Road Trip, The Wildflower Cafe, Hummingbird Cake, Hippy-Chic and Other Such Stuff...

I had the pleasure of a road trip 

with M last weekend.

We visited friends in North Georgia.

On our way home,

driving through Mentone, Alabama

we stopped for lunch at 

the Wildflower Cafe.

What a treat!

We were there in time for their Sunday Brunch.

While waiting for our table,

look what we discovered 

was part of the dessert menu!

Hummingbird Cake!!!

Karma...we're at the right place!

We had the "Brunch Extravaganza for Two"

and I HIGHLY recommend their

Tomato Pie.

Back to those desserts...

Of course we HAD to try the Hummingbird Cake.

Because the brunch was so huge we ordered

a slice to go.

The waiter brought it in a nice little box

but we asked if he would bring us a plate

so we could take a picture.

He accommodated us with a choice of 

three different plates.

How many busy waiters 

would go to that sort of effort???

The restaurant touts itself as "hippy-chic"

and with one step through the front door,

it makes perfect sense.

The art work on the walls was for sale.

They also have an eclectic  collection of

craftsman made items for sale including 

pottery, clothing, toys, carved wood,

jewelry, jams, and soaps.

All that in addition to 

a strolling musician playing

the guitar, taking requests

and getting foodies to sing along.

The Wildflower Cafe was voted the

"Best Cafe in Alabama"

by readers of ALABAMA MAGAZINE

in 2015.

It was also featured in the book,

"THE SOUTHERN FOODIE:

100 PLACES TO EAT IN THE SOUTH

BEFORE YOU DIE."

The grounds of the restaurant are of interest too.

So, it you have a bit of a wait, do a little exploring!

We did dig into the Hummingbird Cake

later that evening.

Yum.

This was the first time I have tasted one

and it confirms my choice for our 

2018 Bake Off

was a good one!

The Gauntlet has been Thrown Down!

It has been a while,

but yes I am still here.

I have been busy with...

....life.

You know how that is, right?

Do you remember the 

Family Bake Off

I have had with my siblings for

the past few years?

It's that time again!

Since my brother Rick 

and sister Nancy

picked our previous two cakes,

this year the choice is mine.

Notice the picture, it's a hint.

Any idea of the cake

we'll be baking this year?

The Hummingbird Cake.

Since we all live a distance apart,

we can't do a taste test.

So our bake off consists of

pictures and stories about our cakes.

This year I am inviting you to  join

our Bake Off.

Have you ever made this cake?

Have a favorite recipe for this cake?

Want to try your hand at this cake?

There are a ton

of different recipes out there.

I have chosen the one I will be baking.

So, put on your apron,

bake your version of this cake

and send me your pictures

and experiences with it.

I will share any that are sent my way.

Yum!

By the way, this is a really
informal "competition."
We don't have a timeline,
but should probably aim for 
the end of the summer
to be completely finished.

Pictures from Google Images

One Year Ago Today...

...I titled a blog post,

"Look What I Bought Today!"

referring to the purchase of

my house.

A whole year has passed,

and what a year it's been!

I kept you up to date on

the renovations and

although I still have 

at least a hundred more

"to dos"

the heavy lifting is done.

You've seen all the results,

except for the upstairs.

So welcome to the the second floor
and its small landing.
Closets flank either side of the window seat.
This house has plenty of storage.
One example is the window seat which is
actually a large, built in chest which opens.

To the left is the bathroom and my bedroom.

Remember how this bathroom
looked originally?

It's come a long way
with a new floor,

a new wall to house a shower,
(the tub is original)
subway tile shower surround,

and lots of bead board.
This baker's rack fits perfectly
behind the door
and serves as an
"open linen closet."

The bathroom is small,

so the addition of this little chest
gives me a bit of drawer space.

I discovered this mirror in a
consignment shop last
year during the renovations.
It was the perfect size
and with a coat of paint,
the perfect mirror for this space.
The doorway you see beyond
the bathroom is my bedroom.

 Remember this room?
Gone is the textured ceiling,
wallpaper and carpet.

The ceilings in the upstairs are all low,
but give the bedrooms a
cozy, cottage look.

This buffet used to live in the dining room of
my previous house.

There a little reading nook here,
for a white wicker rocking chair
which belonged to my grandmother.
It's actually my sister Nancy's chair,
but I'm keeping it until she wants it back.

The little door you see under the eave
is a small closet with shelves.

To the right, at the top of the stairs
is the guest room.

 This room had all the same
changes as my bedroom.

It's actually a larger room than the
one I am using,
and has three closets!

Another window seat
with built in storage is in this room.

Finally, on the opposite side from the bathroom

is what I have dubbed the "half bedroom."

This small room needed less work than

any of the upstairs rooms.

The ceiling was already smooth,

and there was no carpet or wallpaper

 to be removed.

 I'm still working on this room.
It has a built in twin bed
with drawers below it.
I have painted it.

I still have curtains to make and hang
in this tiny room.
There will not be space for much more
than this table and a chair.

 I am taking inspiration from this small
water color from FiFi Flowers,
who designed my business logo for me.

More on this room 
as it progresses.
Now you've seen the whole house.
I have plans for future improvements
and every week is an exercise
in tweaking.
Is a house ever finished?

I've done very little outside,
so that's a whole new canvas.
But, I do have crocus blooming!

To SIRS with Love

Several years ago I wrote a post about

"The World's Best Fabric Store."

This wonderful fabric store was located in

Fayetteville, Tennessee,

where my parents live.

Rarely did I visit them  

without a visit to SIRS as well. 

Horrible, sad news last weekend

when a fire erupted late Saturday night

and early Sunday morning.

The result of the fire is a total loss of SIRS.

SIRS was more than a fabric store.

It was a historic landmark,

the largest fabric store in the southeast.

In business since the 1940s,

it was a gathering place

for designers and decorators

as well as home sewers.

Fayetteville is a a small town, but

their customers came from miles away to shop.

It was a "girls day out" kind of place.

In the past few years they began

selling sewing machines

and offering classes,

helping to insure the future of

home sewing.

I cannot tell you how many times

I have walked through their front doors

to spend hours of bliss.

The inventory at SIRS was beyond belief.

You could not just run in for a few minutes.

Piles of fabric had to be gone through,

piece by piece,

as if you were on a treasure hunt.

And because SIRS' prices were

incomparable, very often,

REAL treasures were discovered.

I look around my house and see 

curtains and draperies,

upholstered furniture and slipcovers,

shower curtains, table cloths,

pillows and cushions,

all made from fabric from SIRS.

All this in addition to 

a very large portion of the

fabrics used to make my

totes, bags and needle cases,

the backbone of my 

Buttermilk Cottage business,

all came from SIRS.

A total loss indeed.

No word yet on future plans for SIRS.

Will they rebuild and possibly come back

newer, bigger and better than before?

I surely hope so.