2023 July 12, Popes Tavern, Indian Mound Museums Florence, AL.

 Today, we took  Ava to see UNA's mascot, LEO, but he was sleeping. 

Leo is getting old and has not been as active since his mate died. 

I took her around the campus, showing her the Smith Bell Tower and the president's home. "Wesleyan Hall, constructed in 1856, is one of the oldest structures on the University of North Alabama campus." The building looks like a castle. 

Wesleyan Hall (Castle Building)

Smith Bell Tower 

Lion Cubs 

The campus fountain was shut off due to a leak. 

We next stopped at Pope's Tavern, where Ava learned about how the tavern was used as a hospital during the Civil War. Early cooking tools, Cypress furniture, and Civil War artifacts. 

Ava asks the curator several questions about the articles in the museum. 

We also visited the building that held information about the processing of cotton. 

Cotton Balls 

Our next stop was the Indian Mound. 

She and I both walked to the top of the mound. Lots of steps!

43 43-foot Earthen Mound was built about 500 BCE. 

Inside the museum, Ava learned about the timeline of the Native Americans during the Paleo-Indian Period, the Archaic Period, the Woodland Period, and the Mississippian and Historic Periods. 

We saw arrowheads and many American Indian artifacts. 

On the way home, we stopped at McDonald's to get Ava a kid's chicken nugget meal. 

We stopped at Smokin' Jalapeño for tacos. 

We took our food home to eat. 

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

Harry Wallace will lead the tour at 705 East College Street. 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 their families, and numerous unknown Confederate 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. People were taking pictures for Graduation. Leo the lion was basking in the sun and roared several times. Usually, he just lies 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 it still peaked 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. I saw a Yellow Monarch Butterfly landing on the yellow dandelions. 

I had an exciting day.

2015 ~ Saturday & Sunday April 4 & 5,Easter Weekend with grandkids

My grandkids came over Friday night. One slept on the sofa, two slept on the floor on an air mattress, and my daughter slept on the Futon.
Saturday morni, ng around 4, AM we went outside to watch the lunar eclipse and thn blood moon.

Total Lunar Tetrad eclipse April 4, 2015

Total Lunar Tetrad eclipse April 4, 2015

Total Lunar Tetrad eclipse April 4, 2015

Total Lunar Tetrad eclipse April 4, 2015

I cooked pancakes, everyone dressed, we loaded into the van, and my daughter drove us to Birmingham.
The traffic was terrible, bumper-to-bumper for miles on I-65, so it took us longer than usual.
We stopped at Sneaky Pete's in English Village Lane, just a few blocks from the Birmingham Zoo, and then went to the zoo.

Sneaky Pete's Hot Dog

2716 Culver RdMountain Brk, AL 35223

(205) 879-8723

I ordered:
 Smoked Sausage

Mustard, Sautéed Onions & Green Peppers & SneakyPete'ss Famous Sauce, 

Lora ordered:
Junk Yard Dog

Some of everything on it!
Mustard, Onions, Kraut, Beef, Chili,

Pickle Relish, Slaw, Cheddar Cheese Sauce & Sneaky Pete's Famous Sauce

Madison ordered:
Grilled Cheese

Meadow ordered
Chicken Fingers

Marcus ordered two:
Sneaky Pete Chili-Cheese Dog

Mustard, Chili, Onions, and Cheddar Cheese Sauce 

http://sneakypeteshotdogs.com/menu.php

It was a beautiful day, a bit nippy.
Animals and birds that we saw at the Birmingham Zoo were fascinating.

2630 Cahaba Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223

(205) 879-0409

located in Lane Park

African Lioness
The African lion is one of the four roaring cats. Their roar, which can be heard more than 5 miles away, is used to communicate with other lions and to help mark territory, not to scare prey. The thick manes on adult males serve as protection for the cats when fighting over pride or when defending territory. They spend an average of 15 to 22 hours a day resting and sleeping.

African Elephant
In the wild, African elephants have a life expectancy of 25-41 years, but have been known to live up to 60 years. An African elephant family group can average 8-10 individuals. In general, older, experienced females, called matriarchs, lead elephant families.

Reticulated Giraffe
Unlike many hoofed animals, giraffes can see in color. They have a very keen vision and hearing. They have 7 neck vertebrae, and oversized lungs compensate for the volume of dead air in the trachea. 

Kori Bustard
Bustards have no crop, but their powerful gizzard, long "blind gut" (cecum), and their habit of taking up quantities of grit assist the digestion of the food they consume. Bustards have lost both the hind toe and the preen gland that most other birds possess.

Malayan tiger
In the wild, Malayan tigers dedicate a lot of their time to hunting and can eat over 60 pounds of meat in one sitting.

North American Black Bear

American Flamingo
The beak of the flamingo curves downward. The shape of the beak, along with a comb-like organ on its tongue called the lamellae, allows the flamingo to filter food out of the water. Their long legs allow them to wade in the water much deeper than other birds, and their webbed feet offer good support when standing on mud or other soft ground. The practice of flamingos standing on one leg with the other leg curled and tucked under their body conserves the bird's body heat and keeps the foot warm.

Lora rented a double stroller for Meadow.

Marcus, Madison, Meadow, and Lora at the Zoo

MarGiraffee face of the Giraffe 

Meadow, Marcus, and Lora rode the Carousel. 

Madison feeding the Giraffe

We ate dinner at the Cheese Cake Factory and were home before 8 P.M.

The Cheesecake Factory

236 Summit Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35243

(205) 262-1800

Where Lora and Madison shared a Greek Salad

I ordered a Greek Salad

Marcus orders a four-cheese pasta- Penne Pasta, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses, marinara sauce, and fresh basil, served with chicken.

Lora also ordered Avocado egg rolls: Avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, and cilantro fried in a crisp wrapper, served with a tamarind cashew dipping sauce. 

Crab cakes are served with mustard and tartar sauce.

We ordered three different  slices of cheesecake, which we shared

 Madison ordered:
Dutch Apple Caramel Streusel

Original cheesecake, baked apples, caramel, and brown sugar cinnamon walnut streusel.
Marcus ordered: 

The Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake features a layer of red velvet cake and the original cheesecake, all covered with the Cheesecake Factory's special cream cheese frosting.

http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/menu/desserts/cheesecakes/ultimate-red-velvet-cake-cheesecake/
Lora ordered:

 The Mango Key Lime Cheesecake is topped with a vanilla coconut macaroon crust.

http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/menu/desserts/cheesecakes/mango-key-lime-cheesecake/