Red Mountain Makers Fundraiser and Open House

   

Birmingham, Alabama was once well known for its  iron and steel industry.  

There was a running joke when I went off to school, that if you were from Birmingham, Alabama your Daddy worked at one of the steel mills. Not always true but, close. 😊 

Though the steel mills have closed, their  history will never be forgotten. Steel was the bread and butter income of many families.  Sloss Furnace,  now a historic landmark, was once a blast furnace producing pig iron. It was open from 1882 until 1971.

 Further notoriety of the iron and steel business in Birmingham, Alabama is seen through it's permanent fixture of  the cast iron statue atop Red Mountain, known as Vulcan, 

Signage could have been a little better. Had to walk two blocks to the entrance

 Jiggly octopi made from 3-D Printer

The welding I did not get to see because I didn't want to wear a sweaty welding hood

Auto darkening hood

that unknown other people  had been wearing.        Icky!! 😖

I did get to see blacksmithing and the forging of a sword.

 

Red Mountain Makers is not only paying homage to the city's steel and iron industry. It is keeping alive many of the crafts and vocations that might otherwise be lost without those who continue to practice them.

That's it 🔥🔥🔥

RED HATTERS

It may have been 97 degrees or higher outside on Saturday, but this didn’t stop the Red and Pink Hatters from dining al fresco at Vulcan Park.






This was my first Red Hat Society event.  Queen T. did a fabulous job of planning the event

The picnic area we were in required going up and down steps a few times but once we got settled the Queen had us do an icebreaker game. We were divided into two teams. There were two paper bags with their tops rolled down. Inside were a pair of garden gloves and peppermint stars. A person from each team had to unroll the bag, put on the gloves, unwrap the cellophane candy and put it in her mouth. Once that was done, she was to remove her gloves, put them back in the bag and roll it back down whereupon the next team member took over. The team to finish first would be winners.  Each member of the winning team was given a small red and white or pink and white flowered tote bag.

Before eating a business meeting was conducted. I have to hand it to the Queen, she had a calendar of events all the way up to February 2013. I just love organization and timeliness.  This particular chapter has only been in existence for a year.

 I’m looking forward to the camaraderie and activities. I guess I’ll be accumulating a lot of red and purple.