2019 Feb 25-26, 🚌 Adventures at Reelfoot Lake, & Paris, Tennessee

After being cooped up indoors for weeks due to the rainy weather, Hubby and I decided to take a trip.
The Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers overflowed into nearby fields, roadways, and people's homes, forcing people and animals to seek higher ground.
You could see the flooding for miles in Alabama and Tennessee.

It was the last week to take the bus tour to see Eagles nesting at the nearby Levee along the Mississippi River, so I booked two tickets for the trip.
It takes over three hours to drive to Tiptonville from our home, so I booked a cabin at Sportsman Resort, located along Reelfoot Lake, for one night.
The south area cabins of Reelfoot were flooded, so we stayed in the north area cabins.

We arrived in Paris around 11:30 A.M., stopped at Dinkins Mobile Homes, and walked through several homes.
One of the mobile homes was a woman busy cleaning, so we began talking. She was a widow with three grown sons and several grandchildren. She told us a story about taking three of her grandchildren on a trip to Fort Myers to visit family.
She said, 'The grandkids kept saying," Are we there yet? "'I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown.'
She showed us where all the electrical lights were along the walkway.
We asked her about things to do in Paris, and she said Paris Landing, Tennessee Wildlife Refuge, and the Eiffel Tower.

First, we stopped at the Eiffel Tower Park to take a few pictures and use the restroom at about 12:45 P.M.
At 1:15 P.M., we ate lunch at a local restaurant, Southside Cafe, where Hubby and I both ordered a catfish plate, which consisted of a baked potato, white beans, fillet catfish, cornbread, and a salad.

Catfish plate 

We traveled along US Highway 79 to Paris Landing Park, where we saw the Big Sandy River, a man fishing, and flooded roads. 2:20 P.M.
We backtracked to Paris Landing Visitor Center, where we saw four barn owls and two bald eagles in cages outside.

While we were at Paris Landing Visitor Center, two park rangers from Reelfoot Lake put a recused Bald Eagle into one of the cages outside because the eagle's cage at Reelfoot Lake was flooded.

Bald Eagle at Paris Landing Visitor Center

Inside the Visitor Center, we saw exhibits featuring turtle shells, coyotes, big cats, raccoons, and informational pamphlets.
2:30PM-3:08 P.M.

We arrived at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge at 3:35 P.M., and it closed at 4:00 P.M., so we didn't have much time to visit.
We walked through the museum and outside, but did not see any animals or birds.

The sunset we saw while traveling from Paris to Tiptonville

We arrived at Sportsman Lodge after 6 P.M.
We stayed in a one-room Fishman cabin that was just enough room for a small table, futon, countertop stove, microwave, bed(with bed springs), satellite TV, and bathroom. If you want to rough it, this is the way to go.

The neighborhood dog slept on the front porch in a chair. I'm not sure what kind of guard dog he was, for I never heard him bark. He sure was friendly.

We didn't get much sleep because we could feel every movement the other person made, and the bedsprings made a screeching sound.

You could walk outside our cabin just a few feet, and there was Reelfoot Lake.
The sunrise was beautiful, overlooking the lake.

Sunrise over Reelfoot Lake 

We ate breakfast at Sonic in Tiptonville. I ordered Texas toast with sausage and cheese, and Hubby ordered a hamburger and a corndog.

We rode to historic downtown Tiptonville, where we saw the schools, cemetery, churches, and several landmark markers,

Carl Perkins' boyhood cabin 

We stopped to take pictures of Carl Perkins's boyhood home.
We rode to Reelfoot Lake State Park Visitor Center, where we saw a live barn owl, rattlesnakes, copper head, and birds. There were several displays and activities for children, and outside was a flooded walkway and owl cages.

Cypress Boardwalk and Scenic Cruise are all flooded. 

Barn Owl at Reelfoot Lake State Park

At 10 A.M., about 20 people loaded onto a school bus.
Our guide was a Park Ranger named Jerry Lewis, but I am not sure of his last name.
He said we are traveling along the Mississippi River levee to see bald eagles.
The levee road was above the water, with floodwaters on both sides.

