Monday, May 1, 2017

May Theme Day, Let's Eat!

It's May Theme Day at City Daily Photo Blogs,
 and we are sharing "Let's Eat!"

Since I could not decide on one meal from so many great 
Selma-area restaurants, I returned to a pasture
 where spring grass is growing, and the cattle are so glad
 to be eating something besides hay!

Linking to May Theme Day 

Friday, April 14, 2017

Prairie Buttercups and Partly Cloudy

That dark cloud is just pretending it wants to rain,
 because it was a perfect weather day in the Black Belt prairies 
of west Dallas County. Those yellow wildflowers are
 prairie buttercups, and they can be spectacular 
when covering an entire field. 

Linking to Skywatch Friday 

Thursday, April 13, 2017

River Birds of the Black Belt

The red-shouldered hawk, belted kingfisher and great blue heron 
are a few of the river birds that you might see in the
 Alabama Black Belt. This informative sign is located 
on an overlook at the end of Clear Creek Nature Trail in the
 Old Cahawba Archaeological Park.
 The paved trail is wheelchair accessible.

Linking to Signs, Signs

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Noon

It's almost NOON in the pasture, and while the calves rest,
 their herd eats lunch. 

Linking to ABC WEDNESDAY (depicting the letter N)

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

The One-Room Schoolhouse

The one-room schoolhouse at Old Cahawba still stands.

Used until the 1950s, it was one of less than 100 segregated
 African-American schools in Alabama. The school is located near
 the ruins of the Methodist-Episcopal Church that burned in 1954.

Friday, April 7, 2017

Clear Sky over Marion Junction

Early morning sunshine bounces off the steeple of the
 Marion Junction Presbyterian Church. A soft blue sky promises
 a perfect spring day!

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Thursday, April 6, 2017

The Flower Shop on Broad

The bright colors and flowers at Pringle Petals sure make
 a shopper want to go inside. The shop moved from across
 Broad Street, and its larger location offers a
 wider selection of gifts, plus flowers.

Linking to Signs, Signs

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

In MEMORY of John R. Bell

The family of John R. Bell apparently MEMORIALIZED him as
 the victim of a murder when he and his son, John A. Bell,
 were killed in a shootout on the streets of Cahawba in 1856.

 The three other  men involved were exonerated in court,
 but the Bell Family declared via the inscription on his tombstone:
 "No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."

Linking to ABC Wednesday depicting the letter M

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

The Alabama Artists Exhibition

It's an art lover's paradise! 

It's the 15th annual Alabama Artists: Roots and Wings Art Exhibition
 at Charlie (Tin Man) Lucas' Studio. The diversity of works from 55 artists
 is amazing and features photography, acrylics, oils, works on paper,
 3:D and mixed media.

Two of the winning works are shown above: "Winter Forest," 
1st place Acrylic by Jeff Hughes; and "Soul, Cotton and Van Gogh,"
 Best in Show, an acrylic by Mary Ann Casey.
  
Sponsored by ArtsRevive, the show and sale opened for a members' reception 
Saturday night and will be open free to the public every Friday and Saturday
 from 11-4 through April 29. The studio is located at 7 Lauderdale St.

 Come see!

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Country Cow Sign

This cute cow sign at the Orrville Farmers' Market
 gives a bit of advice that may not necessarily
 be good advice! Every cow I've ever known
 that got out of a gate got in trouble!

Linking to Signs, Signs

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

LEAD the Way


A young father LEADS his LITTLE one
 across the narrow swinging bridge at Kenan's Mill.

Linking to ABC Wednesday
 (depicting the Letter L)

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Across the Creek

Here is a look at the back of Kenan's Mill. The 1860's gristmill 
sits above Valley Creek, and this view is from the bank
 by the swinging bridge near the charcoal kiln. 
The mill operated until the 1970s, then was restored 
years later and is operated by the Selma-Dallas County
 Historic Preservation Society. Cornmeal was ground here
 during the recent Selma Pilgrimage. 

