Rambling thoughts of the past

Yesterday was Monday and I worked in the yard raking last year's leaves and removing rocks from around our blackberry vines.

Blackberry Vines

I gathered dead grass from the lawn and put it into garbage bags. 

It was very hot so I decided to take a swim, I put on my swimsuit and went to our pool to swim.

The boys swam the day before, so I thought the water could not be that cold. First I put my foot into the water then I got onto the float, the water was still pretty cold so I stayed on the float.

The sun was hot so I did not stay in the water very long. I had a hard time getting out because we had not added the ladder.

Today I walked outside and heard banging, there were men installing guard railing along the side of the new highway. Next door our neighbor was running his tractor for he raises fields of corn to sell.

It was hard to have a relaxing day sitting by the swimming pool with all that commotion going on.

I walked to the garden to see if any of our plants were coming up, the garden was very dry so I watered it.

Garden

We have several bluebirds nesting and I have been attacked when I get close to their nests.

Today, while sitting on the deck I can hear, birds chirping, the wind blowing, feel the sun beaming down, and the sound of the turtle cleaning the pool.

Deck and Pool

In the distance, I hear metal against metal as the men install the guard railing. It has taken several years of work of hard work to lay the foundation for highway 43, they are in the finishing stages in making highway 43 a four-lane up to highway 64.

Road Construction

I have spent many days listening and watching different crews work on the highway.

Along the left side of the highway are planted red clover which I think is very pretty. Last year I took several pictures of the red clover.

It will be many years in the making before highway 43 is completely finished and connected to Lawrence County Tennessee.

Tennessee has four lanes to the Alabama State line, and this is a very busy highway which brings many Tennessean to Alabama visa Versa.

Alabama is bordered by Tennessee to the North, Mississippi to the West, Georgia to the East and Florida to the South.

Tennessee, Georgia, Florida all have lotteries, Mississippi has casinos and Alabama has an Indian Casino which is controlled by the Indians. It would be nice to have a statewide lottery so Alabama would get the money instead of the states around us.

Today, while sitting on my deck I am watching the wind blow, the grass as the wind blows the tall grass, it makes a rippling sound like the waves of the sea being tossed about.

The trees reach out with their limbs as their leaves flutter in the wind as if to say shake my hand.

Annoying flies land on me as I try to write.

I hear birds calling out to their neighbors as if to say I am home.

The turtle in the swimming pool slowly creeps along making several sweeps to clean the pool.

Wind blowing the trees and grass

I the distance I hear cars, trucks traveling up and down the unfinished highway. Some of the travelers are going home, to work, to town, to the gym and I am sure most have a purpose because why would they travel with the cost of gas so high?

Highway 43 is traveled day and night. Early in the morning 6-8 am and evening between 4-6 pm it is very busy.

God’s beauty is all around, the living trees, trees, grass, birds, insects, and me sitting here taking it all in!!!!!!

The blue sky and the wind you cannot see!

Everything has a cause and a purpose it is the circle of life.

What is time?

Every minute of every day

is given to us

how we use it

is up to us,

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/01/09/hand-god-spotted-by-nasa-space-telescope/

https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=aaplw&p=god's+hand+reaching+to+man

God reaching out his hand for a man!

If we spend our time

wisely,

we will reap

a reward,
https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=aaplw&p=heaven

Stairway to heaven

If we waste our time,

it will never

come

back

From birth to the grave

Time is not

the minutes

on a

clock

Time ticking away

Time comes from

above

sent here

with

love

Love

Spend your time

wisely,

waste not a

minute

Downtown Disney time well spent

Time spent

is but

the blink

of an

eye!

Just a blink of the eye!

2015 ~ Saturday, April 25, Tuscumbia Oakwood Cemetery Confederate Soldiers Tuscumbia, Al

Today I went to the Civil War Walking Tour of Oakwood Cemetery where I missed the speech about Colonial Deshler.
I was just in time for the reading about Colonial William Johnson, he served in Rodney's 4th Alabama Cavalry during the Civil War.
William's brother Major Dick Johnson was mortally wounded at a battle in Moulton, Alabama.
His brother JE Johnson died a POW at Rock Island Prison in Illinois.
William and Dick are buried in Tuscumbia's Oakwood Cemetery but their brother JE is buried in Illinois.

