Thread:61Storm/@comment-29709319-20181110010804/@comment-29709319-20181214025827

December 14: National Alabama Day, National Bouillabaisse Day, and National Salesperson Day.

🇺🇸Alabama's capital is Montgomery. The largest city by population is Birmingham, which has long been the most industrialized city; the largest city by land area is Huntsville. The oldest city is Mobile, founded by French colonists in 1702 as the capital of French Louisiana. Alabama is nicknamed the Yellowhammer State. It is also known as the "Heart of Dixie" and the "Cotton State". Motto: defendere We dare defend our rights, State song: "Alabama". Living insignia; 🦎Amphibian: Red Hills salamander, 🦃Bird: Yellowhammer, wild turkey, 🦋Butterfly: Eastern tiger swallowtail, 🐟Fish: Largemouth bass, fighting tarpon, 🌸Flower: Camellia, oak-leaf hydrangea, 🐎Horse breed: Racking horse, 🦋Insect: Monarch butterfly, 🐻Mammal: American black bear, 🐢Reptile: Alabama red-bellied turtle, 🌳Tree: Longleaf pine. Inanimate insignia; 🥃Beverage: Conecuh Ridge Whiskey, Colors: Red, white, 💃Dance: Square dance, 🍑Food: Pecan, blackberry, peach, Fossil: Basilosaurus, 💎Gemstone: Star blue quartz, Mineral: Hematite, 💎Rock: Marble, 🐚Shell: Johnstone's junonia, Slogan: Share The Wonder, Alabama the beautiful, Where America finds its voice, Sweet Home Alabama, Soil: Bama. Highest point: Mount Cheaha at 2,413 ft (735.5 m), Lowest point: Gulf of Mexico, Sea level. Trade with the northeastern tribes by the Ohio River began during the Burial Mound Period (1000 BC–AD 700) and continued until European contact. The agrarian Mississippian culture covered most of the state from 1000 to 1600 AD, with one of its major centers built at what is now the Moundville Archaeological Site in Moundville. This is the second-largest complex of the classic Middle Mississippian era, after Cahokia in present-day Illinois, which was the center of the culture. Among the historical tribes of Native American people living in present-day Alabama at the time of European contact were the Cherokee, an Iroquoian language people; and the Muskogean-speaking Alabama (Alibamu), Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Koasata. With exploration in the 16th century, the Spanish were the first Europeans to reach Alabama. The expedition of Hernando de Soto passed through Mabila and other parts of the state in 1540. More than 160 years later, the French founded the region's first European settlement at Old Mobile in 1702. The city was moved to the current site of Mobile in 1711. This area was claimed by the French from 1702 to 1763 as part of La Louisiane. After the French lost to the British in the Seven Years' War, it became part of British West Florida from 1763 to 1783. After the United States victory in the American Revolutionary War, the territory was divided between the United States and Spain. The latter retained control of this western territory from 1783 until the surrender of the Spanish garrison at Mobile to U.S. forces on April 13, 1813. Before Mississippi's admission to statehood on December 10, 1817, the more sparsely settled eastern half of the territory was separated and named the Alabama Territory. The United States Congress created the Alabama Territory on March 3, 1817. St. Stephens, now abandoned, served as the territorial capital from 1817 to 1819. Alabama was admitted as the 22nd state on December 14, 1819, with Congress selecting Huntsville as the site for the first Constitutional Convention. From July 5 to August 2, 1819, delegates met to prepare the new state constitution. Huntsville served as temporary capital from 1819 to 1820, when the seat of government moved to Cahaba in Dallas County from 1820 to 1825. When the state was admitted to the Union, settlers and land speculators pouring into the state to take advantage of fertile land suitable for cotton cultivation. Southeastern planters and traders from the Upper South brought slaves with them as the cotton plantations in Alabama expanded. Alabama had an estimated population of under 10,000 people in 1810, but it increased to more than 300,000 people by 1830. Most Native American tribes were completely removed from the state within a few years of the passage of the Indian Removal Act by Congress in 1830. From 1826 to 1846, Tuscaloosa served as Alabama's capital. On January 30, 1846, the Alabama legislature announced it had voted to move the capital city from Tuscaloosa to Montgomery. A new capitol building was erected. The first structure burned down in 1849, but was rebuilt on the same site in 1851. This second capitol building in Montgomery remains to the present day. By 1860, the population had increased