Showing posts with label #walkingtours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #walkingtours. Show all posts

Monday, December 16, 2024

2018 Christmas Letter Activies

 Well, another year has come and gone. Hope you and your family had a good year!

We had a lot going on this year. 

Enclosed are some of the activities our family did this year. 


(We had lots of cold weather in Jan & February)

Jan 9, Day Trip: Hubby and I rode to Decatur Wildlife Refuge

Jan 15, Day Trip, Hubby & I rode to Dodge City

Jan 25, Attended Wade Hall Post Cards @ Florence Library 

Jan 31, Trip to Saraland & Dolphin Island with my friend Wanda

FEBRUARY 

Feb 1- 4 Cruise to Cozumel, Mexico with my friend Wanda 

Feb 1, Boarded Ship 

Feb 2, Fun Day @ Sea

Feb 3, Spent a day at Cozumel, Mexico 

Feb 4, Fun Day @ Sea
Feb 5, traveled home 

Feb 9, Worked @ Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

Feb 19-21 Trip Hubby & I stayed @ Christmas Inn, Pigeon Forge, TN

Feb 14, Valentine Brunch @ CBS

Feb 21, Grandson Jake Hughes's BIRTHDAY DINNER

Feb 24/25 Trip Hubby & I stayed @ Joe Wheeler Lodge for Wildlife Photo Weekend.

MARCH

Mar 2, Children's Museum of Shoals with Great Granddaughter Ava Grace 

Mar 1, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Petals & Pollinators

Mar 6, Hubby & Rode to Waynesboro  

Mar 8, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Vegetable Garden & Seed Swap

Mar 9,  Worked @ Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

On Mar 10, I attended Laura Murray's "Coloring Alabama" class at the Florence Library.

Mar 11, Attended Wedding Shower for Granddaughter Hannah
Mar 12, Attended Bi-Centennial Party, Florence @ Wilson Park 

Mar 19, Bought Nissan Murano @ Landers McCary Nissan Huntsville

Mar 22, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Garden Landscapes & Pest Management

Mar 25, Attended @ Help with my dad's 91st Birthday party @ Cloverdale Senior Center

Mar 27, Attended Appreciation dinner @ Killen Senior Center 

Mar 28, Day Trip to Huntsville with Hubby to Landers McCary Nissan, ate lunch @ Mama's Taco Community of Providence & Red Stone Arsenal  

Mar 29, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Urban Forestry & Tree Maintenance 

Mar 30, Served @ Passover Sadar @ Killen Baptist Church 

Mar 31, Attended Ava Grace's 3rd Birthday Party 

APRIL

Apr 1, Easter Sunday Service

Apr 3, Day Trip, Hubby & I rode to Lawrenceburg, Davey Crocket Park 

April 4, Hubby & I played Bingo at Chick-fil-a

Apr 7, Walking Tour Florence Federal Courthouse, Library & Kennedy Douglas Museum

Apr 10: Had tint put on the new car and attended the Hansel & Gretel play at the Florence Library.                                                   

On Apr 11, Hubby and I attended the Social Security Retirement Dinner at Red Lobster.

On Apr 12, I worked at Killen Bookstore from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

Apr 13, Stormed all day.

Apr 17, Day Trip: My Hubby and I rode to Huntsville, UAH, Ditto Landing, and Red Lobster.

On Apr 20, Hubby and I attended the Hansel & Gretel Play at UNA 

Apr 21, Attended Blue Star Dedication, Train Depot Museum, Decatur 

Apr 28, Attended Walking tour, Athens State University Library, Delmore Museum & Founders Hall

MAY 

May 2, Music in Wilson Park with Justin Holder

May 7, Dolores Hydock @Muscle Shoals Library It's The Little Things

May 9, Music in Wilson Park with Mike Curtis & Garrett Mile

May 11, Worked at Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M. 

May 13, Mother's Day: I enjoyed a steak meal at Ron's Wind Chimes, flowers, a gift card, and a potted plant. 

May 16, Music in Wilson Park with Shannon Knight

May 17: Enjoyed listening to Kate Campbell at the Music Hall of Fame from 3–4 P.M. and Josh Goforth at the Florence Library from 5–6 P.M.