The bus stopped one time, and we saw a couple of bald eagles nesting.
Almost everyone got off the bus to stretch their legs and view the eagles.

When the tour ended, we started at home.
We stopped at Cracker Barrel in Dyersburg for lunch.
Hubby ordered a roast beef plate. I ordered a kid's pinto beans, carrots, cornbread, and an onion plate.
We split a bowl of hot peach cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Scarlet Macaw 

We stopped at the five-mile drive-thru Safari Park Zoo in Alamo. We bought a bucket of food to feed the animals. You have to be careful feeding the animals, so I only feed the small deer.

After finishing the drive-thru, we parked and walked through the petting zoo.
We stopped at McDonald's in Savannah, Tennessee. Hubby ordered a hamburger and fries. I ate peanut butter crackers and a banana.

Flooding on the Tennessee River at Savannah, TN 

We arrived home around 8 P.M., both worn out from all the traveling and the sleepless night before.

2019 Jan 7, Day Trip to Guntersville, Alabama State Park

Hubby and I rode to Guntersville, but before we started our trip, we stopped to purchase our lottery tickets for the week and to get our weekly B12 Shots. We stopped at Foodland and purchased two canned drinks, and again at McDonald's in Rogersville for two apple pies. 

What a way to start the day!

We traveled US 72 E to I-65 S, then to I-565 E, and finally to US 431 SE to Guntersville. 

We arrived in Guntersville around 11:30 A.M., stopping at Lake Guntersville to take pictures of 100s of Cormorants and seagulls that were perched on the piers. 

Gulls

Cormorants

At 12:40 P.M., we stopped at KFC and ate from the buffet. 

I chose a chicken leg and wing, fried okra, and collard greens

After a hearty lunch, we began our adventure to Guntersville State Park.

We stopped at Guntersville State Park Birding Site #34 to take a few pictures.

Signs indicated that we might see Signature Species, waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and Birds of prey. Sadly, we did not see a single bird at site #34.

We rode up the hill past the State Park Cabins and Lodge and down the mountain to the Campgrounds, beach, and pavilion.

On our way down, we saw a doe hiding in the brush.

At the State Park Lagoon, we saw two goats and 3 Emus.

Five Donkeys 

The beach was desolate, but there were hundreds of American Coots and gulls. 

As we were leaving the beach, we saw these two do.
They came right up to the car and stopped for a picture
They were still there as we drove away.

We left Guntersville State Park around 2:30 P.M. and headed to Bucks Pocket.
We missed our turn and rode 8 miles too far. 
Turned on our GPS, and it took us down several winding roads.

Waterfall @ Bucks Pocket State Park

We walked down to the overlook at Bucks Pocket State Park, where we saw a waterfall in the distance. 
We walked back to the car, and Hubby plugged our home address into the GPS, which led us down this winding road that crossed the bridgeless South Sauty Creek. The creek water came from the waterfall we had seen earlier. Like so many backcountry roads in Tennessee, there was no bridge. There was only a poured concrete foundation where the creek flowed over the concrete. The road to the Ranger station was closed due to the heavy rain. Hubby said he saw tire tracks, so he felt the bridge was safe to cross. 

We stopped at Weathington Park Overlook Sections, Alabama
It overlooks the Tennessee River

The sun was setting as we entered Scottsboro, and a few clouds had drifted in, giving us a spot of rain.

It was getting dark when we stopped on the East side of Huntsville at McDonald's for dinner. 

We stopped at Dicks and Cabela's in Huntsville to look at Scopes.

We spoke with a couple of employees at Dick's about scopes and camera lenses.

We watched an employee feed the fish at Cabela's.

We arrived home around 8:30 P.M. 

I was exhausted from all the traveling, took a shower, put on my PJs, climbed into bed, and was asleep in no time. 

On Feb 22, three young people drove across this South Sauty Creek, and their jeep was swept into the floodwaters. Two of the young people were rescued, and as of March 1, the third, Koy Spears, has not been found. 

Tennessee and Alabama have been experiencing heavy rainfall. The ranger's station at this location was closed when we crossed South Sauty Creek. The creek should have been closed. Thankfully, the creek was not roaring that day, but it was up, and you couldn't see the concrete beneath it. 

