Ready to Race

These three look ready to race their tractors 

at the Orrville Tractor Show last Saturday.

The event brings tractor enthusiasts from Alabama and nearby states

 and features lots of activities for children in addition 

to antique tractors, cars and engines. 

Handmade

Who wouldn't love a handmade doll or stuffed critter? 

The ladies at By Jeanann not only make these adorable huggables

 but clothes to fit American Girl dolls, purses, quilts

 and most anything out of fabric scraps. 

I found these at Lilly Beck Originals outdoor vendors sale

 that continues through today.

Dakota Path

Selma artist Cindy Stoudenmire really rocks the pen and ink!

"Dakota Path" is among works on paper now on display 

at "Celebrating the Art of Paper" Show & Sale at ArtsRevive's

 Carneal Cultural Center. The exhibition honors the 50th anniversary

 of International Paper's Riverdale Mill near Selma. 

The show continues every Friday and Saturday, 

Nov. 3-4, Nov. 14-15 and Nov. 21-22 from noon until 4 p.m.

And the Drought Goes On

The colors, they are a'changin' early this year but not without a quick wilt!

As soon as the ginkgo leaves turn from green to gold, they crumple!

 And that is no thanks to this extended heat and drought!

 James Spann says the drought may break by mid-November,

 and cooler air is on the way.  

Linking to City Daily Photo

November Theme Day, Out of Focus

 

Sunrise at the River

A palette of pastels spreads across an early-morning sky

 above the Alabama River in Selma.

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Lilies at Valley Grande Park

These delicate white lilies were still blooming at Valley Grande Park

 a couple of weeks ago. They resemble the famous Cahaba River lilies

 in Bibb County. Does anyone know what type of lily these are?

The Horsehead Fountain

One of Selma's most unusual sites in the horsehead fountain

 on Water Avenue. Located at the entrance of Lafayette Park 

and corner of the St. James Hotel, it makes a great photo op!

Morning in Lafayette Park

It's early morning, but the sun is already bright in Lafayette Park. 

At left is the Bridgetender's House where the operator

 of the old swing bridge lived. The marker in the center explains its history.

 That bridge was replaced in 1940 by the Edmund Pettus Bridge. 

Linking to OUR WORLD TUESDAY

August Theme Day (My City's Skyline)

Along Dallas Avenue looking east toward Broad Street, church steeples

 form Selma's skyline. I caught this view shortly after sunrise.

 At left, you can barely see Cornerstone Presbyterian.

 At right is Church Street United Methodist, and just to the left

 of it is First Baptist, Lauderdale Street. 

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs August Theme Day (My City's Skyline)

Flag Day in the USA

It's Flag Day in the USA, and in this archived photo, Old Glory flies

 at a business across the street from the Federal Courthouse

 in downtown Selma.

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Roadside Blues

These dainty blue wildflowers are the kind of thing that

 brighten Mondays and any other day!

Linking to Blue Monday 

 

A New View of the Bridge

The demolition of a damaged building on Water Avenue made way

 for a new VIEW of the Pettus Bridge, but these VINES grew over 

the fence while VARIOUS construction and repair projects took place.

Linking to ABC Wednesday where the Letter of the Week is "V."

 

Chilton County Peaches

Chilton County is smack in the center of Alabama, and Dallas County

 is fortunate to be located directly south of it and the yummiest peaches

 you ever tasted. Chilton is home of the Peach Festival and the

 giant peach tower along Interstate 65, and its peach producers

 truck this sweet fruit our way every June. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday 

 

Downtown Daylilies

Recent construction at Church Street and Water Avenue 

kept these downtown daylilies hidden.

 But once the barriers came down,

 there they were! 

Linking to Monday Mellow Yellows

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

Massive blossoms of oak leaf hydrangea grace the walking paths

 at Valley Grande City Park. In the background, a rail fence borders

 the park along Spring Valley Road.

Linking to Good Fences

 

A Run with the Truck

It wasn't a Kentucky Derby or Preakness, but Kate the Farm Horse

 did try to race with the truck on a West Dallas County day in May!

June Theme Day, Shadow and Highlight

Shadows stretch from tall pines at Valley Grande City Park

  as a couple of women take advantage of the walking trail. 

The path meanders through sun and shade,

 picnic and playground areas. 

Linking to City Daily Photos June Theme Day, Shadow and Highlight  

Hay Weather

Dallas County finally got a week of dry weather, perfect for cutting, raking

 and baling hay! Clear skies prevailed, and it looks like farmers

 may get another week just like it. 

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Return of The Sand Bar Restaurant

The popular Sand Bar restaurant is returning, bigger,

 better and sitting taller than before!

The historic Christmas Flood of 2015 inundated the former building 

situated just above the Selma Marina, so the new one sits higher up the hill. 

Opening is expected this summer, and it should offer a great view. 

The Tremont School Challenge

There is a $10,000 Challenge going on to help preserve the old TREMONT School.

Built in 1913 as Selma's first high school, the structure has been used

 as storage for the past few decades, and since its acquisition

 by the Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Society,

 windows have been replaced along with other repairs. But before

 it can be used again, this historic gem needs a lot more help.

 Over $80,000 has already been invested, but a matching $10,000 grant

 will mean at least an additional $20,000 toward restoration. 

