Weekend full of Sunshine

FRIDAY-
What a gorgeous weekend it was! I hope that you got to get outside and take advantage of it, that is if your weather was as beautiful and spring like. With temperatures at or near 80 degrees, with a constant breeze, the weather was perfect! If you live in the area, you might recognize this photo. It is of Bearden Farms. I could not pass by it without noticing the beauty in the fields.

I took in Big Mountain Idol at the coffee shop on Friday night. There is alot of talent in the house every Friday night until May 9th when the winner will preform at the Buck Creek Festival. If you haven't checked it out, you should. We got home just in time to miss the rain fall on our heads. It poured down late into the night. I slept like a baby.

SATURDAY-

Saturday at my home was a lazy one. I hoped that I could find a partner in crime to go somewhere and have some fun. Instead I spent much of the day watching HGTV and wishing I could make some major home improvements and renovations. Then I remembered I am married to Mr. Tightwad Money Manager ("so we can retire early and sell our money pit"). Speaking of the great Ramsey, Jr. (reference to Dave Ramsey), he did offer to buy me a Subway sandwich for lunch. I eagerly took him up on the offer (any kind of footlong sandwiches were on sale $5.00, any kind). When we drove up to the shopping center that Subway is in I noticed a moonwalk and what to look like food being served. "I wonder what that is?" I pointed out. Inside the subway Big Daddy handed me a flyer he picked up by the door, it was an advertisement to a "Spring Fling" hosted by the shopping center.

It said there would be giveaway's, including one for High School Musical on Ice tickets. I wanted to Take Sledge and some friends when I saw it was coming, but I added up seat prices and it was not in the budget. "Lets go over and register!" I said. We did, there were tow registration boxes, one for giveaways for the shops in the shopping center, and the other box by Cox Radio who was giving away the High School Musical tickets. On the bottom on the registration if said, "must be resent to win". I asked the lady at the booth when would the drawing be, "In five minutes", she answered. I looked around, odds were good. There were maybe twenty people hanging out waiting for the drawing to begin. Soon enough they began drawing from the shops giveaway box. First the pulled my name! I won a $32.00 gift certificate to the local pizzeria, Fraydo's. Next they called Big Daddy's name. He won a $65.00 gift basket full of hair products from Head Start.

We also were both given coupons for two free movie rentals each at Movie Gallery. Everyone standing there won a prize. Every single person. Then came the drawing for the tickets. There would only be one winner of this drawing of the prize of four tickets. ****Drum roll***, I held my breath, I so hoped we would win....Then I heard "Big Daddy!" He won! I was sooooo excited. I went home and told Sledge. She was so thrilled. She didn't think she was going to get to go...and now she could invite three friends. It really made our day. After we stopped dancing about the house, the three kids had a basketball game in the driveawy and sucked on the blooming honeysuckle between shots. I love lazy days like that.

Hey and look there, remember that cold snap last weekend? My blackberry bushes are now beginning to bloom. I think we are in the clear now for any more cold weather.

Sunday-
BRIGHT STAR

On Sunday my mother and I went to eat at the Bright Star Restaurant. The Bright Star is a family owned restaurant and has been in business since 1907. The family is of Greek decent. It is a well known and popular eating establishment, located in Bessemer, just west of Birmingham. At night it can be pretty pricey, but during the day you can get a vegetable lunch reasonably priced, which is what my mother and I did. The restaurant draws alot of local celebrities, and is "the place" (for some) to bring out of town guest. For my vegetable plate, I ordered the tossed Greek salad with dressing on the side, I got the homemade Greek and the homemade ranch. Why limit yourself, huh? I also got the Greek potatoes and creamed corn. The potatoes are to die for. I think they are steamed or boiled new potatoes. They have a very unique flavor, somewhat vinegary and somewhat lemony. I couldn't quite put my taste buds on it, but they were delicious. The corn was equally as good. The meal comes with a basket of homemade butter flake rolls and cornbread muffins. I found the muffins to be a bit on the sweet side. I prefer my cornbread to not be sweet even in the least. The butter flake rolls were delectable.

TANNEHILL

From there my mother and I went to Tannehill State Park. Tannehill was having it's monthly "Trade Days", which is basically an outdoor flea market or trade sale.

I found a couple of things that struck my fancy, like this old coca cola drink bottle tray. An original for $10.00. I loved the paint, all chipped and worn. I am going to use it J Smooth's room, as just a tray for knick knacks for his books, etc.

And from the same seller, a handmade tea light candle set for my deck. This would be incredibly easy to make, but I bought it for $5.00.

Finally for $3.00 each, some "vintage" yet new City Stages Tee's. I have actually eyed the one with the head last year, but didn't get it. I basically stole it today.

From there my mother and I drive around the park taking in the historic sites, as seen below in my slide show. My personal favorite was the Old Country Church.

It still holds services in its small one room sanctuary. In the winter, it is heated by a small potbellied stove. How charming...

I couldn't help but reminisce as I drove around Tannehill. As a child of about 12 my mother and our neighbor, Mrs. Hardy, would load up their "Garage sale wears" and drive out to Tannehill and set up. It was great fun for me, my brother and Mrs. Hardy's son, Brad. We would be gone all day long, playing in the creek, shopping on the five bucks our mom's would give us, buying boiled peanuts and a coke. We would bring our bikes and ride the trails without worry or ever a thought that we might be kidnapped.

Going back even further, I guess I was about 9 years old, another neighbor, Mr Morave would load me and my best friend Debby, her sis Michelle, brother Paul and a few of Paul's friends into their yellow station wagon. We would spend the day at Tannehill, actually swimming in the creek or hiking in the woods. We would be gone from dawn to dusk-and still the day wasn't long enough. I would be a nervous wreck allowing my nine year old to go to a swimming hole all day. There was a rope swing that was secured high up in one of the tall oaks that lined the creek banks. We would swing out over the water and fall in. We never worried about snakes, or turtles...or anything. We didn't have a care in the world. I am sure Mr. Morave watched us, but I do not ever recall him in the water with us, or even being around once we got to Tannehill. It was just us kids. I guess that is how is was back then. Kids were gone all day, as long as you were home by supper, you were fine. I went back to the sport where we used to swim. It looked a bit different, Some trees had been cut down and a grassy area was there in it's place.....I thoroughly enjoyed going to Tannehill. It had been many years. There is much to do at Tannehill, to find out visit the web site, http://www.tannehill.org/index.html. Future Trade Days are posted below.

I hope you had a blessed weekend of sunshine! And here's hoping you have a wonderful week ahead.