Osark

Sounds like something an otter would say doesn't it? But in fact it is in South east Alabama and has the privilege of holding the most impressive house that I have ever been inside. It was built for hospitality in the grand Southern tradition and the folk that live there, Sharron and Butch, are just about the finest examples of generous, thoughtful hosts that anyone could find anywhere.

I will post up the pictures of our trip as soon as i find the camera and I am afraid that words do not do justice to the place. Woods, a lake, a large cedar cabin style house with a massive veranda, humming birds whizzing round like feathered green bullets, gentle warmth, soft hum of voices in that delightful drawl and me getting high on bbq, crochet and the green smell of cedar.

I went in the lake, which if you knew me you would know how uncharacteristic that is of me, not a water person really, but it was an opportunity that will not come my way again for a very long time. Paddled round in a big inner tube while V took the girls sailing on a little boat. Lily in particular loved that lake and stayed in for about an hour. It was such a joy for me to see my kids rambling around outdoors, getting wet, getting dirty, getting clean again, stuffing bbq, getting in the lake again, paddling, playing in the sand, chasing tree frogs. What an amazing place, an amazing time altogether really.

Thanks America, we had a ball.

Hey Honey I'm Home!

Back at long last. What a trip!... but I am too wrecked to write much just now. Had a fantastic last weekend in Osark in the most amazing house but will write it all up later. It has been an amazing month, so glad that I have this blog to remind me of all that we have done. Back to spinning before too much longer...

nos da cariad

My day has been made...

Just this second I have seen a hummingbird. With my own two eyes, a hummingbird in Sadie's garden. Amazing! It was tiny, about the same size as a wren, emerald green with a cotton white throat, sipping at a rose. Who needs fire flies when there are humming birds to be had?

Tennesee ii

The following day, yesterday in fact but I am writing this at 2 am my time so bear with me if I get confused... anyway... We were due back in Huntsville and off we went until I saw the sign for the Jack Daniels distillery. Could not pass it without taking a look, even though I don't drink it regularly, it is very good in cocacola. So we drove off the track a bit (it had to be at least forty miles out of our way) and visited...only to find that the tour involved an hour of walking over ground unsuitable for push chairs. Neither of us fancied carrying the girls for that length of time so we passed, but I did not leave empty handed...Come on, do you think I would not buy an award winning whiskey when it was right under my nose? Besides the pound is so strong to the dollar right now...etc etc. V forked out uncomplaining I toddled off a happy girl, Lily on one hip, JD on the other. Can you tell I'm a Christian by the way?

The town of Lynchburg was only a few hundred yards away from the distillery and despite its rather suspiciously nasty name or am I the only one that thinks "mob" when they hear that? It is a charming place. A proper small town America/Waltons type place. It even had an old guy sitting on a rocking chair on the side walk (raised and wooden, so Seven Brides for Seven Brothers!) I think the town council must pay him to sit there just for the tourists, of which there were many. Yes it was a tourist trap, but hey, it was so cute, who cares!

First stop...the Country Kitchen with an eat all you like lunch buffet. Fried chicken, mashed potaotes, green beans, rice, and amazing sweet sauce. Went back for second helpings, hush puppies (not the shoes, a kind of battered burger) fried squash and broccoli. Eating for fun I was
...and I had pudding Apple and pear cobbler and I swear I have never in my life tasted anything so good. The top was like a kind of heavy batter, the fruit had been canned in syrup and was achingly sweet and parts had caremelised. So, so good. It will tell you how sweet it was that when I took a sip of coke after a bite, the drink was surprisingly bland. Oh dear me. I resisted second helpings even though I wanted some very much. I contented myself with a cup of Blue Bunny butter pecan ice cream. The girls had strawberry and mint choc chip. V just stared in awe at his womenfolk demolishing the food like a plague of locusts. He had restrained himself to the catfish. I had tried catfish at the Gulf and had no difficulty sticking to the fried chicken.

