The big aircraft hangar was the perfect place to hold all the exhibits of vendors from all around the area. We arrived there around 10 A.M. and the building was very crowded. We decided to walk around the entire area - about 6 or 7 long aisles - and then eat some German food before starting to get serious about shopping. When we arrived at the food court, we decided to eat Frito Pie in a bag that our Master Gardener friend Suzanne was preparing at an army Battalion booth. You can imagine my surprise as we started down one of the aisles, to find a family from Elba with a booth - S&B Country Goods by Arnie and Shelia Beerenstrauch. Her handcraft and lettering was absolutely beautiful. I bought this Rudolph with a blinking nose for James to put outside.
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| Elsie Hilton's booth |
Farther down the next aisle was my friend Elsie Hilton and her Herb display. Her husband Roy also had some of his plants, gourds, dried okra, bamboo vases, etc for sale. Elsie works for many weeks getting her herbal products ready for the bazaar. I really liked the wine bottles that she melts down in a kiln to use as a cheese tray. And her lovely china tea pots painted with herb designs. I first met Elsie at a DAR meeting in 1997 and we've been friends ever since. We are also both Home Economists.
Ft Rucker was where Jim was stationed in 1953 when I met him on a blind date. He graduated from high school in Harrisburg, NC in 1952, and soon afterwards, enlisted in the army and had basic training in Ft. Jackson, SC. Then was sent to Ft Rucker, AL. I met him in the summer of 1953 when he came to Troy State University with a friend who had a date with my friend, and she asked if I would go out with them. It was love at first sight! We were married 4 months later, just before he was sent overseas to Germany. I later joined him in Germany.
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| Camp Rucker |
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| "Modern" Ft Rucker |
When he was at Ft Rucker, the buildings looked like the ones in this b&w photo and it was called Camp Rucker. In 1955, it was renamed "Fort Rucker" when it became a permanent aviation center. Most of the buildings at the much larger helicopter training base are now modern brick buildings.
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