Free Bird's Adventures

Monday, July 27, 2015

2013 ~ Tuesday, September 17, Day Trip to Birmingham, Alabama

On 2013 September 17, we drove to Birmingham Alabama stopping to eat lunch at Cracker Barrel in Gardendale Alabama.

I ordered my usual children’s plate of grilled chicken, green beans, cornbread, onion and their homemade relish.

Back on the road headed into Birmingham, which is a little over a two-hour drive.

We arrived at Vulcan Park at 12:52 P.M. purchasing tickets at a cost of $13.20.

There were several historical Markers along the walkway leading up to the Vulcan and Museum.

List of the markers that we saw was:

1. Describing the designing of Vulcan Park: The Formal design, a park for people, Naturalistic features.

2. The Iron Man: Vulcan The giant, cast iron statue you see towering above you is Vulcan, the Roman god of metalwork and forge. The 56-foot tall statue was commissioned by Birmingham leaders to represent they're new, growing city at the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair. After a smashing success at the fair, he was brought home to Birmingham.

3. Mineral Railroad Trestle, the railroad trestle support wall across the road is a remnant of L& N’s 156-mile Mineral railroad, the backbone of the local industry.

4. Before Birmingham: Jones Valley: Native American presence, Early settlement & Toward an iron industry

5. A New City Building early Birmingham

6. Industry: Iron and Steel Manufacturing

7. The Lone Pine Mine: you are standing in front of the entrance to the Lone Pine Mine Number 3.

8. The Works Progress Administration

9. Birmingham district Minerals

10. Restoring Vulcan Park, visiting the park & building the park

11. The Cascade

12. South: Mountain Brook and Hollywood

13. Vulcan Park & Tower on Wall

14. In Memory of Giuseppe Moretti on wall

15. Vulcan, God of Fire and Metal

Working of the Vulcan

A statue of the Vulcan’s foot

Inside the museum was Recipe for a city. When state geologists mapped the Birmingham District’s mineral resources in the mid-1800’s, they found great quantities of the three ingredients necessary for the manufacturing of foundry iron: coal, limestone, and iron ore. The availability of these three ingredients and the ability to recruit a large and inexpensive pool of labor made Birmingham’s industry possible.

Some of the workers that made Birmingham, Clyde Love, Will Battle, James Knox and James Purdue.

Example of the country store was displayed, sacks of potatoes, potbelly stove and Old radio. Pictures were displayed about the building of Birmingham, the promoters, investors, and entrepreneurs.

The making of the Vulcan from scratch was displayed from Iron Casting to sand mold, plaster cast, and plaster mold to clay mold. Their much information displayed about Moretti the builder of the Vulcan.

A statue of the Vulcan’s foot was on display and a room full of, A place of our own the fourth avenue district, Civil Rights, and the Rise of Birmingham’s Black Middle Class.

VULCAN

We exited the museum and headed to the glass elevator, which led up to the foot of the Vulcan.

It was a magnificent view of the city, you could see for miles. The only problem was when you looked down. The footing on which I was standing had holes which you could see the bottom or ground level, which frighten me.

I stayed as close to the building as I could, but I still did not like being able to see the ground when I looked down.

I was determined to overcome my fear so, I walked around the top of the Vulcan two times taking pictures, but I was ready to leave after that.

I did not mind the elevator, even though it had glass windows which had a different view of Birmingham.

Standing on the grate around the Vulcan

View of the City of Birmingham from atop the Vulcan

the Vulcan Museum

View of the Vulcan from parking lot

When we got to the bottom I was glad and told that to the guard who was sitting in a chair below.

He said I have seen many come down frightened, but one time I had a customer come down and kiss the ground when he walked out of the elevator.

Sorry, but I was glad to have my feet planted on solid ground.

We exited the park and headed to the Birmingham Zoo.

Tuesday is the half-price day so we got in for $15.40.

