Carson Village, Birmingham, Alabama
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life. ~ Proverbs 16:31
Honestly, I don’t have much to say about today. We drove to Oak Mountain and hiked a good 12 miles. It was a terrific day!!! Mostly all I have is pictures though. Nothing exciting seems to happen when David’s with us. . . . Why do you suppose that is? Is it because nothing happens, or because we’re too busy walking and chatting when we stop? Whatever the case may be, I don’t have a lot of words to share today.
Heading for the Park.
And now I’ve got TWO guys sighing and waiting patiently (?) for me to get going. : )
It was steep, but the views weren’t all that wonderful.
Too many trees in the way. And there was no eagle nest to be seen.
One of our destinations (and a half-hour in) was to an overlook called ‘King’s Chair’, and it was gorgeous!! In every way. Perfect temperature, an abundance of fall colors, great company and a comfortable place to sit! Well, for a rock anyway. 😊
Awe-inspiring!!
We heard a train while we were up here, too, but we couldn’t find it.
Gosh! Everyone wants their picture taken with me! lol
Blaine had to make a call at exactly 11am to one of our campgrounds out West.
Good thing he had cell service!
He was successful!
(you know I don’t really expect you to remember that, right?) : )
We left there and tread quietly over Billy Goat’s Gruff bridge, and didn’t encounter any trolls. If we had, we’d’ve surely be able to beat him off with our combined sticks.
Then again, it was lunchtime. . .
How’d you like to’ve been on the trail when THAT happened??
Before we knew it, it was time for our lunch. We had returned to the Jeep and drove to a deserted picnic area by the swimming area.
Refreshed, we walked over to their Nature Center. It’s really well-done – – – nice outbuildings full of various birds of prey, and a building with amphibians.
Back on the trail again, this time to a waterfall. We had no idea what a difficult hike that was going to be! But it sure was fun!
They did, so I did,
but only with the help of David’s bamboo pole because my stick wasn’t long enough.
They weren’t dressed for this kind of hiking, and the youngest girl slipped nearly giving all of us a heart attack, and setting David ready for action to catch her if she started over the ledge!
She was fine. Hope they made it home okay.
A lot of exercise today earned us a meal at Jim n’ Nick’s BBQ! Wonderful food! Great choice, David! They serve these complimentary mini-biscuits that are beyond words, delectable! And while we were waiting for our main food to arrive, we devoured an entire basket – plus – because our attentive waitress brought us more! And believe it or not, I was able to find a clone recipe on-line. Just know that if you try them, I can’t be held responsible as to whether they’re authentic or not because I’ve not had a chance to try it myself. But the picture looked exactly right, and the ingredients seemed like they’d work. Here’s how you’ll know. . . . first of all, if you keep checking the blog, once I make them, I’m sure I’ll say something. But a better gauge would be if you take a bite and moan with pleasure and can’t stop eating them, saying, “just one more . . .” (I think that’s why they make them small.)
Oh. And you have to eat them with honey butter, because as good as the muffins are all by themselves? Spreading honey butter on them makes them even more moanable!
The other food was terrific, too – – a mushroom bacon burger for me, pulled pork for the guys. They also had a side of fried green tomatoes that were to die for! But I don’t have a recipe for those – at least not the way Jim n’ Nick’s makes ‘em. ☹
but we discovered one is in Colorado, possibly near where we’ll be!
This is my burger and a sample of fried green tomatoes from each of the guys. So generous!
It was a terrific way to end our magnificent day!
This Month In History: (from campground newsletter)
1936: The first issue of Life magazine is published.
1942: Coffee is added to the list of items rationed in the US due to World War II.
JIM ‘N NICK’S CHEESY BISCUITS
1 ½ C. flour
2/3 C. sugar
¾ t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
¾ C. buttermilk
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ t. vanilla extract
4 T. butter, melted
1 ¼ C. sharp cheddar, shredded
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and vanilla until smooth.
Add to the flour mixture along with the melted butter. Stir just until combined. Fold in the cheese.
Fill the muffin cups to the top with batter.
Bake for 7-10 minutes or until firm on top. Let cool 10 minutes and remove from the tins. Serve warm.
Recipe makes about 30 muffins.
HONEY BUTTER
12 T. butter, room temperature
¼ C. honey
2 T. powdered sugar (optional, but highly recommended)
¼ t. ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
½ t. vanilla extract
Using a hand or stand mixer, beat all ingredients for a few minutes until smooth and combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two weeks. Be sure to serve at room temperature for easy spreading. (let sit on the counter for 1-2 hours)