2024 Apr 27, Car & Tractor Show, Tee-Ball Game, Art Museum and Sisters

Hubby and I rode to Killen Park for the Killen Log 877 Classic Car Show which featured bikes, jeeps, classic cars, and new cars.

Cahaba Shrine Hillbillies truck at Car show 

We parked along the side of the park. Lots of cars and people there. The farmers market, Scoccer Games, Vendors, Car and Tractor Shows.

It has been several months since I have visited the park. Lots of new construction of new buildings and Disk Golf is now installed.

There was also a tractor show featuring several, old and new John Deer and other tractors.

1929 John Deer Tractor 

We strolled through the farmers market stopping to buy stone ground cornmeal and some fresh strawberries. 

Ripe home-grown strawberries

We stopped at home so hubby could grill steaks and I fixed creamed potatoes and corn on the cob for lunch. 

After lunch, we rode to Lexington Park to watch our great grandson Atlas play Tee-ball. 

After the tee-ball game, we rode to TVAM where a display and crafts were sat up for bird lovers. We talked through the Tennessee Valley Art Museum (which was free today). 

On display was the art of the print 500 years of printmaking.

What the Night Tells the Day by Douglas Baulos.

We rode back home where I took a short nap. My daughter called while I was getting ready to go to my sister's house for dinner.

I ended the day by going to my sisters to play cards (spades and various UNO games). I liked the reverse UNO game.

Sisters Vicki, Becky, Teresia, great niece Emmalee, and her friend all played these games.

Teresia had cooked a nice meal of Black-eyed peas, cornbread, a broccoli casserole with chicken, brats with kraut, sweet potatoes, and a batch of chocolate chip cookies. 

My sister loaded me down with leftovers for hubby.

She also gave me a bouquet of Peony from her garden.

Pink Peony 

It was after 10 when I got home last night.

2024 April 19, Visitor Center, Kennedy Douglas Art Museum, Coffee Cemetery with AVA

 Today we rode into town to pick up hubby's medicine at Walgreens. 

We rode to the Blue The Blue Door Thrift Store/SCOPE 310 and bought AVA a game. 

Ate lunch at Culverts. 

Hubby and I split a plate of shrimp, fries, cole Slaw, and Chocolate moose yogurt.  

We bought an AVA hamburger, fries, and chocolate yogurt.

We stopped at the nearby Walmart for a few items. Ava and I walked across the street to the Coffee & Slave Cemeteries. 

A very large old tree at Coffee Cemetery

Ava wanted to visit a museum so we rode to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center. There we saw AROY Artistic Rendering of Youth which features artwork created by 7th through 12th grade students from 15 different schools! Outside we stopped to take pictures of the statues. 

AVA and the outdoor art

We walked across the street to Wilson Park there the mist from the fountain seemed to reach the clouds.

overflowing Fountain at Wilson Park 

Color is the music of light 
Frank Lloyd Wright 
(this marker is on the sidewalk at Wilson Park)

We watched a barge go up the Tennessee River 
men fishing 

Ava enjoyed the playground area at McFarland Park. Our last stop was the Visitor Center where they saw several displays. 

Large and small-mouth bass
Bass fishing & tournaments are big in the Tennessee River in Florence
Ava enjoyed the one with the big and small-mouth fish. 

WC Handy Statue in Wilson Park 
WC Handy 
Father of the Blues 
1873- 1958 
Born in Florence, Alabama 

Display of WC Handy's music at Florence-Lauderdale Visitor Center.
Handy played the Cornet (pictured here) 
Handy's first hit was "The Memphis Blues".

The W. C. Handy Music Festival is held annually in Florence, Alabama, sponsored by the Music Preservation Society, Inc., in honor of Florence native W. C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues." The non-profit Music Preservation Society was formed in 1982, with the mission to preserve, present, and promote the musical heritage of Northwest Alabama.

The next 2024 Handy Festival will be Wednesday-Saturday June 12-15 in Florence, Alabama. 

2023 Dec 23, Early Works Museum Huntsville and Rogersville Christmas Trees in Heritage Park

 Today we rode to Huntsville to take Ava to Early Works. 

Grinch guarding the big Red Door

Warning Trucks entering the Play Area 

It was decorated for Christmas with Christmas trees in every corner. Inside the country store was the Grinch. Before we went inside we saw an inflatable Grinch guarding the big red door. At the Country Store was a sign: The Grinch Cafe has been serving nauseating food since 1966."A cafe can be bad in every way, but the food is worse." 

A meal
 fit for a king

But, Ava and her new friends made a meal fit for a king. One of Ava's friends said the meal was half Thanksgiving and Half Christmas.

