Amy's Rear View Mirror

Crane Hill, AL ...
October 2001

 
It's nice to be home! The campground is as cozy as ever. I've got my favorite parking spot looking out at the lake. Ben & Sue Singleton and Kathy & Benny Long were here when I pulled in. Benny made beef vegetable soup for all of us for supper. Then we sat by the campfire until 11 PM and got caught up on all the news. Even Lady is excited to be here. She's been hanging out with Mr. Mike.

Here's some information about the lake and dam. Lewis Smith Dam, one of the largest earth and rock filled dams in eastern United States, was completed in 1961 at the Sipsey Fork tributary of the Warrior River. The dam, located in neighboring Walker County, backs up water within six miles of the City of Cullman making Smith Lake flow through Cullman, Winston & Walker Counties. It's the largest dam east of the Mississippi River and one of the largest in the world. The dam is 2,200 feet in length and 300 feet high. Smith Lake reservoir has 500 miles of shoreline, a length of 35 miles and 21,000 acres of land covered by water. The lake is 510 feet above sea level and 264 feet deep at the dam. It has a power storage of 194,700,000 kilowatt hours. The dam draws nearly 40,000 visitors each year. Smith Lake is excellent for fishing, boating and water-skiing. It is the holder of five world fishing records and host to many champion fishing tournaments held each year.

I've found some sightseeing things to do around here. I've never done sightseeing around here. We always came to the campground and hung out with the other campers. This campground isn't a destination campground - it's used by the locals who want to play on the lake (there're 2 marinas across the street and the campground has a small dock). We thought it would be perfect to be able to use the motorhome and have our boat docked across the street ... but with that last boat (for those of you who haven't heard the story it was a lemon) we never got to use it. That's how I got to know everybody ... every weekend during the season it's usually the same people here.

Ave Maria Grotto

The Ave Maria Grotto is known throughout the world as "Jerusalem in Miniature". The gift shop provides entry to a forest trail, winding down past several miniature building clusters and junk-bejeweled shrines.  Round a bend, and you see it - an entire hillside packed with cathedrals and famous building.  One half of the hillside features buildings and scenes from the Holy Land.  There's also a central artificial cave--the Ave Maria Grotto.

The builder of the miniatures at the Ave Maria Grotto was a Benedictine Monk--Brother Joseph Zoettl, O.S.B.  Born in Landshut, Bavaria in 1878, he was maimed in an accident that gave him a hunchback, but it did not hurt his ability to bend over and build the miniatures.  He came to Saint Bernard Abbey in 1892.  After becoming a Brother in the Benedictine Order, he was appointed to the power plant for the Abbey, and while there he developed his hobby of building miniature shrines with various materials he could find, and infinite patience and a remarkable sense of symmetry and proportion. He re-created some of the greatest buildings of all time. The first replicas were erected on the monastery recreation grounds, but because of the large number of visitors, a new site was selected and on May 17, 1934 the Ave Maria Grotto was dedicated.  Brother Joseph continued his work for over 40 years, using materials sent from all over the world.  He built his last model, the Basilica in Lourdes, at the age of 80, in 1958.

The Ave Maria Grotto, located on the grounds of Alabama's first and only Benedictine Abbey, consists of over 125 miniatures, reproductions of famous churches, shrines and buildings.  Encompassing an area of over three acres, this miniature fairyland sees visitors from all over the world.

Among the numerous replicas which elicit admiration and wonderment are the famous buildings of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, familiar to all from the Bible; Roman Landmarks, as St. Peter's and the Colosseum; the famous Spanish Missions of the American Southwest; and replicas of the famous Shrines of Our Lady, Fatima and Lourdes.

Brother Joseph who died in 1961 is buried in the Abbey cemetery a short distance from the Grotto gift shop.

