In Carl Carmer's book on "Stars Fell On Alabama" he makes some comment in the Author's Note, that Alabama is a strange country, a foreign land, in which he sojourned for awhile, but from which he has now returned. (I would quote it but, alas I left the book at my parents.)

I went to Florida this weekend to see my dear fellow. Let me tell you it is a strange country. They don't have real trees. They are all super short, not so bad as the trees in Texas, but not real trees. The trees still pretty much have all their leaves and it's almost February. I beginning to wonder if they just kept the same leaves for 20 years, or what. They have moss growing in all the trees which gives everything this creepy sleepy hollow look at night, not to mention it detracts from the beauty of the trees. Even the water is a different color, the ocean is green, not blue like here. Infact the rivers are also greenish and grass really grows in, or maybe on them. There are palm trees everywhere of several sorts, and that just looks super weird. The strangest thing perhaps is the weather. It feels like April. At home we were expecting snow this weekend, there I could have worn shorts and a T-shirt.

North Alabama is beautiful country. Here on the River (aka the Tennessee, for those of you who aren't from here, everything else is a creek in comparison), the trees turn beautiful colors every fall, and with hills and mountains in the background, instead of endless flat land, the sunsets are glorious. Despite the sore lack of beauty in Florida. I am homesick for that foreign land. I will confess I cried when I had to leave. It's hard to go when my heart is in the swamp.

It was a good trip. It was their yearly meeting time, and Brother Ronald Lawrence preached two good sermons (well, he preached more but I heard two). I asked to move my letter on Sunday. I didn't go down there and plan too, but when you get that burden, you can't stay on the bench, you have to get up and go. I got to spend alot of time with Gary's mother and sister since he has strep throat. I wanted to take care of him, but his mom kept running me out, saying that I was sure to get sick. I now have strep in addition to bronchitis, but it was worth it. I only get to see him once a month. It was nice to get to hang out with them.

I'm hoping to have some pictures up soon, but I have yet to get my picture software back on the computer. Well, I will sign off for now, it's past time for bed, and I have an early meeting with a professor in the morning.