🎄🎄🎄🎄2010 December 19, Sunday, Reading of A Christmas Carol & Christmas Party 🎄🎄🎄

Trees of Christmas

I took Sierra to the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, where "The Trees of Christmas" was on display. They are 12-foot spruce and fir trees decorated with themes by local residents at the Art Center, 511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia. Free Sundays 1–3 P.M. 

The curator informed us about the drawings and display of the singing river sculptures, which were created by artist Audwin McGee.

Still in its infant stages, the Singing River Sculptures are planned as four semi-abstract sculptures — one each in Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia — to be placed in prominent spots, Matthews said, such as a city entryway. The capstone of the project will be a cluster of about seven to nine sculptures overlooking the river.

Created from recycled aluminum donated by Wise Alloys, a producer of aluminum can stock based in Muscle Shoals, the pieces' sizes varied according to their locations. The goal is for each to be larger than life, about 18 to 20 feet tall.

After viewing the sculptures, we visited the 12-foot spruce and fir trees, decorated in various themes by local artists. 

One was decorated to honor the firefighters. It was decorated with fireman hats, Dalmatian dogs, candy canes, fire trucks, rope in do not cross the line, fire suits, badges, etc

One was decorated with ice cream cones, roped in red and white-stripped paper, large and small lollipops, candy, and dolls. 

One tree was decorated with large and small red and gold balls, poinsettias, keys, rope in lights, bells, packages, presents under the tree, and a big red ribbon streaming from the top.

One Christmas tree was decorated with bubbling lights, wrapped with colorful lights, and adorned with dangling icicles, which reminded me of an old-fashioned Christmas tree.

The Trees of Christmas

The Trees of Christmas

One Christmas tree was decorated entirely in gold, featuring gold balls, lights, and topped with a large gold ribbon that streamed down to the floor. It had packages under the tree, which reminded me of a luxury Christmas tree. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with string, a bird's nest, and pinecones, and was roped in with tiny white lights, creating a scene reminiscent of Christmas in the Country. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with cards, books, USA maps, times, ABCs, Cat in the Hat Books, and encouraging children to read with books under the tree. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with lambs, sheep, and tiny white lights, featuring Bible scriptures on lamb cards, and topped with a large sheep. Under the tree, more sheep and lambs. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with angels, musical instruments, roped with string wooden beads, and topped with lots of icicles spiraling toward the ceiling. Under the tree were several brown bears wearing shirts with "Alabama Dirt Shirt" written on them, and they were sitting in a wicker chair, creating a more country Christmas atmosphere. 

Once during the Christmas Holidays, you can visit the Helen Keller Home for Free. 

 Helen Keller Home 

 Helen Keller Home 

Donations are welcome. 

Home Tour Admission:

Adults...$6.00

Students  5-18..................$2.00

Seniors & "AAA" members...$5.00

Military (Active and Retired)...$5.00

Group of 20 or more..................Adults $5

Children $1.50 (Group reservations requested)

Sierra and I walked through Ivy Green, the home of Helen Keller, which was decorated for Christmas.

The decorations are taken from the grounds of Ivy Green. 

We toured the first-floor parlor, the dining room, the hall, Captain Keller's bedroom, Evaline's bedroom, Anne and Helen's bedroom upstairs, the Trunk Room, and the Boys' room. 

Each room was connected by a hallway, and each room had its own fireplace. The home was built by Helen's grandparents, David and Mary Keller, in 1820. The grounds consist of Rose Garden, Cottage, Boxwood Circle, Cook's House, Well, Herb Garden, Butterfly Garden, Memorial Stone, New Zealand Gate, and Japanese Garden. 

We finished touring the Keller Home and then rode to the Sheffield Library for the reading of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, not Will Stutts. 

Will Stutts did a solo reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. 

We saw A Very Merry American Christmas tree. 

The library had a Christmas tree donated by the art classes of LE Wilson Elementary.

It had a sign that read," This tree is dedicated to Whit & Genie."

Love and their daughters, Tabitha & Kayla 

Bless you for your kind and generous spirit

Merry Christmas

Along the side were written Rudolph, Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, the Star of Bethlehem, Jesus, and Frosty the Snowman. 

The Sheffield Library had Christmas cookies and hot apple cider for refreshments. 

Will Stutts's solo reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas

Christmas Tree and Cookies at Sheffield Library 

Will Stutts performed a solo reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. 

He did an excellent job, and he kept my attention.

I was happy to say that I loved to listen to him read. His voice changed with each character, and he maintained this consistency throughout the reading. 

I had a delightful afternoon. 

Sierra and I stopped at Krispy Kreme for two dozen donuts.

We went to Sam's Club for a pizza, a chocolate cake, and cheese dip, which we brought home for our Christmas party.

For our Christmas Party, we had chili, cocktail wieners, chocolate cake, donuts, crackers, chips, cheese dip, and drinks.

When everyone finished eating, we retired to the living room, where the kids played board games, including Monopoly, checkers, and Twister.

Christmas presents were passed out.  

Lora, Stephanie, and a friend came, but her kids did not come. 

Montana called out the colors for Twister while Lora and her friends played the game.

I had my camera out and took lots of pictures.

It was very lovely of Tracy to share her home with our family.

Thank you Tracy

Christmas Party at Tracy's 

Playing games 

🎄🎄🎄🎄2012 December 8, Saturday, A Dickens of a Christmas in Franklin Tennessee

2012 Saturday, December 8, Franklin, TN

It was A Dickens of a Christmas in Franklin Tennessee?

