2016 April 5, Tuesday, Touring the Tiffen Motor Home Plant Red Bay, AL

In Tuscumbia, we took Hwy 72 West to 247 south to Red Bay arriving a few minutes before the Tiffen Motor Home tour began. 
Highway 247 was like a roller coaster ride as we were going up and down the hills.
A beautiful spring day where we saw many trees that were turning green while others still naked from the winter.

Traveling down 247 Hwy 

Tiffins has a one hour tour a day tour beginning at 9AM Monday - Friday. 
We were in a group of about twenty people from every walks of life but mostly older people looking to buy their dream travel home. 
For most of us, this will be our last major purchase. 

There was a pot of hot coffee and several friendly faces awaiting everyone as they enter the Visitor Center. 

We were told that we would need a pair of safety glasses to wear as we toured the dusty plant.
We were also given a radio so we could hear our two curators as we walked into the noisy plant. 

We watched a short video about how the Tiffen plant began and how Red Bay got its name. 
Red from the red clay dirt and Bay from the many bay trees located in the area. 

We were also asked what Allegro means. A musical term which means brisk tempo.
Mr. Tiffen's wife was taking music lessons and she suggested the first motorhome be called Allegro so they would not be listed at the end of the telephone book.

Everyone was wearing their safety glasses and listening to their radios, that we were all given, as we followed our tour guides to the plant. 

The Visitor Center had four Texaco Fire-Chief gas pumps, on display when gas prices were seventeen cents a gallon and your gas was pumped into your car for you. 

Under the porch was one of the first Allegro motorhomes built using the Avocado Green Appliances inside the coach. 

Visitor Center

The Slide Out

Cabin Shop 

Plumbing 

Chassis: The rectangular, usually steel frame, supported on springs and attached to the axles, that holds the body and motor ...

Diesel Motor 

Waiting for final inspection

When the tour ended we were told we could tour the many finished motorhomes. 
Some of the motorhomes were inside getting the finishing touches put on while others were outside waiting for a final inspection. 

We walked back to the Visitor Center to use the restroom before beginning our trip home. 
While inside the Visitor Center I picked up a postcard that was a replica of the picture hanging on the wall of the Visitor Center. We were would be told that the postcards were free. 

Depicts the history of Tiffen

We stopped at Jack's for a quick lunch.

We had a wonderful day meeting new people, taking a tour of the Tiffen Plant and the pleasant ride down 247. 

If you are looking to buy a motorhome then you should take a tour. If you order a motorhome from Tiffen you can actually watch the motorhome being made. 

The tour is well worth your time. 

2016 April 2, Saturday Mule Day Parade in Columbia, TN

I once again find myself on the road alone. I rode to Columbia Tennessee to watch the Mule Day parade. I found a parking spot whipped my van into an empty spot. I got my camera, cell phone, coat, and chair and walked across the road. 

I picked out a spot opened my chair and sat down. Decided it was too cold so I went back to the van for my bigger coat. 

Both sides of the road started filling up. 

I went back to my chair and I sat patiently waiting for the parade.

A couple from Sheffield sat right next to me. They said this was the first time coming to the parade. We discussed which direction the parade was coming neither of us sure. 

The woman's husband said he was going to walk down the road to Hardees to use the restroom and for some snacks. 

The woman placed two chairs next to mine and we began to talk. 

It never fails that I meet someone I know or someone from the same area. She asks me where I went to church and I told her thinking she had never heard of our church. Wrong! She knew a couple that had been going to our church for years. It goes to show, that we should behave where ever we go. The Lord is watching us and he is sending his angles to make sure we behave.

The man returned, stayed only a few minutes before he was wearing short pants and he told his wife it was too cold to sit outside so he went back to his car. 

He told his wife to call him on his cell phone when the parade began.

There were over two hundred entries in the parade which made for a very long parade. 

I was taking pictures with my big camera as well as taking videos with my cell phone. 

Once I heard a man say the horse almost sniffed your butt. I had turned around and was taking pictures of the parade that had already passed. I was standing very close to the road so I could get pictures of the parade. The parade started with a motorcycle police escort. Next was men & women dressed in black pants and vest-wearing yellow shirts carrying the US Flag and three other flags. One was red, white and blue with three stars in the middle. May have been the Tennessee State Flag. The other two were different shades of blue. 

Mule Day Parade

Next, we saw the grand marshal riding in a wagon being pulled by two dark gray and black mules.

