia Whataburger
E. Franklin Blvd

What’s all the hype about Whataburger? Whataburger serves fresh never frozen beef patties on 5-inch buns, and craveworthy classics like the Patty Melt and Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit – always made-to-order and fully customizable. They serve a grilled chicken sandwich unlike anything you’ve ever eaten before. It is so delicious, it’s amazingly worth the wait and anticipation of finally being able to order a delicious meal from Whataburger.

Those who have never had anything from a Whataburger before were not sure what all the big excitement and hullabaloo has been about. Well, those of us who have eaten at a Whataburger restaurant before know how awesome, exceptional, and sensational Whataburger food truly is mouthwatering delicious.

The lines to enter Whataburger were extremely long with cars, trucks, and SUV’s back up across the parking lot across the road and then some. The parking for dining in was packed and overflowing into the shopping centre parking lot across the street. Lines were monitored by private security and the Gaston County Sheriff’s Department. There were lines to enter the store with a few parties by allowed in to the store at a time to afford overcrowding.

No need to worry about finding a place to sit. Whataburger had that all planned out with extra sitting outside under a tent set up with plenty of tables and chairs. The Whataburger staff brought our food right out to us and everyone else who chose to eat outside.

The demand was so strong that the Whataburger delivery trucks had a difficult time getting into the location to deliver more products for the much needed restaurant.

Other Views of the New Whataburger…

Monday Window

Monday Window

See Monday Window posts in Reader

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Thursday Doors

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 23

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Whataburger; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA 

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

A Restful Peaceful Mellow Feeling

The World in its vastness may not seem a calm and mellow place to find peace and rest. However, there are some amazingly wonderful places out there in this big beautiful world where you can find respite from the hectic stressful times life throws your way.

Moon & World
Planetarium Show at
The Schiele Museum of Natural History

Taking time to get away from every day normalcy is a privilege and often a personal necessity.

I feel the most calm and mellow when I am out in nature camping in my favourite campground away from any and all folks or situations which would be stressful.

My Campsite at
Andrew Jackson State Park

Naturally, a bit of rest in a hammock would be nice and relaxing allowing for me to mellow out and enjoy my time in nature’s outdoors.

Hammock in
Andrew Jackson State Park

Of course, whether I am on my own or with Coleman a hike along a trail is sure to be had. Hiking out among the trees in nature always brings about calmness and tranquility. Our hikes sometimes brings about interesting sights and experiences, like gnomes or even Stitch.

Stitch in
Anne Springs Close Greenway

The Vast Outdoors is where Coleman feels calm, relaxed, and mellow. He dislikes being in doors and much prefers being outside and preferably in the woods surrounded by trees and water.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #352-Mellow

Weekly Prompts Weekend Colour Challenge-Blue

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP)-Folk

Photo Credit:©️2019-2022 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

God Bless. Stay Calm. Mellow out and relax. Take Care. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monday Portrait: 09 June

German Shepherd
on the Trail

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Rocky Branch Park; Cramerton, North Carolina. USA

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

2025 Rocky Branch Benches

Benches on Rocky Branch Trail

Jude’s Bench Anniversary Challenge-08 June 2025

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 23

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Rocky Branch Park; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Cell Pic Sunday: 08 June

Hand Capped

Retiboletus ornatipes
Ornate-stalked Bolete

John’s Cell Pic Sunday-07 June 2025

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion Camera

Location: Rocky Branch Trail; Rocky Branch Park; Belmont, North Carolina, USA 

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

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any Which Way with people

Welcome back to another Which Way Challenge (CWWC). This week I have chosen (CWWC): Any Which Way with people for this week’s theme. Your Which Ways can be on any pathway, road, step, bridge, and/or sign as long as the Which Way is clearly discernible. For further information regarding the Which Way Challenge (CWWC) feel free to check out the home page here. As always remember to have fun. 

Here are my entries for this week’s challenge …

Pathways around Centennial Center with People:

Trails with People:

Remember your Which Ways can be any way one travels, whether on foot, or other means. This week we are focusing on people in our Which Ways. And as always, Be sure to have fun.

