2017 June 10, Saturday, Sacred Indian Stone Wall Florence, Alabama Guide Tom Hendrix son

My sister, dad, and great-niece attended the Dennis family reunion at Walnut Grove Fire Department where we enjoyed a delicious fish meal.
On our way home, we decided to stop and visit Tom Hendrix's Wall.
Tom built this rock wall(which took over 30 years) in honor of his great great grandmother who was one of many Indians that walked the TRAIL OF TEARS.

I let my dad and sister out at the entrance(my dad is ninety years old and cannot walk very far without his walker) and parked the van.
Dad walked a short piece and sat down on one of the benches.
My sister, great-niece, and I walked the length of both sides.
Dad had walked back up front and was waiting for us sitting on his walker.

Dad told Tom's son that he had visited the wall many years before and that he knew Tom.
There was a group of people when we arrived and a couple of people on motorcycles when we left.

Rock Faces 

Tree Roots 

Tom would be glad to know that the Legend will never Fade as long as people want to see and hear the story of why he built the wall for Te-lah-nay.

stopping for a picture

Tom's Wall 

Sister and great-niece

Tom's Wall 

Tom's Wall 

Tom's Wall

I was amazed by how cool it was walking among the rock.
An amazing place, representing many souls, an echo, and a longing for home!

🚗2017 May 30, Tuesday, "A sportsman paradise" & Pink Palace Museum Memphis, TN

Hubby and I rode to Memphis Tennessee which took about three hours.
I had a runny nose and I sneezed the whole trip.
We stopped at Walgreens in Corinth MS bought some Flonase Nasal Spray recommended by the Pharmacist.

Bass Pro Shop 

Bass Pro Shop at the Pyramid on Bass Pro Drive in Memphis was our first stop.
Once inside we saw a sign that said, "Welcome to Paradise"! A sportsman paradise!
Swimming in the water below us we could see schools of a variety of fish, and swamp-covered trees everywhere.
We stopped to see the alligators, they were behind glass walls, and they were staring at us.

Swamp Covered Trees & Elevator

We saw a 27-foot elevator that was lit up with red, green, and blue lights.
We paid ten dollars to ride the elevator to the top while listening to a pre-recording about the store and catching a big fish.
We exited the elevator into a restaurant where we were greeted by a hostess. She asked us if we wanted to eat at the restaurant or if we just wanted to take the breathtaking view of Memphis.
We said we just wanted to walk out onto the balcony and see the view below.

View from Balcony 

Once outside we could see downtown Memphis, the roaring Mississippi River, Mud Island, The Memphis & Arkansas Bridge, and the train bridge. There was another balcony with a view of the Mississippi River, houses, apartments, and piers.

View from Balcony 

We visited the Ducks Limited Museum where we saw a variety of guns, ducks, trophies and etc.
We saw the Big Cedar Lodge, wildlife creations taxidermy, & aquarium full of fish.
The smell of cinnamon-glazed roasting pecans, cashews, and almonds filled the air.

Our next stop was the Pink Palace Museum.
You can visit the Museum on Tuesdays at 1PM for free.

Hubby and I walked up the grand staircase to the third floor to see the animatronic dinosaurs exhibit.
This was a great area for children to touch models of dinosaurs' claws, bones, teeth and play with rubbing stamps and watch a video.

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs

We saw the first Americans, the History of Memphis, log Cabins, slavery, the Civil War, the first automated grocery store (Piggly Wiggly), Yellow Fever, from saddlebags to science, Clyde Parke's Miniature Circus, cotton and Thomas Harwell's mummy casket.

It was after 2PM we were hungry so we rode to Joe's Crab Shack.
Hubby ordered the Crab Legs bucket and I ordered fish and chips we both ordered water with lemon to drink.

Fish & Chips at Joe's Crab Shack Memphis 

In Memphis, we also rode passed several old historic homes, & the Liberty Stadium.
Around 3PM we started for home, arriving around 6:30PM.

