Great Blue Heron

One of two blue herons, INTERLUDE, by Gary Price is the centerpiece of the Cochran Water Wall at the Birmingham Botanical Garden's Kayser Lily Pool. It draws me in every visit. 

Waiting....

for some cute little swingers at Triangle Park in Forest Park.

In Or Out?

Birmingham Museum of Art entrance.

Say, "Cheese!"

A few weeks ago I was down at the Lyric Theatre for some photos and spotted my very talented friend Joseph de Sciose doing the same thing! It's a beehive of activity and I'm counting the days till January 14, 2016, when it FINALLY reopens. I'll be right there to get more photos for you.

Sunday Church Series - The Acolytes

Acolyte - A person who assists the celebrant in the performance of liturgical rites.

On Christmas Eve, the acolytes at Independent Presbyterian Church brought light to each and every member of our congregation at the conclusion of our Service of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Christmas At Our House

Well it was a roller coaster Christmas. We had temps in the 70's with so much humidity my camera lens fogged up. A great day with my sweet family and then around 5 o'clock, we had tornado warnings in our area and Meeps and I spent a little time being safe in our walk in closet. 

I hope that all of my blog friends near and wide who celebrate Christmas had a wonderful day!

For Unto You Is Born

Upper Room Baptist Church

Leeds, AL

Here We Come A Caroling

The Jacksons open their beautiful home to the neighbors every Christmas. This year we came in droves even though James Spann said there could be high winds. We decided with food galore and plenty of wine and egg nog, we could weather the storm together. There are always plenty of cute kiddos. Tonight was no exception.

Merry Christmas!

Birmingham Rouge - Fire Chief

I think this much loved old Fire Chief pedal car probably brought many smiles to a boy one Christmas morning. 

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

A nice surprise. I picked this just a day ago. Unseasonably warm weather this month has had it's pleasures.

Sunday Church Series - Mother and Child

This lovely piece hangs on the wally in an enclosed garden at Saint Mary's- on- the -Highlands Episcopal Church on Birmingham's Southside.

Grandma's Attic

The beautiful old quilts are literally in the attic of On A Shoestring in Bluff Park. Love to stop in there from time to time. We are finally having some chilly weather. I wish I had that red and white quilt on my bed tonight!

Foggy Morning

As I have said a zillion times, "Fog is your friend." I proved it again through my windshield with my phone this morning in Crestwood. Ahhhhh

While Visions of....

Gingerbread houses danced in their heads. 

The Roth home last weekend on the IPC Holiday House Tour.

Kid Friendly

The person who designed these colorful rubber stools was a genius. The person who put them in the entry of the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children was one as well. 

Leaves....everywhere!

It's two weeks from Christmas and we're covered in leaves down here. The weather, as I've mentioned before, is downright balmy. Running in shorts weather.

Christmas In Birmingham

This past weekend, my church Independent Presbyterian Church, hosted its 66th Holiday House Tour. I thought the Thomson's welcoming front porch with this colorful swing was perfect for our unseasonable Christmas weather.

Fa la la la la

Meet my friend and talented pianist and teacher, Gloria Gilmer. She and I have become friends via our Sunday School class at Independent Presbyterian Church. Once we learned how gifted she was, we asked/begged her to play in our Great Hall this Holiday House weekend. You may recognize her as, in addition to teaching piano, she also plays at Von Maur as well. Her extensive collection of Christmas music required a rolling suitcase! How fortunate we are to have such a talented new member.

Celebrating 100 Years

This weekend marks Independent Presbyterian Church's 66th Annual Holiday House Tour. This is also their 100th anniversary. At its founding, the church held services at Temple Emmanu-El .In the 1992, after a devastating fire, IPC again worshipped there until renovation was complete. This is one of two magnificent silver candelabrum given to IPC by the Temple when the church moved to its permanent home at 3100 Highland Avenue in 1926. The Holiday House Tour raises money for the Children's Fresh Air Farm in Bluff Park. For more information about the tour click HERE.  

An Evening Downtown

The newly restored Florentine Building downtown is even more elegant at night.

My Next Obsession

Now that a the historic Lyric Theatre is just weeks from the fabulous completion of the restoration, I've found another love... the old Thomas Jefferson Hotel. Stewart Perry Construction has taken on this old hotel and it promises to be a great photo op if I can find a way to get in there!

The Welder

Things are moving quickly as the construction company of Stewart Perry pushes to get the restoration of the Lyric finished by the end of 2015. I was there last week and the place was working alive with seats being installed, last minute painting and here welding hand railings behind of the ground floor seats. In post processing I spotted the welder's shadow on the wall.

Sally Knits!

Meet my sweet friend Sally Chew. Sally has been knitting all her life and a sells her beautiful scarves, wraps, vests and accessories all over the southeast. She also serves as my knitting advisor. As I plod along cranking out one scarf every six months, Sally's home is full of many projects that somehow she manages to keep going at the same time.

Wheeeeeee!

As I've often said, sometimes you get served what's on my plate at the moment. I have had a few Christmas photo shoots this week and today, you get to have a peek. Meet Millie and her dad. David is an assistant minister at my church, and we did a family shoot right after church yesterday. This took my breath ,and I'm very glad to report it had a good outcome!

Sunday Church Series - Cathedral of St. Paul

Downtown's beautiful Cathedral of St. Paul., built in 1890 for the cost of....$90,000.

Birmingham's Urban Mural

Located on the east wall of the Boutwell Auditorium, this colorful mosaic "depicting a mythical dragon rising out of Birmingham's industrial past." The 28,000 colorful tiles were created through participation from Space One Eleven and completed in 2000.

