2023 Oct 28, Pumpkinfest Franklin, TN, and Trick Treat Killen Park with Ava & River

 It's been a hectic day. 

This morning we stopped at Jack's for breakfast they were short-handed so we had to wait longer than usual. 

Then we rode to  Franklin, TN to their Pumpkinfest no parking we had to pay $10 to park.

Very Large Pumpkin 

It was super hot and very crowded so we only stayed a couple of hours.  We walked down Main Street and a couple of side streets. There were several bands playing music. Mums and Pumpkins decorated the street. Food filled the air. Rides and fun for the Children. 

Hubby collected a bag of treats which we gave some to the grandkids.

Williamson County's First Taxi

Our big treat was finding the Williamson County Archives Museum. It had several rows of quilts made by locals. Military Room, History of Williamson County, Civil War Artifacts, Displays of an Old School Room, Doctor's Office, Dress Shop, Barber Shop, Country Store, etc. We saw a horse-drawn carriage by Harry March in Franklin’s First Taxi.

We saw where the body of a headless Col Shy once lay in a busted open casket. An article The Curious Case of Col Shy’s Casket. The headless body was unidentified. 

Outside was a Civil War Canon. 

The Curious Case of  Col. Shy's Casket 

Canon 

We stopped at Publix in Spring Hill to get some chicken wings from their deli and also pick up a few other items.  

We stopped in Lawrenceburg at Long Silvers for a plate of fish and chicken. 

Came home and ate a late lunch. 

Fun Began in Halloween Manor 

Criminals 

Ava, the killer Jason Voorhees, and the Evil Clown Pennywise

Picked up Ava and River around 4:30 and took them to Killen Park for their Trunk n Treat. 

Ava dressed up like Wednesday from the Adams Family and River was a Ninja Turtle. 

We got there a little early so we let them play in the playground area. People started lining up so we got in line. 

It was a long line behind us. We walked through the gate of Halloween Manor that is when the fun began. 

The kids got lots of candy, a fireman’s hat, coloring books, and safety books. They got their pictures taken with Inflatable pumpkins, at the Shriners Hillbilly Jeep, With Hocus Pocus, with Dept of Eye Care,  Jason Voorhees, and Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

Making Slime 

Their Treats end with making Slime. Put in a bag and taken home. 

They did a great job by only letting a few kids at a time go into the park. 

The kids had a great time.

2023 April 1, Mule Day Parada Columbia and Mount Pleasant, TN. Grill & Museum

 Hubby and I had an excellent April 1st, (April Fools' Day) We stopped at Jacks in Lawrenceburg for breakfast. I ordered their single gravy, sausage, and biscuits. Hubby ordered their big breakfast with pancakes.

We rode to Columbia to watch the Mule Day Parade. Arrived a little early and found a place to sit. There were thousands of people there for the parade and other events. The parade began at 11:00 AM and was over a little after 12.  The Grand Marshall was Mike Wolfe from America Pickers.

At the end of the parade were a couple of big sweeper trucks to clean up all the horse and Mule poop.

Grand Marshall Mike Wolfe 

An unusual float the Solo Cup 

Mules and Horses 

We left Columbia and drove through Mt Pleasant stopping at Mt Pleasant Grill. It didn't appear much, but we thought we would try it. It was a lot bigger on the inside and very nice. The food was great. A little spicy and cooked differently. It was tender, fresh, and delicious. We definitely will eat there again. 

Fried Catfish, Fried Okra, Cole Slaw 

We asked about the museum next door and one of the waitresses said it was worth seeing. So we toured the museum. It was filled with lots of memorabilia about the town. The things you would see in a doctor's office, war artifacts, gowns, dresses, furniture and so much more.

doctor office

I bought several note cards: The Hamilton Place, The St Johns Episcopal Church, Walnut Grove, Rippavilla, and Fountain Creek Mills. (historic homes, church, and mill). The curator tried to sell us a 2023 Farmers Almanac she was telling us about some of the things she had read in it. 