Natural Bridge

This 60-ft-high, 148-ft-long sandstone rock bridge is the longest natural bridge east of the Rockies. It was formed by an underwater river over 200 million years ago and is a mix of sandstone and iron ore. Creek Indians originally lived in the area. Both Southern and Northern Civil War troops used the trails. The bridge spans a scenic natural area with nature paths, picnic areas and a gift shop.

Covered Bridges

Wooden covered bridges played an important role in the development of Alabama by providing safe passage over creeks and rivers at locations where crossing in a horse-drawn wagon or buggy would otherwise be extremely difficult or impossible. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries hundreds of covered bridges were constructed in the state, but now only a few remain.

The remaining 11 historic covered bridges are open to the public, from the Coldwater Bridge in Calhoun County built in 1850 to the Horton Mill Bridge in Blount County constructed in 1935. Because of their importance to communities, these bridges were used as meeting places for baptisms, weddings, and at least one hanging. Some were strategic participants in the Civil War while others simply served the daily needs of farmers and merchants.

Locations range from peaceful brooks to ominous gorges, Alabama’s covered bridges provide picturesque settings for reflecting on life in the past.

Clarkson Covered Bridge, sometimes called Legg Bridge
First built in 1904, the unique truss bridge (invented in the U.S.) stretches 270 feet over Crooked Creek. The unusual lattice style of planks on the structure form a webbing which, in conjunction with only vertical forces used on the abutments, allow the bridge to withstand an excessive amount of weight. A Civil War skirmish, known as the Battle of Hog Mountain, was fought here on April 30, 1863. The Cullman County Commission and the citizens of Cullman restored the site in 1976 for the American Bicentennial and have added a park with shaded picnic grounds, a Dogtrot Log Cabin, Grist Mill, and hiking trails. The bridge has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Known as "the covered bridge capital of Alabama", Blount County has three of the state's remaining 11 covered bridges. A fourth covered bridge in Blount County, The Nectar Covered Bridge, burned on June 13, 1993 and was 385 feet long crossing the Locust Fork of the Warrior River.

Easley Bridge is the oldest of the three remaining covered bridges in Blount County, all of which are still in use. Located in the Rosa community, the bridge spans the Dub Branch. Members of the Tidwell family built all of the Blount County bridges. The Easley Covered Bridge is the shortest of these bridges. It is 95 feet long and 18 feet above a creek. It was built in 1930.

Horton Mill Bridge, built in 1935, towers over a deep gorge cut by the Warrior River in Blount County and is the highest covered bridge built over water in the US. Talmedge Horton, a descendant of the family that founded the gristmill for which the bridge is named, helped construct the bridge. He says that it took "fifteen men working from sunup to sundown for a year and a half" to build it. Horton Mill Covered Bridge towers 70 feet above the Black Warrior River and is 220 feet long. Nature trails and a roadside park border the crossing.

Swann-Joy Bridge is the longest surviving covered bridge in Alabama. It was built on the Swann farm to provide access to the Joy community. It is located in a scenic area over the Locust Fork branch of the Warrior River. The Swann or Joy Covered Bridge is the ninth longest covered bridge in the country. Built in 1933, it stretches 324 feet across and 27 feet above the Locust Fork River.

Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament

The Order of Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration (P.C.P.A.) was founded in Paris, France on December 8, 1854, under the name "Franciscan Nuns of the Most Blessed Sacrament". This was the same day that the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed a Dogma by Blessed Pope Pius IX. The Order was founded by Mother Marie Claire Bouillevaux, under the guidance of a Capuchin Franciscan Priest, Father Bonaventure (John Baptist) Heurlaut. The new Order united the Franciscan form of living the Holy Gospel with special consecration to Eucharistic Adoration in the spirit of thanksgiving. Mother Marie Claire was inspired by the Gospel account of the one leper who returned to give thanks to Our Lord. Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has been a continual act of Adoration and thanksgiving since the very beginning of the Order.

