Christmas

Atlas has had a fun Christmas. He got to help wrap presents, place ornaments on the tree, share peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and got an awesome stocking.



Some would say this is looks more like opening than wrapping a present, but it is all a part of the creative process. (He prefers to give than to receive.)



He would climb the tree with an ornament, and he always found the perfect place.



The best gift ever! Peanut butter and jelly, bread, plates, a picnic basket, and a "WE BE JAMM'N" pin. Picnic will abound this summer!



Look at the treasure from his stocking! He is a rich turtle with all of those gold (chocolate) coins. (Don't tell him they are chocolate! He really thinks they are gold!)



Ready to make pb&j!

Caterpillar Garden

On a recent day trip, we stopped at a rest stop, just inside of Tennessee outside Chattanooga. At this rest stop was this fun caterpillar garden, and of course Atlas HAD to have his picture taken.





He started by saying hi to this guy.



Then he met this guy.



Next thing you know he thinks he is a dentist and is examining this guys teeth. Atlas said he found a cavity...



...and Mr. Caterpillar threatened to eat him! Atlas was trying to escape here.



Of course Atlas was just joking and so was Mr. Caterpillar.
They made up and became best buds.
Atlas has all sorts of friends!



And then this happened!

*more information about this can be found here on page 6
Caterpillar Garden located at
Nickajack I-24 west
Alabama line

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone from the states. We celebrated a little late here, but it was just as enjoyable.


This is most of the spread before it was devoured.


This is the dessert table (with a ham that had not made it to the other table). See how he is guarding that pumpkin pie? Don't get in between a turtle and his pumpkin pie!

Atlas has been enjoying his day. He made new friends.

And this is where he lost his tag. We knew it would happen eventually. It is now packed away in his bag. Still he enjoyed his fun time with his new friends.

Around Town: Greenville, TX

Another picture of the Hunt County Court House.

There have been many activities that have happened around this courthouse. There was an annual walkathon, to raise money to battle drugs, that started and ended at the courthouse. Everyone would meet there and walk together through town and then back to the courthouse. I think the trek was around ten miles. Once back at the courthouse we would listen to bands, drink sodas, eat, and draw for prizes. My family would go every year and the walk was nothing to us since we walked everywhere anyways.

Another event was the the Cotton Jubilee which had bed races. I do not know what the official title was for these races but that is exactly what happened. Teams would form, pay a fee to enter, and then build a rolling bed. If memory is correct there had to be four people to a team. One person would be in the bed and the other three would push. There would be four teams against each other at a time until there was a winner. I think one year there was a bed that only had three wheels.


Crossroads Mall

My dad helped build this mall. I do not ever remember it not being there. You cannot tell from the picture that this was a really busy mall. It is not as busy as it used to be unless there is an event there. When I was visiting there was a gun show held here and you could not find a parking place.

This mall used to house Walmart, back when it closed at night and before they built a new one across the interstate that did not close. I can still remember the popcorn machine at the front of the store and where the toys were.

Also that little yellow building to the right in the background is Taco Bueno. Can someone say yum?


Graham Park

I spent many holidays and non-holidays at this park. Specifically the Fourth of July. The city would have all sorts of festivities at the park, and after nightfall they would shoot off fireworks. I can still remember the foot paddle boats in the pond, the blankets spread on the ground over the burnt grass, and all of the food being cook by so many different vendors. One year we were unable to make it to the park and were able to see the fireworks from the house. Such fun!

Schools: Greenville, TX

The schools that I attended once upon a time.

Greeville High School


Peek-a-boo



Greenville Middle School




The middle school, like so many other schools, was once the high school.



Such a brave little turtle to perch at the feet of a lion.

I ran out of time to visit the intermediate school. Next time I will make a special trip there!

Oh, the memories of times spent in those classrooms. My favorite was art class (in all three schools).

Greenville, Texas

I visited Greenville, Texas.

These are not the best photos, but this is the Hunt County Court House

and the welcome sign.

I visited friends and wandered the familiar streets. Even after years have passed, I can find my way around this town with little thought.

It is strange to see a place stay the same and change so much. The places that seem to stay the same are those that have always been there. The places that never seemed to change even then, like down town and the old neighborhoods. The places that change are those closest to the interstate. The new exits, the bridge and interstate work, and the new Braum's.



I have missed the place; it is the old home, but it seems somewhat foreign now. It is still welcoming. It is just not home now.

I want to go back and stay longer. I was unable to see some of the places further out in Greenville, nor was I able to visit some of the surrounding cities and towns that I remember. I just do not know when that will happen.

Navigation

Atlas the navigator

Warning: long post and possible tangent

I usually do not use a navigation device. You know what I am taking about the Garmins and TomToms.

I usually to not use them. I plan a trip, open up Google or Yahoo Maps, and follow the directions (for the most part). I have always been good at reading a map, understanding directions, and knowing approximately where I am. I have never understood how a person can get so lost, like REALLY LOST.

Don't get me wrong I do get lost, every now and then, but I still have an idea of where I am AND being lost is usually a result of not consulting the directions/ map first. I admitted to getting lost in Dallas. I did not consult the map first! At my first stop in Texas, I passed the last road that I was supposed to turn on. I did not look again at my directions; I did not look at the final turn. I thought I was on the road.

