Sweet Home Alabama



I'm visiting the place where I spent my formative years. In a little while, I will be going to church where I spent my formative spiritual years (at least the early formative spiritual ones). This church was where I met and married my husband and where I was ordained as a minister of the Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA) so a lot of good memories and warm fuzzies going on this weekend.

Yesterday we had a birthday celebration at my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Vernon's house.

Here is a little girl enjoying what's left of the yellow icing from the cake:


Here is a little boy taking a break from fishing and playing:




Vernon and Nancy live in the "country" complete with pond. A lot of folks fished.














Some folks lazed around.





All folks ate.

The menu?

Fried:
catfish
hushpuppies
green tomatoes
eggplant
chicken (tenders and on the bone)

Salad:
potato
pasta
cole slaw

Dessert:
birthday cake (my mom's)
banana pudding
banana pudding
(did I mention?) banana pudding

Appetizers:
Mozzerella bites
dip and corn chips
cream cheese with pepper jelly and crackers


And to top it off:
Watermelon from the garden

Entertainment:
Most of my relatives are quite entertaining, actually.
Particularly funny were: the Auburn jokes, LeeLee attempting to fish, my aunt goosing my brother-in-law, the "fish" trick.

Oh, that banana pudding was good.


The first picture is me trying out the Hammock with a gorgeous view beyond my toes.

Honestly, does it get much better than that?