The Birmingham Zoo is your passport to trails of Africa that was what the entrance sign said.

We first saw some birds, Radiated & Aldabra, Tortoise, several different types of small cats, Red Panda, Zebra, Giraffe, a couple of elephants, a gorilla, couple of otters, few Batman characters set up for Boo at the Zoo, we went inside the birdhouse where you could feed the birds, a couple of sea lions, some snakes, and lizards.

I was very disappointed not seeing more animals?

We left the zoo and went to the Botanical gardens.

That morning when we started to Birmingham it was cool but by the time we got to the Botanical Gardens the heat was unbearable so we did not stay

We did go to the gift shop where I bought an ice cream cone to help cool me off.

Batman at the Zoo

Petting the Elephant

Petting the Giraffe

Walking thru the zoo

At the Entrance of the Zoo

For supper, we stopped in Cullman Alabama at Captain D’s spent $17.92.

Filled up with gas at Flying J’s cost $51.50. We were home by 7:30P.M.

We had a wonderful drive to Birmingham and the sun was setting on the drive home.

I tried to capture all the beauty with my camera.

Traveling thru Birmingham

Road Construction in Birmingham

Beautiful Sunset

We drove through the Birmingham work traffic & construction but once we got past Birmingham, the traffic was not too bad.

After supper was taking our time getting home, it was relaxing.

It was a wonderful way to end the day.

I am waiting for my next adventure.

2013 ~Saturday, October 19,Spending the Day with Sierra & Madison

I sent both Madison and Sierra a text to ask them if they wanted to go to a fall festival at my sisters & to Rogersville’s Heritage Days.

I said if you want to go be ready by 11:00 A.M.

I picked up the girls and we head to Rogersville for Heritage Days.

We could hear music playing and people singing as I parked the car in Fordland’s parking lot.

We walked to Heritage Park where they were having a chili cook-off that started at eleven A.M. We arrived at the park around eleven thirty and the pots of chili were almost empty.

We ask where are your cups for the chili and was directed to a table full of women selling tickets for $2.00.

I only had $5 in the pocket so, I paid the girl behind the table the five dollars and Madison and Sierra hurried back to the van to get some more money.

When the girls got back, Madison said, “ Granny I am a vegetarian," so the woman gave me back $1.00 and Madison took it and bought her a coke.

Sierra and I had our 4-ounce cups filled from all the different, delicious, pots of chili.

Each vendor had them on special receipt and it was hard to vote for the best.

I was beginning to get full of chili; the last pot of chili that I tried was made with sausage.

That was my favorite.

The car show had Mustangs, Cameo’s, Trucks, Chevrolet Blair, & Fairland and many other cars were lined along the streets for people to view

The car that stood out the most to us was a Dodge Charger called the General Lee-01.

Dodge Charger called the General Lee-01

Next was the quilt show, I was not sure where it was located so I ask a woman that was walking along the street if she knew the location of the quilt show.

She pointed toward the north of town, so the girls and I started walked that way.

Then I heard the woman holler and say the quilt show is not that direction but east.

So the girls and I turned around and started walking down Lee Street. We walked past Rogersville Presbyterian Church in the USA it was located at the corner of Lee Street and Dement Street. This church was over one hundred years old, which dated back to 1889, and this church holds the distinction of being the last surviving church in Rogersville, Alabama

We kept walking and we thought we saw the Methodist church where they were having the quilt show, but to our amazement, it was a yard sale.

Walking around in Rogersville with granddaughters

So, we turned around and walked back to the van. We then rode almost 3 more miles to the quilt show that was located at Rogersville Methodist Church 701 Turner Lindsey Rd Rogersville.

As we entered the church we were handed gloves because they did not want you to touch their quilts with the naked hand.

Hanging on display were many different types, sizes, textures, designs, thickness, all created either by hand or machine.