Next, we saw a couple of brown mules pulling the first, second, third and fourth runners-up of the Mule Day court. The girls were dressed in orange, green, purple and white gowns
Next was a couple of white mules pulling a red wagon.
We saw wagons being pulled by one mule, two mules, three mules, and four mules. 
We saw people riding mules, horses, & ponies in every shape and color. 
We saw a young girl dressed in blue, she was riding a brown and white horse, and she was waving to the crowd. Many riders were dressed in western attire. Many of the horses and mules were harnessed in black,& silver.
There was a couple of riders pulling a horse without a rider. They said that they lost their rider. 

We saw floats, horses, and riders.
We saw a 1394 train with wheels rolling down the road. 

We saw a bright blue Corvette in the parade.
We saw a man wearing a red, white and blue flag shirt. He had an American flag hanging on the back of his wagon, that was pulled my two miniature mules. 
He was wearing a smile on his face. 

Mule Day Parade

We saw a group of very scary clowns. Their float turns at the entrance of the academy just before they reached us. 

Mule Day Parade

We saw a man riding a brown mule he was wearing a red shirt and a long white beard. He could be Santa Clause at Christmas. 

We saw a girl riding a horse with orange hoofs, orange ears and tail.
We saw a float with "Old George" a mule and a man singing.
We saw an all white male with orange hoofs. 
We saw a wagon train. 

Mule Day Parade

In the distance, we could see the wagon train, the crowds of people watching the parade passed as it crossed the highway headed up the hill to the Maury County Park. 

Mule Day Parade

A very pretty pair of mules

Many riders had their pets

Many different riders

We had riders in jail

We saw a team of mules pulling a HURST

There were many who loved getting their picture taken while others turned away or covered their face with their hats. 

The kids jumped for joy when they saw Spongebob Square Pants.

the kids also loved Batman and Wonder Woman

We saw a horse performing tricks

We saw mules wearing overhauls

What a day! What a great parade!
If you missed this parade be sure to tune in for the next one!

2016 April 1, Friday, Mule Day in Columbia, Tennessee

I started the day with a Pedi-Manicure, which I immensely enjoyed. Next to get an adjustment with the Chiropractor. Next, I stopped at Chick-fil-a for 4 pieces grilled chicken nuggets & a small strawberry milkshake. (used my cow card). As if that was not enough sugar for the day, I went to Krispy Kreme for a cup of donut holes.

Still had enough time to ride to Columbia Tennessee for mule day.
I had a great time watching the mules pull the wagons. I took pictures of several pictures of corralled Mules. 

Mule Day in Columbia 

Mule Day in Columbia 

The parking lot was muddy so I parked on the pavement several blocks away. 

The day was overcast but that did not stop people from coming.
Lots of people.
One of the Arenas was covered in mud and could not be used.
I only stayed a couple of hours and I did not check out the vendor's wares.
Three little girls stood beside me at the railing of the arena. On little girl ask me if they were giving pony rides. I said I did not know but I saw several children petting a poney.

One little girl kept calling the mules horses and I said, honey, they are not horses, they are mules. I don't think she knew the difference.
Her sister said sis are you making a friend.
The little girl said my mom and dad are back behind us.
The little girls walked away and all three came back with a plate full of
funnel cakes. This kept the little girl quite for a while.
I walked back through the corralled mules for one last look and left. 

I stopped at Long John Silvers in Lawrenceburg for a Fried Cod meal and a Seafood meal. 

Hubby and I talked about going to First Friday tonight but both were too tired.

We decided to watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy on TV instead. 

🎄🎄🎄🎄2010 December 28,Tuesday, Christmas decorations at Opryland Hotel in Nashville

Trip to Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN

Tuesday, December 28, 2010 

Hubby, Sierra, and I rode to Nashville, Tennessee.

We stopped at Store Number 134, Cracker Barrel, in Franklin, Tennessee, for lunch. Hubby ordered a ribeye steak, a baked potato, a salad, and the total cost was $12.99, plus an iced tea for $1.89.

Sierra ordered a kid's fried chicken tender meal with Mac and cheese, and a doctor pepper to drink, which cost $4.49.

I ordered a Kids Grilled Chicken Tender meal, with green beans, onion, cornbread, and iced tea with lemon to drink. The cost was $4.49.

For dessert, we all shared, and the Apple Dumpling cost was $3.79.

I bought two 22-oz Wood Wick Candles, one was Candied Berry and the other was Pumpkin Butter.

To park for one day at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel costs $18. 

Hubbyparked as close as he could get to the walkway.