Back In The Classroom

They grew UP and I didn't!

Yesterday I got to do what I love. 

1. Talk to students 

2. Talk about Paris

2. Talk about photography

4. Share my photos

5. Be back in Homewood classrooms

 I was invited back to Madame Michelle Myer's French classes at Homewood High School to share my photos and talk about my love of Paris. This year, after my trip during the attacks in Paris, my photos and talk took another turn. I took her classes through my last trip day by day and tried to explain what it felt like to be there and share what I saw and felt. The bonus was that I was able to reconnect with two of my former third graders in her French IV class. They were working on a project concerning the Climate Conference in Paris. Mrs. J was left in their dust, but I was thrilled and impressed to sit and listen as they conversed en français!

Ron's Ginkgo

I will probably post this photo every autumn as long as I have this blog. My friend Ron Council planted these ginkgo trees in front of his home in Forest Park from seeds he gathered at Birmingham Southern College years ago. He loved them, and we all loved Ron, so seeing them in all their glory every autumn reminds us all of his wonderful spirit.

Under Wraps

August, 2011 this was shot in the mezzanine of the historic Lyric Theatre. I loved the old seats with all the dust, spider webs, and grime. Well times are changing and this old abandoned theatre is coming to life. I took my 12th trip to the Lyric Theatre on Monday and my jaw dropped at the amazing transformation since my last trip about 9 months ago. The Lyric is set to open in January, 2016. Just you wait, I will have many teasers leading up to the big opening and photos that night as well!

New seats under wraps for now at the Lyric

CDP Theme Day - Your Shop Windows

Today's City Daily Photo Theme is Shop Windows. I chose the eclectic Reed Books, The Museum of Fond Memories in downtown Birmingham. You can spend hours in this place that is full to the brim with old books and memorabilia.  To see the other entries of my fellow CDP blog friends, click HERE!

Things Are Looking Up

The Thomas Jefferson Tower ( aka Leer Tower) is approaching the end of its extensive renovation. This 20 story former hotel, has for long been standing empty and deteriorating, but will soon reopen as a mixed condo/retail space. Things are looking up in Birmingham!

Sunday Church Series - Holy Trinity- Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church

One of my favorite sacred spaces in Birmingham.  

Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church    

Hurry Up!

I am very grateful that all those years when I was responsible for buying, setting up and decorating our Christmas tree, that there wasn't this insane rush to get the tree up and house decorated by Thanksgiving. If I got it all done with a week or so to spare before Christmas, I patted myself on the back and had a glass of wine to celebrate. Christmas trees at Oak Street Garden Shop are standing tall and looking fresh. Better hurry!

Escapee

Last seen at Stone Hollow Farmstead,

Thankful

L-R: Kathleen, Chappell, Lindley, Davis, Eva, Laura Kate and Melissa

Today as we Americans gather with family and friends, I am grateful for my sweet family and all of my dear friends near and far. The events in Paris last week, made me even more aware of how fragile life is. Thank you all for your visits to this blog and your friendship. May we all pray for peace around this world today.

Unbridled Joy

Blackjack Farms

Close to Home

When I arrived Friday from Paris, I was thrilled to see that Birmingham still had fall color for me. This is on Cliff Road in the Forest Park neighborhood, near my home. 

Hanging On!

I missed some of our fall color while I was gone, but thankful some hung around till I got back.

Sunday Church Series - Église de la Madeleine

Today I share an image from the majestic Église de la Madeleine in Paris. I returned on Friday and wanted to post this noon mass that was in progress when I slipped in the church on the Monday following the terrorist attacks on Friday evening. 

Je Suis Paris

Dear Friends,
As you may know, I am in Paris this week. I have received many inquiries regarding our safety and many kind comments. Please know that we are safe and join us in praying for those who lost their lives or were injured in the senseless attacks last night. 

Au revoir

À bientôt!

(See you soon)

Saturn

The neighborhood of Avondale is becoming a happening place in Birmingham. It's near my home and I couldn't be more pleased. We have some new bars, some great places to eat,  a brewery and two new coffee shops. Saturn is very cool, probably too cool for me. They had me with their orange doors, but there's a rocket ship hanging from the ceiling inside! I'll show you that another day. 

Autumn Revisited

This may or may not come as a surprise to many of you but I'll let you in on a little secret. I sometimes repost photographs that I especially love and today's is one of those. I shot this at the Birmingham Museum of Art a number of years ago, I like to drag it out every autumn for old time's sake. I hope you like it too.

Autumn Glory

We have had some very fine weather these past few weeks. Walkers and runners abound. I shot this along the golf course just outside of Crestline Village.

Well Worn

These old school books at Black Sheep Antiques in Harpersville, look like they were well used and loved a lot. I should have opened Science Stories to see exactly what that's all about.

Thank you Barbara Adkins for welcoming us to take photographs in your beautiful and interesting shop! 

Waiting Patiently

This adorable pup was patiently waiting for his master/mistress who was probably enjoying a sandwich at Gilchrist Drugs in Mountain Brook Village recently. 

Autumn Still Life

Leaf N Petal Garden Shop at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens always has such marvelous outside displays. I always snap their first before heading into the gardens.

Dia de los Muertos

Ok, it was drizzling rain yesterday afternoon and I took the low road. I did not attend Birmingham's fabulous Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration for the first time in at least 6 years. Not to worry, I have a stash a mile high. Today I share a photos from 2013, Caroline Wright is a dear friends and talented Birmingham photographer. This girl can dress up!