2017 May 19-20, Shoals Front Porch Storytelling Festival

Friday, May 19
8:45-9:00 Opening
9-9:30AM Bil Lep
9:30-10AM Southern Gentleman Tim Lowery told a story about his adventure to the Rattlesnake Saloon.
Break
10:15-10:45 Donald Davis
10:45-12PM Dolores Hydock talked about the USO of WWII
12-2:00PM lunch at the Pie Factory with a friend. I ordered Creamy Tomato Basil dip with bread and Coke
2-2:30PM Don White talked about his teenage daughter
2:30-3:00PM  Bil Lepp
3:00-3:30PM Tim Lowery
3:45-4:15 Donald Davis talked about his camping at the cabin borrowing truck and having fun in the field of milkweeds
4:15-5:00PM Kat Campbell She talked about visiting Ava Mario, Rock City, Lookout Mountain
Supper Break 5-7PM
I ate lunch at Jack
7:7:15PM Bil Lepp talked about his friend Skeeter and the water hoses, condensed steam, Old Faithful, Coal Mines
7:15-7:30PM Don White talked about California and TV

7:30-9:00PM
Mark Narmore sang about Jesse James, What I Like About Sunday's
Kate Campbell sang about her grandfather-in-law's cement boat, burning down Big Mansions
Walt Aldridge sang about the Smell of Rain, Modern Day Bonnie & Clyde
Bobby Horton Speeding, Lord's Supper, Stand a Little Rain, Man of Steel

Saturday, May 20
9:00-9:30AM Don White- Love and Growing Up
9:30-10:00AM Bil Lepp Love my dentist
Break
10:15-10:45AM Donald Davis
10:45-12:15PM Dolores talked about Sally Foster's journal accompanied by Bobby Horton
Lunch at Legends with a friend we both ordered a hamburger with lettuce, tomatoes, and onion with water with lemon to drink.
We saw several of the storytellers at the restaurant.
We walked through Wilson Park looking at all the vendors wearing at Arts Alive
2:00-2:30 Don White talked about his wife
2:30-3:00 Donald Davis talks about his experience in first-grade
3:00-3:30 Tim Lowry talked about finally making it to Disney World after three tries and not losing faith.
My friend and I both left at the 3:30 Break, she was tired and I was getting sick and was sick for almost two weeks,
Had a great time at the Storytelling Festival

2017 May & June Music in Wilson Park with a variety of entertainers

May 3,  

Music in Wilson Park with Joseph Baldwin- Hubby and I ate lunch at Rosie's Mexican Cantina.
Granddaughter played in the fountain and danced to the music

Joseph Baldwin

Granddaughter played in the fountain

Granddaughter, Ava helped hubby work on the fence in front of the swimming pool.
 She would hand him a tool, he would say thank you and she would reply Welcome!

May 10, 

Music in Wilson Park with Shannon Knight - I had an appointment at Bone & Joint to get an X-ray of both knees. The doctor put a Cortisone shot in my right knee. We left music in Wilson Park at 12:45PM

Music in Wilson Park with Shannon Knight

May 17, 

Music in Wilson Park Cadillacs 11:30-1:00PM 1:30-2:30 Listen to Dolores Hydock's storyteller, "Through the back door, the music that bridged the Bayou"

Storytelling with Dolores Hydock

Storytelling with Dolores Hydock

Music in Wilson Park with Cadillacs

May 24, 

Music in Wilson Park with Mitch Mann 11:30-1:00 The park was wet with all the rain so everyone that came sat in the center of the park where there was concrete. Bought pizza from Pizza Hut and took it home to eat.
no pictures

June 7, 

Music in Wilson Park with Drum and Drummer 11:30-1:15PM Hubby and I ate lunch at Taco Bell and then Academy Sports where Hubby bought some Crocs and a large ball (for exercise)

Drum and Drummer 

We missed music in Wilson Park on June 14 and 21.

