Well, we decided to wait about going to the beach until we have more than two or three days to spend, so we'll probably do that sometime in December. I really like the beach in the winter anyway - although it's not the right weather to get in the water, it's still nice enough to enjoy the beach and the towns without the big summertime rush.
Instead, we decided to visit some festivals this weekend! I was looking at some of the different state tourism websites yesterday, and noticed that there were four - four(!) festivals all going on in the same part of Alabama - so we got in the car and sped off.....
Since we were in Montgomery on the way to the first festival, we visited the Montgomery Curb Market. The curb market has been in business forever, and they have all kinds of things - and a *much* better selection of Fall decorations than what I got at the Farmer's Market in Birmingham. Besides an enormous selection of wonderful-looking fruits and vegetables, there were quite a few booths with baked goods and homemade relishes, preserves, etc. Everybody there was so nice, and we bought lots of things.
I'm making a resolution to myself starting today that I will make a real effort to get more of what Av and I eat from the people that grow it than from huge grocery stores. Not to be a crazy-person about it, but I think this is important.
There were other booths with beautiful dried flowers, cotton stalks, sugar cane, wreaths, etc. - I got some really nice things that I'll take a pic of and post a little later.
Below is a pic of a booth with mums - these huge ones on the right were $18.
After the curb market, we went over to Tucker Pecans (pic below) to get some nuts for my Thanksgiving pies, but they were closed. We usually get our pecans from either Tucker or Priester's Pecans in Fort Deposit. I like Indianola Pecan House, too.
Not far from Tucker Pecans is the stadium that the Montgomery Biscuits play minor-league baseball in. Isn't their mascot just great!!??
After Montgomery, we went straight over to Opp for "Oppfest 2005". I have to say, Oppfest was a little disappointing - there wasn't much in the way of arts and crafts. (in the picture below, those are snake skins hanging up)
There was plenty of food, but we didn't try any:
About 80% of Oppfest was a car and truck show.
Anyway, Oppfest was a little bit of a let-down, but our next stop was Enterprise, which is the home of the famous boll weevil monument downtown (it's in honor of the boll weevil, which forced farmers in that part of the state to diversify from cotton and grow other crops. Peanuts are a *huge* crop down here.).
This tote bag (below) says: 'Fear No Weevil'
The festival took place in downtown Enterprise, and walking through we passed "The Rawls", which is supposed to be a very nice restaurant - we were hoping that they'd be open for lunch, but they serve supper only.
The historic marker in front says:
Rawls Hotel
Original two-story brick structure built 1903 by Japheth Rawls, developer of some of the earliest turpentine plants in Coffee County. Building remodeled 1928 and three-story wings added by Jesse P. Rawls, founder of first electric power system in Enterprise. Hotel was center for business and social gatherings until its closing in early 1970's. Listed on National Register of Historic Places 1980.
The Boll Weevil Festival had more things for sale. I liked the little suitcases.
After we finished in Enterprise, we drove over to Clio. Clio is the hometown of Governor George Wallace and Don Sutton. Below is a pic of a nice mural in downtown:
We were in Clio for the Chitlin Jamboree in Ruritan Park. Av and I aren't chitlin eaters, but we figured there would be other things going on.
We were wrong. The only thing going on was chitlins and ribs being sold out of this building.
Anyway!
Our last festival was in Brundidge - the Peanut Butter Festival.
This pic below is of the peanut monument at city hall:
The Peanut Butter Festival was really nice. We bought a red velvet cake here:
...and bought a sack-full of peanuts here for $5.
We had a really wonderful time, even at the festivals that weren't what we expected. Next weekend starts the National Peanut Festival in Dothan which I first visited as a student at Troy State - I really hope we can get over to it!
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