Off then around the stores. Found a few pressies, yay! And best of all I wandered into a co operative store of the ladies of the county and found myself a Little House on the Prarie bonnet. Just like Elizabeth Ingalls wears at the start. I have no idea where I will wear it, but I have wanted one since I was a child. Hurrah! I will wear it to spinning demonstrations...the other guild members will have a fit. Neve mind, it's a laugh innit?

Back in Huntville now but tomorrow off to Osark, where ever that is. Todd and Steph have been grounded in Oklahoma due to bad weather and are driving back tonight, a twelve hour drive apparently. I think they are nuts, but they really want to go to Osark.

From Osark it is off to Atlanta and home on the 3rd so, this might be the last post from me for a while. Unless there is a 'puter at the cousin's house. But maybe not, so if not...see you in Blighty!
Take care of yourselves
Nos da Cariad
x

Tennesee

Well, it was only two nights but what a trip! First we had to find our way out of Huntsville. Managed that relatively painlessly. North we go. Booked into a Red Roof Inn which is like the motorway motels in the UK only with a pool that is actually warm.
Nashville that evening, took the kidlings and high expectations. We were there oooh ten minutes...broadcasting tourist on FM and medium wave. I am amazed we were not mugged immediately. Two tramps/panhandlers/beggars later and I have realised all over again why I loathe cities. We persevered however and heard several street singers. The Oprey was shut :( and the kids were getting crotchety. I voted back to the hotel and have a go the following day with daylight and energy to back us up.

The following morning however, we found a tourist leaflet advertising Mansaker Station, a little north east from Nashville and so off we went. Neither of us being able to resist a living history tour. And man it was great. The guide (Bill Maddocks - very informative and sweet too) really knew his stuff and was interested in all historical stuff, including Cordell. He was a carpenter and man of all work about the place. He was in charge of the fort area. I would call it a stockade. Wooden defenses and huts inside. There were detailed props of frontier living in the late 1700's and it was fascinating.

Off to the Cracker Barrel for lunch and I ate until I was about ready to pop. Beef stew, mashed potatoes, turnip greens, fried okra (They were V's but he didn't like them) biscuits and corn bread muffins which were fabulous. No room for pudding which was a shame as there was apple dumpling but a girl has got to know her limitations...

Back to the fort and then onto the house built eight years later than the station but far more civilised in feel obviously. And the lady there (Miss Laura) was a spinner! She used a double drive wheel and she was very good to chat to. Really made me want to get back to the spinning I had left behind ! There was a walking wheel on display in the house but neither she not I knew how to work it so we both remain in ignorance as yet.

Quiet evening in the hotel. Kids worn out from the heat and playing in the dirt just like any frontier brat. Great fun.

Nashville here we come

Is the centre of country ready for V the biggest fan of electro/synth this side of the eighties. I don't know. It depends on whether we get there of course, considering how desperately lost we got on one grid of Orange Beach...am I troubling trouble? It will be an awfully big adventure...didn't Peter Pan say that about dying? Can you tell I am aprehensive, leaving my comfort zone and all that?

So see you guys in a few days, there is probably internet connection at the hotel, but I don't know for sure. I will probably have a good few yarns to tell you all anyway.

ttfn
x

Tired Girl...

Man, I am whacked. I am tired of travelling and glad to stay here in Huntsville for a few days. I finished the cushion cover in Mary Catherine's house and Steph liked the yarn so much she asked if I would make her a knee throw. The yarn is very chunky and it's a 8mm hook so it shouldn't take long.

The conference today was very interesting. Steph and I spoke for a bit and as usual people were very gracious in their response. The Southerners are very friendly, hospitable people, it is true. Just about every woman in the place went up for prayer and they were really responsive.

An hours journey to Huntsville then and an evening chilling out, blogging, catching up on other folks blogs and a little crochet to do before bathing the kidlings and bed.

Did I say I am wrecked?

Quiet day tomorrow and Monday and then V, the kids and I are off to Nashville for a few days on Tuesday while the Preselys head off to Oklahoma for mission debriefing...I kid you not! That is what they call it!

