Stars Fell on Alabama

 

Perhaps you've heard that "Stars Fell on Alabama." 

Well, here is artist Barbara  Simpson's depiction of the Leonid Meteor Shower of November 1833 "when the stars fell." The phrase is also the title of a book by Carl Carmer and the title of a 1934 jazz song that has been performed by numerous singers including Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. The phrase was used on Alabama vehicle license plates in the early 2000s.

This mixed media art was on display at the recent ArtsRevive show that was held during Pilgrimage Weekend.

Spring Mix

Posted at Wordless Wednesday

Pilgrimage Tour

Selma's recent Historic Pilgrimage focused on homes in the Old Town District where Spanish moss and oak trees line many streets. Even when you are accustomed to seeing this moss every day, it's nice to see it through the eyes of pilgrims.

Posted at My World Tuesday

Lady Banks Returns

The Lady Banks (or Banksia) roses have returned. These thornless beauties are common all over Selma, and there's a legend to go with them!

The Soft Season of Selma

Spring is Selma's "soft season" as flowers open, and boughs of whites, pinks and lavendars take a bow.

Picnic at the Barbecue

I've featured several Selma restaurants on this blog, but this is a first for By Grace Barbecue. This mobile food court parks in a lot during the week or is available for special events. Yesterday  yielded perfect weather for customers to picnic at the table.  By Grace offers several specialties including barbecue chicken and pork, camp stew and the best Cajun new potatoes and green beans.

Abundance (Skywatch Friday)

This past week has brought an abundance of blue sky and dogwood blooms cloaked with Spanish moss. (I won't mention the pollen!)

More skies await you at Skywatch Friday.

A Beginning

After the demolition of the historic Hotel Albert, Selmians determined not to lose another old building. So, the city purchased an 1847 brick structure that previously served as a Confederate hospital, courthouse and schools. After  restoration, it was named  the Joseph T. Smitherman Historic Building, now known as Vaughan-Smitherman Museum. Smitherman was a well-known, long-term mayor of Selma. (I usually take a picture of the building but decided to use the spring blossoms as a backdrop in this one.)

BLOGAVERSARY! The First Four Years

FOUR YEARS and counting!

That's how long the Selma, Ala., Daily Photo has posted a picture-almost-a-day as part of the City Daily Photo Blogs. 

When this blog began, there were more than 200 CDPB blogs worldwide.

We were a cozy family, sharing comments and getting to know each other, our cities and cultures.

Today, there are 1,368 CDPB blogs!

Many of the original blogs no longer exist, while some take occasional leaves of absence as I did recently.

But meeting new photo bloggers and new cities never ceases,

and I've managed to stay in touch with several that I "met" early on...

Kate (St. Paul, Minn.); Honest Abe Lincoln (Brookville, Ohio); Jim (Terrell, Texas); and others.

I can always count on Jack (Hartford, Conn.); Lois (Tallahassee, Fla.), EG WOW (East Gwillembury, Canada); 

Tanya (Roanoke, Va.), Jacob (The Village, Ocala, Cedar Key) Fla.; 

and Leif (Eagan, Minn.) to visit  often and leave a kind comment.  

It's great to have support from fellow Alabama Daily Photo bloggers Virginia of Birmingham and Bfarr of Phenix City.

Then, when I think I've snapped all the possible pictures of Selma and no more are left anywhere,

along come friends and acquaintances donating a few of their photos toward THE CAUSE.

But if it wasn't for Moon in Selma, N.C., I might never have started this extended photo album.

When I saw his blog from a Selma that is much smaller than my Selma,

I figured the project wasn't as difficult as it seemed.

So four years and almost 1,400 photos later...

Selma and surroundings are challenging me to keep on learning and keep on sharing.

So welcome to another year! 

And many, many thanks to everyone!

Red Camellia and Spanish Moss

A few red camellias still cling to their branches and appear snug in a nest of Spanish Moss.

Pink Ladies and Chevrolets

Remember the Pink Ladies from the movie "Grease?" They rivaled the T-Birds in the musical set in the '50s. The Antique Car Show at Selma's Pilgrimage had its very own version of a Pink Lady to help date the era of this vintage Chevrolet. The car show at Heritage Village also featured a beatnik from the '60s and a Flapper from the '20s, all young teens who volunteered their time during weekend events.

 

The Social Porch

The midday sun isn't kind to southern skin, so why not join us on the social porch at Brownstone Manor? 
A porch without steps, friends can know by just passing by whether you are accepting visits today.
If the doors to the porch are open, then come on  around to the front door! 

The owners of this home furnished the porch Victorian-style for the Selma Pilgrimage this weekend.  

Grand Opening Beneath the Super Moon

Carneal ArtsRevive held its grand opening gala and art show preview Friday night beneath the super full moon. Patrons enjoy food and fellowship out on the pavilion that overlooks the Alabama River. The arts group recycled a 1920's automotive service shop into an art gallery and events center.

Welcome to Our Homes

Welcome to our homes!

Selma's 36th annual Spring Pilgrimage begins today, and the Platt-Gayle-Linden House is among those on tour. The drawing of the house was done by a local artist.

Pretty in Pastels

Why, I do declare! I believe that I have found Scarlett, Melanie and Suellen!

Well, they really didn't come to life from the pages of Gone with the Wind, 

but they will surely add charm to this weekend's Selma Pilgrimage!

They are Junior Hostesses and will assist visitors at home tours and other venues. 

And look! I didn't forget St. Patrick's Day. Two of them are wearing green.

Pilgrimage Headquarters (where you can buy tickets and tour the museum)
at the Vaughan-Smitherman Museum opens at 8:30 AM both Friday and Saturday 
and closes at 4 PM.  Home tours are 9-1 and 1-5.
Other venues have varied hours and days.

