Bridesmaids Luncheon

Beautiful table.....

The "Bride" and Genavive

Gene and Rebecca

A beautiful " Bridesmaid luncheon" was given by the " Flower Girls- Gene and Melanie" on Friday morning.  It was over in the home of Gene and George...( the house that we copied because we have loved it for so many years)  The vintage dining room table was set with so many pretty flowers from the yard and arranged by Melanie.  The china was Gene's "Fall china" that we have eaten  so many great Thanksgiving meals off of.  There were memories every where for Michelle.  The food was perfect and enjoyed by everyone.  Michelle opened a few wedding presents and was presented with the " six pence that I wore in my shoe, our family's vintage pearl necklace that is 95 years old, my pearl ring ( for something borrowed) and the cake cutter that we cut our cake with 46 years ago.  Along with a " wedding book" that was just like the one that Chuck and I got for our wedding.  Becca made the " bouquet " out of the ribbons off of the presents for Michelle to use at the rehearsal dinner.  After a wonderful time, it was time to get back to work on " wedding stuff".   The rehearsal dinner was next.......which I didn't take any pictures of.  I know!!!  I was the " Mother of the Bride" and had other things on my mind besides using the camera this time.   I'll see if I can dig any pictures up from someone else.  It was really a great time.....

Oktoberfest in Cullman

German music

Wonderful German Buffet......

Different breads.....

Yummy Desert Table...

Charlotte and the " hay Germans"

Raimey and Charlotte...

Watching the " beer stein " contest

The winner held it for over 5 mins...

Miss Oktoberfest....

A couple of weeks before the wedding, we were invited to go to Oktoberfest with the BNOE ( Charlotte and Raimey), in Cullman.  A wonderful German buffet was held at " All Steak" .  It was the BEST ever!!!!  In fact, we decided it was the best meal we had eaten out, since we have moved here.  Lots and lots of German food that I grew up eating at " the Blomberg's".  The fun music went along with it.  After we ate, we went down to the festival for more fun.  There was a band, dancing and a " beer mug lifting contest".  The contest was were you had to hold a heavy glass, full of beer ( which was water here) straight out in front of you for as long as you could, without spilling a drop of beer ( water).  The women were against each other as the men were against men.  The winner for the women held the mug for over 3 minutes and the man winner held his for over five minutes.   I don't think I would have lasted a minute with my little skinny arms.  As I was watching all the women trying to win, I thought of Marina.  I bet she could have done it.   I'm still thinking of and missing my best friend who I grew up with.  Happy Oktoberfest Marina!!!!

Wedding Flowers

Michelle making all the flower arrangements.....bouquets and
boutonnieres  for the wedding.....

Becca with her head in the eucalyptus bucket

Craig's car was FULL with all the five gallon buckets of flowers that Michelle bought in Nashville when he drove down to Cecil for the wedding.  They all got placed on the dining room table in the lodge.  Michelle got busy with making all of the bouquets for the bridesmaids, along with hers.  The boutonnieres were next along with most of the arrangements for the decorations.  All her girls got busy and made the many, many swags out of the eucalyptus.  Someone came into the lodge and said it smelled like a " funeral home" ....ha....it was a " man".  Us women thought it smelled good.  Michelle had many helpers at the end, trying to use up all of the flowers for decorations.  There were just sooooo many flowers!!!!...which made the wedding just beautiful!

Cotton Harvest Time

Huge bails of cotton.....wrapped in yellow plastic.  

The field next door to us.....

Little dots of yellow out in the field next to us.....

Every where you drive, you see cotton fields that have been harvested.  There are big bails of cotton wrapped in either yellow or pink plastic. Before the field next door to us was harvested, it looked like it had snowed.   It is so fun to watch them suck the cotton off of the plants with this big machine....and bail it.  I don't know what is the most fun...when they plant the field in corn or cotton.  It's just fun living next to such a big field that they use for farming.  Never in my dreams did I picture this.......always loving living where I do!

Fall at Brambly Pines

Pumpkin Quilt

Dining room....

By the back door....

Back porch wreath....

Front porch wreath....

We have been waiting FOREVER for our normal Fall weather this year.  On top of it being so hot, we have been in a severe drought and our Fall colors aren't pretty this year.  The leaves on the trees have just turned brown and are falling.  I am so ready for winter this year and I usually enjoy Fall as one of my favorite seasons.  A cold front came through and we are down to 47 this morning.  Now that's more like it!!!!  It's time to put all the plants into the green house and sun room.   I took a 1/2 day and changed out my closet so I'm ready to start wishing for snow.  The fun of four seasons!!!!!

New Sun Room

my favorite wall....

200 year old tavern table with two antique chairs

ready for tea....

a wall of hand work....

the collection of my bird and gardening books
and Auntie Barbara's collection of birds
CDC/radio for enjoying music in the sun room 

Ever since we got the 1930 kitchen table and took the 200 year old tavern table that we were using for our kitchen table out, I have been trying to figure out a place that I could use the table in the house again.  It just killed me that it was being stored in the barn.  I would walk around the house and try and figure out how I could fit it in every room.  After three years, I FINALLY figured it out!!!  " The Sun Room" !!!!  ...where breakfast could be served.....or lunch ....or tea in the middle of the winter, while I watch the snow coming down.  Why did it take me so long to figure this out?  I got busy and walked down to the barn to go shopping....furniture shopping.  I brought the table up and a chair that was being stored down there .  I needed another chair....so I went shopping around the house.  Found one!  at the secretary where the computer sits.  Since there was an extra dining room chair just sitting in the corner in the dining room, I grabbed that one and put it at the computer.  The two antique chairs just happen to be the same color so they were perfect.  Next, I had to get busy and take down the big glass shelf that was on that wall.  I never really cared for it ever since I had Chuck put it up but didn't want to mess with the big holes in the wall that would be left, if I took it down.  Chuck filled in the holes and helped me move the big Alabama posters to that wall.  They were just meant to be on that wall.  Next, I went to the studio and dug out some 37 year old yellow/white gingham that I had saved from Michelle's crib canopy that I had made ( I tell ya, I keep everything for ever)  and made chair cushions for the two chairs.  I also made two yellow/white place mats for the table.  As I started moving things around in the room and decorating the other walls, I was falling in love with my new sun room.  While I was in Walmart the other day, buying some fabric for some Christmas presents, I came across some Fall fabric that I knew would make a great Fall table cloth for the sun room table.  I came home and sewed it up and now until it's time to decorate for Christmas, the sun room is decked out for Fall.  My new favorite room in the house........I try and find a few minutes during my day to just go in there and sit.  It's such a happy room.....yellow, bright, with lots of windows to see the woods and now it houses my 200 year old tavern table.

Annual Reenactment

This lady's husband made her and his costumes....

he was sewing leather items

Fun period costumes

Confederate camp....

Every September, the battle of Decatur of the Civil War is reenacted at Point Mallard.  We have been several times and I always enjoy seeing all the period costumes and the camp sites where the actors camp all weekend.  I love talking to the women about how they made their costumes and am a little jealous that they get to dress up like that.  If I were 30 years younger, I would so join their group and be taken back in time that is so interesting to me.  I talked to one lady and she said that her husband made her costume along with his.  They have a collection of 80 treadle machines and he loves to sew.  I wonder where they keep all these machines?????  Sure would be fun to see them.