Then it is off to Osark for the family reunion weekend, then Atlanta and the flight home! This next week will go quickly I am sure.

See you soon folks

love you lots

Off Again!

Back to Huntsville today via a women's conference. I don't think we will be speaking, more like a networking opportunity...oh Lord, No! Not a networker me, too much foot in mouth disease.

Anyway as long as I smile and keep quiet, I should not lose Todd and Steph too much support!

See you much later tonight, busy busy busy!

Have a great day folks

Quiet Day

Getting over al the travelling today, getting the sand out of our shoes and chilling out in the woods.

I wandered into a mega Wal-mart yesterday and found a HUGE yarn and sewing department. Could not resist. Massive (plastic but we cannot have it all) crochet hooks in jewel colours and lion brand chunky yarn in a colour way called Prarie. So I am going to do an undemanding granny squre cushion cover. Found some silk exactly the right colour to turn up the hems on my fishermens trousers too, so a quiet crafty day today. Lovely

Thanks for all the comments guys. I am really enjoying this trip. Got a sudden blast of homesickness this morning though and had to leave the breakfast table to pull myself together. Funny how I am enjoying myself so much and yet a picture of sheep and Welsh mountains which I was shown as an act of kindness just set me on a hiraeth pang! I'm okay now though and will probably enjoy a dip in the pool this afternoon. It is not as hot here as it was on the beach. Probably in the high seventies now, but the quality of light is different. You can feel the breath of autumn here. It won't be long now...

We have moved again!

Birmingham now...I have no idea where in Alabama it is as I am now utterly disorientated. We will be here a couple of days and then moving on back to Huntsville.

We were eight hours in the car today and I am wrecked. So not much happened really other than I saw an armadillo and we were trailed by a police car for half a mile. We reckon they were hoping that Steph would break the speed limit. I was kind of hoping that they would pull us over too, kind of fun in a weird British kind of way, but no...Steph had cruise control on and they sloped off in search of more amusing prey.

We are staying now with Mary Catherine and Dan, friends of Todd and Steph from way back. Their house is pretty stunning. Big cedar cabin style with a screened in porch and their own pool. Their basement, which has been turned into guest quarters is about as large as our house.

I am planning on popping out early tomorrow to get some pics of the neighbouring houses as they are bordering on the mansion type stuff.

See you tomorrowAnyway off to bed now

Nos da Cariad

x

Life's a Beach

I have said here before, quite vociferously, that I hate the sea and I'm not too fond of the beach either. Of course a girl is allowed to change her mind. So when I say I hate the beach, I mean of course that I don't like the Welsh beaches. Don't get me wrong they are beautiful...but user friendly they are not. You have to be hardy to get used to the cold water and the hard sand and the rocks and the cold wind. I've done it, just don't enjoy it.

However, yesterday I went paddling in the Gulf of Mexico and that is a whole different crate of bananas. It was warm and the water was warm and the sand was as soft and white as sugar. So I am converted. I love the beach and the sea, so anytime V and the kids want to go to the beach...fine by me, just fly us out to Alabama, baby, and we'll paddle okay?

And if that was not all, after the kids were taken back to the cottage and the men had agreed to look after them for the evening, Steph and I went shoe shopping, then we found a bar with a pianist and a sax player playing soft jazz/blues and we drank marguritas!

Sara, Thomas, tel John from me that this mission business is tough man, very tough :)

Oh and I am going gift hunting today. It is half way through the trip and it's time to be starting to think about going home. So if you want anything in particular guys, let me know okay?

Orange Beach

Is not orange...

It is white, like snow. The sand is powder, the sky a hot turquoise and there are brief brave tufts of sea grass poking through where it can.

The houses here are almost all built on stilts and are painted in ice cream colours. There are palm trees and terns strutting their stuff on boardwalks and the sun is pouring down. It is even a bit warm for me!

The beach house is a large open plan bungalow, cool with tiled floors. The yard is sandy, though somehow the owner has managed to coax a lawn to flourish in the front and there are handsome olive trees growing in the back.

