2018 Dec 2, A Visit to see Santa Clause at Santa Land Elgin, Alabama

Hubby, Ava, and I went to visit Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Reindeer at Santa Land.
Hubby parked the car in the field, and we walked to the ticket counter. There, we purchased our tickets and were told we could take our time strolling the grounds before entering the Castle. 

Entrance to Santa Land

SantaLand 

We saw Micky, Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, and many other Disney Characters.
Ava and I enjoyed listening to and dancing to the music played at the Looney Tunes Area, featuring Wylie Coyote, Road Runner, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, and the Tasmanian Devil. 

Ava and I were dancing to the music, and Hubby overheard a little girl say I want to go there and dance. 

SantaLand is home to Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Reindeer, and many other characters. 
Ava loved all the outdoor decorations but wanted to go inside because it was a bit chilly outside. 

Ava said, "I am Cold!" 

Once inside the Castle, we saw a menagerie of Christmas Decorations. 

A couple of Puffins 

The Grinch 

Santa and his talking Reindeer 

We were greeted by Santa's helper and waited for our turn to sit in Santa's lap and talk to Santa. 

Ava went right up and sat in Santa's lap. She told him what she wanted for Christmas.
She told Santa, and we continued walking through the Castle. 

Ava and Santa Claus 

Ava and Mrs. Clause 

Next, we saw Mrs. Claus. Ava went right up and sat in her lap, and she gave Ava a Candy Cane. 
We took a few pictures inside and walked outside.

We could hear the Chipmunks singing in the distance. Ava said they were singing too loudly. 

Alvin, Simon, Theodore the Chipmunks

Ava kept saying I want to go back inside and see Santa Claus. So we took her back through, and Santa was going on break. He asks Ave if she wants to go see the Reindeer, and she says yes.
Santa took Ava's hand, and they walked outside, stopping to see the Reindeer. 

Ava and Santa are visiting the Reindeer. 

Santa holding Ava's hand 

Ava told Santa Merry Christmas 🎄
We walked around outside some more. It was damp and cold outside, so we
went back inside.
We bought Ava a gingerbread cookie and took it to a table to be decorated. On each table were three different colors of icing to be used for decorating the cookies. We used green for the eyes, red for the buttons, and trimmed him in yellow. He was yummy and sweet. 

Ava with her Gingerbread Cookie, we ate all but the head.

Gingerbread Cookie: I helped her decorate

Ava didn't want to leave. We told her Santa Claus had to go to bed
She was okay then.

🎄🎄🎄🎄2016 Friday, Dec 2 & Saturday Dec 3, Events "Christmas"

Yesterday, my husband and I joined a group gathering at 6:00 P.M. for Every Light, a prayer for peace, at Pope's Tavern.

"We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Non-Believers,

Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.

Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud.

Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves

And we say without hesitation or apology.

Peace, My Brother.

Peace, My Sister.

Peace, My Soul."

-- "Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem" by Dr. Maya Angelou

We walked through the lower level of Pope's Tavern, where we saw signs of an Old Fashion Christmas. 

We saw a cedar tree, whose top branches reached the ceiling, it was covered with stringed popcorn, stuffed animals, snowflakes, Christmas balls, and a rope made of construction paper. All the ornaments were hand-made. 

The dining room was decorated with fresh pine needles and apples and topped with a pineapple.

Refreshment was served after the program.

We were welcomed by Margie Anderton, and a devotional was led by Stan Dean. 
American Legion Post 11 presented the Honor Guard Flags. 
The Legacy Christmas Academy Choir entertained us with Christmas Carols. 

Legacy Christmas Academy Choir

Our mayor, Steve Holt, greeted the audience
Wayne Higgins told some of the histories of Pope's Tavern.
Taps were played by Honor Guards.

Honor Guard

There was a special dedication to the memory of Christine Glover.
Christine's granddaughter lit the Christmas Tree.
Stan Dean ended the program with a prayer.
We walked to Wilson Park to listen to a group of children sing Christmas Carols.
We saw the lighting of the Christmas Tree in Wilson Park. 

Children sing Christmas Carols.

Christmas Tree Wilson Park 

We walked downtown to check out First Friday. We saw snow, Frosty, Santa Claus, and people in Medieval costumes. We saw Bobbies on horses and Segates, and we saw a live manger scene.

Manger Scene 

Frosty and Snow 

Today, I went to the Visitors Center to listen to the Natchez Trace Park Ranger, Emily Smithey. She was very informative about the history of George Colbert's activity on the Natchez Trace in its infancy.
She discussed the Importance of safe river crossing, trade, and transition in the Chickasaw society. She also told us about the new pictures being posted in a kiosk along the Natchez Trace that showcase its history.
There was a Q&A after her talk.
Descendants of George Colbert attended the meeting. 

Christmas Tree at the Visitor Center

I attended the Kennedy Douglas Arts Center's Christmas in the Renaissance City Authors Crawl with Glen Wills, from Forgotten Alabama, and Angela Broyles of Blue-Water Publications.
I talked to a descendant of George Colbert from Oklahoma. He was doing a book signing.
I introduced myself, and we discussed a variety of topics. 

Books from various authors were for sale from 10:30 to 3:30 P.M. at Kennedy Douglas.