Some of the names describing the quilts were: A Flag Quilt, Alabama Quilt, He is Risen Quilt, Log Cabin Quilt, Giant Dahlia Quilt, Crazy Quilt, Exploring the Stars Quilt, I could go on, and on; they were just beautiful.

Quilting is an art!

Quilts at the Quilt show

We stopped at Foodland in Killen and I bought a sweet potato pie to take to the fall festival at my sister's.

An October festival is a yearly activity that my sister and brother-in-law have every year.

They put a lot of time and money to make this a place for friends and family to come and enjoy.

They have built a large shelter, which houses about 12 picnic tables that can seat over a hundred people and at the end of the shelter is a large fireplace. They have also built a building that housed a toilet.

October can be warm or it can be cold and on this particular day, it was a bit breezy.

A Cozy fire was burning in the fireplace and there were many people huddled next to the fire trying to keep warm.

Vicki had gone to her house and brought back several jackets for people to wear to keep warm.

In the distance, you could see a large garden of turnip greens growing, which had an electric fence to keep out critters.

When we got out of our van, we could smell food cooking.

There was chicken stew boiling on an open fire, sweet potatoes baking, there were lots of green beans, lots of peas, lots of turnip greens and hot dogs on the grill.

There were three tables filled with desserts, paper plates, cups, spoons, forks, dip, chips, bread, and drinks. It was hard to decide what to put on your plate first because there was such a variety of food, so you just start filling it.

There were people eating, talking, kids playing, other still cooking, and everyone having a great time.

One of the fun things that we do every year is taking a hayride deep into the woods.

The kids really enjoy this, we have to duck many times to avoid the low branches, and brawler that we pass.

Another fun thing that we do is to bob for apples. The kids enjoy this very much and get very wet doing it.

Another fun thing we do is a sack race, the kids are falling down and getting up trying to be the first to the finish line.

After getting our bellies full, having a fun time on the hayride, and saying good-bye we head back to the van.

It has been a lovely October day a bit breezy and to spend it with two of my beautiful granddaughters.

The girls look at me and say, thanks, granny we had a wonderful time with you today.

That just touched my heart, to know that they still have fun with granny.

Friday, July 24, 2015

WC Handy Week

Tuesday, July 21, 2015
My husband and I both worked in the yard all morning, swam in our very clear swimming pool. My husband put the fountain in the pool which has caused the water to cool down so the swim was very nice.
We ate lunch at Logan's Roadhouse. We ordered their special 2 meals for $14.99 add two dollars for the steak. I ordered Ceaser salad, salmon, baked potato. My husband ordered a baked potato, Ceaser salad, and a sirloin steak. YUM!!! After lunch, we donated several bags of clothes and household items to the Blue Door. We went to the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library where we listened to Justin Johnson play and tell about the many different stringed instruments that he had with him.
We went to the movies at 4:20 to watch the Minions.
For supper, we purchased a to-go order from Taco Bell.

Justin Johnson

Iron Board Keyboard

Boxed String instruments

Justin Johnson

Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Today we went to Trowbridges for ice cream I ordered cherry Ice cream with real cherry's and my husband ordered strawberry. We could not find a park nearby so we parked near Wilson Park and walked to Trowbridge's.
We went to the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library where we listened to Norbert Putman talks about his life from 2-3:30PM. We rode to Carmike Cinemas - Regency Square 12 where we watched Antman, after the movie we bought some groceries at Aldies. For supper we stopped to pick up two 12inch subs from subway took then home, I ate one- fourth and my husband ate 1/2 put the rest in the refrigerator. My husband will have subway tomorrow for lunch.

Cherry Ice Cream Cone from Trowbridge

Norbert Putman

Thursday, July 23, 2015
I took two grandsons, a friend of my grandson to the movies to watch Toothfairy.
After the movie we went to the mall ate lunch at Chick-Fil-a, the boys went to Game Stop.
We left the mall and went to the Florence Library to listen to Justin Johnson play and tell the history of his many different boxed stringed instruments.

