Selma Gator

Selma, Alabama may not have the proliferation of alligators that Naples, Florida has, but we do have an occasional one, most often the kind sculpted by Charlie "Tin Man" Lucas. This gator is created with a post-hole digger, bicycle pump, tomato cage and ...? I think it makes interesting yard art!
Visit more Camera Critters HERE.

Bright Spot

It was a dark and dreary day.
But, these shiny, yellow flowers reached in all directions to lift the melancholy.

Sky with All the Trimmings (Skywatch Friday)

This sky over Selma gets fluffy clouds plus the decorative trimming of the First Baptist Church educational building.
Plenty more bloggers are watching the sky today! Thanks to Wiggers World for keeping track of them. Head on over and check them out!

Bottle Tree Orchard

Bottle Tree Bob of Marbury, Alabama, brought a whole orchard of bottle trees to the Riverview Arts and Crafts Festival. While some people once thought that bottle trees would keep away evil spirits, today they have become a popular garden sculpture. How 'bout those haint-blue bottles? Check out the bottle tree I posted at Picket Fences here in Selma.

Valley Grande Founders' Day

Antique cars and modern fire trucks were on display last weekend at Valley Grande's Founders' Day festivities. The event was held along the walking trail and beneath the pine trees in the city park. There were food and crafts booths, country music, gospel music, a children's train ride and playground. Valley Grande is a rural community located just north of Selma.

Hand-Woven Baskets

A tisket, a tasket...no green and yellow basket? No, no, no...but there are blue ones and multi-colored ones, and I know the basket weaver would be glad to make whatever color your heart desires! These hand-woven baskets of all colors, shapes and sizes were for sale at the Riverview Arts and Crafts Festival. Which one would you choose?

Gems from the Earth

These gems from the earth are made of mud from indigenous clays of Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Anna Bastida molds the clay into geode bowls (top) and ceramic platters with leaf, moss or bark prints (bottom). She sometimes recycles broken glass by melting it into her sculptures. The artist was in Selma Saturday for the Riverview Arts and Crafts Festival, which was canceled the previous weekend due to rain.
I wondered how she developed her artistic talents...by making mud pies of course! But, she also studied art in New York City and Maui.
(The leaf print piece is made from kudzu.)

Happy Mother's Day

The Store at Summerfield will be closed today. Happy Mother's Day!

The Learning Tree

Here is Byrd Elementary School's Learning Tree. A marker placed by the Alabama Forestry Commission states that the live oak once shaded Judge William Byrd's home, and the judge "championed the rights of students to a good education." The school was established in 1916 and is still educating children in Selma.

Flyway (Skywatch Friday)

This is one photo I HEARD coming. Our house is on the direct route of the air ambulance from Birmingham. We hear the medical helicopter flying over as it heads to Vaughan Regional Medical Center. Later, we hear it flying back, transporting a critically ill patient to the larger, more specialized medical facilities in Alabama's largest city. Thankfully, we don't hear the helicopters often.
(Note: I am assuming this is one of the air ambulances. Due to the sun and the fact that this copter was directly over me, I didn't get to see the medical symbol on its side.)
Today is Skywatch Friday, so fly on over to Wiggers World for more sky views.