I'm Back with a Very Long Post

Sorry I missed last week. Life can get hectic, right?

Let's finish this trip.

Saturday, March 24, 2007
I arrived at the gate to the Little White House in Warm Springs about forty minutes early.  I got out the paper towels and Windex and cleaned my windshield and other windows.  Some yellow pollen is making a real mess on my car.  When I try to wipe it off, it just smears around.  I worked on my journal a little.  Just can’t keep up to date.

The walkway is lined with a pedestal and flag for each state. 

Missouri's pedestal with the date we joined the union - August 10, 1921, and our motto "The welfare of the people shall be the law of the land."

For more information on The Little White House click HERE.

For more photos click HERE.

Calloway Gardens was a disappointment.  Laurie’s friend, Margaret, was right – everything changes and never for the better.  A butterfly house has been added and a discovery center.  The landscaping around the buildings is colorful and beautiful.  The horticultural area has a green lawn with bright borders, a conservatory and a koi pond.  I saw a few sparsely blossomed azaleas.  On the return tram, someone told me there’s an azalea area and a trail where they’re beautiful.  I remember from a prior trip, driving and driving through woods where azaleas in all colors lined both sides of the roads.  I passed on getting back on the tram to return to the azaleas.  I already have a half disk of photos from Bellingrath Gardens. 

 

After my motel experience, I decided to save Atlanta for another trip.  I backtracked to 85 and went back toward Montgomery and then off on 280 to diagonal into Birmingham.  I stopped short of Birmingham in Mountain Brook and found a terrific Best Western and only $64.  I had a hamburger at Waffle House and then filled up with gas next door.  I had a restful night.
 
The area going into Birmingham is really very nice, mostly newer construction but old enough to have established landscaping.  I could live there if it didn’t get so hot and humid.  I really enjoyed the drive into and out of Mountain Brook. 
 
The temperatures have advanced into the 80’s.  
 
Sunday, March 25, 2007
I had a boiled egg, a biscuit and some orange juice in the very nice lobby and got off at 8:00.  My room was really nice.  I’m sticking with Best Westerns for a while.
 
Alabama is so perfect at this time of year.  The redbuds are in full bloom and the trees are budding.  Of course, the pine trees stay green, so they made a nice backdrop for the redbuds.  Surprisingly, Alabama is hilly and would be a good place to live if you could cope with the brutal, drippy summers.

 
I stopped at the modern visitor center in Tennessee and took pictures of the trees, had a potty break and picked up brochures.
 
The drive was pleasant and not too much traffic.  I arrived in Columbia about 11:00 and the Polk House opened at 1:00.  I found a Captain D’s and had a nice flounder lunch and found a shady parking place where I worked on my journal and listened to “Splendid Table” on my car radio.  Why don’t we have this on our station?  I picked it up in Louisiana last year and loved it.
 
The Polk House is unusual because everything actually belonged to the Polks.  Nothing is “of the period”.  This is where Polk lived with his parents when he was a young man.  After he married Sara Childress, they lived up the street and visited his folks often in this house.  After he left the presidency, he had a mansion in Nashville as his retirement home.  Polk lived there only a short time.  He and his wife went to New Orleans for a vacation and he came home very ill.  He had contracted cholera and died a short time later.  His wife (seven years younger) continued living in the Nashville Mansion another forty-two years but only left the house to attend the Presbyterian Church.  She continued to wear black until her death.  The Polks didn’t have children.  Mrs. Polk took a great-niece to raise after her husband’s death.  The niece continued living in the mansion after Mrs. Polk’s death.  Her children and grandchildren lived there, as well.  The house was very near the state capitol and right downtown.  When the house was demolished because of its location, a relative put the furniture in storage.  The Columbia house was rescued in 1929 after being a residence, a boarding house, a YMCA, law offices, etc. and the items from the mansion in Nashville were taken from storage to furnish it.  The Columbia house was built 1816, but the furnishings are from 1840-1850.  However, some items are original to the Columbia house, as members of the Polk family returned them on hearing of the restoration project. 
 
Polk is the only president to date to have fulfilled all his campaign promises.  He was in office during the Mexican-American War and was instrumental in the acquisition of the territory which became California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah (or parts thereof). 