Walked outside to the nearby park where I saw those beautiful tin flowers and 2 blooming dogwood trees. The perfect time of the year to be blooming. We had a great time except for the 30 MPH winds. We saw hats, trash, and cotton candy flying everywhere. One bag blew off the vendor's rack and spooked several horses. All in all, it was a great day.

Dogwood Trees

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

I went to 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 was 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, said once that he had tried floating down the Sweet Water Creek in a washtub and that he had hoped to make it to the Tennessee River in that tub, but it turns over and he never made it. 

What sweet childhood memories we both could recall.

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

Where I listened to Anne E, DeChant sing and play on her guitar some of her storytelling songs (she was very good)

 I left the library and rode to Jack's for lunch. There I ordered a kids' Chicken Finger Meal which consisted of two Chicken fingers, green beans, Rice Kirby and 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 that was about to end so I stopped to take a few pictures. It was going to be long with walking so I just took several long-distance pictures. I walked back thru the Library and saw Anne DeChant and Frye Gilard standing at the counter in the Library so I walked up to them.
I told Anne DeChant that I loved her singing and playing, 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 burnt down) to write a song. 
The fun show ended around 3:30PM.

I rode to Taco Bell to get supper 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 11AM today because we had four people to call 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.

🚙Getting lost leaving Chicago

We had spent the weekend in the Westin Hotel for The Magic Foundation Convention in Wheeling, Il 
We checked out of our room at around 12PM 

We called for a bellhop to help us with the luggage. 

We checked out loaded the truck with all our belongings and rode to Burger King for lunch.

The Magic Foundation had arranged for everyone who had attended the conference to go to the Wheeling Aquatic Park Center for a free day of fun. 

Lora and the kids went down the tube, and Meadow and I played in the swimming pool.

Wheeling Aquatic Park Center is an outdoor aquatic center with amenities:

Volcano Valley has tube and body slides, and Paradise Falls has two drop falls.

Willie the Whale has a toddler slide, and there are lap lanes in the swimming pool.

Kana Courts have sand volleyball, a Grassy area for tanning, 

Willies Coconut Café for food, a picnic area for eating, and a diving board, and Aloha Beach has zero depth in the entry of the main pool.

Karki Island has a sand play area, locker rooms, and lockers for storing valuables.

Tsunami Splash has a water playground with tipping buckets.

Lilypad Lagoon has a splash pool with a water basketball and a monkey bar activity pad. 

We stayed at the aquatic center until 4:30 P.M.

Lora then drove us to downtown Chicago to tour the Sears Tower “sky deck.”

The Sears Tower was the tallest skyscraper in the World until 1996. It was finished on May 3, 1973.

It is still the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.  What a view!

We walked to Giordano’s Pizzeria, which was just across the street from the Sear Tower. 

We had to wait 40 minutes for a table and another 40 minutes for our food. 

We ordered a deep dish stuffed medium pizza with sausage, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. It was covered with Marinara sauce and the pizza was as thick as the size of a medium cake. 

Madison enjoyed the stinging mozzarella cheese.

Lora drove us out of downtown Chicago leaving at about 9:00 P.M. 

I took over driving for several hours. 

Everyone fell asleep except me and when I got sleepy, we stopped at a Motel 8 somewhere in Louisville, Indiana off I-70E. 

We were so sleepy that we did not even inspect the room which we should have because the beds were falling apart. 

I guess that does not matter when you are too sleepy to drive.

It was late, I was very sleepy, and I drove seven miles in the wrong direction.

The next morning we had no clue where we were because somewhere during the night I had taken a wrong turn about seven miles off course.

I remember going through a lot of construction and orange cones being everywhere. I am sure that is where I got lost.

We had to do a lot of backtracking.

Leaving late, getting sleepy, and traveling with kids anyone could get lost. 

It is strange how a sermon can trigger your thoughts about something that happened in the past.

Have you ever been lost, or gotten lost driving? Ask yourself and tell your story.