to 964,201 people, of which nearly half, were enslaved African Americans, and free people of color. On January 11, 1861, Alabama declared its secession from the Union, joining the Confederate States of America. Alabama was heavily involved in the American Civil War. Although comparatively few battles were fought in the state. Alabama's slaves were freed by the 13th Amendment in 1865. Alabama was under military rule from the end of the war in May 1865 until its official restoration to the Union in 1868. From 1867 to 1874, with most white citizens barred temporarily from voting and freedmen enfranchised, many African Americans emerged as political leaders in the state. Alabama was represented in Congress during this period by three African-American congressmen: Jeremiah Haralson, Benjamin S. Turner, and James T. Rapier. During Reconstruction, state legislators ratified a new state constitution in 1868 that created the state's first public school system and expanded women's rights. Reconstruction in Alabama ended in 1874. They wrote another constitution in 1875, and the legislature passed the Blaine Amendment, prohibiting public money from being used to finance religious-affiliated schools. The same year, legislation was approved that called for racially segregated schools and railroad passenger cars. The new 1901 Constitution of Alabama included provisions for voter registration that effectively disenfranchised large portions of the population, including nearly all African Americans and Native Americans, and tens of thousands of poor whites, through making voter registration difficult, requiring a poll tax and literacy test. The state legislature passed additional racial segregation laws related to public facilities into the 1950s: jails were segregated in 1911; hospitals in 1915; toilets, hotels, and restaurants in 1928; and bus stop waiting rooms in 1945. Beginning in 1913, the first 80 Rosenwald Schools were built in Alabama for African-American children. A total of 387 schools, seven teachers' houses, and several vocational buildings were completed by 1937 in the state. Several of the surviving school buildings in the state are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Industrial development related to the demands of World War II brought a level of prosperity to the state not seen since before the civil war. Rural workers poured into the largest cities in the state for better jobs and a higher standard of living. Cotton and other cash crops faded in importance as the state developed a manufacturing and service base. African Americans continued to press in the 1950s and 1960s to end disenfranchisement and segregation in the state through the civil rights movement, including legal challenges. In 1954, the US Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that public schools had to be desegregated, but Alabama was slow to comply. During the 1960s, under Governor George Wallace, Alabama resisted compliance with federal demands for desegregation. The civil rights movement had notable events in Alabama, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–56), Freedom Rides in 1961, and 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. These contributed to Congressional passage and enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 by the U.S. Congress. Alabama is the thirtieth-largest state in the United States with 52,419 square miles (135,760 km2) of total area: 3.2% of the area is water, making Alabama 23rd in the amount of surface water, also giving it the second-largest inland waterway system in the United States. Areas in Alabama administered by the National Park Service include: 1️⃣Horseshoe Bend National Military Park near Alexander City covers 2,040 acres (8.3 km2). It is a U.S. national military park managed by the National Park Service that is the site of the last battle of the Creek War on March 27, 1814. There are a few activities to do inside the park. Hiking: A 2.8 mile long nature trail winds its way around the Battlefield and near Tohopeka Village, the site of a Creek Indian camp in the early 1800s. Picnicking: There are two picnic areas. A larger area with two covered shelters and a smaller area offers uncovered picnic tables. Boating: To go explore the winding Tallapoosa River. Fishing: Shorefishing is allowed at the Miller Bridge Boat Ramp only. Bicycling is permitted on the 3 mile paved Tour Road. 2️⃣Little River Canyon National Preserve near Fort Payne is located on top of Lookout Mountain. Covering 15,288-acre (6,187 ha) The preserve protects what is sometimes said to be the nation's longest mountaintop river, the Little River. The river is said to be among the cleanest and wildest waterways in the South. The river boasts three major waterfalls: DeSoto Falls, Little River Falls and Grace's High Falls which is Alabama's highest waterfall at 133 feet (41 m). Backcountry camping is allowed only in three locations: Slant Rock, Hartline's Ford, and Billy's Ford. Hunting in the preserve requires a hunting license from Alabama or any other state. Riding ATVs is no longer permitted. Fishing requires an Alabama fishing license and net or seine fishing are not allowed. 