“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”
Romans 12:11 ESV
This country church is a favorite to photograph in autumn, but we are usually not passing this way in the winter. I made a few stops recently along my route when I decided to visit Little River Canyon National Preserve. You may have seen Little River Falls in last week’s post. The drive through the valley below Lookout Mountain in this area of NE Alabama lies within a short driving distance of many scenic spots and outdoor opportunities. Canyons, lakes, waterfalls, hiking trails, caves and places of historic importance, particularly the history of the Cherokee people and the Civil War are numerous in this corner of our state! Pam’s mom grew up not too far from here!
A short distance from the church, I spotted something in a wooded area that would likely never be visible from the nearest road except in winter. I turned around, parked, and ventured into the woods. This fireplace and chimney has no doubt stood here as the lone survivor of what was once a dwelling. With 40-50 year old trees growing all around, these old bricks lost any companion bricks and wood long ago. Again, there are stories here about real times and real people which will never be told! I always wonder, were there happy times here, sad days, much joy, extreme hardship?…I would guess all of the above, that’s life!
We made a short trip over Lookout Mountain from our house and then north through the valley toward Chattanooga last week. I spotted this sign and Pam got a photo which prompted research when we arrived home. Sequoyah was an extremely important man and an influential figure in Cherokee history. He created the Cherokee Syllabary which was a written form of the Cherokee language. This allowed literacy and printing to flourish in the Cherokee Nation. The syllabary is still in use today!
This 1831 Antebellum Mansion is situated on the grounds behind the spot where Sequoyah taught his syllabary to his people. This was the original home of the Winston family of Winston Hall, Yorkshire, England. Sequoyah and others were removed from the area in 1830 as they traveled the Trail of Tears. Pam also made this photo from the truck. I know we had some idea of the history here, but so much more was discovered when we took time to read at home that evening!
Sequoyah was living in a town known as Willstown when he developed the Cherokee Syllabary. That town is known today as Fort Payne, Alabama. Traveling a short distance south from the grounds of the Antebellum Mansion where Sequoyah taught, finds us in Fort Payne at a well known, more modern landmark. Whether you follow country music or not, chances are quite good that you know about the country band Alabama. This is the area where 3 cousins who grew up poor, knew hard work, but loved music, began honing their music skills and talents, eventually becoming country music’s all time celebrated and award winning band, simply known as Alabama. I stopped by their fan club and museum last week. Although we live only a short drive from here, on the other side of Lookout Mountain, I had never been inside the museum until last week!
I was well aware of all the group Alabama had accomplished, at least I thought so, until I took a walk through the museum. Forty-three number one songs in any music genre is totally amazing. The group is well known, not only nationally, but worldwide. The cousins, Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook grew up here in NE Alabama. Randy and Teddy still live here. Sadly, Jeff developed Parkinson’s disease and passed away in 2022. Jeff was an incredible guitar and fiddle player, played piano, and was a songwriter. I have an interesting personal story related to Jeff’s family and the band.
An old Truetone radio that belonged to band member Teddy Gentry’s grandpa. I can’t begin to imagine how many songs their family may have heard from the speaker of this old radio. I remember my grandparents having the Truetone brand but not a radio that looked exactly like this one.
Maybe you can read the card inside this case. Sears sold electric guitars and amplifiers and just about anything else you could think of which could be ordered from a catalog. Does anyone remember a Sears catalog? Ordering something that was sight unseen and having it sent directly to you has been around a long time. My first guitar was an acoustic guitar from Sears. This electric is a Silvertone. My early 60’s acoustic guitar was a Kay.
I have music apps like Pandora on my phone and iPad but don’t use them very much. Two billion times to have your own songs heard on a device that will go in your pocket is a long way from attempting to listen to the music of others over static on an AM radio.
I was visiting in a home just a few miles from where we live. A nice couple invited me into their living room where I took a seat on the couch. I realized they were watching something on TV that had their interest so I only stayed a brief time, not wanting to interrupt the family time. It was 1981 and their name was Cook. The young man told me they were watching a music awards show because his brother was in a band that was nominated for an award. His brother was Jeff Cook, and if I remember correctly, the band Alabama won their first Academy of Country Music award that night for vocal group of the year. I think I learned of it the next day. Alabama was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019!
Such a perfect Valentine presentation and it’s not even Valentine’s Day just yet. What’s not to love about a yummy raspberry-lemon semifreddo? Did we share? Nope, we both had one!
Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you. A few of our readers live where Valentine’s Day is celebrated in different ways and at a different time of year, and possibly the day is known by another name. That serves to remind me that love however, is the same everywhere, and needed everywhere! But, to my detriment, I love Hersey’s kisses!
