The new walking trail in Valley Grande is lined with flags for Memorial Day.
These signs have become rather rare - a relic of the World War II and Baby Boomer generations and generally found in small towns. I did a little research and discovered that the company traces its history back to 1902 when Louis Ligget called 40 drugstore owners together to form a cooperative. United Drug Stores sold products with the Rexall name, and after World War I, the company became a national franchise. Rexall advertised on radio shows such as "Amos 'n Andy" and manufactured pharmaceutical supplies...vitamins, herbal remedies, even combs and brushes. The chain was sold in 1977, and in the 1980s, Sundown acquired the Rexall trademark and today operates as Rexall Sundown.
Apparently, there are more Rexall signs in Canada than the U.S.
Does anybody know how Rexall got its name?
When we visited Grist State Park the other day, these geese swam over to the recreation area, formed a line and came over to greet us. Then, they sat in the shade with other resident fowl. I suppose they are the unofficial Welcome Committee.
Graduation Day!
One of my sons graduated high school last night, and along with the rest of the Class of 2007, is entering the Real World. Here, they march onto the football field to "Pomp and Circumstance." There were no long speeches from learned men or women, just short reflections from the class president, valedictorian and co-salutatorians, followed by the awarding of diplomas. Then, they marched around the field to throw up their caps in celebration.
The once-solemn ceremony (in my day) has changed to one of jubilation with many seniors' family and friends clapping, cheering and yelling as their honoree's name is called to receive the diploma. There is no longer any admonition to hold the applause and cheers until the end of the ceremony, resulting in some grads' names hardly being heard above the commotion.
How are graduations conducted in your part of the world?
Click to enlarge. This photo is a long shot, taken from the other side of the stadium.
Today, we head 13 miles north of Selma to Grist State Park. It's a popular outdoor recreation area and YMCA camp. In a few weeks, Camp Grist will be teeming with children. The camp is located up a steep hill above the playground and picnic shelters (on the right in this photograph). A hiking trail leads down to the lake and swimming area. Campers also get to cool off in a pool, slide down red-clay canyons, glide across the water in canoes and participate in games and sports. Day and residence camps open in June and close just before school starts in August.
Click to enlarge for a better view of the playground and swimming area.
The Church Street United Methodist Church bell tower is one of four church towers located within a block of each other. The sanctuary beneath this tower was built in 1901 to replace the one finished in 1856. The original sanctuary was severely damaged in 1899 when a strong wind gust toppled the steeple shortly after choir practice ended. The steeple landed point first into the floor, but no one was injured.
Vaughan Regional Medical Center is Selma's hospital. At one time, we had three hospitals: Vaughan Memorial, Selma Medical Center and Good Samaritan. The Vaughan was locally owned and operated. Medical Center was owned by a hospital chain, and Good Sam was operated by the Catholic Church. Good Samaritan closed in the 1980s, and later the hospital group that owned Medical Center purchased the Vaughan. Vaughan services relocated to this site, but the name stayed with it. The old Vaughan building, where my oldest child was born, was recently razed.
In this photo, a medical professional building is at right, and behind these buildings is a new outpatient surgery center. Cahaba Mental Health and numerous physicians' offices, dialysis centers, a nursing home and assisted-living facility are nearby.
The medical facilities here primarily serve Selma and surrounding counties.
"Cats are cats the world over.
These intelligent, peace-loving,
four-footed friends...
who are without prejudice,
without hate,
without greed...
may someday teach us something."
__James Mackintosh Qwilleran
(Fictional cat lover and columnist in Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who" book series)
This cat collage is not so much about Selma, but about cats who have run a household in Selma.
Skidzoo, the black-and-white shorthair at left, serves as a morning alarm, waking his subjects no later than 5:30 a.m. every day. His meows don't stop until someone is in the kitchen, and the family hasn't needed an alarm clock for going on a dozen years! He's an animal-shelter rescue, reportedly bewitching a customer who was looking for a dog. At his advanced age, he still sometimes reverts to kittenhood, racing and skidding around the house.
Miss Kitty (top right) a Norwegian Forest feline according to one vet, and a Dallas County long-haired cur according to another, found 7th Heaven after cat lovers discovered her eating fly-infested leftovers from a garbage can. She was rib-poking skinny with a roaring stomach and maggot-infested skin sores. But she had a magnanimous purr, affectionate disposition, and like Harry Potter...untapped potential. She was meant to reign. But nobody claimed her, and she became queen of their house.
After her wounds healed, Miss Kitty's large frame filled out, and she gradually began to trust her family, occasionally creeping from a corner to comfort them when they were sick. She became Nurse Kitty, snuggling whoever sneezed, coughed or was down in their back. After several years, curiosity and an insatiable desire for food literally ended her life. Last summer, Miss Kitty apparently went sniffing around a fired-up grill while another animal was also checking it out. A ruckus ensued, but the unseen perpetrator escaped. It must have been big, because Miss Kitty weighed around 20 pounds and had thick, sharp claws with which to defend herself.
Taz (bottom), said to be a Maine Coon cat, was the most gentle pet around. He didn't even mind being held upside down (not that such tactics were encouraged)! He was also known as the In and Out Cat, because as soon as he came inside, he wanted back out...and vice versa...all day long. He kept all escape routes open and in working condition.
So, an extra pat on the head to all those crazy, comforting and cuddly cats!
Pecan tree blooms are falling and covering the backyard. A few landed on the rustic swing. Once upon a time, when batches of mud pies and cakes were baked in the sun, little chefs stripped the blooms and used them as decorative sprinkles on their concoctions. Now, while the blooms are rather a nuisance, the pecan nuts are still a southern delicacy.
This photo was taken from behind the swing looking down on the seat and to the red brick below.
Tip: If you make a pecan pie, add a tablespoon of flour to the syrup mixture. It helps cut the sweetness and stickiness.
Union troops slept here.
It seems those Yankees had headquarters all over town when they took Selma during the final days of the War Between the States. Back then, in 1865, the St. James Hotel was known as The Troupe House. Today, it is said to be the only existing antebellum riverfront hotel in the Southeast.
Between then and now, however, this structure was a bit of everything, including a tire-recapping company. A public/private partnership funded extensive renovation, and the structure reopened as a hotel in 1997. The ballroom, which opens onto a terrace overlooking the river, is used for parties, weddings, banquets and reunions.
While legend has it that outlaw Jessie James also visited here, I think its most interesting moment came during the "War of Northern Aggression" when the owner went off to fight. He left his slave, Benjamin Sterling Turner, in charge of the hotel. After the war, Turner opened a livery stable and became wealthy. In 1870, he was the first black Alabamian elected to Congress where he worked for amnesty for the Confederate leaders and civil rights for the black race.
Crawfish, corn on the cob and new potatoes! It's not just for Cajuns. Some folks in Alabama eat it too! This batch was among the dishes at a wedding reception, but nearby Faunsdale has the annual Alabama Crawfish Festival every April, begun by...you guessed it...a native of Louisiana.
The "Almost Amazing" Kudzu String Band entertained guests at a wedding reception out in the country last weekend. The pond (featured in the preceding "By the Still Water" post) is in the background. This local band is popular for a variety of events including festivals at Kenan's Mill.
