🎄🎄🎄🎄2010 December 19, Sunday, Reading of A Christmas Carol & Christmas Party 🎄🎄🎄

Trees of Christmas

I took Sierra  to the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art where on display was The Trees of Christmas. They are 12-foot spruce and fir trees decorated in themes by local residents at the art center, 511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia. Free Sundays 1-3 PM 

The curator told us about the drawings and display of the singing river sculptures that were on display created by artist Audwin McGee.

Still in its infant stages, the Singing River Sculptures are planned as four semi-abstract sculptures — one each in Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia — placed in highly visible spots, Matthews said, such as a city entryway. The capstone of the project will be a cluster of about seven to nine sculptures overlooking the river.

Created from recycled aluminum donated by Wise Alloys, a producer of aluminum can stock based in Muscle Shoals, the pieces' sizes would range in respect to their locations. The goal is for each to be larger than life, about 18 to 20 feet tall.

After view, the sculptures we visited the 12-foot spruce and fir trees decorated in different themes by locals. 

One was decorated to honor the firemen it was decorated with fireman hats, Dalmatians dogs, candy canes, fire trucks, roped in do not cross the line, fire suites, badges, and etc

One was decorated with ice cream cones, roped in red and white-stripped paper, large and small lolled pops, candy, and dolls 

One tree was decorated with large and small red and gold balls, poinsettias, keys, roped in lights, bells and packages, presents under the tree and a big red ribbon streaming from the top.

One Christmas tree was decorated with bubbling lights roped with colorful lights, dangling icicles, reminded me of an old fashion Christmas tree.

The Trees of Christmas

The Trees of Christmas

One Christmas tree was decorated all in gold, with gold balls, lights, and toped with a large gold ribbon streaming down to the floor. It had packages under the tree, it reminded me of a luxury Christmas tree. 

One Christmas tree was decorated in string, bird nest, and pinecones, roped in tiny white lights, Christmas in the Country. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with cards, books, USA maps, times, ABC’s, Cat in the Hat Books, encouraging children to read with books under the tree. 

One Christmas tree was decorate with lambs, sheep, roped in tiny white lights, bible scriptures on lamb cards, toped with a large sheep. Under the tree more sheep and lambs. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with angles, musical instruments, roped with string wooden beads, and toped with lots of icicles spiraling toward the ceiling. Under the tree were several brown bears wearing shirts with “Alabama Dirt Shirt” written on them and they were sitting in a wicker chair more of a country Christmas. 

Once during the Christmas Holidays you can visit the Helen Keller Home for Free. 

 Helen Keller Home 

 Helen Keller Home 

Donations are welcome. 

Home Tour Admission:

Adults...$6.00

Students  5-18..................$2.00

Seniors & "AAA" members...$5.00

Military (Active and Retired)...$5.00

Group of 20 or more..................Adults $5

Children $1.50 (Group reservations requested)

Sierra and I walked through Ivy Green home of Helen Keller it was decorated for Christmas.

The decorations are taken from the grounds of Ivy Green. 

We toured the first floor Parlor, the dining room, the hall, Captain Keller’s bedroom, Evalines bedroom, upstairs Anne & Helen’s Bedroom, the Trunk Room, and the Boys room. 

Each room was connected by a hallway and each room had its own fireplace. The home was build by Helen’s grandparents David and Mary Keller in 1820. The grounds consist of Rose Garden, Cottage, Boxwood Circle, Cook’s House, Well, Herb Garden, Butterfly Garden, Memorial Stone, New Zealand Gate, and Japanese Garden. 

We finished touring the Keller Home and we rode to the Sheffield Library for the reading of A Christmas Carol by Will Stutts. 

Will Stutts did a solo of the reading of Charles Dickens a Christmas 

We saw, A Very Merry American Christmas tree 

The library had a Christmas tree donated by LE Wilson Elementary Art Classes.

It had a sign that read," This tree is dedicated to Whit & Genie."

Love and their daughters, Tabitha & Kayla 

Bless you for your kind and generous sprits

Merry Christmas

Along the side was written Rudolph, Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, The star of Bethlehem, Jesus, and Frosty the Snowman. 

The Sheffield Library had Christmas cookies and hot apple cider for refreshments. 

Will Stutts solo reading of Charles Dickens a Christmas

Christmas Tree and Cookies at Sheffield Library 

Will Stutts did a solo of the reading of Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol. 

He did a very good job and he kept my attention.

I was happy to say that I loved to listen to him read. His voice changed with each character and he followed throughout the reading. 

I had a very enjoyable afternoon. 

Sierra and I stopped at Krispy Kreme for two-dozen donuts.

We went to Sam’s Club for a pizza, a chocolate cake, cheese dip, which we brought  home for our Christmas party.

For our Christmas Party we had chili, cocktail wieners, chocolate cake, donuts, crackers, chips, cheese dip, and drinks.

When everyone finished eating, we retired into the living room where the kids played board games, monopoly, checkers, and twister.

Christmas presents were passed out.  

Lora, Stephanie, and a friend came but her kids did not come. 

Montana called out the colors for twister while Lora and her friends played the game.

I had my camera out and took lots of pictures.

It was very nice of Tracy to share her home with our family.

Thank you Tracy

Christmas Party at Tracy's 

Playing games 

2003 ~ April 2-6 My English cousin comes to Alabama from Reepham, England

Day 1: Wednesday, April 2, 2003

I took two of my grandchildren with me to pick up my cousin at the Huntsville, Alabama Airport.
His flight arrived at 5:53 P.M.

I tried to give a little history about the Buxton Family to my grandchildren. 

I told them that one of my great-uncles was a midget.

My granddaughter said, “ Granny was your great uncle born small and did he grow small?

My granddaughter was trying to figure out why my great-uncle was a midget.

I took the grandkids to Zaxby’s for supper where they ordered hot wings.

While we were at Zaxby's the kids asked me what my cousin looked like, and I said I had not seen him in five years but I am sure he looked the same.

After we finished eating we went to the airport to pick up my cousin. We met up with him at baggage claims.

My cousin said he was starving so we stopped a SubZone.
My grandson was still hungry so he ordered a Meatball sandwich.

The ride home took a little over an hour and a half.
We stopped at Ronald's and then I took the grandkids home. 
My cousin was impressed by the double-wide trailer where the grandkids lived.
We live in an RV with only one bedroom so we booked my cousin a room at Days Inn in Florence Room number 124.

Day 2: Thursday, April 3, 2003 
I picked up my cousin and we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.

I ordered two pieces of sourdough toast and my cousin ordered fried apples and muffins.
My cousin wanted to make a long-distance call to his wife, so we stopped at a pay phone booth at a local gas station.

Off to see the sites that the Shoals has to offer. 

Our first stop was the Renaissance Tower, it was closed for renovations, but the front office was open so we went inside.

The clerk in the office said, “The Renaissance Tower will open again to the public in about one and half years.”

Then she said, I love your accent, where are you from?

Somehow we got on the subject of wine and the clerk said,” They have French Wine at Sam’s Club and it is marked down to $4.00 a bottle.”

She said the reason you can get the wine for this cost is because of the French. They supported the Americans in the war against Arabia. 

The Renaissance Tower

We rode across Wilson Dam

We stopped at my cousin's, she had just pulled into her drive. 
She had left her husband at the hospital in the ICU and had just a few minutes to visit with us.

We rode to Spring Park to see the beautiful manmade cascading waterfall.

Spring Park 

 Ivy Green

Next, we stopped at Ivy Green, the birth home of Helen Keller. 
We paid the admission price and the curator was very knowledgeable about the Keller home.
She told us how Ann Sullivan had dedicated her life to Helen Keller. 

She told us that Helen was the daughter of Mr. Keller and his second Kate. 

She also told us that Helen was born in the small house next to the large house, which was at one time occupied by David and Mary Keller Helen’s grandparents. 

She told us that Helen had spinal Meni at age 18 months, which left her deaf, dumb, and blind.
We thanked her for all the information and started touring the house.
Next, we walked outside to the building where Ann Sullivan took Helen, so she could teach her without interruption.