Monday, March 27, 2017

The Sanctuary at Valley Creek

The sanctuary at Valley Creek Presbyterian Church looked splendid
 with its new paint and other renovations. The state's oldest 
Presbyerian church was open March 18-19 
for Selma's Historic Pilgrimage. 

Notice how the pews are divided down the middle.
 Anybody know why?

Linking to Through My Lens

Friday, March 24, 2017

March Camellias

The season's last camellias linger against 
a late afternoon sky at Sturdivant Hall.

 And I believe I see a jet trail overhead! 

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Valley Creek Presbyterian and 10th Blogaversary




Valley Creek Presbyterian Church has the distinction as the oldest 
 Presbyterian church in Alabama, and I chose to feature it 
for this blog's 10th anniversary. 

Yes, Selma, Ala., Daily Photo is 10 years old today, but that
 is just a tad when compared to the long legacy of this 201-year-old church.

 The congregation formed in 1816 before Alabama even became a territory.
 The eight families that founded it hailed from North Carolina,
 and they built a log structure in 1821. It was replaced by this
 Greek Revival building around 1857.

And yes, this church still meets! Although its active membership has dwindled 
to just a few, services are still held the second and fourth Sundays
 at 9:30 a.m., and they sing lovely old hymns from a 1946 hymnal. 

Notice the two floors. You enter on the ground floor which serves
 as a fellowship hall, then climb a couple flights of stairs
 to the second-floor sanctuary. 

 


Above is a plaque in the foyer that was placed by the Alabama Society
 of the Daughters of the American Revolution noting the church's
 distinction at the oldest Presbyerian church in the state. 

Many thanks to the readers and contributors of this blog! 
I have met so many interesting Selmians, researched local history
 and stretched my creative limits to shoot photos of the same subjects
 at different angles, in different lighting and different seasons 
to try to keep a small-town photo blog alive and fresh!

Thanks also to City Daily Photo Blogs which introduced me to this
project and to hundreds of cities and bloggers from around the world! 

Linking to Signs, Signs 

 

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

The Kenan's Mill Cornmeal Sack


Kenan's Mill cornmeal used to come in a sack like this, and it held 25 pounds
 of water-ground cornmeal. The gristmill on Valley Creek dates from the 1860s 
and operated commercially until the 1970s. That is quite a legacy! 
This sack is on display in the mill house. 


Linking to ABC Wednesday (The Letter K)

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Watching the Waterfall

My three-year-old grandson was fascinated by the waterfall at Kenan's Mill.
 Recent rains power-pushed Valley Creek over the spillway,
 creating a great roar as the water headed toward the Alabama River. 

 The 1860's working gristmill was open during Selma's Historic Pilgrimage, and
visitors could purchase fresh cornmeal and tour the rest of the park.

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Monday, March 20, 2017

Two Bluebirds and a Bluejay

I don't know where they live, but these bluebirds like to play
 in our backyard most every morning! Then, there is the big old bluejay
 that just gets in their way!



Friday, March 10, 2017

Partly Cloudy at St. Luke's

The side windows at St. Luke's Episcopal Church reflect the partly cloudy skies
 from a couple of weeks  ago. Trees were still bare, but they are beginning
 to bud. St. Luke's Church is located at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park 
near Selma. It was built in Cahawba in 1854,
 moved in 1887 and returned in 2006. 

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Farm Fresh Eggs

There are lots of appealing signs at the Orrville Farmers Market,
 but the egg-shaped "Farm Fresh Eggs" may just be my favorite! 

Linking to Signs, Signs


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Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Ideas for Infants

Spring and Easter are on the way, and Carter Drug Co. downtown
 is brimming with bonnets, blankets and bunnies for infants and toddlers.
 I just love their baby bed display!

Linking to ABC Wednesday (The Letter I)

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Pretty for Pilgrimage

These young ladies are among 15 selected as junior hostesses
 for the Historic Selma Pilgrimage March 17-18. They posed for pictures
 last week at Sturdivant Hall, and their duties will include welcoming guests,
 serving as tour guides and even visiting local nursing homes. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday
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Monday, March 6, 2017

Playing in Butterfly Park

Children, adults and a dog enjoy a chilly day in  Riverfront Park one day
 last week. The new playground is aptly named Butterfly Park
 as  Selma is the Butterfly Capital of Alabama. 