It is always a joy for us to catch up to Tom and Shirley. On occasion we are able to meet in Birmingham as they travel through the area, and it is imperative that our time together involve food. Many of you will remember Shirley from Monday Morning Blooms and her blog. She no longer blogs but has a beautiful Instagram account!
My favorite people and my favorite doll (until the girls swap her out for one of the many others that came to visit) enjoyed something that must’ve been very interesting. All eyes were glued to my iPad. And yes, draped across the back of my chair was a heating pad. As far as they are concerned I am a contortionist as well as made of iron. The heating pad might be needed later so why not keep it handy!
After observing these “post sitters” for a while, I decided that post availability was mainly on a first come, first serve basis. If you choose to leave, know that your spot will be swiftly occupied by another.
I thought about all the tragic devastating fires when I saw this sunset. The low clouds had the appearance of a forrest fire on top of the mountain, but it’s only clouds. The month of March is probably our worst month for wildfires!
We wish you a pleasant and peaceful week!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
Such a great and interesting post and pictures. Thank you!
Thank you Ruth. We hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Wonderful Cherokee history and story of Jeff Cook’s family! Love that chimney framed by the trees. I’m not on IG, so it’s great to see Shirley and Tom together with you. The picture with the grands is so sweet. Happy Valentine’s, Butch & Pam!💘
Thank you Rita and Happy Valentine’s to you. We did enjoy a few hours with Tom and Shirley. Pam does the IG. I have an account but hardly ever post anything. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
The southeastern area of our country has the most interesting history and I miss being there. Some good and some bad but always home. I too love the band Alabama. On long driving trips SiriusXM always had the best country music and that was my late husbands favorite. When growing up sears was the place for purchasing any and everything. My daughter learned to count by choosing what she wanted from Santa from the Christmas catalog. Nearly wore it out but by Christmas she could count to ten, the number I told her she should tell Santa to bring her. The American natives suffered so badly under our watch. How can we ever forget that. Love the church pictures you show and the beautifully painted sky by God. Love is all we have and we must share it. Have a blessed week.
Thank you Alice. I have my SiriusXM on either 60’s or country most of the time. Some companies still send out catalogs. We may order online but still like to look through the catalogs and pick things out that way. We wish you a pleasant and peaceful week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning, Butch and Pam! I enjoyed your post this morning. I love anything that has to do with history. We have several things named after Sequoyah here in Oklahoma. The cabin he built when he moved here in 1829 is a museum. Also, we have a beautiful Sequoyah state park not far from here. The antebellum home you shared that is on the property is beautiful. The abandoned chimney you found is also impressive and makes you wonder what the home looked like. As always, your grandbabies are precious. I wish you both a most blessed week and happy Valentine’s Day!
Thank you Shannon and Happy Valentine’s to you. We read the syllabary created by Sequoyah was still in use and particularly in Oklahoma. Of course with the history of the Trail of Tears that was not a surprise. Thanks for sharing about the cabin and museum. We did not read that anywhere. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Good Morning Butch and Pam, How nice of you to share another one of your wonderful weeks. You saw some intriguing sights this week. What fun it must have been to visit the Alabama Band’s museum! I love listening to them. I remember the Sears catalog well. My Mom sometimes kept me busy by giving me the Sears Catalog. I enjoyed all the pretty decor items. I think it is why I subscribe to certain magazines today.
How interesting to come across where Sequoyah once lived. It saddens me that he and 60,000 Native Americans were forced to walk the Trail of Tears—such a tragic time in our American History.
I enjoyed seeing your Grands with you on your chair. Sweet Memories!
And how nice for you to see Tom and Shirley!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful week and the beautiful Bible verses.
Happy Sunday! Have a Blessed week my friends.
Thank you Nancy and good afternoon to you. We both still like to have an actual magazine or catalog to hold in our hand and browse through. We read some books online but probably both prefer the actual printed pages. Indeed, the Trail of Tears was a tragic time. We hope you have a wonderful week and a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Butch and Pam
I remember the sears catalogs and how much stuff you could order back in the day. You had to call up the sear operators to do so. No internet to order on line. Way back in the 40’s I think you could order a house! My girls growing up in the 90’s loved to get the Sears Christmas catalog. They would go through with a magic marker and circle what they wanted for Christmas. It was exciting when the Sears and Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogs arrived. Oh how I love the picture of the lone fireplace. How cool is that. I to think about what kind of history goes with these things. Have a great week. Hugs to both of you. Kris
Thank you Kris. Our grands still find things in the catalogs they get and mark them or show us things they like. It’s very helpful for us when we do our shopping for them for special occasions. I don’t know or have a need to know but I guess you could order a house online, or certainly find one to buy. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I love seeing that old church, and what you said about wondering what stories that old chimney had Butch, as I wonder about the church and all the old buildings. So interesting about the Cherokee nation and the history of Fort Payne, and I’ve always loved and am proud of the Alabama band. How nice to see Shirley and her husband, I miss her in blog land. The photo of you Butch with the grands is precious, a keeper for sure! Pretty soon you will be cradling a baby too! I hope you both have a wonderful week and a very Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕
Thank you Jenna. I see things all the time that I wonder; what’s the story here? The Alabama guys grew up not far from us and I know a couple of them are also alumni of JSU and so am I. We always liked them but amazingly only saw them once in concert. Don’t know why we didn’t attend more. Have a wonderful week and Happy Valentine’s!