June 28, 

Hubby and I went to music at the park to listen to Gary Nichols.
 I was feeling great and I went be-bobbing across the street to use the restroom at the library. I popped my right leg down onto the pavement not thinking and I went from feeling like a sixteen-year-old to a one hundred old woman.
I made it across the street and to the restroom.
When I went to wash my hands my right leg would not move. I stretched it several times and had to stop several times before I made it back across the street to the park.
This being said,
you can not always judge a book by its cover. Because if someone looks great, and acts great, it does not mean that there is not something wrong with them. By looking at me earlier yesterday morning I was walking normally and by afternoon I needed a cane.
You don't have to be old to have health problems, and each of us needs to be kinder and more thoughtful to others. I think we tend to forget about these things until it happens to us.
After the music ended we rode to the Co-Op where hubby purchased a new riding lawnmower.
My knee was still giving me a fit so I waited patiently in the van which took over 30 minutes.
The lawnmower was loaded onto the trailer and followed us home. 
I lay on the sofa for the rest of the day.
My knee was much better the next day.

🚌📖 🚌📖 🚌📖 🚌📖 2017 May 18, Events leading up to the Shoals Front Porch Storytelling Festival

Two buses were waiting at the Florence Visitor Center for passengers to board. One bus takes a group of people on a Historic Tour(guide Billy Warren) and the other bus takes a Music Tour (guide Walt Aldridge).
A couple from Toronto Canada, a couple from Louisiana, a woman from Tuscaloosa, our driver, our guide Billy Warren and myself loaded onto the bus taking the historic tour.
We visited the Florence Indian Mound and Museum, the Rosenbaum House, rode by WC Handy's Home and we visited the Ivy Green Home of Helen Keller.

Our first stop was the Newly-built Indian Mound Museum. We were led into the sitting area where we listened to the curator tell the history of the museum and mound, starting with the Paleo Indians, Transitional, Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian and ending with the Native American age

Late Archaic Period

Middle Archaic Period

Early Archaic Period 

Once again we loaded onto the bus, our next stop was the Rosenbaum House, where we were met by a curator, who told the history of the Rosenbaum Family and how Frank Loyd Wright ended up building the newly married couple's home.

We rode by the WC  Handy Home not stopping while Billy told the history of WC Handy.
As we cross the O'Neal Bridge, Billy Warren said the bridge was named after two governors from Florence (father and son).
Billy was asked about the Train Bridge and why it went only halfway across the river, Billy said that the lift part of the bridge was sold to a company in St Louis Mo.

Our last stop was Ivy Green the home of Helen Keller. As we approached the home we could see a large group of schoolchildren.

Ivy Green and Several Groups of School Children 

The pump where Helen Keller said "Water" is where her education began. 

The curator came outside and gave us a little history of the Keller family.
One story the curator told us was about Annie Sullivan.
Helen locked Miss Sullivan in her room and she hides the key.
Mr. Keller had to get a ladder for Miss Sullivan to climb out a window.
What had she gotten herself into?

Add caption

This young man said, Is this the statue that is in Washington DC?  I said no, it is one of Helen standing by the pump.

The Key used to Lock Miss Sullivan in her room

Ivy Green as we were leaving (notice no school Children)

Once again we loaded into the bus and rode back to the Visitor Center. Since it was such a small group we got to know a little about one another.

I grabbed a bite of lunch at Jack's (kids' chicken fingers, green beans, Rice Krispy bit-size snack, and Ice Tea.
At 2PM I watched the Katherine Tucker Windham Tucker life video at the Florence Library (sat next to my friends). The woman from Tuscaloosa, from the bus tour.

From 3:30-4:15PM, Florence Library I listened to Dolores Hydock's talks about "It Could Happen! Stories of Hope and Possibility.
Funny, sweet stories of hope, possibilities, and the little things in life that make hope possible.