Growing up in the Shoals

Earline in Story-Land was enjoyed by many children in the Shoals Area including myself, for over 22 years.
All I remember about Earline Burns was her television show and where she lived.
Both my grandparents lived in Sheffield and one of my grandparents went to Church not too far from Earline's house.
We moved to Florence in 1962, sometimes when we would travel to Sheffield we would go by  Earline's house on Hatch Blvd., but most of the time we would travel down second street.
I remember seeing her blue Cadillac Convertible sitting in front of her small pink house, which has been torn down.
My parents lived in downtown Sheffield when they married and moved to Tuscumbia when I was about 2 1/2.
Entertainment was watching a movie on the big screen either at the Theater or a Drive-in.
I saw many movies at the Colbert Theater, Tuscumbia Theater, Norwood Theater, Shoals Theater, Wilson Drive-In, and Joy-Land Drive-In.
My siblings and I would walk to the Shoals Theater during the summer months and watch a movie for ten cents.
I was always small for my age and could get into the theater for the cost of a child long after I was passed that age.
I remember buck's night at the Drive-In.
We would go around the neighborhood filling the car full of neighborhood kids.
We could all get into the movies for one dollar a carload.

I don't remember listening to the radio but we did own a black-and-white TV.
Dad worked for a Mr. Hensley Jarrett hauling large power poles. Our TV Antenna was atop one of those tall poles. I remember the pole had spikes and dad climbing to the top to install the Antenna and the wires running into the house to the rabbit ears sitting atop the TV.
We could pick up all the local channels.

We watched shows like Gunsmoke, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Bob Hope Show, Calling all Cars, The Cisco Kid, Death Valley Days, Dragnet,  & The Lone Ranger.
Since I never listened to the radio, I did not know that many of the television show that I watched were once live radio shows.

Many famous people came to the Shoals in those early years, but growing up in the Shoals they were just another face in the crowd.

When I was a teenager, just turned sixteen,  I worked at Shockley's Pancake house, which was across the street from Holiday Inn, where many of the famous entertainers stayed when they were in town.

I served the Four Seasons, and I  had no clue who they were.
As a working girl who never listened to the radio, I had no clue who came into our restaurant.

Now that I am older, I am learning so much about the Shoals Area that I have been a part of.

I walked the streets of Florence, Sheffield, & Tuscumbia and  I spent many hours at Spring Park.

I remember dad bringing home a trunk that he had gotten from the Helen Keller Home, that had been thrown away.
It had several books inside the trunk, one was a Blue Hard Back Brothers Grimms Fairy Tale Book.
I read that book many times.
When we moved to Florence in the early 1960s the Fairy Tale Book must have been thrown away because I never saw it again.

I remember going to Spring Park riding the train, and playing on all the playground equipment, which was like an amusement park.
There was a swimming pool just up the street and inside the park was a large wading pool.
The park fell into disarray for many years and its glory days are gone forever.

I remember the Liberty's, & A & P Supermarkets where mom shopped, they gave S & H Green Trading Stamps, Plaid Stamps, and Top Value Stamps just for shopping at their stores.
When collected into multiple books we would take them to the Trading stamp store for merchandise.

So many things we no longer have, as time changes.
We now have a cell phones, no sharing party lines, and phones hanging on the wall.
We no longer use an outhouse, we now have portlets.
We no longer have to heat the house up to cook, we have a microwave and convection ovens.
We no longer use glass, everything comes in plastic.

Gasoline is no longer 100% and costs 25 cents a gallon.
A new Corvette fully loaded costs over 80,000 dollars.

In the next twenty years, many will be living in Space.

One hundred years sounds like a lifetime.
When I was a kid, I thought 30 was old, now one hundred doesn't sound quite that old.

🎢Visiting Theme Parks

Dollywood Theme Park 

Map of Opryland Theme Park we visited this park at least twice a year until it closed.

Riding the Ferries Wheel at Wild Adventures Theme Park Georgia 

One of my favorite rides at Wild Adventure Theme Park 

Epcot with grandkids 2004

Disney Studios 2011

The Animal Kingdom with group cheerleaders

Universal Studios Hollywood,  CA with cousins

Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo 

Magic Kingdom1989

Universal Studios Orlando, Fl with hubby

Island of Adventure Orlando Fl 

Bush Gardens Tampa with daughter
Bush Gardens Virginia with sisters no pictures

It's never too late!

