Bottle Walls

Front side

backside

Remember when I tried to use all of Chuck's wine bottles for the edging around my flower bed and it didn't work?  Well, I came up with another idea for using all of the wine bottles.  Walls!  They actually turned out pretty neat and I'm glad I didn't use them for the flower beds now.  It takes 66 bottles for each wall.  I have a feeling there will be bottle walls here and there all over Brambly Pines.   I should have kept all of the caps to all of the bottles so now I'll have to take all of the ones I have, off so they will all match.  I'll get around to it one of these days.  Maybe by the time we have enough bottles to finish off the second wall. 

Trouble!



A bowl full of kitty



I walked by the laundry room the other day and happen to look out the window.  Look what I saw!  Silly George sitting in the bowl that I put flowers in, during the summer.  I think I'm going to be in trouble come summer and I put flowers in the window boxes and bowls.  Or should I say..." George is going to be the one in trouble!"

Finally made it to Charlie's



Caney Creek Falls picture I took



Charlie's house

Two years ago, Chuck and I went to a "book signing" at the Outpost on the way into the forest.  That is where we became friends with the  author, Jim Felder and photographer, Charlie Seifried of our two Alabama books.  Charlie had invited us over to his house and studio when ever we had time.  That was before we even started building the house.  Well, as you know how time flies by because you are so busy, we never made it over to Charlie's.  I ran into him in town once and then a couple of weeks ago, we ran into him at Publix.  We stood in the aisle and talked to him for about 20 minutes.  I kept moving with the cart because I hate it when people do that.....stop and talk to their friends in the aisles and you can't get around them.  Charlie invited us over again and said to come any time in the next week.  Well, we finally went.  A week ago Monday, we went over at 4:30 in the afternoon.  It was fun meeting his wife Brenda and seeing their house and all.  We had such a great time visiting with them and when it came time for dinner, Charlie suggested that we all go out to dinner but Brenda had already started their dinner and invited us to join them.  Nothing like having your husband invite strangers to your house but you end up feeding them also...ha.  Charlie and Brenda are our age so we seem to have a lot in common.  We kept trying to leave and Charlie kept saying....nooooo, stay a little longer.  Charlie has been around the world twice, taking pictures for a living and has been to the White House to take two of the  President's picture.  It's so fun hearing his stories and getting to see his pictures.  Charlie and Chuck both like to shoot guns, hike, ride bikes and kayak.  Now they each have someone to do it all with.  I took the picture of Caney Creek Falls that I took through the tree roots, to show Charlie.  He told me it was a " great shot".  That put a smile on my face for sure. For Charlie to like your picture....that's saying a lot.    

Pretty in Yellow

I just love this time of year.  It's daffodil time! They are everywhere. No matter where you drive, you will see pretty yellow daffodils in people's yards or just along the side of the road.  They are so bright and cheery.  We have a big patch of them behind the barn and Chuck picks them for me to have in the house.  I also have a bed of them on one side of the green house and of course the ones along each of the retaining walls.  The best part is, they get thicker every year.  It's so pretty to look out the windows and see the two little lines of yellow going down the retaining walls.  I wish they would last forever.  I guess since they only come once a year, that's what makes them so special.   

Chocolate Truffles

Ready...set...go!



Andrea putting the final touches on them.



Two diabetics eating candy!  I know!!

What a fun Saturday it was in the kitchen of Brambly Pines when Lady Melanie and Andrea came to make Chocolate Truffles for Valentine Candy.  Andrea had given us some at Christmas time and I was so impressed that she had made them, that I asked if she would please come in February and teach me how to make them.  Lady Melanie was so nice to drive up from Birmingham to join us in the fun...and what fun we had!  We laughed, chopped up Oreo cookies,  softened cream cheese, talked, rolled balls, had a quick lunch and dipped balls in chocolate.  All 250 pieces!  I think this should be a Valentine's tradition here at Brambly Pines.  Chocolate every where and all!

The BIG Tree!

Funny tree along the trail



The BIG Poplar tree!





Rock that looks like a snake



Stepping Stones



Everyone that talks to us about hiking in the forest, asks if we have been to "B Branch to the BIG tree".  The next thing out of their mouths is " it's a long hike"!  Chuck decided it was time for us to go see it, so a hiking we went.  A very lonnnnnnnng hike.  Eight and a half miles, round trip.  Through mud and horse poop.  Part of the trail was a horse trail and a horse had walked in front of us both coming and going.  You get my drift?  When we finally made it to the canyon where the tree was, the tree really didn't look THAT big but we were looking down on it.  Once we figured out how to get down into the canyon, it was BIG!  In fact, it's the biggest tree in Alabama.  Not only was the tree in the canyon but two pretty high waterfalls. That made it worth the eight and a half mile hike.  Even if my feet were hurting. Chuck added a couple of rocks to some that were crossing the creek so I could go across (I didn't wear my rubber boots) to get to the waterfalls.  We had our picnic lunch at the tree and then had to head back since it was going to take us so long to hike back to the truck. I was hoping the person on the horse would come by and give me a ride back but that never happened ...lol.  We made it back about an hour before dark.  That's cutting it close for me.  I sure wouldn't want to be in the forest at night, unless we were camping and had all our gear and a FIRE!   

Guest Book

I finally finished it!  The Brambly Pines Guest Book.   Why it took me so long, I don't know.  Just other things to be done around here, I guess.  I wish I had it done from the beginning of all the company that we have had since we have moved up here.  It would be half full already though and then I'd have to plan on making another one.  So, if you come to Brambly Pines for a visit, plan on writing in the Guest Book.  It's so much fun reading what people think of our dream that came true. 

Sad Mail box

A couple of weeks ago, Chuck walked down to the mail box on a Saturday morning and found it broken and laying on the ground.  Kid's think it's fun to drive along the side of the road in the middle of the night and hit mail boxes with a baseball bat.  They wouldn't think it was so fun, if they had to pay for all the mail boxes they break.  I told Chuck that I hope someone does this to their mail box when they grow up but then I decided that kids that would do this, probably won't have a mail box.....they will be in jail!