Second Avenue Reflection

Scooters are always parked along Second Avenue. It pays to have a look in the rearview mirror as you pass.

Mon Amie Phoenix

Meet Phoenix. She and I met for the first time yesterday at the Hoover Library with her mom Connie.  Connie and I taught together at Shades Cahaba and we've kept in touch.  While I was in Paris last month,  Phoenix fell in love with the book, Fancy Nancy Goes to Paris! Connie told Phoenix that her friend was in Paris right then!  What followed was just too cute. She videoed Phoenix asking me questions about Paris that she had carefully written in her spiral notebook. Not bad for a six year old!  I promised to answer her questions in person and we did just that yesterday.  I taught her how to give French bises on each cheek and brought her a pink Tour Eiffel keychain all the way from Paris.  I think we will have to meet again. She suggested I come to her house to play one day. Bien sûr!

 

A Foggy Day in Birmingham

 

I often tell my photography students that, "Fog is your friend."  On my way home from lunch yesterday, I realized that the higher elevations of Birmingham were still cloaked in a beautiful fog. I took a detour.

Sunday Church Series - Beloved Community Church

Beloved Community Church is a special place located near my home in the Avondale community. Their website states, "Where all people are celebrated as precious children of God." It is an honest, open arms church and an asset to our community.

Welcome

This door is always open.

Wade Sand and Gravel

BADP On The Road - Scull Shoals

I traveled to Greensboro, Georgia last week to visit dear friends Corey and John Crouse.  While there, Corey took us on a little historic field trip to Scull Shoals, located between Greensboro and Athens.  Once a thriving mill community, the ruins of a former warehouse building are all that remain on the site in the Oconee National Forest.  Great photo ops.

All Is Calm, All Is Bright

Colin's Creatures, Charlotte Woodson Antiques

 

Merry Christmas

Santa Baby....

My neighbors Sam and Carolyn open their beautiful home the eve before Christmas Eve every year for a fabulous caroling party.  Carolyn and her three concert pianist friends,  play the two baby grand pianos and the neighbors sing along with a lot, or marginal, talent, but great gusto.  The evening wraps up with The 12 Days of Christmas sung by a variety of young and old.  Then, Mary Alice is always the finale with Santa Baby.  The perfect ending to a lovely neighborhood tradition.

The Fire Is So Delightful!

 

Stewart Perry Construction's complex was part of IPC's Holiday House Tour last weekend.  I was fortunate to be able to photograph there the week before.  The barn was my favorite and featured this lovely vignette, two rockers and a stove!

A Little Bird Told Me..

The fresh berries and apples in our church decorations were delicious!

BADP On The Road - First Presbyterian Church of Union Point

This past week I traveled to Greensboro, Georgia to visit dear friends Corey and John Crouse and speak to the Greensboro Art Alliance.  While there, Corey showed me around the area. The First Presbyterian Church of Union Point, was a highlight. Established in 1872, this well cared for church has some of the most beautiful stained glass windows I've ever seen. It features magnificent windows on all four walls. What a treasure for this town!

Play It Again Baines

 

For the last 30+ years, my friends the Woods,  have opened their home, put some rolls on their player piano and gathered us together before Christmas. We've seen our teens grow up, get married and have their own kids and now the group gets more lively as each year passes. The player piano, manned by Johnny, is always a hit with the little ones. This year Baines was the newest addition, and he loved plunking the keys as we all joined in for a few carols.

King of the Mountain!

I photographed the boy in red and posted him here.  As the family came down the path, I asked the parents if the boys would be willing to just play on the playground for me.  As the two brothers

started up the climbing dome,  I waited.  I taught elementary school long enough to know what one of them would do when he reached the top!

Check!

It's not Christmas until I"ve taken a dozen obligatory shots of Mt. Brook Village's fabulous tree. It closely resembles the shots from the past 5 years but this year I took it from a slightly different   angle. Ta Da...!!!!!

Lest We Forget

May we remember those less fortunate this holiday season and EVERYDAY.

This was taken at Highlands United Methodist Church where they faithfully serve breakfast six days a week, all year long.

One of the Other Reindeer

No red nose but too cute to pass up.

Sunday Church Series - Cathedral of Saint Paul

 One of our most beautiful churches in downtown Birmingham, the Cathedral of Saint Paul. 

Welcome Santa!

Homewood's Christmas Parade

Holiday House Tour

This weekend marks Independent Presbyterian Church's 65th Holiday House Tour benefiting the Children's Fresh Air Farm. Tickets may be purchased at the church, online or at each home.

Noël At My Home

I do minimal decorating at my house now,  but I love bringing out my collection of Eiffel Tower ornaments to display on my my mantle. These are just a few!

Show Your Colors Birmingham

Uptown, Birmingham's newest convention center district offers great new eating and entertainment venues. I had lunch there last week and loved it!

How Frosty...

stays frosty in Birmingham.  This old fridge has many uses during the year at Sweet Peas Garden Center in Homewood. I loved their Christmas idea!

