Free Bird's Adventures: December 2025

Monday, December 22, 2025

Time Travel

My thoughts have been about time moving forward and backward.

So Time travel is not something we think about. It is just something we do.

When we are children, we want to grow up. This is time-traveling into the future.

When we are in our prime, we are thinking about retirement. This is also time-traveling into the future.

When we watch movies about time travel, we do not think of ourselves as time travelers, but we are.

As we grow older, we begin to think about the past, and our minds take us back.

My son and I were talking about time travel and the Bible.

When you look into the Bible, you see many people traveling through time.

Psalms 90:4

For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

John 8:57-58:

So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."

People who were raised from the dead.

Time Travel:

1 Kings 17:24: We read that Elijah raises from the dead a widow's son. 2 Kings 4:18-37

Israelite Man 2 Kings 13:20-21

Widow of Nain's son Luke 7:11-17

Jarius' Daughter Luke 8:49-56

Lazarus John 11:1-44

Jesus Matthew 28:1-20

Tabitha or Dorcas Acts 9:36-42

Eutchus Acts 20:7-2

In Luke 16:28, we learn of a man who had five brothers, and this is what he said:

Let me warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

Joshua 10:12-13

“On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: ‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” – Joshua 10:12-13

2 Kings 20:10:11

"Hezekiah had asked for a sign to prove his recovery, and Isaiah said, 'This is the Lord's sign to you that the Lord will do what He has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?' ‘It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,' said Hezekiah. 'Rather, have it go back ten steps.' Then the prophet Isaiah called upon the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz." – 2 Kings 20:10-11

Exekiel 12:27

"Son of man, the Israelites are saying, 'The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.'" – Ezekiel 12:27

Whether we travel by plane, car, on our feet, in our dreams, or in our thoughts, we are traveling in time.

Just a little Food for Thought!

Monday, December 8, 2025

2025 Dec 5-7, Christmas Tour of Homes Trip to Eufaula, Al with Backroads Tours LLC

Day 1: Friday, December 5:

Today we traveled to Scottsboro, a two-hour drive.

We stopped at McDonald's in Huntsville for breakfast, where we bought a sausage and Biscuit, and a Sausage, egg, and Biscuit, and spent $6.74.

We traveled US 72 to Huntsville and then to Scottsboro. We stopped at McDonald's in Scottsboro to use the restroom.

We boarded the Eagle bus out of Rome, Ga, number 1031 at 7:15 and were on the road by 7:30 A.M.

We pick up passengers in Fort Payne (8:10 A.M.)and Springfield (9:15 A.M.)

We stopped for a Restroom break at a Travel Center.

We arrived at the Old Mill Kitchen in Opelika at 12:07 P.M.

Old Mill Kitchen Opelika

Key Lime Pie

Baked Chicken, creamed potatoes with gravy, Peas, and cornbread.

I ordered baked lemon pepper chicken breast, with field peas & snaps, Mashed potatoes & gravy, cornbread, and for dessert, Key Lime Pie.

The bus was too tall, and it was raining, so we just stopped for a look at the

drive-thru Museum of Wonder in Seale.

Drive-thru Museum

We checked into the Hampton Inn by Hilton Hotel around 3:30 P.M. in room 206.

At 5:30 P.M., we were served a private welcome dinner at the Shorter Mansion.

Table setting

Homemade bread pudding with white Chocolate Sauce

Salad Spring Mix with fresh fruit and a raspberry vinaigrette

Smoked with Jezebel Sauce, green beans, and creamed potatoes

The meal consisted of a salad, pork tenderloin, roasted haricot vert (green beans), baked loaded potato, and chocolate bread pudding.

Before we sat down to eat, we toured the Shorter Mansion.

We returned to the hotel around 7:30 P.M., took a hot bath, and went to bed.

Iphone photos

2153-2157 Old Mill Kitchen Opelika @ 12:07 P.M.

2158-2169 Downtown Opelika at 1:40 P.M.

2170-2177 Drive-Thru Museum of Wonder @2:17 PM

2179-2188 Eufaula @2:50 PM

2192-2248 Shorter Mansion Tour @7:05 PM

2249-2253 Meal at Shorter Mansion @6:05 PM

2272-2274 Hampton Inn at 7:32 P.M.