Calloway Gardens was a disappointment.  Laurie’s friend, Margaret, was right – everything changes and never for the better.  A butterfly house has been added and a discovery center.  The landscaping around the buildings is colorful and beautiful.  The horticultural area has a green lawn with bright borders, a conservatory and a koi pond.  I saw a few sparsely blossomed azaleas.  On the return tram, someone told me there’s an azalea area and a trail where they’re beautiful.  I remember from a prior trip, driving and driving through woods where azaleas in all colors lined both sides of the roads.  I passed on getting back on the tram to return to the azaleas.  I already have a half disk of photos from Bellingrath Gardens. 
 
After my motel experience, I decided to leave Atlanta for another trip.  I backtracked to 85 and went back toward Montgomery and then off on 280 to diagonal into Birmingham.  I stopped short of Birmingham in Mountain Brook and found a terrific Best Western and only $64.  I had a hamburger at Waffle House and then filled up with gas next door.  I had a restful night.
 
The area going into Birmingham is really very nice, mostly newer construction but old enough to have established landscaping.  I could live there if it didn’t get so hot and humid.  I really enjoyed the drive into and out of Mountain Brook. 
 
The temperatures have advanced into the 80’s.  
 
Sunday, March 25, 2007
I had a boiled egg, a biscuit and some orange juice in the very nice lobby and got off at 8:00.  My room was really nice.  I’m sticking with Best Westerns for a while.
 
Alabama is so perfect at this time of year.  The redbuds are in full bloom and the trees are budding.  Of course, the pine trees stay green, so they made a nice backdrop for the redbuds.  Surprisingly, Alabama is hilly and would be a good place to live if you could cope with the brutal, drippy summers.
 
I stopped at the modern visitor center in Tennessee and took pictures of the trees, had a potty break and picked up brochures.
 
The drive was pleasant and not too much traffic.  I arrived in Columbia about 11:00 and the Polk House opened at 1:00.  I found a Captain D’s and had a nice flounder lunch and found a shady parking place where I worked on my journal and listened to “Splendid Table” on my car radio.  Why don’t we have this on our station?  I picked it up in Louisiana last year and loved it.
 
The Polk House is unusual because everything actually belonged to the Polks.  Nothing is “of the period”.  This is where Polk lived with his parents when he was a young man.  After he married Sara Childress, they lived up the street and visited his folks often in this house.  After he left the presidency, he had a mansion in Nashville as his retirement home.  Polk lived there only a short time.  He and his wife went to New Orleans for a vacation and he came home very ill.  He had contracted cholera and died a short time later.  His wife (seven years younger) continued living in the Nashville Mansion another forty-two years but only left the house to attend the Presbyterian Church.  She continued to wear black until her death.  The Polks didn’t have children.  Mrs. Polk took a great-niece to raise after her husband’s death.  The niece continued living in the mansion after Mrs. Polk’s death.  Her children and grandchildren lived there, as well.  The house was very near the state capitol and right downtown.  When the house was demolished because of its location, a relative put the furniture in storage.  The Columbia house was rescued in 1929 after being a residence, a boarding house, a YMCA, law offices, etc. and the items from the mansion in Nashville were taken from storage to furnish it.  The Columbia house was built 1816, but the furnishings are from 1840-1850.  However, some items are original to the Columbia house, as members of the Polk family returned them on hearing of the restoration project. 
 
Polk is the only president to date to have fulfilled all his campaign promises.  He was in office during the Mexican-American War and was instrumental in the acquisition of the territory which became California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah (or parts thereof). 
 

After leaving Columbia, I was only about an hour away from Nashville.  The traffic became heavier as I neared the city.  I found myself in freeway traffic like California’s.  Glad to see I still know how to cope. 

I almost found a hotel in the wrong area.  A plane took off, and I realized how close I was to the airport.  I checked my AAA guide for a Best Western and found one near the Opryland Hotel and Opry Mills Mall.  I walked the whole mall to get the kinks out and then went to the Apple Barn to look for muscadine jelly.  I found it, as well as scuppernong jelly, so I bought a jar of each for my Snooty Pantry.  I also bought a bag of caramel apple chips, which was a mistake, as I “couldn’t have just one”.  I picked up some vegetables at the Chinese place in the food court and sat in the parking lot and watched the people and ate my leftover flounder, the vegetables and some orange-mango sauce from my stash.  Returned to my room and made a cup of sassafras tea and caught up my journal. 

