East Central Alabama Adventures

Welcome to the Talladega National Forest. This gorgeous road cuts the greenery for miles and offers amazing serenity to all sojourners. I took a road trip to Ashland, Sylacauga, and Childersburg Alabama this weekend with my Momma. Soundtracks to the road trip's tunes can be found at your local antique mall or your cool older sister's back closet: 2 Nsync albums, Billy Joel, and ABBA Gold. 

This is Ashland, an adorable town square around a historic courthouse. We visited this town because of High Points Coffee and Books. It's chicken salad is on her bucket list of foods but it turned out closed for the afternoon. So we walked around the square and stopped in "Dairy Delite" for a homemade Dilly bar and an ice cream sandwich! A methodist church down the street from the square used my favorite Southern colloquialism so a picture had to be taken!

These old towns just make me wonder what life was like in them years ago when the town was full of business and traffic. As you noticed in the photos, barely a soul was out and about. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time just for a little bit to be a silent observer in quaint little places like this to experience its history.

Below is Sylacauga. Home of Blue Bell Ice Cream and olde-timey main street shops. Ma and I ate at the Marble City Grill- it was quite scrumptious, you must visit- window shopped, then stopped in at the old-fashioned department store, Stanton's. 

Poor guy! What a way to

be remembered! In

stone on main street

as "Ugly but Honest!"

Next stop, Childersburg, for DeSoto Caverns! The bucket list specified that we had to sample their fudge, so we did! It's a beautiful area and the attractions in the park are extensive but we didn't think $21.99 was worth a tour of a natural wonder we had already toured before! Maybe another time... with a coupon!

This telegram cable box
stands outside 
Childersburg's beautiful 
craftsman-style museum. Too cute not to capture.

Mom has always had an (unhealthy) obsession with plants (and owls, but that's another story) and I love encouraging her in... collecting! These are from a road-side market off of Highway 280.

Aren't the succulents 

above intoxicating? So beautifully arranged in the pots into quaint terrariums!  

A few minutes down the road is Morgan Creek Winery where we attended a wine tasting from their harvest of peaches, blueberries, muscadines, and kumquats. Beautiful vineyards and just five minutes away is Old Baker Farms, a venue for weddings, Easter egg hunts, and fall festivities. 

Can't wait until our next adventure

-my heart is not afraid