Do Dah Day - The End

Well I'm wrapping up my photos from Birmingham's Do Dah Day Parade with this batch. I think I might have saved the best for last, don't you think?

Ode to Steel

Recently I was up at Vulcan Park to photograph the big iron guy getting his buns painted. While I waited on the CraneWorks crew to crank up, I poked around a little in the Vulcan Museum. This wall fascinated me. Have a look!

En Plein Air

I regret that the artist of this lovely painting had stepped away when I snapped this at Spring-a-Ling-a-Ding Dong in English Village. I might have been tempted to buy the finished piece!!

Pepper Place Dogs III - Le Chien et la Baguette

Meet Eloise ( aka "Weesie"). This precious pup is my friend Liz's new baby pug, and when I found her riding around in the French market basket yesterday, I absolutely melted! This pug has very good taste.......a baguette from Continental Bakery!

Can You Hear Me Now?

The Carnival Band in Vancouver , move over. This group at Spring- a -Ling- a -Ding Dong in English Village could give you a run for your money!

A Woman's/Man's Work Is Never Done!

My guest photograher today is my photo buddy, Bill Dixon. He shot this one of MY ironing board just waiting for me to belly up to the bar and get that pile of ironing done! Thanks B, you found something good in this scenario.

I'll be home late Thursday if all goes well. Thank you my dear BADP readers and commentors for staying faithful while I was out galavanting around Paris. Back to work on Friday. Oh dear. What to put up?????

TRAVEL UPDATE

For those of you that hve followed my travels in Paris this past week, just wanted to let you know that I have just arrived in B'ham at 10:15 this morning! My flight from Newark was cancelled yesterday and I was rerouted through Charlotte. Sadly the flight was late so I spent the night in Charlotte last night and am finally home. Whew!

The Faces of the Magic City Art Connection

Joan Rasmussen - Atlanta, Ga

Art shows are great fun to photograph. There's so much going on and so many fabulous things to see. I am constantly amazed at how creative these people are! Today a few examples!

Tonight I arrive back home from Paris. Thank you all for stopping by and those that left comments while I was away. I promise to get back to leaving you comments very soon.

I regret I did not get this artist's card. Any Birmingham reader happen to know who?

100+ Strangers Challenge - A California Stranger

Stranger #104

I had to jet all the way to San Marino's Huntington Gardens to capture this stranger. Tash said the wife didn't look all that happy about me taking her husband's photo, but he didn't seem to mind a bit!

You Either Love 'Em or.........

you hate 'em. Boiled peanuts are a southern "delicacy" that has many fans the southeast. I'm a roasted goober lover myself, but I enjoyed seeing how they were prepared first hand at the Pepper Place Market recently. This vendor also offered roasted corn with melted butter. Now THAT was tempting!

Budding Artistes

The Magic City Art Connection devotes one huge area of Linn Park just for the kids. I've shared photos of the dancing here. Today a young potter and the tools of the trade for the tiny painters in the crowd.

Thanks For Your Support

Funny, I don't remember any ..............money!!

Today marks Birmingham, Alabama Daily Photo's second birthday.

24 Months

730 Posts

730 +++ photographs

The number of new friends around the world........PRICELESS!

For all of you that have followed this blog, left comments, said hello when you've seen me around town, become blog friends, welcomed me into your homes, shown me around your hometowns, and become very dear friends... thank you from the bottom of my heart.

You're the reason I do this each and every day!!!

Jasmine

Confederate jasmine to be exact. Growing with reckless abandon over the arbor at Park Lane Flowers in English Village.

The Blues Singer

A while back I attended the Magic City Blues Society's festival at Phelan Park. Today, Robin Rogers, my favorite singer that day. You've met her drummer here and the guitar player here.

Click here to hear Robin sing "Don't Leave Poor Me".

Fritz

Meet my new friend Fritz Woehle. Fritz, a very well known Birmingham architect, is also the very, very interesting owner of The Garages. I've taken you there many times. ( Here, here and here and many more). Back in April I struck gold when I went on a little photo shoot with some of photography students. Fritz was there that day and he gave us a fascinating tour around this very eclectic space.

Nice Curves!

I took this top photo late one day at the Pepper Place while waiting for my photography students to arrive. I loved the way the afternoon light hit those curves! Later I learned that this tank collects rainwater from the roof of the shops there at the Pepper Place. I included the bottom shot so that you could see the whole contraption. My sources tell me the rainwater is collected and used for irrigation in the area. Sounds like a great idea to me.

I Just Don't Know

Do Dah Day Parade 2010

You tell me!

Pain au Chocolat - Here, There???

Today un petit cadeau pour vous. If I'm going to throw calories to the wind, this is where I'll do it. My Francophile friends are imaging this is from a Paris patisserie. Non mes amies, c'est Continental Bakery's booth at the Pepper Place Market just last weekend! I'm off to the other city j'adore. I'll be having one in Paris tomorrow morning, if all goes well. Au revoir.

PS Don't fret, BADP will continue and I hope to comment daily. If you want to follow my folies á Paris, click here for my daily updates on Paris Through My Lens!

