The photo on the left is of the Cumberland River that flows through downtown Nashville, TN. Looking at the river now, quiet and contained in its bank, you could never believe that such a peaceful river could cause such havoc on a city! However in early June, the river did just that. Nashville had over 13inches of rain in one day and the river banks could not hold all that water so it spread right through Nashville. A major portion of the downtown area was flooded, many of the restaurants along the river and the stadium where the Tennessee Titans play football were completely under water. The Grand Ole Opry Hotel and surrounding areas were also flooded out. The water has receded
and the people of Tennessee are getting things back to normal. The downtown area is mostly reopened and the mud cleaned out. The Grand Ole Opry area was still in the process of being dried out and the mud removed. John and I did go to see the Grand Ole Opry Show on Saturday night.The Opry was once again relocated downtown to the Ryman Auditorium where it had been for nearly 31 years before relocating to the new location.
The Ryman Auditorium was originally built as a religious meeting house that was built in 1892 by a riverboat shipping magnate Capt. Thomas Ryman. The original church benches are still in auditorium today. We were forewarned so that it was not a surprise at how hard the benches would be during the show.
Did any of you realize that the Opry is a live radio show? What began as a simple radio broadcast in 1925 is today a live-entertainment phenomenon. Dedicated to honoring country music's rich history and dynamic present, the Grand Ole Opry showcases a mix of country legends and the contemporary chart-topper who have followed in their footsteps. The Opry, an American icon and Nashville, Tennessee's number one attraction, is world-famous for creating one of a kind entertainment experiences for audiences of all ages. It was interesting to watch the acts and then hear the announcer go into the commercials. The evening that we were there we saw "little" Jimmy Dickens (he has been with the Opry for many years) and Bill Anderson among others.
We left Tennessee and headed north to Minnesota to see family and friends. The baby is the newest addition to the Badger clan, Emery Badger daughter of Keeth and Kristy Badger. She is nine months old and such a cute little thing, and so good....
The next photo is of daughter Angela and granddaughter Abby, age 4, having just turned four in May. Below
that is a photo of Abby with her brother Michael (age 5 1/2) (he tells me all the time about the half year!) They were having a picnic lunch out on the patio. We will be here in Minnesota until the beginning of July and then will be heading west once again.
Until then, hope everyone has a wonderful summer. We will keep you posted on our adventures. Remember that we love to hear from you also....
Love, Candy and Johnny
