2024 June 15, 17,18,19, 20 with Ava

2024 June 15, Saturday 

Atlas Birthday Party @ Launch Pad Elgin

 I picked up Ava, and we rode to the Elgin LaunchPad. 

Atlas is turning 4! Calling all cowboys, cowgirls, and space rangers 

June 15, at 12–2 P.M.

Don't forget your jumping socks. 

We were served pizza, chips, and birthday cake 

The kids had fun on the launchpad 

We watched Atlas blow out his 4 candles.

I bought Hazel a birthday present because we will be out of town on her birthday, June 29. 

Hazel was having a bad day 

So I gave her her present, a very colorful doll

She wouldn't put it down

I gave Atlas a soccer ball and an Adventure Force Clash Force Combo Auto Advanced with four guns and 20 bullets.

2024 June 17, Monday, Ava & River 

Today, I rode to Andy's to see River and Ava 

They were still in bed, but not sleeping 

They quickly jumped into the swimming pool and played 

River said she was hungry and wanted McDonald's 

So I told Ask Pawpaw

They dressed, and we headed to McDonald's 

River ordered a cheeseburger with only cheese, bread, and meat (which he called ham)

Ava ordered 6 pieces of chicken nuggets with fries 

I ordered filet fish with fries

The kids enjoyed their meal while playing with their meal toy 

Inside Out 2: toy play and score toy

I bought Hubby 2 McDoubles and 2 small fries 

We came back to my house, and the kids enjoyed playing in the playroom until 1:30

Then we took them back to Andy's 

River's mom was on her way to pick up River.

They have a long drive home. 

2024 June 18, Tuesday, Ava & River 

River and Ava came over while Andy went to work. 

The kids played in the playroom.

I rode them on the gator.

River loved the ride. He was pretending he was in one of his video games

They ate hot dogs, no bread

Fruit, candy, and snacks all day

They watched TV 

River's parents came by around 2 P.M. They had spent the day in 

Memphis 

They slept late 

A long ride home, about 5 to 6 hours 

Andy came for Ava later 

I went to bed early. I was tired 

2024, June 19, Wednesday, AVA

Today, we rode to town.

My two big toes have fungus, so I went to Doctor McCutchens, who prescribed medication to heal them.

We stopped at Ollie's and bought some body wash and oatmeal raisin cookies. 

We took Ava to McFarland Park to play

She wanted to go to a museum, but she settled for the park 

She had fun with several other kids 

I did some birding and took pictures 

We ate lunch at Chick-fil-A 

We stopped at Foodland and talked to Ronald. He gave Ava some mints 

We picked up my prescription at Killen Drugs 

We rode up to Greenhill and bought some peaches and a watermelon 

Had a fun day 

Afternoon visit near Muscle Shoals Reservation Trail

Today, Thursday, June 20, we rode to Rockpile TVA 

Ava and I walked to the waterfalls

Stopping to take pictures 

We saw a red-bellied Woodpecker at the top of a rotten tree

We saw a red-tailed hawk and a couple of Great Blue Herons, and we heard several different bird sounds 

Ava played on the playground, but it was too hot, and no other kids were there 

We rode to McFarland Park. There were lots of kids, but none on the playground 

So we walked up the path to a couple of large boulders, where I took several photos 

We rode to Panda Express for lunch 

We ordered a large plate 

Ava ate the noodles 

I ate the walnut shrimp 

Hubby's orange chicken and broccoli with beef 

Hubby went next to get a haircut 

While Ava and I stayed at Panda Express 

We came home, and Ava and Hubby watched SpongeBob 

2023 Dec 9, Dickens of Christmas Yall Come! Tuscumbia, Alabama

Making Smores

 We walked downtown Tuscumbia, stopping to make s'mores while eating. William and his girlfriend came by. 

The carriage is being pulled by Clyde's

We took pictures of the carriages being pulled by Clyde's Horses. We saw several characters from Dickens' A Christmas Carol and Santa Claus. We stopped to pet the Lama, sheep, Zebra, goats, and Camel. 

Dickens Characters

Petting Zoo

We also visited the Tennessee Valley Art Museum Christmas Mart, which featured many beautiful, handmade items for sale. Hubby sat in the car while I toured Ivy Green. 

Ivy Green Birth Home of Helen Keller

Christmas at Ivy Green

Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan

I was told the history of Helen Keller and her home, Ivy Green. We also bought candy(five packages in recycled cups) and an upside-down umbrella because it was raining, and we didn't want to get wet.

We finished the day with lunch at Whataburger. A hamburger with fries and soda. 

Whataburger with French fries. 

2023 Oct 21, Open House at Lawrence County/Lawrenceburg, TN Regional Airport

Today, we rode to the Lawrence County/Lawrenceburg Airport Open House to see Aircraft from the region.

Planes were flying in and out the whole time we were there. 

There were a variety of airplanes one could ride for a price. (Go Vertical Aviation)

They also had the Flagship Detroit Douglas DC-3 (riding this one cost $100 per person), and it was impressive inside.

Flagship Detroit Douglas DC-3 

Personal Airplane 

We also walked among the Classic and Custom Cars.

Barracuda

We left the Airport around 10:30.

