Prisms

was searching through my archives and found this lovely antique piece I photographed years ago. The antique shop has since closed but I thought I'd share today. My Great Aunt Lena had something similar sitting on her mantle when I was growing up. Nice memories. 

Birmingham Rouge - These Boots....

were made for walking!

Zoe Consignment and Vintage 

3900 Clairmont Avenue South

FIre Power

The Mountain Brook Fire Department was a fine photo op!

Classical

A lovely addition to a birthday celebration this weekend.

Wondrous Words

I love the garden at the Children's Fresh Air Farm.  Last week I spotted these wondrous words. This summer marks yet another year that our Summer Learning Program has reached even more children, providing reading, math, enrichment and so much love.  I am thankful for Independent Presbyterian's ongoing programming for the children in our inner city!

B'ham Sunset

I chased this up Altamont Road!

Safe Haven

Since 1983, when it began in the basement of First Presbyterian Church downtown, this safe haven is the only emergency shelter for homeless women and homeless women and children, operating 24 hours a day, here in dowtown Birmingham.

Cool In The Pool

Yesterday I took a little trip to Bluff Park to visit Independent Presbyterian Church's Children's Fresh Air Farm.  I skidded in on the last full day of the six week Summer Learning Program.  Three classes of    graduates from our STAIR reading program have the privilege of attending each summer. They have reading and math in the mornings with experienced teachers and the afternoons include chapel, swimming and wonderful enrichment activities.  Some of these inner city kiddos swam for the first time this summer. Rumor has it that NOBODY wants the SLP to end. Who can blame them!

BADP On The Road - Cincinnati's Coolest Parking Deck

I spotted the Medpace parking deck the afternoon I arrived in Cincy.  Thank you Mary Gilbert for chauffeuring  me on the way to the airport my last day.  It was as cool as I anticipated, sans the late afternoon sun/shadows I  had planned in my head.  This enormous deck is full of pristine white columns in the interior, surrounded by the fabulous rainbow around the outside of this multi level deck. I'd love to park here every day.

BADP On The Road - I Heart Cincinnati

I'm home from a terrific visit to one of my favorite cities, Cincinnati, Ohio.  My hosts, Mary and Jay Gilbert always roll out the red carpet and have new and find interesting places for us to visit.  After a delicious dinner at Maribelle's Tavern, we adjourned, along with our friend Phil Nuxhall, to Aglamesis Ice Cream. Since 1908, it's been scooping up some mighty fine ice cream.  Entering this ice cream parlor was so nostalgic. These sweet chairs prove that!

Home Again, Home Again....

I've spent a few days in Cincinnati with my Paris travel amie Mary Gilbert and husband Jay.  Yesterday, I took the northern route home to Birmingham by way of the Detroit Metro Airport.  Flying standby can throw you a curve ball occasionally, but I made the best of it by using the time between flights to photograph their amazing tunnel of color and music!

BUY FRESH, BUY LOCAL!

Love to support our local farmers at the Pepper Place and so many other farmer's markets that are springing up all around town. 

Gardenia

Enjoy this Southern moment.  My favorite flower!

Expired!

Yes, we still have these fine old parking meters in downtown Birmingham. Most are still working!

Fried Green Tomatoes

at the Whistle Stop, I mean the Irondale Café!  Put some SOUTH in your mouth.

Blue Box

I'm not the least mechanical, so these blue boxes around Sloss Furnaces,  have always been a puzzle,  but a photographer's delight!

Marie Antoinette and Friends

join me in wishing you bon La Fête Nationale ( Bastille Day) !

Zoë Consignment and Vintage

3900 Clairmont Avenue

Blueberry Pickin'

I took this photo a few weeks ago at Morgan Creek Vineyards in Harpersville.  By now, the blueberries are begging for you to come and pick your own!

FLOWER CHILD

Meet Adam, one of our Alabama farmers from Snow's Bend Farms.  I've been shopping with them and photographing their produce and flowers for years at the Pepper Place Market. I hope to get to the farm in Coker, Alabama sometime this summer!

Flying Boats

Last night I was at the Alabama School of Fine Arts ( ASFA) for a fabulous production of Les Misérables by the Red Mountain Theater. Couldn't pass up this neat sculpture on the way!

You've Got REAL Mail!

Jim Reed's  Books and Museum of Fond Memories never fails to delight. Remember these?

Chambers

Meet Chambers. Isn't she about the cutest thing you've ever seen?  I had the pleasure of photographing her last week, along with her big brother Gram and sister Eliza.  I don't know when I've had so much fun.  Today Chambers is at Children's Hospital having heart repair surgery. I know you will join me in sending prayers, sweet thoughts and much love her way!

UPDATE: Chambers cames through surgery beautifully and is already off her breathing tube and Mom says she's already sporting her pink bow again! :)

The Colors of Summer

I can't look at this and not smile!

La Candela

Cantina, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in town!

Cool Dude

I will admit that I'm often drawn to hair or hairdos as we called them growing up.  Whether it's a toddler with a halo of golden curls or this guy's great locks yesterday at the Pepper Place.  As I sat listening to the music, I  turned and spotted him.  I took about 10 photos before I got up and told him that I loved his hair and been photographing him for a while.  Found out he was from Continental Bakery, one of my favorite haunts.  He and I will reconnect one day soon and I'll share my photos.

This Thursday, July 10, I will be presenting TRAVEL TO PARIS at the Hoover Library at 2:00 PM here in Birmingham.  I hope you will join me!

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New Friends

Ethan finds a new friend at Stone Hollow Farmstead.

Wave Your Flag!

I took this photo as the train pulled through Irondale, Alabama a few years ago. I love it for a lot of reasons. Happy Birthday America!

Bethanne

From time to time I think maybe I should close this blog, that I've run dry of photos to take here. Then I  meet a new friend, and I'm ready to go for another 6 years!

Welcome to my friend Bethanne Hill's studio.  She's lived just blocks from me for years, and I've heard wonderful things about her for so long, but she and I just connected through Facebook in the last few months.  She is one fabulous artist but she's more than that.  Bethanne is a tireless advocate for Avondale Elementary, Avondale Park and our city.  She's funny, compassionate, thoughtful and just a sweet, gentle soul.  Lately, she's been kind enough to include me on some exciting neighborhood field trips and we've had some big fun!

  

Yesterday I visited her little studio behind her home in Forest Park.  I sat on a stool while she put the finishing touches on this family pew, commissioned by friends.  We talked about how she got started, what inspires her ( aborigine art)  and "the process". I'm a frustrated painter,  so I always want to know the dirt on that.  She painted, and we talked and occasionally I had to stop to take a few shots of her hilarious dogs. You will have to come back another day to see them!

Watching The Garden Grow

Meet Kahlil, he lives in the apartments just across the street from Jones Valley Teaching Farm, located in downtown Birmingham.  Kahlil stops by often to see what's up and what's growing. Lucky kid wouldn't you say?

CDP Theme Day - Celebrating Summer

My choice for our City Daily Photo Blog theme today features some enthusiastic campers just learning to swim at Independent Presbyterian's Summer Learning Program at the Children's Fresh Air Farm in Bluff Park.

To see all the other blogger's choices for our theme click HERE!