Showing posts with label pond. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pond. Show all posts

Thursday, December 20, 2018

2018 Dec 18, Christmas Trees, Cards, Cranes and Ducks Athens, Decatur, & Madison, Alabama

Today, Hubby and I visited the North Pole Christmas Tree Stroll at Big Spring Park, Athens.
North Pole Stroll Athens, Alabama 
Mallards, White Ducks, and goldfish greeted me as I approached the pond at Big Springs.
I enjoyed two(Grinch) buttermilk pancakes with a hint of green topped with sweet cream cheese icing and red candy hearts. Crowned with creamy green whipped topping & 2 link sausages at IHOP in Madison.
Hubby ordered fried Fish, shrimp, fries, toast, and a stack of 3 buttermilk pancakes.


Grinch Pancakes 
fish, shrimp, fries, toast 

Hubby drove us through the larger-than-life Christmas Card Lane that is showcased in front of some of the historic homes in Madison along Front and Chruch Streets.
Thank You for Visiting Christmas Card Lane
Magical Christmas Tree Trail Madison, Alabama Different sponsors of Madison decorate a tree, and the trees are located on both sides of the Main Street Cafe.

We rode to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur via I-65 workers working on the bridge over the Tennessee River traffic backup. 
View of Decatur from the bridge where the traffic was backed up 

We walked down to the overlook to see the Cranes and ducks. Not as many sandhills and Whooping cranes as last year.  
We saw thousands of Sandhill Cranes but only one White Whooping Crane
The Whooping Crane, at 5 feet tall, is the tallest bird in North America and one of the most endangered. They are named for their whooping unison calls. 

Our last stop was Founders Park in front of Old Historic Bank to tour the Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Stroll. 
Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Stroll in Founders Park, Decatur 
By the time we finished, it was beginning to get dark, but the solar-powered lights had not come on. 
By the time we arrived home, it was dark. Hubby stopped at McDonald's for a hamburger, fries, apple pie, and Ice Cream. I ate a piece of the fish he had left over from lunch. 
Uploaded some of my pictures after I arrived home.
Sunset 

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

2017 May 16, Tuesday, Day Trip to Huntsville, Alabama

Hubby and I rode to Tennessee to buy our bi-monthly lottery tickets. Hubby went inside scanned his tickets and came back to the van. 
He said I forgot my wallet do you have any cash? I had enough money to buy the tickets $28
We had an appointment at Champion Chrysler Dodge to get the oil changed in our Town and country in Athens at 11AM.
We had to ride back home to get his wallet.
We stopped in Elgin for B-12 shots and just made our 11AM appointment at Champion.

They finished our van but the oil light was still on. 
Hubby went back inside and told them, they had forgotten to reset the oil. 
The woman came out and tried she said the floor mat was too close to the gas peddle and was not letting it reset. 
Had to sit in the Slingshot sitting in the Showroom 
We rode to Huntsville, and our first stop was the Huntsville Train Depot/Museum.  The park area was open but the museum was closed. 
There was a school group visiting the park and earlier that morning there was a Civil War Re-Enactment there were still tents standing in the open field. 
We walked into the Museum store, Caboose, and Train Engine.
Huntsville Depot Museum Hours
Wednesday -Saturday 10-3PM 
Gates Open 
Monday - Sunday year-round 9-5PM
As we were leaving a train came rattling down the tracks.


The Huntsville Alabama Depot Museum 
Standing in the Engine Room 
Civil War Camps
Passenger Depot
Huntsville Alabama
Built 1860
Memphis and Charleston Railroad Company
Eastern Division headquarters in this passenger Depot,
Adjoining yards and shops were captured by the Union Army on April 11, 1861.
Vital east-west Confederate rial link served, CSA soldiers imprisoned here.
The depot was later used by Federals as a base for gathering supplies for Western Theater
military operations. After the Civil War returned to M & CRR Co
acquired by Southern Railway System in 1898, since1971
preserved by the City of Huntsville. 
The main reason for coming to Huntsville was to see the newly renovated Big Spring Park.
There is a concrete walkway around the reshaped lagoon, where the water flows so it can clean itself. 
There are park benches along the walkway, but no trees, (so it will be hot during the summer).
You can walk right up to the water's edge. We saw children leaning into the pond feeding the goldfish and ducks. 
We walked along the water's edge and the fish and ducks followed us. 
I saw a young man feeding the fish.
I made the comment I was going to buy some food but my hubby did not have any change. 
The young man gave me a quarter, I thanked him and I bought a quarter's worth of seeds. 
The fish and ducks gobbled the food right up.
Goldfish and ducks feeding 
Big Spring Park Oriental Bridge 
Newly reshaped lagoon
Fountain 
Kids feeding fish and ducks
Huntsville Art Center 
We rode south on Whitesburg Drive to Airport Road then onto Parkway stopping at 
Rosie's Mexican Cantina for a late lunch.
We ordered a white chip dip and shared a Chicken Fajita. 
Rosie's Mexican Cantina on South Parkway has a beautiful garden full of blooming flowers.

Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden 
Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden 
Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden 
Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden (Singing and playing Minstrels 
Parkway South is under construction (turning it into six lanes).

Road Construction on South Parkway 
Road Construction on South Parkway 
Road Construction on South Parkway 
We rode to Ditto Landing and saw a few geese, boats, and bridges.

Gaggle of Geese
Bridge Closed at Ditto Landing 
We rode down Drake Avenue to RSA where we filled up with gas and saw a few geese. 
We were home a little after 5PM
My granddaughter had been texting me all day wanting to know when we were coming home.
My granddaughter, her daughter, and a friend came over around 5:30PM to swim.
I did not get into the pool because I was too tired.





Monday, December 7, 2015

🎄🎄🎄🎄2015 ~ December 7, Monday, Christmas & Cards Trees, Library & Space Center

I went to the Chiropractor, for an adjustment before begin gin my journey or walking in Huntsville and Madison. 
We stopped at Chick-fil-a in Athens for lunch
I ordered some chicken nuggets and a drink. 
We rode through Christmas Card Lane in downtown historic Madison.
List of the Christmas Cards 
  • Behold I Bring you good news of Great Joy.
  • Birth of Christ Christmas Card
  • Birth of Christ  
  • Church in the snow 
  • Church in the snowy woods
  • Happy Christmas
  • Joy to the World Let Heaven and Nature Sing
  • Let it snow 
  • Madison CHY Youth Orchestra
  • Mele Kalikimakal Christmas Card
  • Merry Christmas ! Madison
  • Merry Christmas w/reindeer
  • Merry Christmas w/women 
  • Merry Christmas, Mele Kalikimaka, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad
  • Noel 
  • Peace on Earth w/dog and cat
  • Peace To all Creatures great and small
  • Poinsettia
  • Reason for the Season
  • Santa and his Christmas packages
  • Santa eating cookies and his elves
  • Santa Merry Christmas w/santa & reindeer
  • Season’s Greetings w/Santa in sleigh 
  • Shepard, Angles and Jesus
  • Snow globe
  • Thank You for Visiting Christmas Card Lane
  • Toy Shop
  • Truck caring home Christmas Tree
  • We wish you a Merry Christmas
  • You're Cool Christmas Card
We saw Christmas trees in Madison where people of the community had decorated to express their own creativity or to promote their business.  
We rode to the Huntsville/Madison Library to take pictures of the Christmas trees distributed throughout the library. 
We saw trees decorated with round paper lace cup mats with notes attached, A tree with jester hat, wearing sunglasses covered in cotton, lights, sticks made into Xs, and covered in toys. Another wrapped in green ribbon,and gold bows, with bugles, colored ball lights. 
A Autism Tree full of christmas balls inside picture of a child, puzzle pieces, ornaments, trimmed in red and gold ribbon. A christmas tree covered in hats, gloves and scars. We saw a tree made out of books and another covered in Christmas Cards. We saw a Christmas Tree from Friends of the Library, and Huntsville Herb Society.We saw a completely white christmas tree trimmed with red and gold rope and electrical lights. A tree trimmed with pink, blue, gold ribbons, and balls. There were many more trees that we saw, I could not describe them all.
HO!HO! HO!(Santa resting after a night of delivering presents)
Thank you for Visiting Christmas Card Lane!(Saying good-by to the last Christmas Card)
Christmas Trees of Madison 
MAC Snowman in the Christmas Trees of Madison 
I also stopped to take pictures of the artistic quilts hanging from the second floor. 

I also saw a display of Doctor Who! Doctor was standing next to the Police Public Call Box.
Police Telephone Free for use of Public 
Advice & Assistance immediately officers & cars respond to all calls pull to open. 
 There was a man sitting next to the display and I ask if he knew Doctor Who? He replied WHO?
We rode to Big Spring Park where we walked the Tinsel Trail of over 200 Christmas Trees.
There were a few trees waiting to be decorated while others were getting the finishing touch put upon them. 
Christmas music filled the air, as we walked along the path, while the sun shone brightly but not too hot. 

It was a perfect day for strolling through the park. 

We were greeted by gold fish, ducks and geese wanting to be feed. 



Christmas Tree at Huntsville Madison County Library 
Quilt Display at Huntsville Madison County Library 
The many faces of Doctor Who?


Ducks, gold fish 
Star Wars May the Force Be with you!
Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail of Christmas Trees
Big Spring Park Tinsel Trail of Christmas Trees
We went to the Space and Rocket Center where we saw Science Fiction, Science Future (where I was beamed up into space) Beam me up Scotty! I stood inside a teleportation machine while my husband at the control panels beamed me into outer space. 
We walked through the U. S. Space and Rocket Center’s latest exhibit, the Celestial Dreams, The Art of Space Jewelry, showcased by the artist Kathy Chan. She uses precious gems, minerals and metals to interpret her genuine wonder of the cosmos in her jewelry. Her display will be on display until May 2016.

Last but not least, there was a movie being made with R2D2.
We had been waiting for the movie maker to come out of the room where he was making the move and he ask if I wanted my picture with R32D2 and I said yes. 
I hope to be in the finished production of the movie.
Wow! What a day! 

I said to the movie producer that Star Wars was my middle sons favorite movie. 
There was a man controlling the sounds that R2D2 made, he made the same sounds that he did in the Star War movies. 
The film will be screened at the U.S. Space and rocket Center’s IMAX theater to promote the new Star Wars, The Force Awakens. 

Wow!!!


Beam me up Scotty!
I saw myself Inside the Time Machine
The Art of Space Jewelry

Cosmic Calendar for December
R2D2
88 Buffet Seafood Sushi Hibachi 
88 Buffet Seafood Sushi Hibachi 


We ate dinner at 88 Buffet Seafood Sushi Hibachi, that is an all-you-can-eat oriental buffet with a variety of different meats,seafood, vegetables and you can watch the chef create your dish right before you eyes.
We had a great day, good food, friendly faces, and a beautiful day. 






Thursday, June 18, 2015

2008 ~ Monday, April 7, Spending time with Grandkids

I went to Teresa Clanton’s to pickup the grandkids, Sierra, Nevada and Montana, I had packed a picnic lunch for I was taking the grandkids to St Florian Park.
I made peanut butter sandwiches, each a bananas, a fruit bowl and each a can mountain dews. 

When everyone finished eating, we started walking the trail when we were about half way round the kids spied several piles of loose dirt and wanted to climb on top and I said ok.
The kids climbed on top and said come on granny you can do it, so I climbed to the top with the grandkids.
Climbing the dirt pile
We walked around on top of the dirt pile, we went up and down several times. 
We again started walking the trail, I took the kids picture standing on a bridge next to a statue of an alligator.
Nevada and Montana pointing to the alligator
We saw sitting on a stump some tin statue-singing frogs, which intrigued the kids, I also had to take their picture there. 

Nevada pretending to blow a horn like the frogs
We walked a little further down the trail where we saw a face carved into a tree, it had large marble like eyes and the kids loved this. 
I took pictures everywhere in the park with the kids. 
Nevada and Sierra posing in front of the tree with a face
We stopped at the playground area where the kids played on the playground equipment.
Taking a break 
Montana pointing to a frog
Sierra posting
Nevada being a frog
Montana Standing on tree stump

Next we went to Deibert park where they played on the playground and we walked in the park reading the animal and plant signs.
Reading the park signs
 We stopped along the fence line to take pictures of the metal sculptures.
Nevada and Montana posing at the metal sculptures
Sierra and Montana posing at the metal sculptures
Nevada and Montana posing at the metal sculptures
Nevada, Montana & Granny posing at the metal sculptures
Nevada and Montana posing at the flower gardens
We saw a family of turtles at the pond.

Turtles walking next to the pond
I took the grandkids to McDonald’s where we each ordered a Oreo McFlurry.
I took the kids to Loves and Fishes in Muscle Shoals where I bought the grandkids five books each and two movies.

We stopped at the Train Tressell, which is along the Tennessee River on the Sheffield side, were we walked to the end and back. 
It must have been a hot day because Montana’s head was wet from sweating.
Walking down the Train Trestle
Our next stop was at Heritage Park located next to The Marriott Hotel in Florence where the kids played inside the castle, on the train and all the other playground equipment. 

Nevada and Montana having fun on the playground equipement at River Heritage park 
Nevada and Montana having fun on the playground equipement at River Heritage park
We stopped in front of the waterfall next to the Marriott Hotel where I made pictures of the grandkids
Montana at the Waterfall at the Marriott Hotel 
Sierra at the Waterfall at the Marriott Hotel 
Nevada at the Waterfall at the Marriott Hotel
Hannah called from school and wanted me to pick her up so I loaded the grandkids into the car and we rode to Roger High School to pick up Hannah.
For supper I made baked potatoes and all the fixings of cheese, bacon bits, sour cream and I made a strawberry pie, Montana ate his fill of strawberry pie. 

Hannah and Sierra rode the scoters. 
Jake came over to get Hannah, I made Jake a potato with all the trimmings. 

I took the grandkids to Ronald’s where Nevada and Montana played with Ronald’s star wars dolls. 

Later that afternoon Charity came to get the grandkids. 

2024 Christmas Journal Activies

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