Adventures in a Snow Globe at the North Pole 

We ate lunch at 88 Buffet. I ate shrimp, fried Sweet potatoes, chicken, and Rangoon with cream cheese. I did not care much for the fish.

My plate of Shrimp, chicken, fried sweet potatoes,  Sweet rolls, and
Rangoon

Ava ate a plate of fruit, jello, and Ice cream. Ava had been sick and she was not eating much.

We stopped in Rogersville to see Their Christmas Trees. This was our last stop.

Rogersville Tinsel Trail 

Ava and the Toy Soldier in Red Lights

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 Feb 20-22, Bus Trip to Jacksonville, and touring Jacksonville, Fl (Diamond Travel Hueytown, AL)

Day 1: Hubby and I traveled 2 1/2 hours to Hueytown, Al stopped at Jack's in Hueytown for gravy and biscuits.

Everyone was checked in and given a name tag that was our ticket for our meals, events, and lodging.

Around 7:30 the bus arrived loaded our luggage along with 40 other people's luggage onto the bus and 

By 8 AM we were on our way.

Our first restroom stop was I-20 at the Georgia Welcome Center in Waco, Georgia.

Georgia Welcome Center Waco, Georgia.

Our next stop was for lunch at the Arbor Mall in Douglasville, Georgia where there were several different places to eat. We picked Chick-fil-A I ordered a kid's chicken nugget meal and hubby ordered a chicken sandwich with waffle fries.

Arbor Mall in Douglasville, Georgia 

Our third stop was at I-75 Rest Area Southbound Forsyth, Georgia.

 I-75 Rest Area Southbound Forsyth, Georgia.

Our fourth stop was the Florida Welcome Center I-75 in Jennings, Florida. (They always have fresh orange juice here but they closed at 5PM and it was just a few minutes after 5).

Florida Welcome Center I-75 in Jennings, Florida

We stopped for dinner at Ole Times CountyBuffet in Lake City. Here I ate collard greens, green lima beans, carrots, a piece of fish, cornbread, and a slice of chess pie.

Ole Times CountyBuffet in Lake City

We finally arrived at the hotel were given our room keys and took our luggage to our room.

Everyone was exhausted from the long ride, took a shower, and went to bed. 

Holiday Inn Express room 310.

Day 2: Breakfast at the hotel omelet, sausage, biscuit with grape jelly, and milk.

At 8:00 we were on the bus headed to St John's Town Center to pick up our guide.

Our first stop was Memorial Park along the St John's River. 

St John's Memorial Park along the St John's River

Our next stop was Sweet Pete's Candies where they have 100s of candies & chocolates.

Sweet Pete's Candies 

We walked to the nearby Weldon Johnson Park which was located in the center of town near the Art Museum and City Hall.

James Weldon Johnson Park

Our next stop was Jessie Ball Dupont Park to see Jacksonville's Favorite 70-foot tall 25-foot trunk Oak Tree.

The so-called Treaty Oak is at least two centuries old.

Treat Oak 70 Feet 25-foot trunk 

We loaded back onto the bus and headed back to St John's Town Center to drop off our guide and get lunch.

We chose the M-Shack's gourmet burger that is made with all-natural hormone-free ground beef. 

Hubby and I split the M-Shack's hamburger 

Our next stop was the Miss Headley River Boat Cruise along St John's River.

Miss Headley River Boat Cruise 

We loaded back onto the bus and headed to the hotel to freshen up for we were going to the Double Tree by Hilton for a buffet dinner and show.

By the time we filled our plates, there was no place to sit with our group. We ended up setting up front near the band, with a fun group from Louisiana.

One of the women was a librarian. The one sitting next to me had red hair and she said her husband didn't care for traveling. She said when I was growing up my dad would take me to the pub with him. He would give her money to play Pack Man games and he would go and drink. Her dad was much older than her mom. Her dad had passed several years back and her mom remarried and she didn't care much for her new husband.

She said if anything happened to her husband she would never remarry. Their group had already visited the Fountain of Youth and she said the water tasted like sulfur. This group was a lot of fun and we all danced around the room waving our napkins to the Saints Go Marching In. 

2022 April 26-29, Trip to Knoxville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN

 Travel to Knoxville stopping at Baxter's Botanical Gardens, which is only open to the public during April as part of the Dogwood Arts Festival in Knoxville. 

Baxter's Azalea Garden

In the garden, we visited The White Garden, the Maze, The Bluebird Garden, the Lotus Pond, the Dogwood Rambol, the Gazebo, the Azalea Garden, the Iris Garden the Asian Garden, The Ellipse Garden, the Fuji Garden, the Balustiade Garden, the Hannah Garden and the Birds of Baxter's Garden. 