Monday, March 26, 2007
First stop, the Hermitage.  I have to eat my words.  This place has changed and it’s better.  The visitor center has been expanded to include a museum and a restaurant.  The gift shop is bigger and nicer and the restoration has been continued on the house and outbuildings.  The gravesites have also been improved.
 
Andrew and Rachel Jackson were a love story.  Andrew even designed the “circular” drive in the shape of Rachel’s guitar.  They were childless and adopted a nephew and named him Andrew, Jr.  After Andrew was elected president, but before he took office, Rachel died.  She was buried in the white dress she had purchased for the inauguration.  She and Andrew are both buried at The Hermitage.  Many of Rachel’s relatives were born and lived at The Hermitage, and nieces assumed the role of hostess for visitors.
The large entry hall is papered with that wonderful mural wall covering which I dearly love.  The first I saw was at The White House and the design at The Hermitage is just as attractive. 
 
I couldn’t resist buying a couple of cookbooks in the gift shop: Tea Time at the Inn, and Tea Time, Southern Style.  Love those cookbooks.  I read them almost as much as I read novels.

 

Side

Back

Front

 
On to the capitol, another beautiful building; set high on a hill surrounded by grassy slopes and trees in bloom, it overlooks the city of Nashville.  The tiny dome on a pedestal exaggerates the height.  The legislature actually meets in this capitol.   Polk and his wife are buried on the grounds.  The third president from Tennessee, Andrew Johnson, was born in the eastern part of the state, so I’ll catch him on another trip. I did; but it was twelve years later when I went to Kentucky and Tennessee.

The drive through Tennessee is wonderful in the spring.  There are so many redbud trees along the highways on both sides, you feel as if you’re driving through a pink tunnel.  When I got as far as Caruthersville, which is just inside Missouri, it was getting close to dark, so I decided to see if there might be a decent place to stay.  I headed for the business area and found a sign with an arrow pointing to a casino.  Wow!  Penny slots!  I drove to the casino, which was supposed to be a ship on the river, but was actually just a structure which sort of resembled a ship.  But – directly across was a cute little country inn where I found a nice clean room, a friendly desk clerk and Kay, another guest, who wanted to go the casino but didn’t want to go alone.  She checked in right behind me, so we had started talking.  She’s a scaredy cat.  She won’t walk across the parking lot alone after dark (with lots of people around), she carries her handi-wipes and bottle of disinfectant with her, she cleans the bathroom and wipes all the doorknobs when she checks into her room and then she chain smokes.  Guess the idea of lung cancer doesn’t bother her.  Her husband had gout and couldn’t go out.  If I hadn’t been there to escort her, I wonder if she’d have stayed in and watched TV?
 
We checked in at the “new member” desk, but they didn’t give us any freebies.  There were three “decks” and only the bottom one was “no smoking”.  There was no one down there.  The machines weren’t very well maintained and some wouldn’t work at all.  I was having fun, but losing my money.  I went upstairs to find Kay to tell her I was leaving, and she had buckets of tokens - $1 tokens.  I decided I could stand the smoke to see if I could win some of my money back.  I did, plus $10.  My gambling fund is now up to $60.  Kay won over $400.  Guess if you’re going to gamble, you have to take up smoking to win.  We were there five hours and I even forgot to eat dinner. Ten dollars for five hours. So I made $2 an hour – better than wages in Indonesia, I guess.
 
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
I had a bagel and coffee in the lobby, cleaned my windshield, packed up and hit the road; I was ready to get home.  I noticed that the bugs in the South splatter yellow on the windshield but once I got to Missouri, they splattered white.  Wonder why? 
 
There’s still a lot of agriculture going on in this area.  Couldn’t tell what they’re growing because it’s too early, but the irrigation systems were operating, so obviously the fields had been planted.  I reached hills and gullies and it started to look like my part of the state.  I went through lots of small towns, had a sandwich at Blimpies in one of them, found a buffalo herd right outside Springfield (and I went all the way to Yellowstone to see them), and got home about 2:00 p.m.  My laundry was finished by the time I went to bed, but still a lot of things to sort and put away.
 
