First Frost

I notice that Selma, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee, both had their first frost this past week. Here is the frost on our dogwood tree. The temperature fell into the upper 20s before daylight.

Little Lost Cat

Trick or Treat? This little black and orange calico has been wandering our neighborhood since before Halloween, peeping in windows and patiently waiting at doors hoping to be fed or let inside. She arrived on our back steps one night as I called my cats. Until last week, we thought she belonged to one of the neighbors; after all, she's wearing a collar, and practically everybody has pets around here. Then, when she kept getting skinnier and acting more desperate and we started asking around, nobody claimed her. Meanwhile, dogs have chased her, and other cats have swatted her. So, we put an ad in the Lost and Found section of the newspaper, posted her photo at the vets' offices and checked with the animal shelter to see if anyone had reported her missing. So far...nothing. We hope she's just lost and didn't get put out by people who think others will just take her in. Anyhow, I thought she deserved a decent portrait for all the trouble she's been through!

A Walk Through the Woods

The path from the main highway to Kenan's Mill winds through the trees, but the walk isn't too far. This is what I call a perfect fall day.

Valley Creek at Kenan's Mill

The drought has turned Valley Creek at Kenan's Mill into barely more than a trickle.

The Swinging Bridge

Part of the old-time atmosphere at Kenan's Mill is this swinging bridge across Valley Creek. The bridge leads to the charcoal kiln that I posted yesterday. Now, you can't see any water in the creek, because the long-term drought has caused it to drop about as low as I have ever seen it. There wasn't even any water spilling over the dam.

Got a clue?

This historic, round brick structure in the woods near Selma seems like a good one for guesses. Got a clue as to what this building might have been used for?

(Thanks for your answers! This is a beehive charcoal kiln. Wood was used in its production, and historically, charcoal was an ingredient of gunpowder, although I don't know the specific use of the charcoal that was made here.)

Bluegrass fans

These two gentlemen were among a crowd of people who sat on hay bales or in folding chairs to listen to bluegrass music Saturday at Kenan's Mill.

Kenan's Mill Bluegrass Day

Kenan's Mill and surrounding grounds were alive with people Saturday at its annual bluegrass festival. The mill was open and cornmeal ground. A bluegrass band and cloggers provided music and dance while onlookers sat on hay bales nearby. A barn was raised the old-fashioned way, and children took rides down the shady lane in a wagon pulled by a tractor. Others braved the swinging bridge across Valley Creek. Kenan's Mill, once owned by the Kenan family, is now a project of the Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Society.

Cat Cuddle

Who says cats don't get along? These two Selma cats...one a senior citizen and the other a kitten...just love to cuddle. What could be sweeter?

Something Blue - City of Selma Seal

November Theme Day is "Something Blue," and Selma's city seal has blue sky and blue water in its background. The water represents the Alabama River, and the antebellum Sturdivant Hall represents the Civil War era. The Pettus Bridge is noted for the Civil Rights era. The butterfly is included since Selma is the Butterfly Capital of Alabama. This seal is rather weathered as it stands at the Alabama River entrance
into town.

Blue is photographed by the following City Daily Photo Blogs. Please visit their sites.

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