From France the Order spread to Poland and Austria. The first American Foundation was established in 1921 by Mother M. Agnes from Vienna, Austria, in the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1925 the Cleveland Monastery became one of the first Cloistered Communities in America to receive the privilege of Solemn Vows. From this Monastery several foundations were established in Bangladesh and South India as well as other cities in the United States. Today there are 27 Monasteries of Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration, in France, Poland, Austria, Germany, Bangladesh, India, and America.

The Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration are a Pontifical Contemplative Order of Cloistered Nuns with the privilege of Solemn Vows, Papal Enclosure, and Solemn Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The Poor Clares are part of the Second Order of Saint Francis of Assisi. Through the Vows of their Religious Profession, the Nuns consecrate their entire lives to Adoration of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament, solemnly exposed in the Monstrance in their Monastery Chapel.

The Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration came to Alabama in 1962 when Mother M. Angelica established Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in the Birmingham suburb of Irondale. In 1973, she began to write books on the spiritual life, which the Nuns printed and distributed all over the world. Her talks on spirituality made her a favorite speaker at many conferences and other religious events.

When Mother Angelica was given the opportunity to make video tape programs for television, she realized the impact television could have in spreading the Faith. Converting a planned garage behind the Monastery into a television studio, Mother Angelica founded the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). EWTN began airing programs on August 15, 1981 via satellite to cable companies and home satellite dishes. In 1992, Mother Angelica founded WEWN to broadcast Catholic programs world-wide via short-wave radio, inspired by the prophecy of Revelation 14:6 — "Then I saw another Angel, flying high overhead, sent to announce the Good News of Eternity to all who live on the earth, every nation, race, language, and tribe."

EWTN continues to extend its Apostolate of spreading the Good News of Jesus over all the earth. In 1996, EWTN was added to the Dish Network, which beams EWTN’s programs via satellite to small, 18" dishes that can be mounted on a roof. Access to WEWN's radio programs is available to AM/FM radio stations throughout the world via satellite. EWTN has also developed EWTN Online Services to spread the Word worldwide via the Internet.

As more visitors began coming to the Monastery and to the television network, Mother Angelica realized the need for holy Priests to hear Confessions, celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and give spiritual talks. In response to this need, she founded the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, an Order of Priests and Brothers who live a Franciscan, Eucharistic life dedicated to bringing souls back to the Church.

In 1995, while traveling in South America to announce the beginning of EWTN’s 24-hour Spanish satellite programming, Mother Angelica visited the Sanctuary of the Divine Infant Jesus in Bogotá, Colombia. As she stood praying before the statue of the Child Jesus, He suddenly turned toward her and spoke these words: "Build Me a Temple, and I will help those who help you." Five years later, despite many obstacles, the Temple and new Monastery were completed. The Nuns moved to Hanceville on December 3, 1999, and the Temple was consecrated on December 19, 1999. Our Lady of the Angels Monastery was designated a Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, offering spiritual activities to groups of pilgrims.

The Nuns wear a traditional Habit with cord and Franciscan Crown Rosary. They chant the entire Divine Office each day. Traditional devotions of the Order include the Way of the Cross and the Holy Rosary. The Poor Clares are faithful to the Holy Father and to the Magisterium of the Church. The Poor Clare Extern Sisters live and work outside the Cloister, greeting and assisting visitors, shopping, and taking care of the public side of the Chapel.

There are 32 nuns in the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, ranging in age from 20 to 70 years old.  This is a cloistered community, which means that they take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and the central focal point of their lives is the perpetual adoration of the  Blessed Sacrament.  Our Lady of the Angels Monastery receives about ten calls or letters a week with requests and questions about a vocation.  There is room in the Monastery for a total 42 nuns.

The cloistered nuns need to receive special permission from the Pope to travel.  With permission, Mother Angelica was traveling in Bogotá, Columbia 5 1/2 years ago.  As she was going to pray one day, she saw a statute of a nine or ten year old Jesus out of the corner of her eye.  As she passed by, she saw the statute come alive and turn towards her and say, "Build me a temple and I will help those who help you."  She didn't know what this meant because she had never heard of a Catholic church referred to as a "temple."  Later, she found that the Temple of St. Peters was a Catholic Church and a place of worship.