2018 Dec 4, Day trip to Nashville to see Grinch Ice, Gardens Opryland Hotel, & Opry MIlls Nashville, Tennessee

Hubby and I ate lunch at Cracker Barrel in Spring Hill.

Hubby ordered a Hamburger, coleslaw, and pinto beans.

I ordered a kid's shrimp tartar sauce and fried apples with cornbread. 

Before entering Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The ice display includes over 2 million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures. 

Everyone must line up to receive a blue coat to wear inside, as the rooms are kept at 9 degrees Fahrenheit. I wasn't going to get cold! The coat I am wearing here is the one I wore under the blue jacket, along with gloves and boots. It was still cold inside; you couldn't stay long.

The Grinch and his sleigh and I bundled up 

Me and the Grinch 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Opryland Gaylord Hotel stopped for a quick picture in front of the Sleigh and the Christmas Tree.

A quick picture with Trace Adkins

bird of Paradise 

Red Poinsettia 

Purple Orchard

The hotel features numerous beautiful flowers throughout its three gardens.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. 

We took our time at Grinch Ice, Three Gardens at Opryland, and walked around Opry Mills.
We ate dinner inside Opry Mills, and we did not encounter the work traffic on our way home.
We arrived home around 9:30 P.M.

2018 Dec 2, A Visit to see Santa Clause at Santa Land Elgin, Alabama

Hubby, Ava, and I went to visit Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Reindeer at Santa Land.
Hubby parked the car in the field, and we walked to the ticket counter. There, we purchased our tickets and were told we could take our time strolling the grounds before entering the Castle. 

Entrance to Santa Land

SantaLand 

We saw Micky, Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, and many other Disney Characters.
Ava and I enjoyed listening to and dancing to the music played at the Looney Tunes Area, featuring Wylie Coyote, Road Runner, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, and the Tasmanian Devil. 

Ava and I were dancing to the music, and Hubby overheard a little girl say I want to go there and dance. 

SantaLand is home to Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Reindeer, and many other characters. 
Ava loved all the outdoor decorations but wanted to go inside because it was a bit chilly outside. 

Ava said, "I am Cold!" 

Once inside the Castle, we saw a menagerie of Christmas Decorations. 

A couple of Puffins 

The Grinch 

Santa and his talking Reindeer 

We were greeted by Santa's helper and waited for our turn to sit in Santa's lap and talk to Santa. 

Ava went right up and sat in Santa's lap. She told him what she wanted for Christmas.
She told Santa, and we continued walking through the Castle. 

Ava and Santa Claus 

Ava and Mrs. Clause 

Next, we saw Mrs. Claus. Ava went right up and sat in her lap, and she gave Ava a Candy Cane. 
We took a few pictures inside and walked outside.

We could hear the Chipmunks singing in the distance. Ava said they were singing too loudly. 

Alvin, Simon, Theodore the Chipmunks

Ava kept saying I want to go back inside and see Santa Claus. So we took her back through, and Santa was going on break. He asks Ave if she wants to go see the Reindeer, and she says yes.
Santa took Ava's hand, and they walked outside, stopping to see the Reindeer. 

Ava and Santa are visiting the Reindeer. 

Santa holding Ava's hand 

Ava told Santa Merry Christmas 🎄
We walked around outside some more. It was damp and cold outside, so we
went back inside.
We bought Ava a gingerbread cookie and took it to a table to be decorated. On each table were three different colors of icing to be used for decorating the cookies. We used green for the eyes, red for the buttons, and trimmed him in yellow. He was yummy and sweet. 

Ava with her Gingerbread Cookie, we ate all but the head.

Gingerbread Cookie: I helped her decorate

Ava didn't want to leave. We told her Santa Claus had to go to bed
She was okay then.

2018 Dec 15, Leipers Fork Christmas Parade Leipers Fork, Tennessee

My Hubby and I rode to Leipers Fork to attend the Christmas Parade; it was one of the biggest crowds I had ever seen.