There are Civil War markers for all three men in this cemetery.

Major Dick Johnson KIA  July 9, 1864, & his brother JE Johnson who died  in the Rock Island Prison in Illinois

Three brothers fought in the Civil War but only one came home. The Civil War caused much grief for the Johnson Family

Colonial William Johnson Tombstone

Our next visit was Arthur Henry Keller the father to Helen Keller he enlisted in 1861 as a private in the Confederate Army.

 He was detailed as a quartermaster-sergeant under Dr. D. R. Lindsay, of Twenty-seventh Alabama, stationed at Fort Henry. 
He had charge of the stores, and after they were destroyed at Florence, he was assigned temporarily to the staff of Gen. Sterling Wood. 

Arthur Keller Family Cemetery but Helen Keller is buried Washington's National Cathedral

In July 1862, he joined General Roddy’s cavalry as a private, and in September of that year rejoined his old regiment as quartermaster at Vicksburg, with which he remained until July 1864, when he was made paymaster of General Roddy’s division of cavalry, a position he held to the close of the war. 

Captain Arthur H Kelley F & S Alabama Infantry in the CSA born Feb 5, 1836 died August 29, 1896

It was told that at the battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864, that Keller was serverly wounded in the neck and was almost throwned in a grave, with all the Confederate soldiers that died that day, but someone heard the faint sounds coming from Mr Keller. 
Mr Keller came back to Tuscumbia worked in downtown Tuscumbia at the news paper until August 29, 1896, when he passed away.

This beautiful young woman portrayed the part of young Helen Keller

Arthur Keller and his daughter Helen 

From a distance was pointed out that Bob Wheeler a color bearer was killed at the Battle of Franklin.

Bob Wheeler CO B 35 Alabama Infantry CSA

Our last stop was the graves of the Unknown Soldiers that were KIA during the Civil War.
So many men lost their lives during the Civil War and many parents, sibling never knew where the body of their son or brother was buried. So hard to close the book on ones's life when we do not know where they were laid to rest or how they died.

Grave of Unknown Soldiers

All the markers have been replaced with new markers and were ordered at the same place the original markers.

I would like to thank the Colbert County tourism and everyone that took part in all the Civil War Walking tours. I enjoyed them very much, it brings to life the history of our past. It make us stop thank God, & our country men for the freedom we have today.

👣👣👣👣 2015 ~ Saturday, April 18, Tuscumbia Civil War Walking Tour and Florence Civil War Trolley Tours

Started the morning with the Civil War walking tour of Tuscumbia. Everyone met at Cold Water Book Store at 10 AM where we were told a little history of Tuscumbia. Everyone walked up the street following our guide. She told us a little history about the early settlers, the train, and the many hotels that were built in Tuscumbia.

This building was once a three-story hotel

The hotels were used as a stopover when someone was traveling by train because at that time there was no train depot to wait in.
We walked up the road to the First Baptist Church the minister was there just getting ready to unlock the door when he asked everyone if we would like to look inside where we were invited inside to look around.  Took several pictures and told about a man who wanted to become a member of the church but when he got up to sing his pants were caught in the crack of the bench. At the end of the service, several men had to sit on either side of him so he could get his pants unhung from the benches. Later he would become a member and buy padding for the church benches.

First Baptist Church Tuscumbia

First Baptist Church Tuscumbia

First Baptist Church Tuscumbia

We thanked the minister who so graciously let us view the church and take pictures.

We saw several old homes and our final stop was the Cooper Rand Home.

Old historic home in Tuscumbia

Cooper Rand Home

The new home to our hostess where she read from a copy of Major Samuel Jones's journal.

Reading from Samuel Jones's journal/diary

The walk spilled over into 11:30 so many people disbursed into small groups and headed back to their cars. I had to be somewhere else so I walked back to my car.
I saw many beautiful flowers in bloom and a Japanese Maple Tree.