Stopped to talk to my writing friends before heading home.
At Rick's Barbecue, I bought some pulled pork, Cole Slaw, Ice Tea, and Texas toast for supper.

Had a wonderful day, made a few new friends, visited several museums, watched a video about a great storyteller, and listened to a great storyteller with my friends.

2017 May 16, Tuesday, Day Trip to Huntsville, Alabama

Hubby and I rode to Tennessee to buy our bi-monthly lottery tickets. Hubby went inside scanned his tickets and came back to the van. 
He said I forgot my wallet do you have any cash? I had enough money to buy the tickets $28
We had an appointment at Champion Chrysler Dodge to get the oil changed in our Town and country in Athens at 11AM.
We had to ride back home to get his wallet.
We stopped in Elgin for B-12 shots and just made our 11AM appointment at Champion.

They finished our van but the oil light was still on. 
Hubby went back inside and told them, they had forgotten to reset the oil. 
The woman came out and tried she said the floor mat was too close to the gas peddle and was not letting it reset. 

Had to sit in the Slingshot sitting in the Showroom 

We rode to Huntsville, and our first stop was the Huntsville Train Depot/Museum.  The park area was open but the museum was closed. 
There was a school group visiting the park and earlier that morning there was a Civil War Re-Enactment there were still tents standing in the open field. 
We walked into the Museum store, Caboose, and Train Engine.
Huntsville Depot Museum Hours
Wednesday -Saturday 10-3PM 
Gates Open 
Monday - Sunday year-round 9-5PM
As we were leaving a train came rattling down the tracks.

The Huntsville Alabama Depot Museum 

Standing in the Engine Room 

Civil War Camps

Passenger Depot
Huntsville Alabama
Built 1860
Memphis and Charleston Railroad Company
Eastern Division headquarters in this passenger Depot,
Adjoining yards and shops were captured by the Union Army on April 11, 1861.
Vital east-west Confederate rial link served, CSA soldiers imprisoned here.
The depot was later used by Federals as a base for gathering supplies for Western Theater
military operations. After the Civil War returned to M & CRR Co
acquired by Southern Railway System in 1898, since1971
preserved by the City of Huntsville. 

The main reason for coming to Huntsville was to see the newly renovated Big Spring Park.
There is a concrete walkway around the reshaped lagoon, where the water flows so it can clean itself. 
There are park benches along the walkway, but no trees, (so it will be hot during the summer).
You can walk right up to the water's edge. We saw children leaning into the pond feeding the goldfish and ducks. 
We walked along the water's edge and the fish and ducks followed us. 
I saw a young man feeding the fish.
I made the comment I was going to buy some food but my hubby did not have any change. 
The young man gave me a quarter, I thanked him and I bought a quarter's worth of seeds. 
The fish and ducks gobbled the food right up.

Goldfish and ducks feeding 

Big Spring Park Oriental Bridge 

Newly reshaped lagoon

Fountain 

Kids feeding fish and ducks

Huntsville Art Center 

We rode south on Whitesburg Drive to Airport Road then onto Parkway stopping at 
Rosie's Mexican Cantina for a late lunch.
We ordered a white chip dip and shared a Chicken Fajita. 
Rosie's Mexican Cantina on South Parkway has a beautiful garden full of blooming flowers.

Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden 

Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden 

Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden 

Rosie's Mexican Cantina Garden (Singing and playing Minstrels 

Parkway South is under construction (turning it into six lanes).

Road Construction on South Parkway 

Road Construction on South Parkway 

Road Construction on South Parkway 

We rode to Ditto Landing and saw a few geese, boats, and bridges.

Gaggle of Geese

Bridge Closed at Ditto Landing 

We rode down Drake Avenue to RSA where we filled up with gas and saw a few geese. 
We were home a little after 5PM
My granddaughter had been texting me all day wanting to know when we were coming home.
My granddaughter, her daughter, and a friend came over around 5:30PM to swim.
I did not get into the pool because I was too tired.