Friday, July 24, 2015
I went to Swampfest songwriters showcase series number 3 to listen to Mickey Buckins, Jerry Mcgee, Max Russell, Andreas Werner and many others.
I picked up a whopper, whopper junior, ten pieces chicken nuggets for supper.

Donnie Fritts

Jerry Mcgee, Terry Richardson, Andreas Werner

Mickey Buckin, Jerry McGee

Sound Engineer

Max Russell

Terry Richardson

Max Russell, Scott Boyer, and Terry Richardson

Andreas Werner and Terry Richardson

Friday, July 17, 2015

🚙2015 ~ Tuesday, July 14, Day Trip to Tullahoma Tennessee

My husband followed me to Champion Chrysler in Athens, we left the van to get the oil changes and for them to see why the back seat would not return to the sitting position.

We ate breakfast at I-Hop in Athens, I ordered a banana, pecan waffle with whipped cream and diet Pepsi, and my husband ordered hotcakes, two eggs over easy, and bacon with diet Pepsi.

Great breakfast which costs us $20.56 plus tip.

banana, pecan waffle with whipped cream

hotcakes, two eggs over easy, and bacon

We left Athens traveling up I-65 north exiting onto hwy 64 at Frankewing, traveling hwy 64 to Fayetteville, taking hwy 50 through Mulberry just past Lynchburg 50 turns into 55 all the way to Tullahoma.

Our first stop was Beechcraft Staggering Museum 570 Old Shelbyville hwy. Hours are from 8:30AM until 4:30 PM, cost per person is $10.00.

We entered the lobby, paid, and visited the museums, there were three rooms of Beechcraft airplanes, a cabin, several miniature planes, and lots of memorabilia.

We saw inside the lobby a bright Yellow Gilmore NC230 Beechcraft airplane.

Inside the museums were many different styles, colors, and sizes of Beechcraft-built airplanes, some with markers giving more information and many with names and the number of the aircraft.

Yellow Gilmore NC230

Beechcraft Museum

On the cabin was a marker that read: The Louise M. Thaden Office and Library Building dedicated to Louise M. Thaden, pioneer aviatrix, who held altitude, solo endurance, and speed records in 1929. The first woman to enter and the only woman ever to win the Bendix Race, in Staggerwing C17R in 1936, Harmon Trophy recipient in 1936, and inspired the creation of the Staggerwing Museum Foundation Inc. June 14, 1974.

Inside the museum in the hallway is a photo of Mrs. Thaden and the 15835 airplane.

Mrs. Thaden and the 15835 airplanes.

The Louise M. Thaden Office and Library Building

We traveled to 401 S. Jackson Street to the Fine Arts Museum but the museum was closed for July.

I took pictures outside, a historic marker, statues, and flowers.

Jane, Emma, AFFA Ann Baillet the three sisters, businesswomen, and artists owned and operated J & EA Baillet Millinery Shop where they created original fashionable ladies' wear and hats.

Tullahoma History Trail

Ballet Home is now the city's regional Fine Arts Center, sisters Jennie and Affa Baillet and their parents lived and worked here beginning in the 1870s. Jennie was an artist and the family operated a millinery store downtown. They watched much of what happened in Tullahoma during its prosperous years between 1875 and 1925.

Fine Arts Center

We travel to 101 Mitchell Blvd to the Science Museum cost $5.00.

Outside we first saw the Goethert Observatory on the door is a marker that reads:

Goethert Observatory

Dr. Bernhard H. Goethert

October 20, 1907 - March 29, 1988

Dedicated January 17, 2002

Dr. Goethert was a distinguished scientist, engineer, and educator, and instrumental in the creation of The University of Tennessee Space Institute and the UTSI Observatory.

UTSI donated this observatory to the Hands-on-Science Center

For the scientists and engineers of the future.