An angel took my hand, and he said I have something to show you.
We stopped right above my grave.
People were standing next to my tombstone, they were talking.

The angel said, do you know these people? I did not recognize them.
I overheard one say, I know I would have loved him!
What did she mean?
The young man's eyes looked like mine, but how could that be?

 Then, I heard one of them say, now I know where my dad gets his mannerism.
 Were they talking about me?
 Could this be the son of the girl I once knew so many years ago?
Let me think!
Yes, there was this pretty freckled face girl, she was my first love.
I can still see her face, her long red hair, and those skinny legs.

I heard the girl say, I hate we found everyone too late to meet him.
Wow!
Could the young man and young woman be my grandchildren? They look old enough to have children of their own.
How did they find me?
Who told them about me?
What happens to that freckled face girl?

When my marriage failed, I went in search of the freckled face girl but, she had married another.

One day I saw my son, he did not see me and seeing him weighed heavily on my heart.
I wanted to tell him who I was and that I loved him, but instead I chose to walk away.

I spent many years in Chicago and married twice.
After dad died I moved south to be near relatives.
Tried marriage one more time we were married for eighteen years.

When I was a teenager my parents divorced.
Dad and I moved away, and sis stayed with mother.

Dad was a baby when his mother died so his sibling raised and spoiled him.
We moved in with one of dad's sisters until we could get back on our feet.
We both worked odd jobs, and work was slow.

When we left home all we had was the shirts we were wearing.
I was wearing my favorite yellow shirt when I met that freckled face girl.
She always called me the boy in the yellow shirt.

The angel took my hand he said, son, this is the family you never knew.
I once held that young man with red curly hair now with a touch of gray.
My how time does fly!

Several times I asked the freckled face girl, with long skinny legs, to marry me.
But her answer was always no.
I wanted to take her back to Chicago with me.
She said I am too young to be so far away from home.
Mom and dad will take care of us.
She said that she loved me but, love was not enough.

Tears streamed down the faces of the strangers at my grave.
The angel took me to get a closer look.
My hand fell upon the man's head. He reached up and we touched.
The man said, dad, I know you are here.

The last thing I remember while I was still on this earth, was my car veering to the right and I struck a guardrail.
I tried to steer my car back onto the road when I saw a headlight. I was too late, the car was too fast.
With a loud crash, my life was gone.
An angel came to carry me home.

My family watched as they lowered my body into the dark grave.
A shell of a body lies buried beneath the earth, but my soul lives in heaven.

My soul longed for my lost son, and now he's come in search of me.
The Lord has healed my soul. A man without pain.
The angel said your son needs healing of the soul.
That is why he has come in search of you.

The grandchildren needed to know their roots.
There was always a puzzle piece that did not fit in the older man's life.

I know someday our paths will cross.
It will be eternally.

What a sweet reunion that will be!
Well enough of this rambling! What are they leaving! They did not stay long enough! I wanted to know more!
Angel, will they come back?

2015 May 16 What door do I use?

A funny thing happened to me today
At the performance center, I had to go to the restroom
Was not sure where it was and ask my friend sitting next to me
She said I don't know,
But when you find it let me know.
I open the double doors leading outside the performance center
The restroom was straight
In front of me.
I used the restroom and started to return but, was not sure what door I came thru

I tried the door in front of me. It would not open!
I looked at the two kids sitting next to the door and said,
"Did I come thru this
Door?"
The 2 kids had this puzzled look on their faces.
I tried the door again.
I looked back at the 2 kids and said, "I guess u have to use the latch
to open the
Door.!
As I walked inside they probably
said,
"What was wrong with that woman!"

🎢1972-1997 Opryland Theme Park

Opryland Theme Parked opened June 30,1972 and the park closed December 31,1997 

Our family would visit Opryland Theme Park at least once or even twice a year, until the park closed in 1997.

When we first started going to Opryland the boys were too small to ride the big roller coasters.

We would ride the Flume Zoom a log ride that would seat up to six people in Hill Country. No one wanted to sit up front because they would get wet.

In Big Hill Country we would hop aboard the Thunder Switch train and ride to El Paso Station to the American west. 