For other Which Ways, check out the links below. Thank you to all who contributed to the Which Way Challenges.

Brian from bushboys world’s You’ll find it (down this aisle)

Penn from PENPUSHER 4 – THOUGHTS, WORDS, DEEDS, … Open Road

Dawn from The Day After’s Which Way: Bridge from the Mill Window

Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery’s Yellow – Red – Blue

Cee’s Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC)— (CWWC): Any Which Way with people.

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

2025 Flower of the Day: 05 June

Echinacea x ‘Cheyenne Spirit’

Cutleaf Coneflowers

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Cee’s FOTD

Photo Credit: 2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Centennial Center; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take time to admire the Beautiful Flowers. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monochrome Madness (MM) — Sites Near Bridges along The Catawba River

Even though this is a free week, I followed Leanne and Brian in posting Bridges for this week’s Monochrome Madness.

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #269

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro

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

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

2025 1-to-3: June —Confluence Outdoor Planter Stand

The challenge is to simply take one photo and get creative with it by processing it in three different ways.

This is a planter stand with a variety of flowers in front of Confluence on Center Street in Cramerton, North Carolina.

Here are the contributions for June 2025:

Original:

Original

Edit One:

Watercolor Magic Effects 2
Pic Collage Photo Editor

Edit Two:

Boho 3 Effect
with increased warmth,
saturation, and vibrance
Pic Collage Photo Editor

Edit Three:

Vintage 10 effect
with expansion to 16:9
Pixlr Photo Editor

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: In front of Confluence; Center Street; Cramerton, North Carolin, USA

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

2025 Wordless Wednesday: 04 June

Click to expand for enhanced viewing

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday 

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Home; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Do you remember losing your first tooth? I don’t remember when, but I remember only receiving a quarter a tooth from the “tooth fairy.” Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Monochrome Monday: 02 June

B/W By the River

While Coleman was enjoying playing in the sand near the South Fork Catawba River, I changed the setting my iPhone to Muted B & W for some shots and Stage Light Mono for taking Portraits of Coleman at play. Enjoy watching Coleman in his element.

Monochrome Monday

Monday Portrait

Monochrome Madness

Monday Monochrome 

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: The Big Sand Pit; By the South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have Fun. Enjoy Nature’s beauty in the great outdoors. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 MM #35 — Through the Woods

Monochrome Madness

Leanne Cole has chosen the theme of Woods, Rainforests, and Bushland for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge. For Coleman and I, every time we go hiking we are hiking through the woods along one trail or another. These are from our hike on Saturday at Riverside Park and Greenway.

There is a dirt trail a few feet away from the main fishing pier which Coleman loves to hike. A few yards down the trail is a large sand area close to the South Fork Catawba River. It has been raining quite a bit here lately, so the trail was muddy but still doable.

Here you can see Coleman hiking along the muddy dirt trail through the Woods pulling his Little Tike Dump Truck/Excavator. He enjoys playing the sand and this trail and sand pit is conveniently close to our home.

Coleman Hiking
through the Woods
beside the
South Fork Catawba River

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness #35-Woods, Rainforests, and Bushland

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Cameras: 1-2) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL & UV Lens attachments; 3-6) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion Camera

Location: Dirt Trail; Beside the South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Macro Monday: 02 June

Orange Coneflower

Common Eastern Bumblebee
on an Orange Coneflower

Macro Monday (MM)

Macro Monday 

Cee’s/Chris’ FOTD

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Fusion Camera 

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

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

2025 Sunday Trees: 01 June

Chamaecyparis pisifera 

‘Filifera Aurea’
Sawara cypress

Sawara cypress

This is a Golden Threadleaf Sawara Cypress, Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Aurea’ tree. It is sumptuous, perhaps overly so although lovely to look upon. It has a bold, seamless yellow coat of drooping, thread-like foliage that sits like a huge canary-gold Easter Egg. The brilliant color of the Golden Threadleaf Sawara Cypress appeals to everyone mostly, however, its bold yellowish colour may not be pleasing to some folks.

