Welcomed Weekend with Cousin M

Our most recent guest, Cousin M, made the trip to Alabama to visit us this past weekend. Despite an initial rocky start with the misplacing of her luggage and the rental car agency losing her reservation, the rest of her visit was very special. She spent time with both girls cooking yummy treats -

Cousin M located a craft fair in Selma, Alabama that spurred on an awesome road trip. Selma's old buildings looked as if they were frozen in time. During the Civil Rights Movement in the early and mid-1960's, Selma was a focal point for desegregation and voting rights campaigns.

The Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement.

The first march took place on March 7, 1965 — "Bloody Sunday" — when 600 civil rights marchers were attacked by state and local police with billy clubs and tear gas. The second march took place on March 9. Only the third march, which began on March 21 and lasted five days, made it to Montgomery, 54 miles (87 km) away.


On our way back home we stopped next to a cotton field and all of us got to check out the cotton up close as personal. I love when the girls have an "aha!" moment and this was one of these times. To see that cotton is really a plant with seeds within the fibers was eye opening.

We then toured around downtown Prattville, Alabama. In the background of this picture is the old Pratt Cotton Gin Factory. Makes a lot of sense to have a cotton gin factory in a place where cotton grows well! BUT, to our fascination, we watched some local boys have fun in the river. If you look closely, you can see a gas powered winch which they use to pull one of the group through the water as he rides on a wake board. Apparently these boys do this often but at other locations around Alabama!!!

So, this morning we sent Cousin M back up north and began cleaning the house for our next guests - my parents! They arrive tomorrow!