Lunch in Fayetteville, TN



This guy was on the sidewalk by one of the stores.

O'Houlihans ( on the corner)

 

Funny shelves with old timey stuff on them.



1950 House Beautiful and 1970 Better Homes and Gardens



The side of O'Houlihans

We ended up eating lunch at this really fun place called O'Houlihans.  All the table and chairs were different and the food was different too.  It was kinda like a " deli".  I had "fruited chicken salad in a wrap and white chili.  It was very good, only the chili was a bit spicy.  I think Chuck had corn beef on dark rye.  There was one whole wall of shelves and they had old timey stuff on them.  By our table there was a stack of old magazines.  I started looking through them and found a 1950 House Beautiful.  It was so fun to see things that was in the magazine the year we were born.  I really wanted this magazine, so when it was time to pay our bill, I asked the man who owned the restaurant if any of the stuff was for sale.  He said "no, that it was all in there for people to look at". I told him how the magazine was from the year that I was born and he laughed and said they didn't even have magazines the year he was born...lol.  Then, he told me to make him an offer.  I offered him $5 which was high but I really wanted the magazine and didn't want him to tell me " no".  He 'd didn't!  He said " OK".  Then, we went next door to an antique shop and was talking to the nice lady that owned it.  I told her about my magazine that I just bought and she said she had some in the back of the store.  ...and of course one was Better Homes and Gardens from 1970...the year we got married.  Her magazines were only $2, so I came home with two really neat magazines.   After looking in a couple more antique stores, we headed for home.  ...with still two more stops to make.    

Fabric!

Sirs Fabric Store behind the bank sign.



Every color toile

The ladies of my Quilt Guild had told me about this great fabric store in Fayetteville.  I was bound to find it...and we did!  It was actually two stores.  One across the street from each other.  The one store had all the Home Dec fabrics in it and the other one had everything else.  They had toile fabric in every color you could be looking for....plus checks and ticking to match each color.  Yep! even my lavender and yes, I did get a yard of it and the matching check.  One whole room had ribbons and trims.  A person could just spend the day in there.  Oh get this!  They had quilting books ...FIVE for $2.99! I know!  Yep! got those too.  The front of the store had a " husband pit" with a couch, chairs and free coffee.  Chuck didn't take an advantage of it though.  He walked around and looked at all the fabrics and helped me get my fabric cut.  Maybe it's a good thing that the store is in Tennessee and we live in Alabama.  (smiling)

Fayetteville Tennessee



Civil War Tribute




Town Gazebo




Courthouse in the middle of the square.




Okra Restaurant




Old Movie Theatre

It was just a few minutes before we were in Tennessee.  It just makes the day so much fun when you can run around in a whole different state for the day and then just drive back home.  I had heard how nice Fayetteville was and have been wanting to go check it out for awhile now.  Since we were so close to it we decided Wednesday was the day.  The town square is much bigger than Moulton's and all the stores are being used.  Most of them are antique stores or businesses like a bank, drug store, etc.  There were four restaurants.  One of them was called " Okra"...lol.  I liked that name.  ...but we didn't eat there. 

Only in Alabama!

only in Alabama..lol

After leaving the apple orchard, Chuck looked on the map to see how far from Fayetteville TN we were and it was just a few miles up the road....so off we took.  First, we stopped a couple of times while we were still in Alabama to take a couple of pictures.  We laugh, every time we past the  " Butter and Egg" road going to the orchard. How in the heck do these people come up with these names?  lol.  I guess maybe someone sold butter and eggs who lived down that road...or still does.  ha. We are always passing neat old barns and they remind me of my grandfather's in Illinois.  Shell wants to make a " coffee table book" of pictures of old barns.  Sure are enough of them up here to do it.  It's a neat idea.  Maybe someday you will see one on our coffee table. 

Back to the Orchard



Everything we bought!

We decided it was time to go back to the orchard since we were too early last month.  As we drove into the parking lot, we knew it was " time" to get apples, apple cider and pumpkins.  Lots of people were there and " man! were they ever buying the apples!"  Bags and bags of them.  I kept wondering what the heck were they going to do with all of those apples?  Mine are going to be apple butter, apple sauce and apple pies.  The apple cider is the best I've ever had in my whole life.  It tastes like you are drinking an apple.  I think since it's going to turn cold this weekend, that "hot apple cider" is in the picture.  Don't ya just love Fall!!!!!

Sun Room Update



New Bee Pillow




Blue Jay and Chick a dee pillows




Both kitties love the new rug.




Flowers from the yard

I've been working really hard on getting the Sun room finished, since Debbie came and made new covers for the chase and love seat.  It's really been fun making all of the new pillows.  I still have a couple more to make. Lady Melanie gave me the pretty blue/white rug with the bees on it, the last time we went down to Birmingham.  It goes perfect in there!  The kitties think so too.  As I was walking around the yard the other day, I came across a hand full of pretty flowers that said " pick me! and put me in the Sun room!"  They are so pretty.  Wish they would last forever. 