Today the Preselys and the Hills parted company for the day. So, left alone in America for the first time we tried to visit a mega mall that is near by but instead managed to get terribly lost and went round in circles for at least two hours. We stopped for lunch, lemonade and massive hamburgers doing a lot to cheer all the grumpy females in the car. In fact I did not have a beef burger I had...get this...a bison burger. I kid you not!
I thought, I've spun bison down, I might as well see what they taste like too, so there you are, my culinary adventure for the day. I have to say that the first half was very tasty, but the second started to taste quite liverish so I struggled to finish rather, but I got there. I've eaten bison. Now that's not something every Welsh girl can say.

Signing off for now but I am in Orange Beach library typing this. So now I know it is here and it is within walking distance I belive I will try and get back tomorrow if I can

'til then...take care of yourselves my loved ones
nos da Cariad
x

Sorry for radio silence...

We disappeared suddenly to a cabin in the woods. It was stunning. And no Internet...how did I cope for three days without it? I don't know, it's all a bit of a blur. But seriously, we had a lovely time fishing and paddling in a boat on the lake, just messing about in boats as Ratty would say.

We are out now and have been speaking at a church in White House Fork, I think it is called. We are at the pastors house now, chilling out after a humungus lunch at an eat all you like buffet. V had three helpings of fish and creamed sweet potato. It was good. I had a steak so big it was hanging off the edge of the plate,I had sweet potato too but mostly stuck to salad and fruit or else I am going to be as wide as I am tall coming home...

People here are really sweet, so generous and funny. Steph and I are doing a women's conference this evening so woo hoo baby, lets see where this one goes.

We are having a ball here. I am high on friendly atmos and heat. It is a pleasant 80 s out. Love it, love it...

Don't know what the internet access is going to be for the next few days so I'll see you in about another four days when we a re back in Huntsville if not before.

We are travelling further south tonight to a beach house, how glamourous that sounds! Sunglasses and bikini for me, who knows, I might come back with a little bit of a tan!

In a Cavern...

Saw my first raccoon today, it was dead but hey you gotta start somewhere. We are on the way to Cathedral Caverns in the foothill of the Appalachian mountains. Huge tree massed hills. Just saw a peacock green corvette mmm, yeah baby and we are rolling along in the church van, all ten of us, listening to blue country rock

Now Todd has changed channels and we have found bluegrass Gospel...yee haw!

You might guess that I have copied this from the rather jiggety longhand that I wrote in my journal on the way to the caves...

The caves hold several world records, largest cave mouth, tallest stalagmite, highest frozen waterfall and I think the highest ceiling, but don't quote me on that one. Though one of the cave rooms we were in measured as high as a twelve story building.

The way was wide and well paved, we took the strollers down there no problem. The guide was unfortunately soft spoken, so we missed quite a bit. But the actual cave room that the caves get their name from is just stunning. I took a few photos, but they just didn't do it justice. Got some postcards to send to Rose's school instead.

On the way out I got a "cave kiss" which is a drop of cold water from the ceiling and is considered to be good luck, as opposed to a "bat kiss" which is warm and is not good luck at all!

Afterwards we sat in a log cabin type porch affair, warming up. It was cold in there and at our deepest we were 240 feet below ground, so the comparison is not surprising really when you think that it is 104 degrees out here!

There is every chance that we will finally be able to visit the neighbourhood pool this evening. I think we will all enjoy that.

It is now 9.20 pm with you
Thinking of you
Nos Da cariad
x

Space Odessey 2007

Did you know that Huntsville, Alabama was a prime force in the American space programme? Neither did I. But apparently it was/ is. NASA is a massive employer in the town and there is a Space and Rocket centre here. Which is what we went to see today. V, T, me and three (kids) all toddled off to investigate a space museum. The men and kids were fascinated, but I am sorry to say an awful lot of it went over my head, space exploration not being my bag really. But I did like the inflatable solar system on display in the shop. Almost bought it, but then got mentally embarrassed. "Yeah I went to America and bought the solar system" It just didn't go somehow...
But I tried out some kind of lunar command module. For such a small space, these astronauts have got to be big chaps. I fitted quite nicely in the cockpit, but I couldn't reach the ceiling switches nor the foot rests. Another career nipped in the bud. I am too short to explore space :(

The Girls and I tried out a special scales that told us how much we would weigh on different planets. I can't remember how much we would weigh on Mars but on the moon the girls would weigh 8.5 lbs each and I would weigh 17lbs. A bit far to go to lose weight I think. Though some people I know would think it worth the effort I am sure!

