2024 May 4, Moulton & Cullman Strawberry Festivals (Day Trip)

 Today, we rode to Moulton for the Strawberry Festival. 

It had rained a lot, and the park was muddy and wet

They had planks you could walk on in the wet area 

They had carriage rides for two dollars 

Rides for kiddos 

Vendors with all sorts of different stuff that you could buy 

A petting zoo and a few strawberries for sale

We did not stay long 

Fried Chicken Fingers with Sweet Potato and Toast, Oh! Bryan's Hartselle, AL 

We took the old Decatur-Moulton highway into Decatur 

Then on to Hartselle, stopping at Oh Bryan's for lunch

I ordered chicken tenders with sweet potatoes, and Hubby ordered steak and potatoes 

We then rode to Cullman for their Strawberry Festival 

We walked around. They also had rides for kiddos 

Lots of vendors and food, of course, live music, arts, and crafts 

There was a dog contest called the Doggy Pageant

The song that was playing was Who Let the Dogs Out 

We walked through several shops 

Took several pictures 

They had several strawberry-themed murals and a row of snapdragons in full bloom. 

Strawberry Festival Moulton 

Strawberry Festival Moulton 
Snap Dragons 

T-Mobile was taking pictures for free and sending them to your phone, so we had ours taken. 

It got so hot and humid that my head hurt, so we left.

2024 April 6, Huntsville Twickenham Walking Tour

Walking tour of Twickenham in Huntsville

We had over 60 people on the tour.

The group taking the tour 

Clarke Dorning's 1935 home 

White Dogwood Blooms 

What a beautiful day for a walking tour of Twickenham. With every step we took, we learned about the early settlers of Huntsville. 

It was steeped in history from the early 1800s.

It felt like we were walking in a botanical garden with all the colorful azaleas and pink and white dogwood trees in full bloom. The aroma of lilac filled the air from the Lilac bushes and tulips with shiny white faces. Music filled the air with chirping Robins, Blue Jays, Finches, and Woodpeckers.

After the tour, we rode to the Bridge Street Center, stopping at The Cheesecake Factory for lunch. 

SkinnyLicious® Avocado Tacos

Roadside Sliders

Original cheesecake 

Hubby ordered Roadside Sliders*

I ordered bite-sized burgers at Mini-Buns, served with grilled onions, pickles, ketchup, and SkinnyLicious® avocado tacos.

Fresh Jicama "Tortilla" Shells Filled with Crispy Avocado, Tomatillo Slaw, and Cilantro

We also ordered a slice of the Original cheesecake. 

Original

The One that Started It All! Our Famous Creamy Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust and Sour Cream Topping

We were too full to eat the cheesecake, so we brought it home.

2024 May 2, Day trip to Pulaski, TN

Today, we rode to Pulaski, TN, stopping at Flatrock Cheese, 2825 Minor Hill Hwy. 

We bought several spices there: Red crushed pepper for $2.11, Hot cajon seasoning for $3.16, and ground cinnamon for $3.06.

We bought a package of chocolate-covered pretzels and some Natural Black Raspberry dip mix for $3.47.

We also bought two packages of unique cheeses.

Several people were there buying their freshly served sliced meats and cheese sandwiches.

salad

Chipotle Chicken sandwich with chips. 

Sandwich with chips

Carrot cake

We rode into Pulaski and ate lunch at the Yellow Deli.

I ordered a Chipotle Chicken sandwich with chips.  

Hubby ordered a salad and a sandwich, and we split a slice of Carrot cake.

The Yellow Deli has a beautiful garden in front and on either side of its building. 

Yellow Deli 

Flower Garden 

Flower Garden 

Flower Garden at the 1900 Heritage House 

We rode around downtown Pulaski, through the University of Southern Tennessee, looking at old houses and buildings. 

Civil War Soldier 

Historic Marker 

We stopped at USCT Park, where the UNITED STATES Colored Troops were honored in Giles County during the Civil War. 

We stopped at Walmart, a discount store, and Dollar Tree.

We came home via Loretto, Leoma, and St Joe on Hwy 43.

There is a lot of history in Pulaski, but today, we just stopped to shop and eat lunch.

2024 Apr 27, Car & Tractor Show, Tee-Ball Game, Art Museum and Sisters

My husband and I rode to Killen Park for the Killen Log 877 Classic Car Show, which featured a mix of bikes, jeeps, classic cars, and new cars.

Cahaba Shrine Hillbillies truck at the Car show 

We parked alongside the park. Many cars and people were present, including those attending the farmers' market, soccer games, Vendors, and Car and Tractor Shows.

It has been several months since I last visited the park. Many new buildings are being constructed, and disc golf courses are now installed.

There was also a tractor show featuring several old and new John Deere tractors, as well as those from other manufacturers.

1929 John Deere Tractor 

We strolled through the farmers' market, stopping to buy stone-ground cornmeal and fresh strawberries. 

Ripe home-grown strawberries

We stopped at home so Hubby could grill steaks, and I fixed creamed potatoes and corn on the cob for lunch. 

After lunch, we rode to Lexington Park to watch our great-grandson, Atlas, play Tee-ball. 