Butch and Pam
oh, the stories that old chimney and fireplace could tell … this is one of those times when i wish that bricks could talk.
absolutely fascinating.
a lovely, quiet, Sabbath day to you both.
Thank you Linda. Yes, if bricks could talk a lot of stories wouldn’t be lost. Maybe some are best not known but I am curious when I see things like that old chimney. Have a peaceful Sunday and a great week!
Butch and Pam
I do love a pretty white church and that woodland fireplace is interesting. But the best photo in the whole thing was “story time.” The lighting, the subjects, the love that comes through — all the best!
Thank you Jeanie. Story time is fun and challenging. They like for me to tell stories about things that don’t actually have stories written about them so I make up things as we go along. We hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Alabama was, and still is, a favorite band of ours. We had cassette tapes of their songs that played in the car whenever we were driving. They had some great songs! If we’re in the area, we’ll have to visit the museum. The Cherokee history was interesting. Many of us have Cherokee ancestors as they were prevalent in TN and Alabama. It was great to see Shirley again. The grands huddled around you is a wonderful pic! The church pic is a favorite! The sundown shot is beautiful! Happy Valentine’s Day to you both. Clara❤️
Thank you Clara and Happy Valentine’s Day to you as well. If you are ever on I-59 at Ft. Payne the Alabama museum is only about a mile off the interstate. We still have a lot of cassettes but nothing around to play them on. I think we are slowly losing our ability to play a CD. I still play CD’s in my truck. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Undoubtedly, the trees are younger than the chimney, so if they could be “dated” one might get a slim idea of the age of the brick stack they surround. Just reading Alabama’s song titles points up the great
imagination of the writer or writers. What was not to love about the Sears catalog? Fodder for one’s
daydreaming and hopes. It was such an innocent and educational experience for young ones.. gave you a glimpse of what was going on in the world around you… and O the sense of discovery. Your trip near Lookout Mountain and the Sequoiah lore and details are gifts shared with us.. You, Shirley and Tom
look like you really enjoyed your renewing time, Pam and Butch. Great photos throughout, but the winner is that gathering of cherubs around the storyteller… what a sweet moment. Blessed Sabbath…
Thank you Mary. I make up stories as I go with the little ones and can keep them occupied for quite a while. The problem with that is they remember and want me to tell it again next time, except I don’t have a clue. If I attempt and miss a name or detail, they quickly correct me. Such is the memory of a child. Sears may be history but we still enjoy a few catalogs, as long as they hold out. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
The image of Butch and the grandchildren is simply grand -priceless! That church could be photographed in any season and still look great. Thanks for taking me on a scenic and historical tour! And who doesn’t enjoy the band Alabama!
Thank you Mary. We didn’t realize so many folks would like the Alabama band. They were, and still are, great humanitarians on a national level and have really given back to their hometown and other communities too. We hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Thanks for the beautiful pics Butch…Love the church and I love the chimney with trees protecting it after all these years. You guys are so fortunate to have such a wonderful relationship and to enjoy so many of God’s creations so close to your home. Lots of History too. Miss Shirley’s blogging…how fun to share a meal together. Your grands are adorable as usually. You both are truly blessed. Prayers for families of plane crashes and other disasters.
Thank you Kari. Thanks for the reminders to pray concerning the many that have been impacted by disasters. We are thankful that we have access to many beautiful and historic places nearby but every place has it’s own beauty and history. We figure you are watching the superbowl as we write. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
What a beautiful tour of your area. Winter is such a great time to drive around in the countryside. My entire family loved the Sears catalog. When the Christmas edition came out, Mom would let us mark toys we liked so she could tell Santa. My sister and I still do that when we are out browsing … “I’m putting a gold star on this!” That picture of you and the grands is one of the best ever!
Thank you Roxanne. It seems we all loved the old sears catalogs which speaks to the average age of our readers. We still get a few catalogs. I like to look through one’s like L. L. Bean. I wonder if I should mark things in it and pass it on to Pam ? Won’t hurt to try. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Butch, I always enjoy your Sunday Edition. I learn something every week. Never knew Alabama had so many #1 hits. I smiled at the photo of you and Pam dining with Shirley and Tom. Shirley mentioned that you four had a visit. That’s wonderful. I hope the next time they are in Dallas, we can connect. Love the photo of you with the grands. How lucky those children are to live so close to you and Pam.
Thank you Sarah. Tom and Shirley were passing through on a Dallas trip so maybe next time you can work out a meeting. I need my left knee replaced and keep putting it off. Tom has had both knees done and is doing well so I’m at least thinking about what to do. Don’t see how I can with gardening time just around the corner. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
It was very interesting reading about Cherokee history in your area and the band Alabama as well. I love the picture of the white church but of course, the one with the grands is most precious! I remember the Sears catalogue and the Christmas one was the most anticipated. My sister and I would pore over it for hours curled up by the heat register – wow there’s a trip down memory lane lol. The post sitters are so funny and the sunset shot is gorgeous. Have a fantastic week you two!
Thank you Kim. It is amazing how we could occupy ourselves with something like a catalog back in the day. And thinking about the heat register, now that’s been a while. That Christmas catalog was a treasure for sure. Look at it and dream. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Thank you for sharing this beautiful post and wonderful Bible verses… That dessert is mouthwatering!
Thank you Maristella. The dessert was so good. I’m already wishing for another serving. Hope you have a great week!!
Butch and Pam
Dear Butch and Pam,
I saved this post in my email. I’m not able to comment on WP, but I hope this goes through. My apologies for the late comment. There was so much to savor here! I had to return and re-read a few times.
Your captures of history–from the dwelling in the area of Pam’s family history (I always wonder about who lived in those vacant places) to the beautiful marker where the Cherokee syllabary began and still thrives (my great-grandmother was Cherokee). Let’s talk about Butch and those cuties! Awww.
And Alabama! It was 2019, I believe, when I saw them in Springfield, Missouri. As a girl in middle school and high school, and from a rural school, Alabama’s music was always playing! My ex-husband went on a hunting expedition with one member and another time, went to that area to do some fishing with one of them. They were/are so “down to Earth”. What an incredible story to be sitting in the living room with the brother! WOW!
One never knows how God will take a gift or talent and have it spread to the world!
I enjoyed seeing the pic of you with your friends.
The yummy dessert (too good to share!) and magnificent family/nature/music article was a bright spot in my week.
Today is a snow day in SW MO. I’ll be able to ZOOM with my cancer friends. We celebrated my sweet Dad’s bday. I pray for Pam’s Daddy and all of you every day.
I wish I could figure out why WP won’t let me comment–so thank you for your patience for my late responses.
Pam, I love you so much and I can’t thank both of you enough for your prayers and support. Tomorrow I’ll visit my oncologist (much needed) and bloodwork. I’m scheduled to fly into Reagan on March 2nd. March 3rd will be a day filled with 3 scans and over 20 blooddraws. I was reading in “Indwelling Life of Christ (all of him in all of me) by Major W. Ian Thomas where he wrote of how we have Christ’s DNA (Divine Nature from Above) in US. Even with disease and DNA “mutations”, we are made FULLY in him. ALL my efforts are useless for when I surrender, HIS supernatural power exceeds anything I could do on my own. I think of all of you and know that you also believe and live with this supernatural power. We have the same DNA!
Much love and many blessings, Karla and Finley ❣️🙏🏼🤗
Thank you Karla. We appreciate your kind words and prayers. We can definitely see that it is a snow day for you and many north of us. It is a very rainy week for us but we’ve been in drought so I guess this is a good thing. We will pray for your upcoming Dr visits, scans, and tests. It seems you will be quite busy in the coming days. You have been to an Alabama concert since we have. Blessings for the remainder of the week!
Butch and Pam
How gorgeous is that 1831 Antebellum Mansion – I love it. The little church is also very cute 🙂 Looks like such a lovely week.
Thank you Laura. We have had some nice days a while back but winter is definitely hanging on this week. Hope you have a good week!
Butch and Pam
That is such a neat story about getting to meet Jeff’s brother and family! I was so sad when he passed away. They certainly have some great songs. Kevin’s and my personal favorites are “Fallin’ Again,” “High Cotton,” and “Song of the South.” God bless you all today!
Thank you Cheryl. Jeff Cook was a fabulous musician. We only heard the group live one time. Should’ve gone more. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam