Adventures through Rural Alabama

An adventure in the wilds of central Alabama in that we learned kites are also birds, cows run from cars, salvation can make you crazy and rain can make you sleepy.

Best line - "I thought kites were those pretty paper things you fly." "I can just pee anyway - pull over." and "Sex sends you to hell? Well....hell."

The intrepid photography class took off south this afternoon in the middle of a scorching hot afternoon. The thermometer hit 100 before we reached this long stretch of Highway 82, not too far from the hospital where I was born. The acreage was filled with rustic, rough crosses and painted rusted appliances with messages of hellfire and damnation. Apparently sex and alcohol are very, very, very, very bad. And if I read the signage right....I must give both up immediately.

And...there was a very big, yellow, icky spider there. I was told it is not poisonous - but the bite is mean. Well, come on - if a spider that big bites me - it might as well be poisonous because I would die out of fear. But, she was very polite and waited while we all photographed her. Now that I think about it, she looks like she could have posed for Mrs. Spider's Tea Party.

Then, we drove through many rural roads where I could not navigate you back - and found.... well, no kites of any variety. Our teacher though did identify many other birds - I think I heard something, something woodpecker, blah-blah-blah taniger....and maybe hawk. Don't quote me or anything. He's published in a lot of regional publications with his bird pictures so he was pretty jazzed. Me - I watched for ticks, wasps and mosquitoes. Thankfully - I'm bug free.

We stopped on the way home to photograph some cows. They were very pretty standing by the side of the road and looked as if they were posing. Until we climbed out of the car - then a slight cow stampede started until we quit approaching. They were sporting green tags in their ears and I guess if I had to wear such unappealing earrings - I might be leary of any other humans.

The rain was off and on the rest of the way home - I wanted to fall asleep but....as I was in a car with three other strangers from class, I resisted. Now...I must give in.

For more of the adventure....go http://flickr.com/photos/charlaneg/