2021 Feb 8, Day Trip to Huntsville, Alabama

Hubby and I rode to Huntsville today for my entomologist appointment. You know the drill by now. Stay in your car and call the office to let them know you are there. They will call you back when you can come inside. Once inside the building, you will have your temperature taken, and you will be given a sticker to place on your shirt or blouse indicating that you are cleared to enter the building. Once inside, I checked in; after a short wait, I was called back to the waiting room. The pressure in both eyes was checked, and both readings were 15; the optic nerve in both eyes was also checked, and no changes were noted. I had taken my big camera with me; I wanted to get a few pictures of the waterfowl and colorful fish that swam at Big Spring Park, so that was our next stop. On our way to Huntsville, the thermometer in the car read 35 and showed snow, but it turned out to be a beautiful day. The sun was shining, with little wind and a slight chill in the air. I took my coa,t but never had to put it on.

Canadian Geese 

We then rode to Braham Spring Park, where we saw Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, and a few starlings eating and swimming at the park. I said it's such a beautiful day. Let's go to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur. We entered I-565, and not far past the airport, the traffic was bumper-to-bumper because they were working on the road and merging into one lane. We then turned onto I-65 only to find out they were working on the interstate and merging into one lane. We finally made it to our turn-off, and Hubby said, 'What do you think about getting lunch at Libby's in Priceville?' I said that sounded good, for I love old fried catfish. I was not disappointed; I ordered one piece of fillet with coleslaw, hush puppies, onion, baked potato, and iced tea. I could not eat it. I also got a to-go box.

Catfish plate @Libby's in Priceville, Alabama

We then rode to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge to see what was left of the Sandhill Cranes, and to my disappointment, there were just a few. The visitor center and the observation building were both closed. There was a wooden wall with holes cut out to view the fields, but no birds were visible. We stopped at Jack's in Decatur for a Diet Coke and two strawberry Cheesecake pies. Our last stop was the Wheeler Dam to see the waterfowl. Saw a few White Pelicans, so we didn't stop. When we got home, I went outside and filled both bird feeders, and I saw more birds at home than I had at all the places we had stopped. We have Cardinals, Wrens, Finch, Tufted Titmouse, Mourning Doves, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Downy Woodpeckers, just to name a few of our backyard birds.

2020 Jan 6, Outing to Decatur, Alabama Birds of Prey, Waterfowl

Owl 

Today, Hubby and I rode to Decatur, where we ate breakfast at IHOP and then went to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, where we saw Whooping and Sandhill Cranes. 

We saw a small group of schoolchildren and several adults with cameras. We watched a 12-minute movie about the Refuge and walked among the Cypress Trees.

Sandhill Cranes

On the Atkeson Cypress Boardwalk, we saw these gorgeous Cypresses submerged deep in the swamp. 

 We stopped at Ingalls Harbor and Rhodes Ferry Park.

Tern Perched on a pole at Ingalls Harbor. 

We ate lunch at Jack's, hamburgers and fried pies.
 We stopped at Wheeler Dam, where we saw hundreds of Terns diving for fish. We also saw hundreds of Terns perched along the entrance to the locks and hundreds of Cormorants perched below the dam. It was a beautiful day for an outing.

At Rhodes Ferry Park, we saw the train lift bridge that once bridged Lauderdale to Colbert County, Alabama. 

At Wheeler Dam, we saw Terns diving into the Swift Tennessee River. 

The Tuscumbia, Courtland, and Decatur Railroad was the only railway line in the country used to transport the Cherokee people during forced removal. 

Linking Decatur to the Cherokee Indian Removal during the Trail of Tears. 
On this river in front of you, 2,300 Cherokee people arrived in waves, forced from their Tennessee Valley homeland from 1837 to 1838. The steamer Knoxville towed flatboats loaded with Cherokee families. Heavy rains soaked their clothes. The cold wind whipped off the water. They survived on cornmeal and flour fried in bacon grease. Once docked here at Decatur Landing, the Cherokee boarded cramped train cars. Their journey west continued along the rails.

2019 May 15, Day Trip Decatur's Historic & Parks Gardens 💐 🌷

Hubby and I had a great day. I was unsure if we were going anywhere because by 10 A.M., it looked like rain, but we decided to go anyway. 
We rode to Decatur, stopping at Old Bank Park, Where We took pictures of the Garden.