3️⃣Russell Cave National Monument in Bridgeport was established on May 11, 1961, when 310 acres (1.3 km2) of land were donated by the National Geographic Society to the American people. With a mapped length of 7.2 miles (11.6 km), Russell Cave is the third-longest mapped cave in Alabama. It is ranked 90th on the United States Long Cave List, and is listed as number 314 on the World Long Cave List. Caving is no longer allowed inside the cave. The park offers visitors two trails: ❇️Nature Trail, a 0.6-mile (.95 km) paved trail, and ❇️Backcountry Trail, a 1.2-mile (1.9-km) dirt trail. Both trails provide good opportunities to observe the forest, wildflowers, and Montague Mountain. Points along the trails feature plants that were used by Native Americans for food, tools, and other daily necessities. Each year during the first weekend in May, the park hosts a Native American Festival. The festival includes performances of storytelling, dancing, and Native American flute playing. 4️⃣🍁Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, commemorates the contributions of African American airmen in World War II. Moton Field was the only primary flight facility for African-American pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen in the U.S. Army Air Corps (Army Air Forces) during World War II. It was constructed in 1941 as a new training base. The field was named after former Tuskegee Institute principal Robert Russa Moton. In January 2021, the Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Site is scheduled to be depicted on the 56th and final quarter in the America the Beautiful Quarters series. 5️⃣🍁Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site near Tuskegee. In 1881, Tuskegee Institute in Alabama officially opened its doors to America’s former slaves. In time, the university would gain recognition for its superior training of African Americans in industrial trades that helped improve their economic conditions and way of life. Today, Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site is a symbol of African American achievement and a reminder of Booker T. Washington’s legacy in African American education and culture. Booker Taliaferro Washington (c. 1856–November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American community. He was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants. Hiking is one of the most popular recreation activities in Alabama’s national forests. There’s more than 342 miles of trails for outdoor recreationist. Alabama has four National Forests: 1️⃣Conecuh! The name Conecuh is believed to be of Muskogee origin. The Conecuh Forest covers 83,000 acres (340 km2), along the Alabama - Florida line. The Conecuh Trail winds 20 miles (30 km) through Alabama's coastal plain. Nature lovers relish the natural diversity of the Conecuh. National Forest. Wildlife includes abundant game–white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bobwhite quail—and many other rare and interesting species, including endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, fox squirrels, carnivorous pitcher plants, and numerous species of frogs. 2️⃣Talladega National Forest covers 392,567 acres (613.39 sq mi, or 1,588.66 km2) at the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountains. If seclusion and peace is what you desire, look no further than the Talladega National Forest, rich in wild game, camping, and hiking paradises. The Talladega National Forest is administered by three districts – Talladega, Shoal Creek and Oakmulgee. 3️⃣Tuskegee National Forest is the smallest national forest in the U.S. covering 11,252 acres (45.54 km2). There are four main hiking trails within the Tuskegee and three of these are also mountain biking trails. There are also horse trails, two fish ponds, the Uchee Shooting Range, Tsinia Wildlife Viewing Area, primitive camping and the Taska Recreation Area. Tuskegee is overflowing with natural and cultural history. Visitors can view various types of wild flowers, flowering trees and wildlife habitat while hiking or mountain biking. Picnic tables, grills and an interpretive kiosk are areas of interest. 