Pilgrimage Preparations

The 1839 Voeglin-Barker-Smitherman House is a work-in-progress, but most of the exterior work will be finished by Friday! Afraid that this downtown property might eventually become a parking lot, a former owner requested that this house not be torn down, and it still stands. New owners Steve and Erika Smitherman are restoring it and will welcome Pilgrimage visitors this weekend.

Memories!

Look whose waiting to greet you at The Burns House during the Selma Pilgrimage tour! 

Do you know who they are?

Spring Greening

Spring is really greening the grass and trees this week, just in time for this weekend's Selma Pilgrimage. Sturdivant Hall is a house museum that is on tour each year. Six private homes will also be open. Check out the SelmaPilgrimage.org website for complete information about all the venues.  

River Walk

Saturday warmed back to the 70s and was a beautiful day to try out the new river walk downtown. Notice how high the Alabama River is!

Two days of flash-flood rains last week have filled to overflowed creeks and rivers.

Scraping 'n Sanding

There was a lot of scraping, sanding, painting and roofing going on in Selma last week, thanks to good weather, well...except for several inches of rain in between! A worker prepares this house on Church Street for painting. The home is under renovation and will be a "work-in-progress"on Selma's Pilgrimage next weekend.  I've posted this photo at Weekend Reflections since a ladder just happened to be reflected in the window. 

Counting Buzzards (Skywatch Friday)

It started with one or two.

Then there were five.

Now there are.......25?

Twenty five buzzards flying round and round over the woods near my house!

I'm beginning to get worried, because after three weeks,

whatever dead thing they have been feeding upon is surely gone by now!

I've heard that they may have just found the perfect roost.

Regardless, this is creepy!

You are bound to find some buzzardless skies over at Skywatch Friday. Go take a look!

Flowering Quince

So after a chronically cold winter, the Ground Hog must have been right.

We are having an early spring that hopefully won't be shattered by a late frost! Flowering quince (pictured) blooms in profusion, and redbuds color our woods. Now, after nearly seven inches of rain since last Saturday,even the dogwoods are beginning to open their buds. (Dogwood photos soon!)

History and Hospitality

The ABC Wednesday meme is celebrating the letter "H" today, and HISTORY and HOSPITALITY were the first words that came to mind for Selma, Alabama.

"Come for the history; stay for the hospitality," is a promotional slogan for our town, and it's every bit sincere! 

If you like the letter "H," click on ABC Wednesday and find out how other bloggers interpreted it.

Welcome to Spring in Selma!

I just can't get enough of Spring in Selma, especially its historic districts. The  Spanish Moss interwines with Bradford Pear first and dogwood later.

Balloon Bouquet

Someone had a birthday on Selma Avenue last week! Gotta love those happy faces.

See more cheerful yellows at Mellow Yellow Monday.

A Banner Day

The Historic Downtown Selma banner is reflected in the window of a door to the newly opened Selma Interpretive Center.

The center is the "doorway" to the Selma-to-Montgomery National Historic Trail.

Posted to Weekend Reflections

Open for Jubilee

The Selma Interpretive Center opened this week just in time for the Bridge Crossing Jubilee. While the complete project isn't finished yet, the first floor of this former bank building has been renovated into an exquisite visitor center lobby and conference room. Pictures from the 1960's Civil Rights Movement hang on its walls, and there are civil rights displays with books, CDs and brochures. Future plans include renovation of the second and third floors. The center is operated by the National Park Service and is located near the base of the Pettus Bridge. Another center is in Lowndes County, and a third will be built in Montgomery. All are part of the Selma-to-Montgomery National Historic Trail.

Pouring Sidewalks on Water Avenue

Workers poured sidewalks on the Water Avenue side of the Selma Interpretive Center this week in advance of this weekend's Bridge Crossing Jubilee.

Looking across the street, you can see part of the St. James Hotel. At the far end, the red Old Depot Museum can be spotted just above the Bradford pear trees.    

The Southern Belle Dash!

Junior Hostesses who will help out at this year's Historic Selma Pilgrimage met at Sturdivant Hall yesterday for a publicity photo shoot, After pictures were made, I caught a couple of them running across the lawn. Then, when I uploaded this picture, I had to laugh when I saw the footwear for the girl in the foreground! (Click the photo for a larger view.)

Carneal Arts Revive

Opening Night is almost here!

The former Carneal Auto Service is now Carneal Arts Revive located in a 1920's structure by the Alabama River. ArtsRevive will open its headquarters AND its annual Spring Juried Art Exhibition March 18 with a members-only reception. (Note to non-members: You can join at the door and become a member!) 

Lots of work has gone into this building since the arts organization purchased it in 2008. Part of the roof had caved in, and contractors were hired to remove asbestos and lead paint. Many things automotive were hauled out of the interior, and a security fence was installed along the riverbank.

On Opening Night, there will be art from Alabama artists and refreshments.

In the future, there will be more art events, workshops, rental space, catering kitchen, a courtyard and an art wall of automotive sculptures along the wrought-iron fence.  

If you miss Opening Night, the art show will be open March 19 and 20 in conjunction with Pilgrimage Weekend.

 

March Theme Day, My Favorite Part of Town

It's Theme Day again, and the bloggers at City Daily Photo Blogs get to choose their favorite part of town. So now, can you believe that mine is a cemetery?

Old Live Oak Cemetery is simply magnificent in spring. The garden atmosphere amid ornate monuments and billowing Spanish Moss is both romantic and haunting. Whenever I need something new for the blog, there is always a statue , a flower or an inscription that I've never noticed before. And, while it's located next to busy Dallas Avenue, the sounds of traffic seem to fade away...right along with the etchings of weathered gravestones. 
(Spring is not this far along  here YET!  I snapped this photograph a few springs ago.) 

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants