2024 May 4, Moulton & Cullman Strawberry Festivals

 Today, we rode to Moulton for the Strawberry Festival. 

It had rained a lot, and the park was muddy and wet

They had planks you could walk on in the wet area 

They had carriage rides for two dollars 

Rides for kiddos 

Vendors with all sorts of different stuff that you could buy 

A petting zoo and a few strawberries for sale

We did not stay long 

Fried Chicken Fingers with sweet potato and toast Oh! Bryan's Hartselle, Al 

We took the old Decatur Moulton highway into Decatur 

Then on to Hartselle, stopping at Oh Bryan’s for lunch

I ordered chicken tenders with sweet potatoes, and hubby ordered steak and potatoes 

We then rode to Cullman to their Strawberry Festival 

We walked around they also had rides for kiddos 

Lots of vendors and food, of course, live music, arts and crafts 

There was a dog contest called Doggy Pageant

The song that was playing was Who Let the Dogs Out 

We walked through several shops 

Took several pictures 

They had several strawberry-themed murals and a row of snapdragons in full bloom. 

Strawberry Festival Moulton 

Strawberry Festival Moulton 
Snap Dragons 

T-Mobile was taking pictures for free and sending them to your phone, so we had ours taken. 

It got so hot and humid that my head started hurting, so we left.

2024 Jan 7, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge

 What a beautiful day for traveling. We rode to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, where we saw many Sandhill Cranes and several different kinds of ducks at the Visitor's overlook buildings.

The newly remodeled Museum was opened. There, we saw Sandhills, & Whooping Cranes, Belted kingfishers, Snakes, Alligators, Geese, ducks, hawks, butterflies, otters, Northern Flickers, and many other animals.

Several empty displays are waiting to be added. We saw several friendly people. I guess they were happy to be outside after this last cold spell. 

Sandhill & Whooping Cranes at the Museum 

Belted Kingfisher at the Museum

We stopped at Logan's Roadhouse for lunch. Hubby ordered a salad, steak, and baked potato. I ordered a chicken salad with Roadhouse dressing.

Steak and baked potato at Logans Roadhouse 

On our way home, we saw a Bald Eagle on a Paul Bunyan Power Line near the demolished Paper Mill in Town Creek. 

The eagle made a squawking sound when it saw me. It was letting me know to leave. 

We saw several terns perched on the light poles as we crossed Wheeler Dam. 

Our last stop was Wheeler Dam, where we saw a few White Pelicans, terns, and many cormorants.

2023 Dec 20, Christmas Tree Trails, and Christmas Card Lane Madison & Decatur, AL

Today was another busy day. We rode to RSA to take 7 hot Dimino pizzas to Hubby's old co-worker for Christmas lunch.

After lunch, we rode to Madison there, I walked among & took pictures of the Polar Express Christmas Trees.

Polar Express Christmas Tree in Madison
A Christmas Story  

Next, we rode up one side and down the other to take pictures of Madison's Christmas Card Trail. 

Merry Christmas Welcome to Alabama 

We stopped at Ollies in Madison to pick up a few items.

Then we rode to Decature, stopping at Their Enchanted Forest Trail. (It looked as if a hurricane had blown through.) 

The Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree 

We stopped at ALDI USA in Decatur to pick up a few more items for our Christmas Meal.

We saw 3 redtail hawks on power lines on the way home. 

Our last stop was at Wheeler Dam, where we saw several White Pelicans, lots of cormorants, and a few gulls.

2022 April 16, Walking tour Decatur Cemetery Decatur, AL with Phil Wirey

Today, I attended the walking tour of Decatur Cemetery, organized by Decatur Morgan County Tourism and Morgan County Historical Society.

Our guide talks about James & Ellen Hildreth.

The cemetery is located at Highway 20, west Decatur. Coordinates: 34.61690, -87.00110

The first burial was recorded in 1855. The cemetery is divided into 7 sections, the Original, Brown Circle, Cantwell, Cowan, Decatur Land Company, Humes, and Sterrs. 

Two famous people are buried here. 

Christopher Columbus Harris, a US Congressman, also served as a Lieutenant in the Civil War.  He is buried in the Cantwell Section of the cemetery.

Seybourn Harris Lynne Jurist, a civil Rights Figure who served as US Federal District Judge from 1946 to 1973.

Marker and Civil War Graves 

Known buried within this cemetery
Isaac L. Beard 6th Ark Co B Dod April 1, 1862
John R. Hopkins Sgf. 12th LA. Inf. Co. A. KIA Oct. 28, 1864
Jacob Hubbard PVT 12th LA. INF. CO. H. KIA Oct. 28, 1864
John R. Palmer DOD Feb. 16, 1862
James E. Patrick CPL 12 LA. INF. CO. G. KIA Oct. 28, 1864

Beneath this hallowed ground lay the remains of fifty-five Confederate soldiers. They gave their lives to establish southern independence, protect their homes, and preserve state rights. These original headstones were placed in May 1903 by the Joe Wheeler Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy. On June 3, 1903, a dedication service was held by the Daughters of the Confederacy and veterans of the Horace King Camp, United Confederate Veterans. This site was rededicated on April 26, 2005, by the Joe Wheeler Chapter No. 291, United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Liberty Camp 580, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Decatur, Alabama.

Confederate States of America
1861-1865

2018 Dec 18, Christmas Trees, Cards, Cranes and Ducks Athens, Decatur, & Madison, Alabama

Today, Hubby and I visited the North Pole Christmas Tree Stroll at Big Spring Park, Athens.