4️⃣William B. Bankhead National Forest covers 181,230 acres (733 km2). You will not want to miss Bee Branch, a 500-year old poplar tree that looms 150 feet over the Bankhead National Forest, surrounded by canoeing, picnicking, horseback riding, and lovely cascading waterfalls. Alabama also contains: 1️⃣Natchez Trace Parkway, is a 444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through three states. It roughly follows the "Old Natchez Trace" a historic travel corridor used by American Indians, "Kaintucks," European settlers, slave traders, soldiers, and future presidents. Today, people can enjoy not only a scenic drive but also hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping along the parkway. 2️⃣Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail! The 54 miles between Selma and Montgomery, Alabama helped to change American history. The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail commemorates the events, people, and route of the 1965 Voting Rights March in Alabama. Following the February 1965 death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a voting rights activist in Marion, Alabama, a series of marches from Selma to Montgomery brought the conflicts of the voting rights movement into homes across the country and focused the nation’s attention on the ways segregated policies continued to divide society. 3️⃣🍁Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail. A notable natural wonder in Alabama. The Trail of Tears was a series of forced relocations of Native American peoples from their ancestral homelands in the Southeastern United States, to areas to the west (usually west of the Mississippi River) that had been designated as Indian Territory. The forced relocations were carried out by government authorities following the passage of the Indian Removal Act in 1830. The relocated peoples suffered from exposure, disease, and starvation while en route to their new designated reserve, and many died before reaching their destinations. The forced removals included members of the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Ponca, and Ho-Chunk/Winnebago nations. The Trail stretches 5,043 miles across nine states (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee). The phrase "Trail of Tears" originates from a description of the removal of many Native American tribes, including the infamous Cherokee Nation relocation in 1838. 4️⃣🍁"Natural Bridge" rock, the longest natural bridge east of the Rockies. Amidst green foliage and stunning rock formations is Alabama’s Natural Bridge, a sprawling sandstone and iron ore bridge formed over 200 million years ago. It is located just outside of William Bankhead National Forest. The natural bridge spans a small cave area with a curved rock formation 148 feet long and 60 feet high. Although the area was recognized as a national park in 1954, Native Americans had been dwelling in the area and underneath the natural bridge for hundreds of years. A short walk from the bridge is a mysterious carving of an Indian head, similar to that on the buffalo nickel. Despite some guesses that the carving depicts a chief from the area, almost nothing is known about who created the piece, when, or for what purpose. Unfortunately, visitors are no longer allowed to walk over the bridge for safety purposes, as there are no guard rails, and the 200-million-year old bridge cannot be trusted to hold the continuous traffic of weight. A 5-mile (8 km)-wide meteorite impact crater is located just north of Montgomery. This is the Wetumpka crater, the site of "Alabama's greatest natural disaster." A 1,000-foot (300 m)-wide meteorite hit the area about 80 million years ago. The hills just east of downtown Wetumpka showcase the eroded remains of the impact crater that was blasted into the bedrock, with the area labeled the Wetumpka crater or astrobleme ("star-wound") because of the concentric rings of fractures and zones of shattered rock that can be found beneath the surface. In 2002, Christian Koeberl with the Institute of Geochemistry University of Vienna published evidence and established the site as the 157th recognized impact crater on Earth. The state is classified as humid subtropical under the Koppen Climate Classification. The average annual temperature is 64°F (18°C). Generally, Alabama has very hot summers and mild winters with precipitation throughout the year. It receives an average of 56 inches (1,400 mm) of rainfall and enjoys a lengthy growing season of up to 300 days in the southern part of the state. Summers in Alabama are among the hottest in the U.S., with high temperatures averaging over 90°F (32°C) throughout the summer