Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Autumn Red

The RED hues of autumn are especially bright right now among the dogwoods,
 and there are many in Old Live Oak Cemetery.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Our World, The Last Bounty

The season's first hard freeze is expected tonight, so I gathered the last
 of our garden bounty on Monday. We are not looking forward
 to 28 degrees F with a much lower wind chill! We are thankful that
cold snaps like this only last a couple of days!



Monday, November 11, 2013

Welcome to the Bridge Tender's House

The pale yellow Bridge Tender's House adorned with a few bright flowers
 is a welcoming presence in Lafayette Park. Situated right on the river bank,
 the historic abode once served as home for the bridge tender whose job
 was to open and close the original swing bridge for boats.
That bridge was demolished to make way
 for the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1940.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Skywatch, November Sunrise

The sunrises are earlier now that we are no longer on Daylight Savings Time,
 and oh my, what a spectacular one we had earlier this week!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Q is for QUILTS

Q is for QUILTS, and I love the colorful QUILTS made by TwoJean Designs.
 She makes all kinds...for the bed, the couch, the wall, the kids,
 the table and even inexpensive mini token quilts. 
The Selma quilter often sells her creations at crafts shows
 and has an Etsy shop online.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Our World, Pick a Piece of Pottery

It's that time of year when arts and crafts shows abound in our area,
 and Allen Ham is among the most well-known masters of clay.
 The next big event is the West Dallas Tractor Show 
this Saturday, Nov. 9 in Orrville. 

Friday, November 1, 2013

Heights, Replacing the Valley Creek Bridge

It's Theme Day for City Daily Photo Blogs, and we're featuring HEIGHTS.

Construction cranes have dominated the West Selma skyline since early summer
 as the bridge over Valley Creek on Dallas Avenue is replaced.
 The new crossing should be in place by spring. 

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Hands Across the Black Belt, Painting a Gourd

Pick a gourd, and pick your paints, then design 
a birdhouse and take it home!

This is just part of the fun at the Kenan's Mill Fall Festival
 on Saturday, Nov. 2. Gates open at 9 a.m.
 Check the Kenan's Mill Festival website for details!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Pink

P is for PINK as in a PRETTY, PINK zinnia!

It's P Week over at ABC Wednesday, and these zinnias are still blooming
 in my backyard but won't be for long. I am PLANTING PANSIES for the winter. 


 


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Great Day for Boaters

It was a great day for boaters recently when we watched from the porch
 of The Sand Bar Restaurant. Several boaters left the city marina
 for a smooth ride on a calm Alabama River. 

Saturday, October 26, 2013

The Cotton Stalk Bouquet

The cotton harvest is under way,
 and this is the time to pick those stalks for cotton bouquets. 

 For the record, one bale of cotton (about 500 lbs.)
can produce 
8,000 men's woven handkerchiefs,
 850 ladies blouses and shirts,
 3,000 diapers,
 and 1,200 pillowcases.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Dark Night

It was a dark night on the river as viewed from the Carneal ArtsRevive terrace.
 In the distance, you can see the lights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

O is for OCTOBER

O is for OCTOBER, ABC Wednesday's Letter of the Week, and OTHER
 than blue skies, the month is full of spider webs all OVER everywhere! 
This huge web was in the middle of my backyard, 
and before nightfall, it caught several leaves. 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Get Your Grits Right Here!

The Kenan's Mill Fall Festival is coming up Nov. 2, and this is the place
 to get your stone-ground cornmeal and grits! 

A recent renovation has the wheels turning again, and visitors 
can take a mill tour,
 listen to live bluegrass music,
 learn how to grow food organically,
 paint a gourd birdhouse,
 ride a wagon full of hay down a country lane, 
dine on catfish filets prepared by local Boy Scouts,
 eat Hoppin' John and barbecue,
 take a park tour on Old Mac's Farm train, 
walk across Valley Creek on a swinging bridge 
and jump up and down in the fire safety house.
 Arts and crafts vendors are also invited!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Making Lemonade

So who can resist freshly made lemonade or a twist of lemon in sweet tea
 on a warm October day in Alabama?  This food venue had the perfect
 thirst quencher at Riverfront Market Day!

Friday, October 18, 2013

Foliage by the Bridge

I was pleasantly surprised to find so much greenery at the base
 of the Pettus Bridge in Songs of Selma Park! I believe the flowers
 may be four- o'clocks, but since it wasn't 4 p.m. yet,
 they weren't quite open!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Tagged!

