Nudging Northward

I was heading towards friend Sarah's in Huntsville for a visit anyway. But before I could get there, the devastating line of tornadoes came through Alabama, leaving Sarah thankfully safe, but in the dark.
This photo from the Huntsville newspaper shows why most of northern Alabama was without power for over a week.

When I found out roads were clear, and it was safe to do so, I headed that way to see if I could be of help. Passed utility crews, FEMA trailers, and National Guard convoys on the way too.

Met Sarah in Birmingham where another forum friend, Wendy, invited her to recoup with elec. & hot showers. We spent two days there. Left to right: Wendy, Sarah, and me. Sarah had spent several days after the storm in line at one of the few grocery stores to get her cell phone charged, and buy a little rationed food and ice if she was lucky. She also had to wait in long lines to get enough rationed gas to get to Wendy's.

The dogs were not excited about a group picture: Left to right, Sarah's Nicky, Wendy's Pepper, and my Roe.

Then it was on to Sarah's house in Huntsville. This is my camping spot in her drive. Her electricity had just been turned on after more than a week. I was able to help out a little cleaning refrigerators, cooking meals, and picking up downed limbs, leaving her free to look after her sister who was in the hospital. She was fortunate not to have any damage other than losing all the food in her refrigerators.

Sarah's dog, Nicky is waiting for a chipmunk to come back out of the drain pipe.

Roe is just waiting...

Nicky hanging out after the chase.

Bandit really liked all the rocks in this campground.

 Notice how this tree grows over the rock.

Sarah took me to Fresh Market where I discovered a new way to drink wine. No stemware needed, you just spray it in your mouth...almost bought some for my wine-drinking friends. Oh wait, that says "Wine-Away"...so never mind.

Once things were squared away at Sarah's, she and I left for a visit with Carol in North Carolina. We carefully chose a route to avoid the worst damaged towns as we didn't want to get in the way of rescue and cleanup workers. We did see downed trees, utility crews, and piles of debris in Lake Guntersville.

 We had another great get-together at Carol's. First forum friend Nan came. There was never a shortage of food. Left to right: Carol, Sarah, me, Nan.

Nan was a day late and several dollars short. We saw her coming on Thursday, and I ran out the door waving to meet her. I kept waving, and she kept driving...right on by. No one got a picture of me running down the road behind her, waving and yelling, or the two neighbor dogs chasing behind me. Nan was tired after her long day driving and with no cell phone srevice to call me or get my frantic phone messages, she went back to an RV park and paid for a night's stay.

When we finally connected, Sarah and I took her car to get Nan for dinner. On the way we passed these beautiful poppies in the road median. Sarah stopped so we could get pictures.

My campsite in Carol's back yard.

 Blooms on the tulip poplar tree in Carol's yard.

On Friday, Nan brought her RV back to Carol's, and another friend, Carolyn came to visit. Of course there was food involved. Left to right: Carol, Carolyn, Sarah, me, and Nan.

Sarah was in charge of all the weird food. She brought butternut squash spaghetti sauce, polenta which we sliced and fried, and date-honey goat cheese....all of which was quite good and I would eat again.

Bandit and Roe made themselves right at home in Maggie's house, but no one would consent to a group pet picture again.

We ate, and talked, and laughed, and played cards...

And listened to the Whip-poor-will songs at night. If you want to hear the Whip-poor-will, click on the video:

Nan and I are traveling northward together to a women's forum get-together in Pennsylvania in June. 

Next up: the Highland area waterfalls.