Friday, March 3, 2017

Blue Skies and Redbud at the Park

It's only early March, but redbud blooms against a blue sky
 over the Valley Grande city park this week. 

Linking to Skywatch Friday 

Thursday, March 2, 2017

The Hole That was Once a Row

We are back at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park at the site of the town's
 first "row" built in 1822. A row was a predecessor to the shopping center,
 and the big hole behind the sign was once the basement of a building
 that housed eight stores and offices. 

Built by the Crocheron brothers, merchants from Staten Island, N.Y.,
 the row was similar to those in New York City. But before the brothers
 built this "mall," they built Alabama's first statehouse in the center of town.

 This building later became known as "the Old Brick Store."
 Store owners from Cahawba purchased their merchandise from New York
 and traveled to market via the Alabama River to Mobile,
 then by steamship to Cuba and north to New York. 

The Crocheron Columns (all that is left of the brothers' house)
 can be seen in the background along with a more modern river house. 

Linking to Signs, Signs

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Black and White in Color

The black iron grillwork on the library balcony works perfectly
 for March Theme Day, Black and White in Color. Selma is endowed 
with beautiful wrought iron, especially its fences around historic homes.  

City Daily Photo sponsors a new photography theme on the first of each month.  

Linking to City Daily Photo March Theme Day
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Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Fresh and Local

The Good Ole' Days are here again with markets buying local
 so that we can eat fresh!

While we plant a few vegetables around the yard each spring,
 we don't have room for great big, fresh-out-of-the-ground  greens
 like these. The Orrville Farmers' Market has them though! 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Monday, February 27, 2017

Old Cahawba Collage


Visitors aren't just visitors at Old Cahawba. 

They're explorers!

The archaeological park located at the confluence of the Cahaba and Alabama 
rivers was best known as Alabama's first state capital (1819-1826),
 but in the 16th Century, it served as an Indian village. Then, in the 1800s,
 Cahawba became a wealthy town with some 3,000 residents.
 During the War Between the States, a federal prison housed Union soldiers,
 and after the war, emancipated slaves took refuge there. 

Now a ghost town, St. Luke's Episcopal Church (recently moved back
 to Old Cahawba) greets guests as they enter the park.
  At right above stand brick pillars that are all that remain of the Crocheron home
 and store that overlooked the rivers. Below at right sits the Perine
 artesian well which furnished air conditioning to the Perine mansion.  

Linking to Mosaic Monday

Friday, February 24, 2017

The Designers Behind the Exhibits

Thursday's grand opening of the Selma Interpretive Center's second
 and third-floor exhibits included the hospitality of exhibit designers
 John Wood and Linda Byers.
 As employees of the National Park Service's regional office in Atlanta,
 the pair designed, built and installed the new exhibits
 depicting the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March
 and the Courageous Eight activists. 

"We wanted to recognize not only the Courageous Eight
 but other individuals as well," Byers said.
 Woods built the background for the second-floor exhibit (shown in photo),
 and Byers designed the Courageous Eight banners that hang
 in the third-floor meeting room. 
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Thursday, February 23, 2017

An Alabama Natural Wonder

Here is where the Cahaba flows into the Alabama River, ending its long journey
 from near Springville, winding its way into environmental science
 as an Alabama Natural Wonder.

The free-flowing waterway is considered the most biologically diverse
 in America and is home to 125 species of fish and rare plants
 such as the Cahaba lily.

The two rivers' banks once supported a Mississippian Indian village
 followed later by Alabama's first state capital. Today, it's a ghost town
 known as the Old Cahawba Archaeological Park. 

Linking to Signs, Signs   

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

GONE too Soon


Addie, aged 6 months and 5 days
John, aged 4 months and 5 days
Maggie, aged 7 days

GONE too soon!

The  GRAVE markers in Old Live Oak Cemetery tell the heartbreaks
 of yesteryear. They were the children of John and Julia A. Moran. 

