End of November

November leaves the Black Belt with a bit of autumn color remaining. As mild temperatures from the weekend rains turn swiftly colder, cattle head toward the hay and will huddle together tonight away from the wind.

Monday is monthly theme day for the City Daily Photo Blogs. Be sure and drop by to find out how CDPB bloggers interpret December's theme, circles and spheres.

Yea, Alabama!

Yea, Alabama!
The Crimson Tide is back. After six long years, the University of Alabama football team finally defeated the Auburn Tigers. It was a 36-0 wipeout in Tuscaloosa that should keep undefeated UA ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Meanwhile, there's been no economic downturn in Bama Country! Everywhere I go, Bama merchandise is selling better than ever. Fans have brought out their flags, their Bear Bryant hats, car pennants and magnetic signs. Of course, Bama clothing is a hot item too!

Here are the lyrics to the Alabama fight song. It's a bit outdated since the Rose Bowl used to be the national championship game, but the Bowl Championship Series changed that. Stay tuned...for the Southeastern Conference Championship against Florida in Atlanta!

"Yea, Alabama!"

Yea, Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every 'Bama man's behind you;
Hit your stride!
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave!
And if a man starts to weaken,
That's a shame!
For 'Bama's pluck and grit
Have writ her name in crimson flame!
Fight on, fight on, fight on, men!
Remember the Rose Bowl we'll win then!
Go, roll to victory,
Hit your stride,
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!

Aqua Sky (Skywatch Friday)

A combination of the sun, white puffy clouds and dark gray clouds turned the sky aqua one day last week as I was waiting in the pickup line at Wendy's. I took the photo through the windshield, and nope, neither the color is changed, nor did I super-saturate the photo.

It's nice to have a camera beside you when the sky turns aqua!

For more Skywatch photos, click HERE.

Thanksgiving 2008

We shared our Thanksgiving meal today at the home of relatives, and the table setting was so beautiful that I just had to get a picture.

On the first Thanksgiving, though the Pilgrims had lost so much, they had so much for which to be grateful.

"To All Ye Pilgrims: Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now, I...do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and little ones, do gather...to listen to ye pastor, and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings."
...William Bradford, Governor of the Plymouth Colony

Smokin'

Turkey's on the smoker.
Cornbread is done.
Congealed salad is chillin'.
Sweet potato cakes are coolin'.

So now I have time to publish a post!

Here's our turkey, slowing smoking. It's got apples inside to keep it moist and Southern Flavor (Selma-made) Cajun Seasoning rubbed all over. Tonight, we're having honey-baked ham from Mark's Mart, and the rest, we're saving til tomorrow.

I'm thinkin' about baking Paula Deen's Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie too.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

The Nutcracker Ballet

These posters are all over town, because a Christmas ballet classic, The Nutcracker, is coming to Selma. Not only that, some of Selma's young dance students will perform in it.

The story of Clara and her Nutcracker prince opens at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 on the stage at Pickard Auditorium. This production by the Montgomery Ballet is presented by Arts Revive.

Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce and Truax & Company.

From Sea to Shining Sea & a Blog Award

Yes! It's Thanksgiving Week, and I couldn't think of a more appropriate post than Kathleen's "From Sea to Shining Sea" butterfly sculpture. While I love visiting countries around the world through City Daily Photo Blogs, at Thanksgiving, I give special thanks for God's blessings and for my country, the USA.

Kathleen, who blogs just up the road in Southern Artistic Touch, is a talented artist, and she captured so many famous American scenes on her butterfly. Her theme is taken from the song, "America the Beautiful."

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

Thank you, Kathleen, for a "You are Tagged" blog award!

The rules of this Meme are:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random things about yourself.

4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.

5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Some of the things about me you may, or may not know:
I'll stick with Kathleen's theme, "Things that make me go "Yes!"

1. Thanksgiving Week
2. When the crust on the pie in the oven doesn't burn
3. When I capture a really good photo
4. When there's time to watch a Hallmark movie on TV
5. When the community works together to produce something like The Butterfly Project
6. When the Alabama Crimson Tide wins yet another football game

Bloggers I'm tagging:
Tanya at Roanoke Daily Photo
Christy at Life with the Woods
Gwyn at Juneau Daily Photo
Jim at Terrell daily Photo
PJ at Pensacola Daily Photo
Mary at Faith, Fabric and Photos

Chipmunk (Camera Critters)

Today's photo of this cute chipmunk is courtesy of guest photographer Elaine Stewart. The Valley Grande resident loves animals, especially her Boston terriers, parakeet and cockatiel. She feeds the birds, squirrels, chipmunks and deer on her rural property, plus she's a birdwatcher and avid photographer.

Thank you, Elaine, for sharing this picture!

For more Camera Critters, click HERE.

The Glunk Who Got Thunk

Okay, all you Dr. Seuss fans, here's the winning color art in the Dr. Seuss Art Contest.

The artist is 11-year-old John Hartman of Valley Grande Elementary, and his creation can be seen along with dozens of other Dr. Seuss art at the Performing Arts Centre, site of this weekend's "Seussical the Musical."

Bright and Breezy (Skywatch Friday)

Bright and breezy!

That's been the weather all week, and it gets even breezier today with winds forecast at 15 to to 25 mph and temps falling into the mid-20s tonight!

I'm glad NOT to be among those sitting out in the wind chills at the high school football playoff games!

For more skies, head on over to www.skyley.blogspot.com

(EXTRA! A Dallas County Arts Alliance member noticed an article in Budget Travel Magazine about a road trip through Alabama that includes a stopover in Selma. Click HERE for the website link.
The part about Selma will be on page 2.)