Alabama | FabGrandma

Happy Birthday to FabGrandpa

March 14, 2011 By Fab Grandma 2 Comments

Becky & Dad

Becky came to visit for FabGrandpa’s birthday weekend. We took her out to Valley Grocery for fried catfish and home fries!

Catfish and home fries

They make the best fried catfish in Alabama there. Rob and Belinda, the other camphost couple, came too! I didn’t get a pic of them though.

Gluten Free Devil's Food Cake

I had given Belinda a gluten free King Arthur Chocolate Cake Mix and some Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, and she took them to the store so the nice ladies there could bake it up. We surprised FabGrandpa with his birthday cake after lunch. He didn’t get it until he realized I was eating the cake, too. Then he asked, how in the world did you do this? He was so surprised! Everyone, including Becky and the people who work at the store, were in on the surprise!

Moundville, Alabama Indian Mounds

After lunch, we took Becky over to the Moundville Indian Mounds to take a look around. It was a gorgeous day!

Black Warrior River

The Black Warrior River runs along side the indian mounds location. It was way up due the heavy rains we had last week, but really was beautiful to see.

Here I am

Yep, I was there, but still having a hard time getting around. It really sucks to not feel good. I DID put on a SPF 100 sunscreen on my face.

One more shot of the river

We really enjoyed Becky’s visit. She had to go home all too soon, though. And FabGrandpa loved having his little surprise birthday party.

Filed Under: Alabama, Family, Life on the road Tagged With: Alabama, birthday, Family, party

What Makes People Do This?

February 28, 2011 By Fab Grandma 3 Comments

A truck load of trash

Last week Rob and Belinda (the other camphost couple here at Payne Lake) and FabGrandpa and I went over to the shooting range on the other side of the county for a clean up day. This shooting range is on Forest Service property, and has no use fee. People can just go there and shoot at targets.

Joe, the resource manager was there too, so there were a total of five of us working. We picked up FOUR truckloads of trash from this property, that was maybe 1.5 to 2 acres in size. Joe said the last time they had a clean up day there was two months ago. Now, I know that this place is probably used mostly by hunters, but what does this say about the people who live in this area? I just don’t understand why they feel like they can just trash the place. It is public land, and belongs to all of us. Shouldn’t we ALL do our best to keep it clean?

Another truck load of trash

Filed Under: Alabama, Volunteering Tagged With: Alabama, Volunteering, Workamping

The Gate

February 27, 2011 By Fab Grandma 4 Comments

That is one heavy gate!

The forest service has temporarily closed the campground where we are volunteering while they do a timber harvest in the area. It was done for the safety of the public, who may not realize the loggers will be in there. What this means is that every time I go somewhere, whether it is to go to the entrance kiosk to perform my volunteer duties or to the grocery store, I have to move that gate.

I know you can’t tell by looking at it, but that thing weighs about 50 pounds! It is making my back hurt moving it. Today I have to move it six times! And every time I do, I feel like this:

I hope they get this timber harvest finished real soon!

Filed Under: Alabama, Volunteering Tagged With: Alabama, gate, Volunteering

Happy New Year, Armadillo

December 31, 2010 By Fab Grandma 17 Comments

armadillo, wildlife, wild animals, payne lake

What the heck is that thing?

You can believe it or not, but this is the first time I have ever seen an armadillo. Well, except for the squashed ones on the side of the road. But this thing was was in my yard yesterday, just poking around.

By gosh, I think it's an armadillo!

It was amazingly not afraid of me much, so I could get pretty close to it. But, thank goodness for the zoom on my camera, because I really didn’t want to get too close.

Yes, That IS an armadillo!

Happy New Year, Armadillo!

Filed Under: Alabama, Fun Stuff, Life on the road Tagged With: Alabama, armadillo, wildlife

We Had Snow Today

December 26, 2010 By Fab Grandma 3 Comments

It wasn’t much, just a few flakes here and there, but still snow. In south central Alabama. And there were some hardy souls out there camping in tents. It is going down to around twenty degrees tonight, but these guys are here for the hog hunt.

I didn’t even want to be out there long enough to do the site checks. I talked those guys for a few minutes. They said they didn’t think they would be able to get here because the roads were bad in Birmingham, 90 miles away. They’ll be here for four days to hunt wild hogs and deer.

fallen trees on the roadside, dead trees, hollow tree

A hollow tree that the forest service cut down next to the road.

While I was out and about today, I saw this interesting dead tree that the forest service cut down so it wouldn’t fall in the road. It was hollow, and had a lot of moss and mushrooms growing on it.