Nan, Wendy and Bear at Nan's camp site in the woods
Todays mission was to find a signal booster for Nan's cell phone and internet and she wanted some local apples. For starters, I took them down the side of the mountain with the 10 mph hairpin curves so they could see what skill Carolyn (Sunshinecrusier) had to use last year when her GPS sent her up the mountain that route. First stop was a small farmers market - not well staffed on Friday, usually full Sat. & Sun. Didn't care for their apples so left empty handed. Next stop was Best Buy. Nan found a Wilson booster, not what she was looking for but decided to try it anyway. (Late evening report from Nan said it was working like a charm and she was pleased with the purchase.)
A large organic market was nearby so in we go. Nan was busy snapping photos of everything when a young man informed us NO PHOTOS ALLOWED. Could you get thrown out of a supermarket with anyone else but Nan over a photo? Well he didn't actually ask us to leave but we felt closely watched as we checked out a couple more aisles before departing gracefully. On our way out the door there was a sampling station with strawberries and a flax seed dip. After a few remarks about sample tasting a lot like eating sand encrusted strawberries, we made our exit.
By then it was decision time on where to have a late lunch. Nan was fascinated with the German history here and in love with the food. (Do you know about Operation PaperClip following WWll?) We were near one of the older German places and this one was written up in Southern Living a couple of years ago so off we went. We stopped outside to get a photo and one of the waitresses came out and offered to get shot of all of us.
Little sign from one of the numerous articles posted inside (hope it is readable) Can't read, it says "Say you are a German rocket scientist working on Americas space program in Huntsville. Where do you get a good schnitzel in north Alabama? Ol' Heidelberg has some of the most authenic German fair to be found any were in the USA and remains a culinary legacy of Huntsville's space history. The Jager schnitzel will send you to the moon with or without a rocket."
Our delightful photographer/waitress
Schnitzel with spactzle for me and Nan
Wendy went for one of the many the wursts
We are more than full now
but that did not deter ordering deserts
After chatting a long time,we waddled out remembering we still had not found the apples for Nan. Better luck with apples at next stop all the way on other side of town. Thought about doing a little sight seeing but it was getting late and Wendy wanted to get back to Birmingham before dark so we returned to campground (her car was there).
Nan and I sat and talked for a while. Then I remembered I had put a couple of Duraflame logs in back of van so we built a small fire and cleaned little branches from her site to help feed it for a couple of hours.
As twilight approached a hawk swooped by and perched in a nearby tree on a low branch. Not sure if he was looking for evening snack or trying to roost for the night. My camera was dead but Nan grabbed hers and started shooting. After about 20 flashes from her camera, he decided to find another spot and flew away.
With Nan's new super signal booster, she was able to send me some of her photos to include in this post.
So enjoyed visiting with both Nan and Wendy. Sorry to see Nan move on this morning; Wendy flew to Miami today for cruise gathering.
I'm dog sitting for weekend and have pretty much accomplished nothing today.
So glad that you guys got to play......