We ate lunch at the Brass Lantern. Hubby had a salad, and I had half a hamburger and some fries. 

We rode to Walmart to get our tires rotated. They were busy and said there would be a 3-hour wait. 

We stopped at Kroger's for Soda, which was on sale, and Goodwill, where I bought a couple of wicker baskets.

Next, we stopped at the Dollar Tree for miscellaneous items. (Turkey bags and pans).

Our last stop was a Fall into Christmas event. 

It was at the Woodman of the World building, located at 200 Glenn Springs Rd, Lawrenceburg. 

Here, we bought freezer-dried candy sold by Jabba Designs in Lawrenceburg, as well as peach-fried pie.

Freeze Dried Candy (Strawberry with chocolate inside)

Came home and took a nap.

2016 June 19, Sunday, Singing River Statue of Muscle Shoals 🎶🎶🎶🎶

Legend of the Singing River
The Yuchi and other early inhabitants living along the banks of the mighty Tennessee River held the legend of a Spirit Woman who lived in the river. She protected and sang to them. When the river was angry, she sang loudly. When the river was peaceful, she sang softly and sweetly, sometimes humming a comforting lullaby. Some say that all they heard was the high waters' mighty rush and roar over the mussel shoals, or at other times, the calm, low waters babbling through the river rocks. Others say she is real and can still be seen in the early morning mist, hovering over the waters, just as she did those many years ago. In her honor, they called it the Singing River, and in her honor, we named these sculptures the Singing River Sculptures.

Singing River Statue of Muscle Shoals

Singing River Statue of Muscle Shoals 

The World-Changing Muscle Shoals Music
From the 20th century to the present, artists, musicians, songwriters, and music-industry professionals from the Muscle Shoals area have helped shape the world's expansive music heritage. Few musical styles were untouched by Muscle Shoals, and local contributions have been made across all areas of the music industry, including production, recording engineering, songwriting, music publishing, and various positions within the music business.

Many of the world's most outstanding performers began their ascent to stardom in Muscle Shoals, and artists such as Percy Sled, Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers, and Bob Seger, along with many others, quickly created a legacy that earned the area the title, "Hit Recording Capitol of the World."

The area grew as a music center by drawing together people of all races and religions. In the 1960s, despite segregation enforced outside the studios, great soul classics were being created within them, with each musician contributing their innate musical talent. The collaborations created some of the most widely loved music of the 20th century, including Steal Away, Mustang Sally, Tell Mama, Patches, Respect Yourself, and many others.

The warning issued in Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On" caught the attention of the Rolling Stones. The Beatles heard Alexander's song, "Anna," and each band acknowledged their respect for Alexander and his writing by recording their own versions of his songs on their first albums.

The songwriting tradition continues as one of the strongest facets of Muscle Shoals music, with area songwriters penning songs such as I Loved Her First, I Swear, 

The heart and soul of Muscle Shoals' music have always been the players and singers. Four members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section were immortalized in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, Sweet Home Alabama. The lyric, "Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers, and they've been known to pick a song or two," honors Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett, David Hood, and Roger Hawkins, studio musicians who produced and played on hundreds of hits recorded at area studios from the late 1960s until the mid-1980s.

Muscle Shoals and Its Contribution to This Golden Era
Muscle Shoals bestowed much more than its name on the world-famous "Muscle Shoals sound."

The city served as the birthplace for early breakthroughs in the local music industry and later provided a home base for some of the area's top studios. The first commercial recording to emerge from Muscle Shoals — the Bobby Denton single, A Fallen Star — was produced by James Joiner in the Second Street studios of WLAY Radio in 1957. Four years later, in an old candy-and-tobacco warehouse on Wilson Dam Road, aspiring producer Rick Hall joined forces with bellhop-turned-singer Arthur Alexander to cut Muscle Shoals' first national hit, the Southern Soul anthem, You Better Move On. In the wake of that success, Hall built FAME Recording Studios on Avalon Avenue in 1962. Artists ranging from Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Etta James to Duane Allman, the Osmonds, and Bobby Gentry later recorded there. From 1970 to 1985, Muscle Shoals became known as "The Hit Recording Capital of the World" as FAME and Al Cartee's Music Mill, Steve Moore's East Avalon, and Terry Woodford and Clayton Ivey's Wishbone Studios generated hits by Clarence Carter, Hank Williams Jr., the group Hot, George Jones, the Forester Sisters, Mac McAnally, Shenandoah, and many others. In 2011, Hall received the American Music Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2014, he was honored with the Grammy Trustees Award for his significant contributions to the recording industry.

The City of Muscle Shoals, Alabama
David Bradford, Mayor
Audwin Pierre McGee, Sculptor
Historical commentary by Terry Pace, Dick Cooper, David Anderson, and Bill Matthews.

Rick Hall and Duane Allman

FAME Studio at 601 E. Avalon Avenue (Photo furnished by FAME)

James Joiner and Bobby Denton at WLAY Radio 

Muscle Shoals City sign proclaiming it the Hit Recording Capital of the World (Photo furnished by FAME)

Wishbone Studios (Photo furnished by Terry Woodford)

East Avalon Studios (Photo furnished by Dick Cooper)

FAME Studio at the old Candy and Tobacco Warehouse (Photo furnished by FAME)