in some parts of the state. Alabama's highest temperature of 112°F (44°C) was recorded on September 5, 1925, in the unincorporated community of Centerville. The record low of -27°F (-37°C) occurred on January 30, 1966, in New Market. Although snow is a rare event in much of Alabama, areas of the state north of Montgomery may receive a dusting of snow a few times every winter. The annual average snowfall for the Birmingham area is 2 inches (51 mm) per year. Alabama is also prone to tropical storms and even hurricanes. Alabama, along with Oklahoma, has the most reported EF5 tornadoes of any state, according to statistics from the National Climatic Data Center for the period January 1, 1950, to June 2013. Several long-tracked F5/EF5 tornadoes have contributed to Alabama reporting more tornado fatalities than any other state. Native American groups within the state had increasingly been demanding recognition as ethnic groups and seeking an end to discrimination. Given the long history of slavery and associated racial segregation, the Native American peoples, who have sometimes been of mixed race, have insisted on having their cultural identification respected. In the past, their self-identification was often overlooked as the state tried to impose a binary breakdown of society into white and black. The state has officially recognized nine American Indian tribes in the state, descended mostly from the Five Civilized Tribes of the American Southeast. These are: 1️⃣Poarch Band of Creek Indians (who also have federal recognition), 2️⃣MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians, 3️⃣Star Clan of Muscogee Creeks, 4️⃣Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, 5️⃣Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama, 6️⃣Cher-O-Creek Intra Tribal Indians, 7️⃣Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe, 8️⃣Piqua Shawnee Tribe, and 9️⃣Ani-Yun-Wiya Nation. The state government has promoted recognition of Native American contributions to the state, including the designation in 2000 for Columbus Day to be jointly celebrated as American Indian Heritage Day. As of 2018, Alabama has the sixth highest poverty rate among states in the U.S. In 2017, United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston toured parts of rural Alabama and observed environmental conditions that he said were poorer than anywhere he had seen in the developed world. Alabama's agricultural outputs include poultry and eggs, cattle, fish, plant nursery items, peanuts, cotton, grains such as corn and sorghum, vegetables, milk, soybeans, and peaches. Although known as "The Cotton State", Alabama ranks between eighth and tenth in national cotton production, according to various reports. Alabama's industrial outputs include iron and steel products (including cast-iron and steel pipe); paper, lumber, and wood products; mining (mostly coal); plastic products; cars and trucks; and apparel. In addition, Alabama produces aerospace and electronic products, the location of NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Army Materiel Command, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal. 🍁Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Tuscaloosa County was the first automotive facility to locate within the state. While Alabama's public education system has improved in recent decades, it lags behind in achievement compared to other states. According to U.S. Census data (2000), Alabama's high school graduation rate—75%—is the fourth lowest in the U.S. Although unusual in the West, school corporal punishment is not uncommon in Alabama. Alabama's programs of higher education include 14 four-year public universities, two-year community colleges, and 17 private, undergraduate and graduate universities. They are: four medical schools (as of fall 2015): 1️⃣University of Alabama School of Medicine, 2️⃣University of South Alabama and 3️⃣Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine and 4️⃣The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Two veterinary colleges 1️⃣Auburn University and 2️⃣Tuskegee University. A dental school: 1️⃣University of Alabama School of Dentistry. One optometry college: 1️⃣University of Alabama at Birmingham. Two pharmacy schools: 1️⃣Auburn University and 2️⃣Samford University. And five law schools: 1️⃣University of Alabama School of Law, 2️⃣Birmingham School of Law, 3️⃣Cumberland School of Law, 4️⃣Miles Law School, and the 5️⃣Thomas Goode Jones School of Law. The largest single campus is the 1️⃣University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. The two oldest institutions are the public 1️⃣University of North Alabama in Florence and the 2️⃣Catholic Church-affiliated Spring Hill College in Mobile, both founded in 1830. There are 37 Major television network affiliates in Alabama. College football is extremely popular in Alabama, particularly the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn University Tigers, rivals in the Southeastern Conference. 