We walked by the water pump where Helen said her first word, WATER!

I rode passed the house that my grandfather built and lived in until his death. 
My cousin is a relative of my grandmother on my father's side. 
I also rode passed the cemetery where they are buried. 

We stopped at McFarland Park which is along the Tennessee River.

For lunch, I took my cousin to the historic, Classic Parlor Trowbridge on 316 N. Court Street. 

They are known for their different types of ice cream, hot dogs, and quick sandwiches. 

Don’t remember what we ordered but I know it was good.

Our next stop was Pope's Tavern.
We paid the admission and the curator started filling us in on the history.
I think she said was a former professor and a Watson.
She told us some history about the Watson family not sure right now how that related to the Tavern.
She was a very interesting person and she kept us way past closing time.

We rode to my home where my cousin used the computer to send his wife an email.

For dinner, we went to Barnhill's where we met up with other family members.

Amelia and her husband Peanut, my brothers David & Terry, and Terry's wife Caroline.
Harry and his wife Brenda and my son Mike.
We had a very enjoyable meal reunion.
We dropped my cousin off at the hotel and drove home. 

Day 3: Friday, April 4, 2003
My cousin and I ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel.

I ordered scrambled eggs, bacon, and two slices of sourdough bread. 

Our first stop was Wal-Mart.
My cousin had promised to give my aunt, who worked at Wal-Mart, some British coins.

My uncle was also there.

In Wal-Mart we met a woman in the automotive department, she asked my cousin where he was from in England and he said Reepham, then she said, I am from a little town not far from where you live.

She said I married an American Soldier and came to America to live. 

Next, we went to the bus station so my cousin could purchase a bus ticket to Myrtle Beach South Carolina. 

More site seeing: 

Our first stop was the log cabin/Home/Museum, where the Father of the Blues W.C. Handy was born and lived. The cabin was moved to this site. We saw the Handy library, Several photos hanging on the walls. There were a couple of quilts lying on the rockers, a quilt atop the bed, a fireplace, a rug on the floor, Kerosene lanterns, a beautiful piano, and in the kitchen wooden dough bowl, glassware, and many cooking tools, dishes, rub-board, dipper, bucket, washpan, soap, pitcher, and many other items. 

Our next stop was Indian Mount where we walked many steps to the top.

We rode across the O'Neal Bridge named for Governor O'neal who once lived in this area. 
We rode to Tuscumbia to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
We toured the museum and stopped in the gift shop.  
The woman in the gift shop said where are you from? I love your accent. I said my cousin is visiting family and he is from England. 

  WC Handy Museum 

For lunch, we stopped at Rick's in Muscle Shoals.
We ate supper at Newborns in Florence. Once again we met up with family members. 
Amelia's husband doesn't eat fish so he ordered chicken. 

Day 4: Saturday, April 5, 2003 
Amelia cooked supper and everyone brought a dish.
Bobbie, Dad, Teresa, Rick, Harrison, Paula, and Robert

Amelia had prepared chicken, blueberry, and strawberry cheesecake.

My cousin talked about our relatives who lived in England.

Day 5: Sunday, April 6, 2003
My husband took us to the TVA Dam to show us how the dam works.
My husband took us inside of the dam, and we all had to wear hard hats.

He showed us how the flood gates, & turbines work.
He showed us the waterfall.

 Wilson Dam Turbines

We then rode to Opry Mills in Nashville.

We stopped at the Bass Pro Shop and walked through Opry Mill Mall where my cousin bought a music box for his daughter. 

On the way to Nashville, we saw a lot of farm equipment.
My cousin was very impressed with the many different types of tractors he saw. 
He is a cattle farmer in England.

 Bass Pro Shop in Nashville 

Day 6: Monday, April 7, 2003
Sadly we had to say goodbye.
I dropped my cousin off at the bus depot and from there he is going to 

Myrtle Beach South Carolina.
He said he enjoyed his visit to the Shoals and would love to come back.

I am so glad he came for a visit. It is not very often we ever get to meet relatives that live so far away.

