2023 Dec 20, Christmas Tree Trails, and Christmas Card Lane Madison & Decatur, AL

Today was another busy day. We rode to the RSA to take 7 hot Domino's pizzas to Hubby's old co-worker for Christmas lunch.

After lunch, we rode to Madison. I walked among and took pictures of the Polar Express Christmas Trees there.

Polar Express Christmas Tree in Madison
A Christmas Story  

Next, we rode up one side and down the other to take pictures of Madison's Christmas Card Trail. 

Merry Christmas, Welcome to Alabama 

We stopped at Ollie's in Madison to pick up a few items.

Then we rode to Decatur, stopping at their Enchanted Forest Trail. (It looked as if a hurricane had blown through.) 

The Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree 

We stopped at ALDI USA in Decatur to pick up a few more items for our Christmas Meal.

We saw 3 red-tailed hawks on power lines on the way home. 

Our last stop was at Wheeler Dam, where we saw several White Pelicans, many cormorants, and a few gulls.

2023 Dec 14, Christmas Card Lane Ditto Landing, Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail Huntsville & North Pole Stroll Athens took AVA

 Today, we stopped at Jack in Athens for two cheesecake pies and a scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream for Ava. 

We strolled down North Pole Lane to see the Christmas Trees in Athens. 

North Pole Stroll 

We stopped at Murphy's to refuel.

We stopped at RSA so Ava could see the rockets. 

RSA Rockets 

We rode to Ditto Landing to stroll along the Tennessee River and see the Christmas Cards dotted along its banks. 

Ava loves animals. This was her favorite.

Hubby stopped halfway down while Ava and I strolled to the end, stopping to take pictures. 

A few people were walking, while others were riding bicycles along the pathway.

We stopped at Chick-fil-A South Huntsville for lunch. Ava and I ordered a kid's meal with ice cream, and Hubby had a chicken sandwich. 

Our last stop was at Big Spring Park's Tinsel Trail. There are lots of Christmas trees on both sides of Big Spring. 

This is Ava's favorite at Big Spring Park. 

Hubby sat in the car while Ava and I strolled up and down and around the park. 

We stopped to feed the ducks and fish. 

Feeding the Ducks and fish 

2022 Dec 4, Tinsel Trails, Christmas Card Lane Ditto Landing & Toyota Field Christmas Lights Huntsville, AL

 On Sunday, we stopped in Decatur to walk through the Enchanted Forest in Founders Park, a tinsel-stroll supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

We stopped in Madison for their Polar Express Christmas event on Main Street, where the Christmas trees were beautifully displayed. 

We stopped at RSA to take coworkers' Christmas presents.

We rode to South Huntsville for Christmas on the River at Ditto Landing. There, we strolled along the Tennessee River Greenway, looking at custom-designed 4 x 8 plywood Christmas cards. 

Grinchmas

It's not what's under the Christmas Tree that matters. 
It's who's around it. 

We stopped at every card to get a picture, and it began to sprinkle before we returned. 

We rode to Huntsville's Big Spring Park to walk the Tinsel Trail. 

Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail.

We were afraid of getting wet, but the rain had stopped.

Next, we rode to Toyota Field to see The North Pole Rocket City Christmas Light Show and Winter Wonderland.

Which are a mile-and-a-half maze of bright, dancing, and twinkling lights. We tuned our radio to 95.5 to listen to Christmas music.

The North Pole Rocket City Christmas Light Show 

After the drive, we stopped at Toyota Field and walked through Winter Wonderland, stopping for pictures with Santa, Trash Panda, and Frosty. 

Picture with Frosty 

We hadn't eaten since breakfast and weren't sure what we wanted. We were tired and didn't want to go into a restaurant and wait, so we decided to stop at Krystal. Believe it or not, their food was good, or we were hungry. 

A picture with Trash Panda 

I ordered a double cheese Krystal and a strawberry Milkshake. 

