Early to rise with the kids going crazy at 7am. Got a great interview from Logan aged 8 and ate the rest of Lucy’s yogurt, also very good. Gave Logan some hearts with putty to give to all his girlfriends which he wrote to all of his family members (adorable). We were out and dealing with a very very overcast morning. Grabbed a couple more shots in Hunstville and then headed west towards Decatur. Cute little town on the river and met up with my good friend Kit’s mom and sister at a Barbecue restaurant full of local Alabama football legends. Linda is such a sweetheart and always has been and she fed us some good grub while her daughter Molly told us about teaching and conservation in Alabama. She has worked from Mobile in the south to Decatur in the north and was very passionate about Alabama and helping it hold on after so many natural disasters over the last year. We got to see this later today but 2011 was an awful year for the gulf coast with the oil spill and the numerous very deadly tornados that swept through all over Alabama. She also was an educator and gave us some good insight into America and education. We have spoken to lots of educators in every state and of course is a huge issue in America and all over the world. The children are still our future and we are making it very hard these days to teach. Collecting stories and ideas, that is my main goal for Photamerica, something to help in the end. From Decatur we went to Muscle Shoals and talked to Linda up at FAME records which has produced or recorded numerous amazing acts over the last 50 plus years including Clarence Carter, Aretha Franklin, Stones, etc. One of the Allman brothers camped outside the studio for months ready to play on any studio set. We delved into that swamp music that makes up the Alabama sound and again helped make what we consider modern day rock and roll. We went over the bridges from Muscle Shoals to Florence AL and then over to Tucumbsia to see see Helen Keller’s home. What an inspiration she was to the world and an amazing woman. We pulled through Phil Campbell and the Bankhead forest to see beauty and devistation as we drove south in the dark towards Tuscaloosa. 10 hours of driving and long lines (forgot it was Valentines) at the restaurants made for an early night and hopefully a productive morning. Happy Valentines and lots of love from Photamerica.
Gosh, do I envy you, Josh! Muscle Shoals, Helen Keller’s house, vintage signs painted on exterior walls, the drive-in sign. Gosh! Not to mention the children and the lady at Fame and the lunch lady and your friend. You’re just having a blast, even with the gray skies. Wow!