2018 Christmas Letter Activies

 Well, another year has come and gone. Hope you and your family had a good year!

We had a lot going on this year. 

Enclosed are some of the activities our family did this year. 

(We had lots of cold weather in Jan & Feb)

January 9, Day Trip Hubby and I rode to Decatur Wildlife Refuge

January 15, Day Trip Hubby & I rode to Dodge City

January 25, Attended Wade Hall Post Cards @ Florence Library 

January 31, Trip to Saraland & Dolphin Island with my friend Wanda

FEBRUARY 

Feb1-4 Cruise to Cozumel, Mexico with my friend Wanda 

February 1, Boarded Ship 

February 2, Fun Day @ Sea

Feb 3, Spent day at Cozumel, Mexico 

February 4, Fun Day @ Sea
February 5, Traveled home 

February 9, Worked @ Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

Feb 19-21 Trip Hubby & I stayed @ Christmas Inn Pigeon Forge, TN

February 14, Valentine Brunch @ CBS

February 21, Grandson Jake Hughes's BIRTHDAY DINNER

Feb 24/25 Trip Hubby & I stayed @ Joe Wheeler Lodge for Wildlife Photo Weekend.

MARCH

March 2, Children's Museum of Shoals with Great Granddaughter Ava Grace 

March 1, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Petals & Pollinators

March 6, Hubby & Rode to Waynesboro  

Mar 8, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Vegetable Garden & Seed Swap

March 9,  Worked @ Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

On March 10, I attended the Coloring Alabama Class by Laura Murray @ Florence Library.

March 11, Attended Wedding Shower Granddaughter Hannah
March 12, Attended Bi-Centennial Party Florence @ Wilson Park 

March 19, Bought Nissan Murano @ Landers McCary Nissan Huntsville

Mar 22, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Garden Landscapes & Pest Management

March 25, Attended @ Help with my dad's 91 Birthday party @ Cloverdale Senior Center

March 27, Attended Appreciation dinner @ Killen Senior Center 

March 28, Day Trip to Huntsville with Hubby to Landers McCary Nissan, ate lunch @ Mama's Taco Community of Providence & Red Stone Arsenal  

Mar 29, Attended Get Dirty @ Library Urban Forestry & Tree Maintenance 

Mar 30, Served @ Passover Sadar @ Killen Baptist Church 

March 31, Attended Ava Grace's 3rd Birthday Party 

APRIL

April 1, Easter Sunday Service

April 3, Day Trip Hubby & I rode Lawrenceburg Davey Crocket Park 

April 4, Hubby & I played Bingo at Chick-fil-a

April 7, Walking Tour Florence Federal Courthouse, Library & Kennedy Douglas Museum

April 10: Had tint put on the new car & Attended Hansel & Gretel Play @ Florence Library.                                                   

On April 11, Hubby and I attended the Social Security Retirement Dinner at Red Lobster.

On April 12, I worked at Killen Bookstore from 9–1 P.M.

April 13, Stormed all-day

April 17, Day Trip Hubby and I rode to  Huntsville UAH, Ditto Landing, and Red Lobster.

On April 20, Hubby and I attended Hansel & Gretel Play at UNA 

April 21, Attended Blue Star Dedication Train Depot Museum Decatur 

April 28, Attended Walking tour Athens State University Library, Delmore Museum & Founders Hall

MAY 

May 2, Music in Wilson Park with Justin Holder

May 7, Dolores Hydock @Muscle Shoals Library It's The Little Things

May 9, Music in Wilson Park with Mike Curtis & Garrett Miles 

May 11, Worked Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M. 

May 13, Mother's Day: I enjoyed a steak meal at Ron's Wind Chimes, flowers, a gift card, and a potting plant. 

May 16, Music in Wilson Park with Shannon Knight

May 17: Enjoyed listening to Kate Campbell Music Hall of Fame from 3–4 P.M. and Josh Goforth Florence Library from 5–6 P.M.

