March 14, 2025, 8-5:30 P.M. Scottsboro All Day

 Everyone parked in the Patches Merchant Emporium 1501 Broad St parking lot around 8:00 A.M.

Everyone loaded onto the bus, and off we went for a full day of adventures.

 

Variety Bake Shop 

Our first stop was The Variety Bake Shop, where we were served two sausage rolls, a glazed donut, and a history lesson from the owner. Several people bought a variety of their desserts.

I took pictures of a few historic markers across the street, posted on poles along the left side of the courthouse.

Veterans Memorial Park, Scottsboro 

Our next stop was Scottsboro Veterans Memorial Park. 

It was full of historical markers and military vehicles. 

Our next stop was the Scottsboro Museum, but no one was home. 

Our guide called their number, but no one answered. We rode by the old Mill and the Airport and finally stopped at the Train Depot.

We all got off the bus to go inside, but the curator called from the Scottsboro Museum, so we loaded it back on the bus and returned to that museum. 

The Scottsboro Boys

By this time, it was lunchtime, so we stopped at Payne's Sandwich Shop. There, we were served a red slaw dog, chips, potato Salad, and our choice of ice cream. I ordered Rocket Road. 

Payne Sandwich Shop 

After lunch, I walked up the sidewalk, taking pictures of markers. 

We loaded back onto the bus and rode to the Scottsboro Train Depot. 

Hubby shows the ladies how the scales work. 

Next, we rode to the Scottsboro Heritage Center.

The curator told us some of the history of the 1881 Procter House. 

The house was built by John A. Brown and sold to A.W. Brooks, the Mayor of Scottsboro.  

The house was then sold to General John R. Coffey. In 1981, the City of Scottsboro bought the home and turned it into a Museum, a research center, and a community venue. 

We could not go upstairs because it was being repaired. 

Outside, we visited Sagetown, a re-creation of a pioneer village, where our curator told us the history of each building.

Proctor Heritage House Museum

One of the buildings was the Little Courthouse, which housed public records dating as far back as 1820.

Our next stop was a sampling of specialty teas and protein shakes. The owner gave us a little history of his store. 

Long walk up the hill to the cemetery. 

Our last stop as a group was the grave site of Mayor Robert Thomas Scott and his wife. 

Their graves were atop a hill, which we had to walk to. 

We returned to the parking lot and said goodbye.

Hubby and I decided to visit Unclaimed Baggage. 

Unclaimed Baggage Scottsboro 
The Truck where it all began.

We did not buy anything, but they had an incredible museum inside the store. 

Outside was a sign telling about the beginning of Unclaimed Baggage.

Then, we began our two-hour trip home. 

We stopped at Taco Bell in Rogersville to pick up something for dinner. We had a great time but were ready for bed when we returned home. 

Cell Phone Photos 

6765-68 @ 9:12 A.M. The Variety Bake Shop

6769-72 @ 8:30 A.M. Markers left side of Courthouse 

6773—85 @ 10:07-10:50 A.M. Scottsboro Boys Museum 

6786-90 @ 10:55-11:47 A.M. Payne's Sandwich Shop 

6791-6817 @ 12:14-12:41 P.M. Train Depot 

6818-40 @12:50-1:17 P.M. Proctor Museum and Pioneer Village

6841-41 @ 2:37 P.M. Scottsboro Nutrition 

6843- @ 4:45 P.M. Unclaimed Baggage Outside 

6844-6868 @4:53-56 P.M. Museum @ Unclaimed Baggage 

6869-72 @5:03 P.M. outside Unclaimed Baggage

Walked 2.6 miles and 6,848 steps 

"Hi, I'm Hoggle." (inside the museum at Unclaimed Baggage)

2022 Jan 28-30, Focus on Nature Photo Weekend JWSP (3 days)

 Jan 28, Friday

Today, I am going on an adventure. 

My adventure began at River Heritage Park, which overlooks Wilson Dam. The dam is usually flooded with birds, but not today. 

I was not to be discouraged; I adventured across Wilson Dam to the overlook and Rockpile.

It was a bitterly cold day below freezing, and I could see literally 1,000s of pelicans, seagulls, and cormorants (snake birds) sitting on the rocks below the dam.  

A few challenged the north wind foraging for food, and a few white pelicans floated down the river. 

Nothing keeps the pelicans from floating down the river, even the turbulent water at Wheeler Dam.

Buttercups 

Rogersville Park is usually flooded with birds today; I saw buttercups reaching up with closed eyes. 

What adventure was waiting for me at Joe Wheeler Lodge? I am joining a group of fellow lovers of photography and nature. 

Tonight, there will be a Horsd'oeuvers of Cheese, crackers, and fruit as we mingle with others. 

