2017 April 18, Tuesday, Day Trip to Cullman, Alabama (Ava's First Trip with us)🍓🍓🍓

We rode past the Paper Mill in Town Creek (that is being torn down) to Highway 31 to Decatur.
Ava ate half a banana, and crackers and drank some milk before we stopped for lunch.
We stopped at Logan's Roadhouse in Decatur for lunch.
Hubby ordered a hamburger and fries. 
Ava and I shared ALASKAN cod, fried to perfection in a Samuel Adams Boston Lager batter. 
Served with crispy house-made potato chips.

Ava eating lunch

Fried Cod and chips 

Fried Cod and chips

Ava watched Kong Fu Panda, Little Mermaid, and Dory on the TV screen in our van.

Our first stop was the Decatur Train Depot 309 1st Street Cullman there we saw several train benches, a miniature train, a light, and a couple of cases of artifacts.

Train Depot 

We walked across the parking lot to Depot Park where Ava enjoyed stretching her legs after the long ride.

Ava enjoying the fountain at Depot Park 

We saw a farmer's market across the street so we took Ava by the hand and entered the crosswalk that leads to the farmer's market.
At the farmer's market, they were selling fresh homegrown strawberries.

Cullman's Farmers Market

Fresh Strawberries

We bought a gallon and before we knew it Ava was filling up on strawberries.
I had a baby wipe ready as the red juice flowed down her sweet face.
As soon as she finished one berry she was saying more.
I sat next to her in the back seat so I could feed her and clean her up.
Our next stop was the dollar store where hubby bought him a diet Mt. Dew and Ava a bottle of Apple Juice.

Clarkson Covered Bridge

Finally, we arrived at the Clarkson Covered Bridge.
We were all ready to get out of the van. 

I said that we should all walk across the bridge but Ava said scared so she and hubby walked to the cabin that had a swing, while I walked across the bridge.

Some kind of animal jumped out at me when I started back across the bridge.

I walked back to the cabin where Ava and hubby were looking at a green lizard.

Green Lizard

Me and Ava on the Clarkson Covered Bridge 

Cabin and Mill

We walked to the creek across a smaller bridge and took a few pictures.
It was awful muggy and by the time we arrived at the van, we were all sweating.
We were relieved to feel the cool air from the air conditioner.

Clarkson Covered Bridge
Sometimes called Legg Bridge
this 270-footbridge was constructed in 1904, destroyed by a flood in 1921, and rebuilt the following year. The only remaining covered bridge is Cullman County. It was restored by the Cullman County Commission in 1975 as an American Revolution Bicentennial Project. Named to National Register of Historic Places on 6~25~74.
Alabama Historical Association 1975

Side view of Clarkson Covered Bridge 

A smaller bridge that crossed the creek 

Ava with only a few strains of strawberries on her dress 

Snowball bush at the cabin

There were signs all throughout the park 

1. What is Water Pollution? #1

2. Where does your drinking water come from? #5

3. What Happens to my wastewater? #6

4. Monitoring Watershed Health #8

5. What's the Big Deal about Litter?! #9

6. Birds of Alabama #12

7. Alabama's Aquatic Biodiversity #13

8. Alabama's Physical Diversity#14

9. Land Use and Water Quality #15

We rode past the Civil War Museum we did not stop because we were all too hot and tired.

We came back on Highway 157 through Moulton.
We stopped at a local nursery for some tomatoes and peppers.
We dropped Ava off at her house and came home.
Too tired to get off the couch.
After resting for a couple hours we took the time to plant our vegetables in our garden box.

🚙2017 March 27-29, Adventures in the Smoky Mts

Before we could get on the road, we had to take our Chrysler Van in for body repairs.
We stopped in Elgin to have the front end checked on the Honda Van and had to leave it for repairs, so we ended up driving the LS Saturn, an older car that got good gas mileage.
We stopped for our weekly B-12 shots and began our journey.
We took I-65 North to 840 West to 40 West, stopping at the Pilot in Knoxville to refuel.

