Cats 'n Quilts

If you're a cat lover AND a quilt lover, then this is the quilt for you!

Now, I just can't decide which kitty I like best!

They are all so cute and whimsical, and the quilter, Jeanann Syzmanski,

 sure knows how to stitch personalities!

Jeanann graciously brought her quilting artistry

 to the Artisans Fair at Heritage Village during the Selma Pilgrimage in March.  

CITY DAILY PHOTO BLOG PORTAL

Shadow Trio

A  trio of shadows stretch across the hardwood floor of Weaver Castle

 where new owners are renovating the 1868 Gothic mansion. 

The house where renowned Selma artist Clara Weaver Parrish grew up

 was featured on this weekend's Selma Pilgrimage. 

Posted at Shadow Shot Sunday

Weekend Reflections, Cedar through the Leaded Glass

Leaded glass windows let lots of light inside this 1928 English Tudor home

 that is open for Selma's Pilgrimage this weekend. The panes reflect

 a large cedar tree and the beautiful blue skies. This home,

 the Holly/Skinner House is open from 1-5 this afternoon.

 It is owned by movie producer Tonya Holly, who is currently filming 

 The Story of Bonnie and Clyde, and was built by Dr. Marcus Skinner,

 a renowned orthopedic surgeon who helped found the Crippled Children's Society 

(Children's Rehabilitation Center) in Alabama and perfected surgical techniques.

 Holly, along with several characters from the 1930s

and Dr. Skinner's granddaughters, are the tour guides.

Posted at Weekend Reflections

Instructions for the Court

Junior hostesses for Selma's Pilgrimage receive instructions during a photo shoot

 at the Vaughan-Smitherman Museum. The Pilgrimage Court will help at historic homes 

and other sites during the 37th annual Pilgrimage this weekend. 

Siegel's Servants Quarters

Most of the little houses like this one have long ago been torn down,

 but the Siegel's Servants Quarters has a home in Heritage Village.

 Built around 1900, the building is on the Historic Register.

 Historic Village is the project of the

 Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Society. 

Several small, historic structures were moved to this site. 

The village is annually featured on the Selma Pilgrimage,

 and this year will feature demonstrations of early crafts such as 

basket weaving, pottery, quilting and soap making.

 (I hear that there may be a few chickens and goats too!) 

Weekend Reflections, The Windows of Weaver Castle

Which window do you like best?

These mirrored windows belong to Weaver Castle,

an 1868 Gothic Revival mansion that was designed

by the famous architect Richard Upjohn.

Upjohn also designed New York City's Trinity Church.

The home was built after the Civil War 

by Confederate Army Lieutenant William Weaver,

who was the father of artist Clara Weaver Parrish,

a designer of stained glass for New York's Tiffany & Co.  

Best of all, if you want to see what's behind the windows,

join us for the Historic Selma Pilgrimage March 16 and 17.

The home, said to be similar to a castle on the Rhine River,

was purchased last spring by a Wisconsin ranching couple

who are restoring it for their southern retreat.

Read more about this house at the Selma Pilgrimage website. 

Posted for Weekend Reflections

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.  

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.

The Church Street Methodist Tour

A circuit riding preacher (Roger Butler), left, helped tell the history of Church Street United Methodist Church during Pilgrimage Weekend. At right, Robert Gamble, architectural historian with the Alabama Historical Commission, came to Selma for the tours and enjoys talking with members of the church. The church was founded 175 years ago and will host its anniversary celebration in April. Built in the early 1900s, the current sanctuary is its third.

Spring Arrives at the Art Guild

Saturday was the first day of spring, and it arrived in full bloom at the Selma Art Guild. The early spring blooms seem more prolific than usual, and perhaps we can thank all the rain for that!

After Pilgrimage tours closed at 5 p.m., the Art Guild remained open for a two-hour "Wet Paint" sale, freshly painted art of Selma sites by the Alabama Plein Air Artists. They painted the town "en plein air" all day Friday and Saturday, stationed at homes on tour and other historic sites.