Steps 8,298, Zone 32, 3.11 Miles, Cal 1,555

Day 2: Saturday, December 6:

I walked to Walmart to buy Hubby a couple of diet Mountain Dews and a white top for myself. And spent $25.47.

At breakfast at the hotel, I had scrambled eggs with cheese, a biscuit, cream cheese, grape jelly, and apple juice.

We boarded the bus around 8:30 A.M. and began our tour of eight homes decorated for the holidays.

We had lovely weather up until noon.

We toured the Stinson House, Fendall Hall, and Gatty-Arnold Home and Kendall-Utley before returning to the Shorter Mansion for a boxed lunch. It contained chicken salad, pasta, broccoli salad, and a cookie with water to drink.

Getty-Arnold House

Fendall Hall

The Stinson House

It had begun to rain, so everyone returned to the bus to get their raincoats and umbrellas.

We had two more homes to tour. The two homes were close by, but it was pouring rain.

We toured the Martin Cottage and the Bray-Bennet Home, then returned to the hotel to change clothes and rest before heading downtown to shop.

Bray-Benton House

Martin Cottage

Kendell- Utley House

Later that day, we loaded onto the bus and headed to the Church Bazar and downtown shopping.

The rain had stopped by now.

I bought a small bag of White chocolate pretzels at the Big Mouth Store.

We returned to the Shorter Mansion for entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, and wine.

It was dark when we returned to the hotel. I took a hot bath and wrote in my journal.

Iphone photos

2275 Breakfast @7:15 AM

2276 Hampton @ 7:33 AM

2277-2291 Downtown Eufaula @8:50 PM

2297-2328 Toured the Stinson Home @9:13 AM

2329-2379 Toured Fendall Hall @9:54 AM

2380-2381 rode passed the Holy Redeemer church @10:42 AM

2382-2410 Toured Gatty-Arnold House @10:48 AM

2411-2425 rode passed old building with windows out and more homes @11:222 AM

2424-2447 Toured the Kendall-Utley House @11:29 AM

2449-2453 We stopped for lunch at Shorter Mansion at @12:20 PM

2455-2497 Toured the Martin Cottage @1:16 PM

2498-2518 Toured the Bray-Bennett House @2:06 PM

2519-2525 We rode downtown to the Christian Bazar and downtown shopping at @4:05 PM

2526-2537, we toured Eufaula at 4:22 P.M.

2530-2533 We stopped at Large Mouth Store @7:27 PM

2534-2535 Martin Theatre @5:04 PM

2536-2537 Lights @5:06 PM

11,169 steps, zone 60, 4.11 miles, cal 1,728

Day 3, Sunday, December 7:

I ate white chocolate pretzels with a Diet Coke for breakfast, which I had bought the night before.

I walked to Walmart, where I bought three Christmas soaps and a large bag of hot chocolate, and spent $29.89.

I gave the soaps to Angie to give away during Bingo.

We loaded onto the bus at 8:15 and were on our way at 8:30 A.M.

Our first stop was a Travel Center in Montgomery, where we spent $10.64.

We stopped to see the town of Spectre, which is a movie set on a private island on Jackson Lake.

During the rainy season, you cannot reach the town of Spectre. We crossed over onto the island after paying an entrance fee.

Several of our group were trying to throw a pair of shoes on the pole where other shoes were hanging.

The Movie Town of Spectra, Shoes hanging on line, and goats

I began walking around, taking pictures, and was returning from the lake when a truck pulled up next to me. I said I was with the bus tour, and he asked me if I wanted a couple of bags of carrots to feed the goats.

When the goats saw that we had food, they came running. They loved the carrots but would not eat any that were dropped onto the ground.

We ate lunch at Copper House Deli in Wetumpka, where we bought a Hoogie with a moggie two chip and two diet Cokes, and spent $22.40.

It was a small restaurant that was usually closed on Sundays but opened just for us.

After everyone finished eating, we walked around Wetumpka.

The Grinch & Max

Santa and Reindeer

Bought 10 silver charmsnand a bottle ottle of Necked Bee lotion, spent $18.48.

I took photos of the historic and Military markers at the courthouse. Took pictures of the town, the Santa and his two reindeer, some metal art, and the Alleyway murals full of art, culture, and the history of Wetumpka.