May 18, Attended Storytelling Festival at Shoals Theater at Legends

May 19, Attended Storytelling Festival at Shoals Theater at City Hardware

May 23, Music in Wilson Park with Joseph Baldwin 

JUNE

May 29-June 2 Trip to Gulf Shores

June 2 Birth Anthony River Hughes Great Grandson

June 8, Worked Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

June 8, Wedding Rehearsal Hannah Hughes & Chad Menard

June 9, the Wedding of Hannah and Chad Menard

June 9, Lecture of Winstons @ Helen Keller Library 1:30–11:30 A.M. 

June 10, Day Trip Nashville Airport 

June 16, Day Trip NASA @ Big Spring Park & RSA 

June 29, Crows, Chirp, & Bray Wildlife @Helen Keller Library 11–12 P.M.

JULY

July 6, Echoes and Howls Wildlife Program Sheffield Library 10 A.M.

July 10, Day Trip Veterans Museum & Rollo's Cafe Huntsville 

July 13, Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

July 18, Day Trip Franklin Toured Carter, Lotz House & Carton Plantation Museums

July 23, Summer Solos with Tosha Hill 11;30-12:30

July 24, BEHIND THE MUSIC – SONGS & STORIES OF THE KGB SERIES 1 2–3 P.M.

July 25, BEHIND THE MUSIC – SONGS & STORIES OF THE KGB SERIES 2 2–3 P.M.

July 26, BEHIND THE MUSIC – SONGS & STORIES OF THE KGB SERIES 3 2–3 P.M.

July 27 Songwriters Showcase Series #4 2–3 P.M. MARK NARMORE & 

Aug

Aug 6-8 Trip Little Rock, Arkansas 

Aug12, A Brief History of Education in Florence 2–3 P.M.

Aug16, Day Trip South Haven, MS 

Aug 22, Day Trip to Tupelo, MS 

August 23, Get Dirty at Library Fall Vegetable

August 30 Get Dirty at Library Cut Flowers

Sept

September 2, Kept great-grandson River Anthony Hughes

September 6, Get Dirty at Library Backyard fruits

September 14, Worked Book Store 9–1 P.M.

September 15, New Bethel Reunion 9–3 P.M.

September 16, Lecture Native Americas at Indian Mound 

September 20, Kept great-granddaughter Ava Grace

September 22, Day Trip Toured Weeden House & Huntsville Depot  

Oct

October 5, Day Trip Oktoberfest and Museum Cullman with sister-in-law

October 6, Oktoberfest St Florian

October 7, Lecture Life in the Highlands with George Makowski 

October 9, Day Trip to Dickson, TN 

October 12, Worked at Book Store 9-1

October 14, Tuscumbia Art Museum lecture Truths and Legends TVA

October 15, Day Trip GPS System checked & Oil change at Nissan of Huntsville ate Red Robin at Bridge St 

October 19, Took Ron and Ava Grace (great-granddaughter) to Home Depot, Lowes & Halloween Store to see Halloween Displays 

October 21, Lecture at Florence Library about James VI & I 

October 24, Lecture at Florence Library Doctors of Death 6–7 P.M.

October 25, Class Diabetes & Healthy Cooking 11:30-12:30 Florence Library 

October 28, Watched the River and went to Renaissance Faire

On the 29, Hubby and I took Ava Grace to treat Elgin

On the 30, Hubby and I took Ava Grace to the treating Town of Killen

Nov 

November 1, Healthy Cooking Florence Library 11:30–12:30 P.M.

November 3, Forks of Cypress Tour, Shoals Business Expo and Cruising Wheeler Lake 

November 4, Athens Cemetery Stroll 

November 6, Day Trip Natchez Trace, Leipers Fork, and Cool Springs Mall Franklin, TN

November 8 Cooking for High Blood Pressure Florence Library 11:30–12:30 P.M.

November 9, Worked Killen Book Store 9–1 P.M.

Nov 11-16, Trip to the Smoky Mountains with cousin Sherry & Aunt Bobby

November 16, Tidwell's Thanksgiving dinner

November 19, Took Mike for Colonoscopy at ECM Hospital 812 Lunch Five Guys 

November 22, Thanksgiving Dinner @ Mike's (my son)

November 24, Worked at Killen Book Store 

November 25, Trees of Christmas TVA Museum And Addressed Christmas Cards & Wrapped presents

November 27, Tinsel Trail Big Spring Park with Hubby

November 28, Legend of Toyland Roxy Theater Russellville with Hubby

November 29, Kennedy Douglas Art Museum Quilt Display

December 2, Trees of Christmas TVAA

December 2, Took Ava Grace to Santa Land Elgin with Hubby

December 4, Went to Nashville to see Grinch Ice, Opryland Hotel 3 Gardens decorated for Christmas and Opry Mills Mall

December 7, Took Ava Grace to Killen Town Hall for the Christmas Program and see Santa

December 13, Christmas Dinner and Listen to storyteller Dolores Hydock at Club Florence

December 15, Hubby and I attended the Leipers Fork Christmas Parade

December 17, Hubby and I visited North Pole Christmas Tree Stroll, Madison Magical Christmas Tree Stroll, Madison's Christmas Card Lane, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, and Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Stroll Decatur and enjoyed a Grinch Pancake at IHOP. 

December 21, Christmas Dinner at Tidwell's

December 22, Christmas Dinner at Mike's 

December 25, Breakfast at Mike's 

I journal all my activities and take several pictures, which helps keep my memories alive. 

I hope each and everyone enjoys the holidays.

May the new year bring good fortune, good health, and love.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our house to your 

PS: MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2019

Me & Santa @Incredible Christmas Store in Pigeon Forge, TN 

2013~ October 1, Tuesday, Trip to Red Bay, Alabama “The Way we worked”

On October 1, 2013, my husband and I drove to Red Bay, Alabama, to see the traveling Smithsonian exhibit" The Way We Worked."

My husband drove west on Highway 72; at Pride, he turned left onto Highway 247.

We saw rugged mountains with towering forests along Highway 247. The trees were green with a hint of yellow and orange, not quite ready for autumn.

We had to wait several minutes because a large road machine was digging in the ground, doing some kind of road construction. We also passed several log trucks and several horse trailers; there must have been a horse show nearby.

Road Construction

Log Truck

"The Way We Worked" is a collection of black-and-white images from the National Archives.

The display will be at the Weatherford Center on Main Street from September 14 to October 25, 2013.

"The Way We Worked"

"Another collection being displayed is Music Works" from the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. 

"Theater Works" is Storytelling & Local Movies at the Weatherford Center. 

"Quilt Works" is displayed at Red Bay Library next to the Weatherford Centers. 

Many first-, second- and third-class ribbons were given away in many categories for the quilts. 

In the Machine Child Category, Fiona Oliver won first Place (Christmas Scene), and Christianly Carter took thirdPlacee (Stork Scene).

The Auburn (eagle) and Alabama (the elephant) quilts were side by side; they were rival teams.

There was a cross-stitched quilt by Lucille Horton given as a wedding gift in July 1983, 

A quilt made by Granny Burcham for Hazel Hall in 1947, it was a friendship quilt (each block was made by different individuals, with the names of family members on the blocks. These quilts were often raffled off as fundraisers.)

An Alabama National Champion quilt displaying dates of: 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012

A Cathedral window tie-hanging quilt made by Dianne Bentley (governor's wife) from ties belonging to Governor Robert Bentley.

Josiah Oliver (second Place) and Cindy Carter (first Place) made a couple of Alabama quilts in the children's contest.

The back wall of the Placehe Library was made of quilts of many shapes, sizes, and designs.

Alabama Quilt

Our walk in Red Bay was on a bright, sunny October day. We followed the tracks for tourists to follow for "The Way We Worked Smithsonian Tour."