Old Bank Street Park Garden 

Next, we rode to Frazier Park. (Never been to this park) I was surprised at how beautiful and serene it was. It had blooming Hydrangeas, and Magnolia trees were in bloom, along with other shrubs, trees, and flowers, by a running stream with a cross-bridge. 

Frazier Park 

We rode over to Albany to Delano Rose Walk and the Children's Riverwild Playground, splash pad, and Garden. We took the grandkids to the park to play when they were small. The River Wild Garden Walkway was new to us. 

DragonFly 

River Wild Park 

Toad Frog 

Swamp Rabbit 

Tortoise 

Delano Park Rose Garden

We loved the Frogs, Toads, Beavers, Fireflies, Turtles, butterflies, signs, and statues throughout the Garden. By the time we reached the Rose Garden, it had begun to sprinkle. A landscaper working in the Garden, I said A little rain cannot hurt but he said I cannot get my work done in the rain. I kept on taking pictures, but the rain got harder. I looked around, and the gardener had disappeared; he had gone back to his truck to keep from getting wet. I started back to the car, and the rain began to come down hard, but I made it to the car before I got too wet. We drove to Huntsville to get our car's oil changed. By the time they finished, the sun had come out, so we rode back to Decatur so I could finish taking pictures.

Pink Rose 

Entrance Way lined with Snow Queen Hydrangeas

We were getting hungry, and since we had stopped at the Shell Gas Station, which sells hot food, we bought some corn fritters for lunch. Hubby had been wanting some. We also stopped at McDonald's for hot apple pie.
We ended up eating at Jack's on Hwy 31 because we couldn't decide where to stop in Decatur. But that was okay because we both liked Jack's

✈️✈️✈️2019 Mar 24-30, Trip to Naples, Florida

Sunday, May 24, 2019

Southwest Airlines Flight 1066 

Leaves BNA at 10:15 at Gate C19, boarding group B. Position 3 arriving at FLL at 1:25 A.M. 

Hubby took me to the Nashville airport. We ate dinner at Red Robin Spring Hill at 6:55 P.M. We split a hamburger and fries.

Monday, March 25, 2019

It was a one-and-a-half-hour drive to Naples, so we arrived at Lora's apartment early in the morning. We both slept late.

For breakfast, I ate a slice of raisin bread and a banana. 

Lora had an infusion in Fort Myers that day, so I rode with her. We stopped at Bass Pro Shops, located just off I-75 at 10040 Gulf Center, Fort Myers.

At Bass Pro Shop, we saw river fish, ocean fish, raccoons, black bears, waterfowl, alligators, and the Everglades.

The bartender said I could come inside and take pictures of the tropical fish and coral reefs in the aquarium. Hanging on the walls, we saw Southern Stingrays, a Great Hammerhead Shark, Sailfish, yellow tuna, and black-tip sharks.

Outside, we saw an old blue Red Head Pickup and a Great Gray Heron Bench where people could sit.

Red Head Pickup 

coral reef in the aquarium

I bought a pair of sunglasses to block out the sun so my eyes wouldn't get fit. 

Lora gave me one of her Zyrtec for allergies and some saline to wash out my eyes. 

She also gave me one of her steroid tablets for the infection. 

At lunch, we stopped at Chick-fil-A. Lora and I split a salad, and each ordered a chicken sandwich with water to drink at location 5825 Airport Pulling Rd, Naples, FL. 

I was so tired from the day's adventures and not getting enough sleep that I fell asleep on the sofa while Lora and Jackie went shopping.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019 

Lora had an early morning infusion, so I watched TV until she returned. For breakfast, I ate a banana and a slice of raisin bread. 

For lunch, Lora made a ham, cheese, avocado, and spinach sandwich on toasted bread, accompanied by a fruit salad. 

We rode to Clam Bay Beach, 410 Seagate Drive, Naples, FL 34103, where we took the trolley down the walkway to the beach.

Clam Bay Beach 

Pelican at Clam Bay Beach 

The Park consists of 35 acres of mangrove forest, coastal dunes, and 3,200 linear feet of beach on the Gulf of Mexico. A boardwalk provides access to the beach through a mangrove forest. The boardwalk is about three-quarters of a mile long and can be walked, or you can catch a ride on a free tram that runs continuously throughout the day.

We saw several people on the beach, including boaters and fishermen. We saw waterfowl flying overhead and in the water. A dolphin and a manatee were spotted. We saw children playing in the sand. We saw a couple of children fishing and catching fish.

