2017 May 6, Strawberry Festival Moulton, Alabama 🍓🍓🍓🍓

I took Highway 101 crossing Wheeler Dam over into Lawrence County and traveling through Town Creek. At the red light, I crossed Highway 20 staying on 101 until I reached Hwy 157 turning left, and traveling east until I reached hwy 33 which took me to Courthouse Square.
I parked on Big Nance Street and walked a block crossing Highway 33 onto Courthouse Square.
The Courthouse sits on a hill so all my walking was up and down the hill which is very hard on the knees.

People filled the streets looking for gifts for Mother's day

I saw a yellow and green board called Plinko but never played the game.
It was sponsored by the Moulton Middle School PTO.

The sign read:

Fidget Spinners $7.00 

Score 6 candy 

Score 4 Stuffed Toy

Score 3

Fidget Spinner   

Step up to the board, once you have all of your chips.

Lay a Plinko chip flat against the top of the Plinko board.

Take aim at the prize you want to win by lining up the chip within an area where it can bounce around the board until it lands in the slot.

Release the clip and watch it bounce and travel through the maze until it reaches one of the bottom slots.

If you win a prize and the chip doesn't land on zero, then you can add the amount of the prize to the grand total of winnings.

Repeat Steps 3 through 6 until you've played all of your Plinko chips.

The smell of food filled the air, Little Jimmy's was selling  Italian Ice, Cheese Chaos, deep-fried Oreos, soft pretzels, Iced tea, Lemonade, & Cheese Nachos.

Loud music filled the air with the band that was playing near the courthouse. 

Mosquito Control!
The Neon color should attract the Mosquitoes if it doesn't blind them first.
 LOL
I love this neon Green & Yellow color. I
wear this color often
Guess I want to attract mosquitos.  

"Coke Cola Mural" There is nothing more refreshing than a cold Coke Cola in a bottle.

I guess the Hillsboro Fire Fighters were here to help keep the peace, Just in case the crowd got rowdy

Class of 1933  White Buick 

A Johnnie Cash and Elvis Presley Fan was walking near the Fairlane's

This Chevrolet had a sign in the window.
 Look but Please don't Touch it!!

Kool car tag "OLDSKOOL"

This bright orange-trimmed black car had wings. I bet it can fly!!

Nice ride!! SS 350

I stopped to talk to this young man. I said you have some beautiful flowers.
I said that I did not need any more right now, I had just bought several.
He was selling them for The FFA Agricultural Education
Learning to Do, Doing to Learn,
Serving to Live, Living to Serve. 

I had a great time walking around talking to people, smelling the food, listening to music, and watching the line dancers and tap dancers. 

The Hillbilly's Helping Children Shriners Hospital
RC, Moon Pie, Mountain Dew, and See Rock City were just a few of the signs attached to the Shriner's outhouse. I stopped to talk and donate. I loved their display and told them they should be front and not the end of the line.

2017 April 22, Saturday, Touring the Lairmore House Florence, Alabama Tour guide Billy Warren

One of the sites to tour during the Florence Walking tour was the Larimore House led by Billy Warren a retired school teacher.

The front side of Larimore and the tour group 

Home of T.B. and Esther Gresham Larimore
Mars Hill Academy, 1871-1887

Backside Larimore House

The Gothic-style house was built by Theiphilus Brown Larimore and his wife Esther Gresham Larimore located near the site of a foundry and arsenal of War between the states.
It served as a school from 1871-1887 to train ministers and Christian workers of the Church of Christ.
It was used in 1947-68 for classes at Mars Hill Bible School.

Theiphilus Brown Larimore was born July 10, 1843, and died March 18, 1929.
Brother Larimore began preaching soon after he was baptized and preached when an opportunity was given to him. He taught school at Mars Hill and preached three times sometimes on Sunday.
He preached all over the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Cuba.
Larimore died & is buried in Orange County California at Fairhaven Memorial Park Cemetery.
His second wife Susan Emma Page Larimore is buried next to her husband Mr. Larimore.
Susan wrote a column for the Gospel Advocate, Children's Corner, and several books.

