Happy Fourth of July!

Throwback Thursday, 2009!  My cute little flag wavers. 

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!

You Win Some, You Lose Some!

This is Laura Kate the "baby" in our family. She lost her first tooth which means that everybody is growing up! (Cousin Davis, who is one day older, is still hanging onto his.) I'll admit I'm a little sad. But, look at that face. She's pretty excited that the Tooth Fairy has come and gone and dropped $5. Times have changed! Happy Mother's Day to all my dear readers. I'm counting my blessings today, believe me.

Portraits From My Heart - The High Fives

Go ahead and say it. I'm guilty as charged for dragging my little darlings on my blog again. Well the "babies" have turned five within a day of each other, and we need to celebrate, right?? For those of you who think that being their Mumsie makes it easier to get photos, think again. I'll let you decide which one is the ham and which one would rather clean up his room than smile for the camera! A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY my Davis and Laura Kate. It seems like only yesterday that both of you were born, a day apart, in the same hospital, and your moms were on different floors at St. Vincent's Hospital. Whew, that was a trip!

(The sentiments expressed on my grandson's shirt do not reflect those of the management!)

Boys will be boys!

Girls will be girls!

BLOG WORD A DAY

I was sure Biz Stone had a word for bloggers that shamelessly feature their grandchilden but couldn't find it . Maybe some of you clever readers ( Marley?) can come up with a suitable word. Go ahead, dish it out, I can take it!

PORTRAITS FROM MY HEART - The Fab Five!

It's been quite a while since I've posted a photo for my Portraits From My Heart series. Today a RARE shot of all five and look, everyone's happy!   They lined themselves up by age. Left to right: Lindley 8, Eva 7, Chappell 6, Laura Kate and Davis both 4 1/2.  

The Fab Four has a tune for us today!

* They'll make another appearance on the 4th of July!

Balcony Seating

Well I've made you wait long enough.  Today we're getting down to the nitty gritty - literally.  I shared last week, the Lyric Theatre has long been abandoned.  According to the experts, Dan Liles, Cecil Whitmire, and Tom Cronier,  it opened in January 1914 and was a vaudeville theatre at the time.  In November 1914, the new Independent Presbyterian Church ( my church!) held evening services there until the church was built.  The Lyric closed in 1958.  It reopened in 1974 as the Grand Bijou,  showing classic films.  After that it fell into a little "disrepute" and showed ahem....adult films under the names Foxy/Roxy. You have to love those names!  1978-79 it closed its doors as a theatre.  As sad as it is to see the theatre in its present state, it's heartening to me that there are people like these tireless volunteers that are looking after it and hopefully will find funding. Until then, let's look around shall we?  Watch your step, it's not safe in a lot of places and there are numerous "critters" calling it home.  

The upper balcony back in the day, was for "coloreds" only.  They purchased their tickets at a ticket booth on 18th Street, went up a different stairway, and sat on benches instead of seats.  Not a practice anyone in Birmingham is proud of , but a historical fact that needs to be noted.  Today, the benches have been replaced.  The top photo is a row of seats in the balcony.  I am thinking the design is Art Deco but I could be totally wrong.  While Tom and I were stomping around up there, I spotted a large pigeon sitting in the window (see second photo as proof)  and a bat was zipping all around, a little disconcerting.  Those of you that know me well, will be amazed that I didn't run flying out of the place screaming like a banshee. Oh the things I endure as your intrepid photographer in the name of City Daily Photo!

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

You get a bonus photo today.  My five cute chicks all dressed up in their Easter duds,  and I am very pleased to report that there wasn't a major meltdown over the photo shoot this holiday.  Behold the power of  "popsicle bribes".

PORTRAITS FROM MY HEART - My Lindley

This is the last of my Portraits From My Heart series.  I guess it's fitting that the last portrait is of my first grandchild Lindley.  I had the privilege of photographing her very first cry and capturing her daddy's tears as he gazed at his precious daughter for the first time.  She has delighted us with her first giggle, first steps, first words, first loose tooth and hearing her read her first words.  Now she's a big second grader and smarter than her Mumsie!  On second thought, maybe it's not the end of the series.  I might have more to share from time to time.

I have a new blog!  "Paris Through My Lens" - a photo diary of my recent trip to Paris.

The Tune du Jour is "It Had To Be You" by Rod Stewart

Discover Rod Stewart featuring Chris Botti!

Portraits From My Heart - Kitty Love

Portraits From My Heart II

Kittykins here is one of the luckiest cats I know.  She was a gift to Eva from Santa.  He left her right under the tree.  It was love at first sight.  Since Christmas her feet have hardly touched the floor.  She has been hugged, nuzzled, smooched, and lovingly toted  all over the house by her adoring mistress. This is a match made in heaven.

Portraits From My Heart is a portrait series of my five grandchildren.  Portrait I was posted on Tuesday, August 5th.

Tune du Jour is " Everywhere" by Pink Martini.   It may have been written for Eva and Kittykins.