We stopped at the Tennessee Rest Stop in Lancaster, where we saw a display about Tennessee during the Civil War, featuring tough men and an even more brutal war. 

We reached the Inn on the River around 5 P.M., checked in, and rested for a few minutes before riding to the Islands, where we saw the Ferris wheel, Dudley's Daiquiris, Mellow Mushroom Pizza, Margaritaville, and a carousel.
We were getting hungry, so we decided to eat at Paula Deen's, but it was way too much food, and since we were both watching our weight, we ended up eating at Long John Silver's instead.
I ordered a piece of Cod Fish (my favorite) and a Hubby seafood platter, which we shared.
We rode past the Old Mill, stopping at Patriots Park, which was nearby.

Liberty Bell
Home to a beautiful landscape and several significant events, Patriot Park is an ideal destination for relaxation and an exciting time.

The park is located behind The Old Mill, off Middle Creek Road. A large expanse of lush green covers the park, but the highlight of the park is undoubtedly the inspiring Veterans Memorial.

A large, cracked Liberty Bell was erected within the park to pay homage to all of the Sevier County war veterans. This act of patriotism extends to the Annual Celebrate Freedom event. This two-week celebration pays tribute to the millions of men and women who have courageously fought for America's freedoms. When visiting Sevier County, be sure to take some time to visit Pigeon Forge's Patriot Park.

Patriot Missile
Patriot utilizes advanced aerial interceptor missiles and high-performance radar systems. Patriot was developed at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, which had previously designed the Safeguard ABM system and its component Spartan and hypersonic speed Sprint missiles. The symbol for Patriot is a drawing of a Revolutionary War-era Minuteman.

Patriot Park City of Pigeon Forge
A patriot is someone who feels strong support for their country. (See also Patriotism.) It is derived from the Hellenic (Greek) word Πατρίς (patris), meaning homeland. It is the female form of Πατέρας, which means Father.

Liberty Bell

We rode back to the hotel, watched some television, and fell asleep.

The next morning, we took the elevator from the fourth floor to the ground level and walked to the dining room to eat breakfast.
We then rode through Gatlinburg, taking in the sights where the fire had occurred earlier in the year.

We crossed the Tennessee State line into North Carolina.

It was a bit chilly, and I had left my jacket back at the hotel

The Smoky Mountains

Our next stop is the Mountain Farm Museum & Visitor Center in Oconaluftee, NC. 
At the Mountain Farm Museum, we saw Corn Cribs, Broomcorn, a Sorghum Mill and Furnace, a Blacksmith Shop, Sorghum Cane, a fenced-in garden, an Apple House, hog pens, the meat house, and a springhouse.

Cabin

Mountain Farm Museum 

Most of the buildings on a mountain farm are related to the most basic of all needs: preserving food. The historic buildings at the Mountain Farm Museum were moved here from throughout the national park in the early 1950s. These buildings reflect the challenges faced daily by every mountain farm family. John Davis spent two years building this house near Deep Creek, North Carolina. It was completed in about 1900. The log walls are "matched"; Davis split chestnut logs in half along their length and placed the halves in matching positions on opposite walls. 

Oconaluftee River Trail  

Hand-stitched quilts at Oconaluftee Visitor Center 

Inside the Oconaluftee Visitor Center 
We saw cultural-themed exhibits about the people who once lived in the area. 

Our next stop was Cherokee Veterans Park, where we saw markers honoring Native Americans who had served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, and U.S. Air Force.

A bear at the Cherokee Veterans Park represents our US Flag and the American Eagle. 

We enjoyed a Whopper, Whopper Jr, onion rings, and a slice of chocolate cheesecake at Burger King in Clyde, NC.

Slice of  Oreo Cookie Cheesecake 

Whopper Jr, Onion Rings, and a drink
We took a different route (I-40s)back to the Inn on the River and stopped to tour the Bush Museum and Store. 