His first wife was Julia Esther Gresham Larimore July 11, 1845, died March 4, 1907

Inscribed on her tombstone 

Went home Mar 5, 1907

A dutiful daughter, a loyal helpful hopeful wife, a model mother, a sweet singer, a truly conscientious consistent Christian, always consecrated Christian, always consecrated, and true to Christ and his cause, she was perfectly prepared for that sweet home where sorrows and said separations are unknown "where life is eternal and a treasure sublime. Farewell, sweet wife-by grace divine. We'll meet you "over there." your lonely husband. 

They had six children:

Mary Delilah Larimore George 1869-1959

Grandville Lipscomb Larimore 1871-1925

Theiphilus Brown Larimore 1872-1903

William Herschell Larimore 1874-1928

Julia Esther Larimore White 1876-1960

Andrew Virgil Larimore 1879-1972

Article from the Gospel Advocate 1870 Advertising the Mars Hill Academy
For males and females
This Institution situated four miles Northeast of Florence, Alabama on the highway leading from Florence to the justly celebrated "Bailey Springs, " will be ready for the reception of pupils by the first of January 1871.
The location is free from all temptation to extravagance and health and convenience cannot be excelled.
Boarding, washing, lights, and fuel $75.00
Tuition $20
The contingent fee is $5.00

Piano from the family collection

Mantel inside the Larimore Home

Family photos line the wall along the staircase leading upstairs

Billy Warren gave a speech about the Larimore House & several Larimore family members were touring the house for the first time, there to learn more about the history of their families. 

I joined several for a meal in the basement.
We were served pork, green beans, and sweet potato casserole with iced tea. 

I walked outside and took pictures of the Rose bushes in full bloom. 

On July 20, 2018, the Larimore Home caught fire and was badly burned not sure if it is repairable.
Power to the house was previously cut due to another small fire about ten days before the one in July.

2017 April Events

April 1, Saturday -Beaty Walking Tour Athens 10-11AM

Beaty Walking Tour Athens with Billy Ward

April 4, Tuesday, B-12 Shots

On April 5, Wednesday, May brother-in-law passed away (Robert Haddock)

April 6, Thursday, Kept Ava Grace

Ava Grace in PJ's 

Storytime 

April 7, Friday, Took Ava Grace to Story-time at Florence Library 10:30-11:30AM

April 8, Saturday, Houston Walking Tour Athens 10-11AM, Rogers Car Show & Funeral 2:30PM

Houston Walking Tour Athens

April 10, Monday Doctor Appointment 3:50PM

April 11, Tuesday, B-12 Shots

April 12, Wednesday, Full Moon

April 14, Friday, Worked bookstore & Passover Sader Meal

Passover Sader Meal

April 15, Saturday, Church History Walking Tour Decatur

Church History Walking Tour Decatur

April 17, Monday, Kept  Ava Grace

Ava Grace

Covered Bridge Park Cullman

April 18, Tuesday, B-12 Shots & Cullman Covered Bridge Park with Ava Grace

Playtime at Florence Library

April 21, Friday, Took Ava Grace to Story and Music at Florence Library, River Heritage Park, and Chick-fil-A 

April 22, Saturday, Toured the Larimore House with tour guide Billy Warren 

Larimore House 

April 23, Sunday, Athens Character Cemetery Stroll

Athens Character Cemetery Stroll

April 24, Monday, Ophthalmology and swimming pool repairs

April 25, Tuesday, B-12 Shots, swimming pool liner installed

Swimming Pool Liner

April 26, Wednesday, Filled the swimming pool, and kept Ava Grace

April 27, Thursday, Kept Ava Grace

April 28, Friday, Book Talk at Visitor Center Florence with Jerry Masters "Hangin by my knees from a tree. 3-4PM
Florence Library Edwin Bridges talked about his book "Alabama The Making an American State"2-3PM

