One thing leads to another

It was just after 1 pm when we approached Wilson Lock and Dam yesterday.  It looked like--and in fact, was--a large tug and barge blocking the entrance into the lock... and it wasn't moving.  We called the lockmaster to let him know our intentions (to get through) and his response:  Tie up to the starboard wall outside the lock.  It's going to be a couple of hours to get these barges through!

After a beautiful, sunny day cruising down the Tennessee and an overnight anchorage and mail pickup at Joe Wheeler State Park, we are now docked at the marina in Florence, Alabama.  Florence and Muscle Shoals (add the towns of Sheffield and Tuscumbia and its the "quad-cities") are a bedrock for musicians.  Lots of musical icons have come to record their music here, such as: Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette, The Rolling Stones, Cher, Bob Seeger, Rod Stewart, Paul Simon, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, and the list goes on and on!  

Last evening, we enjoyed the music of "The Honky Tonk Lite Band" at the Singin' River Brewery.  The band played during a small fundraiser at the Brewery put on by a committed group of women; the money raised will be used to help those fighting cancer. "We won't raise alot of money," said Annie (she was around our age or younger, cute hairstyle, someone I'd like as a friend), one of the women who served up our homemade chicken stew. "But it'll help people with cancer to buy gas, pay their rent, and other essentials."

After 2 hours tied up to the dock outside the Wilson Lock, the Lockmaster told us it would be at least another hour.  At 4 pm. we entered the lock.  At 4:38 we exited the lock.  It was now dusk. Oh no!  Not again!  ("Mike, get your handy high-powered spotlight out!")  I called Eva at the Florence marine to let her know we'd be arriving in the dark.  Entering the marina feeling blinded, a lighted Christmas tree was our first sight followed by a bright flashlight waving us in its direction simultaneous to Eva calling us on the VHF with instructions towards our slip.  With Velsignet tied securely into place, we were warmly greeted on the dock by our helpers: Harbormaster Kyle and his wife (our marina contact), Eva. They are a couple who, again, I'd enjoy as friends.   

After a short tour of the marina's layout, Mike found himself on the sideline while Kyle and Eva discussed dinner plans (chicken at home?  Local 301 bar? --"They have good bar-b-q"!).  Then a text came into Eva's phone and she pointed it at Mike, "If you're interested, there's a band playing at Singin' River Brewery.  It's a fundraiser for cancer, and their serving food!"

After a month of cool and cloudy and lots of rainy weather, we had a day of sunshine.  This is the sunset we had as we anchored near Joe Wheeler State park.  It was beautiful!

This was taken the morning we left Ditto Landing.  The overnight temps were freezing (water temp is around 50 degrees), and we woke up to a dense fog.  We would wait until the fog lifted before departure from the marina.

With all of the precipitation the areas has received over the past weeks, the Tennessee River is at high levels.  This picture is taken from our boat.  You can see how the river water has gone over the banks and into the parking lot.

As we're preparing to depart, Mike gathers the lines....and they're frozen!

Okay...you've seen this photo before...but now...a marina employee has arrived for work.  He drives his pickup into the water as close as he dares to what he thinks is the end of the ramp.  Then he gets out to get wet up to his calves in river water to take the ramp to the office.  Brrrr!!!

With the sunshine, our flyingbridge and interior of the boat is a comfortable temperature for cruising and enjoying the sites.

We're thinking we may need to purchase a camera as what we saw as we anchored near Joe Wheeler State Park cannot be captures with our iphones.  Flocks of white pelicans (they're the little white things) --which swim and fly and swoop and land so gracefully--surrounded us in the bay.  

This is at the fundraiser at the Singin' River Brewery we went to last evening.  So  much work and preparation had been put into this event!  I'm guessing maybe 40 people or so were in attendance.  However, it's not the quantity, but the quality, right?  And definitely they had special guest supporting their effort!

The event was held in a room off the Brewery.  While it was large and industrial-like, it was a comfortable venue and surprised us by its accoustics.

This table allowed attendees to honor or remember a loved one who is fighting or has fought cancer.

The band was a group that got together every Wednesday evening and played at the Singin' River Brewery every second Wednesday of the month.  The woman singing is a local who now spend much of her time in Nashville.  But she and her brothers were in town attending this fundraiser and the band welcomed her up and encouraged and accompanied her as she sang.  The band was good.  She was GREAT!