2021 April 3, Florence Cemetery Walking Tour, UNA, McFarland Park, Wilson Dam, & Ava Florence, Alabama

The tour will begin at 705 East College Street, led by Harry Wallace. The tour of the Florence Cemetery, established in 18181, features many unique headstones and famous gravesites among the rolling hills and towering trees. 

The cemetery contains the graves of many early settlers, two governors, prominent leaders and families, and many unknown CSA soldiers.

Harry Wallace, our guide

Blooming Cherry Trees 

McFarland Par 

After the walking tour, I stopped at Wilson Park to see the blooming cherry trees. 

Next, I went to UNA to see the newly remodeled fountain. There were people there taking pictures for Graduation. Leo the lion was basking in the sun, and he roared several times. Normally, he just lays quietly, but today, he must have been hungry.

LEO the Lion at UNA

Fountain at UNA 

Ava riding her car 

I rode to McFarland Park and stopped for a few pictures. The River was down compared to what it had been but still was peeking at the banks. One side of the park was closed because of flooding. There were a lot of people at the park, people were parked everywhere, even on the banks of the road. 

I stopped at River Heritage Park and walked to see the floodgates at Wilson Dam. The Tennessee River was raging through. 

On my way home, I stopped to check on my son Mike he had surgery on his back. He was outside with his brother Andy. Ava came outside and was riding her car. Saw a Yellow Monarch Butterfly landing on the yellow dandelions. 

I had a very interesting day.

2018 Feb 19-22, President's Special The Inn at Christmas Place Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Presidents Day, Monday, February 19
For breakfast, I cooked bacon, eggs, and toast.
Hubby and I rode to Athens to leave the Chrysler Van for repairs.
Filled up with gas at Murphy’s in Athens.

We rode to Madison to look at an old Fireo.
We stopped at Dollar General for snacks, meat skins, and drinks.
We rode through Jasper, South Pittsburg, White Side, Chattanooga, and Trenton, stopping at Richville Rest Area, where I took pictures of Pushing Forward Knoxville Union Army on the Move.

We traveled US 72 through Huntsville, crossing into Tennessee near South Pittsburg, taking I-24 through Chattanooga to I-75 N to Knoxville, I-40 Knoxville to Kodak, taking 66 to Sevierville, and 441 into Pigeon Forge.

We went to Huck Finn’s for dinner, for we had skipped lunch.
Hubby ordered the small catfish plate with creamed potato and fixings.
I ordered the Cajun Grilled Trout with creamed potato and fixings. (white beans, Coleslaw, onions, pickles, and hush puppies.

Huck Finn's 

We took several pictures at Huck Finn's.
We checked into The Inn at Christmas Place at 4:38 PM for two nights.
We took our luggage to the room and returned up front in time to listen to the Christmas Bells Chime.
We rode through Pigeon Forge to  Gatlinburg, where we saw many Christmas Lights for Winter Fest.
We saw Johnny Rockets, Bubba Gumps, Dicks Last Resort, Dude’s Daiquiris, Texas Roadhouse, Calhoun's, Hollywood Star Cars, and Cooters’.
We came back to Pigeon Forge, where we saw a building covered in green light.
We saw a sign that read Dollywood loves every moment turn here.
We saw a storefront with alligators, sharks, and bear statues.
We rode through the archway at the Old Mill, it was covered in Christmas Lights of red and white.
Hubby took my picture in front of a picture of people skating at the Old Mill.
We bought a bag of yellow stone-ground cornmeal and apple fritter mix.
We rode to Patriot Park, stopping to take several pictures and videos. Stayed on the sidewalk because the ground in the park was still full of water from all the rain.
As we were riding through Pigeon Forge, we saw Arcade lit up in neon lights and a new place called Alcatraz East Prison.

We rode through The Island, where we saw the carousel, fairs wheel, Margaritaville, and Paula Deans's Family kitchen.
We stopped to take several pictures of Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Adventures covered in Christmas Lights it was closed for the season.
We also saw the Magic Quest on our way back to The Inn at Christmas Place.
At 7:30 PM, we sat on the balcony at the Inn eating oatmeal raisin, Chocolate, and Sugar cookies served with hot apple cider.
It was a clear and warm night as we watched the flow of traffic and all the Christmas lights that surrounded the Inn.
We retired for the night, for it had been a very tiring day.

February 20, Tuesday
Took showers, dressed, and walked downstairs to the dining room for breakfast.
I got three sausage links and watched the cook prepare my made-to-order omelet.
I chose mushrooms, spinach, peppers, ham, and cheese.
The cook said he loved to cook, and I told him that my middle son loved to cook.
I said you have to have a knack for flipping omelets, but he said it takes a good pan.

It was still a little foggy outside and too early for stores to open up, so we went back to our room. Hubby watched TV, and I wrote in my journal.
Last night, before we went out, we talked to the bellman of the Inn. He said his daughter was the manager at the front desk, and he was a retired Sheriff of 25 years. He still worked part-time to get his 30 years of service. He said that he loved working at the INN.
At 10 AM, we rode to Gloria Vanderbilt and Lees, where we bought hubby a shirt.
We went to the Tanger outlet, where I bought a shirt from Under Armer and a black and white shirt from Nike. (I had only brought long sleeves tops, and it was 77 degrees outside) It is too hot for long sleeves.
We rode to Bass Pro in Kodak, where we bought hubby a couple shirts.
We ate dinner at Uncle Bucks, which is inside the Bass Pro Shops. We had all-you-can-eat shrimp for $9.99.

Uncle Buck's All you can eat Shrimp.

We rode to the Douglas Dam and park, stopping to take several pictures.
We filled up with gas at Murphy’s.
We rode by the Apple Bar, where we saw two geese waddling near Little Pigeon River.
We stopped at the upside-down Museum, Hatfield & McCoys, Hard Rock Cafe, and Titanic to take pictures.
We stopped at Dixie Stampede to take pictures of the horses.
We parked at The Island, walked around, stopped for Ice Cream, and finally sat down to watch the fountain dance to music.

Hatfield & McCoys 

The Island 

Watching Fountains Dance with the Sunset

Margaretville

We walked to Margaretville Hotel, a gift shop, and a restaurant to take pictures.
We rode back to the Inn around 7 PM.
From 8-9PM, we listened to Santa sing Christmas Carols and religious and Country Songs.
After the performance, we enjoyed milk, cider, and cookies.

Wednesday, February 21
Hubby and I enjoyed a nice hot breakfast, packed and checked out of the Inn, and started for home.
We stopped at the Rest Area in Jasper, TN, and Richville.
Hubby dropped me off in Athens to pick up the van.
Hubby rode to Madison to buy that Fireo we had looked at before we went on our trip. It had to be towed home. Hubby bought the Fireo parts for his Fireo.
Today is my grandson’s twenty-seventh birthday, so we are meeting him, his wife, dad, and sister at Logan’s Roadhouse for dinner.
Hubby and I ate hot rolls and fried mushrooms.
I gave my grandson a birthday card with money inside for his birthday. He said they were taking their camper to Fort Wilderness Campground and going to Universal Studios Theme Park for the weekend.

2015 ~Sunday, April 12, Spending the day with grandson's at UNA, & Florence Library!

Took the boys with me to church, after church we ate lunch at Zaxby's, I ordered a Zaxby's Snack Meal, with salad no fries, Nevada ordered Kickin' Chicken sandwich meal, Montana ordered hot wings with fries. 

The place was packed, I think everyone got out of the church at the same time even Arby's was packed.

Then on to target we rode to UNA to see the two lions LEO and UNA, where they were resting, they both moved one time and that was to get into the shade.

Leo the male lion

UNA the female lion

I stopped to take pictures of the flowing fountain and historic builds, the colorful tulips, and flowering white & pink dogwood trees.

Tulips

Dogwood Trees

I took the boys to see the new science building at UNA, the building was so big that I could not walk far enough back to get the whole building into one picture.

Science Center UNA

We rode to the Florence Lauderdale Public Library where the boys played on the computer and I listen to James Parker talk about From the Cumberland to the Gulf: Tennessee Troops traversing the Alabama County during the War of 1812.
There were many items about the War of 1812 on display at the library. 

War 1812 Hat

Cup used in war 1812

7th US Infantry Soldier

7th US Infantry Soldier

Sword of Colonel Daniel Newnan Georgia Volunteers

This concluded the series about the War of 1812.

I took the boys home and dropped by to see Mike and Hannah.
For supper, my husband brought home Chinese food from New China Chinese Restaurant.
I ate 2 shrimp egg rolls and a chocolate-covered donut filled with custard. My husband ate sesame chicken, white rice and soup, he had enough leftovers for his lunch.
We spent a quiet afternoon relaxing and watching television.