Come on down to the BUSH'S® Visitor Center in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, where you can trace the values and events that have made BUSH'S BEST® what it is today. And it's all housed in the original A.J. Bush & Company general store, founded in 1897.

Bush's Truck 

Bush's Visitor Center

3901 US-411, Dandridge, TN 37725

A replica of a can of Bush's Baked Beans showing the beans' journey. 

Jay Bush and his dog Duke 

Bush's Factory 

We arrived in Pigeon Forge just in time for dinner at the Apple Farm Restaurant.
We enjoyed Applewood's Apple Fritters, juice, chicken, and vegetables.

Applewood Apple Fritters

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 egg (beaten)
4 Tbsp margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 orange, rind, and juice
1 cup apples (chopped but not too fine)
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Beat the egg. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, egg, and melted margarine. Add the orange juice, rind, chopped apples (with the skin left on), and vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir the mixture into the milk with a spoon until well blended. DO NOT OVERMIX. Preheat the oil in a skillet to 350 degrees. Drop the tablespoons into the hot oil. Fry to a golden brown. Turn so they brown evenly. Allow cooling. Makes about 30 fritters. 

Applewood Farm 

We had enough left over for the next day.
After enjoying a nice meal, we rode back to the hotel, took a shower, climbed into bed to watch some television, and fell asleep.

The next morning, we dressed and rode the elevator down to the first floor, where we walked into the dining room for breakfast.
We checked out and headed for home. 
We stopped to fill up with gas and visited the I-75 rest stop, where we saw a historic marker.

The Road to Chattanooga: The Tide Turns for the Union.
This interstate highway parallels the historic line of the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad. Late in 1863, Union and Confederate armies followed the tracks during a series of battles in the fight for control of Chattanooga, a strategically vital rail center.
     Multiple Civil War-related sites are located in Charleston (Exit 33), near the location of a raid by Confederate Gen. Joseph Wheeler's cavalry. The Henegar House was the headquarters for Union Gen. William T. Sherman. Cumberland Presbyterian Church served as a Confederate hospital. The Hiwassee River Heritage Center interprets the story of the Union occupation of the area.
     In downtown Cleveland (Exit 25), late in 1863, Union forces built Fort Hill to protect the railroad. A cemetery was established nearby, with the dead of both sides interred there. In 1914, the Grand Army of the Republic erected a monument for the Union soldiers there, one of three such memorials in the state. Fighting occurred around the Masonic Female Institute in Cleveland.
     The site of a major Confederate hospital is located near Exit 7. Silverdale Confederate Cemetery contains the graves of about 155 of Gen. Braxton Bragg's soldiers. Most of them are unknowns who died in hospitals in 1862.
  Several units of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park can be accessed from Exit 3, including Orchard Knob, 
Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain. Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's victory there late in November 1863 turned the tide against the Confederates. It resulted in the Federal occupation of most of East Tennessee for the rest of the war.

We ate lunch at Taco Bell in Athens and were home by 5:30 P.M.
My granddaughter brought over her daughter, and she stayed with us until 8:30 P.M.
We had a great time in the mountains, but were also glad to be home. 

2017 April 15, Church History Walking Tour Decatur, Alabama ⛪⛪⛪⛪ with guide Phil Wirey

Today I strolled along with several others to listen to Phil Wirey tell the Church history of Decatur.
We meet in the Flower and Butterfly Garden at the Old State Building.