Plans for the former school will be discussed by architect Dick Hudgens

 at tonight's annual meeting of the SDCHPS. The 6 p.m. meeting

 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church is open to all who are interested.   

Linking to ABC Wednesday

The Letter T 

 

Petal Pushers Produce

The Farmers Market at Bloch Park is OPEN, and here are a few things

 that Petal Pushers Farm had available this morning:

 squash, homemade breads, herbs, red potatoes, jams and jellies.

 

 The business is located in Valley Grande off Alabama Highway 22 North

 where there is a store with home-baked goods, plants and a U-Pick orchard.

 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Rose in Bloom

Coral-colored roses bloom outside the St. James Hotel in Lafayette Park.

The Wildflower Patch

Across the fence in this downtown Selma yard are blue wildflowers

 propagated into the landscape. So pretty!

Linking to Good Fences

 

Sidewalk Scene

A box of begonias brighten the brick SIDEWALK near the Bridge Tender's House.

Linking to ABC Wednesday where the Letter of the Week is "S" 

(although in this case, you might believe  it was B!)

 

The Welcome Flag

Some of Selma's homes have welcome flags, and this one caught my fancy!

Linking to Our World Tuesday

 

Porch Rockers

It's porch weather and time to brighten the rockers with colorful, comfy cushions!

Taking Flight

A cardinal takes flight after perching atop a lantern in Lafayette Park.

(So,  the perfect picture of this redbird sitting on this light was not to be!

 Just before the shutter snapped, he flew away.)

 But, this pose is probably more interesting anyway!

 

Signs, Signs, Downtown Survey

What do you want to see in downtown Selma?

Stop by the Lafayette Park entrance on Water Avenue

 and let city leaders know. Just above the blue sign

 is a large board where you can write your answer. 

Linking to Signs, Signs

 

Pink Antiques

These pink antique roses flourish along a fence on Lapsley Street.

 Their contrast with a background of Spanish Moss, I think,
 is rather romantically striking. 

Linking to Good Fences

Coming Down

These walls are all that remained of the old Safelite building a few days ago.

 Its roof and a wall collapsed during a  thunderstorm in early April,

 and now the Water Avenue building is in the final stages of demolition.

  Well, at least there will be yet another great view of the river here!

I just HAD to get those pretty primroses in the photo.

A QUAINT Little Cottage

I love blue.

I love old-fashioned roses.

I love white picket fences and cottages and fancy fretwork. 

So I love everything about this QUAINT little house

 in Selma's Old Town!

"Q" is the Letter of the Week over at ABC Wednesday. 

Bienville Park Overlook

Ever since a sewer cave-in propelled the renovation of Bienville Park,

 the view of the Alabama River has been a lot less crowded.

 The thick overgrowth is gone, and it's a good location to see

 yet another angle of the Edmund Pettus Bridge,

 although NOT from this direction!

Linking to Good Fences and Skywatch Friday

The Pink Box Bakery

From Beatrice to Selma with strawberry, red velvet, pound

 and caramel cakes, homemade bread and cookies,

The Pink Box Bakery sells its goodies on Water Avenue

 every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

 Find them in front of The Harmony Club!

 I bought the bread...delicious! 

Linking to Signs, Signs

PAINTINGS by Joanna Nichols

Joanna Nichols' love of nature sparkles through her PAINTINGS of flowers,

fruit, landscapes and animals.  A Selma artist since the turn of the century,

 she is Artist of the Month at the Selma Art Guild where her works

 will be on display through this weekend. Nichols began drawing and painting

 as a young girl in Northumberland, England, and she later married

 and moved to the U.S. where she spent more than two decades

 as an art student and art guild leader in Stamford, Conn.

 In Selma, she says she has been intrigued by the old buildings,

 vehicles and "remnants of the past"

 which she enjoys capturing on canvas. 

Linking to ABC Wednesday

where the Letter of the Week is P.

Charlie's Place

Charlie's Place: It's fast food that's homemade, served in the historic 

Harmony Club building and with an atmosphere that promotes Selma.

 Decorated with local memorabilia and business signs, this new restaurant

 offers huge tasty burgers, and the fries are sliced right from a real potato.

 OR, you can try the pimento cheeseburger that I am told is fast becoming 

their specialty OR a salad or grilled chicken sandwich. 

I liked the fast-food style of placing my order at the counter,

 fixing my own sweet tea, then taking a seat while they prepared my order.

 And no doubt, you will meet Charlie. He's the hospitable type

 and makes sure his guests are happy! 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

 

Field of Prairie Buttercups

If you drive out U.S. 80 West, many fields have turned bright yellow

 with prairie buttercups. While visually striking, farmers don't want them,

 because they are a weed that can irritate the stomachs of livestock.

 However, the buttercups aren't very tasty so livestock tend not to eat them,

 picking between the blossoms for the grass beneath.

 Apparently, this is a very good year for the buttercups!

Linking to Monday Mellow Yellows

Earth Day

                                                         Psalms 24:1
                     "The Earth (is) the Lord's, and the fullness thereof;
                               the world, and they that dwell therein."
                   

Mid-March in west Dallas County, Alabama

Linking to Skywatch Friday