We saw a sign that read 'Welcome to Clam Pass Park.' A sign that read 'Shells of Paradise Coast' included worm shells, Calico Scallops, Mon Snail, Olive shells, Fighting Conch, Sand Dollar, Lightning Whelk, Starfish, and Horse Conch. There was a sign about Palmetto and Fakahatchee grass.http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/fakahatchee.html

All-day parking was $8.

We rode back to the apartment and walked around the lake, seeing a few birds. 

At 7:30, we rode to Vanderbilt Beach on Pelican Bay to watch a fantastic sunset. 

Sunset on Vanderbilt Beach 

Located at 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, FL 34102, at the end of Vanderbilt Beach Road, Vanderbilt Beach County Park borders the Gulf of Mexico and is near plenty of hotels, shopping, and restaurants. 

We met Jackie and Geo on the beach, with hundreds of people watching the sun melt into the bay.

What a way to end the day! We had pizza for supper, and Jackie's boyfriend spent the night.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Lora and I spent the day at the Naples Botanical Gardens, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples, FL 34112, from 1:00 to 4:40 P.M. The cost was $19.99 each.💐 🌷

We browsed in the Chabraja Visitor Center.

Irma's Garden was complete with various garden plants, including screw pines.

Katharine's Garden was a lush tropical landscape.

LaGrippe Orchid Garden was full of colorful, fragrant orchid species worldwide. 

Botanical Garden 

Orchid Garden

Lea Asian Garden had a Southeast Asian Javanese temple, an ancient blaze landscape filled with Bayan trees, a bamboo grove of established fruits, a lotus pool, and a stepping stone path through the Garden that led to the Gardenalinese Shrine.

Kapnick Brazilian Garden was a garden of people from diverse backgrounds and colors, featuring a colorful wall.

Kapnick's Caribbean garden was filled with towering palms, tropical fruits, and vegetables.

Smith Children's Garden was full of vibrant flowers, vegetables, and butterflies—a landscape for children. We saw a bicycle, a hand pump, and a toilet decorated with flowers. We saw Flo and Joe, flower people, working in the vegetable garden. There was also a large turtle made of seashells. 

Scott's Florida Garden was full of trees, palms, a cascading stream, Lake Topkie, and Deep Lake. Florida was once an ancient seafloor.

There was a 90-acre Nature sanctuary boardwalk, which we did not take.

Water Garden with a lily pool full of lily pads and a boardwalk. 

Reflections on Glass: Frabel in the Garden is on exhibit in the gardens. It features diverse and complex sculptures that sometimes mimic the plants within the Garden. You see parallels between Frabel's pieces and the natural shapes of plants in forms and towering cube structures; each piece inspires viewers to discover the wonders of our living collection.

For supper, Lora and I split a chicken and shrimp Carbonara, breadsticks, and salad at Olive Garden, 1565 5th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102. We had leftovers. I used my Christmas gift card to pay $23,37.

That night, Lora and I met several of her friends at the Comedy Club, a two-drink minimum.

I ordered two bottles of water for $2.50 each. I was too full from supper to drink, so I brought my water home. 

The show was bashing ex-spouses, which wasn't particularly funny.

I enjoyed spending time with Lora's friends.

Thursday, March 28, 2019

I ate leftovers from Olive Garden for breakfast and lunch.

We rode to the Naples Preserve Boardwalk, corner of U.S. 41 North and Fleischmann Boulevard, where we walked along the boardwalk looking for box and gopher turtles. We spoke with one of the park rangers who was walking on the bare ground, checking for turtles to ensure they were okay.

Inside the center, we saw signs about the Naples Botanical Gardens, Delnor-Wiggins Pass, Rookery Bay, Collier-Seminole, Shy Wolf (including Cardinal and Mockingbird nests), and a boat-tailed cracker nest. Natural Communities of Naples Preserve, Turtle Shells, What's in bloom, butterflies, bugs, Collier County, and Myrtle Oaks.

Tucan Statue

Penguin 

Seal

Our next stop was the Naples Zoo, located at 1590 Goodlette Rd, Naples, Florida 34102.

" Art to Save the Sea" was displayed throughout the zoo, featuring artwork made entirely from garbage collected from beaches. 

