Blue Bird Condo

Mr. Blue Bird going inside (double click on the pic and you can see it better)



Mrs. Blue Bird sitting on top



The Condo Bird house in full bloom

We have been really lucky this Spring to have a pair of Blue Birds move into the bird condo that Chuck made.  I really didn't expect for it to be used.  I thought it was just a pretty yard decoration but to my surprise the birds like it.  The weekend that Fred and Elaine were here, we noticed a pair of Blue Birds building a nest in the blue bird house in the front yard.  I was so excited.  Then, a couple of days later, they were gone.  The BNOE said that she had a pair building in her blue bird house so I thought maybe they had just moved over there.  It was just a few days later that we noticed them coming and going to the condo.  I guess they decided that they liked it the best because as of right now there are 4 eggs in the nest.  Kathy, my friend in Maine who knows all about birds, told me that she could lay from 1 to 6 eggs and then she will start sitting on them.  It's been so much fun watching the going ons with them. We can sit on the deck or sit in the sun room and watch them.  We have had more birds this Spring than ever here at Brambly Pines.  I feel like I live in an enchanted forest with all the birds singing their little hearts out and coming to all of our feeders.  

Growing like Weeds!




Ginny Lynn and Shelby Lynn




Scarlet, Sweet Georgia Brown and Sister





Suzannah and Daisy May




Ginny Lynn and Pollyanna

Well, the "new girls" are about half grown.  It sure doesn't take long.  In a couple more months, they should be laying.  I can't wait to be able to go inside the mansion and find eggs every day.  I sure have missed having the fresh eggs.  I'm trying not to become so attached to the new girls as I was to the first girls, but I know I will.   I'm guessing that Shelby Lynn ( one of the black ones) is going to end up " cock-a-doodling".  I guess we'll see in a couple more months. 

May Tea Party

Hostess  Kellet and Lady Melanie



Lady Melanie's sister and daughter




Lady Kellet in Lady Melanie's 1969 vintage dress

After dropping Vickie off at the airport, we headed over to the "May's house" for a May Day Tea Party. Kellet and Josh are Lady Melanie's daughter and son in law. Lillie and Lulu are their sweet daughters.  ( Chuck headed to the basement to spend the time with Josh).  What a great time I had, seeing all the ladies ( around 20 of them) in their pretty dresses, hats and gloves.  Also, we got to see what the May's have done to their newly bought 1950's house.  It's amazing what you can do with some paint, fabric and a lot of work.  I had so much fun seeing it all.  

Good Bye Vickie

Birmingham!

Our visit with Vickie went by way too fast.  Before we knew it, we were heading back to Birmingham's airport to tell her good bye.  We're hoping she had enough fun to want to come back to visit us again.  After a month of company, it was a bit of a let down knowing that we wouldn't be looking forward to someone coming to visit Brambly Pines in the next few days.  I have to say, it was a very busy, fun April for us.

Paducah Here We Come!

Two States Later



Vickie standing in Kentucky with Illinois across the river.





 One of Famous Eleanor Burns Stores




One of the Best of Show.




Yep...that's a quilt!




 I bought this Paper Piecing Pattern





Vickie with "Quilt Man"!




Amazing quilt!




Vickie in Hancocks of Paducah




Chuck in Hancocks of Paducah.

We all got up really early...5:00 am so we could leave by 6:00 am to head to Paducah, Kentucky.  The place where they hold the largest quilt show on earth, every April.  It was only two states away which only took us 4 1/2 hours to get there.  Chuck was nice enough to be our driver.  He didn't even mind spending the day with two women, looking at quilts, patterns and fabric all day.  He did walk around down town Paducah and enjoyed learning some history on it.  The show was a little overwhelming but so much fun to see.  There was just sooooo much to see!  I was told you can't see it all in just one day and it was true.  We did manage to see everything in the one building but just skimmed through the large tent building outside.  At lunch time, we walked down town along the river and had lunch in a little cafe.  We ran into a couple of the quilt stores and visited the Chamber of Commerce to pick up a great poster of the show, for our studios.  One of the stores we shopped in was one of Eleanor Burns.  She has a quilting show on PBS TV.  I bought one of her books many years ago and that was the first quilt that I ever made.  After a full day of the quilt show, we stopped at Hancocks of Puducah Fabric Store on the way out of town.  If you are a quilter, you have heard of Hancocks of Puducah.  ( It has nothing to do with the chain of Hancocks around the country) It was HUGE! and expensive...ha.  Vickie and I did buy a few pieces that we thought we couldn't live without.  It was a fun way to end our day in Paducah.  With stopping at Cracker Barrel at dinner time, we got home around 10:30 pm.  It was a great experience.  I would like to go again some day but it's not on my list to do every year.  Maybe if Paducah was closer. 

Company = Waterfalls

Caney Creek Falls



Kinlock Falls



Of course we need to show off " the forest" when we have company.  I always want to take who ever comes to visit to Caney Creek Falls just because it's my favorite.  I hadn't been there in over a year, so that is where we took Vickie.  Besides, it's a short hike and such a great reward when you get there.  The other falls we usually show people is Kinlock because it's right there by the road and you just have to climb down to it.  Vickie enjoyed spending the day in the forest as much as we do.  It's just something that you wouldn't see in Florida. 

Here Comes Vickie!



Bomb sniffing dogs


Fred and Elaine left on Monday morning, Tuesday I went on my Quilt Guild's annual Mystery Trip and Vickie came on Wednesday morning.  When Chuck and I walked into the Birmingham airport, there were several dogs on leashes, going up to people walking by and sniffing them and their suit cases.  At first I thought something was going on but the trainer said they were " testing" the dogs.  It wasn't long, before we saw Vickie walking down the famous aisle were we pick everyone up who comes to see us.  It was a start to a fun filled four days!

42 Years!

Between all our company for the month of April, we had a Wedding Anniversary.  Forty two years!! I don't know how I could even be 42 years old, much less be married that long.  We had a nice surprise that evening.  The " Anniversary Fairy" came on her little John Deere with two beautiful camellias in the cart on the back of it.  They were a Special Delivery from Shell.  She knew I had been wanting two of them and contacted the BNOE to see if she could find us two...and she did!! What a sweet, thoughtful daughter we have.(along with the BNOE)  Chuck planted the camellias in front of the deck so I can see them when I sit in the sun room and look out the side window.  I can't wait for them to bloom. 

Jail...Tree



Oldest Jail in Alabama



After spending the morning at the Natural Bridge, we made a couple more stops before going home.  First, to the Oldest Jail in Alabama.  Fred and Elaine found it interesting how they used all the nails in every board in the jail so the prisoners couldn't escape...needless to say, the holes in each room for them to relieve themselves without leaving the room.

Next stop!  The short hike to the Goal Post Tree.  Another great day spent with company.  Can't wait for them to come back and see what kind of adventures we can have together. 

Natural Bridge



Yoo Hoo!





Elaine at the Wishing Well





Picnic Lunch

 Our last day of fun with Fred and Elaine ( for this trip) started out with going down to Double Springs to see the " Natural Bridge".   Chuck and I had never been to this one either.  It was awesome!  We spent the morning, wandering around in beautiful woods and canyons.  It's fun being with someone else on our adventures because we can take fun pictures of each other.  After our morning in the woods, we had a picnic lunch right there outside the entrance of the bridge.