April 11-12, 2018 Service Campground, Alabama

Our new neighbors Andrea and Phil from the northern Sierras in California. They travel in their RV half of the year with their motorcycles and live the other half in their cabin in the northern Sierras. They had us over for happy hour. Very fun people. John and I headed to Bobby's Fish Camp to check out the boat ramp and have lunch. The restaurant is not open today, but we had a long conversation with  Lora Jane whose daddy was Bobby who built the fish camp in 1956. We learned all kinds of history of the area. The property has been in her family for many generations. There used to be a warehouse there and they ran steam river boats on the river. We are going to come back, boat and eat dinner. She says they have world class catfish. 

After talking to Lora Jane we went into Bladen Springs and saw the churches she mentioned and the spring of Bladen Springs. There was a 200 guest hotel and hot spring resort  built in 1838 where people came for the waters. The hotel had a ballroom, bowling alley, billiard room, ice skating rink  and bar. The main spring was surrounded by a latticed pavilion, pergola, bath house and croquet  grounds. The hotel burnt down in 1938. All that is left is the pavillian around the main spring- which has dried up. The pavilion is pictured  under the churches. We also went to the Bladen Springs cemetery where Lora Jane's family plot is inside the fence. She also told us the story of many of the people whose graves we saw. 

Sunset from the campground tonight over the Tombigbee river. 

We kayaked the Choctaw wildlife refuge today with our neighbors Andrea and Phil. They have an inflatable kayak with foot peddles that run the paddles underneath. 

John taking a picture in the greenery and ahead of me. 

We saw a lot of birds. Mostly great egrets. A flock of white ibis flew over us. 

In the bottom of the photo is an alligator head above water. We saw lots of them, but mostly just the head , then they took off. Great egret in a tree, purple gallinule in the grass, white water flowers.

Another alligator in the water ahead. Some of the cabins at Bobby's Fish Camp.

We had dinner at Bobby's Fish camp. The inside was like a museum with all the cool things on the walls. John with his fried catfish-fresh from the river. He said it was the best catfish he has ever eaten. He has a budweiser in a can with a frosty mug. Not a big beer selection. The South-the place where tea is sweet and accents are sweeter. Summer starts in April and macaroni and cheese is a vegetable. Front porches are wide and words are long. Pecan pie is a staple. Pantries are lined with mason jars of tomatoes, peaches and okra. Chicken is fried and biscuits come with gravy. Y'all is the only proper noun. Hospitality is an art. Gardens are bursting with magnolia and hydrangea. Thank you notes are written. Towels are monogramed. Everything is darlin' and somebodies little heart is always being blessed. Bobby's Fish Camp est. 1956. A journey back in time. A huge mounted alligator gar.