Perry Lakes Park

If there is one place that feels like paradise down here in Alabama, it is Perry Lakes Park.

Perry Lakes Park was originally constructed in 1935 with funding from the National Recovery Act. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in order to provide jobs in the depression years. It was closed in the 1980s but reopened to the public in 2002 with new architecture constructed by the Rural Studio (yes, more on that to follow) including restrooms, a picnic area, bridges, and a birding tower.

Perry Lakes Park is situated close to the Cahaba River which is the river with the greatest biodiversity in North America. It is home to 135 fish and 24 mussel species. Someone told me that there are species that can be only found in the Cahaba river and nowhere else in the world.

The park offers various footpaths for walking. There are no rangers and only narrow, sometimes overgrown trails through plant thickets and along some beautiful lakes with cypress trees.






























Even though I was there on a Sunday afternoon I only encountered four other people. Exploring the park on my own it felt very adventurous as there is no phone signal and the maps, that are provided close to the gate, were out.

Apart from multiple birds and insects, only the murmur of the trees and the river was to be heard. I can't remember another location without any sound from cars, lawnmowers, or other man-made noise.

There is more to explore, I will come back. One thing is very important at this time of year: bring your mosquito repellent, otherwise they will eat you alive.

Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa is a regional capital situated about 40 miles north of Greensboro. It has a population of almost 100,000 and is home of the University of Alabama with more than 30,000 students. The University has a huge campus and nice brick buildings.

The most interesting thing to say about the city is that it is situated at the Black Warrior River which can be explored through a riverwalk with the length of approximately 4.5 miles.

The most fascinating sight is the M&O (Mobile and Ohio) Railroad trestle and bridge constructed in 1898 and still in use today. The trestle was once considered to be the longest in the country with 3,600 feet (ca. 1.100 m). Unfortunately no train was passing while I was there.

And there is one more aspect to Tuscaloosa: In Vance, a small town to the east and still in Tuscaloosa County, Mercedes Benz is building automobiles for the US market.

My favorite place

For a while I've been looking for an outdoor spot where I can sit in the shade and work. I have found it in Lions Park, the local sports facility constructed by the Rural Studio (more on that still to follow).

It is a very quiet and peaceful place with lots of birds and insects. My favorite spot is in the shade under a tree.

The only problem: it is not rainproof. Today I was chased off by a thunderstorm accompanied by a heavy downpour. Fortunately there is a roofed space nearby where I was able to sit out the rain.

Entertainment

Here in the countryside there really is not that much public entertainment. When I ask people what they do to entertain themselves, they say that they go out to the Mexican restaurant in town or that sometimes they go see a movie in Tuscaloosa – which is a 45 minute drive. But most people stay at home, have parties in their backyards, and watch movies and television series on their huge flat screen TVs – thanks to Netflix and other online movie providers.

However, many people think it would be nice to have live music once in a while.

Therefore I was very excited to attend the jam session at the local bookstore As Time Goes By in Marion, a neighboring town about 20 miles east of Greensboro. I was invited by Jane, an artist based in Tuscaloosa and Chip, an organic farmer I visited last weekend. The two of them performed with two other guitar players and later a singer stepped in attended by a small, but enthusiastic audience.

They played very different kinds of music: Irish folk songs (Jane is from Ireland), country, rock, and songs written by themselves.

Downpour

Yes, it is raining these days. Not all the time, but there are frequent showers throughout the days.

But sometimes there are thunderstorms with heavy downpours.

Definitely the best place to experience these is the rocking chair on the porch. You can see, hear, and smell the rain and feel the temperature drop.

Dear Mr. Christenberry,

Of course, there is no way to be in Hale County without thinking of you. So today I went to Newbern and celebrated your work by photographing the green barn, the Newbern former warehouse (now Rural Studio – more about that to follow) and other structures that I am very familiar with through your work.

I talked to a young man from Newbern who told me, that in his childhood they would throw stones at the barn and were always wondering, why nobody cared to tear it down; they found it looked scary. They had no idea the barn was famous. That it was you who made the barn famous.

There are many of these structures still around: old bars, gas stations, and diners, cabins, shacks, and barns. Sometimes caving in, sometimes overgrown with weed and kudzu. Many of them are long forgotten, unused in their original sense, but now posing as picturesque reminders of times long gone. Reminding us of all the photographers who have delved into their specific beauty. 

I apologize.

[William Christenberry was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama – the closest bigger city to Greensboro – in 1936, the year in which Walker Evans and James Agee worked in Hale County, Alabama. He passed away in 2016, shortly after his 80th birthday.]

Dear Mr. Eggleston,

I know, you did not invent this light, but, I guess, you made it famous. And I must admit: it is irresistible.

It rained almost all afternoon today. But just shortly before sunset the magic switch was turned on and I had to grab the camera and take some pictures.

 


































I apologize.