When we arrived home, it was late, and we were both tired from the long day. I put my cameras away for another day to download and went to bed.

🎄🎄🎄🎄2016 November 26, Saturday, Tinsel Trail, Bridge Street and Christmas Card Lane.

I had a fun day; my sister-in-law rode with me to Huntsville. 

We stopped in Athens at Duck Pond to see their Christmas tree trail, but only one Christmas Tree was decorated, so we did not stop.

We stopped at Chick-fil-a in Athens, where I bought a large iced tea. 

We rode to Huntsville to see the Tinsel Trail at Big Spring Park.

This year, all the Christmas Trees were located near the YMCA because the Big Spring park area near the Art Museum was still under construction.

I did not know how many trees were decorated, but I took lots of pictures. 
The sun was bright as we walked through Big Spring Park, looking at the Christmas Trees, but it was cold in the shade. 
Several times, we would come out of the shade into the sun just to warm up. 
We walked through Tinsel Trail twice. 
We wanted to make sure we did not miss any Christmas Trees. We heard several Christmas Carols coming from the loudspeakers overhead. 

Some of my favorite Christmas Trees!!!

Santa in a Helicopter Christmas Tree

Minnie Mouse Christmas Tree 

Troll Christmas Tree 

Owl Christmas Tree

We watched the ducks and fish swimming in the canal, near the Christmas Tree Trail. 

As we were leaving, we rode past Huntsville Hospital, taking in the nearby shops. 

From Governor's Drive, I took 565, exiting onto Old Madison Pike.
We were going to the Bridge Street Centre.

I parked the van near Book-a-million, and we walked inside to use the restrooms. While standing in line in the restroom, I met a woman from Madison, and we started talking. I was telling her about going to Tinsel Trail. She said I am glad you told me about the Tinsel Trail. We will go today. 
We came out of the restroom and ended up talking for at least 15 minutes.
As we were leaving, I said Have a Merry Christmas and New Year. She said, 'I hope you have the same.' 

My sister-in-law had never visited Bridge Street. She said I wish we had something like this back home.

We saw the man-made pond with a large white Reindeer and Christmas ornaments, the carousel, several larger white reindeer, and lots of decorations strung down the center of Bridge Street. 

As we crossed over the bridge, we saw Piper & Leaf Artisan Tea.
They had four different samples: Cherry Christmas, Caramel Apple Pie, Mistle Grove, and Pumpkin Moonshine Tea. I tried them all, and my favorite was the Caramel Apple Pie. 

Piper & Leaf Artisan Tea booth

I asked the owner of the Pumpkin Moonshine Tea if it contained authentic moonshine. 
The young man said You can add your own.  

The Christmas decorations at the end of Bridge Street were predominantly white, silver, and gold balls, with a star on top, but the twinkling lights were not on. 

Standing in front of the Christmas tree that was near the Monaco Theater was a young girl singing Christmas Carols.
Several children were running along the edge of the water. 

Christmas Tree, children playing, and a young girl singing @ Bridge Street Town Centre

My sister-in-law and I stood listening to the young girl sing when she finished the second song. We left and walked back to the van, which was parked near Books-a-Million.

In Madison, we rode past several homes that had large handmade Christmas Cards sitting on their front lawns. (Christmas Card Lane)

We stopped at Chick-fil-A in Athens for lunch around 2 P.M.
We both ordered kids' two-piece chicken meal, with waffle fries and ice cream in a cup. 

Chick-fil-A Christmas Tree in Athens 

We rode west on 72 with the sun shining brightly in our faces.
It seemed quite warm, but the thermometer in my car read 56 degrees.

I guess everyone was out yesterday for Black Friday or was at home for the Alabama Football Game because the traffic was light. 

It had been a great day for going outside, and I needed the long walk after all the food I had eaten at the Thanksgiving dinners.  
Earlier that morning, my windshield had been icy, and as the day progressed, it warmed up.

We were home by 3:30 P.M.