When she returned from her trip, she began looking for land in Alabama.  She found over 300 acres that belonged to a 90-year old lady and her children.  They were not Catholics, but when Mother Angelica told her what she wanted the land to build a temple for Jesus, the lady responded, "That's a good enough reason for me."  The temple took 5 years to construct and is still being worked on.  Recently a gift shop and conference center has been built.  The architecture is 13th Century.  Mother Angelica wanted the marble, gold, and cedar for the temple that God commanded David to build him in the Bible.  The ceramic tile came from South America, the stones from Canada, and the bronze from Madrid, Spain.  The floors, columns, and pillars are made of marble.  There is a rare red Jasper marble from Turkey that was used for the red crosses in the floor of the temple.  The wood for the pews, doors, and confessionals were from cedar imported from Paraguay.  Spanish workers came to build the doors.  The stain glass windows were imported from Munich, Germany.  The Statutes of the Stations of the Cross were hand-carved.

One of the most striking parts of the temple is the gold leaf wall.  There is an eight foot stand with gold plated at top for the consecrated host.  Two nuns pray in 1 to 1 1/2 hour shifts 24 hours a day behind the gold leaf wall in the temple.  The cloistered nuns purpose is to pray and worship Jesus.  They pray for those who don't pray for themselves.  The nuns stay focused on silence, solitude and prayer.  There is a prayer request box at the receptionist's desk and many requests are taken over the phone.

Five donors paid for the property, all the construction costs, and materials.  They were already supporters of Mother Angelica and wish to remain anonymous.  Mother Angelica shares that we spend fortunes on amusement parks, shopping centers, casinos and the White House.  She feels that God deserves the same quality and the best House of Prayer.  There is a dress code at the monastery - no shorts, tank tops, sleeveless shirts, or mini-skirts.  There are to be no pictures taken inside the shrine or any talking in the shrine.

The inside picture above I took from a postcard. The postcard doesn't represent the colors inside the church very well. It looks like the original camera had a yellow filter on it. The actual colors are so magnificent that you can't help but gasp, and remember there's no talking inside, as soon as you open the door and get your first glimpse.

On top of the monastery stands a cross.  It was destroyed during a storm a few years ago.  At first, the workers thought that it was hit by lightning.  After inquiring with the weather people, they discovered that their had been no lightning or wind in that area.  The top part of the cross had been cut off with a clean cut, leaving the shape of a "T."  There was talk of replacing the cross.  Mother Angelica found out that this "T" was the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  It also stood for "God Among Us."  In Ezekiel 9, this letter is a sign of favor and protection.  This "T" or "tau" cross was a sign of St. Francis in the 13th Century and reflects the period of architecture of the monastery.   Mother Angelica chose to leave the cross as it is and looks at it as a sign from God.

Halloween Party

Well, the Big Bridge Campground Halloween Party 2001 is now just a memory. It was well worth the stay.

Mr Mike saves all the downed trees and fallen limbs throughout the year so by Halloween we have a brush pile for the bonfire. Using Mr Mike's registration software entries, we invited 33 families and 19 were able to attend. We had planned to have a costume contest for the kids, but the weather got too cold. We gave them all a trick or treat bag full of candy - Mr Mike used the fullsized candy bars he keeps in the store. We planned a hay ride, a bonfire and a potluck supper. The campground provided the meat (BBQ, hamburgers and hot dogs) for the potluck and everyone brought a side dish or dessert to share.

Friday was a busy day getting everything ready. The field around the brush pile got mowed in preparation for the bonfire. The local fire dept was called so we they'd be here to watch the bonfire for us. A local farmer loaned us bales of hay for the hayride. The party room got decorated for the potluck supper. We got trick or treat bags to fill for the kids. Mr Mike pulled several campers out of storage and put them on site for people arriving. Benny brought over his flatbed trailer so we could use it for the hayride. We got it hitched up to Mr Mike's tractor. Folks started showing up late afternoon and evening. Somewhere in all this I found time to make the BBQ sauce and a macaroni salad, my contribution for the potluck.