The crowd at Leipers Fork Parade 

John Snider(Bo Duke) from The Dukes of Hazzard was the Grand Marshal. John rode atop a replica of the Bright Orange General Lee #1 from the Dukes of Hazzard Show (1979-85).
Followed by the Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane's Police Car.

John Snider, Grand Marshal 

Kid Rock came riding in a White Car that had a bullhorn on the front grill, packing guns on both sides of the car. The backside of the tire covering was Hank Jr. Kick Rocks & Michigan Plates 64 Nudie with a shotgun, horses, and horseshoes on the trunk, fenders, and bumper.
The kid was dressed in White, trimmed in gold, and wearing a black hat, drinking a Cooler Light beer.
The guy from American Pickers came riding in the parade in a Polaris Jeep.

Kid Rock and his granddaughter

We saw a Grinch 

Cindy Lou-Who 

Santa Claus in his sleigh with Reindeer 

Hubby and I stopped at Jack's Restaurant in Lawrenceburg for breakfast. I ordered a sausage-and-cheese biscuit.
Hubby ordered a big breakfast.
We arrived at Leipers Fork around 11:00 A.M., set up our chairs, and walked around taking pictures and talking to local shop owners.

The Christmas Ball hanging from the ceiling at one of the local stores, also in the attic area, was a Manger Scene. 

People had already set up a chair in front of Pucketts Grocery, a local restaurant. 

fireplace, a warm, cozy spot 

Cowboy boot Sign

There were several portlets set up, but not near enough for the crowd.
Where we sat were a couple of firepits with marshmallows and graham crackers to make s'mores.
It was nice to sit by the fire; it was an overcast day with temperatures in the 50s, with some sun.
At the portlets, I met a woman who was building a house in the Leipers Fork area. She said we have 2 dogs and 2 cats, and they were renting in the Nashville area but were originally from Atlanta, GA.
I also met a woman wearing a Mad Hatter hat; she was covered in Christmas rope, bells, and balls.
She gave me and the woman next to me a bell. I tied my bell on my tennis shoe, and everywhere I went, I would hear bells. I forgot it was me who was ringing.
I met a family from near Dickson, TN. She said she was an artist, and he was a landscaper (from Nashville until he married). They had two children and had never attended the Leipers Fork Parade. I told them they were in for a treat. They were waiting to eat at a local restaurant when the parade began; they came and stood nearby. The man said that after they ate, the kids rode horses in the fields, and there they saw Kid Rock.
The little girl said she wanted one of the bears that were going to be thrown out during the parade. Both she and her brother caught two each.
They left after the bears were thrown out.
My Hubby and I both made s'mores, but they were a real mess. The parade began around 2:30 P.M. and lasted until about 4:00 P.M., just after sunset, as it was starting to get dark. The cleanup crew began cleaning up all the debris left by the parade and the crowd. Hubby and I sat by the fire pit as we watched a steady stream of cars leave the grass-filled parking area.
A young man stoked the fire, and we warmed our hands and bodies.
A man with his daughter was warming up at the fire pit. We were discussing the Shoals area where we were from, and the man mentioned that he had a friend who played in a band that performed at the Shoals Marriott.
We finally braved the traffic and began our travel home.
At 5:22 P.M., we stopped at Panda Express in Spring Hill.

End of the parade, and the sun was setting. 

We ordered broccoli and beef, honey walnut shrimp, orange chicken, chow mein, egg roll, and 3 cream cheese Rangoon.

We ordered broccoli and beef, honey walnut shrimp, orange chicken, chow mein, egg roll, and 3 cream cheese Rangoon.

At 7 P.M., we stopped at Big Lots in Lawrenceburg for some bread and Archway gingerbread cookies.

(I love me some gingerbread cookies) We bought three bags and a bag of Archway gingersnaps. 

We were home around 7:30, took a hot shower, put on my pajamas, crawled into my warm bed, turned on the TV, and were asleep in no time.
Hubby had a great day; it was a little on the cool side, overcast, and the sun tried to sneak out a few times. Saw John Snider, Kid Rock, and the guy from American Pickers. Made a few new friends, ate some good food, and had a safe trip home.