2024 May 4, Moulton & Cullman Strawberry Festivals (Day Trip)

 Today, we rode to Moulton for the Strawberry Festival. 

It had rained a lot, and the park was muddy and wet

They had planks you could walk on in the wet area 

They had carriage rides for two dollars 

Rides for kiddos 

Vendors with all sorts of different stuff that you could buy 

A petting zoo and a few strawberries for sale

We did not stay long 

Fried Chicken Fingers with Sweet Potato and Toast, Oh! Bryan's Hartselle, AL 

We took the old Decatur-Moulton highway into Decatur 

Then on to Hartselle, stopping at Oh Bryan's for lunch

I ordered chicken tenders with sweet potatoes, and Hubby ordered steak and potatoes 

We then rode to Cullman for their Strawberry Festival 

We walked around. They also had rides for kiddos 

Lots of vendors and food, of course, live music, arts, and crafts 

There was a dog contest called the Doggy Pageant

The song that was playing was Who Let the Dogs Out 

We walked through several shops 

Took several pictures 

They had several strawberry-themed murals and a row of snapdragons in full bloom. 

Strawberry Festival Moulton 

Strawberry Festival Moulton 
Snap Dragons 

T-Mobile was taking pictures for free and sending them to your phone, so we had ours taken. 

It got so hot and humid that my head hurt, so we left.

2019 Oct 19, Finding Huntsville Walking Tour with Carol Cordori & loosing my keyless remote

I traveled to Huntsville for the Finding Huntsville Walking Tour with Carol Cordori. 

I parked in front of the Constitution Village, stopping at their public restroom after my long ride to Huntsville. 

Meet up with a group of people at Harrison Brothers who were interested in the History of Huntsville. 

We began our tour a little after 11 A.M., with guide Carol Cordori, after we were all given a 12-page Finding Huntsville Field Guide.

Harrison Brothers Bank Vault, where records were kept 

Building 1: Commercial Architecture of Harrison Brothers 

Built in the 19th century with large glass display windows that had a recessed front door, long rows of transom windows above the display windows, and bricks that projected beyond the walls.  

Building 2: First National Bank of Huntsville 

Built about 1837- 1840 in the Greek Revival Style

Built with a pitched roof and a triangular front supported by Columns made up of a base, a shaft, and a capital. 

Local builder George Steel drew up the plans for the bank.

Greek Revival "First National Bank of Huntsville"

Building 3: The Madison County Courthouse was built in the International Style. 

Built with a flat roof, tall columns that support a large porch, and no attached decorations, it is often built with glass, steel, and concrete. Built in 1966 by Northington, Smith, Krannert & Associates, "Space Built"

International Style Huntsville Courthouse (backside)

Building 4: Romanesque Revival Schiffman building, built in 1845 and remodeled by George Thompson in 1895.

It has been owned by the Schiffman family for more than 100 years.

It was built of rush stone with carved leaves or flowers, bow windows, and a recessed front under an arch.

Building 5: Gothic Revival Style (used to teach Christianity). The Church of Nativity was built in 1859 by Wills and Dudley. 

The trefoil represents the Trinity (God, Christ & Holy Spirit), and the quatrefoil represents the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The Lancet arches, tracery, and engaged buttress point up toward Heaven. 

We were greeted by the Minister and given a tour of the temple.

Stained glass window notice at the top that the three-point clover represents the Trinity, and the bottom 4 points clover represents the Gospels of the Bible. 

Gothic Style Church of Nativity
Notice the steeple and windows, all pointing toward Heaven. 

Inside the Church of the Nativity

We finished our tour on the sunken sidewalk in front of the old J. C. Penny building on the Square.

Welcome back, Sunken Sidewalk
In the mid-1800s, masons sculpted local clay into these bricks and created the sidewalks. What once served as a humble walkway for farmers, merchants, and pedestrians now links you to Huntsville's past and to all those who trod where you are standing.

I walked around Huntsville Square, taking pictures of the art.

Red Ball Art on Square

Small Bull  Art 

Space Art

I shopped at Harrison Brothers Mercantile.

I stopped once again at the Constitution Village Public restroom.

I took a few pictures of the beautiful blooming mums in Constitution Park.

Mums at Constitution Village

I walked to my car and tried to open the door, but it would not open. (Keyless Remote)

I had put my remote in my back pocket, but it was not there. 

I walked back to the restroom, thinking I may have dropped them on the floor or even in the toilet.

The keys were not there! Before I retrace my steps, I walked to the Constitution Village Museum Store.