There will be a signup sheet for the activities on Saturday.

Alabama weather is so unpredictable this time of year. It ranges from 19 in the mornings to the 50s to 60s, sometimes 70s, during the day. I will wait until tomorrow to decide what my next adventure will be. 

Jan 29, Saturday, 

With a good night's sleep and a light breakfast, I was ready for the day. 

We spent the morning listening to Rocky discuss the camera's many facets and how to use them. 

Many, like myself, were still confused about the camera. We love the auto modes. 

Lunch consisted of a BLT with onion rings.

White Pelicans at Wheeler Dam

& with making new friends. 

At 1 P.M., everyone met upstairs to disperse into different groups.

One group was going to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur. 

Another group was going to Wheeler & Wilson Dams and other local sites nearby. 

The last group was going to watch a falconer release three Harris Hawks into the woods to hunt for food (small animals). 

It was cold but not bitter cold like yesterday, but we were bundled up. 

The groups dispersed in different directions. Ours was inside the Joe Wheeler State Park. 

Before the falconer released the Harris Hawks, he had anyone wearing fur or a colorful hat remove it. The birds may think they are small animals and attack, and they do not like bright colors. 

The birds were released for the hunt, and we followed them away into the wooded area. 

They didn't go too far into the woods but stopped to watch or even pose for us.

The hawks treed a squirrel, but the squirrel outfoxed them. No catch today for the Hawks. 

Our group walked down to the lake's edge near the cabins. We saw shells, fossils, wild mushrooms, and driftwood. 

We saw Spoonbill Ducks swimming in a nearby sewage area; they love the minnows that grow there. 

There was a Bald Eagle in the Day Use, and that was our next stop.

With the camera in hand, we slowly descended the hill, stopping for that next great shot.

Bald Eagle with his eyes on us. 

The eagle got wind of us and flew away.

We saw a kingfisher, Canadian Geese, and a gray heron at the lake.

We sat down at the edge of the lake and watched the sunset. 

What a way to end our hike. 

Lake Wheeler, as the sun goes down
the ripples and different colors upon the lake. 

We enjoyed a seafood buffet as we sat around socializing. 

The falconer returned with one of his Harris Hawks with Q & A time.

Rocky finished the day with a slide show and several stories.

Harris Hawks 

What an excellent way to make new friends with a keen interest in photos and nature.  

A shadow of friends 

1996 ~ Sept 16 & Oct 14 Trying out my new (film) Canon Camera in Huntsville, AL

I had just received a new Canon Camera and wanted to try it out so here are some of the places where I took pictures.

House across street from Constitution Village 

Constitution Village

The Village rests on the actual site where the Alabama Constitutional Convention was held in 1819.

Alabama became the 22nd state admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. This living history museum features costumed guides who lead visitors on a tour of a working village. A cabinetmaker's shop, print shop, confectionary shop, library and post office are all featured. More than eight carefully reconstructed buildings of the 1800s depict early lifestyles in Alabama, including that of African-American settlers. It also commemorates the place where the 1819 Constitutional Convention was held. 

Constitution Village 

Weeden House

Built in 1819, the house at 300 Gates Avenue is now open to the public as the Weeden House Museum and Garden.  Dr. William Weeden bought the house in 1845 and his descendants owned it until 1956.  Now owned by the City of Huntsville, it is leased by the Twickenham Historic Preservation District Association and maintained as a 19 century house museum.
Earlier residents included John McKinley who lived in the house

Ditto Landing 

Huntsville Railway Company Huntsville, Al

Huntsville Railway Company Huntsville, Al

Huntsville Railway Company Huntsville, Al

Huntsville Railway Company Huntsville, Al

Huntsville Railway Company Huntsville, Al

A Three story Museum with miniature train set on the first floor, second floor has a large model train  set to look like the depot did in 1862 and on the third floor is Civil War history 

Huntsville Railway Company Huntsville, Al

Burritt Museum

Burritt on the Mountain is a public 167-acre, scenic site overlooking Huntsville, Alabama, featuring a 19th century living history (interpretive) park, an eclectic ...

Burritt Museum

In 1955 physician and Huntsville native William Henry Burritt willed his estate and mansion known as Round Top Mountain to the city of Huntsville to create their first museum. 

Huntsville Botanical Gardens taking a Hay ride thru the garden 

Huntsville Botanical Gardens  Rose Garden
Huntsville Botanical is more than a garden, from May thru Sept the garden comes alive with butterflies, in the butterflies house, the Scarecrow Trail is filled with goblins from Sept through October and the Garden is bubbling over with Christmas lights during their Galaxy of Light. There is always something to do at the garden.