Pickwick Landing Dam

We took an evening drive up to Pickwick Landing Dam.

Pickwick Landing Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River in Hardin County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The dam is one of nine dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1930s as part of a New Deal-era initiative to create a continuous navigation channel between the river's mouth and Knoxville, and bring economic development to the area. The dam impounds the 43,100-acre (17,400 ha) Pickwick Lake and its tailwaters are part of Kentucky Lake. Pickwick Landing Dam is named for a community situated near the dam site at the time of construction. The community had been named after the title character in the Charles Dickens novel, The Pickwick Papers. Wikipedia

Contraband Camp Corinth Mississippi

Contraband Camp Corinth Mississippi

We went to visit Ed's Grandmother in Corinth, MS and she took us to see the Contraband Camp.

This is a historic site where freed slaves sought refuge. Here was a place of refuge and a new start for thousands of former slaves where they took their first steps on the long road to full citizenship. The camp featured many homes, a church, school, and hospital. During the camp's time over 1,000 African Americans learned to read through the work of the American Missionary Association.

Today the site of the camp is peaceful park surrounded by mighty oaks and honeysuckle vines. Six life-size bronze sculptures depicting the men, women, and children who inhabited the camp. A quarter-mile walkway connects the statues. (bobbysmithdailycorinthianvisitorguide)

Mardi Gras parade in Destin Florida

We went to a Mardi Gras parade in Destin Florida.

Mardi Gras is a celebration beginning after the Christian celebration of Epiphany and ending the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a time of enjoying yourself before Lent.

This was the a ton of fun, watching young and old having fun acting crazy for some plastic beads :) including us.

The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold. These colors are said to have been chosen by Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff of Russia during a visit to New Orleans in 1872, per Wikipedia.

Navarre Beach Florida

Here are some pictures of the area around the Navarre Beach area.

Sunset at Navarre Beach Florida

Here are some pictures of the sunset on Navarre Beach and the Navarre Beach Pier. Doesn't get much more relaxing than this.