We went inside the hotel, where we saw many Christmas lights and displays in the gardens. Some of the displays had already been removed. The Christmas trees and the Nativity Scene were no longer there.

There was a cheerleading competition going on. There were girls there with their parents signing in at the Tennessee Ballroom.

Sierra and I rode the Delta Queen Riverboats, which cost $9 plus tax. Our Ticket numbers were 5228935 and 5228936.

Hubby did not want to ride, so he waited for us. 

Fruit Tree

 A Christmas tree made with poinsettia.s

Jack Daniels

Standing on the grand staircase

Sitting in the gardens

Along the waterway were several plaques telling about the blending of the waters. On July 28, 1996, water from more than 1,700 sites around the world was blended into the Delta River, marking the opening of Phase IV at the Delta at Opryland Hotel Convention Center. 

There were also several plaques describing the fish that were in the Delta River. 

They were a Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Common Carp, and American Eel.

There was another sign that said, "Delta River Fish." You cannot get any closer to country music than inside the walls of the nearby Ole Opry. If you traveled all fifty US states, you couldn't step inside one that had a greater diversity of freshwater fish, over 300 species, than Tennessee. ee

We walked aro, andund I took pictures of everything. Poinsettias are everywhere, displayed in several different sizes, shapes, and colors. There was a musical fountain and several waterfalls. 

We saw decorations hanging from the ceiling, hot air balloons, characters, and lights. We saw a sign that read," Jack Daniel's Tapping the Barrel in February 2011." 

There were several fruit trees in the gardens.  

We saw a Coconut Tree, a Bosnia Tree, and others. 

The hotel featured several restaurants, as well as numerous stores and display windows.

One window display was the Tennessee Titans and the North Carolina Football teams.

Some of the stores we saw were Opry Shop, Sunny G, a Children's Boutique, Stax, Delta Island Mezzanine, Solario, Ravello, The Falls, Conservatory Bar, Cocoa Bean, and Findley's Irish Pub.

There was a forty-foot Christmas tree (Delta Atrium) and two Christmas trees made with poinsettias. (One in the Magnolia Lobby) 

Outside was a giant Christmas tree made of stringed poinsettias all around it. 

Outside was a Nativity Scene and the reading of the birth of Christ.

The Manger Scene

Reading of the Birth of Christ

Christmas Tree outside

We enjoyed several hours at the Opryland Hotel.

We went to the Bass Pro Shop, which was not as big as the one in Kodak, TN. 

We stopped in Columbia, Tennessee, and we ate supper at Taco Bell. 

ï Magnolia – The original lobby and retail area of the hotel. Currently features “The District" and Grand Staircase, modeled after the Tara from Gone With the Wind.

ï Garden Conservatory – The first atrium constructed, considered by many to be the heart of the hotel. Several weddings take place in the Garden Conservatory's romantic setting each year, near the Lion Head Fountain and Crystal Gazebo.

ï Cascades – The second atrium was constructed. Features the rotating Cascades Terrace Lounge as well as Wasabi (a Japanese sushi restaurant) and the hotel's largest waterfalls. Connects to the main lobby, where the main and only registration desk is located.

ï Delta – The third and largest atrium was constructed. Currently, the center of activity at Gaylord Opryland is Home to the Delta River, several retail stores, a few eateries, and Gaylord Opryland's finest restaurant, the Old Hickory Steakhouse. This area of the hotel also features a connection to Opry Mills Shopping Mall. The Delta Project was the main inspiration for the company's expansion into other markets.

ï Convention Center – The most significant convention area in Tennessee, with three main exhibit areas and five ballrooms

🎄🎄🎄🎄2010 December 19, Sunday, Reading of A Christmas Carol & Christmas Party 🎄🎄🎄

Trees of Christmas

I took Sierra to the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, where "The Trees of Christmas" was on display. They are 12-foot spruce and fir trees decorated with themes by local residents at the Art Center, 511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia. Free Sundays 1–3 P.M. 

The curator informed us about the drawings and display of the singing river sculptures, which were created by artist Audwin McGee.

Still in its infant stages, the Singing River Sculptures are planned as four semi-abstract sculptures — one each in Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia — to be placed in prominent spots, Matthews said, such as a city entryway. The capstone of the project will be a cluster of about seven to nine sculptures overlooking the river.

Created from recycled aluminum donated by Wise Alloys, a producer of aluminum can stock based in Muscle Shoals, the pieces' sizes varied according to their locations. The goal is for each to be larger than life, about 18 to 20 feet tall.

