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!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Melvin Monument

This handsome monument at the corner of Lauderdale Street and Alabama Avenue 
honors Lt. John Tillman Melvin of Selma. He was among the first to volunteer,
 and he was the first American naval officer killed in World War I. He lost his life
 aboard the U.S. patrol boat Alcedo off the coast of France when it was torpoeded
 by a German submarine on Nov. 5, 1917. An inscription reads, "He gave his life
 that democracy and liberty might live."


Sunday, August 25, 2013

Smitherman Historic Building

When you visit Selma, don't miss the Vaughan-Smitherman Museum
Located at the end of Alabama Avenue a few blocks off Broad Street,
 the 1847 structure built by Masons has housed schools, hospitals,
 a courthouse and now a museum.  Each of the three floors is dedicated
 to different exhibits with the first housing civil war, slavery and Wilby Theatre 
artifacts. The second floor has a replica of longtime Mayor Smitherman's office
 and other civic rooms, and the third is set up for hospital memorabilia. 
  Columns from the old Hotel Albert are preserved in an outdoor courtyard, 
and there are walkways and a fountain. The building is often used 
for weddings, receptions and other events. 


Saturday, August 24, 2013

Weekend Reflections, Selma Interpretive Center

Upper windows of the Selma Interpretive Center were a brilliant blue
 earlier this week as sunny skies moved in. The center, operated
 by the National Park Service,  offers exhibits, a short film
 about voting rights and books. 


Friday, August 23, 2013

Moss Catcher

I think Selma shall never run out of fences for the Friday Fences blog hop,
 and many of these old iron works of art also serve as moss catchers,
 and that just adds to the southernness. 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Don't Walk


STOP. "Don't Walk" if you are crossing Water Avenue
 from the Selma Interpretive Center! 

Wait until the sign depicts someone walking!
 Even then, look both ways!

There are lots of signs to be interpreted in this photo, so I'm linking to Signs, Signs. 



Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Last Hurrah

It's a last hurrah of summer for many of our butterflies although 
they will be around a bit longer.  This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
 (our state's official butterfly) feasts upon lantana,
 but soon there will be yellow butterflies
 flitting among spider lilies. 

Monday, August 19, 2013

Puttin' on the Dixieland

Water Avenue reverberates with music, music, music during the annual
 Riverfront Market Day in October, and that includes Dixieland jazz 
from The Upper Society of Lower Water Avenue. I pulled this photo 
from last year's festival. Be sure and save Saturday, Oct. 12 for this year's music,
 arts, crafts and food festival! It coincides with the Alabama Tale-Tellin' Festival
 that Friday and Saturday. 

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Lavender

So this has been the perfect summer to grow a kitchen garden. Lots of rain
 and cooler temperatures helped this lavender flourish as well as basil, 
white chocolate mint and rosemary. The best part is bringing some
 inside for a kitchen window bouquet!


Oh, and by the way, today our area experienced record-breaking cold!
 The high here was only 72 F in mid-August.
.
How has your garden grown this summer?


Friday, August 16, 2013

Cascade

Purple blossoms cascade across this privacy fence in Old Town,
 and the blue sky sure looks a lot like October rather than August. 

Linking to Friday Fences, Skywatch and

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Side Porch Sandwiches (Signs, Signs)

Diners will have a much easier time finding Side Porch Sandwiches 
 now that this new sign is in place.
The Water Avenue restaurant is located in one of the old riverbank buildings
 along Water Avenue and next to Lafayette Park. 


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Calling the Troupes

Artist Barbara Simpson submitted her work, "Calling the Troupes" to last spring's
 ArtsRevive Art Exhibition, and I just love the mostly joyful faces she put on these
 ELEPHANTS. They remind me of University of Alabama (whose mascot is the elephant) 
football fans getting together to "call the troops" out to support the Crimson Tide. 
 After all, the collegiate season opens Aug. 31 with Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
 in the Kickoff Classic in the Georgia Dome...not that far away! 