🎄🎄🎄🎄2008 December 21, Sunday, Ivy Green, & Tusucmbia Art Museum in Tuscumbia, Alabama,

Ivy Green 

My husband and I toured Ivy Green the birthplace of Helen Keller. 

David and Mary Fairfax Moore Keller, the grandparents of Helen Keller, built the house in 1820. 

The main house is of Virginia cottage construction, with four large rooms on the first floor with a wide hall, each room has its own fireplace. 

The house was decorated for the holidays with Ivy, Holly, Pines, and other greenery from the grounds, it is amazing what you can use to decorate without a lot of costs. 

There were holly and cedar lying on the table in the parlor, there was a cedar tree beautifully decorated in the corner of the parlor, with magnolia leaves mixed with cedar in the fireplace and on the mantle. 

Ivy Green 

Ivy Green 

Helen’s picture was hanging on the wall, another one of her pictures of Helen at age seven was sitting on the table. 

There were a couple of Victorian chairs sitting in front of the fireplace on an oriental rug covering the hardwood floor. 

Across the hall was the master bedroom where Arthur and Kate Keller slept. 

There was a bed with a high-carved headboard covered with a quilt made by Eveline Keller over one hundred years old. 

There was clothing hanging in the wardrobe of Helen and Mrs. Keller’s. 

On the floor was a Chinese rug given to Helen in 1949 by Hajji Baba Club. 

There was holly, Magnolia, and cedar lying on the fireplace mantle and a picture of Helen age thirteen. 

Ivy Green  

There was a netting basket sitting next to a rocker, a small table with a lamp, an umbrella standing next to the fireplace, another table with a picture sitting inside a bowl. 

The stairs leading to the two bedrooms upstairs were lined with ivy. 

Pictures of Helen and her parents were on the walls in the hall. 

Ivy Green 

The boy’s room was to your right, a trunk room in the middle, and Helen’s room to the left.  All the floors were hardwood coved by large rugs. 

In the dining room sitting on the table were a centerpiece of pine, cedar, holly, and apples and a set of China. Above the fireplace was Magnolia leaves around candelabras, a silver teapot set was sitting on the sugar chest, and the Jackson Press held the silver, linens, and beverages. 

Ivy Green 

Across from the dining room was where Helen’s aunt Eveline Keller slept, but now used as Helen’s Museum. 

Helen’s museum room houses some of Helen’s Braille books, a US stamp with Helen and Anne Sullivan, a bust of Helen, several pictures of Helen at different ages, and many artifacts. 

There is a bronze plate of Helen with a saying, To be blind is to see the bright side of life Helen Keller.

Helen Keller

Helen Keller

Outside was the kitchen and house cleaner’s quarters; there was the pump where Helen said her first word, “Water.” 

WATER

There was a carriage house, and the cottage, where Helen’s toys were displayed.

It had doll carriage, a child rocker, larger rocker, chest, small doll bed, and the picture inside a bowl and a kerosene lamp. In the bedroom, it has a four-poster bed, baby bed, fireplace, another rocker, and a fireplace. 

Ivy Green 

My husband had never seen Helen’s home, I had seen it several times.

My dad had gotten an old trunk from the Keller estate when I was just a small girl, inside of the trunk was a fairytale book, which I read from cover to cover and was lost when we moved to Florence.

We walked across the street to the Tuscumbia Art Museum where we viewed nine, twelve foot Christmas trees that were decorated by different groups, to capture the season.

Delta goes green by the Delta Sigma Theta: their theme was white Angles. 

The Christmas tree is Celebrating 100 years of 4-H: decorated by the 4-H Colbert and Franklin Counties. 

Their tree was decorated with several of the 4-h emblems, and their theme color was green with a green skirt and white button up top shirt from the 1950s.

Just Beachy by Pam Wright:

Pam’s theme was cool colors with sunglasses, flip-flops and other items you would see on the beach.

For unto you are born this day by Leta Mathews and Van Brown:

Their theme color was gold, & silver with twinkling lights, the manger scene, the wise men, and the worshipping of baby Jesus. 

