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.

Speir Land Company

A lot of elbow grease went into cleaning up this historic downtown structure to transform it into Speir Land Company. The circa 1920' s building still has original, beaded heart pine on the ceiling inside and under the awning outside. Carpet and hardwood were added for interior flooring. Shutters, ceiling fans,a few relics from an old store, and professional landscaping completed the new look. Now, it's like a little oasis just one block off Broad Street. (Note: This is the single-story, painted building in front of the multi-story brick building which used to be a furniture store.)
So what did this building used to be?

Honeysuckle

Two scents compete for the nose in early May: mild, sweet honeysuckle and strong, sinus-killing privet. Here's the honeysuckle, the only one I dare get close enough to for a photo. It's the vine you can eat, or at least pull the bloom apart to get the nectar. Anybody else ever do that as a child? Now, I understand that cats like honeysuckle, because an ingredient in its wood is used in catnip!

Picnic Perfect

The weather, the season and the location are perfect for a picnic! There aren't many people at Grist State Park this time of year. Temperatures are in the 80s, and mosquitoes haven't arrived just yet. Just right for an uncrowded picnic!

Colorful Clowns

These colorful clowns entertained Sunday evening at the annual Christian street festival, a time of praise and worship, food, balloons and socializing. It is held downtown between First Baptist, First Presbyterian and Church Street United Methodist churches. Singing groups included the Selma Community Choir, Freedom Foundation chorus, Angelic Harmonizers and others. Attendees brought along folding chairs, babies in strollers and appetites for free samples of fresh-fried catfish nuggets, hush puppies and Pepsi.

Back to Back

Do you suppose these geese at Grist State Park are no longer on honking terms!

To view more animals from around the world, check out the Camera Critters meme.

Sanctuary

"Sanctuary" is an intriguing sculpture by Ted Whisenhunt, associate professor of art at Judson College in Marion, and it earned a blue ribbon at the March 2008 Arts Revive show in Selma.

Any idea about the background for the theme?
The "little house" has a pole inside that is topped with an upside-down, blue bottle. Why are the outside poles painted white on the bottom?

I really don't know what the artist was thinking when he designed this, but being a native of Alabama, I might have an idea!

Oh yes! Whisenhunt not only teaches art. He is lead singer and a musician with the Kudzu String Band.

Against the Blue (Skywatch Friday)

Old Glory proudly waves against a clear, blue sky and alongside a communications tower in downtown Selma.

Today is SKYWATCH FRIDAY, so head on over HERE at Wigger's World to view more or better yet, join the group!

The Town Clock (May Theme Day is NUMBERS)

The Roman numerals on First Presbyterian Church's tower serve as the town clock. A carillon plays after the hour rings. The clock is located at a main downtown intersection across from City Hall.

There are more than 180 City Daily Photo Blogs from around the world that are displaying numbers today. Check them out!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Busan, Korea South by iamnbinb, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chesapeake Daily Photo (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Chicago (IL), USA by Focused Light, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Concordia Sagittaria, Italy by Patrizia, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Corsicana (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Dallas (TX), USA by turtle, Darmstadt, Germany by Elsch, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Mary, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hong Kong, Hong Kong by Rachel A., Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Ioannina, Greece by Christos-Ioanna, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Malaga, Spain by Paula, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Medan, Indonesia by KT, Melbourne, Australia by John, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Montpellier, France by Marie, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Nancy, France by yoshi, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, Newport News (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, North Hampton (NH), USA by Amy, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Owasso (OK), USA by Jennifer, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Penang, Malaysia by Maltelda, Perth, Australia by Elevation7, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Cheryl, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea by Jules, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Riga, Latvia by Riga Images, Rollag, Norway by Stormel, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, San Francisco (CA), USA by Louis la Vache, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tel-Aviv, Israel by Olga, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vichy, France by Delphsnl, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,