May 18, Attended Storytelling Festival at Shoals Theater at Legends

May 19, Attended Storytelling Festival at Shoals Theater at City Hardware

May 23, Music in Wilson Park with Joseph Baldwin 

JUNE

May 29-June 2 Trip to Gulf Shores

Jun 2 Birth: Anthony River Hughes, Great Grandson

Jun 8, Worked at Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

Jun 8, Wedding Rehearsal, Hannah Hughes & Chad Menard

Jun 9, the Wedding of Hannah and Chad Menard

Jun 9, Lecture of Winston's @ Helen Keller Library 1:30–11:30 A.M. 

Jun 10, Day Trip Nashville Airport 

Jun 16, Day Trip NASA @ Big Spring Park & RSA 

Jun 29, Crows, Chirp, & Bray Wildlife @Helen Keller Library 11–12 P.M.

JULY

Jul 6, Echoes and Howls Wildlife Program, Sheffield Library, 10 A.M.

Jul 10, Day Trip Veterans Museum & Rollo's Cafe, Huntsville 

Jul 13, Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

Jul 18, Day Trip: Franklin Toured Carter, Lotz House & Carton Plantation Museums

Jul 23, Summer Solos with Tosha Hill 11- 30-12:30

Jul 24, BEHIND THE MUSIC – SONGS & STORIES OF THE KGB SERIES 1 2–3 P.M.

Jul 25, BEHIND THE MUSIC – SONGS & STORIES OF THE KGB SERIES 2 2–3 P.M.

Jul 26, BEHIND THE MUSIC – SONGS & STORIES OF THE KGB SERIES 3 2–3 P.M.

Jul 27 Songwriters Showcase Series #4 2–3 P.M. MARK NARMORE & 

Aug

Aug 6-8 Trip Little Rock, Arkansas 

Aug 12, A Brief History of Education in Florence 2–3 P.M.

Aug 16, Day Trip South Haven, MS 

Aug 22, Day Trip to Tupelo, MS 

Aug 23, Get Dirty at the Library: Fall Vegetable

Aug 30: Get Dirty at the Library Cut Flowers

Sept

Sept 2, Kept great-grandson River Anthony Hughes

Sept 6, Get Dirty at the Library: Backyard fruits

Sept 14, Worked at Book Store 9–1 P.M.

Sept 15, New Bethel Reunion 9–3 P.M.

Sept 16, Lecture on Native Americans at Indian Mound 

Sept 20, Kept great-granddaughter Ava Grace

Sept 22, Day Trip Toured Weeden House & Huntsville Depot  

Oct

Oct 5, Day Trip to Oktoberfest and Museum Cullman with sister-in-law

Oct 6, Oktoberfest St Florian

Oct 7, Lecture: Life in the Highlands with George Makowski 

Oct 9, Day Trip to Dickson, TN 

Oct 12, Worked at Book Store 9-1

Oct 14, Tuscumbia Art Museum lecture: Truths and Legends TVA

Oct 15, Day Trip: GPS System checked & Oil change at Nissan of Huntsville, ate at Red Robin at Bridge St 

Oct 19, took Ron and Ava Grace (great-granddaughter) to Home Depot, Lowe's, & Halloween Store to see Halloween Displays 

Oct 21, Lecture at Florence Library about James VI & I 

Oct 24, Lecture at Florence Library, Doctors of Death, 6–7 P.M.

Oct 25, Class Diabetes & Healthy Cooking 11:30-12:30, Florence Library 

On Oct 28, I watched the River and went to the Renaissance Faire

On the 29th, Hubby and I took Ava Grace to treat Elgin

On the 30th, Hubby and I took Ava Grace to the Town of Killen

Nov 

Nov 1, Healthy Cooking, Florence Library, 11:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M.

Nov 3: Forks of Cypress Tour, Shoals Business Expo, and Cruising Wheeler Lake 

Nov 4, Athens Cemetery Stroll 

Nov 6, Day Trip Natchez Trace, Leipers Fork, and Cool Springs Mall, Franklin, TN

Nov 8: Cooking for High Blood Pressure, Florence Library, 11:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M.