The art we saw featured Natasha the Turtle, Priscilla the Faust Fish, Lidia the Seal, Rufus the Tiger Fish, the American Sea Star, Daisy the Polar Bear, Grace the Humpback Whale, Gertrude the Penguin, and Chompers the Shark.

We stood in a long line to ride a slow-moving, tour-guided ferry around Monkey Island.

Very cool, enjoyable, and informative ride about Madagascar Animals

There were signs under a thatched roof telling about Monkey Island: trees like nowhere else, the island of Lemurs, more significant than any dinosaur egg, and the Madagascar Ferna group helps preserve the wonders of a fragile island nation.

We saw signs about Invisible Geckos, Abundant Chameleons, Madagascar burning, and living wonders. 

We saw American Alligators, Giant Anteaters, Cotton-Top Tamarins, Aldabra Tortoises, Slender-Horned Gazelles, Mt. Bongo, Sulcate Tortoises, Gopher Tortoises, and Clouded Leopards.

We watched the giraffes and alligators being fed. Dr. Henry Nehrling, the founder of the Botanical Garden, Henry Badger, Plains Zebra, Feeding the Alligators, Cheetah, Why the Railroad Trestle? The famous toucan sign, "Dead Trees Help the Living," and "Marvelous Marsh" make for fabulous filters. A swamp mystery, planting helps with trees for the future, shade-grown coffee helps farmers, birds, and the land, and you can find all these birds.

Friday, March 29, 2019 

We stopped at Dollar Tree for sunscreen and snacks to take to the beach at Delnor-Wiggins State Park.

Located at 11135 Gulf Shore Drive, Naples, FL 34108

One of the most popular seaside destinations in Naples, the mile-long stretch of white sugar sand at Delnor-Wiggins has been rated as one of the best beaches in the nation. 

We saw Gray Pelicans perched, swimming, and flying overhead. 

We saw a Fish Hawk Osprey perched in a tree holding a fish.

We saw seagulls and white egrets waiting for a free fish from a fisherman.

This beach was more secluded than the other beaches that we had visited. 

We rode to Naples Municipal Beach and walked out on the long pier to watch the sunset. There were lots of people waiting for the sunset.

 Naples Municipal Beach Sunset

Address 25 12th Av S Naples Florida 34102 

The Naples Pier is a community landmark built in 1888 as a freight and passenger dock.

We rode to historic downtown Naples; Lora and Michelle waited in a long line of people to order our ice cream at Kilwins 743 5th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102.

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Lora had an infusion that morning, so I spent the morning with Jackie and Geo. We visited North Collier Regional Children's Park, located at 15000 Livingston Rd, Naples, FL.

North Collier Regional Children's Park

Geo enjoyed playing at the Can U Dig It state-of-the-art playground, which features a colorful, modern design and resembles something from the future.  

The sleek look packs a lot of play value. The playground includes slides, swings, and climbing apparatus, but it takes play a step further. Kids can spin themselves dizzy on squiggly poles, climb on boulders that look like they came from the Monument Valley, or become junior archeologists in the covered fossil dig area.

When we got ready, Jackie realized she had locked her keys in her car. She called her boyfriend, and he brought her a spare set of keys.

We rode back to the apartment, and by this time, Lora had returned. 

Lora, Michelle, and I rode to Fort Lauderdale for the rest of the day before my flight. 

We stopped at Quarterdeck Restaurant, located at 300 N Beach Rd, Dania Beach, FL, where we had dinner.

Quarterdeck Restaurant

Quarterdeck Restaurant

We ordered three tacos, smoked shrimp, and smoked fish with French fries, and we all drank water with lemon.

We saw British Airways and Southwest jets fly over, so we knew the airport was nearby.

You can see several towering buildings from Dania Pier in the downtown area.

We saw several cruise ships depart, so it's clear that Fort Lauderdale is a hub port for cruise ships.

Many people were sitting on the beach, a few in the water. The beaches were made of seagrass, more turbulent and less precise than the Naples Beaches.

We watched and waited for a lift bridge to let a sailboat through. The traffic was heavy in the downtown area, so I told Lora to take me to the airport so they could do some sightseeing.

I boarded the flight at 9:30, traveling on Flight 4145, Boarding Group B23, for a one-and-a-half-hour flight.

Arrived in Nashville around 11:30 P.M. Hubby picked me up, and we rode home.

We stopped at the gas station, picked up some snacks, and rode home. We arrived home around 1:30 A.M. 

Had a great time visiting my daughter and all the places we went to,