North Pole Stroll Athens, Alabama 

Mallards, White Ducks, and goldfish greeted me as I approached the pond at Big Springs.

I enjoyed two(Grinch) buttermilk pancakes with a hint of green topped with sweet cream cheese icing and red candy hearts. Crowned with creamy green whipped topping & 2 link sausages at IHOP in Madison.
Hubby ordered fried Fish, shrimp, fries, toast, and a stack of 3 buttermilk pancakes.

Grinch Pancakes 

fish, shrimp, fries, toast 

Hubby drove us through the larger-than-life Christmas Card Lane that is showcased in front of some of the historic homes in Madison along Front and Chruch Streets.

Thank You for Visiting Christmas Card Lane

Magical Christmas Tree Trail Madison, Alabama Different sponsors of Madison decorate a tree, and the trees are located on both sides of the Main Street Cafe.

We rode to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur via I-65 workers working on the bridge over the Tennessee River traffic backup. 

View of Decatur from the bridge where the traffic was backed up 

We walked down to the overlook to see the Cranes and ducks. Not as many sandhills and Whooping cranes as last year.  

We saw thousands of Sandhill Cranes but only one White Whooping Crane
The Whooping Crane, at 5 feet tall, is the tallest bird in North America and one of the most endangered. They are named for their whooping unison calls. 

Our last stop was Founders Park in front of Old Historic Bank to tour the Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Stroll. 

Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Stroll in Founders Park, Decatur 

By the time we finished, it was beginning to get dark, but the solar-powered lights had not come on. 
By the time we arrived home, it was dark. Hubby stopped at McDonald's for a hamburger, fries, apple pie, and Ice Cream. I ate a piece of the fish he had left over from lunch. 
Uploaded some of my pictures after I arrived home.

Sunset 

2015, March 23,24,25 , Spending time with grandchildren

March 23, 24, 25 2015 Spending time with Grandsons 
I cooked pancakes and fried eggs for breakfast and served it with all-natural blackberry syrup from Carver’s Orchard, that I had bought at the Apple House in Cosby Tennessee.

After breakfast (which was around 8:00 a.m.) we traveled to Athens, stopping at the carwash to wash and vacuum the van.

We had an appointment at Champion Chrysler Dealership to repair the control panel for the driver's window and a battery for the key.

While we waited the boys ate chips, soda, and coffee from the waiting area.

We rode to Decatur to look at a 2007 Honda Van at Honda of Decatur.

My husband made a down payment of five hundred dollars on the Honda then we rode to Rogersville to get a cashier check at LECU.
We rode back to the Honda of Decatur to make the sale final. 
We called our insurance company to add the 2007 Silver Honda. 
It was after lunch and everyone was getting hungry so we took the boys to eat fish at 
McCallum's is one of our favorite places to eat seafood. The boys had never eaten at McCallum's so it was a treat for them. 

http://mccollumscatfish.com/contact.html

Montana ordered fried frog legs, fries, slaw, hush puppies, and sweet tea. 
He said he had never eaten frog legs and wanted to try them. I said if you order frog legs you will have to eat them.
He ate all but two of the frog legs.

Nevada and my husband ordered a plate of shrimp and catfish with slaw, baked potato, hush puppies, and sweet tea.

I ordered grilled chicken, slaw, baked sweet potato and hushpuppies, and Un-sweet tea.

We brought home two frog legs, all the hushpuppies.

The food is always good but more than enough for one person to eat, we always have leftovers.

Catfish and hushpuppies

We took the boys to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Museum and the walking trail.

The boys and I walked to the view area where we saw a large crane, turtles, several ducks, either a hawk or an eagle.

Atkeson Cypress Trail 

 We walked the 1/2 mile Atkeson Cypress trail where we crossed over a bridge on either side that was a swamp full of cypress trees, turtles, snakes, fish, and birds. The bridge is wooden, part of the trail is concrete, and the remainder was a gravel or grass path.

Walking the Atkeson Cypress trail 

Cypress Trees

Grandsons

Birds flying above the marsh 

At the viewing area, I think we saw an eagle but, it could have been a hawk. The hawk or eagle frightened the smaller birds into the air, he was hunting for food.

We watched the large bird fly what looked like, up into the clouds.

In the gift shop, I bought six very large postcards.
The boy picked out some rocks and Indian arrowheads.

We stopped at the birding trail at Wheeler Dam,  the boys and I walked along the edge of the Tennessee River we saw many different birds swimming, flying, and catching fish for their dinner.

Looking for birds

Looking for birds

Looking for birds

The boys and I enjoyed the day with my husband while he took care of business. 

The boys spent Monday through Wednesday with us.

On Monday the boys worked in the yard picking up tree limbs and debris, I gave them money for working in the yard

Tuesday, we had business in Athens and Decatur.

Wednesday we had business in town, and we took the boys to the Blue door where Nevada picked out a  pair of shoes, and a necklace.

Montana picked out a necklace, wristband, and hat.

We went to Rosie's Mexican Cantina Restaurant for lunch, the boys said they have never eaten at Rosie's

We started with a large bowl of white cheese dip, salsa, and chips. My husband ordered a large taco dinner which consisted of chicken on soft and crispy tacos.

The boys and I shared a lunch chicken fajita which is served with three homemade flour tortillas, sautéed peppers, onions, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, cheese, Mexican garlic butter, Mexican rice, charro beans, and guacamole.

The boys and my husband ordered sweet tea and I drank water with lemon.

We finished the meal with a commentary bowl of vanilla ice cream.

We came back home, I took a nap, the boys played outside and my husband watched tv.