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Rosalynn  Carter Butterfly Trail
This garden provides host plants, nectar sources, and shelter for butterflies. The mission of the trail is to promote the full life cycle of butterflies common in this area with a special emphasis on the monarch. The trail begins at the home of President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter in Plains, Ga.
Join us on the trail!
www.jimmycarter.info

Butterfly Garden

We were introduced to people like Jesse Winston Garth, one of Decatur's founding fathers Decatur.
(2)We saw the Dancy Polk House, the site of (3)Colonel Lawrence Banks's Home that was torn down during the Civil War.
We saw the site of the (4)First Methodist Church and the First City Cemetery also torn down during the Civil War.
(5)The site of the First Presbyterian Church, Owl Drug Store, Tennessee Valley State Bank, and many Jewish storefronts.
(6) We stopped at the Lafayette Street Cemetery to take a few pictures.

 Lafayette Street Cemetery
there are brochures placed outside the cemetery for the taking
1. Cyrus Aiken Banks
2. George Baylor Banks
3. Col Lawrence Slaughter Banks
4. Margaret Jarret Noble Banks
5. Mildred Ann Banks
6. Elizabeth Boyce
7. Elizabethan Brown
8. Sarah Evaline Rhodes Dancy'
9. Thomas G. Marphy
10. Mary Mason Nelson
11. Mary Ann Banks Nichols
12. Eliza Rhodes
13. Francis Alexander Rhodes
14. Lavinia Mason Rhodes
15. Patience Rhodes
16. Sarah Louisa Turner Dancy Sykes Rhodes
17. Alexander Ross
18. Daughter Rutledge
19. Phineas Thomas Scruggs
20. Eliza Lavinia Sykes
21. Sarah Winfield Dancy Sykes

(7) We stopped to visit the Notorious Simp McGee saloons and Dead Man's Alley

Simp McHGee
Simp, a Master Pilot, was as skillful and competent as the best. But in the Spring of 1917, Federal Agents lifted his license for "the reckless shooting of the rapids" near Chattanooga. No longer allowed to pilot his riverboats, he returned to Decatur and died at Miss Kate's house, on June 16, 1917, at the age of 58...

William Simpson McGhee was buried on the bank of the Tennessee River near Guntersville.

(8)We visited the Nungester Drug Store and (9) The United Methodist Church.
(10) We stopped outside the First Baptist Church its third location.
(11) We visited the Carnegie Library and ended our tour at the Decatur Daikin Amphitheater.

Carnegie Library 

Decatur Daikin Amphitheater.

I walked back to the parking lot near the Old State Bank and took pictures of several historic markers.

The Rising Sun Lodge No 29 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons

Dr. Henry Rhodes, for whom Rhodes Ferry Landing was Named, was Decatur's first Postmaster and one of the organizers of the Lodge (Nov. 22, 1826). Chartered in 1827, its first Worshipful Master was Colonel Francis Danny, builder of the Fancy-Polk House. It is the oldest Lodge in Morgan County and the first fraternal organization in Decatur. Early members were the pioneer settlers of Morgan County. Two of Decatur's founders, Isaac Lane and General Jesse Winston Garth., were Masons and Directors of the Decatur Land Company which laid out the city streets. A lodge was built in 1834 with the lower floor used for school and church purposes. Rising Sun Lodge was destroyed by the enemy during the War Between the States (Nov. 25, 1864). In 1873 a Lodge was built on the NW corner of Bank and Pond Streets, across from the Old State Bank, W.W. Littlejohn a Colonel C.C. Harris were Masons and founders of the Decatur Land Improvement & Furnace Company which planned the city of New Decatur (1887). Three members, all doctors in the faithful discharge of their Hippocratic Oath, were lost to the 1888 Yellow Fever epidemic, James McGinnis Brundidge, PM, is the only Mason in the history of the Alabama Grand Lodge to bestowed the title of

'Honorable Past Grand Master'(1899). In 1934, the Lodge moved into the Masonic Temple on Johnston Street, formerly the Cotaco Opera House.

Decatur has pieces of art dotted throughout the historic area.  

Children holding hands in the Decatur Daikin Amphitheater Park 

A pair of Hands 

A rooster in the Gardens at the Carnegie Library 

Blooming Azaleas  

I ate lunch at Jack in Decatur, rode home, and took a long nap.