After viewing the sculptures, we visited the 12-foot spruce and fir trees, decorated in various themes by local artists. 

One was decorated to honor the firefighters. It was decorated with fireman hats, Dalmatian dogs, candy canes, fire trucks, "Do Not Cross" rope, fire suits, badges, and more.

One was decorated with ice cream cones, roped in red and white-stripped paper, large and small lollipops, candy, and dolls. 

One tree was decorated with large and small red and gold balls, poinsettias, keys, rope in lights, bells, packages, presents under the tree, and a big red ribbon streaming from the top.

One Christmas tree was decorated with bubbling lights, wrapped with colorful lights, and adorned with dangling icicles, which reminded me of an old-fashioned Christmas tree.

The Trees of Christmas

The Trees of Christmas

One Christmas tree was decorated entirely in gold, featuring gold balls, lights, and topped with a large gold ribbon that streamed down to the floor. It had packages under the tree, which reminded me of a luxury Christmas tree. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with string, a bird's nest, and pinecones, and was roped in with tiny white lights, creating a scene reminiscent of Christmas in the Country. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with cards, books, USA maps, times, ABCs, Cat in the Hat Books, and encouraging children to read with books under the tree. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with lambs, sheep, and tiny white lights, featuring Bible scriptures on lamb cards, and topped with a large sheep. Under the tree, more sheep and lambs. 

One Christmas tree was decorated with angels, musical instruments, roped with string wooden beads, and topped with lots of icicles spiraling toward the ceiling. Under the tree were several brown bears wearing shirts with "Alabama Dirt Shirt" written on them, and they were sitting in a wicker chair, creating a more country Christmas atmosphere. 

Once during the Christmas Holidays, you can visit the Helen Keller Home for Free. 

 Helen Keller Home 

 Helen Keller Home 

Donations are welcome. 

Home Tour Admission:

Adults...$6.00

Students  5-18..................$2.00

Seniors & "AAA" members...$5.00

Military (Active and Retired)...$5.00

Group of 20 or more..................Adults $5

Children $1.50 (Group reservations requested)

Sierra and I walked through Ivy Green, the home of Helen Keller, which was decorated for Christmas.

The decorations are taken from the grounds of Ivy Green. 

We toured the first-floor parlor, the dining room, the hall, Captain Keller's bedroom, Evaline's bedroom, Anne and Helen's bedroom upstairs, the Trunk Room, and the Boys' room. 

Each room was connected by a hallway, and each room had its own fireplace. The home was built by Helen's grandparents, David and Mary Keller, in 1820. The grounds consist of the Rose Garden, Cottage, Boxwood Circle, Cook's House, Well, Herb Garden, Butterfly Garden, Memorial Stone, New Zealand Gate, and Japanese Garden. 

We finished touring the Keller Home and then rode to the Sheffield Library for the reading of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, not Will Stutts. 

Will Stutts did a solo reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. 

We saw A Very Merry American Christmas tree. 

The library had a Christmas tree donated by the art classes of LE Wilson Elementary.

It had a sign that read," This tree is dedicated to Whit & Genie."

Love and their daughters, Tabitha & Kayla 

Bless you for your kind and generous spirit

Merry Christmas

Along the side were written Rudolph, Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, the Star of Bethlehem, Jesus, and Frosty the Snowman. 

The Sheffield Library had Christmas cookies and hot apple cider for refreshments. 

Will Stutts's solo reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas

Christmas Tree and Cookies at Sheffield Library 

Will Stutts performed a solo reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. 

He did an excellent job, and he kept my attention.

I was happy to say that I loved to listen to him read. His voice changed with each character, and he maintained this consistency throughout the reading. 

I had a delightful afternoon. 

Sierra and I stopped at Krispy Kreme for two dozen donuts.

We went to Sam's Club for a pizza, a chocolate cake, and cheese dip, which we brought home for our Christmas party.

For our Christmas Party, we had chili, cocktail wieners, chocolate cake, donuts, crackers, chips, cheese dip, and drinks.

When everyone finished eating, we retired to the living room, where the kids played board games, including Monopoly, checkers, and Twister.

Christmas presents were passed out.  

Lora, Stephanie, and a friend came, but her kids did not come. 

Montana called out the colors for Twister while Lora and her friends played the game.

I had my camera out and took lots of pictures.

It was very lovely of Tracy to share her home with our family.

Thank you, Tracy

Christmas Party at Tracy's 

Playing games