Buds Against a Blustery Blue Sky

Many of our Japanese Magnolia began blooming during a warm spell 

a few weeks ago. Well, those are dead now, succumbing to February's

 inevitable quick freezes. These are just budding out and survived

 more than seven inches of rain earlier this week, two blustery days

 and now another frost. But at least the skies are blue again!

Linking to Skywatch Friday

The Grass is Greener in January

It's January, and look how green!

It's not just the amphitheatre and riverwalk, either.

 Green grass is everywhere, even alongside our roads.

 Several inches of rain and warmth in December

 lulled us into a springlike winter, which surely will leave us soon!

PHOTO OF THE YEAR (As the Sun Goes Down)

And the 2015 Selma, Ala., Photo Blog's PHOTO OF THE YEAR goes to

 "As the Sun Goes Down."

While there were many 50th year anniversaries in 2015 with photos

 of historic significance, choosing just one was impossible,

 and this picture shows how beautiful our bridge and river

 are any time of the year.

It was posted November 17 and taken

 during the American Legion commander's visit to town. 

Every New Year's Day, City Daily Photo Blogs 

sponsors the Photo of the Year for its Theme Day photographs.

Linking to City Daily Photo THEME DAY.

Wet at the Walking Track

Signs and exercise stations at Bloch Park's walking track

 are nearly inundated by the Christmas Flood of 2015.

The Alabama River here crested at 49.58 feet on Tuesday, the highest

 since 1990 but nine feet below the 58 feet, 4 inches in the Great Flood of 1961.

 The park is located next to the mouth of Valley Creek, which empties into the river. 

Christmas in the Library

Christmas just glows after dark through the windows of our local libary!

This tree stands in the children's wing upstairs. 

Sundown in Lafayette Park

It's sundown in Lafayette Park, site of  Selma and Dallas County's first bridge 

across the Alabama River. The Pettus Bridge, lower right, replaced it in 1940.

Linking to Skywatch Friday and City Daily Photo Blogs

Merry and Bright

Here's a Behind-the-Lights view of the MERRY CHRISTMAS sign

 on the banks of the Alabama River. The sign can be seen

 from the Pettus Bridge as vehicles travel into town

 or it can be viewed from the river. 

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs and Signs, Signs

Bright Blue with Gargoyles

The sky could not be more blue above Selma's First Baptist Church

 on Lauderdale Street. Here is a section of the church towers and turrets 

with its Gothic details. Notice the gargoyles! 

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs and Skywatch Friday

The ULTIMATE Christmas Photo Prop

They say it came from nowhere and landed on the lawn at Sturdivant Hall

...a real sleigh, either horse drawn or reindeer drawn. 

And it is on loan as the ULTIMATE Christmas photo prop 

at this weekend's Christmas Open House! The antebellum mansion

 that is now a house museum will be decorated throughout and open

 to the public Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5.

 Guests will be allowed to take photos on the sleigh.

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs and ABC Wednesday.

 

Woodsy Window

City Daily Photo Blogs are featuring SHOP WINDOWS

 for the December 1 Theme Day, and this tree in the window

 at Butler-Truax Jewelers dazzles with acorns, deer, pine cones and cardinals.

 I love the nature ornaments!

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs Theme Day