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On Thursday morning, March 4,2021, Hattie Flowers celebrated her 99th birthday, much as she has celebrated the other 98. With an early morning bicycle ride.

“Miss Hattie” as she is affectionately called, laughed as she talked about her morning bike rides.

“Every morning, before I get out of bed, I ride the bicycle,” Flowers said. “I lie flat on my back and just pedal in the air. I’ve been doing that for about as long as I can remember. It keeps me going.”

Flowers was born on March 4, 1922 on the Watkins place near Brundidge.

She said her long life is a blessing to her.

“The Lord has blessed me real good and I am thankful for my long life,” she said. “The Lord has given me life and I try to stay spry so I can keep doing what the Lord has planned for me to do.”

“Miss Hattie” said living right and exercising every day is how she keeps spry.

“I walk ever day in my yard,” she said. “I enjoy walking and I enjoy being outside. I’ve always loved to fish but I don’t go anymore since I lost my good friend and fishing buddy.”

Flowers said she enjoys reading, mainly, the Bible, watching TV and playing games that are available on her phone. She likes to do puzzles.”

“It’s important to keep your mind active just like it is your body,” she said.

Around Brundidge and among the many people who attend the annual Peanut Butter Festival, “Miss Hattie” is Queen of the Tarts.

She in known far and wide for the fried apple tarts that people are more than ready to fight over. “Miss Hattie” has had a booth at the Peanut Butter Festival on the last Saturday in October every year since it began in 1992. And people beat a path to Miss Hattie’s booth, for her fried apple pies and bowls of her turnip and collard greens.

But most of all, Hattie Flowers is known for the example that she has set for kindness and caring, for putting others before herself and always standing ready to help in times of need.

“If I can do something for somebody, I try to do it,” she said. “People have been good to me and I want to be just that good to them.”

Happy 99th Birthday “Miss Hattie” and many more!