🎄🎄🎄🎄Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015🎄🎅🏻

Another year has passed, and I am still here, Thank God.

It has been a hectic year.

My husband and I started the year off right in January. We took an overnight trip to Gulf Shores.

The beach is a great place to go in the winter months. Few people were on the beach except those there to watch the sunset, which was awesome. 

We stayed at Staybridge Suites for half price (a full kitchen), just like living in an apartment. We enjoyed a delicious seafood meal at Lula's (my husband had never eaten there).

Gulf Shores sunset 

We celebrated Valentine's Day in February by ordering pizza from a new place called The Rising Crust. The pizza was delicious.

The Rising Crust Pizza 

My granddaughter had her first child and our first great-grandchild, Ava Grace.

Ava Grace

I rode to Huntsville in March to attend the Saint Patrick's Day Parade. (I had never been to a Saint Patrick's Day Parade) It was fun, and I took lots of pictures.

Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Toward the end of March, I was invited to spend the weekend with my friend and her husband in Pigeon Forge, TN. My sister went with me. We had a great time. We went to a quilt show, rode the Ferris wheel, ate at Margaritaville, and ate at Mel's Diner and The Apple House Restaurant.

Riding the Ferries Wheel

My husband and I took two of the grandsons to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge and the Wheeler Dam Birding Trail, and that same day, Hubby bought a 2007 Silver Honda. 

Two of my amazing grandsons 

I spent the day at the Birmingham Zoo in April with my daughter and grandchildren.

Early that morning, we watched the setting of the third Blood Moon, which was terrific.

My daughter and her three exceptional children 

In April, I took several walking tours: the Civil War, Tuscumbia, and Oakwood Cemetery. I also took a Civil War trolley tour in Florence.

In May, Hubby and I went to Rock City in Lookout Mountains. 

Rock City in Lookout Mountains, me in my neon suit

I went to the Decatur hot air balloon show and a Dennis Family Reunion. (to meet relatives I never knew)

Sierra, my granddaughter, graduated from high school, and her brother graduated from sixth grade.

Sierra 

Montana

In June, my husband and I toured the Rosenbaum home/museum.

Rosenbaum home/museum

I took several of my grandchildren to the movies every Thursday in June, July, and the first two Thursdays in August. 

Carmike Theater has a four-dollar summer special where you can get a small Coke, a small popcorn, and a movie. We have been doing this for several years.

In June, my husband and I took a day trip to Hurricane Mills, Loretta Lynn's Ranch, Museum, RV Park, and Grist Mill. 

Loretta Lynn's Ranch/Museum

In July, we took several day trips.

We rode to Jackson, Tennessee, stopping at the Train Depot, Rock-A-Billy Museum, Casey Jones Museum, and Train Depot.

Train Depot in Jackson, Tennessee

We also rode to Tullahoma, Tennessee, to tour the George Dickel Distillery, the Science Museum, and the Beechcraft Air Museum.

Beechcraft Air Museum.

In August, Hubby and I rode to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit the Iron Works Historical State Park. 

Iron Works Historical State Park

We rode to Pulaski, Tennessee, touring the Milky Way Farms. (The farm built by the candy giant of Milky Way Candy 

Milky Way Farms 

We also rode to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where we toured the Stones River National Battlefield, Oaklands Historic House/Museum, and Cannonsburg Village.

Cannonsburg Village Murfreesboro, TN

My daughter decided to leave Rhode Island and move to Fort Myers to work, so at the end of September, I flew to Rhode Island to help her move.

We spent the first day on the road, stopping in Columbia, South Carolina, to spend the night with one of my daughter's friends.

The next day, we were back on the road, stopping at the Frampton Visitor Center in South Carolina. The Frampton was an old plantation home. We also stopped at Savannah National Refuge and Museum in Hardeeville, Ga.

Our next stop was the waterfront in Savannah, GA, where we ended the day with my cousin, Marjorie Goodrich. We spent the evening catching up on family and spent the night.

The next day, we continued our travel to Fort Myers, arriving at the fully furnished apartment my daughter had rented.

Some of the places that we visited while I was in Florida were Sanibel Island, Fort Myers River Walk, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ochopee Smallest Post Office, Everglade Museum and boat ride, Mound House at Estero Island, Edison/Ford's winter homes, Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, Manatee Park, Shell factory, Lakes Park, Slough Preserve. We attended a Pirates Festival, Zombie Festival, and Oktoberfest. 

Mother and Daughter in Fort Myers, Florida

In November, my husband and I rode to Meridian, MS, toured the Jimmy Rodgers Museum, grave, and Blues Trail.

Jimmy Rodger Statue

I attended the wedding & shower of Chase Wanner.

My husband and I enjoyed watching the Bridge Street Town Centre Christmas fireworks show.

I spent three days beside my middle son, who was in the hospital for three days with mini-strokes. 

We rode to Nashville, Tennessee, where we toured A Country Christmas at the Opryland Hotel, beautifully decorated for the holidays.

We walked through the Nutcracker's magical & colorful carved Ice Sculptures.

Manger Scene in Carved Ice Sculptures

Pier on Beach in Biloxi, MS

My husband and I traveled to Gulf Shores for two nights and three days. 

We traveled to Biloxi, MS, to take a trolley tour of the historic downtown area.

We traveled to Pensacola, FL, where we toured the Historic Village of Pensacola. 

We had an eventful ride home, watching people dart in and out of traffic. We saw several wrecks, and traffic backed up for miles.

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We watch my niece and other church members entertain us with their salute to our Lord Jesus Christ. 

🚙2015 ~Tuesday, August 11, Milkey Way Manor, Giles County Tennessee

The day started the day with me getting my teeth cleaned at the denist.