And by the way, head on over to ABC Wednesday 
where we are posting things that begin with E.

Linking to ABC Wednesday and City Daily Photo Blogs

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Water Avenue Facing West

Here is OUR WORLD along Water Avenue facing west
 from the Washington Street intersection.

To the right is the National Park Service Interpretive Center, and ahead
 at the end of the street is Carneal Arts Revive. Turn left at the 
Broad Street intersection to drive across the Pettus Bridge,
 and turn right to head through downtown. Better yet, park
 and take a walk to see the sights and get a bite to eat!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Back to School at the Library

School starts this week for many area schools, and soon there will be back-to-school
 Check the schedules for stories, music, puppet shows and more!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Hands at Work

It's all pottery and photography at today's Selma Art Guild
 "Hands at Work" opening reception.

Several local potters and photographers will display their creations
 with the photography depicting  potters at work. Shown is a tray made
 by Earthquake Pottery's Becky Blaylock.  The show is open from 2-4 p.m.
 The show will also be open from 12-4 every Friday and Saturday through August. 



Saturday, August 10, 2013

Bienville was Here

Three centuries ago, Selma's bluff was known as Ecor Bienville, named
 for the French colonizer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur De Bienville.
 When he was only 21, Bienville became governor of the colony 
of French Louisiana. He co-founded Mobile and made a friendly visit 
to this area along the Alabama River in 1714. The plaque that was placed
 by the Colonial Dames of America sits in Bienville Park on Water Avenue. 


Friday, August 9, 2013

August in Lafayette Park

These fluffy whites are smiling down on Lafayette Park and the Pettus Bridge.
 Honestly, I don't ever recall a summer without haze! We've had rain.
 We've had clouds, and we've had blue sky, but almost daily showers
 have kept the haze away.

Lafayette Park is named for the Marquis de Lafayette, who briefly
 visited here many years ago, and the plaque commemorates 
Selma's first bridge that was built in 1884 and torn down in 1940 
when the Pettus Bridge (background) opened.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

What's in a Name?

The sign on this window attracted my attention yesterday, so I just moseyed 
on over to take a picture for today's Signs, Signs blog meme.

This building at 1201 Water Ave. has been undergoing some sprucing 
up for awhile, and now they are working on the interior.  I'm told
 it's expected to open with an art gallery this fall, and according
 to the website, it is quite a project. Check it out at our literal speed.   



Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Down to the River to Fish

Let's go DOWN to the river to fish!

And as Alison Krauss would sing, a little praying wouldn't hurt either.

Earlier this summer, folks took advantage of a lower water level 
to fish from the sandbar across from Church Street. 

Linking to ABC Wednesday where it's "D Week" and City Daily Photo Blogs

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Sharing the Highway

When driving U.S. Highway 80 both east and west of Selma, be prepared
 to share the road not only with big trucks but with big tractors.
 Farmers are busy, especially at this time of year!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Car Tag Art

Talk about recycling...

An artistic vendor at last year's Riverfront Market Day cut up old car tags,
 rearranged them like pieces of a puzzle, and voila!

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Summer Sidewalk

Kudos to downtown business owners who plant flowers out front!
 This pretty planter is on Water Avenue. 

Friday, August 2, 2013

The Bright Spot

The glorious crape myrtle has been one of the few "bright spots" around town
 this summer as clouds often accompanied by rain have been the norm. 
However, it's good that "global warming" took a break in July.
 Our daytime temps stayed mostly in the 80s. and there is no drought,
 hurricane or extreme heat in sight...yet!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

August Theme Day, Street Lamps

It's August Theme Day over at City Daily Photo, and we are posting images
 of street lamps around the world. Here's one of Selma's newest, a street lamp
 along the recently completed riverwalk. As you can tell, this was another cloudy day,
 but it made for a more dramatic view of the railroad trestle and river.