A Wintin summer birthday tradition dating back to the 70s is homemade ice cream on your birthday. For Rae’s Golden Birthday 🎂 (When your age and birth date are the same: 31 on the 31st) Heidi made a strawberry 🍓 cake and we teamed up on the homemade ice cream.

It was a strawberry cake mix and fresh strawberries topped with Cool Whip.

After five days on the gulf coast Mendy wanted to reproduce her dinner at the Sassy Bass restaurant out on Fort Morgan Road. Baked 🦪 oysters, cheesy potatoes 🥔, sweet 🌶 chili fish on the grill, jalapeño hush puppies and corn muffins.

The flavor was incredible considering I was in Grassy Fork Township, Indiana. You could have served me this plate in Gulf Shores, Alabama and I would have believed it came from there.

You know how they ask the winning Super Bowl quarterback what he is going to do now and he says “I’m going to Disney World!”? If they ever asked me I would say “I’m going to the Flora-Bama!” It is famous for being a dive bar on the beach 🏖 on the Florida-Alabama state line. It is mentioned in John Grisham’s book “The Firm” and Kenny Chesney has shot a popular video their titled “Flora-Bama.”

It usually has live music 🎶 in three different locations. Today, Rae and I listen to some talented musicians in the tent while you could go to the beach or the Bama Dome to listen as well. On the Bama Dome there are two ropes crisscrossing the room with women’s brassieres hanging from them. My farmer friend Bruce asked if they were still there and I replied “I didn’t even notice.” To his his chagrin he said “Oh Walter, you can’t go anywhere without me, can you?”

We enjoyed a local frozen drink called a Bushwacker. My farmer friend Bruce has a version called the “Brucewacker.”

As for cuisine, in honor of my friend Bruce who is a farmer and could not make the trip, I ordered the Oyster Sampler which included Cajun, Butter Parmesan and McClellan Baked Oysters.

I enjoy everything about this place. Beach access and view, live talented musicians, fresh seafood from the gulf. They even have a Sunday morning church service when there isn’t a world-wide pandemic.

Families are welcome until 5:30 p.m. when they start charging a cover to get in. However, the music is available throughout the day. But hey, the moral of this story is don’t go without your friend Bruce, who is a farmer.

“Slap the dog and spit in the fire, people!” The Gift Horse restaurant in downtown Foley is an incredible experience in southern cuisine. Along with the antique shops it takes up nearly the whole block. This building had at one time been a skating rink as well as the USO and American Legion and it features a 28 foot long banquet table. Whoa. That’s a big one.

Rae and I were the first customers in one of the antique stores and the guy gave Rae a free dinner for her birthday 🎂 on the 31st. What am I supposed to do? I had an awesome lunch. That’s what.

Cheesy grits

The Key Lime was the best I have ever had! Super sweet graham cracker crust. Great flavor.

The southern fried chicken, chicken and dumplings and the atmosphere was outstanding.

If you need a break from the beach like we did, hit up the Gift Horse for some southern culture.

The Original Oyster House 🦪 in Gulf Shores, Alabama is the restaurant that we visit every time we vacation in the Red Neck Riviera. It has been delicious every time. My parents introduced me to The Oyster House back in the 90s and Mom likes to tell the story of when she asked for a window seat. (The restaurant is on a bayou.) They seated them at a window seat overlooking the parking lot.

Mason Fleetwood is not just held to 🍕 pizza. This filet doubles the bun and is fried to perfection.

I double mine up and add a slice of cheese and wash it down with a Big Red. Quality!!!

Check them out at 358-1800 for fish, tenderloins or pizza.

This social distancing, for me, equals preparing meals at home and spending more time with my family. Serious situation, however, I will find the positives from something out of our control.

We started with marinated chicken tenderloins marinated in Olive Garden dressing. Outstanding call by Heidi. Grilled on the Weber Grill on indirect heat and turned out delicious.

Cheese tortellini from Sam’s Club with marinara and asparagus with garlic salt.

As it turned out, I had ordered a whole coconut 🥥 pie 🥧 from Town House before they close down on Friday. So this outstanding meal was closed out with a wonderful slice of 🥧 pie. Did I ever tell you that I only like two kinds of pie?…Hot and cold!

The Johnsonville company is headquartered in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. What better place is there for bratwurst to come from than Wisconsin!

With the pandemic we have plenty of time to plan meals at home. As well, a Friday evening 🔥 fire was a wonderful idea. This brat with a slice of cheese laid in the bun and a strip of Gulden’s Spicy Brown mustard was the best!

The excellent roasting technique started with this hollow log. I ran the brat through there several times for a well rounded roast.

On top of that, how about these perfectly roasted marshmallows!

This quarantine situation has at least had some positive repercussions.

With the social distancing we have had the opportunity to dine at home more often and prepare our own meals.

When I could press the pause button long enough and separate myself from the “Justified” cop show I have been binge watching, I created this masterpiece. Diced 🧅 onion, 🌶 peppers, mushrooms 🍄 and asparagus sautéed and then add the 🍳 eggs. I’m getting better with my flip and then added two slices of American 🧀 cheese. Then some hot 🥵 hot sauce sprinkled over the top.

You would pay 💰 8 or 10 dollars in a restaurant for this creation. On a side note, Heidi has made some 🥧 pies that are sure to hit the pages of Walt’s Diner.

On a road trip to Lawrence County, we stopped at Jiffy Treet. The mural on the side by Adam On Point is impressive in itself.

I had the waffle cone with 2 scoops of Samoa Cookie ice cream. The chocolate, caramel and toasted coconut 🥥 cookies were an incredible addition to the 🍦 ice cream. And the waffle cone was fantastic. Pretty sure they make their own.