Sometimes we would take the New Orleans Sky ride which travel from one side of the park to the other.

We spent the majority of the time at Opryland Theme park watching Country Music Shows

As the kids got older they would ride the timber topper coaster. In 1979 the coaster was renamed the Rock n’ Roller coaster. This coaster shot out of the station into a single loop, climbing into a double loop and back to the station with a quick stop. There was always long lines for this ride.

The boys always enjoyed driving the antique cars called the tin Lizzies. The car would hold up to four people and the boys always wanted to be the driver so sometime we would ride in separate cars or ride over and over so each could get a chance to be the driver. The tin Lizzie was on a track so no matter what kind of driver you were you were always coming back to the station safely. 

The kids also enjoyed the little deuce cope it was an enclosed float ride. The lakeside area was home to the kiddy rides and the old millstream where we would get into a boat that took us around the lake it was on a track. 

The barnstormer was a Bio Airplane sky ride and it was next to the old millstream. 

In the state fair was the petting zoo where the kids could pet and feed the animals. 

We also enjoyed The Tennessee Waltz swing, which was my favorite. 

The kids love the bumper cars where they could run into each other. 

There were endless carnival games for the kids to play and I always tried to steer them away from this area because it cost more money. 

The Wall-Bash cannon ball was one of the kid’s favorite coasters. 

It flipped over twice. 

We would always get soaking wet on the Grizzly River Country.

This ride was a large raft that seated up to twenty people. It went down the raging river passing several waterfalls twisting and turning.

Water was coming at you from all sides as you were carried down the raging river. 

In 1984 the Scream n’ Delta Demon Coaster was added in the New Orleans area. It was an intamin wheeled bobsled coaster. 

In 1989, the Chaos was added in the Grizzly River area and it was a Vekoma Steel coaster. 

In 1995, the hangman was added in the American west. 

We rode every roller coaster repeatedly, screaming, holding up our hands, in delight with every ride.

There was a building called the Angle Inn that was builds on a slant and as we walked through it, we felt like we were going to tip over.

Throughout the park there were people performing country music shows.

Along the lake we would visit Country Music USA where various country singers would sing and dance for one hour. 

Rocking around the clock was the 50’s area where songs were performed from the 50’s era.  

We would visit the Roy Acuff’s museum that housed many of his musical instruments. There was a museum for Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff’s theater, Nashville Network Studio, WSM Radio Broadcasting booth, and the Grand Old Opry house.

There was a large boat ride called General Jackson. There was a kennel for your pets, restrooms, and telephones throughout the park.

There were gift shops: Jewels and Gems, The music Box, Ragin Cajun Shirt Shop. 

There was Professors Bloodgood’s photography, Emporiums, Hill Country Arts and Crafts Shop. 

There were many food places throughout the park: Chubby’s drive-in, Julio Pizza, Zack’s frozen yogurt, Mrs. Winery Chicken and biscuits, Grizzly kitchen, Chos Concessions, Seafood Wharf, Café Mardi Gras, La Fudgeries, Country Kettles, Ruby’s Country Kitchen, Funnel Cakes and old fashion ice cream. 

Opryland USA 

2802 Opryland Drive

Nashville, Tennessee 37214

615-889-6611

1989 the cost to get into Opryland theme park was $18.95, for children younger than three was no cost.

One trip to Opryland was with two of my sisters, and my sisters friend, in my sisters Mustang.

It was a wild and crazy ride; I was slung from one side of the car to the other side.

It felt like we were in a Race Car or riding up and down a roller coaster. 

We went to Opryland Theme Park with our church group many times.

We took my dad’s blue van several times because it would hold several people. 

One year we went with Nina, Billy Michelle, Shana, OL, Ann, Chris, and Craig Wallace.

We were all going to Opryland Theme Park and the Nashville Speedway. 

We all stayed in a Nashville Motel that had an outdoor swimming  pool.

Before the Nashville Speedway race we all enjoyed riding the large roller coaster that was in the park near the speedway

Before Opryland closed it had a Christmas theme with ice-skating, and it was beautifully decorated for the Christmas Holidays.