Last stop....to get the best honey in the world.....

My favorite view driving from Cullman to Moulton...
if you look really close...there is a hint of Fall color in the trees.
It's just around the corner......

Our cute little grocery store in Moulton

the BEST honey in the whole wide world!!!!

Ice Cream Special......

Just another " fun thing" that you might
see in our little grocery store.  

Our last stop for our "outing" was our little grocery store in Moulton.  We love this store!  It's like going back in time.  A couple months ago I came across my favorite honey on the end of an aisle in there.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  This honey is so hard to fine.  I guess it's because it's the best honey in the whole wide world!  Melanie introduced me to it the Fall we spent 222 days in the mountains, house/kitty sitting for her cousins.  I have been looking for this honey ever since.  Leave it to our little grocery store to end my hunt.  While we were there, we decided to get some ice cream so we could try out our ice cream sandwich wafers that we bought at the bakery.  Hit the jack pot there too!  Blue Bell was on sale!  As I was walking to the front of the store to pay, there was this sign that caught my attention.....Strawberry Jam...made by Moulton Middle School.  That just warmed my heart.  You would NEVER see that in a big city grocery store.  I hope the school sells every jar!  Do I love living in a little town?.....I wouldn't want to live any place else.  .....PS....we tried the ice cream sandwiches after dinner and OMG!  all I can say is " WONDERFUL"!!!!!!

Second stop.....the apple orchard.....

Pretty apples

The trees were LOADED  this year. 

Every September we make a trip to the apple orchard.  We always seem to be late in the season but manage to still get some apples.  This year I decided we would go early.  We were almost too early but not really.  They had bags and bags of fresh picked apples in the store for us to buy.  I ended up getting a peck of Jonagolds and a 1/2 peck of some called mutsu.  The mutsus looked like Granny Smith which is what I always use for my apple butter but thought I would try these new ones this time.  I know the Jonagolds are going to be good because I remember my mom telling me how Jonathon apples were her favorite.  She would pick them in Illinois when she was growing up.  The Jonagolds are a cross between Jonathon's and golden delicious apples.   So, now it's time for the day long project of making apple butter.  I make it in the crock pot and the house smells so wonderful.......just like Fall is suppose to smell.  ( I'm just a little early this year)

First stop on our afternoon out.....

Every kind of spice you need.....

Pies and cakes....

snacks....

Jars of " everything" 

Jams and jellies

Big package of Ice Cream Sandwich Wafers

Lunch with " Miss hen"

Pretty " Miss Hen"

Little homemade wagons....

It was time to make a trip down to the Amish Bakery for spices.  They have every spice you would ever need and they are about 1/10 of what the price is in the grocery stores.  I make this awesome meat rub that takes about 100 spices ( seems like it) so I loaded up. We also came across this big package of ice cream sandwich wafers, which we had not seen before.  Of course we had to try them.  While we were there, we ordered a sandwich for lunch.  They make the best sandwiches around and they are so huge, that we always split one.  When we were finished shopping, our sandwich was ready.  They have picnic tables under trees and one on the front porch.  We sat down at the one on the porch and here comes little " Miss Red Hen".  All their chickens run loose.  They are so cute.  " Miss Red" was begging for us to share our lunch, so Chuck gave her some crumbs from the potato chips.  Out on the porch were these little wagons made from wood from logs, for sale.  You just never know what you will come across at the bakery.  After our fun lunch, we were on to the next stop for the afternoon.......the apple orchard.

Late Summer

You know when summer is  on it's way out.....the black eyed Susan's are blooming.  I planted one little pot of them about four years ago and they took off.  I tried to keep them in control by pulling them up left and right but soon just gave up.  Now I'm glad I did.  The whole corner of the front yard is covered with them and it's oh so pretty!!!!  I look forward to the end of summer not only because Fall is on it's way but it's so bright and cheery when I look out the sun room windows or sit on the front porch.  The black eyed Susan's can take over as much as the flower bed as they want.  They make me smile!

A Vivi Weekend....

Vivi sitting at her new table/chairs

coloring Mama a picture....

walking in Grandma's shoes...
coming....

and going....

cooling off in the pool...

playing with Grand Daddy...

First ride on Little Red....

Michelle had " wedding stuff" to do down in Cecil with Becca so we got to spend the weekend with Vivi.  Michelle/Vivi came after work on Friday and spent the night.  Saturday morning, Michelle took off down south and our fun times began with Vivi.  She loves spending time on the back porch and really enjoyed having " just her size" furniture out there.  We colored a picture for " Mama" and rocked in the rocking chair over and over again.  When it got really hot on the porch, I filled the pool and Vivi went " skinny dipping" in the country.  ( Mama didn't pack a bathing suit)  Mama came back to Brambly Pines Sunday afternoon.  Our fun time was over before we knew it.  Not only are we looking forward to another " Vivi weekend" but I hope Vivi is too.

A Very Happy Birthday!!!

Birthday breakfast......on the porch

Gene and Melanie in Hartselle

Birthday lunch

Melanie with a picture of her mother..." Dolly"
( not really Dolly....we were just pretending)

My two best sisters ever!!!!!
Melanie and Gene (cousins) 

Three happy sisters......

Usually my birthdays come and go and I don't do anything "special".  Chuck always asks if  I want to go out to dinner.  Sometimes, I do and sometimes I don't. The high light of my day would be waiting to hear from my children.   This year I thought it would be different.  As we get older, who knows how many more birthdays there will be to celebrate.  Sooooooo, ........I asked my two very best friends in the whole wide world, Gene and Melanie if they could come up to spend a couple of days at Brambly Pines for my birthday.  I knew there would be tea parties,shopping,  lunches out, wonderful dinners, lots of " sharing our hearts" and lots of laughter.  I was so right!!!  Along with all of that....they brought LOTS of presents!!!!  A birthday couldn't be any better than that!  I didn't mind one bit that I was turning another year older.  They made it fun!  I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends that are like " sisters" to me.   " #66 was one of the BEST!"