🍁Bryant–Denny Stadium is the is the fifth largest stadium in America. The Talladega Superspeedway motorsports complex hosts a series of NASCAR events and is the thirteenth largest stadium in the world and sixth largest stadium in America. Alabama has hosted several professional golf tournaments. Don't miss any of Alabama's 10 must-see attractions! 1️⃣U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama is a museum operated by the government of Alabama, showcasing rockets, achievements, and artifacts of the U.S. space program. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center has one of the most extensive collections of space artifacts and displays more than 1500 pieces. Displays include rockets, engines, spacecraft, simulators, and hands-on exhibits. 2️⃣Birmingham Zoo is a zoological park that opened in 1955 in Birmingham, Alabama (US). It is the largest zoo in Alabama. The 122-acre (49 ha) zoo is home to almost 800 animals representing over 200 species, including many endangered species from six continents. 3️⃣Huntsville Botanical Garden (HBG) is open year-round for a fee. The HBG is a 112 acres (453,000 m²) botanical garden. The gardens includes a seasonal butterfly house, and aquatic, annual, daylily, fern, herb, perennial, rose, and wildflower gardens, as well as a nature path and collection of Flowering Dogwood trees. Specific sections of the garden are as follows: 🍂Nature center - overlooks Little Smith Lake, houses the open-aired butterfly house, and is open May through September. 🍂Biblical garden, featuring plants mentioned in the Bible. 🍂Central Corridor - with perennial garden, aquatic garden, and bulb and annual garden. 🍂Daylily Garden - over 675 cultivars of daylilies. 🍂Dogwood Trail - numerous Flowering Dogwood trees, including a hundred year old dogwood transplanted to the site, along a forest path. 🍂Fern Glade - almost 150 species of ferns, including Christmas Fern, Northern Maidenhair Fern, Southern Maidenhair Fern, Sensitive Fern, Royal Fern, and Cinnamon Fern. 🍂Herb Garden - 14 theme gardens and a cottage. 🍂Nature Trail - paths through an indigenous southeastern lowland forest, with Black Tupelo, Red Maple, Sycamore, and Sweetgum trees, and undergrowth including Sweet William, Wild Columbine, Foamflower, Scarlet Sage, Bellflower, and Black-eyed Susan. 🍂Vegetable Garden - four model gardens for the home gardener. 4️⃣The McWane Science Center is a science museum and research archive. Inside are more than 9,000 square feet (800 m2) of interactive exhibits. On the lower level there is The World of Water exhibit showcasing more than 50 species of marine and freshwater aquatic life. There is a touch tank with different species of small sharks and rays. There are also shark teeth that can be observed under a microscope and different displays about water pollution. The Alabama Collections Center (located on the second floor) is the home for more than 500,000 items from the former Red Mountain Museum. The center houses precious minerals, fossils, and Native American artifacts, the most noteworthy among them including the world's fourth-largest collection of mosasaurs; the Appalachiosaurus (similar to Tyrannosaurus); and the state fossil of Alabama, the Basilosaurus cetoides (an 80-foot (24 m) fossil whale). 5️⃣Barber Vintage Motorsports Park was built by Alabama native George W. Barber, and includes the 230,000-square-foot Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, the 880-acre Barber Motorsports Park contains the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, along with a 2.38-mile road-course (track), the Barber Proving Grounds, and additional buildings and complexes. The park has gardens, art, bodies of water, and bridges. It is surrounded by untouched forest and noted for its park-like setting. 6️⃣USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is a military history park and museum located on the western shore of Mobile Bay in Mobile. It has a collection of notable aircraft and museum ships including the South Dakota-class battleship USS Alabama and Gato-class submarine USS Drum. USS Alabama and USS Drum are both National Historic Landmarks; the park as a whole was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage prior to that time, on October 28, 1977. More museum features	are: The World War II-era battleship USS Alabama (BB-60). The World War II era submarine USS Drum (SS-228). Bombers and fighter planes ranging from a B-52 from the Vietnam War, a P-51 Mustang flown by the Tuskegee Airmen to an A-12 spyplane. A PBR (River Patrol Boat) used in the Vietnam War. Military equipment ranging from items such as a Skysweeper M51 anti-aircraft gun to a M4 Sherman tank. A Redstone MRBM (medium range ballistic missile). Korean War Memorial. And a Vietnam War Memorial. 