I made my first trip to Alabama when I was barely toddling and I have returned every few years since. Rarely have I made a trip where my Mother was not one of my travel companions. I do not recall a single trip with Mom when we did not make at least one stop at a small nut shop on the Alabama Highway just outside Brundidge.
For my Mother, no trip to her home state would be complete without a large bag of boiled peanuts to munch along the way. Mother really likes boiled peanuts and they are not available here in Missouri. But, I believe there was a more important reason for stopping to make that purchase each trip. Besides being a rare treat and a trip down memory lane, I believe, those peanuts were the comfort food that helped her get through a very emotional and always stressful visit with the family she left behind in 1944. She had decided to marry a handsome sailor who was a Yankee and Catholic. Her family did not approve of his political loyalty or his religion, but love won out and she moved with him to his home state of Missouri.
My entry for this Ruby Tuesday is a photo of the little nut shop taken last December when we took my Mother to celebrate the ninetieth birthday of her oldest sister.
To read more on my visits south check out this post titled "The Home Place" here.
Have a great week everyone and for more things red visit Ruby Tuesday at
WORK OF THE POET http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com
"Indian moccasin" I see the words on the red building. Just yesterday I was talking about getting some more when we travel out west. I just love them. Peanuts too, both in one place...Priceless:-)
ReplyDeleteMy mom used to comfort herself with salted sunflower seeds. Now that her teeth do not approve of this activity she used emboidery :) It is a great love story you told us.
ReplyDeleteBama-Nut :) some may think it is not politicaly corect these days :)
Nice place. Peanuts (never had boiled) were always a comfort thing with me. When I was little, Grandpa would always go to the Peanut store in Hartford or Atlantic City, and picked up warm redskins and Spanish peanuts, in their skins. What a treat when lightly salted...
ReplyDeleteBoiled peanuts seems to be a widely used comfort food in the deep South.. along with grits and sweet tea. I never cultured the taste for them. Love the little shop!
ReplyDeleteWhat a charming little shop :) Your story makes the photo all that more special.
ReplyDeleteLovely.
Deb
That's a cute place. I've never been to the southern states as we travel down the west coast, but one day soon we'll get there. Then I can find out what boiled peanuts taste like.
ReplyDeleteI love boiled peanuts.We don't get them very often. Lovely story.
ReplyDelete