We spent about 30 to 45 minutes here. 

We then traveled to Pigeon Forge and checked in at Margaritaville's The Island Inn.

We walked around the Island and stopped at Mellowmushroom for dinner. 

Mellow Mushroom at the Island Pigeon Forge, TN

We ordered a Hawaiian Pizza with a drink and spent $30.57.

Day 2 Wednesday, April 27

Ate scrambled eggs, 2 slices of bacon, fried potatoes, biscuits with strawberry jelly, and cranberry juice for breakfast at the hotel.

We rode to the Trolley Center at 186 Old Mill Ave beside Patriot Park where we bought tickets to take the trolley to Dollywood for the day. The cost for all day was $3 each.

We bought senior tickets at Dollywood cost $166.10 for the day. 

All through the park we saw flowers designed in character form. We saw Busy, Busy Bees, Ring-tailed Rascals(Raccoons), Family Times (bear family), Round as a Peacock, Turtle, frogs, butterflies, Coat of many colors, Colorful umbrellas, Duck days, The Dolly wood Tree, Fines Farm, Doctor I. B. Painless Dentist, and Topsy Turvy.

Wildwood Grove at Dollywood 

We rode the train and carousel. 

We bought cinnamon bread with coke at Dollywood Grist Mill and spent $15

We ate supper at Huck Finn o green beans, catfish, creamed potatoes, and shrimp.

We stopped at the Margaritaville Store where we bought 2 tee shirts. 

Coat of Many Colors Flowers

Day 3, Thursday, April 28

Today we ate breakfast at the hotel Muffins, sausage, & potatoes.

We rode to Old Mill Park where we saw pigeons, geese, and mallard ducks.

We rode to Parrot Mountain and paid $53.11 for tickets where we saw and fed many exotic birds. 

Parrot Mountain

Some of the birds we saw were the red-billed Tucan, Swanson Tucan, Keel-Billed Tucan, Kookaburra, Scarlett McCaw, Catalina McCow, African Pied Crow, Von Der Dickens Hornbill, Green-wing McCaw, Sun Conure, Mustache Parakeet, Golden Conure, just to name a few. 

We ate lunch at Firehouse Sub where we ordered a small Steak and Cheese meal and a Medium Italian Sub meal. $21.75

We rode back to the Trolley Center at 186 Old Mill Ave to buy tickets to ride the trolley to the Gatlinburg Trolley Center.

At the Gatlinburg Trolley Center, we rode the trolley to Gatlinburg. We had a very entertaining driver which made the ride enjoyable. 

Ankeesta and Black Bear 

We bought tickets for Ankeesta where we rode the sky-lift up the mountain. $58.08 We bought a lemonade and walked around then we took the Treetop Skywalk beautiful view. 

We rode the sky-lift back down the mountain and walked around Gatlinburg stopping at Bubba Gumps for supper. There we ordered Forrest Seafood Feast which we split. Which included shrimp, fish, fries, and Cole slaw. 

Forrest Seafood Feast at Bubba Gumps

We took the trolley back to Gatlinburg Trolley Center and from there to Pigeon Forge Trolley Center.

At the Old Mill, we bought Relish and a self-rising Corn Meal. $12.91

Day 4, Friday, April 29

We ate breakfast in the hotel bacon, eggs, biscuits, jelly, fried potatoes, and cranberry juice.

We traveled home stopping in Athens for Gas.

2022 Sep 3, Sugerfest & Historic Buildings Arab, Alabama

 Today we rode to Arab to stroll through the park filled with over 100 vendors. Tents were lined up as far as the eye could see selling items from A to Z. 

Vendor Tents

The sweet aroma of baked goods filled the air making my mouth water. You could almost taste the barbeque, hamburgers, and hotdogs that were being cooked. Lines of people at every food truck.

Funnel Cake, Ribbon Fries, and freshly squeezed lemonade were just a few of the food items sold.

Santa Fe Food Truck

There was a petting zoo with two large lazy cows, a goat trying to climb out of his pen, a miniature long-haired goat that kids just loved to pet, and many other animals.

Petting Zoo

Pony Rides

There was a long line for the pony rides. Kids were climbing walls, playing games, swinging, and sliding.

The splash was opened for those who wanted to cool off.

There was music playing in the concert area.

People play cornhole and other games.