Azaleas in full bloom

Azaleas in full bloom

Japanese Maple Tree.

The traffic was terrible crossing the O'Neal Bridge because the bridge was being repaired.

O'Neal Bridge being repaired

O'Neal Bridge being repaired

At 12:30 PM at the Visitor Center, there was another Civil War Tour but this one was on a trolley.

Thank goodness because I had walked many blocks and my legs and knees were beginning to hurt.
We were served muffins, and water while we listened to Lee talk about Florence in the Civil War.

Civil War Leaders 

Everyone got onto the trolley after paying $15 each the money is being used to fund students who are interested in attending UNA to study History. A scholarship fund and the trolley were full I think forty people.
Our first stop was the Confederate Monument in front of the Lauderdale County courthouse, as we rode down Court Street we were told that the original street was 115 feet wide.

Confederate Monument with victims of violent crime crosses all around the monument

Our next stop was the First Presbyterian Church where William H. Mitchell preached and was arrested by Union soldiers and taken to Union POW camp in Alton, Il.

 First Presbyterian Church

Our next stop was the former location of the Presbyterian Female Synodical College which now stands at the US Post Office and Federal Courthouse.
We were told about the Marshal/Campbell house the burying down of the first Florence Lodge and the location of the new lodge.
We stopped at the Wakefield Mitchell the oldest house in Florence.

Wakefield Mitchell

We stopped at the former home of Lawyer Edward Ashbury O'neal.
We stopped at the Simpson House and Courtview Roger Hall both are now part of UNA.
We waved at the curator and Confederate soldier at Pope's Tavern.

 The Confederate soldier at Pope's Tavern.

The driver took us up close to Florence Wesleyan which looks very much like a castle and our last stop was Col Richard Orrick Pickett House built around 1833.

Florence Wesleyan Hall

We rode past a very old home-place near Pine Street but I never heard the name called.

Last stop house

We returned to the Visitor Center and everyone got off the trolley.
I rode back by the last stop to get a better picture then stopped at Dairy Queen for Vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone.

Vanilla Ice Cream Waffle Cone at Dairy Queen

On the way home I stopped at Rich's and bought a pound of barbq pork and a tea.
It has been a long day so I lay on the futon and rested.
I finally uploaded my pictures.

2015 ~Sunday, April 12, Spending the day with grandson's at UNA, & Florence Library!

Took the boys with me to church, after church we ate lunch at Zaxby's, I ordered a Zaxby's Snack Meal, with salad no fries, Nevada ordered Kickin' Chicken sandwich meal, Montana ordered hot wings with fries. 

The place was packed, I think everyone got out of the church at the same time even Arby's was packed.

Then on to target we rode to UNA to see the two lions LEO and UNA, where they were resting, they both moved one time and that was to get into the shade.

Leo the male lion

UNA the female lion

I stopped to take pictures of the flowing fountain and historic builds, the colorful tulips, and flowering white & pink dogwood trees.

Tulips

Dogwood Trees

I took the boys to see the new science building at UNA, the building was so big that I could not walk far enough back to get the whole building into one picture.

Science Center UNA

We rode to the Florence Lauderdale Public Library where the boys played on the computer and I listen to James Parker talk about From the Cumberland to the Gulf: Tennessee Troops traversing the Alabama County during the War of 1812.
There were many items about the War of 1812 on display at the library. 

War 1812 Hat

Cup used in war 1812

7th US Infantry Soldier

7th US Infantry Soldier

Sword of Colonel Daniel Newnan Georgia Volunteers

This concluded the series about the War of 1812.

I took the boys home and dropped by to see Mike and Hannah.
For supper, my husband brought home Chinese food from New China Chinese Restaurant.
I ate 2 shrimp egg rolls and a chocolate-covered donut filled with custard. My husband ate sesame chicken, white rice and soup, he had enough leftovers for his lunch.
We spent a quiet afternoon relaxing and watching television.