Okay, I’m ready for the next trip!         

Finally - The End

Catching up

When I mentioned Four O'clocks, Neighbor Barb said she didn't know what they looked like, so here they are by the fence. The vines climbing the fence are Morning Glories which hadn't started blooming yet.

When Barb and Bud and I went to lunch at Thai Gardens, we saw these in a pot at the door. I loved them, but had no idea what they could be. I took a photo to ask Google, and it turns out that it's Purslane. I read that it's invasive, so I've never bought a plant. After seeing this, I might like being invaded.

And while we're on the subject of flowers, just look at these beauties Barb and Bud gave me. I love my neighbors.

I don't believe I've told you about the new friend I have, introduced to me by Elly. Her name is Lillian, and she's a card maker. She belongs to a group of card makers at her church. I call them the CL's for Card Ladies, so if CL pops up, you'll know whom I'm referencing. The cards they make go to assisted living homes.  They meet twice a month, but pause during the summer. The first meeting when they start again in the fall will be September 15. In the meantime, I've met with Lillian and Jan (Fearless Leader) to see what I can contribute. I probably won't go to the meetings, but I can make cards and card kits to hand over. I also can share my hoard of stamps, paper, etc. as I have enough to make cards for years.

They said card kits would be great, so I make the card for a sample, then put the pieces for each additional card in a baggie and they will assemble them. My first contribution was an owl card.

Then Lillian taught me about "fractured" cards. I loved hers.

I gave it a try, but I didn't choose my papers wisely, so I put the pieces back together and made cards with a greeting I got from Katie.

I tried again, and these cards didn't photograph well. The butterflies have metallic gold which showed up looking brown. At least my papers were more successful this time.

So I've already given the CL's eleven cards and seven kits. At this rate, I should be able to use all my supplies in about 329 years.

Life has been a little hectic lately. At least I've had some time to have lunches with my friends, and I've gone to Cafe B29, Thai Gardens, Rosie Jo's and didn't take photos as I've already shared them. I went to Village Inn and Springfield Restaurant and the photos were uninspiring. Unless you like Country Benedicts. Bad Girl!

And Elly introduced me to empanadas at Pampas Empanadas where I should have taken photos and will later. And Joey told me about wonderful apple fritters at Supreme Bakery (my favorites) and they have Fritter Friday. If you buy six, the cost is the price of five. I tried orange (yum!) and blackberry (yeh) and look forward to trying more flavors. More on this next week.

A guy clipped my fender, so I've been busy getting estimates, collecting the money from him to pay for my repairs, running to Staples. I was completely out of white cardstock (primarily used for card bases so we need a lot.) Staples was out of it for awhile, so I decided to buy two reams (250 sheets each) so I'll have enough to last and besides, the price will probably go up in the future anyway. Lucky day - buy two, get one free - so I have one ream to contribute to the CL's. I also needed time to research the election and then made the appointment to take my car in today (Monday) and it takes four-five days. Duh! I completely forgot about voting, so I called when they opened, and rescheduled for next Monday.

Mim and I went to see David at Sight and Sound Theater. Wonderful, as usual. I love all this technology so I can see fire and water which aren't real, but look totally authentic, a lion so real I feared for David's life, birds flying over my head, sea life swimming over my head. And lots of sheep (real ones) running up and down the aisles, over the stage, even the side stages. How did they know where to go? The llama, burro, horses, and camels were being led or ridden, but the sheep were running loose. Amazing. I urge you to go see this marvelous production before it leaves in the fall, but if you do, take a sweater and a throw for your legs. That place is always cold. I'm a dunce about the Bible, but Mim filled me in so I could follow the story. She knows the Bible cover to cover.

If you're not asleep by now, thank you for putting up with me.

BE SURE TO VOTE ON TUESDAY

GO SEE DAVID AND THOSE SMART SHEEP

STAY HYDRATED

PLAN A TRIP TO SEE SOME OF OUR AMAZING SIGHTS

OR JUST GO HANG OUT AT THE POOL

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE