Alone, but not alone

Today is the first day of winter and while we’re not in freezing weather or snow, the wind and clouds and general dreariness certainly reflects the season.  Brightening our day are the Christmas cards, photos and letters received from friends and family which we received yesterday when we picked up our mail at the Columbus Marina.  Do the senders understand how treasured are their merry wishes to us this Christmas season, so different than any other we’ve experienced?  As the two of us cruise down the secluded Tenn-Tom Waterway, it is a comfort to know we are part of a larger community that spans beyond these riverbanks. 

Last night we anchored in a cove off the Tenn-Tom, just south of Columbus, Mississippi.  We’d planned to anchor where we could get off the boat and walk around the historic downtown Columbus, but as we got into the canal towards the anchorage, a large barge was stationed such that we felt we could not maneuver around it.  And so….we turned around and created a new plan!

Today we will continue cruising towards Demopolis, Alabama.  We expect to arrive at Kingfisher Marina this Sunday morning.  We have only one lock today to pass through, the Tom Bevill Lock.  Just before the lock and dam is the Tom Bevill Visitor Center and it was well worth the stop!

Solstice:  The longest night and the shortest day of the year for us in the northern hemisphere.  Val and Bob, are you ready for the crowd that will gather at your beautiful log home on the river to celebrate the beginning of winter?  We will be thinking of you and others around Long Lake as we search for the sky’s nearly-full moon tonight!

In the parlor of the Tom  Bevill Visitor Center, this Girandole mirror is hung on one of its walls.  It captures every corner of the parlor room.  Another name for a mirror of this type is a "chaperon mirror."   Hmmmm....

This was taken yesterday when it was a bit drippy.  It's not raining today, but still a gray day.

We stopped at Columbus Marina to pick up a mail package.  While there, knowing "Red Pearl" was docked here (owners, Kathy and Steve, are back in Indiana for family reasons), we took this shot as evidence that the vessel is safe and sound.

Just before the Tom Beville Lock and Dam, we stopped at the Beville Visitor's Center.  On display near the dock was this retired US Snagboat "Montgomery," circa 1926.    It is a 180-foot vessel that removed submerged stumps and fallen trees from the inland waterways of the South until 1982.  

This is the Tom Bevill Visitor's Center.  It was built in 1985 to depict the 1830-1860 Greek-revival style homes that existed in the Tombigbee River Valley.

This side of the grand building is facing the Tenn-Tom Waterway.  One can imagine how beautiful the gardens and grounds are in the summertime!

This is the building from the driveway.  Effort was taken to include windows, doors, columns, clapboards, cast-iron railing, doorknobs, shutters and more based on researched examples.

The interior of the visitors' center is as beautiful and ornate as its exterior.  

This is the parlor that features furniture of the time period.  See the "chaperon mirror?"

On the second floor of the building were displays with information about the "Montgomery" as well as the Tombigbee River Valley.

The region's wildlife was also on display at the Visitors' Center.

Another photo of the "Montgomery."  This vessel has been restored to near original operating appearance.

One of the fads in home design during the 1830-1860 was having a rooftop cupola (see earlier photos...the very top observatory...often called a "belvedere").  This is looking toward the dam and lock form the belvedere.

This photo was taken from the belvedere level down the center of the staircase to the checkered main floor tiles (Green Italian marble and Alabama marble).  The chandeliers are reproductions of 19th century gas light fixtures.

The Visitors' Center was designed after these three homes located in the region.

Because of the windy conditions, this dock was a challenge for us!  More consideration was taken to avoid contact with iron pilings (see to the right) and approach the dock without crashing into it.  Equally challenging was getting away from the dock without drifting into the pilings.  The good news:  we did both without incident!