We saw many of Red Bay's old buildings depicting murals of the lives of the people of Red Bay. Starting with A.M. Nix Barbecue, Bay Theater, Morrow, Red Bay Café, Red Bay Grocery, Red Bay Ice and Gin Company, Red Bay School, Rob Orrick's Hamburger's, T. D. Jackson's Meat Market, The Calaboose, The depot and hotel, the old Medical clinic, the style shop, the well, Thompson's seed and feed, Wilson Read to Wear and ending with Yarber's Grist Mill. 

Murals Red Bay 

Murals Red Bay 

Down the street from the Red Bay Museum is History Works, where you can find local treasures from years past.

 Red Bay Museum 

 Red Bay Museum 

"The Way We Lived" inside Red Bay's Museum was the original sign and staircase of The Red Bay Hotel, which is now being restored.

We saw a Cary Safe from Buffalo, NY, a sign from Faust Rexall Drugs, a counter from a hardware store, a soda fountain from a drug store, a sign from Naber's & Co., a Cash Store, an antiquated Coca-Cola drink machine, dippers that were used at the old well, the ceiling, light fixtures, and seats from the old Red Bay theater.

There were medical instruments used by a local physician, a computing scale for Sagle Co from Dayton, Ohio, and items donated by several different churches. There were also military uniforms on display worn by local veterans of Red Bay.

There was a sign that said "Condimental Ginning System," items from the old train depot, and farm tools of every kind. 

There were several rooms, each with different themes, depicting the life of Red Bay, Alabama.

The top floor was full of items from Tammy Wynett.

 Tammy Wynette Dresses

 Tammy Wynette Dresses

 Tammy Wynette Dresses

It was getting past lunchtime, and we asked where a good local restaurant was, but all they had to offer were chain Restaurants. 

So we stopped at Jack, where I ordered chicken fingers with green beans and water. 

After lunch, we headed north on Highway 24. 

There was a lot of construction along this highway, and it is far from being finished.

We drove through downtown Russellville.

We stopped on Jackson Avenue, where I took pictures of the town and some historic markers. Next, we stopped at the Historic Roxy Theater, where I took photos of the theater and historical markers.

Historic Roxy Theater 

Historic Roxy Theater 

We drove further down the street, and I spied an old cemetery called Sadler. 

We stopped in Littleville, Alabama, to take a picture of the historical marker about Captain Benjamin Little, who lived in historic Littleville. 

Littleville 

History of Littleville, Alabama 
Capt. Benjamin F. Little, a former Confederate soldier, opened a store here after the railroad from Tuscumbia to Russellville was built in 1887. A train station and several houses were soon erected. A rail spur provided access to nearby iron ore mines. Capt. A.H. Keller owned a sandstone quarry and summer Resort called Fern Quarry near Keller Springs just north of the town in the 1880s and 1890s. The stone was used to construct a blast furnace and commercial buildings in Sheffield. In 1917, Jackson Highway (U.S. Hwy 43) was built along the general route of the old Jackson Military Road. (continued on the other side) (continued from the other side) According to local lore, early settler Hezekiah Tharp's wife Nancy was the daughter of Chickasaw Chief George Colbert (the county is named for him and his brother Levi). Ligon Springs, 1~1/2 miles west, was a popular summer Resort in the 1870s. The water was advertised as a cure for dropsy, dyspepsia, sore eyes, kidney diseases, etc. By 1910, Littleville had a population of 30. Its merchants were J.D. Bullington, general merchandise; G.W. Hargett, lumber; M.C. Murray, general merchandise; L.O. Breitling, bakery; and C.J. Brockway, lawyer. The town was incorporated in 1956, and Frank Bullington became the first mayor.

All the way home, I snapped pictures of the winding roads, the towering trees, old and new houses, and signs, and I did not stop until it was dark.

My husband grilled pork chops when we came home, while I made creamed potatoes and mixed vegetables. 

A good home-cooked hot meal is a great way to end the day.