Nov 9, Worked at Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

Nov 11-16, Trip to the Smoky Mountains with cousin Sherry & Aunt Bobby

Nov 16, Tidwell's Thanksgiving dinner

Nov 19, Took Mike for a Colonoscopy at ECM Hospital 812, Lunch at Five Guys 

Nov 22, Thanksgiving Dinner @ Mike's (my son)

Nov 24, Worked at Killen Book Store 

Nov 25, Trees of Christmas, TVA Museum, and Addressed Christmas Cards & Wrapped presents

Nov 27, Tinsel Trail, Big Spring Park with Hubby

Nov 28, Legend of Toyland, Roxy Theater, Russellville, with Hubby

Nov 29, Kennedy Douglas Art Museum Quilt Display

Dec 2, Trees of Christmas TVAA

Dec 2, Took Ava Grace to Santa Land in Elgin with Hubby

Dec 4, went to Nashville to see Grinch Ice, Opryland Hotel, 3 Gardens decorated for Christmas, and Opry Mills Mall

On Dec 7, I took Ava Grace to Killen Town Hall for the Christmas Program and to see Santa

Dec 13, Christmas Dinner, and listen to storyteller Dolores Hydock at Club Florence

Dec 15, Hubby and I attended the Leipers Fork Christmas Parade

Dec 17, Hubby and I visited the North Pole Christmas Tree Stroll, Madison's Magical Christmas Tree Stroll, Madison's Christmas Card Lane, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, and the Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Stroll in Decatur, and enjoyed a Grinch Pancake at IHOP. 

Dec 21, Christmas Dinner at Tidwell's

Dec 22, Christmas Dinner at Mike's 

Dec 25, Breakfast at Mike's 

I journal all my activities and take several pictures, which helps keep my memories alive. 

I hope each and every one enjoys the holidays.

May the new year bring good fortune, good health, and love.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our house to yours 

PS: MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2019






Me & Santa @Incredible Christmas Store in Pigeon Forge, TN 


Sunday, January 1, 2023

2022 April 23, Madison Walking Tour lead by Gerald Clark


 We began the tour at the Roundhouse, located near the railroad tracks. Before Mr. Clark started his speech, a train roared past. 

A War Memorial displayed in Madison Park 

We walked across the railroad tracks and began our tour of Historic downtown Madison.

A little history about Madison:

The town began about 1856, when the Memphis and Charleston Railroad laid tracks. In 1858, Judge Clemons planned the town's lots fronting the railroad.

One of the first businesses was a Grist Mill operated by J.J. Akers, S.D. Doolittle opened a blacksmith shop, and other merchants, including Walter, Thomas Hopkins, and James Bib, also opened it. 

Humphrey and Hughes Drug Co.
The Rexall Store 

Historic Madison homes and stores that we saw:

The History of Madison

Madison Station Hertzler Vaughn 1905 

Madison Station Apperson Brown ca 1900

Madison Station Cain Steadman ca 1880

Madison Station, Farley Thornton Goodson, 1911 

Madison Station Clay Sensenberger 1853

Madison Station Shelton Balch 1928

Madison Station Pride Drake 1910 

Madison Station Thomas Vaughn ca 1910 


Madison Station Burton Balch Willis 1885

Madison Station, Farley Sturdivant 1910 

Madison Station Gillespie McDermott 1897

Madison Station Riddle W. Hughes Sampieri 1920

Madison Station Riddle C.P. Hughes 1910

Madison Station Sullivan Wellborn 1889

The Methodist Church 

War Memorials 

Colonel Cecil Hamilton Bolton, LT US ARMY

Leo K Thorsness COL US AIR FORCE

Paul L. Bolden SSG US ARMY 

CITY OF MADISON WALL OF HEROES

Madison Roundhouse

Storefront 16 Main (Yellow House)

Humphrey Bros. was Built by D.S. Brandon 

Robert P. Cain Mercantile 

Humphrey-Hughes Drug Co Store 

The Rexall Store 

Established in 1869, the City of Madison

J.H. Cain General Merchandise 

We learned about Buttermilk Alley, a narrow lane between Front and Arnett Streets. Circa 1900 was a safe haven for sweethearts to take a walk at dusk and hold hands. Mrs. Katie, an African-American woman working for Dr. Kyser on Front Street, sat on her porch and watched the youth's safety. 

Longtime residents also credit Buttermilk Alley's name to food handouts from Front Street residents to hungry hobos riding the train. 

Buttermilk Aly


Madison is a historic small town rich in history and now experiencing rapid growth. 


2025 Nov 19-21, Biltmore House Trip with Backroads Tours LLC

 Day 1: Wednesday, November  19: We were up by 3:30 A.M., took a shower, fed the cats, loaded the car with our luggage, and were on our way ...