Pilgrimage continues today with Ashford, Churchview and the Kenan House open as well as the Selma Art Guild, Arts Revive, Sturdivant Hall, Church Street United Methodist Church, Vaughan-Smitherman Museum, Old Depot Museum and Kenan's Mill.

To view more Pilgrimage pictures, please click on the Pilgrimage 2010 link on the sidebar.

The PEW House

Welcome to church!

Well, this is a residence, but a Lutheran congregation used to worship in the reception hall (background) and the living room (foreground) until its members built a church in west Selma.

The PEW House (notice the church pew in front of the window) is on tour this afternoon during the Selma Pilgrimage. The early 1900's Victorian is also the former home of Dr. Walter Ellwanger, who became president of Alabama Lutheran (now Concordia College) in1945. During the tour from 1-5 p.m., visitors will learn about some of the home's famous guests and see collections of international nativity sets, plus much more!

(Skywatch Friday) Blue Skies over Pilgrimage

Blue skies are predicted over Selma just in time for the first full day of the Historic Pilgrimage.

Among homes on tour today is Churchview, a brick Victorian with beautiful parquet floors, stained-glass windows, beaded woodwork and extensive art collections.

This downtown home is open from 1 til 5 p.m. It will re-open for the Sunday afternoon tours, also 1-5 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the individual houses or at Ticket Headquarters (Vaughan-Smitherman Museum, 109 Union St.)



To see more skies on the weekly Skywatch tour, please visit www.skyley.blogspot.com.

Bradford Pear

The cluster blossoms of Bradford Pears will grace Pilgrimage Weekend, which begins tonight at Brownstone Manor. Just in time, the sun returns on Friday to warm the day into the 70s.

Visit the Pilgrimage Website to check the schedule or to download the brochure.

For the Love of Elodie

The love story of Elodie Todd and Nathaniel Dawson will be a highlight of the Old Live Oak Cemetery tour on Friday and Saturday evenings during Pilgrimage.

Elodie was a half-sister of Mary Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln's wife; and she fell in love with Dawson on a visit to relatives in Selma. Col. Dawson, who had an extensive record of public service in both the state and nation, will join Elodie at their gravesite.

The pretty brunette who plays Elodie is a high school student, and her poise and eloquence create a perfect southern belle in the emerald green dress.

You can read more about the Dawsons and other Pilgrimage events in today's Montgomery Advertiser.

Ionic

One of my favorite parts of Pilgrimage is viewing all the columns, pillars and posts up close. These Ionic columns at Ashford recently received a new coat of paint. Ashford is on tour this Friday from 9 til 1 and Sunday from 1 til 5.

Lincoln's Sister-in-Law Lived Here

President Abraham Lincoln's sister-in-law, Martha Todd White, lived in this Italianate cottage next door to Sturdivant Hall. A half-sister of Mary Todd Lincoln, Martha was a fierce Confederate who, according to the historic marker, is said to have "severely criticized" the Lincolns when she was accused by the northern press of using her presidential pass to smuggle medicine and other necessities "behind the lines" into the Confederacy. Another sister, Elodie, met her husband here while visiting and later led the effort to raise funds for a Confederate monument in Old Live Oak Cemetery.

This cottage and its grounds will be the site of the "box lunch" on March 19 and 20 of the Historic Selma Pilgrimage. The lunches need to be pre-ordered as only a limited number of extras will be available. More information is available HERE.

Painted and Pristine

Not long ago, I posted a picture of Ashford, a Neoclassical Victorian home, that was getting a front porch renovation. The grand entrance on this 1903 beauty is finished and ready to welcome guests for the 35th annual Historic Selma Pilgrimage March 18-21.

This Church Street treasure is one of nine homes on tour this year. New photos and information about the tour homes, church, museums and other venues are being updated daily on the Pilgrimage website.

Sprucing Up

From the entry doors to its Corinthian columns, this grand front porch on Church Street gets a "sprucing up" for the holidays...and also Spring Pilgrimage. The Victorian brick is among the featured homes on Selma's 2010 Historic Spring Pilgrimage March 18-21.

Thanks to guest photographer Christine Weerts for the photo.