No doubt about it! From Alabama to Illinois, this turkey
 has been tagged for Thanksgiving decor!

Cedar House Crafts in Northport, Ala., uses old car tags,
 barnwood and wire to create some really unique art. This was one
 of their pieces at Riverfront Market Day.


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Night Roses

We're depicting the letter N at ABC Wednesday,
 so here are the Confederate Roses by NIGHT.

They just keep on blooming!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Monday, October 14, 2013

Buddy the Clown

He made his first balloon dog at age six.
 Now he twists some 300 creations
 to wow both children and adults!

 He's Buddy the Clown, and the Vermont native is down South 
for the winter, stopping in Selma last Saturday 

He also offers balloon making classes, school shows and church ministries.





Sunday, October 13, 2013

Comb Concert

Have you ever played the comb?
 Ever attended a comb concert?

We have one in Selma every year at the Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival. 
The evenings of storytelling and music end with an "I'll Fly Away" comb concert
 led by The Dill Pickers. Make plans to attend this family-friendly event
 next October, and you don't even have to play your own comb! 
Tale-Tellin' supplies the comb and the tissue paper! 

Comb concerts in Selma were the creation of Selma storyteller/author
 Kathryn Tucker Windham, who also founded the festival.
 Ever since she went to Heaven a few years ago, we continue to honor
 her memory with her favorite gospel song played and hummed on combs!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Playing the Tambourine

The night was filled with music and laughter Friday at the
 Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival, and there is more tonight!

Here, one of The Dill Pickers plays the tambourine
 in that unique Dill Picker fashion.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Supper on the Terrace

Supper and snacks will be served on the terrace by the river
 at the Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival this weekend. 

While this picture is from last year's festival, skies will be clear again
 with perfectly pleasant temperatures for outside dining and visiting. 
The Tale-Tellin' stage is inside, but doors will be open
 to let in the cool evening air. 

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for supper and the Swappin' Ground 
(where you can tell YOUR stories), and the main event with music and comedy
 begins at 7. Tickets are available at the gate.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Signs of Autumn

The signs of autumn are everywhere, including at this Saturday's

This picture was taken at last year's event, and again the weather will be perfect.
 There will be lots of arts, crafts, food, music and fun for children. 

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

ABC Wednesday, M is for MUSIC

We're blogging the letter M over at ABC Wednesday this week,
 and M is for all the MUSIC that will be filling Water Avenue
 in Selma this weekend.

 From The Dill Pickers Stringband (pictured) and comedy troupe 
at the Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival to Vintage Gray, The Fabulous Shades,
 Lower Society of Upper Water Avenue, The Ramblers and others
 at Riverfront Market Day, there will be lots of MUSIC!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Swappin' Ground Tales

This lady knew how to use facial expressions and hand motions to tell her story
 at last year's Alabama Tale-Tellin' Swappin' Ground. The tales begin again
 for the 35th annual festival this Friday and Saturday.

 Swappin' Ground, where folks like you can tell a tale,
  starts at 5:30, and the main event featuring nationally known storytellers
 and The Dill Pickers String Band/comedy troupe, begins at 7.

 Meanwhile, storytelling tips can be found all over the Web.

Linking to Our World Tuesday and City Daily Photo Blogs



Monday, October 7, 2013

Black-Eyed Susans



The roadsides through Dallas County are vibrant with Black-Eyed Susans
 and a smattering of blue wildflowers. Thank you, God, for colorful October! 

Guest Photographer is Kathy Prince who stopped to  snap this field
 of flowers on Summerfield Road. 


Sunday, October 6, 2013

Fair Friends

The petting zoo at the Central Alabama Fair is a popular spot for little ones.
 They can hold baby chicks, ducks and rabbits or pet horses, calves
 and even goats!

Saturday, October 5, 2013

The Confederate Rose

It's a native of China but is called the Confederate Rose in the southern U.S.
 The large, double blossoms open white but gradually change to pink 
and almost blood red before dying. They were grown in English gardens
 in the 1600s and planted in the South during Reconstruction because 
they were easy to root and grow during hard economic times. 
They bloom in early autumn.


Friday, October 4, 2013

Central Alabama Fair Sing-Off

Madison Shea of Woodstock, Ga., was among 20 finalists in Thursday's
 Central Alabama Fair Sing-Off. Contestants ranged from the very young
 to the very elderly, and they hailed from Selma to Mississippi to Georgia.
 Country and gospel were the most popular genre, and one older gentleman
 drew applause by singing "I Just Love Old People."