Mike Dyer drove up from his house to visit with me for a few minutes. His plans had changed and he wasn't going to be able to make the Halloween Party on Saturday. On Sunday he's leaving for OK for 2 weeks, so he wouldn't be back in town until after I've left Birmingham. But I'm glad he drove up to say good-bye.

Saturday I was woken up early by the arrival of my friends, Bob & Marty Morgan, who live in Birmingham. They came up in their motorhome for the weekend to join all our fun. Everyone spent the morning visiting with each other ... some of us hadn't seen each other in several months, others in several years. The air temps weren't warming up much ... the high for the day was around 60 and the night was going to be near freezing. So we decided to add hot chocolate for everyone to the evening festivities ... Mr Mike sent Marty and I out for 3 gallons of milk - I already had the cocoa and Benny had the sugar. About mid afternoon everyone disappeared to their camper preparing their dish for the potluck.

The firemen arrived around 5 PM and got setup near the bonfire site. At 5:30 PM we all assembled at the office where the party room is, set the food up, Mr Mike thanked everyone, Benny said grace, and then we lined up for grub behind the firemen! We had so much food - BBQ, hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixin's, macaroni salad, green been salad, 2 different oriental cabbage salads, mac & cheese, pineapple/orange cake, peach squares, strawberry jello dessert with pretzels, deviled eggs, corn on the cob ... I know there was more but I can't think of it. By the time supper was over, it was dark out. I made the first gallon of hot chocolate. We decided to do the bonfire before the hayride so the firemen could get home early if they didn't want to hang around.

We sent everyone to the bonfire area. It was so neat ... from the office you can't see the bonfire area, but as you walked from the office to the bonfire area you crest a hill in the campground. Once you crest that hill you could see all the lights flashing on the fire engine and all the kids got excited. After everyone got down there, Benny & Mr Mike lit the brush pile and our bonfire was underway. The firemen were talking with the kids and letting them try on their equipment, boots, hats, everything. By then the bonfire flames were getting pretty high, I could tell Mr Mike was beginning to worry about the overhanging branches on some of the tall pine trees. The fire chief took one of the little boys (about 6 yrs old), still in fireman garb, onto the roof of the fire truck and had him help use the roof cannon to spray water on the bonfire to get the flames to die down some. Then they climbed back down and the firemen continued talking with the kids answering all their questions, showing them how everything in the truck works, and played with the siren.

The gallon of hot chocolate was gone by now and I was making another one. Just as I was finishing up, Mr Mike came by the office and kidnapped Lady & I, making us go on the hayride. Benny was driving the tractor and Mr Mike was sitting with all of us ... the trailer holds about 14 people at a time.The hayride route is across the street from the campground behind the marina ... there's a narrow paved road that goes up a steep hill (small mountainside) through the woods. It's about a 20 minute ride. It was definitely cold on that ride and we all wanted more hot chocolate when we got back, so there went that pot!

By now it was getting late and the little kids were going to bed, people were breaking up into smaller groups and hanging out at campers or the bonfire. We sat around the campfire at Ben & Sue's until about midnight chatting about all kinds of stuff.

Sunday morning several folks went out to church. We had potluck leftovers for lunch when they returned. We finished our visiting and mid afternoon people started pulling out to head home.

Amish Community

Mr Mike asked me if I wanted to go for a ride ... he was going to get a rocking chair. We rode up I-65 into TN and went west on US-64 to Lawrenceburg, then north on US-43 to Ethridge TN. Ethridge is an Amish community. We knew we had found it when we saw a sign that welcomed us, but requested that we please don't take any pictures. Each craftsman has a sign hanging by the road listing the items they have for sale which they make in their home or a shop out back. So we drove up and down several roads but couldn't find who made the rocking chairs. We stopped at a few houses, talked to the folks to get directions and found our way to the rocking chair makers.