Chamaecyparis pisifera is one of those species that horticultural humanity has fooled with for a very long time, and it is an easily propagated plant. ‘Filifera Aurea’ is an old cultivar of C. pisifera with tightly compressed needles wrapped around pendulous branchlets hence the name, ‘Threadleaf’, to describe the appearance of the foliage. There is also a cultivar, ‘Filifera’, with the same type of foliage that is a nice quiet green. But ‘Filifera Aurea’ stores some of its excess sugars and starches that form in its needles as a bright gold pigment, a glorious gold pigment, a wild, extravagant, take-your-shoes-off-and-dance gold pigment that has to make any gardener smile, even in the midst of the late winter doldrums.

‘Filifera Aurea’ is a good sized plant, eventually reaching 18-20 feet with age, but retaining a relatively formal, broadly conical shape that adds to its bold statement in the landscape. Chamaecyparis pisifera cultivars perform surprisingly well in the hot, wet southeast and ‘Filifera Aurea’ is no exception. It will happily grow a foot a year, if not overly stressed, in a broad range of soil conditions as long as it has full sun and reasonably regular moisture.

Sunday Trees – #587

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Max Fusion Camera 

Location: C.B. Huss Recreation Complex; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA 

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

Pull Up a Seat on a Bench Along the Catawba River

Jude’s Bench Anniversary Challenge

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2025-Week 22

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro

Location: Catawba River Trailhead; Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA 

God Bless. Have a wonderful day. Enjoy a hike/walk in nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Last On the Card: 31 May

Brian from Bushboys World gives these rules for The Last on the Card Challenge.
1. Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 30th April or whenever your last photo was taken.
2. No editing – who cares if it is out of focus, not framed as you would like or the subject matter didn’t cooperate.
3. You don’t have to have any explanations, just the photo will do
4. Create a Pingback to this post or link in the comments
5. Use the tags The Last Photo and #LastOnTheCard

Here are my #LastPhotos …

From my iPhone:

Boisea trivittata
Eastern Boxelder bug

From my HP Laptop:

Looking Straight Up

Brian’s Last on the Card

Debbie’s One Word Sunday-Looking Up

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: 1) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max; 2)Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens with Altura UV & CPL filter attachments

Location: By the South Fork Catawba River; Riverside Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 Cell Pic Sunday: 01 June —

Cicuta maculata

Spotted Water Hemlock,
Water-hemlock, Beaver Poison

John’s CellPic Sunday – 01 June 2025

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

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

Escorted an Unwanted House Guest Outside

American Green Tree Frog

Have you ever had a child tell you something and you thought there’s no way that could be true? Let be tell you about an incident that happened this morning (yesterday 5/30). We go outside our front door to check to see if we have any mail. No mail, so what else is new. We don’t receive much in the way of snail mail anyway.

We go back inside the house and Coleman informs me there’s a frog in the house. I’m thinking there’s no way that there’s a frog in our house. He’s insistent that there really is a frog in the house. First he tells me that it went under the couch. Then he tells me it is hopping behind the couch.

At this point I’m not believing him. I’m not seeing any frog in the house, so how could there be a frog in the house. I inform him I do not believe him, he must be lying. He insists his not lying, that there really truly is a green groom the house.

After a little bit of time, guess what hops out from behind the couch and into the middle of the living room floor. Yep, you are right. Coleman was right. I had to apologize to Coleman and admit he was right. There was a green frog in our house.

Needless to say that the little green frog went mmm mmm ahhh hopping across the living room floor. The Little Green Frog reminded me of an old children’s song which starts out with “’Mmm Ahh’, went the little green frog one day, “Mmm ahh,” went the little green frog.
“Mmm ahh,” went the little green frog one day,
And they all went, “Mmm mmm AHHH!”. I’m not sure who wrote the song, however, the lyrics can be found online by searching in your web browser or by clicking here.