My husband and I ate  breakfast of eggs, sausage, and toast. 

We arrive in Franklin Tennessee about 10:00 a.m. 

My husband and I walked around taking pictures of costumed characters from Dickens story “A Christmas Carol.

I rode the horse drawn carriage around the Public Square cost $2.00. 

The carriage had four  patted bench seats that would seat up to twelve people of normal size.

It was pulled by a couple of  horses, one was brown and white and the other pitch black.

We saw holiday bazaar arts and crafts throughout the public square. 

There were musicians along the streets; we saw violinists, hand bell choirs, harpists, and carolers. 

I grabbed a picture of Scrooge, the  Old “Humbug” himself. 

My husband took a picture of me next to the Grim Reaper.

I took several pictures of the Cratchit family along with Tiny Tim, The Ghost of Christmas Past, Future, and Bobbies (who are actually Franklin police officers on duty) Father and Mother Christmas.

We sampled peppermint pretzels, and we watched the Morris Dancers perform a Cornish dance with swords and sticks from the mining communities of Cornwall.

It rained the first part of the morning, we saw many people carrying umbrellas, the rain did not detain the festival.

We ate lunch at Papa Boudreaux Cajun Café & Catering Co., we spent $33.15.

The building was painted purple and trimmed in a bright yellow with iron-metal Iron tables and chairs sitting outside. 

Inside there were long wooden bench tables that could set up to eight people, and total occupancy max is 49.

On the outside of the restaurant on the purple door was a sign that read,” Restrooms are for paying customers ONLY! Sorry, we are a small establishment…….Signed Pap’s Management.

Scrooge walking the streets of Franklin

Wet Streets of Franklin

I took pictures of many historic markers: Courthouse, behind the marker was a sign that read “Franklin on foot” .

What once was the local courthouse is now the Visitors Center in Franklin.

Another sign Union Headquarters Planning for battle, John H. Eaton was located near a manger scene.

St Philip Chaotic Church Marker in was in front of the Church.

The Old Factory Store is now a bookstore where, there was several authors were singing book.

We also saw the Masonic Temple, Hiram Lodge No 7 & building and marker which was in the Civil War tour number 17.

We saw the Ewen Cameron marker, The Presbyterian church marker.

We stopped inside the Starbucks Coffee store to use the restroom before we left Franklin.

We passed many war markers as we walked back to the van. We saw the Chickasaw Treaty Council, Field Hospital caring for the wounded, Franklin Special School District, Franklin Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Hincheyville Markers.

Christmas Tree in Center of Town

Lady in Pink

Carriage Rides

Cratchit Family

We rode to Leipers Fork about 1:30 P.m. to watch the Christmas parade, but the parade was canceled because of the weather. The town was hit by lighting earlier that day. 

The participants of the Christmas Parade had gathered and dis-pursed after the storm.

So many of them had to travel down main street and we saw many.

We saw a sign that read “Possum Holler Garage Like US on Facebook.”

Radio Flayer Wagon 

Possum Holler Garage 

We saw Radio Flayer Wagon atop a Jeep full of riders full of Christmas Cheer.

We saw Possum Holler Garage Sawdust tow-truck pulling and old Plymouth car behind it.

We saw F 150 Truck pulling boat on-top of wagon with riders wearing Santa hats.

We saw Old Chevrolet Truck with the inscription Posser Holler Garage pulling an outhouse inscribed on the side was “Old NO. 7.”

There was a round hole cut in the outhouse and it  had a reindeer hanging out of the hole with 4-closed underneath. On the backside of the outhouse was a satellite dish, sign that read, “Merry Christmas.

A sign that read “Possum Holler est. 2006, “The other White Meat”, “24 Wreck Her Service”, “You Bend We Mend ’em”.

Beneith the signs was Frosty the Snowman, with a couple of reindeer and a sign that read,”STAY BACK 100 FEET EXPLOSIVE GAS.”

Riding in the  1921 Clampetts truck

STAY BACK 100 FEET EXPLOSIVE GAS.”

We saw Hillsboro United Methodist/Bank of Leiper’s Fork historic markers located at Old Hwy 96 W.

We walked through the Winters Arts located at Locke Building.

We went inside the Serenity Madison antiques, &  mercantile store.

We stopped inside the Laurel Leaf Fashion Store.

We saw the Puckett’s grocery restaurant with men sitting outside.

My husband made my picture sitting in the Clampet’s Old Ford Truck. It had a homemade wooden bench to set upon.

Inside and hanging along the old truck I saw,  a jug of moonshine, a washtub, a trunk, a five gallon bucket, a frying pan and a dead opossum lying in a wash pan, hanging under the backside of the truck, just waiting for Granny Clampet to fry.

We saw an outdoor theater that was located inside was a live Christmas tree that had  hundreds of colorful bulbs strung around it. On either side standing straight and tall were nutcrackers. 

As we were leaving we saw the Church of Christ at Leiper’s Fork Meets Here EST 1831.

We walked around the many stores and did not buy anything.

We left around 2:30 p.m. traveling down the Natchez Trace to Lawrenceburg, Tn

We stopped at Kroger’s in Lawrenceburg at Kroger’s where we bought a  baked chicken, two slices of red velvet cake, chocolate covered almonds and rolls. 

We took all that food home to have a  feast.