But we were more interested in the Historic Village area where we saw 

1. The Boyd Homestead
Boyd Homestead 1890-2006

Lola Boyd lived her entire 99 years in the Boyd Homestead.
Her dad, Matthew Boyd built the home in 1890 on 160 acres of land in Arab. Ms. Lola was born in 1906 and was the youngest of 11 siblings. She graduated high school in 1929 from Arab and went to college and received her teaching degree from George C. Peabody College in Nashville, TN. 
This home was not built with indoor bathrooms or closets. An 
outhouse served as the bathroom and a well was located outside the home that provided water for the family. The home also did not have electricity until the 1940s. 
Ms. Lola taught school and never married nor had children She helped take care of her parents and was given the Homestead after they passed. The home was then willed to the Historic Society after she died in 2006. The society moved and restored the home to mimic the 1940s era.

The Stage Coach INN @Elvin Light Museum 

2. The Elvin Light Museum

Inside were cubicles filled with different items from:

Hyatt's Boarding House

Dr. Ellis Porch and Dr. Braxton Smith's Office

Arab Infirmary Dr. Ellis Porch and Dr. Braxton Smith

The Thompson Family

Russell Rice, General Mdse Est. 1897

Peoples Drug Store

Reed Pring Shop 

Fleming Barber Shop 

The Stage Coach INN

3. The Ruth Homemaker's Clubhouse
Belongs to the Homemakers of Arab who hold demonstrations, and enjoy canning, quilting, knitting, and mattress making. 

4. The Phillips Blacksmith

George C. Phillips Blacksmith Shop

Another very important business to the Farmers was the Blacksmith Shop where he could get his tools sharpened and mules shod. Mr. George Phillips had owned his own blacksmith shop in Scottsboro, Al, and was a resident blacksmith for the Georg C.  Phillips Blacksmith shop. Mr. Phillips has since passed away, but his legacy lives on. The Blacksmith Ship is built from vintage wood to mimic a structure from the 1940s era. 

The farmer looked forward to carrying his animals to the Blacksmith shop to be shooed. This was important to the well-being of the animals, but it also gave the farm a break from the farm and an opportunity to socialize with fellow farmers.

Horseshoeing is done today by a farrier who goes out to the farm every 4 to 6 weeks in a truck equipped with a forge.

Tractors have replaced the Mule, therefore the need for local blacksmith shops has diminished.

5. The Winslett Barn - used for weddings and events

6. The Rice Church 
The Rice Church 1910-1950s

This Church building, originally known as Liberty Primitive Baptist Church, was once located in the Rice Community near Arab. It was donated to the Historical Society in 1993 and restored to a manner representing rural churches from the early 1900s. Today, it is used for small weddings, memorial services, and spiritual needs. The Church would hold services, baptisms, weddings, and Christenings, sometimes all on the same day. Farmers that traveled far for Church would bring their own lunch and typically stay all day. 
They really took advantage of Sundays since this was the only day they would have time to attend.

Inside sat a woman playing old-time gospel music on the piano. She said the church where I now attend had a piano player but got sick and could not play so the church asked her if she would fill in that was over 20 years ago. She was a retired teacher and had taught music. Her talent was far beyond the previous piano player and the other players didn't want to come back. She played beautifully.

7. The Hunt School House
The Hunt School 1935-1952

This two-room school is very typical of the schools in Alabama built during the Great Depression era: high ceilings, a"cloakroom, " for each classroom, and architectural details in the true Colonial Revival design. The Hunt School operated in a small community south of Arab from 1835-1952. When school buses became popular in 1952, students were bused into larger schools. The school year revolved around spring planting and fall harvesting since most students lived on a farm. the school went without electricity for the first ten years. There was no water, cafeteria, indoor bathrooms, or library. Children walked to school and washed their hands in a pan filled with water.

9. The Smith Country Store 

 Inside was filled with items of a different era. In the very back behind the coal, heater sat a group singing and playing Bluegrass music. We listened to a couple of songs that I had never heard before.

10. The Smalley Grist Mill 

When a farmer and his family would move to a new area, there were two businesses he would immediately look for.

One was a grist mill where he could get this corn ground into cornmeal. Since cornbread was such an important food staple at the Great Depression supper table, the Historic Village needed to have a Grist Mill. Mr. Jerrell Smally bought the Grist Mill from Arab's old Farmers Ex change and donated it to the Arab Historical Society. The building was built from vintage lumber to mimic a structure from the 1940s era. 

During the Great Depression, everyone grew corn. A large family would consume as much as 300 pounds of corn a year. 
The farmers would gather a portion of their dried corn during harvest and take it to the local Grist Mill to get shucked, shelled, and ground for cornbread. They would pay for this service by leaving a portion of their corn with the miller.