April 29, Saturday, Decatur Bank Street and Archives Walking Tour Decatur & Dancing lessons

Decatur Bank Street and Archives Walking Tour 

April 30, Sunday, Wished two of my granddaughters Happy Birthday

2017 April 18, Tuesday, Day Trip to Cullman, Alabama (Ava's First Trip with us)🍓🍓🍓

We rode past the Paper Mill in Town Creek (that is being torn down) to Highway 31 to Decatur.
Ava ate half a banana, and crackers and drank some milk before we stopped for lunch.
We stopped at Logan's Roadhouse in Decatur for lunch.
Hubby ordered a hamburger and fries. 
Ava and I shared ALASKAN cod, fried to perfection in a Samuel Adams Boston Lager batter. 
Served with crispy house-made potato chips.

Ava eating lunch

Fried Cod and chips 

Fried Cod and chips

Ava watched Kong Fu Panda, Little Mermaid, and Dory on the TV screen in our van.

Our first stop was the Decatur Train Depot 309 1st Street Cullman there we saw several train benches, a miniature train, a light, and a couple of cases of artifacts.

Train Depot 

We walked across the parking lot to Depot Park where Ava enjoyed stretching her legs after the long ride.

Ava enjoying the fountain at Depot Park 

We saw a farmer's market across the street so we took Ava by the hand and entered the crosswalk that leads to the farmer's market.
At the farmer's market, they were selling fresh homegrown strawberries.

Cullman's Farmers Market

Fresh Strawberries

We bought a gallon and before we knew it Ava was filling up on strawberries.
I had a baby wipe ready as the red juice flowed down her sweet face.
As soon as she finished one berry she was saying more.
I sat next to her in the back seat so I could feed her and clean her up.
Our next stop was the dollar store where hubby bought him a diet Mt. Dew and Ava a bottle of Apple Juice.

Clarkson Covered Bridge

Finally, we arrived at the Clarkson Covered Bridge.
We were all ready to get out of the van. 

I said that we should all walk across the bridge but Ava said scared so she and hubby walked to the cabin that had a swing, while I walked across the bridge.

Some kind of animal jumped out at me when I started back across the bridge.

I walked back to the cabin where Ava and hubby were looking at a green lizard.

Green Lizard

Me and Ava on the Clarkson Covered Bridge 

Cabin and Mill

We walked to the creek across a smaller bridge and took a few pictures.
It was awful muggy and by the time we arrived at the van, we were all sweating.
We were relieved to feel the cool air from the air conditioner.

Clarkson Covered Bridge
Sometimes called Legg Bridge
this 270-footbridge was constructed in 1904, destroyed by a flood in 1921, and rebuilt the following year. The only remaining covered bridge is Cullman County. It was restored by the Cullman County Commission in 1975 as an American Revolution Bicentennial Project. Named to National Register of Historic Places on 6~25~74.
Alabama Historical Association 1975

Side view of Clarkson Covered Bridge 

A smaller bridge that crossed the creek 

Ava with only a few strains of strawberries on her dress 

Snowball bush at the cabin

There were signs all throughout the park 

1. What is Water Pollution? #1

2. Where does your drinking water come from? #5

3. What Happens to my wastewater? #6

4. Monitoring Watershed Health #8

5. What's the Big Deal about Litter?! #9

6. Birds of Alabama #12

7. Alabama's Aquatic Biodiversity #13

8. Alabama's Physical Diversity#14

9. Land Use and Water Quality #15

We rode past the Civil War Museum we did not stop because we were all too hot and tired.

We came back on Highway 157 through Moulton.
We stopped at a local nursery for some tomatoes and peppers.
We dropped Ava off at her house and came home.
Too tired to get off the couch.
After resting for a couple hours we took the time to plant our vegetables in our garden box.