After the tee-ball game, we rode to TVAM, where a display and crafts were set up for bird lovers. We talked through the Tennessee Valley Art Museum (which was free today). 

On display was the art of the print: 500 years of printmaking.

What the Night Tells the Day by Douglas Baulos.

We rode back home, where I took a short nap. My daughter called while I was preparing dinner at my sister's house.

I ended the day by going to my sister's to play cards (spades and various UNO games). I liked the reverse UNO game.

Sisters Vicki, Becky, and Teresia, along with great-niece Emmalee and her friend, played these games.

Teresia had cooked a lovely meal of Black-eyed peas, cornbread, a broccoli casserole with chicken, brats with kraut, sweet potatoes, and a batch of chocolate chip cookies. 

My sister loaded me down with leftovers for Hubby.

She also gave me a bouquet of peonies from her garden.

Pink Peony 

I got home after 10 last night.

2024 April 20, Courtland Walking Hayride Tour

While waiting for the rain to stop, everyone gathered at the Courtland Heritage Museum, which was established in 2009.

Courtland Heritage Museum 

We learned about the History of one of the South's first railroads. This railroad ran southward through Courland, linking the Tennessee Valley to Tuscaloosa and lower Alabama. 

The court records of early marriages in Lawrence County were on display.

We learned about how the Red Rovers were organized at Courtland in 1835 to aid Texas in its struggle for independence. 

We learned that several cotton gins once operated in and around Courtland. 

Once the rain stopped, we loaded onto a hay bale wagon pulled by a truck. 

Our guide stood at the back of the wagon, informing us about Courtland's historic homes and sites. 

We stopped in front of several historic homes. 

Tweedy-Northon-Morris-Thompson House

One of our stops was the Tweedy-Northon-Morris-Thompson House.

Richard Thompson, the owner of the home, stood on his porch and shared the history of his fully restored home with us.

Richard joined our group throughout the tour. 

One of our stops was the Courtland Presbyterian Church, built in 1821. Our guide and Mr. Thompson worship there. 

The first church was burned in the 1850s. 

Construction of the new church began in 1859 but was not completed until the end of the Civil War in 1868.

The church represents the mingling of classical and Italian influences.

The town square contains many empty buildings of Federal-style architecture. It is also a park with several historical markers, a fountain, and a gazebo. 

Another home we stopped at was the Harris Simpson House, a good example of the early American "I" house because of its tall, narrow side profile. The occupants of this house can be traced back to the famous James Jackson of the Forks of Cypress, Florence, Alabama. 

Harris-Simpson House 

There is a wealth of history for such a small town. They had a tiny theater that is now a residence. I said it sure was small. Everyone laughed, and our tour guide said it was big enough for their small town. I grew up in the Shoals area, with several theaters in Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Florence. I recall attending most of them, including the drive-in.

On our way home, we stopped at Lash's Seafood for lunch, where Hubby and I split a shrimp boil meal that consisted of Shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausages.

It was delicious.

Lash's Seafood shrimp  boil 

2024 April 19, Visitor Center, Kennedy Douglas Art Museum, Coffee Cemetery with AVA

 Today, we rode into town to pick up Hubby's medicine at Walgreens. 

We rode to the Blue Door Thrift Store/SCOPE 310 and bought AVA a game. 

Ate lunch at Culverts. 

Hubby and I split a plate of shrimp, fries, cole Slaw, and Chocolate moose yogurt.  

We bought an AVA hamburger, fries, and chocolate yogurt.

We stopped at the nearby Walmart to pick up a few items. Then, Ava and I walked across the street to the Coffee and Slave Cemeteries. 

A  large old tree at Coffee Cemetery

Ava wanted to visit a museum, so we rode to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center. There, we saw AROY Artistic Rendering of Youth, featuring artwork created by students from 7th through 12th grade at 15 schools. Outside, we stopped to take pictures of the statues. 

AVA and the outdoor art

We walked across the street to Wilson Park, and the mist from the fountain seemed to reach the clouds.

Overflowing Fountain at Wilson Park 

Color is the music of light. 
Frank Lloyd Wright 
(This marker is on the sidewalk at Wilson Park.)

We watched a barge go up the Tennessee River 
men fishing 

Ava enjoyed the playground area at McFarland Park. Our last stop was the Visitor Center, where they saw several displays. 

Large and small-mouth bass
Bass fishing & tournaments are significant on the Tennessee River in Florence.
Ava enjoyed the one with the big and small-mouth fish. 

WC Handy Statue in Wilson Park 
WC Handy 
Father of the Blues 
1873- 1958 
Born in Florence, Alabama 

Display of WC Handy's music at Florence-Lauderdale Visitor Center.
Handy played the Cornet (pictured here) 
Handy's first hit was "The Memphis Blues".

The W. C. Handy Music Festival is held annually in Florence, Alabama, sponsored by the Music Preservation Society, Inc., in honor of Florence native W. C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues." The non-profit Music Preservation Society was formed in 1982 with the mission to preserve, present, and promote the musical heritage of Northwest Alabama.

The 2024 Handy Festival will take place from Wednesday to Saturday, June 12-15, in Florence, Alabama.