We ate breakfast around 10:30 AM at Cracker Barrel.
I ordered whole wheat buttered toast, one egg scrambled, two slices of bacon and to drink I ordered  unsweet tea with lemon.

My husband ordered the Big Breakfast.
Our waitress said, I am running my butt off today because we are swamped.

Our next stop was in St Joseph Tennessee for lottery and scratch tickets.
I spent five dollars on scratch offs and I won seven dollars. 
Most of the time I don't win anything.

We took highway 64 into Pulaski for site seeing.

 Giles County Historic Museum was our first stop, which was located the Library. It was one very large room full of unforgettable, historic, notable, striking, impressive items.

Giles County Historic museum. 

A chair from the courthouse that was used (1857-1900) during the Civil

Giles County Historic museum. 

In the one room museum, we saw a wall hanging quilt, Tennessee fifty-one Confederate Generals, Defending Elm Springs, picture of Rev Samuel Howell, a bookshelf full of old books, chair from the courthouse used (1857-1900) during the Civil, a wedding dress, several old school pictures, Medical books that belonged to Dr Louis A Edmundson,a picture of Walter Herschel Beech 1891-1950 builder of the Beechcraft Airplanes that we saw a few weeks ago in Tullahoma, Tin sign telling about Sam Davis,US Flag, Confederate Flag, & four wall hanging of Churches in Giles County.
Sitting in a corner was a case full of information about The Kentucky Derby which Mr. Mars plain an important a part.

I saw a picture of Gallahadion Winning the Kentucky Derby owned by Mr. Mars from the Milkey Way Farm Estate.

Gallahadion Winning the Kentucky Derby.

We saw the Thomas Martin House now a bank

CSB  Bank is located inside this beautiful old home being repaired

Hubert & Grace Grissom Colonial Hall College

Our next stop was the Sam Davis Memorial Museum the site of Sam Davis hanging located on Sam Davis Avenue Historic District.

Sam Davis Avenue Historic District 
Tracing the original eastern city boundary and the Congressional Reservation Line once diving white and Indian territory, Sam Davis Avenue is named for a Confederate hero hanged by Federals on this hill in 1863. The Historical District, placed on the National Register in 1989, contains outstanding architecture of the 1860~1910 period.

The Sam Davis Memorial Museum where Sam Davis was hanged
Born October 6, 1842 near Smyra Rutherford County TN though a Confederate Soldier in the line of duty he was executed as a spy, by the Federals at Pulaski, November 27, 1863
Had I a thousand lives to live 
Had I a thousand lives to give

I'd give them Nay

I'd gladly die

Before I'd live 

one Life a Lie 

Sam Davis 's home, grave and Museum is located in Smyrna, Tennessee. 
Sam Davis was buried near the family home, supposedly in flowerbed, on Christmas Eve.

Coke Cola Building

611 West College St

Pulaski, TN 38478 

Phone: (931) 363-1525

Our next stop was the Milky Way Farms owned by Charles Jones and his daughter Lynn Golden.

The home and farm are now used to host weddings, events, festivals, tours, guided hunting actives and other seasonal actives.

Milky Way Farms Gates

Milky Way Farms

The farm began in 1931 when  Frank Mars the founder of the Mars Candy purchased land in Tennessee. It was during extreme economic times in Giles County and many people were loosing their homes. Mr Mars bought up the land, let the people stay in their homes and work for him.

His farm employed hundreds of works from the Giles County Area. Mr Mars had prized hHerefords the fastest horses, fine sheep, incredible barns, and awesome view for his house set atop a hill overlooking the valley below

Milky Way Farms

Milky Way Farms Manor House 

The original dining room table measures 12’ x 28’ and can seat up to 40 people.

Fountain

• In 1930-31, Frank Mars acquired tracts of land in Giles County to total 2,805 acres
• In 1931, Frank Mars built the original home club house which burned to the ground within a few months
• In 1931-32, Frank Mars rebuilt the Manor House as it stands today out of stone from his 2,800 acre estate (25,000 square feet, 20 bedrooms, 14 baths, and two ½ baths)
• In 1931-34, a total of 30 barns, 70 cottages, a Mausoleum and the world famous “crooked sheep barn” were built
• In 1931-34, as many as 935 local hired hands were working for $.50 a day at Milky Way Farm
• In 1932, Frank Mars introduced the Three Musketeer candy bar
• In 1932, Frank designed and built the Milky Way race track where many champion thoroughbreds were trained including the 1940 Kentucky Derby Winner, Gallahadion
• In 1931-34, Milky Way Farm was home to five nationally known livestock operations: Hereford cattle, thoroughbred horses, commercial dairy, beef cattle and Hampshire sheep
• The dining room table measures 12’ x 28’ and can seat up to 40 people.

We watch a five minute video about the farm, we asked a few questions, then we were told we could tour the whole house except the kitchen where the curator was cooking.

The curator had a pot of green-beans cooking in the kitchen for a large group that was coming later that day. Boy did they smell good! They have weddings, & entertain large groups.

Stair Case in Manor 

Stair Case in Manor 

One of the twenty Bedrooms in the manor 

Fireplace in the Master Bedroom 

One of the twenty Bedrooms in the manor

Fireplace in the Living Room 

Alot of the  farm has been sold and most of the rest of the farm the roads are not very good so we did not venture any further.

We were going to try out the Bar BQ Restaurant between Athens and Rogersville but it is not open on Mondays and Tuesdays. 

We pickup the van from Champion Chrysler after having the back seat fixed so it will go it will store and come back up into a sitting position.

We drove to Stanfield's in Rogersville, my husband ordered a New York Strip, baked potato and salad bar. I ordered the kids three piece shrimp with cole slaw and two hushpuppies.

Another hot day adventure but most of what we did was inside. 

The clouds were beautiful today