Dash home then to be ready in time for some friends of Todd and Steph to come for dinner. Miss Sadie made Southern fried chicken, squash, beans, corn on the cob and collards to eat with Banana pudding and/or lemon meringue pie for dessert. I am telling you, I am eating for fun out here, something I rarely do, but the food is too good to stop eating just because you are full. I can see I am going to have to have a fruit and salad day soon just to give the system a rest or else I'll be going home with gout!


Buffi and Mark were very friendly, fun people who have just adopted a little Chinese girl and it turns out that Buffi is a blogger too. So I will be popping over sometime soon. Come along and check out the voyage that is adopting from a foreign country with Sadies Journey Home. (link up soon)

Despite some truly magnificent mosquitoes, the kids played in the pool until it was almost dark. It is in the low 80's here at about8.30 pm. All this and banana pudding too.

Hope you guys are weathering the gales alright. I hope my house still has a roof... Anne, if it is convenient, would you drive up there sometime this week and check on Zac for me please? Thanks a lot.

See you guys, hope you are all okay

Nos da cariad
x

Busted!

Do you recall my boast that I have been cuss free for four days? Well back to zero now that I saw my first live cockroach. I don't think this house has heard such a stream of imaginative invective in its entire history. Thankfully it was just Todd within hearing distance and I gave him very clear and direct instructions as to the immediate dispatch and disposal of the creature. Only there were a few more bleeps in my verbal sentences than the one that I have just written

I think I had ample excuse really... it was scuttling man!

Steph has just assured me that it was a fair sized roach, about an inch and a half. So could I have got away with more if it had been a cockroach king? Who knows... hope I don't see the King of the Cockroaches and let rip while Todd's mum is about, she would not be amused.

Big Sky and Silence

Well as silent as you can get when there are six children in one house, which is not very. But still I was silent most of the day. We have had a big week, there is no doubt and invitations to speak are starting to come in gratifyingly busily. I just felt the need for a quiet day. The internet has been playing up rather so contact may be a bit dodgy for the next day or two. Annoying is an understatement, but there you are.

Went for a walk this evening with three youngest while men and three eldest went to see live music in a park. Sounded like fun but something of a crush. I preferred my walk

See you
Nos da Cariad
x

Desperately Seeking Sara

Found you you daft bat! Talk about hiding...I had to track you down through comments and ID's
Still got you now. Hurrah!

Check out The Vertiginous Princess

(my name, just bestowed)
love you
x have fun in soggy West Wales!

The Cyril War

May I make my second introduction...My eldest nephew, Thomas aka Cyril of the Nile. He has provoked the Wrath of Sian by making defamatory, inflamatory and downright rude comments. Thank goodness I have moderation enabled :)

Sounds dodgy mun! Glad ew having a good time SianyWany! :)
Sgonna be weeeurd not having any buntings or Elvis's children in church tonight. But it's OK cuz i've got my OUTRAGEOUS shoes to keep me amused ;P
urrrrram, what else?
well u won't see me ever again for three reasons
1-A Levels on Thursday, has been entitled the day of doom and peril and torture and death.
2-censored
3-We lost 62-5 to England :(
Serious.

Tarra Tarra!
xx

You would hardly think that this delightful young man is in line for straight A's in his exams and is both thoughtful and articulate :)

He'll hate me saying that lol

I am sure that this post will inspire him to new depths of creativity...and I still will not post them up until he plays nicely :)

Love you darling
x

ps. wait until your mother reads this, your donkey is grass my lad...