Three little kitties.....

Three little kitties, waiting to be fed.



George with his head on the rocker. 

George kitty knows if he scares the indoor kitties and they run out of the laundry room without eating their food......he will end up getting it.  lol  His bowl on the porch is always filled with crunches and he gets the " left overs" from the other two, so he sits at the window in hoping that they will look up and see him and then " run".   Most of the time it works.  ...especially with Marmie.  George sleeps in the funniest places on the porch.  The other day I looked out and he had his chin on the rocker of the chair and was sound asleep.  When I took his picture, he opened his eyes but didn't move his chin.  He's such a silly cat.

Signs of Fall

gourds, gourds, gourds and one little pumpkin



Indian corn





Back yard Mums


It's beginning to look a lot like Fall around here.  All the little gourds I have on the back porch, I grew....except for a handful that I got out of the BNOE's garden.  The only little pumpkin that survived the animals and the rot is in the middle of all my gourds.  I bought some pretty "Indian corn" at the Hartselle Depot Days a couple of weekends ago.  The dried okra pods are really neat looking.  They took on a two color stripe as they dried on the plant.  We still need to go down to Cullman and see about getting the corn stocks for the posts to the back steps.  I will be on the hunt for the perfect pumpkin, like last years.  I'm sure in our travels over the next month, I will find it.  The weather sure is saying " Happy Fall Ya'll"!  Even the trees are starting to change.  This has to be one of my favorite seasons. 



Back Yard News

Fall Mums



the grill house

  



leaning pots

 As we're still working on the inside of the house, we're still working on the yard.  I know! the yard will NEVER be done but we have a lot to do out there.  I have all these ideas in my head ....just need the money and the time and work to get them done.  Chuck brought the cement bench up from the garden.  Now that wasn't an easy job but thank goodness for the tractor.  Since we moved, that poor bench ( or should I say, Chuck's poor back) has been under the tree in front of the barn, then it took a tractor ride down to be under the tree in the garden area and now it's up in the flower bed in the back yard.  I really like it there so maybe that is where it will live ( at least for now, or until I get another brain storm and want it moved again..lol)  Chuck built the " grill house" as I had pictured in my mind.  It looks good right off of the deck and comes in handy when it's raining.  Plus, it's keeping the grill out of the weather.  We tried for two months to buy our grill.  They were really popular this summer since they have a gas grill, a charcoal grill, a smoker and a side burner all in one.  They couldn't keep them in stock.  Chuck likes to use the charcoal grill for our steaks  He uses the gas grill for everything else and he smoked his first " boston butt" a couple of weeks ago, in the smoker.  Turned out wonderful! 
    Everyone that comes here, wants to know where we got out " stacking pots".  They are pretty neat.  The secret is just a steal pole with a base on it, that goes down the middle of the pots.  Our " iron man" makes them.  We are always running down to his house to buy "poles or big rusted flowers" for our company to take home with them. Great souvenirs of Brambly Pines...lol. ( that is if ya drive up here and not fly)


Fried Green Tomatoes

Melanie's Armoire



Lady Melanie showing her " Fried Green Tomatoes".




my fried chicken, fried okra,cabbage,cole slaw,fried green tomatoes,sweet potatoes AND peanut butter pie!




Pictures from the movie

Sunday, we finally! took Lady Melanie's armoire that we bought way back in June down to Birmingham.  I am honored to be " The Lady's Personal Shopper".  It's way too much fun!  Melanie had us on the " look out" for an armoire.  Well, we found one and Melanie said she trusted me on it because everything that I like, she likes and vise versa.  Sooooo, the armoire came home with us and stayed in the barn all summer.  We just couldn't figure out the time to take it down, since we all had such a busy summer.  Sunday was the day!  Chuck loaded it up in the truck and off we went to Birmingham.  After unloading it and taking it into Melanie's living room, which it stayed until she could get her strong son and SIL to come move it upstairs. ( they had to take it outside again and up a ladder and through one of the two story windows....I know...scary huh?...well, it wouldn't fit going up the stairs because of the landing)  Melanie took us out for lunch at the most fun place ever.  If you remember, Fanny Flagg is from Birmingham and when she wrote the book " Fried Green Tomatoes" the "real" Whistel Stop Cafe" was the " Irondale Cafe".  The train tracks run right in front of it.  The food was WONDERFUL!!!! and there were lots of pictures on the walls about the " movie".   Two trains even went by, while we were eating.  We had the best time and was " stuffed" when we left.  I even bought a " Whistel Stop Cafe Cook book". When it was time to come home, we loaded the truck up with many, many presents from Lady Melanie.....(my head is spinning, trying to remember all of them. )  Thank you Lady Melanie for another fun day with you in Birmingham!

