Birmingham

Hi Jacqueline here again,

Last weekend we visited Birmingham, capital of AL. (Later edit - NOT the capital, but the biggest city, actually I just discovered that Montgomery is actually the capital - not that you could tell, it feels like a small sleepy town). One of the various things we did was to visit the botanical gardens and the zoo. Here is a picture of Boris with his new friend. This particular bird took a real fancy to Boris and licked his face and nibbled on his ear - Boris was delighted..

This is Boris and I hunting for scuppernong berries to eat at the botanic garden. They are like a big grape with a very tough skin. On the way home I found a place that sold them and got a small bucket to make jam. It's great jam, nice and tart, but it doesn't look that good - a sort of dull green colour but it doesn't seem to make much difference to the rate it is disappearing (especially nice on buttered toast).

Birmingham is trying to revive its historic heart - there are lots of great buildings in the old centre but is pretty dead after hours - everyone has migrated to the suburbs and hang out in the malls. B'ham is lucky that the building have survived as it has a real chance to revitilize itself. This was going well until the recent recession hit, but I think there is enough momentum to continue - it is full of character and interest (unlike the suburbs).

One thing that really struck me one the drive (about 2.5 hrs) was the landscape - it is completly wooded the whole way, forest as far as the eye could see in all directions. Some is planted pine forest and other is natural woodlands. It seems strange to me coming from such a pastoral landscape - there are no fields anywhere.

Boris at the Ecological park with skulls of bobcat and a deer (we think). The bobcat is the one with the fangs...

This weekend was football weekend, which was a bit of an eye opener - Rod has some pictures on his iphone so we'll load those up soon and tell you about it. We spent Saturday walking around somewhat gobsmacked at the tailgating, but Sunday we went to the ecological park (a couple of miles out of town) and then on to our own lake down the road. We always enjoy going as it is so peaceful. Boris loves it too, of course, and had some luck with his fishing stick (stick with nylon and a hook). Can't say they were whoppers, but he was proud (and yes, he threw them back).

Boris with his fish (that small blob on the end of the line, in case you were wondering) and Rod with his iphone application which identifies birds and gives their call (lots of fun that)

This last picture is of Lake Chewacla - about 8 minutes drive, door to door, from our place. It looks murky but it is good for swimming - getting a bit cold for me now but Boris is hardy and still goes in. It is in a State Park and is very beautiful (and well used).

Football start...

Hi everyone, Jacqueline here

I thought you might like to see this photo of Boris but you are not to snigger. All that gear cost a small fortune, but Boris is happy. I take him to his practice sessions and so I'm starting to get a bit of a feel for the game (although still only very sketchy in my understanding.)

Since the B Boy hadn't even seen a game of football, last week one of his coaches (there are 4 for his little team of 11 boys - we are talking serious stuff here) offered to take us all to the first game of the season for Auburn High School, and very interesting it was too. The crowd was enormous (there is no way a first 15 match would attract a small stadium full of avid supporters in NZ), but even more surprising was the size of each team - over 100 on each!! When they ran on to the field to fanfare they just kept coming - I don't know how they all fitted in the changing room, I think perhaps it has a tardis-like quality. Although there are over 100 in each team only 11 play at any one time. The game consists of furious action for about 5 seconds then they all stop, (most of the players seem to stomp off the field at this point to be replaced by a fresh lot), then they get ready again and there is another 5 second dash. It is impossible to figure out where the ball is because there is so much action all over the field during the microsecond they are actually playing that there is no way of knowing what happened till it is all over (and someone explains it to you).

I've figured out why the sport is so popular though from a spectator point of view - it is one big social occasion. Everyone mills around visiting friends on the stands, chatting and eating strangely yellow pizza. I don't think anyone actually watches the whole game - it stops so often that once you realise it has started again it has stopped -you blinked and missed it.

The one thing I do realise is that it is no sissy game. They need that protective gear. The idea seems to be to run headlong into the opposition with all the force they can muster, and some of those high school kids are enormous - well over 6 foot and built like tanks. Someone broke his leg in the game we watched and it barely rated a mention. The only thing we can hope is that Boris survives without serious injury.

I bought a scooter - I'll post a pic once I get round to taking one. Not as good as my vespa, but pretty good anyway (Korean make SYM - never heard of it right?)

There is a local fruit here called a scuppernong which is related to the muscadine grape - I found some on our way back from visiting Birmingham (Capital of AL) on the weekend, so I made them into jam. Good eh?

Sylvia, Imogen, I have no problem filling my days - I never seem to have enough time, and I haven't even got a house yet (or garden) or my cooking things... I don't know how I ever found the time to go to work.

Lots of love to you all

Jacqueline