What Siani Did Next

Off to church now. It is 10 am here, about 4pm with you. Church on the Move will be starting soon. I hope you have a good one, hope you say one for us and that someone dances at least once.

V and I are speaking in church this morning. I think V is singing too - probably Land of my Fathers. I am probably speaking a little on the history of Wales, Neath in particular.

The girls are all spandy nice in white crisp cotton, hair plaited and hats on. We look very British I guess. V in cream linen and me in my Audrey skirt with foamy petticoats, rather like the skirts that Mummy used to wear in Africa. It is surprisingly cool, the tulle keeps the fabric away from the skin I guess.

The off to the Pastor's house for lunch and a get together. Still on best behaviour. Hey! I haven't cussed for at least four days! Not once. Isn't that amazing? Perhaps America will break me of a habit I could never before be bothered to break. So I sound like a lady as well as look like one...but as we all know appearances can be deceptive.

So, got to go. Hope you have had a happy day, I'm thinking of you in the heat of a Southern summer afternoon and you are eating your tea and tucking yourselves up in your cool Welsh beds.

Have a pleasant evening and sleep well.

Nos da cariad

x

oh and Cyril...no way darling! :) x I refuse your challenge without hesitation!

Update
9.15 here about 3 am with you

Have had a truely awesome day. The service was great, the songs were strange but the feel was wonderfully similar. I danced, V sang. They prayed for us, the kids went to Sunday school and then I spoke for a little while about Wales as I said I would. Anthony sang Hen Wlad fy Nadai and one of his own. The congregation was very generous to us.
The Steph got up and spoke a little leaving the field clear for Todd who gave a socking good sermon about being transparent before people so that God is clear in our lives.
We prayed for people and it was just wonderful, I think just about everyone wanted to speak to us afterwards. The most remarkable being a half cheyenne/cherokee lady who was interested in first peoples. She had married a man whose family hailed from Raglan and she was delighted when I described the castle to her, she almost could not believe me when I told her that I had visited it several times.
People were so very kind. Have I said that I love it here, but I guess it is easy when one is being made such a fuss of. Still, it is fun...

Then we went to Joel's house. He is the pastor of the church and man did we eat. Beef, chicken, stuffing, gravy, beans, peas, a pasta salad, rice, and a hugely mad jello salad. Yes! Seriously, jello salad! Oh my gosh... It was pale opaque green and it had grapes and cherries in it. The kids loved it but I had a dickens of a job actually getting them to give it a go...It was quite nice actually but probably on the weirder side of American cuisine!

The house is set in ten acres of grass and woodland. After lunch I went for a walk with some of Todd's cousins. I saw massive pine cones, a bluebird feather, poison ivy, sassasfras tree, from which they make root beer and muscadang vines. It is spent muscadine but they call it muscadang. The feather and the sassasfras are going in Rose's journal. I was told about coyote, snakes, raccoons ( I'd love to see one - cute little bandit faces) and assorted bugs. They had a pretty good joke on me about leaping roaches, mercifully short but fun while it lasted. I was truely horrified...roaches that jump at you, can you imagine? But they assured me that they were joking when they saw how revolted I was. They did however, find for me a goliath beetle (dead thankfully) and some kind of giant ant (very much alive but a scurrier not a scuttler so that was okay). The Goliath beetle speaks for itself, I took a photo, and the giant ant was too fast for me to catch on camera but he was a brilliant scarlet with tips of black. Very dramatic but not as dramatic as its bite, which is quite something apparently.

Then we sat on the porch swing and drank iced tea in the clear heat of a fading afternoon. We watched the kids play on the tree swing and rested, fanning ourselves. We talked about Harper Lee whose hometown is not terribly far from here, blue grass music and hypo-glycemia. Nothing like an eclectic conversation to round the day off in a pleasant manner.

Tired now, had the second shower of the day and despite two cups of coffee, I am ready for bed and 9.45 pm! Honestly, what a lightweight!

Todd has to check his e mail now so I'm being evicted from the 'puter. So hope you are sleeping well, see you tomorrow. Love you guys.

Nos da Cariad
x