Hartselle Depot Days

Down town Hartselle decorated for Fall



there were two streets of tractors




Really cute puppet show...they were all singing





Santa and Andrea




Santa's wooden sleigh that he made

 Saturday was " Hartselle Depot Days".  We missed it last year because we were moving into the house over that weekend.  Can you believe we've been in the house a " whole!" year??  It feels like we have lived up here a long time and always in the house to me.  The adventure of the TT seems so long ago.  I feel like this is home and I lived in Florida in my " younger years"..lol.  Any ways....back to the " Depot days".  Chuck didn't go with me because he volunteered for a " work day" in the forest.  ...soooooo I went with my good friend Andrea.  It was a lot of fun and one of the better " festivals" around here.  Lots and lots of craft booths, food, music, old cars and tractors.  It was right down town Hartselle so you also had all of the stores open to browse through.  Of course since Andrea grew up around here, she knew half the people at the festival...ha.  I actually did know a couple of people there also. Even Santa was there!! and he brought his beautiful wooden sleigh ( that he made himself) . After eating a wonderful steak sandwich for lunch, while listening to some great music sung by a local guy, we headed to do some shopping in Decatur.  When Chuck got home from the forest, I told him that he would probably want to go to " Depot Days" next year.  I know I will. 

Things Happen

I found him!



The road where the truck broke down





Big Leaf Magnolia

Well, I guess you can't have 365 good days in a row....no matter how good your life is.  Things happen!  Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready to go to Quilt Guild, Chuck informed me that he was going with a guy from " Wild South" to " map canyons" in the forest.  I thought, ok...that is cool.  He's going to be with someone else, so I won't worry about him going into the forest, like I do when he goes alone.  He left before I did and said he would call me when I got to QG to tell me what canyon they would be at.  After getting to my meeting, I noticed he never called.  I really didn't think much of it, just thought he forgot.  Then at 11:30, Janice Joplin starts singing in my purse.  ( I tease Chuck about how Janice couldn't really sing)  Chuck called to ask me if I had eaten lunch with QG yet? I needed to come to the forest and rescue him.  The " mapping" was canceled because the other guy couldn't go, so Chuck decided to drive part of the forest that he had never been in before.  I know!  ya would think with him being in the truck, he would be safe and I wouldn't have to worry about him....wrong! He hit something on the little gravel road and it knocked a hole in the radiator cooler thingy in front of the truck and all the fluid drained out.....so the truck wouldn't go any farther.  He was stuck in the forest...where cell phones don't work.  He walked about 1/4 mile to a higher road and was able to get his phone to work long enough to tell me he was stuck.  So, I packed everything up and left down town Decatur and headed to the forest.( about an hour drive)  When I got to the Out Post, I tried calling him to get the directions to where he was.  Now, mind ya, I have never driven in the forest alone before and I really don't pay much attention when Chuck is driving because it all looks the same to me.  Up and down, winding roads...and trees!  It took me calling 6 times to get the information because I'd only get maybe two words of it each time before the phone would drop the call.  I started out, thinking...."ok, I have to get this right or I might never find him".  Once I got into the forest, I knew I couldn't call him and tell him where I was and where was he?   I was proud of myself though because I actually found him by the directions he gave me.   He climbed into the Explorer and back to Moulton we went.  First we went to the " Ford Dealer" to see if they had the part Chuck needed for the truck.....nope! ( didn't think they would, being a small town dealer).  The mechanic did give him a little bag of clamps and a hose to use though.  Next, we had to go to Walmart to get the fluid that leaked out of the truck.....nope...none at Walmart.  So, next stop was Auto Zone...where Chuck had to buy 14! bottles of fluid stuff.  THEN, we had to drive home so he could get his tools and I fed the cats...because I knew we could be gone for hours yet.  We climbed back into the Explorer and headed BACK to the forest.  ( it's about a 30 minutes drive)  I have taught myself to " play Pollyanna" when something not good happens....so as I was walking down the little road in the forest ( while Chuck worked on the truck) I started thinking that we were lucky that I actually " found Chuck".  ....and he knew how to work on cars, so the truck wouldn't be stuck out there forever.  Then, I had my camera with me so I could take some pictures of things around us AND I also had my sewing with me since I had come from Quilt Guild.  I sat in the Explorer and worked on my " hand sewn quilt" until Chuck got the truck fixed.  Well, it's " not fixed" but he rigged it so he could get it home.  My instructions were to follow him and honk like crazy if I saw fluid leaking out from the truck.  Luckily, nothing leaked and we made it home.  Not how we planned on spending our day....but..." things happen".