Linking to ABC Wednesday where the letter is G


Tuesday, February 21, 2017

On the Walls at Charlie's Place

The decor at Charlie's Place is as good as the food!

Housed in The Harmony Club on Water Avenue, the exposed interior brick
 displays old signs form current and former businesses, historic photos
 and documents plus a splash of colorful art by local artist Julian Helms. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Monday, February 20, 2017

The Welcome Barrel

Proprieter Judy McKinney planted daffodils, pansies, cabbages and strawberries
 in a barrel to welcome folks to the Orrville Farmers' Market.
 The business sells seeds and plants, produce and gifts.
 Her future plans include a kitchen/cannery for classes in canning,
 breadmaking, soapmaking and more. 

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Orrville Farmers Market

If you haven't experienced the Orrville Farmers Market yet,
 well, head on down Highway 22!
This brand-new business between Selma and Safford
 is far more than a produce market where folks can purchase
 giant ripe tomatoes, huge homegrown cabbages
 and Mississippi sweet potatoes.
 But those things alone drew me in! 

It's a hot-breakfast stop at 6 a.m. and a meat-and-three restaurant at noon.
 It's where you go for seeds and plants and all things local or close-to-local
 as in Alabama.  Try the goat's milk lotion and soaps
 and the Marion Junction honey. There's a barrel of raw peanuts and pecans,
 shelves stocked with jellies and jams and Rachel's Cinnamon Rolls.
 There are T-shirts and cotton kitchen towels, country signs
 and sacks of biscuit mix. And just a whole lot more! 

Linking to Signs, Signs
Save

Friday, February 10, 2017

Lunch at the Library with Thom Gossom Jr.


Who knew of the social isolation and great cultural divide
 experienced by Auburn University's first black athletes?

Heroes on the field but loners on the campus?

Certainly not me! But I was there during some of those years 
and discovered Thursday that I even graduated Auburn on the same day
 as Thom Gossom Jr. At AU, he was a walk-on football player 
who achieved scholarship status and made first string.
 And he became the first black athlete to graduate that university,
 a feat he attributes to his parents' insistence for a solid undergraduate education.
 
As February's featured author at Selma's Lunch at the Library series, Gossom
 reminisced about his days as a reluctant pioneer of integration in the New South.
 He went on to a brief career in the NFL followed by public relations, acting
  and writing. The Birmingham native appeared in such television shows
 as "Boston Legal," "In the Heat of the Night" and "NYPD Blue." 
There were also a few films. 

But yesterday, his amiable personality connected with a full house
 as he mostly focused on football and how he finally made amends
 with the emotions that threatened to throw him off course during his his younger
 years. Gossom signed copies of  his autobiography,
 "Walk-On" along with his "Slice of Life" short story collections. 

    
Save

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Sign for the Times

New Hope Apostolic Church in Selma offers some advice
 for the contentious change in U.S. administration. 

Linking to Signs, Signs

 

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Epithet

"Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven" reads the epithet for little Margaret Nell.
 The many graves of children in Old Live Oak Cemetery reminds us how fragile life
 is and certainly once was for the very young. 


Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Season for Mardis Gras


Fat Tuesday isn't until Feb. 28, but the Mardis Gras celebrations down south
 in Mobile begin this weekend. And while Selma isn't particularly known
 for this event, there are a few places around here that decorate.
 These homeowners have quite the colorful touch!

Linking to Our World Tuesday



Monday, February 6, 2017

Dance of the Daffodils

In the words of William Wordsworth, I do believe these daffodils
 are "tossing their heads in sprightly dance!"

No matter how bare the branches or how gray the sky,
 we can always count on February daffodils to remind us
 that the groundhog was wrong!

Friday, February 3, 2017

At the Top

Selma has enjoyed blue skies, flowering Japanese Magnolia
 and spring temperatures this past week, and here is a peek
 at the top of Sturdivant Hall. What a magnificent view 
that must be looking down! The antebellum Greek Revival house
 museum is located in Old Town Selma. 

Linking to Skywatch Friday