EARTH DAY

 On Saturday, April 20, Larry and I went to Bankhead National Forest, which is a little east of Haleyville.

 We hiked trail 201 (left red line) we went a little past 209. It was about 3 miles long.

 I had heard about the Big Tree( largest tulip tree in Alabama) but I didn't see these directions to it till we were done our hike. If we had left in the morning , packed a lunch and made it a whole day hike I might make it to the tree.

 Larry taking a rest.

 Larry getting a twig out of his shoe.

 some of the trail was a little muddy.

 The first I remembered it was near Earth Day  when we came to 6 people (4 women and 2 men) clearing the trail of trees. They were using  hand saws to cut  the trees that are across the trail, no motorized tools allowed in a National forest!  There were a lot of down trees. A very big job.

 Little flowers on the trail.

 Larry gave me some roses after work on Monday. No special reason, just cause he loves me! What a romantic. The other guys were asking him what had he done.

 By the end of the week the roses were getting weak heads, so I cut them and put them in a bowl, it made a pretty arrangement.

 In the lot where our RV was parked petunias started popping up. There use to be  homes here last year, but they had been taken down.  I picked a few before we left so I brought a little of Haleyville with us.

MUDDING AND SANDING

 I'm not sure why but my pictures posted in a crazy order, so they are a little mixed up for this week. We were excited  on Tuesday afternoon when the electric company showed up about 3 o'clock and put the pole in.

 The men enjoyed watching how they were wiring the pole.

 Notice the clouds. They got it wired and we had power about 5 minutes before it  started raining heavily. God's timing?!!

 We had another birthday to celebrate on Thursday,

 so of course there was cake and strawberries at break.

 Janice is very appreciative of everyone that is helping to build her house. She gave Gary and Gwen a basket of goodies,

 and a basket to Joan and Gary since these couples are leaving this weekend.

 Friday night we were invited to the Christian Aid Ministries appreciation dinner for the new home owners, and the suppliers that have worked with them. They had slides of all the homes they have worked on.  Since this fall they have built 12 whole homes, framed one (where we are working), did 2 major repairs and 1 minor repair.  They had 348 volunteers from 19 states and Canada with a total of 29,000 man hours. What dedication!
 

 Phil was the coordinator of  Christian Aid Ministry and helps us with our needs and questions.

 Mike was our construction site coordinator the first week we were here and Eva is in charge of long term recovery in northwest Alabama.

 A Mennonite youth choir from Tennessee was the musical entertainment. Janice is in red.

 Saturday, April 13, Gwen and Gary arrived. they left on the 21 and are headed to disaster rebuild project in Minot, North Dakota which is to start on Monday. 

 Our team for the week from left to right was Fran, Gary and Joan, Arlin and Sue, Gary and Gwen and Larry and Dottie.

 A lot of mixing of mud was done.

 Fran did the ceiling corners all week, mudding and then sanding.

 The rest of us mudded walls and ceiling lines, sanded and mudded some more.

 

 Gary and Larry worked on getting the vent for the washer and dryer  installed.

A group picture with Janice. Even Holly, Janice's dog, who has taken a liking to Fran made the picture.

LOCAL ADVENTURES

 Each morning on our way to where we are working we pass this on the side of the road.  So we stopped and looked.

 This is a storm shelter you can purchase to put in the ground by your home.

 Looking down into it, I think you could sit about 10 people in it.  Larry was concerned about the ventilation, the holes on the door is all there is. We have a safe room at the church if we need a shelter. There is a brand new storm shelter a few blocks away in Haleyville we have been told to use if we have time to go there. Thursday there was a warning but the weather did not get bad around here.

 Friday evening Larry and I went to Tuscumbia to shop at Lowe's and then we took a side trip to the Rattlesnake Saloon.

 You park your car in the lot and then the Saloon taxi picks you up.

 Before they take you down, you must show ID and get your hand stamped if you want to buy beer.

 The band performs under the rock. There was only a  DJ on Friday night, we would like to go again and hear a band. I think the place can hop. But we danced a little, had some food and enjoyed our evening out.

 You can eat in the saloon or on the patios. Notice the snake skins on the post.

 Saturday Gary, Joan, Fran and I went to Moulton for the Alabama chicken and egg festival.

 There were lots of crafts to look at and buy.

    

 There were many folklife artist and activities, like this chain saw carver.

 We had to eat some homemade ice cream.

 What a clever way to churn the ice cream!

 It was delicious.

 We then had chicken tacos or a chicken dog.

 There was lots of good music and three different stages, so you could hear playing and singing where ever you were.

 And of course there were chickens and roosters on exhibit.

 Sunday was a lay ministry fair at the church so we set up a booth. A nice way to share with the church what we are about and to see all the ministries at this church.

 For the last week the trees have been blooming. It is very pretty but I have never seen so much pollen. Our car and RV are covered with green pollen. And of course we have the sneezing and allergies that comes along with it. It is to be better next week.