Former President Jimmy Carter makes rare public appearance ahead of birthday

Former President Jimmy Carter and ex-first lady Rosalynn Carter made a rare public appearance over the weekend in their Georgia hometown for the Plains Peanut Festival.

Driving the news: "Beautiful day for President & Mrs. Carter to enjoy a ride through the Plains Peanut Festival! And just a week before he turns 99," the Carter Center wrote in a Sunday repost of a spectator's video of the longest-married first couple traveling by SUV at the event a day earlier.

• "We're betting peanut butter ice cream is on the menu for lunch!" added the post about the longest-living president in U.S. history, who was born on Oct. 1, 1924 and grew up on a peanut farm.

The big picture: Jimmy Carter had not been seen in public for months and has been receiving hospice care since February.

• Rosalynn Carter was diagnosed with dementia in May, but the couple still lives together at their Plains home.

Go deeper: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in "different era" of lives, grandson says