I ask if anyone has found a keyless remote

I was dreading telling  Hubby I had lost my keyless remote 

Someone had turned it in; God was looking out for me.

The young woman behind the counter began by telling me about her episode of lost keys.

She said she cranked her car (Using the Keyless remote) but had to go back inside. She forgot her key, got in her car, and left. She stopped for gas, filled her car, and went to crank it, but it would not crank, for she had no key. She had to call her husband and tell him to bring her the keyless remote. 

Sometimes, Technology is not so great!

In today's world, we get lost in the daily hustle and bustle.

I did some shopping at Kohles in Madison, looking for an Ugly doll for Ava Grace. 

Stopped at Wendy's in Athens for a hot bowl of chili, a chocolate Frosty, and Coke. 

Arrived at about 3:45 P.M. at the East Lauderdale Quilt Show at Rogersville United Methodist Church.

They were giving out awards and getting ready to close. 

What a day! Walked in the drizzling rain, with the wind whipping around the buildings, while listening to our guide describe the art of five historic buildings in Huntsville.

The Minister of the Church of the Nativity took the group on a guided tour.

I had my picture taken with the group?

Lost my keyless remote in the Constitution Village Public Restroom. 

Did a little shopping in Madison, ate a late lunch in Athens, and saw a quilt display in Rogersville. I was home around 4:30 P.M., a little before Hubby arrived home from work. 

2018 Aug 6-8, Metro Streetcar Ride in Little Rock, Arkansas (3 days)

Hubby and I had an enjoyable visit to Little Rock, Arkansas
The people were friendly, and the food was good.
We stayed two nights at the Wyndham Hotel in North Little Rock, which included breakfast.
Our room was located on the ground level, offering a good view of the downtown area and the Arkansas River bridges. 

The first day after we checked in, we rode to the downtown area to find somewhere to eat lunch. David's Burger was closing for the day, so we walked down the block to Big Whiskey's.

Big Whiskey's, where I enjoyed a plate of Hot wings

We walked around the downtown area, stopping at the Arkansas Studies Institute, where we spoke with the curator.
The building had a vault, which in its heyday was used to store spices.
Our next stop was the Arkansas Historical Museum, where we saw a collection of Bowie knives, a children's gallery, and contemporary art.
The Pioneer Village had closed up shop for the day.

Bowie Knives

We stopped at General McArthur's Park, where we saw several war markers.
The museum was closed.
We rode behind the museum, where we saw several families of ducklings.

Duckings

We rode to the Arkansas Capitol Grounds, where we saw the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Purple Heart recipients' plaques, a Civil War memorial, and the Firefighters Memorial.
It was getting late as the sun slowly drifted out of sight.
I don't think I could walk another step after all the sightseeing.
We stopped at Wendy's for a quick bite and retired for the day.

Little Rock's Capitol Building 

On the first day, we drove everywhere, and parking cost $1.50 for one hour. To avoid this, we purchased a Metro Streetcar pass for $2.00 each, which allowed us to ride the Metro Streetcar all day. (We bought the tickets at the Historic Arkansas Museum.)

To catch the Streetcar, we had to walk a couple of blocks.  
The drivers were knowledgeable about the area, the Metro Streetcar was air-conditioned, and it ran every twenty minutes.

Metro Streetcar

Our first stop was the William J. Clinton Presidential Library, where we saw his 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine, a life-size replica of the Oval Office, and the Cabinet Room as they appeared during Clinton's tenure. 

Oval Office

We stopped outside the Clinton School of Public Service to take a few pictures, and then we walked to the nearby Heifer International Building. 

We were greeted at the door by a curator at the Heifner building.
The curator provided us with a brief description of the Heifer Company and its origins, which began with just a cup of milk.
At the Heifer International village and farm, we visited their vegetable garden and saw the farm animals. 
At Cafe Heifer, we ordered oatmeal raisins,  macadamia cookies, and water.
We saw several turtles in the wetlands, and the gardeners were pulling up plants that were no longer bearing vegetables. 

Heifer Garden 

We took the Metro Streetcar to the 1836 Old State House Museum, which is accessible at no charge. The museum features three levels of artifacts, including hand-stitched African quilts and American Indian relics. 

Old State House

We took the Metro Streetcar to the River Market District, got off, and walked to David's Burgers, where we enjoyed a dressed hamburger and all the fries you can eat for lunch. (They are only open for lunch).

River Market 

Just a few blocks away was the Museum of Discovery, where we experienced the physics and chemistry of the natural phenomenon of Little Rock's 1999 twister in Tornado Alley.

