May 10-12, 2018 Florence, Alabama

Sunny, 90 degree day. We checked out some more sites on the Natchez Trace today. It is easier to stop and see them in the car than in the bus.

Buzzards Roost Spring. The water runs out from under this rock. It was the site of a stand (Inn) along the Trace. Our next stop was at Colbert Ferry. Chickasaw George Colbert operated a stand and a ferry in the early 1800's. A fruiting plant. This sign is about the Trace Travelers. Indians , postal riders, farmers who floated their goods down to Natchez and walked back, and american armies used this trail until the steamboat made traveling the Mississippi river faster and safer. 

John walking on some of the Old Trace trail. I can't get over how green it is here.  A wild strawberry, the logo for the Daughters of the American Revolution. The daughters first marked the historic trail with granite markers and worked to get it made into a parkway. 

The bridge for the Natchez Trace over the Tennessee river. Before  they built the dam and flooded the valley Colbert ran a ferry across the river for travelers. A groundhog, a sign for the Trace, Northern terminus 117 miles and southern terminus 327. We are 3/4 of the way up the Trace now. The sign for Rock Spring Trail that we hiked. 6 turtles on a log in Rock Spring.

Flowers along the trail and at the spring. There is a beaver dam damming the spring into this lovely lake. This tree truck has beaver damage to it. The spring was so pretty and it was hot so we went skinny dipping. It was very refreshing. 

John sitting on the stepping stones across Colbert Creek that springs from Rock Spring. Very serene spot.  These little flowers make these double berries, I am not sure if this other one is a berry or a bud, purple flowers, my feet are emitting relaxing vibes in the creek. Back in Florence Mountain  Tom Clark a notorious gang leader who boasted that no one would run over Tom Clark lies buried in the center of the street. In 1872 Clark terrorized helpless citizens during the Civil War confessed to at least 19 murders. Although a grave was already dug in the nearby field  outraged town people buried him beneath the street, thus bringing his boast to naught. 

Field of flowers along the Natchez Trace. John at the Singin' River Brewing company. He is enjoying a IPAcalypse now. 

A pair of geese with a gosling in our campsite this am. Our neighbor burning pine needles, notice that his pile of more pine needles downwind from his fire. John said it was ok, the wind was blowing toward his rig not ours. . .

It was 90 and sunny again today. Beautiful but too hot to do anything outside. John got up early and walked three miles when it was cool. I rode my bike later in the am, it was getting too hot. Spent the rest of the day in my lawn chair finishing this basket. It is 6 x 2 inches and has a piece of glass in the center that I made. The glass is red shiney dichroic glass on the bottom, covered with a piece of opaline. The opaline is clear before it is fired and I meant to use clear so this is a mistake. It was a pendant that did not sell. It looks great in the basket with red beads and thread around it. There are blue glass beads around the top. 

Another relaxing day in the lawn chair working on my latest masterpiece. It has clear, iridised glass beads on the sides and a peace sign in the bottom. I am calling it Peaceful Rain. It looks a bit rough, I haven't removed all the needle ends yet.