After my finally seeing the Little Green Frog I proceeded to capture the Little Green Frog and escort him outside. Once outside I set the Little Green Frog down on the porch by the stairs. The Little Green Frog merrily hopped down the stairs and into the vast greenness of our front yard. And we said goodbye Little Green Frog.

Next time Coleman tells me something I think might not be true, I’m gonna believe him that it is true until something or someone proves otherwise. Children may say the darnedest things, but often young people speak the truth.

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Our Home; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. God Bless the little children. Love your children/grandchildren. Believe in them. Listen and believe what they tell you. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Skywatch Friday/Weekend Sky — 31 May

Evening Cloudy Skies

Skywatch Friday

Hammad’s Weekend Sky

Weekend Sky

Weekend Sky

Photo Credit: ©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

God Bless. Sky watching can be dramatic, amazing to watch the Sun Rise in the mornings. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Flower of the Day: 31 May

Yesterday, after talking a long hike along the South Fork River Trail we stopped in Confluence for a bit of respite and to cool off from the high humidity. Luckily it didn’t rain until after we arrived back home.

Sun Parasol® White Mandevilla

On display to the left of the entrance is a Kayak. Normally, it is just the kayak … no decoration inside of it. We found it to hold a pot of White Mandevilla which drew our attention to the beautiful flowers.

Mandevilla Sun Parasol White

Enjoy. Click on each image for enhanced viewing.

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge: 31 May 2025

Cee’s FOTD

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Out Front; Confluence; Center Street; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Take Care. Be Observant. Admire the beauty all around. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any Type of Road, Path, Step, Bridge, or Sign

Welcome back to another Which Way Challenge (CWWC). This week I have chosen (CWWC): Any Type of Road, Path, Step, Bridge, or Sign for this week’s theme. Your Which Ways can be on any pathway, road, step, bridge, and/or sign as long as the Which Way is clearly discernible. For further information regarding the Which Way Challenge (CWWC) feel free to check out the home page here. As always remember to have fun.

Here are my entries for this week’s challenge …

Pathway/Sidewalk:

Roads:

Bridges:

Steps:

Signs:

Thank you to those who have participated and supported the Which Ways Challenge. I appreciate y’all sharing your Which Ways with us. 

For an idea of other’s Which Ways from this past week’s challenge, be sure to click on the following links below.

Brian from Bushboys World’s Exploring (going down Gore Rd)

Sandy from Out of MyWrite Mind’s Follow The Shadowy Path

WoollyMuses’ Cee-WWay-Challenge-Dirt-Paths-Roads

GERIATRI’X’ FOTOGALLERYs DIRT TRACK

chava61 from This and That’s 2025 Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any Which Way with Dirt roads/pathways/trails

Dawn from The Day After’s Which Way: Gravel Dirt Roads

Deb’s Which Way Challenge (CWWC): Any Type of Road, Path, Step, Bridge, or Sign

Photo Credit:©️2020-2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

2025 Spring Festival #11 —

Springtime Blossoms

in the Neighbourhood

Welcome to my Week #11 Floral contribution to Dawn’s Spring Festival 2025.

Walking the neighbourhood today, these are some of the flowers we saw in bloom. The Calla Lilies are from different neighbouring gardens.

Dawn’s Spring Festival 2025

Cee’s FOTD

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

God Bless. Take time to admire the beauty of God’s creations. Observe the Flowers, how they grow and blossom. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Thursday Trios: 29 May

Springtime with Canada Geese

Canada Geese are quite often spotted on the banks or in the waters of the South Fork Catawba River. These are just a few of the trio shots, mostly I captured the large number (about a dozen or more) of Canada Geese along the river’s banks.

Thursday Trios

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max;

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

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

Be sure to check out Friday’s Which Way Challenge. This week’s theme will be (CWWC): Any Type of Road, Path, Step, Bridge, or Sign. Looking forward to seeing the Which Ways y’all share with everyone.

2025 Flower of the Day: 29 May

Table Decor

Narcissus

Narcissus Trumpet Dutch Master
Daffodil tube ‘Dutch Master’

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Cee’s FOTD

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

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

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

2025 Thursday Doors: 29 May — Antique Car +

NC Transportation Museum

This week it has been raining all week, so time for Throwback Thursday Doors. A trip back in time to 2021 and a visit with Coleman to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina.

On Wednesday, August 25, 2021 Coleman and I took a drive to visit the North Carolina Transportation Museum. His mom was out of town and we were on our own. All Coleman knew was that we were going for a long drive. He always likes for me to take him places. He doesn’t like to stay home if he doesn’t have to do so. He loves adventures and seeing new places and things.

For this adventure I prepaid for our tickets online. He was able to freely wander about both outside and inside the Museum. He roamed in and out of the many, many antique vehicles, even climbing on a few of them. The NC Transportation Museum houses antique vehicles from various time periods. The antique vehicles are not just cars, but airplanes, trains, wagons & carriages once pulled by horses and also a few motorcycles.

Here Coleman is checking out the black 1958 Studebaker on display. I’m sure if he could have opened the door he would have climbed right on in and tasted it out. Glad he was fine without attempting it. We walked up and down the aisles, not wanting to miss a thing. He was fascinated seeing all the antique vehicles in the Museum.

As we walked through one of the other aisles Coleman was able to get a closer view of the airplane, a Douglas C-53-DO. The aircraft was once apart of Piedmont Airlines fleet. This airplane is also from the 1958 era.

Coleman checking out a
1958 Studebaker Car
& Douglas C-53-DO (in background)

If you ever have the opportunity I would recommend a visit to the North Carolina Transportation Museum. For information regarding current events and tickets to the NC Transportation Museum click here.

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max Ultra Wide Camera 

Location: North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, North Carolina, USA 

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

2025 CosPhoChal: Wildflowers

Wild for Wildflowers, regardless if they are along a walkway, beside the road, or in a Wildflower Garden or Meadow. Flowers are beautiful wherever they blossom.

Here are a few we have captured over the past few years.

Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Photo Credit:©️2020-2024 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

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

2025 Wordless Wednesday: 28 May

Mirror Image

Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday 

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #269

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

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

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

Spring 2025 Town of Cramerton Concert

Chairmen of the Board

I’m combining this post with Judy’s Numbers Game #74-195 with a theme of Concert.

On Friday evening the Town of Cramerton held a concert in Centennial Center in Downtown Cramerton. The headliner was a Trio called Chairmen of the Board.

Chairmen of the Board is an American-Canadian Soul music group based out of Detroit, Michigan. The group saw their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The group underwent changes over the years and was reformed in 1978 with members General Norman Johnson, Danny Woods, and Ken Knox. In 1980, they founded Surfside Records and began playing beach music.

The Chairmen of the Board were  inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 1999. The group still plays on with the exception of General Johnson (who passed in 2010 from lung cancer) and Danny Woods (who passed in 2018). Ken Knox (a 38 year member), at the request of General Johnson, has kept the legacy strong. He continues to lead the group, Chairmen of the Board, touring with current members Thomas Hunter and Patrick McGuire and  6 musicians.

The Town came out in droves to listen to Chairmen of the Board perform. The Center was packed with people from all age groups, and even a few dogs as well. The group put on a show stomping performance with people dancing, clapping, and really enjoying a tremendous good ole time performance. Coleman and I really enjoyed listening to them sing and play their songs.

Six Word Saturday

Judy’s Numbers Game #74-195

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Telephoto Camera

Location: Centennial Center; Town of Cramerton; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

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

2025 OWS: Reflection(s)

In the Lake

Andrew Jackson
State Park Lake

Water reflections are the most common reflections we see on our adventures. Perhaps, due to being close to the Catawba River or possibly within a short drive of any number of lakes. It doesn’t really matter, I love gazing over the water no matter where we are to see the reflections of the surrounding landscape reflecting over the water.

Andrew Jackson
State Park Lake

Debbie’s One Word Sunday

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2025 Week 21

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #269

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

Camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Location: AJSP Lake; Andrew Jackson State Park; Lancaster, South Carolina, USA

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