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

ABC Wednesday, L is for LEATHER

It's ABC Wednesday, and L is for LEATHER.

 This leathermaker was a vendor at last year's Riverfront Market Day 
 on Water Avenue. This year's event is Saturday, Oct. 12 
from 9 a.m. til 5 p.m. There will be quality arts and crafts vendors,
 music, food, clowns, games and more! 

Y'all come!


 

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

October Theme Day, DETAILS

It takes a close encounter via a telephoto lens to really absorb
 the detail in one of God's littlest creatures. 

Thanks to my son, Tyler, for catching the beauty 
of one of my frequent patio guests!

Linking to October Theme Day at City Daily Photo Blogs

Monday, September 30, 2013

Social Season

Selma's fall social season begins with Sturdivant Hall's Barbecue on the Green.
 Tables decorated with autumn foliage spread across the courtyard
 for an evening of musical entertainment and barbecue.
 The event benefits the museum. 

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Central Alabama Dry Goods (Signs, Signs)

Central Alabama Dry Goods Co. was here.

How neat that so many of Selma's old buildings still bear
 the signs of yesteryear's businesses! 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Empty Bowls for KENYA

If you craft a bowl and fill it with soup, people will come
 and eat and help feed hungry school children in KENYA.

That formula earned Selma's version of the Empty Bowls Project
 a large crowd Tuesday night. Sponsored by the Selma Art Guild
 and held at Carneal ArtsRevive, local potters made the bowls,
and a lot of good cooks made the soup and cornbread. Donations go
 to Integrity Worldwide's school lunch program at the 
Meto, Kenya Primary School. The Selma-based charity
 makes frequent trips to Kenya and focuses on developing
 "these rural Maasai communities through health,
 education and ministry programs."

Linking to ABC Wednesday where the letter of the week is K

Friday, September 13, 2013

Now the Day is Over

Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.

We've had some really remarkable sunsets lately!

(The verse is from the prayer hymn, Now the Day is Over, the words of which 
are comforting any time but especially during the week that we remember
 the evil events of Sept. 11, 2001.)  

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Ye Olde Phone Booth

I'm not sure what the story is here, but there was no phone connected
 when I attempted to use it! :)

However, it sure makes an interesting attraction along Broad Street,
 and I appreciate that it was wheelchair accessible. 

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Harvest


H is for HARVEST as in muscadines!

Muscadines are ripening every day, and most are free for the finding.
 The vines are prolific, and this summer's rains brought an abundance. 

We boiled the juice out of these tasty fruits and got several jars of jelly.
 There were more, but we have shared!

Linking to ABC Wednesday where the letter is H and City Daily Photo Blogs

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Hummingbird

A hummingbird pauses atop a garden cage just waiting
 for his turn at the feeder nearby.

Catching these hyper little birds in a posed position for even a moment
 is a challenge, but my son had the patience to wait!

Monday, September 2, 2013

The Labor Day Buck

What a beautiful sight this Labor Day morning!

Our son spotted this whitetail buck across the fence from our backyard,
 and our daughter-in-law grabbed her camera. If you look closely, you can see
 how tall the deer's antlers are and see that they are still in velvet.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

In the Pink

It's September Theme Day, PINK, over at City Daily Photo Blogs, and pink boots
 seem to be all the rage these days. Have you noticed how many boots are pink?
 Would you like or do you have a pair of pink boots? Selma certainly has a good supply!

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs September Theme Day

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Cat's Day Out

From the porch to the bushes to the sidewalk and grass, this pretty white cat
 followed a bug on a beautiful day in Old Town Selma. 

Friday, August 30, 2013

Down Under

At the corner of Water and Broad, take the Songs of Selma Park steps
 down under the bridge. There is a beautiful terrace overlooking the river,
 and you will be standing beneath crepe myrtle branches,  an assortment of vines
 and even a few clumps of four-o-clocks. 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Your Speed

School has started all across Selma, and among the new additions for school zones
 are electronic speed limit signs. This one stands near Byrd Elementary, 
and what a help it is for drivers! The sign flashes your vehicle's speed 
as you approach the zone, reminding you to slow down and watch for children.


Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Grumbles Alley

Selma is a friendly little city. It really is! 
But visitors might not realize that if they read this sign!

We're featuring the letter G over at ABC Wednesday!