Guardin' the Garden

You notorious Birmingham plant thieves out there, beware! Chaz, whose human is Charlie Thigpen, is on duty most days at The Garden Gallery at the Pepper Place. One wrong move and you could get licked to death!

Albert, this one's for you!

Saturday Morning Shopping

You know by now that I love photographing the Pepper Place Market. I fear I overdue it at times and then, I think of all the wonderful people I meet, the music, flowers, dogs, fruits, vegetables, vendors, and the endless experiences that I savor ( and photograph) each and every week. How on earth could I deprive YOU of all the fun? For me this place is BIRMINGHAM! So today a photo that pretty much sums it all up for me.

Here Comes the Sun!

We've all been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the glorious sunflowers here in Alabama. Ta dah.....!

(There will be more to come. I can't resist them!)

Tiny Flag Wavers

Several weeks ago, I photographed the Naturalization Ceremony held at the Birmingham Museum of Art. There were American flags in abundance. Today two of the tiny flag wavers who had fathers taking part in the ceremony.

The last photograph I just love. I knelt down to talk to this little guy and take his photo. He immediately zoomed in on me, thinking he could see me through my lens!!!

Pepper Place People II - Rubber Duckie, You're the One!

Gratuitous Cuteness for V, is what Bob Crowe called it yesterday on his blog. I call it the "photo op of the decade"! Whooeeee this was one cutie patootie, and she had the whole hot pink hat, rubber duckie, sidelong glance thing going on. I'm smiling. Bob......just try and top this one!

How I could I pass up Ernie singing this one for us today!

Momentos

Some of you long, longtime readers may remember the first time I posted these gates. When I first photographed them at The Garage, I did so purely because they were so visually appealing to me. I envisioned the photographs framed and hung in a grouping. No one seemed as enthralled as I was. Not the first time. Well, fast forward to a month ago when I revisited The Garage and found owner /architect Fritz Woehle there. He gave us a delightful tour around his most unusual and eclectic space. As we wandered outside, I commented on the gates and told him how much I loved them. He told me that the white crosspieces were from the windows of the old Birmingham Terminal Station , built in 1909, and torn down in 1969, an act of total stupidity on the part of this city! Fritz salvaged these pieces and added them to the rusted metal gates. I love them even more now.

Birmingham Rouge - Legends of Motorsports

One Red Balloon

A while back I first featured photos here of Mountain Brook's Legends of Motorsports Event. You knew I'd find some rouge!

Don't worry about me. I'll just take myself for a walk!

Girlfriends

Summertime and the living is easy. Wine & Whiners gathered poolside on Thursday. Actually this is a great group of friends, with lots of laughing and very little whining! The water proved irresistible so we hiked up our pants and got our feet wet. I count all of these girlfriends as very special blessings in my life.

Industrial Rouge

Sloss Furnaces

PPP's - Pepper Place People I

Becky and Jane share a lighthearted moment. Becky and daughter Amy sell beautiful cut flowers from her farm, and Jane and her husband ( aka The Maple Man) sell red maples and some gorgeous vine baskets. Be sure and stop by and say hello when you're there. BTW, Becky is also one of my former photography students. She was not only great fun, but took some terrific photographs!

Well why on earth didn't I think of this long ago? Let me introduce you to some new and old friends that I meet each and every Saturday at the Pepper Place. Today, three very special friends. More in weeks to come.

"The Big Swede"

This is Beau Gustafson. Beau is a REAL photographer, and I'm happy to call him my friend. He's also a tai chi instructor and a sculptor and I don't know what else. He's multi-multi- talented I'm thinking. For once, I caught the photographer without a camera in front of his face!

Well SOMEBODY'S Gotta Do It!

Even Vulcan , Birmingham's favorite iron guy, needs a little spiffing up from time to time. Tuesday, CraneWorks provided the "cage" for these daredevil painters. For all you guys out there that mumble and gripe about painting the living room............things could be worse!

This will most likely be the last crane shot for many moons. Wayne, enjoy it while you can.

Happy 100th Rickwood Field!

Please join me in wishing Birmingham's Rickwood Field, the oldest baseball park in the America, a very happy 100th birthday!! Today the Rickwood Classic will be played at 12:30 and players will take the field in replicas of the 1910 uniforms. Built in 1910 for the Birmingham Barons by owner and industrialist Rick Woodward, this nostalgic park still hosts baseball games for local high schools and of course the Classic each spring. Documentaries and movies have also been filmed right here.

I've posted many photos here, here, here and here. I asked my friend Robert Woodward, nephew of Rick Woodward AND BADP contributor, to select today's photos from those that I had left in my archives. These are Robert's picks. I've made him promise to take Jean and me to Rickwood the next time he's in town for another photo field trip!

June Theme Day - Funny Signs

I'll admit it right up front, I did NOT take this in Birmingham. Non, I had to travel all the way to LA to find this hilarious signage. I really tried to find one to top it right here, but what were the chances! I have no idea what the Chinese translation is and I don't think I want to!

Today CDP bloggers around the world have some great signs to share. Click below to see them all!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants