Henry's Property Taxes

Here are two tax statements - one for 1934 and one from ten years later. Nothing's typed; it's all handwritten. And although the property valuation stays the same, the taxes actually decrease between 1934 and 1944. The school taxes don't seem to be included anymore. The best part is that the tax collector agrees to receive tax payments at his home during specified hours.

The Boll Weevil Monument - Enterprise, Alabama

It has come to my attention that I have yet to post a single postcard from Alabama, and I seem to have quite a few, so there's really no explanation.  These views are from a postcard folder, circa 1950.

The postcard above shows the Boll Weevil Monument, but the one below has a close-up. Why would the folks in Enterprise build a monument to the pest that nearly wiped out their cotton crops? It's an interesting story.  Since they were losing their cotton crops to the vermin, a man named H.M. Sessions suggested that they plant peanuts instead. The peanut crop did well and they all prospered. They even grew cotton again, but they learned to diversify so their whole crop could not be wiped out by one insect. Instead of blaming that initial pest, the boll weevil, they credited it with providing the inspiration to innovate, and built a monument in its honor.

The original Boll Weevil Monument did not include a boll weevil at all; that was added to the top of the statue years later. Sadly, the statue (built in Italy) has been stolen and vandalized numerous times, so the original is now stored in the Enterprise Depot Museum. The one that stands in place of the original is a polymer-resin replica.

Military at Lunch, 1904 - Münsingen, Germany

Münsingen is a German town near Stuttgart. It was also the site of a German military training camp from 1895 until 2004.  Although the training camp is now closed, the barracks are still there, and you can now ride your bike around the natural areas on former training camp grounds. This photo was taken in 1904 or earlier.
I might have assumed that the gentlemen would remove their helmets for lunch, but apparently not.

The message reads:
Happy to have arrived after an unpleasant two-hour journey! Heartfelt greetings ...illegible.

 Here's a close-up of the table on the right.

The card is addressed to her Excellency Frau von Hugo, presumably the wife of Major von Hugo, the German Military Attaché to Paris. He may also have been the sender of the card.