2024 May 20, 21, 29, Sites we took AVA

Ava in a Space Suite 

 2024 May 20, Monday, Trip to Space and Rocket Center 

Today, we rode to Huntsville to the Space and Rocket museum 

We took Ava, she loves museums.

We saw Science on Orbit, Space Craze, Your mission begins here, Huntsville Rocket City, Home of USA Redstone Arsenal. There were games to play, rides, space shuttle, rockets, helicopters, planes, and pictures of every astronaut that has flown in a rocket or shuttle. There was a lot of construction going on, and a lot of the area visitors were not allowed to enter.

Ava got inside one of the modules where you have to lie down with your feet propped above your head. We looked inside “Ch-47D Chinook Helicopter. Two soldiers were guarding the shuttle(they were statues)

We saw Saturn’s Brain and Saturn’s steering. There were several school groups, and we met a family from Sweden.  

 

We ate lunch at Culvert in Madison.

We were going to Cracker Barrel but got caught by a train, so we turned around and went to Culvert. 

Hubby and I shared a three-piece, hand-cut, hand-battered fried cod meal with onion rings and Coleslaw.  We ordered the flavor of the day yogurt Snickers swirl.

We ordered a kid’s chicken fingers meal with fries and a drink for Ava.

She also ordered one scoop of chocolate yogurt but was brought the Snickers Swirl, which she would not try.

So, hubby ate hers, and we bought her a chocolate yogurt 

They also forgot our coleslaw, and hubby had to go to the counter to get one. They were out of coleslaw upfront 

I guess they didn’t want to go to the back to find more

I think they had a new employee. Everyone was ready for bed that night. 

Ava and the Space Shuttle 

2024 May 21, today we took Ava to Muscles Shoals Municipal Court Building, Spring Park and Tuscumbia Train Depot  

To see the TVA display and display about Muscle Shoals.

We saw cicadas covering all their Crapes Myrtle’s.

Inside, I met a worker for the City of Muscle Shoals, and we talked about the history of the area. He told me there were graves of American Indians with stone markers, and you cannot read the names. He said there were graves all over the shoals that were unclaimed and destroyed. He said I had worked here for years before I took the time to read all the history here. He said when I was growing up, I didn’t care much for history, but he knew a lot about the area. He said that once, he and another worker had to fix the sewage off the cliffs he supervised. Someone else went over the cliffs. He said that he found old bottles dating back to the 1800s. He gave one to him and said I am going back to collect the rest.

Upon entering the Municipal building, you will see a Chandler four or five archways leading to and inside the museum area. 

Inside the Museum, we saw Welcome to “Pathways…A Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals.”

Explore these exhibits and learn about a city that is rich in history.

See original artifacts from the real estate boom when Henry Ford said he would “employ one million workers and build a city 75 miles wide” to the times when Muscle Shoals was known as “The Hit Hit Recording Capital of the World.”

Muscle Shoals has now become one of the most progressive cities in Alabama and a city thousands call home.

Ava and Hubby at  Muscles Shoals Municipal Court Building

History of FAME Recording Studios and its owner Rick Hall. 

A light pole with street signs of Wilson Dam Highway and Sheridan AVE. 

Cases full of the History of Muscle Shoals, the first Mayor of Muscle Shoals, George Lewis McBride, and his wife Susie. 

Pictures of President Roosevelt and his wife, Elenor, hang on the walls.  

Lots of information about the building of the TVA Wilson Dam. We walked outside, and the Crape Myrtles were covered in Cicadas. 

Ava in the Little Red Caboose 

After we left Muscle Shoals, we went to Tuscumbia Train Depot. 

Paid five dollars each to go inside 

The curator told us the history of the depot.

They had the original carriage that Helen Keller rode in as a child 

We walked around outside, looking at all the train cars. 

Next, we rode to Spring Park. 

The water was turned off going to the waterfall

So there was no fresh water entering the spring 

There were a few ducks and geese in the water 

It was lunchtime, so we rode back to Florence and ate lunch at Crackers Barrel.

Ava ordered Confetti pancakes with bacon.

Ava ordered confetti pancakes with bacon and a doctor pepper to drink 

I ordered grilled chicken fingers with pinto beans, a slice of onion, cornbread, chow chow, and iced tea 

Hubby ordered steak, eggs, and hash browns with biscuits and iced tea to drink

Hubby bought two large chocolate chunk candy bars 

2024 May 29, Wednesday McFarland Park took AVA 

Today, we rode to McFarland Park to let Ava play on the playground 

I listen to bird sounds 

We got our B12 shots and paid the utilities 

We rode to Sheffield to pick up our monthly check

We rode to Champy’s for lunch

Hubby and I split a Catfish meal

Of 4 pieces of Catfish fries, hush puppies, and coleslaw 

Ava ordered a 2 piece of chicken finger meal with fries 

We rode to Aldies for a few groceries 

Then we headed home 

Catfish, fries, slaw, onion and Hushpuppy

Ava at Champy's