A Little Nature Therapy

Last year before this part of this river started getting built up we camped here many a times. You can drive right down to the river and camp right on it, fish, or put in your canoe or kayak. Me and Thomas took Kenadi camping here last summer. It was the first time she had ever got to truly camp in the woods rather than at a park or campground. She felt like big stuff, I figured her favorite part would be driving down to it in the truck going through mud and all the bumps along the way but she ended up falling asleep and taking a nap the whole drive through the woods haha! It really cracked us up! 

 Kenadi and Thomas doing a little fishing last summer

This is probably my all-time favorite spot on the river. Me and Thomas got to see about 10 deer run through the woods and go down to the river and cross at the bend. Then we got to see a little baby deer swim upstream past us. This picture was taken the last good weekend in November 2016 before it really got cold. 

The view from the top of Ship Rock will always be one of my favorites

Thomas went camping here one night that I couldn't go and he carved our initials on top of Ship Rock. (Apparently he caught hell from all the guys he was with lol but when he carried me up there and showed me that I thought it was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me!) 

Headwaters of the Sipsey River

One Sunday afternoon me, Thomas, Justin, and Leroy decided to go find the Big Tree. 

Looking back I'm really glad we made it there because none of us had ever been and went an "unofficial" way but we made it right to it! We knew we would have to hike out in the dark but we all had headlamps and flashlights and really didn't care. We went back a different way (on the trail) and climbed through Eye of the Needle (in the dark). The things I get myself into hiking with a bunch of boys. They are a lot of fun to be around though!

Pictures will not do the Big Tree justice. It's something you just need to see for yourself!

I find a lot of peace of mind when I come to the woods. I like to get away from all the bull shit. There is something so refreshing about knowing you don't have any cell phone service and there's nobody around you majority of the time- It's like it's easier to breath out there. 

A Family History Lesson

My papa just recently passed several books down to me that contained a lot of research about our family history which is traced back a good ways before the Civil War began. I am a great granddaughter x5 to Jenny Brooks Johnston (also known as "Aunt Jenny" to those that know her legend in the Black Warrior Mountains of Bankhead National Forest.)

Jenny was 1/2 Cherokee Indian. 

She had 10 Children and outlived all but one of her ten children. They moved to the Bankhead National Forest (before it was a national forest) in 1849 where they lived off of old Byler Road. The truest story I know that was passed down was that the Yankee Soldiers were robbing, stealing, and killing anyone in their way. The Brooks family, friends, and neighbors fought back by ambushing the soldiers killing several along with husband Willis Francis Brooks and son John. The father and son were murdered in front of the Brooks family- that's when Jenny vowed a lifetime of revenge. 

The feud stretched all the way out West to Oklahoma. I choose to believe that in hard mountain times I would have done the same for my family. Jenny was a midwife to the community and according to a relative, Paulette Long Simmons, she delivered most babies in the forest during her time. She was a true pioneer woman of the forest. I believe that her spirit dies still roam the forest. A lot of spirits still do. She died in 1924 and is buried next to several family members in the Poplar Springs Cemetery near her home. 

Her youngest son Henry Brooks who lived life on both sides of the law,  died in 1920 after being ambushed at his whiskey still along with horse who was trained to warn him of people coming. 

He is buried next to his mother, Jenny in the Poplar Springs Cemetery. 

A picture of an article in one of the books my papa passed down to me about Henry Brooks. 

Riley Jerfferson Simmons is my great great grandfather. He is my papa's(Charles Simmons) grandfather. Jenny raised my great great grandfather Riley. His mother was her daughter, Amanda Brooks, who married John Simmons. Also in the picture is Jenny's youngest daughter Francis who married Sam Baker. Riley actually ended up in jail due to trying to break Henry Brooks out of jail. 

Learning all of these things about my family has really became important to me! 

Know your roots and keep them growing. 

The future of Alabama

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/02/legal_marijuana_is_it_coming_t.html#incart_2box

The above link is an article on Al.com that I really enjoyed reading. A lot of people...most people have a misconception about marijuana because they are ignorant towards what is actually is and does. Yes of course it can make you high and giggly, some people it makes paranoid. It can be used for recreation and medicinal purposes. I do understand people believe it isn't for them...I am not "them" so I don't guess I fully understand. I only know how it effected me! I am very surprised to see so many people that drink alcohol regularly but look down on those who would rather get stoned than drink liquor or beer. It doesn't make any sense but I'm not here to criticize anyone for how they feel! My intention with this post is to just inform and help you open your mind to some things you may not realize. While working in Birmingham at a big hospital I seen things that I will never forget. That place has one of the biggest pysch wards I know of in the state. The amount of patients that they see and treat for drug related mental illnesses is scary. People overdosing by the dozens in that big city and all around us everyday. Some places the opiate addiction epidemic is way worse than our state's. Addiction affects young adults my age, middle age, elderly, even YOUNG teens. The rich...the poor...white, black, Christian, Muslim, it doesn't matter, addiction can effect anyone. I will never forget 4 years ago the day I found a 24 year old man overdosed on Methadone and Xanax. He had aspirated and when the ambulance got there his BP was 35/12. They shot him up with Narcan and he managed to pull through but sadly I believe he's only OD' other times since then. Some people will never be able to beat it and others like myself do...and others will fight everyday and struggle to beat it. It's heartbreaking for families. Mothers finding their daughters in their own homes OD'd and not having any idea their child is addicted to something. It's easy to get addicted to anything these days. Some people just have that addictive personality..chasing whatever they feel like can satisfy the emptiness that they feel inside. If I didn't have my daughter sadly I don't feel like I would be here today. she gave me a reason to fight and live for something. She and Thomas taught me how to enjoy life and enjoy the hell out of it and stop looking for a pill that can cure my depression or anxiety. Becuase Jack is the only one I know of that ever found any magic beans....I went to the doctor multiple times looking for help for my depression and mood swings and horrible anxiety. They offered me little hope only new anti depressants or stronger nerve pills to numb it. One day I feel like I just woke up and realized I was the one in control of my life. I'M the one who dictates how I feel. I decided not to be weak anymore. And that didn't happen over night. It's taken me a hard few years to get to this point of where I feel good about life!
This opiate addiction epidemic isn't going anywhere folks. The heroin in the states has only increased and became more lethal. Our doctors don't know how to treat it (majority of them anyway). Our government just has their heads up each others ass's arguing about money like they normally do. They don't care that treatment centers and hospitals are FULL. Pregnant women are addicts and can't get the help that they need. It's just such a sad situation. Look at all of the states who have legalized medical marijuana at the declining rates of opiod related deaths and NUMEROUS amounts of chronic pain patients who are no longer having to take opiates or synthetic opiates to help their pain. I don't even have the time to go into detail about all of the benefits it would have for patients who seek other alternatives for healthcare and medication. The amount of revenue that legalizing marijuana could bring the state is almost sickening. It would help pay for Medicaid and our schools! Growing hemp in the state could be possible revenue for so many farmers.
I just feel like it's time we all have to wake up and realize what is really going on around us rather than trying to ignore all of the problems. They are only going to get worse! I could ramble on all day with anyone about this topic but use the good ole Google and look up the facts for yourself friends.

More exploring on Capsey Creek

 During the Winter most people don't want to go outside but I can't stand the fact of being cooped up inside. Inside is W A Y too confining for me! Thomas and I have been so bored many a times this winter its been freezing cold or raining and we've just drove out to the forest to drive around. He assures me he loves being outside just as much as I do. He must really love it or either he just really loves me haha! One weekend in January on a Friday after Thomas got off work we drove out to a camping spot on the Sipsey River and set up camp. It was already dark when we got there and the lows were expected to be a whole 25 degrees that night...and it was! But we brought the tent rather than our hammocks and set it up and surprisingly it was really warm and comfortable. The coldest I got was getting out of the hammock Saturday morning before we got the fire going! I've spent nights freezing in my hammock in warmer weather than that! We have learned you don't have to eat terrible food while you're camping either. The last several times we camped we have brought filet mignon and tin foil and had perfect steaks over the fire. I'm addicted to coffee so I've started making coffee over the fire. What I'm getting at is that camping doesn't have to be terrible like people think! I guess when you truly love the outdoors, things like rain and cold weather doesn't bother you too much.

Saturday night after we explored in Bankhead all day, camping another night seemed like a good idea again so we headed back to the same spot as the previous night and set up the tent again because instead of cold weather that night it was going to be in the 40s with a chance of rain. As soon as we laid down that night we heard raindrops start hitting the tarp so I got up and got my phone and checked the weather and sure enough a huge line of rain was moving in. We put up our chairs and firewood and said screw it we are tired and going to bed if we start getting wet we will just go jump in the truck. It rained all night but that was some of the best sleep I ever got. It was so calm the next morning. Luckily we stayed dry and even got a fire going despite everything being pretty soaked from rain the night before.

The kid in me had me eating ice off of the waterfalls- no shame

 Capsey Creek was an icy winter wonderland on this day. I can't wait to continue to explore this area. I don't care what anyone says Bigfoot lives here! At least some of his relatives do ;)

 Walked out of Capsey to where we parked and noticed an extremely old cemetery. Thomas doesn't get for them much but I am fascinated by the history of this place and have a lot of kinfolks buried out in this forest. I have learned now to carry a piece of chalk around with me in my backpack when I hike so that I can read carvings better!

Sougahoagdee Falls in Bankhead National Forest

Sougahoagdee Falls is one of my favorite waterfalls to hike to in the forest. I've been here a good bit over the years but one of my favorite hikes was on Christmas Day last year. Talk about the literal best way to celebrate Christmas is in the forest in 70 degree weather! Six of us hammock camping in December...it doesn't get much better than that. I won't talk about getting 4 of us off of the trail walking on top of the bluff line above the trail in a complete thick grew up mess...I get turned around sometimes haha. However I''m definitely improving on navigating my way through here. I like trying to read my map and study it. My goal is to only be able to get lost if I want to ;)

Christmas Day and 70 degrees in the forest

It's not far into Bankhead and is a very easy hike to get to compared to a lot of waterfalls here. Brushy Creek is such a big and beautiful creek. I'd like to fish it sometime! You get to see several waterfalls and shelter bluffs along the way to Sougahoagdee Falls.