There goes Santa Clause by Janet Cochran:

Theme color was red and white with Santa’s boots sticking out of the chimney, and Santa’s of all shape and sizes covering the tree, Santa’s sack, and presents under the tree.

Unsung Heroes by DAR:

Their tree was decorated with a fire truck, and the tree was wrapped with notes for our heroes.

Uniquely Yours by American Cancer Society and Bosom Buddies support group; 

Their theme was pink, with pink and silver balls hanging on the tree. 

White bears and presents wrapped in pink and white.

The arts of home by: 

UNA’s Department of human and environmental sciences; are many colors with a woman and her umbrella on top. The tree was decorated with things that you would find in a home.

Last, I love to read by WA Threadgill Primary School. 

Their theme color was multicolor with educational toys, books all over the tree and under the tree. 

There was Clifford the big red dog, pooh and many other characters.    

My husband talked to the curator while I took pictures of all the trees

They will be on display until December 24, 2008.

2015 ~ Saturday, June 27, Helen Keller Festival Tuscumbia, Alabama

Today I went to the Car Show in Tuscumbia were on display was a variety of antique cars, 
White & black Rally Sport Camaro, black Belair trimmed in white, several MGB's, Corvettes, trucks and some motorcycles. There were Mustangs, Camaro's, Chevrolets, & Fords. 

Car Show Mustangs 

Driving down Main St to be Parked.

Volkswagen

The New Ford V8 Coupe Utility 

I took the hour walking tour, our guide talked about the founding of Tuscumbia. He talked about the founding of the railroad, the many hotels that were in Tuscumbia because of the Railroad, the rival between Colbert County and Lauderdale County.

The Colbert County Reporter 

The Train Depot and Museum 

Why the people from Tuscumbia would travel by train to Decatur to the bank, and shop instead of Florence.
John Coffee a surveyor laid out the founding of Tuscumbia in a Commons. Tuscumbia was sold to the US Government by the Indians.
Our guide talked about the different churches on Dickson Street that started out as Main Street.

St Johns Episcopal Church on Dickson Street 

Walking group 

House behind St Johns Episcopal Church on Dickson Street 

Touring Bus 

Walking group

The street where the Cold Water Book Store now is was once Grain Row and Main Street was once Mechanical Row.
This was the main shopping area of Tuscumbia in the early days.
He said the water flowing in Spring park comes from an underground spring and the area was once the hunting grounds for the Indians.

Met this very sweet dog, his owner had him sit and pose for me. So cute, and lovable

Our tour ended at First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia where everyone was invited inside to listen to a Helen Keller Festival Mini Concert featuring Dinie Stone pianist, Blair Reinlie oboist, & the great, great, great-nieces and nephews of Helen Keller. 

First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia 

First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia 1824-1904

Dinie Stone pianist, Blair Reinlie oboist, & the great, great, great-nieces and nephews of Helen Keller. 

Guitar player

The great, great, great-nieces of Helen Keller she did  a solo accompanied by guitar

Blair Reinlie oboist

Helen Keller born June 27, 1880, died June 1, 1968 "Happy Birthday Helen".
"Once I knew only darkness and stillness... my life was without past or future... but a little word from the finger of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living."
Helen Keller
Songs 
Over the rainbow, Etude, To a wild Rose, We gather, We praise, The Lord is in His Holy Temple, Surely The Presence of the Lord is in this place  In your arms Lord Jesus Christ, Children of the Heavenly Father, Down at the River we shall gather, Let us break bread together and remember you, Behold the lamb, Amazing Grace, I dream a dream, You raise me up, God Bless the USA, God Bless America.
Everyone joined in singing God Bless America.
After the concert, everyone was invited for light refreshments.

I stopped at the Tuscumbia Art Museum to view the art on display by disabling students of Alabama and watercolor paintings from all over the USA. There were some very interesting pieces on display. 
One of the volunteers came into the museum with a notebook about the art and we discuss several pieces. 
Ate lunch at Ruby Tuesday with two new friends I met at the Art Museum. I was telling my husband about my day, he laughed and said nothing you do surprises me.