Recently a friend and I traveled the backroads of Chelsea and Wilsonville in Alabama. We began our journey in mid-morning and returned home as the sun was going down. We took every backroad we could find. Some roads led us to old homeplaces, abandoned vehicles, and wooden bridges over a gently moving creek through the woods. Other winding roads took us past farmlands and pastures where we stopped to capture the inquisitive, and sometimes funny, animals.

View the photo gallery here. Backroads Traveler: Wilsonville, Alabama

Barns, some painted red, others green, white, or natural wood sat off the road beyond wooden fences. Each barn was unique in its own way. The fences, some new, but most were worn from weather through the years. Cows lazily grazed on bales of hay in the fields beyond, a scene of contentment. There is just something about a farm that makes you feel that the world is going to somehow be okay.

We met the friendliest people. One man (the owner of the beautiful black horse in the photo gallery) drove to the end of his drive and spent time with us. He shared the history of his farm as well as information about the farm across the road from his, and he was more than happy for us to take photos of his beautiful horses.

We had lunch at a small, but well-known restaurant in Columbiana, Alabama named Pawpaw’s. I chose the Pork Steak, and my friend had the Stuffed Bell Peppers. The stuffed peppers reminded me of my mom’s. I will post her recipe later. I can already smell it cooking! I had some of the best Butter Pecan Cake for dessert. I intended to bring it home for my husband but for some reason, it never made it.

We visited old town Wilsonville and Sammy’s Antique and Consignment shop. If you are in the area, you need to take the time to explore this fun shop. We enjoyed visiting with the owner who has a wonderful story to tell of how she became the owner of the shop (look for an interview with her coming up soon on our blog!). In was in this shop that I found my “find” for the day! Two hay baler wheels and an old cream separator. You will see pictures of these in the gallery.

View the photo gallery here.

How many of you have seen an old Out House or even know what it is? We found one behind an old church. Across the road from the church is the cemetery where stones are placed to mark the graves of over 90 people buried there but names not known.

While turning around in a side road, heading back to photograph something that caught our interest, on the post in front of us was a red-tailed hawk. Trying not to scare him away, I eased out of my car. Just as I snapped the first photo, he took flight. I only had the opportunity to take two photos, both blurry, but still a magnificent sight as it flew through the trees.

Life is much like the experience with the hawk. When you think you need to turn and go a different direction, God will put something in your path to draw your attention to the things that are important. Sit still, watch and wait. Don’t be in such a hurry to travel the road of life – you will miss things that are right in front of you and many times, the most important.