Do you see what I see?

Since we haven't heard the coyotes in a long time, thank goodness!!! we have been seeing more and more bunnies around Brambly Pines.  We have two that come into the front yard from the woods, every evening.  A couple mornings ago, I look out and see Annabelle and Marmalade sitting side by side looking at something that had to be interesting, at least to cats, in the back yard.  It was a little rabbit...a cat's dream to chase. 

To the Dump!

We have talked about going to the dump for over two years now.  You know how that goes.  You end up just "talking" about it.  Well, the BNOE called me one day last week and asked if she got her FIL's cattle trailer, if we wanted to take Chuck's truck and go to the dump with her.  The answer was " YES"!!  Thursday morning, her and Chuck went over and picked up the trailer and brought it to her house.  They cleaned out her garage, the garden shed and behind the shed.  Next, they brought the trailer over to our barn and we cleaned this really junky area behind the barn that I've been wanting to clean up forever!!  You know, one of those areas where you just keep piling junk on top of more junk!  Chuck was able to put a few of the broken pallets from the sod in the back of the truck.  It will take a few more trips to the dump to finish cleaning up around the barn, but this did help.   I didn't go with Chuck and Charlotte.  I knew it was going to be at least a two hour trip since the dump is about 40 minutes away.  Well, two hours passed into three hours and even later.  I was starting to get worried.  Come to find out, Charlotte's GPS had them go down this dirt country road in the middle of a corn field and it said for them to turn "left".....in the middle of the corn field!!  They got a kick out of that one.  So, Chuck dug out the tried and true paper map and found their way to the dump.  It ended up being a whole day deal, but it sure is nice to have that junk gone and now Chuck knows where the dump is. 

Back to Back Company



Erin and Grace wanted to see the chickens



Gracie picking grape tomatoes





visiting Billy's goats





Time to head for home



Shell and Genavive went home on Tuesday and on Wednesday evening, Maryann, Erin and Grace (Elaine and Fred's DIL and grand daughters) came to spend the night at Brambly Pines from driving home from their vacation in Illinois.  This was their first visit with us.  Since it was just for the night, we didn't have much time to show them around.  Of course there were the chickens and the garden they wanted to see.  After dinner, we walked over to see Billy White's goats.  Kids always get a kick out of that.  Morning came fast and they were leaving.  At least they know where Auntie Barb and Uncle Chuck live now.  They promised to come back and bring Adam, one day. 

Good Bye Tears

All too fast, it was time for the girls to get back into the little green car and head for home.  They had a very long day ahead of them.  It's almost as long for us, wanting them to be home safe and sound.  The little car was packed tight with all the goodies from the garden and their treasures from our shopping. 

Grant Alabama

Pretty view with the mountains



Bell Tower





Hey! there is a gym in there!



On our way home from the caverns, we went through a pretty little town and decided to stop to look at the view of the mountains and valley.  Across the street was an old school made of stones and another impressive log building.  We had never seen a log building made with the logs going vertical.

As we were getting out of the explorer and started to walk on the sidewalk by the school, a giant branch fell from a tree and hit the wires going to the school building.  Scared the " you know what" out of us.  It wasn't raining or even windy.  The limb just decided it had enough being part of the tree, I guess.  Of course we all had to look in the windows of the big log building to see what was in there and it turned out to be a gym with a stage in the back of it.  The stone bell tower by the school used to be a water tower back in the day.  It was a fun stop before heading for home. 

Mining for Gems

Running water trough



Sifting away the dirt

 

Having fun finding pretty gems



The different gems you can find



My Amethyst necklace Shell made me



After we toured the caverns, we went back to the gift shop and bought our souvenirs for our memories.  You can buy a bag of dirt and there are gems among the dirt. There is a long wooden trough across from the gift shop.  You pour the dirt into sifter boxes and put the box down in the trough of running water.  The dirt washes away and you have big and small gems. Chuck had bought us a bag of dirt and we shared the fun but when we each had these great gems in our sifter boxes, we wanted more. It was just too much fun!! Chuck went back in and bought us another two bags.  We each ended up with some pretty big gems.  There was a sample box of what the gems were and they also gave you a post card with pictures of the gems on it.  I was hoping to find a ruby but didn't.  Shell found a big amethyst.  When we got home, we wheeled and dealed on our finds and I traded Shell a couple that I had that she wanted for the big amethyst she had.  After we each spread out our finds and picked out what stone we wanted for a necklace, Shell figured out how to wrap wire around the stones and made them to hang on a chain.  What great souvenirs the three of us ended up with for such a fun day spent in Northern Alabama.    

Cathedral Caverns Again

The opening of the cave



Notice how little the people look next to all the rock formations





265 feet under the ground



Genavive holding a heavy stalagmite



When we went to the Cathedral Caverns with Fred and Elaine in April, I knew this was a place that I wanted to bring the kids to see the next time they came up. So, we packed up some snacks and drinks and headed out for the day.  We should have packed some jackets...ha. It's a constant 54 degrees in the cave, year round and we all wore shorts and short sleeves.   Our tour guild was  a really nice lady named Belinda.  She asked who our guild was the last time we were there and when I said, "Larry the Cable Guy's Brother, she knew exactly who I was talking about.  The girls enjoyed seeing something that they had never seen before. Genavive knew about stalagmites and stalactites, from school.  Other than being "cold" which I didn't notice how cold it was in there the last time we were there.  We must have worn jackets since it was in April.  It was a really fun morning.  Papa bought three bags of dirt...lol.! the fun wasn't over with yet.