My Birthday Week

Last week, we celebrated my birthday.  (Let's not get into which birthday, but I'll just say that I'm not liking this getting-older-every-year thing anymore).  I went out to lunch with a big group of coworkers and got the sombrero and song treatment at the Mexican restaurant where we ate.   When we got home from work, James gave me my gift--a metal detector!  I can't wait to go nerd it up! :)

For supper, James and I went to one of our favorite local places, Oak Street Bistro.  They use local ingredients and serve local beer. I know people that drive an hour to eat here!  I always get the cheddar dill soup.  I really love dill and this stuff is awesome!  James had the shrimp and grits and I got a muffuletta.  We ended up switching after he'd eaten all of the shrimp (I don't do seafood) and the grits were delicious.  We also just found out that they closed last week (after being open for years!) so I'm so glad that we went one last time.

I took Wednesday off of work to spend the day with my mom.  We have so much fun when just the two of us set out.  First, we took a look around Marlsgate Plantation in Scott.  We didn't go in, but I just love looking around the outside.

We actually looked at having our wedding here, but decided on somewhere closer to where we were living at the time.  It looked like they were setting up for an event when we were there this time.

Tons of sorghum!  I'd never seen it growing before I don't think.

The Ashley-Alexander House is nearby, too.

And just down the street is the beautiful All Souls Church.  Thinking back on it, I really wish we had decided to have our wedding ceremony here and the reception at Marlsgate.  Maybe we'll do a vow renewal in a few years.  Ha!

We thought about stopping at Cotham's Mercantile for lunch, but ended up running ahead of schedule and getting there before it opened.  They're famous for their "hubcap" burgers.  

In a town nearby, my great-great-great grandfather is buried.  He fought with the Confederate infantry and we are lucky enough to have inherited the family bible that he and his wife started.  It stays at my parents' house, but I've already called dibs.  

We stopped at Morris Antiques in Keo and followed that up with lunch at Charlotte's Eats and Sweets.

We shared the Keo classic sandwich (it was fantastic--look at that crust!) so we each had room for our own piece of pie, of course.

We were too late for the lemon (they're known for their pies and you have to get there early!) so Mom got chocolate meringue and I got coconut meringue.  Hers was a little more photogenic.  

Over the weekend, we had my family birthday party.  My mom and sister had planned to have it at our neighborhood park on the lake, but when it started raining, we decided to move it to our house.  They always do such a good job--check out that homemade strawberry lemonade on that precious vintage tablecloth (which was a gift to me)! 

And the flower arrangement they put together with peonies and handpicked wildflowers...

in a huge Ball jar (now also mine)!

Mom made my favorite:  fresh strawberry cake.

 And I can't resist throwing in a photo of precious Natalie (with the unicorn she picked out for me)! :)

And my new salad plates!

Although it's no fun for me to get older anymore...this really was one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time.