Side note: I really do not like the FM (Farm to Market) roads in Texas! They are all numbers that begin to run together!! I was on something like FM 267 and I was supposed to turn onto something like FM 266! I think that explains everything.

Usually I use an atlas. You may say "Hey, I saw those pictures of you using the Garmin!" And you are right completely! I did use the Garmin on the trip to and from Pennsylvania (I will have to take that trip again and take more pictures for sure), and it was my first and, so far, last time to use a navigation device. What you do not see is that I still used an atlas to figure out different possible routes. We were in a major traffic jam (the five of us) and figured out an alternative route (that was fun) to get around the jam.

You were able to see some of the fun we had on the alternative route in this post. Once we got back on the original path we were stuck in traffic again and again! That time we could not find a better way, but we were able to avoid the first half of it.

The trip to PA was not an easy trip with going through several big cities and being the first time to make this trip. The Garmin really helped us to get there and get back. Otherwise it would have taken much longer to get there and back, even with the traffic jams.

Link/ Button

A friend made a button for me!


I think it is way cute!

Dallas

I was able to visit Dallas. Loved it! The city at dusk (oh and I was sorta lost, just sorta. I went about an hour out of the way, but I got these awesome shots. Thanks April!).

Reunion Tower
Day

Night

Bank of America

I had a chauffeur to drive me around, otherwise I would have no idea where I was or where I was even going! A good friend lives in Dallas and she drove us everywhere once we got there (Thanks Val!).

Texas, There and Back

Welcome to Mississippi!


Welcome to Louisiana!


Texas baby!


Welcome to Arkansas!


Memphis, Tennessee!


Back to Mississippi!


Sweet home Alabama!

Texas

I visited Texas this summer. It was very hot! Who would have thought? The state of Texas was in a record breaking drought. There were many signs that said to conserve water. The ground was cracked. Everyone was tired of going months without rain and months in 100 degrees. Everyone talked about the weather, not to have something to talk about, but because it was a major problem that everyone was facing.

I knew I was in trouble as soon I as I got out of the car at the state line. I stopped at the welcome center, more to take pictures than anything, and before I got to the Welcome to Texas sign, I was sweating. The sign was not even that far! When I stopped inside of Louisiana, it was not THAT HOT!! It was HOT HOT HOT in Texas!



In this picture you can see the welcome center. It was not far at all. More like parking at the back of a parking lot.

FB

Want to see what Atlas has been up to? Check out his page on Facebook

OH and a little KY

So, where was I? Oh, yeah Lake Erie in Ohio, right?
I finally made it to the lake shore. It was not quite what I was expecting.



There was a lot of Canada Geese, and it was hot. I stayed for about an hour and fed the geese.





Man, were they hungry! I thought they were going to attack me, but they ate all of the bread we had with us and then wandered away.

Then I started back home. The drive through Ohio seemed to take forever!! Well, I was driving the entire length from Lake Erie to Steubenville to Cincinnati before leaving the great state of Ohio.

We made our way through Kentucky and to bypass some traffic took a different route. Our new route led past a castle in Lexington.



.

It also lead us through the Bourbon Trail. We were only able to make one stop, so we stopped at the Four Roses Distillery.



After our detour and merging back with the original route we found ourselves in the middle of more traffic. This means that had we remained on the original path we would have been in traffic the entire way! Instead we were able to take in the scenery. We finally made it home late that night, but we were home after a fun trip.

PA

So this summer I traveled to Pennsylvania and made a few stops in Ohio and Kentucky on the way back home.

I really enjoyed PA. I can see why there are so many snowbirds traveling back and forth from PA and Florida. If I could I would do the same thing, only backwards. Stay in PA during the summer and spend the rest of the time at home.

I was there in June and it was COLD. Well, cold to me, temperature is relative. It was in the 70s during the day and high 50s at night. I am used to it being low 90s during the day and 60s-70s during the night in June at home. So it was COLD.

It sprinkled the entire time I was there and the sun came out the morning I was leaving (OK I was only there a couple of days so it probably does not rain all the time). Everything there was a beautiful green color, and I just loved the time spent there.

About the only thing I did not like was that where I was staying sirens blared many times. The sound of them scare me, especially after going through tornadoes in April. When they would sound no one seemed to notice them much so, when I asked about them they seemed a little surprised. They told me that it was the way they called the volunteer firemen and others public service workers to work. I asked if they had phones or walki-talkies or something instead and was told that they have those too. The sound of a tornado siren going off several times a day made me nervous.

But really I think I could live in PA during the summer. It was refreshing and just wonderful. I loved the pastures, the old feeling of many of the structures and towns, and I just felt comfortable there.


(Waterford Tavern, a restaurant I ate at in Waterford, PA. It was originally a hotel and was rather old.)

So since I was so close to lake Erie I had to drive up there and check it out. I drove through Erie, PA (which was NOT my intention. I meant to go around it) and went through downtown. It was a somewhat shabby looking place, but most downtowns are rather shabby. While there I was informed that Erie's nickname is " The Mistake on the Lake" which may or may not suit it.


(A fountain in downtown Erie, PA)

I saw the lake but it was too crowded so I went on down the road.


(View of the Lake in Erie, PA, just past the fountain in downtown. This picture does not give justice to how crowded it was)

I finally stopped to see the lake when I was on the other side of Ohio. I will tell more about that next time!