🎄🎄🎄🎄2015 ~ Dec 7, Monday, Christmas & Cards Trees, Library & Space Center

I went to the Chiropractor for an adjustment before beginning my walk in Huntsville and Madison. 

We stopped at Chick-fil-A in Athens for lunch

I ordered some chicken nuggets and a drink. 

We rode through Christmas Card Lane in downtown historic Madison.

List of Christmas Cards 

• Behold, I bring you good news of Great Joy.
• Birth of Christ Christmas Card
• Birth of Christ  
• Church in the snow 
• Church in the snowy woods
• Happy Christmas
• Joy to the World Let Heaven and Nature Sing
• Let it snow 
• Madison CHY Youth Orchestra
• Mele Kalikimakal Christmas Card
• Merry Christmas! Madison
• Merry Christmas with reindeer
• Merry Christmas with women 
• Merry Christmas, Mele Kalikimaka, Joyeux Noël, Feliz Navidad
• Noël 
• Peace on Earth w/dog and cat
• Peace to all Creatures great and small
• Poinsettia
• Reason for the Season
• Santa and his Christmas packages
• Santa is eating cookies, and his elves
• Santa Merry Christmas w/santa & reindeer
• Season's Greetings with Santa in a sleigh 
• Shepard, Angels, and Jesus
• Snow globe
• Thank You for Visiting Christmas Card Lane
• Toy Shop
• Truck carrying a home Christmas Tree
• We wish you a Merry Christmas
• You're Cool Christmas Card

We saw Christmas trees in Madison, decorated by community members to express their creativity or promote their businesses.  

We rode to the Huntsville/Madison Library to take pictures of the Christmas trees distributed throughout the library. 

We saw trees decorated with round paper lace cup mats with notes attached, a tree with a jester hat wearing sunglasses, covered in cotton, lights, sticks made into Xs, and covered in toys. Another was wrapped in green ribbon and gold bows, with bugles and colored ball lights. 

An Autism Tree full of Christmas balls inside a picture of a child, with puzzle pieces and ornaments, trimmed in red and gold ribbon. A Christmas tree covered in hats, gloves, and scars. We saw a tree made out of books and another covered in Christmas Cards. We saw a Christmas Tree from Friends of the Library and Huntsville Herb Society. We saw a completely white Christmas tree trimmed with red and gold rope and electrical lights. A tree adorned with pink, blue, and gold ribbons and balls. We saw many more trees, but I could not describe them all.

HO! HO! HO! (Santa resting after a night of delivering presents)

Thank you for Visiting Christmas Card Lane! (Saying goodbye to the last Christmas Card)

Christmas Trees of Madison 

MAC Snowman in the Christmas Trees of Madison 

I also stopped to take pictures of the artistic quilts hanging from the second floor. 

I also saw a display of Doctor Who! The Doctor was standing at the Police Public Call Box.

Police Telephone Free for Public Use 

Advice & Assistance immediately, officers & cars respond to all calls, pull to open. 

 A man was sitting next to the display, and I asked if he knew Doctor Who? He, Doctor WHO?

We rode to Big Spring Park, where we walked the Tinsel Trail of over 200 Christmas Trees.

A few trees were waiting to be decorated, while others were getting the finishing touch put upon them. 

Christmas music filled the air as we walked along the path, while the sun shone brightly but not too hot. 

It was a perfect day for strolling through the park. 

We were greeted by goldfish, ducks, and geese, all wanting to be fed. 

Christmas Tree at Huntsville Madison County Library 

Quilt Display at Huntsville Madison County Library 

The many faces of Doctor Who?

Doctor Goldfish 

Star Wars: May the Force be with you!

Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail of Christmas Trees

Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail of Christmas Trees

We went to the Space and Rocket Center, where we saw Science Fiction, Science Future (where I was beamed up into space), and Beam me up, Scotty! I stood inside a teleportation machine while my husband at the control panels beamed me into outer space. 

We walked through the U. S. Space and Rocket Center's latest exhibit, Celestial Dreams: The Art of Space Jewelry, showcasing the work of artist Kathy Chan. She uses precious gems, minerals, and metals to interpret her genuine wonder of the cosmos in her jewelry. Her display will be on display until May 2016.

Last but not least, a movie was being made with R2-D2.

We had been waiting for the movie maker to come out of the room where he was making the movie. He asked if I wanted my picture with R32D2, and I said yes. 

I hope to be in the finished production of the movie.

Wow! What a day! 

I said to the movie producer that Star Wars was my middle son's favorite movie. 

A man controlled the sounds R2-D2 made; he made the same sounds he did in the Star Wars movies. 

The film will be screened at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's IMAX theater to promote the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens. 

Wow!!

Beam me up, Scotty!

I saw myself inside the Time Machine.

The Art of Space Jewelry

Cosmic Calendar for December

R2D2

88 Buffet Seafood Sushi Hibachi 

88 Buffet Seafood Sushi Hibachi 

We ate dinner at 88 Buffet Seafood Sushi Hibachi, an all-you-can-eat oriental buffet with a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables, and you can watch the chef create your dish right before your eyes.

We had a great day, good food, friendly faces, and a beautiful day.