7️⃣Point Mallard Park! This 750-acre park has camping, hiking trails, biking trails and a golf course. The Aquatic Center features a wave pool, Olympic-size diving pool, water slides and kiddie pools. The park also features a year-round ice skating complex. 8️⃣Montgomery Zoo is a 40-acre (16 ha) zoo located on the north side of Montgomery, Alabama. It is home to approximately 750 animals representing 140 species. It is an accredited member of the Zoological Association of America and participates in twenty-one Species Survival Plans. In 2007, the zoo was home to the first African elephant birth in Alabama. In 2013, the first Indian rhinoceros ever conceived by artificial insemination was born at the zoo. The Mann Wildlife Learning Museum opened in January 2003. The museum features taxidermy displays with a focus on native wildlife, game species, and resource management. 9️⃣Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo opened in June 1989 in Gulf Shores, Alabama, as Zooland Animal Park. It is operated by the Zoo Foundation, Inc., a 501 non-profit organization, and relies on admissions, memberships and contributions for its funding. It was the basis of the Animal Planet show The Little Zoo That Could. The zoo is several blocks north of the beach and is home to more than 290 animals including lions, leopards, tigers, wolves, bears, monkeys, and macaws. It includes a petting zoo, reptile house, and aviary, as well as daily animal shows in the summer. 🔟EarlyWorks Museum is the South’s largest hands-on history museum provides opportunities to discover, create, envision and explore and are just a splash, snap, push and smile away. Listen as the 16-foot talking tree tells folktales. Push the buttons on the EarlyWorks bandstand and enjoy toe-tapping tunes made popular by Alabama musicians. Discover Alabama’s river life and waterways on the life-size floating keelboat. Try on costumes similar to those worn in the 19th century, sack goods at the General Store and explore the log cabins, Federal and Victorian style houses.

🐟National Bouillabaisse Day! Bouillabaisse is on the list of must-have cuisine in France. Originating in the port city of Marseille, Bouillabaisse is a fish stew. Traditionally it is made using the bony rockfish, saffron, fennel seed and orange zest. There are strong opinions in the culinary world about the proper ingredients for an authentic bouillabaisse. From the fish (typically red rascasse, sea robin and European conger) to the wine (red or white), it is hotly debated. Even its origins are argued. Was the stew the creation of a Greek goddess or simply a stew thrown together by coastal fisherman using the bony rockfish which they were unable to sell to restaurants or markets? Regardless, using a variety of fresh fish is the first step to a delicious bouillabaisse, especially if you can’t get to the south of France to order it made for you.

👩‍💼👨‍💼National Salesperson Day! This day honors the value and dedication of the professional salesperson as well as the hard work that they perform. A good salesperson is knowledgeable about his or her product. When you have a question, if he doesn’t have an answer, he will know who does. A salesperson may work locally in a shop on her feet all day or travel several hundred miles a day to see customers and vendors. When a new product becomes available every salesperson selling the product will be studying so they can keep the customer informed. This day was created in March of 2000 by Maura Schreier-Fleming, president of Best@Selling. In 2010, National Salesperson Day’s observance moved to December. Schreier-Fleming is an author, consultant and speaker for salesperson training.

Alabama has quite the history. I wouldn't mind spending some time there looking around especially the Rock bridge. I want my fish deep fried period. No soup and no stews! Thank goodness sometimes for a salesperson. Especially when trying to decide between products and they can tell you the pros and cons of said product.

I must feel a little better I'm eating better now. The other day I didn't want anything solid. I hope my twin gets better soon. Does family not know they don't have to share everything🤣.

Sending hugs!🐶💕🎄💕