2017 July 22, Events of the W. C. Handy Festival Saturday

I went to the Visitor Center to listen to Tom McDonald talk about three of the books that he wrote and had for sale. 

1. Promises to Keep

2. Dirt Road Memories 

3. When Memories Come Calling

I should have bought one. 

I stopped to talk to Tom for a few minutes about growing up in East Florence. 

Tom said that he grew up on Sweetwater Avenue.

I live in East Florence, but our paths never crossed. 

Tom went to Brandon School from the first to the sixth grades.

When we moved to Florence, I had already passed the sixth grade.

Tom's family moved to the Central area around the time we moved to East Florence. 

We talked about Sweet Water Creek and walking along the old railroad tracks down by the canal on the bank of the Tennessee River. 

When we lived in East Florence, my sisters and I would walk to McFarland Park to swim in the Tennessee River.

We also swam in the canal, which was not far from our home. 

Tom once said he had tried floating down the Sweet Water Creek in a washtub, hoping to reach the Tennessee River. However, it turned over, and he never made it. 

What sweet childhood memories we both could recall.

Then I went to the Florence Library to read Watermelon Wine, the Poetry of American Music. 

I listened to Anne E. DeChant sing and play her guitar on some of her storytelling songs (she was perfect).

 I left the Library and rode to Jack's for a meal. There, I ordered a kids' Chicken Finger Meal, which consisted of two Chicken fingers, green beans, Rice, Kirby, and a Diet Coke. I also ordered an Apple Pie. 
I still had time to kill before returning to the Visitor Center, so I went back to the Library.
There was a car show library about to end, so I stopped to take a few pictures. It was going to be a long walk, so I just took several long-distance pictures. I walked back through the Library and saw Anne DeChant, a Gilard, standing at the counter. I walked up to her and told her that I loved her singing and playing, and that her music reminded me of the storyteller and singer Tom T. Hall. 
She thanked me and said she appreciated the compliment. 
They were getting directions to Legends, where they were going to eat lunch. I said they have good food. 

 Then, back to the visitors center for Swampfest Songwriter showcase series #2 to listen to Buzz Cason and Russell Medford sing and play. 
The audience sang along with Buzz in a couple of his songs. "Hank Williams Christian songs. One way I saw the light. Russell talked about meeting a couple of songwriters at Killen Diner (which has since burned down) to write a song. 
The fun show ended around 3:30 P.M.

I rode to Taco Bell to get supper, and there was a line of cars all the way to the stop sign. 
When I got up to the window, I said, You have been busy today. The girl at the window said we have been like this since 11 A.M. today because four people called in. What a bummer!!

After my busy day, all I wanted to do was eat my Taco Salad,  prop my feet up, and watch TV.

🍔🍔🍔2014~ Nov 19, Wednesday Staggs Hamburgers

We are always stopping at places like McDonald's, Burger King, or Wendy's for a hamburger.

Most of their hamburgers are precooked; they are okay if you are hungry and in a hurry. 

Sometimes, it is nice to sit down to a real home-cooked hamburger.

My husband said, "If you want a real home-cooked hamburger, then let's go to Stagg — they have the best". 

So, for lunch today, we went to Staggs in East Florence. 

Staggs is located in an area of Florence that was once home to Sweet Water Mill and many other industries, but now has many empty buildings; the sector is gone. 

The train depot, which sat empty for many years, has been remodeled and is used for parties, wedding dinners, birthday parties, and other events. 

Staggs is a small diner that cooks your food on a grill right in front of you. 

We watched as the girls patted out the hamburger meat, put them on the grill, and the smell filled the air.  

It was lunchtime, and the store was filled with workers; many would place their orders to go. 

The dinner was small and filled up fast with customers. 

The workers formed a line, and a short-order clerk took their orders, very organized.

One person cooked the hamburgers, another dressed them, and another bagged them. 

When their order was complete, they would walk back to the cash register to pay. 

There were only three or four long tables in the cafe. Most of their customers were workers who came in groups. 

The table where we were sitting filled up fast. 

We savored every bite of our hamburgers as we watched the lines of workers getting their food to go. 

When everyone finished, the waitress would clear the tables.

We paid at the register when we finished eating. 

On the counter, just above where the food was cooked, was a tip jar.. Probably everyone shared the tips. 

The food was delicious, the people were friendly, you got your food fast, and they were very organized. 

An excellent restaurant for its size. 

Give it a thumbs up for a great place to eat good fast food!!!!

Staggs Restaurant East Florence