Faith By My Side in Sweet Alabama

It's truly amazing when one takes "the leap" and actually meets the person one only knows through poetry, articles and emails and finds that "yes" this is the person I knew all along...she is warm, gracious, understanding, and shares hopes and dreams similar to my own.  All these things I found when I flew down to Alabama to be with Faith H. over April vacation.  Faith is a most gracious Southern hostess who put me at ease within minutes of my arrival at the Pensacola Airport last Saturday afternoon.  Within moments we were talking as if we had been friends from high school....and fellow Gatherites peppered our talk as if they were fellow classmates.  Although Faith and I share many of the same connections on Gather, we also have "other connections" ....she tends to hang out with the poets and artists where I am more famialiar with the photographers and the photo-essayists. 

Going down to Alabama I only had two things in mind: (1) Escaping the cold New England winter and (2) making a "real" connection with some one I admired.  All else would be frosting on the cake.  Faith, on the otherhand, planned a week full of surprises.  From my articles on Gather, she knew I liked (1) discovering cities; (2) loved history; (3) was most at home in natural surroundings; (4) was an avid gardener and (5) appreciated fine art.  As a result, all these things were on the menu.  For the most part, Faith is not an active outdoorsy kind of a girl...as she said several times, "Bob, I'm doing more walking then I've done in the last ten years!"  But the walking was good though by Thursday we were both exhausted and we were both suffering from allergy attacks!  Being outside in the Springtime does have it's drawbacks...cough, cough, sniffle, sniffle! 

Come share our week with us.  Be sure to bring some sunscreen and maybe some benadryl too!






 A tour of downtown Mobile....the skyline from Spanish Park.





On a leisurely stroll one can go back in time and discover enchanting architecture in Mobile Bay's nine designated historic districts.




On a Sunday morning, bright and early, we toured Oakleigh Mansion with a well informed guide.  He allowed me to take pictures within the complex after I explained what I wanted to do.  An article will be forthcoming.




Mobile is home to the Carnival Museum.  I was surprised to learn that Mobile was the birthplace of Mardi Gras.







The ocean was never far from where we roamed during the week and I got plenty of pictures of shrimp boats.  I think I will do an article on the "Variations of a shrimp boat"!










During my stay I ate many fine meals both at home and at restaurants.  Would you believe I had shrimp 4 times!  By the end of the week, I had a hard time zipping up my pants.




One afternoon we meandered  around Five Rivers, an ecological conservation area, Mobile Bay's newest attraction.  This is an incredible facility for outdoor recreation, conservation and land stewardship.





Another day we went to Blakeley State Park and walked the boardwalk along the Tensaw River and later discovered the site of the last major land battle of the Civil War.  There are over 5 miles of unspoiled Civil War fortifications.  In a grassy field with thistles are the remains of several Union soldiers from Missouri.  We bowed our heads in respect for those that died to keep our Union safe.





Of course Faith had to take me to the Gulf Shores so that I could soak up some of that Alabama sun.  I didn't listen to Faith's words of warning about using sunscreen or sitting under the umbrella....as a result, by evening I was as red as a lobster.




Tuesday we went to Bellingrath Gardens....that will take several articles to write since there was just so much to explore with the different gardens and the mansion.  This is just a peek.















The Ecological "Swamp" Garden at Bellingrath.





The Oriental Gardens were just beautiful.  Once again, these gardens deserve their own write-up.





After spending most of the day at the Gardens, we drove out to Dauphin Island.  Most of the houses out here were destroyed by the hurricane and all the new homes are now being built on "stilts"!




Although tired from our day out in all the sunshine, we did manage to pack in one more thing before heading home....a tour of Fort Gaines.



Wednesday found us in Ocean Springs, Mississippi at the Walter Inglis Anderson Museum.  What a wonderful find for me...here was an artist I could really appreciate for did he not seek solitude in his natural surroundings.  Though quite odd, both Faith and I could relate to his watercolors, his pottery, and the murals that canvased his little cottage.



And of course, I needed to see an alligator in my travels down south.....



Well, that's just a brief overview of my week with Faith discovering the gracious hospitality, the sights, the tastes and the feel of her Gulf Coast. 








"Hey, Faith, for a Southern girl, you're not so bad!"

"Hey, Bob, for a Yankee you're not so bad either!"


Note to Carolyn and Magi:  Despite your article, Carolyn, we were angels the whole time we were together.  No one had to send bail money!