Alabama Miscellaneous

A great place to eat. The focus is on healthy locally grown produce. Mentone, Alabama (IMG_8961)

A rain gauge on my deck in the rain, Etowah County, Alabama. (IMG_5899)

At a friend's house. (IMG_6183)

At a friend's house, Lexington, Alabama (IMG_6175)

At a friend's house, Lexington, Alabama. (IMG_6133)

Taken through a screen at a friend's house, Lexington, Alabama. (IMG_6162)

At a friend's place in northwest Alabama (IMG_6145)

Weed covered picnic table in marshy water. James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_5011) From a shopping cart that has been in the water to a picnic table that is in a watery marsh

This trestle leads to a bridge over the Coosa River, (east side), Gadsden, Alabama. I was quite curious about the purpose for the barrel on the trestle, so finally searched through Google and found out it is most likely a water barrel. Such barrels were placed on wooden trestles at about 50 to 100 foot intervals to provide water to put out smoldering fires that might be caused by ash, sparks, and hot boxes. Not surprising, they were often vandalized by shooters and by thieves who stole the dippping buckets, so they may be lined with concrete and the buckets sometimes were cone shaped, lacking a flat bottom on which to set them, making them less desirable to thieves. I don't think they are being maintained anymore. (IMG_5294)

Outside Akins Furniture store, intersection of CR81, CR89, and AL176, DeKalb County, Alabama (IMG 7785af)

Desoto State Park, Alabama (DSC05242af)

Desoto State Park, Alabama (DSC05244af)

In my garden, Etowah County, Alabama (IMG_2414)

In my garden, Etowah County, Alabama (IMG_2399)

I think this would make a good jigsaw puzzle. DSC03233af

Otis had been fine earlier in the day. But in the afternoon he did something he never does. He went to the bedroom, got in his bed and stayed there until late in the evening when he finally got up. When he came into to computer room were I had been working all day, he had this swelling on his neck. I checked him and found a very small wound like a puncture on the side of his jaw which he did not want me to touch and which exuded a small amount of blood streaked serous fluid. Because of the rather sudden onset of the swelling, I knew it wasn't an abscess, but rather edema, apparently caused by a reaction to the wound which I suspect was a copperhead snake bite. I called the vet who told me to give him Benedryl, watch him, and call back if he began to choke or have difficulty breathing. Luckily I had some generic Benedryl and it did the trick. Within four hours the swelling had gone down significantly. First thing in the morning we were off to the vet. The wound had turned quite dark with very angry red edges. Since Otis had no fever or other apparent problems, the vet gave him a prednisone shot to reduce the remaining edema, told me to clean the wound every day, and sent us home with an antibiotic to prevent infection. He seems to be healing nicely. (IMG_4264)

Otis had been fine earlier in the day. But in the afternoon he did something he never does. He went to the bedroom, got in his bed and stayed there until late in the evening when he finally got up. When he came into to computer room were I had been working all day, he had this swelling on his neck. I checked him and found a very small wound like a puncture on the side of his jaw which he did not want me to touch and which exuded a small amount of blood streaked serous fluid. Because of the rather sudden onset of the swelling, I knew it wasn't an abscess, but rather edema, apparently caused by a reaction to the wound which I suspect was a copperhead snake bite. I called the vet who told me to give him Benedryl, watch him, and call back if he began to choke or have difficulty breathing. Luckily I had some generic Benedryl and it did the trick. Within four hours the swelling had gone down significantly. First thing in the morning we were off to the vet. The wound had turned quite dark with very angry red edges. Since Otis had no fever or other apparent problems, the vet gave him a prednisone shot to reduce the remaining edema, told me to clean the wound every day, and sent us home with an antibiotic to prevent infection. He seems to be healing nicely. (IMG_4264)

Demonstration at the John Looney House - Circa 1820, Ashville, Alabama (IMG_6995) Another Link in the Chain - Weaving yarn to weaving cane