These rocking chairs are absolutely wonderful! The most comfortable wooden chair I've ever sat in! They use tree branches for the frame and cut/plane slats from Hickory for the seat and back. Mr Mike bought 2 of them. I'd love to have one, but there's no way I could pack it in the motorhome.

We had a great conversation with the man that made them and his wife. He buys the wood a few times a year and usually takes orders for the chairs since there's such a demand for them now. (Apparently lots of people have found out about them.) He's got 5 children under the age of 10 ... all of which were very well behaved and busy doing their chores without complaint. We discussed their language which is Pennsylvania Dutch, not a form of German. Many of the Amish don't speak English very well since they use their own language in their community. His wife asked us if we were from the north since we didn't speak like hillbillies (hehehehe) ... Mr Mike and I thought that was really cute! She said they have a really hard time understanding people from the TN Hills.

Along the way I found a few things to buy myself. I got a hand made cutting board with matching rolling pin and a basket to hold napkins. They're so gorgeous I'm not sure I'll be able to get myself to actually use them. The work they put into everything is just amazing.

My Last Weekend

On Friday Ben & Sue came out for the weekend to spend it with me since it's my last weekend for this visit. We decided we needed to enlarge our fire ring ... we made a 4 ft fire ring and had a great campfire which used up all the cut lumber in the campground.

Sue & Ben were in a site on the opposite side of the campground from mine. That's not as far as it sounds. The campground has 40 sites ... all natural ... pine needles and leaves since it's very wooded. Since most of the sites were empty we've been walking across them going back and forth to each other's site. Today we discovered that we've worn a noticeable trail across the campground. We thought it was pretty funny and hoped Mr Mike didn't mind too much.

On Saturday Mr Mike went somewhere (we don't know where) and got more wood so we could have a campfire. He brought us a truckload (he's got a Toyota pickup) of tree limbs! We spent the day sitting around and visiting. We decided that this campfire was the biggest and best campfire ever. 4 ft logs! Well, actually about 6 ft logs ... they were hanging out of the fire ring!! When we were ready to call it a night we had to put the fire out with a hose! Usually we use a few bowls of water, but that wouldn't even have put a dent in it this time. Sue cooked steaks for us all and I made a yellow squash casserole for supper. Ben brought out a TV and set it up on a picnic table so we could sit by the campfire and watch the World Series. Then Sue & I got out Ben's hammock and set it up by the campfire. When Ben was laying on the hammock Lady kept checking it out. Sue & I were expecting her to jump up there to lay with him and we thought she would flip him over in the process since she's not experienced a hammock ... but she didn't try. Demi, their dog, knows how to jump up there and lay down.

On Sunday we didn't have enough wood left for a campfire. We only had a few limbs ... just enough for a small fire. So I scavenged around and found enough kindling ... Ben carried up several tree trunks from the pile of trees Mr Mike had cut down during the year. Benny and Kathy came by for the afternoon so we could have one last visit before I leave. Sue had to go to work from 3 - 6 so I cooked a Hen she had thawed and made corn pudding to go with it for supper. She was so happy to arrive from work and have supper ready and waiting for her. We watched the final game of the World Series outside at the campfire again.

Monday morning Sue packed up her motorhome while I was packing up mine. Today was sooo sad ... I left the campground at the lake and moved down to Birmingham to go to my doctor appointments. Mr Mike and my friends didn't want me to leave and I didn't want to either. We spent an extra hour talking because no one wanted to be the first to say good-bye. I finally got out of there around 2:30 PM. Good thing I only had 68 miles to go this afternoon to get to the Birmingham South KOA. I've not stayed at the lake longer than a week at a time before. Staying a month made it much harder to leave.

By the end of my stay I got a picture of everyone, including the dogs. So at least I've got these to look at when I'm missing everyone and can't hug their neck.

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