Goethert Observatory

GOODRICH

In May 2008, the Landing Gear division of Goodrich completely refurbished the Goethert Observatory. This work included major repairs to the structure and restoration of a ten and twelve-inch telescope.

The Landing Gear Division of Goodrich is next door to the Hands-on-Science Center. Past donations include a complete landing gear display and the property that is now home to HOSE.

Along the path in front of the observatory were the planets Mars, Earth, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, etc

Inside we saw floating above us the planets, NASA’s Space Station, & N201C Marion Cole airplane. We saw a turkey, bobcat, coyote, fox, beaver, and a bear.

On the ceiling were kids' handprints red, orange, blue, yellow, and purple, some were from the fifth-grade children of Robert E. Lee School 2007.

We saw fossil coral found in Wagner Creek, Dioptase silicates, and many different sizes, shapes, and colors of quartz Geode.

We saw the Elements Table, The periodic table of elements.

We saw the world’s heaviest & longest species of pine cones.

We saw many hands-on activities including pipes of the pan, the shadow room, how clear can you see this, putting on a pair of glasses, and tossing a ball toward a target.

We saw the intestines of the human body and the tissue of the brain.

We saw many different colors, and shapes of linking toys.

We saw a staircase that went to a mural door.

We filled a paper balloon with hot air.

I stood behind a Bug Eye bug statue to get my picture made.

Science Museum

We saw three shelves of miniature airplanes, that were tested/developed 10 miles away at the USAF Arnold Engineering Development Center AEDC.

We saw US 1903 Wright Flyer US 127 Ryan Spirit of St Louis, US 1932, Gee Bee, US Goodyear Blimp, US P-51 Mustang, US Doc3 Douglas, Navy Hellcat, Army AC P-51 Mustang, Army AC B-25 Mitchell, and many more.

Live animals: a snake, a spider, and a lizard.

We talked to a couple of the curators, one curator was from Indiana, and the other was a local.

I asked if they had ever visited the George Dickels Distillery the woman said she had a friend who worked there. The curator said the tour is great and she said you will have to hurry because the last tour ends at 3:30PM.

We got lost trying to find George Dickels Distillery, we arrived at 3:00PM and walked inside.

The tour will not start until 3:30PM which is the last tour of the day. We bought a 7UP and a piece of chocolate candy and we sat down at a table to eat the candy and drink the 7UP.

I went outside and took pictures of the building with a sign that read: Provisions General Merchandise George A Dickels & Co Cascade General store US Post Office.

I took a picture of the statue of George Dickels, the distillery, the Charcoal Ricks plaque, & the cabin. Inside I took pictures of our waiting room, the US Post Office Dickels, Tennessee, Souurmsh car, with writing on the side that read: Established 1870 Cascade Distillery George A Dickels & Co-Founder, proprietors Geo & Augusta Dickels, and I took a picture of a couple of quilts.

The group of six were all taken on a forty-five-minute tour of the distillery. Our guide took along an umbrella there was a great chance of rain. Our guide said if it starts lighting the tour will end but it did not rain.

On the tour, we were shown the process of making the whiskey, and the barrel house.

At the end of the tour, we were offered to taste several different whiskeys at the cost of $10.00.

Hubby had to drive home so we did not taste any whiskey.

They spell Whisky without the e.

George Dickels Distillery

The cabin

Taking the tour

We were in Lynchburg when it started to rain and it poured buckets of rain for several miles.

We stopped in Frankewing to eat dinner at Sarge’s Shack where I ordered a sirloin steak, saluted mushrooms, and a salad with house dressing, Hubby ordered Rib Steak, baked potato, salad, and Texas toast. It was very good and we both ordered a diet Pepsi to go.

We got onto I-65 to Athens where we picked up our Chrysler Van now 7PM the salesmen were closing up shop.

We traveled home and were home within the hour.

Had a great time in Tullahoma, the day started out very hot and humid over 90+ degrees after the storm the temperature dropped to 73?