Little Rock, 1999, Twister in Tornado Alley.

On the Streetcar, we met an older man treating four of his eleven grandchildren to a Metro Streetcar ride.
It was extremely hot, so it was nice to hop on a cool Metro Streetcar instead of a hot car.
Storms were brewing throughout Arkansas in the late evening, and we even received some rain. 

Storm Clouds over the Arkansas River 

Woke to thunder and rain this morning.
I hope we miss the bad weather traveling home.

Engulfed by Darkness

 Jonah was swallowed by a whale for disobedience.
I was engulfed in darkness, heavy traffic, and blinding rain.

I loaded up my grandson, Justin (age five), and my granddaughter, Hannah (age seven), and we began our journey to Pell City.
We traveled I-65 South all the way to Birmingham.
In Birmingham, we took the I-20 to Pell City, which took us about two and a half hours.

I did not have the exact address of my grandson, as he had moved from his old address.
Now, I was depending on a five-year-old to get us to his new address.

We rode up and down the same highway for over an hour before I could get in touch with his dad.

By the time we left for home, it was getting dark, and it had started to rain.
On the Interstate, we got behind a large truck, and I couldn't see around it, so we missed our turn.

All I remember was that we were headed north on a very rough highway. (79)
Several times, I almost stopped because I thought my tires were going flat, but I was afraid since it was very dark and there was not much traffic.

Thank God I had a cell phone that worked, so I called Hubby, who was working in St Louis at that time.
I told him what happened, and he said, What highway are you on? This was before we had GPS on our phones or our vehicles.

Hubby said I will call you back when I locate you on the map.
Hubby called and said you will have to go over the mountain to get back to I-65.

The darkness and rain did not help to see along the winding roads we took over the mountains.

We almost rammed into a stalled car on a dark bridge.
It took us twice as long to get home, but we made it safe and sound.

God was in control in both cases.

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

2012 Saturday, December 8, Franklin, TN

Was it 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 for $2.00. 

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

It was pulled by a couple of horses, one of which was brown and whit, 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, handbell 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 Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and Bob Cratchit (who are actually Franklin police officers on duty), Father and Mother Christmas.

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

It rained for the first part of the morning. We saw many people carrying umbrellas, but the rain did not deter the festival.

We ate lunch at Papa Boudreaux's Cajun Café & Catering Co. and spent $33.15.

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

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

On the outside of the restaura,nt on the purple do, or was a sign that read," Restrooms are for paying customers ONLY! Sorry, we are a small establishment…….SignedPap's Management.

Scrooge walking the streets of Franklin

Wet Streets of Franklin

I took pictures of many historic markers, including the 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 that Union Headquarters Was Planning for battle was located near a manger scene.

The St. Philip Chaotic Church Marker 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 on the Civil War tour number 17.

We saw the Ewen Cameron marker at the Presbyterian Church.

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, Fa Field Hospital, caring for the wounded, the Franklin Special School District, the Franklin Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Hincheyville Markers.

Christmas Tree in the Center of Town

Lady in Pink

Carriage Rides

Cratchit Family

We rode to Leipers Fork around 1:30 P.M. to watch the Christmas parade, but it was canceled due to the weather. The town was hit by lightning earlier that day. 

The participants of the Christmas Parade had gathered and dispersed after the storm.

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 a Possum Holler Garage tow truck pulling an old Plymouth car behind it.

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

We saw an Old Chevrolet Truck with the inscription "Posser Holler Garage" pulling an outhouse, inscribed on the side, which read "Old NO. 7."

There was a round hole cut in the outhouse, and it had a reindeer hanging out of the hole with four legs closed underneath. On the backside of the outhouse was a satellite dish, a 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".

Behind the signs was Frosty the Snowman, with a couple of reindeer and a sign that read, "  TAY BACK 100 FEET EXPLOSIVE GAS."

Riding in the  1921 Clampett's truck

STAY BACK 100 FEET EXPLOSIVE GAS."

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

We walked through the Winters Arts located at the Locke Building.

We went inside the Serenity Madison antiques and mercantile store.

We stopped inside the Laurel Leaf Fashion Store.

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

My husband made a picture of me sitting in Clampett's old Ford Truck. It had a homemade wooden bench for sitting.

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 Clampett to fry.

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

As we wereleavingi, we saw the Church of Christ at Leiper's For,kWhich Meets Here,e EST 1831.

We walked around the many stores but didn't buy anything.

We left around 2:30 P.M., traveling down the Natchez Trace to Lawrenceburg, TN.

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

We took all that food home to have a feast.