Boy In Field

Often when I visit places over and over, whether here in Birmingham or Paris, I try and challenge myself to find something new to photograph or even just photograph in a different way.  Last Thursday I was leading a group of Youth Leadership Forum students on a photography assignment at Railroad Park. I have been there more times than I can count. I was beginning to think I'd find nothing "new", until I spotted this young boy. I was far away and zoomed,  and ran and zoomed,  and ran, and this was what I got. Later, I photographed him with his brother on the playground. Those photos later.

It's Not Christmas Without The Homewood Star

Crafted in 1951 by Douglass McConnell, this star has heralded the Christmas season every year since from high above the city of Homewood.  I'm a bit nostalgic about this star,  as I remember it fondly from my childhood and every Christmas since.  You might see it again before Christmas is over!

Must Have Been

ride your bike to work day at Architecture Works.

Photographers In Training!

 

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of participating in the Youth Leadership Forum Arts Day.  As I've done in years past, I gathered an enthusiatic group for a photography workshop.  We met at Architecture Works, then headed to Railroad Park for our photo assignment.  Great day, great program, great photos, great kids.

Happiness Is...

...getting a brand new winter coat PLUS a hat and mittens!!!  This week, the STAIR students at
Independent Presbyterian are all receiving new winter coats thanks to the generosity of IPC and community friends and tutors who made it all possible. The happy smiles said it all!

  STAIR Birmingham Executive Director, Liz Edwards helps this student try her coat on for size.

Zoolight Safari

The Birmingham Zoolight Safari knocks itself out during the Christmas season. The carousel is always a favorite.

CDP Theme Day - Worker

 
The Sons of Vulcan are a non-profit blacksmith and metalworking group located in our Avondale community, dedicated to the artistic traditions of metal working.  Last month, they demonstrated their expertise at our Art in Avondale Park event.  Very cool to watch. I'll have more photos to come.

This is the first of the month and as always, for over 6 years, I've participated in our City Daily Photo Theme Day. Click HERE to see how my fellow CDP bloggers interpreted the theme for this month.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Oh maybe just drop by Sweetpeas Garden Shop in Homewood and get your very fresh Christmas tree this year!

Pop of Color

Sol LeWitt's BANDS OF COLOR IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS makes a colorful backdrop to Craig Wedderspoon's welded aluminum sculptures, QUILTED VESSELS, in the outdoor sculture gallery at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

The Falling Leaves....

At the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the weather here in Birmingham is still fine enough to drag up a chair and enjoy the last days of autumn, while our neighbors in the NE, shovel their driveways!

Fall at First Church

Forgive me for overloading the "fall color" here but I'm trying to pack as many photos in as possible before Christmas takes over!.  A few weeks ago I snapped this shot of fall leaves set against Birmingham's First United Methodist Church, or as locals call it....First Church.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my dear blog readers who celebrate this holiday!

Cityscape

Ginkgos are such showoffs, and rightfully so. 

It's That Time of Year

 

I'm home from 10 wonderful days in Paris and just in time to gear of for Thanksgiving.  Here in Alabama. you are likely to find a pecan pie alongside the traditional pumpkin on most dinner tables. Whether you pronounce it Pee-can or Pe-cahn, it's delicious!

Au Revoir

I'll be home on the 24th!

Charlie's Place

One of my most favorite places to visit, shoot, and shop... Charlie Thigpen's Garden Gallery.

Boots on the Ground

Remembering all of our veterans this day.

Drum Roll...........

The Homewood High School Patriot Marching Band.

Playing a Tribute - Dia de los Muertos

  Dia de los Muertos 2014

The trumpet player, joins others in the band in playing tribute at one of the altars.

Historic

Florentine Building

21 Street North

Artists' Pallets

City Paper Company redesigned their showroom and found a fabulous way to reuse their wooden pallets.  The creative kids at Space One Eleven turned them into works of art. I want one!!!

Throwback Thursday - Fall at the BMA

 

 Facebook friends love Throwback Thursday where they post old photos from years gone by. I decided I'd try and do that here from time to time. I've hosted this blog for 6 1/2 years daily and I'm fairly certain that not many of you have visited this blog every single day, so a re-post might be a good thing.  Today one of my very favorite autumn shots of the bench outside the Birmingham Museum of Art.

Who says....

That old industrial buildings that have long been forgotten can't be colorful???

Wade Sand and Gravel

Sail On

 One of the pluses of living in the Deep South is that you can play outside a lot longer. This weekend I looked on in horror as friends in Maine ( a given) and North Carolina ( are you kidding me??) posted first snowfall photos on Facebook.  Although we have had to turn our heat on a few mornings to knock the chill off, I'm betting that this sailor has had his boat out recently.  Spotted on Lake Logan Martin near Birmingham.

Remembering Ron

Last night was one of my favorite events in Birmingham, Dia de los Muertos.  It brings our city together to observe this wonderful Hispanic celebration. Friends and family often build altars to remember loved ones lost.  This year was very special for me.  My friend Martha lovingly arranged an altar for her husband and our dear friend Ron Council .  Ron was a fabulous man and loved by so many in our community. She chose just the right photos and mementos that exemplified Ron so perfectly! Ron Council, we miss you so, but remember you with such love for your life and all you meant to all of us and the city of Birmingham!