For the Birds!! - 300th Post

Meet Augustus, the unofficial boss at the Plant Odyssey ( we've been here before).  He greeted me when I got out of my car. Perched in a tree, he was squawking his head off.  I chatted with him later as I wandered around the outside part of the nursery.  He finally flew down to the open door to get a closer look.  I was a touch nervous, thinking I might be wearing him as a hat any minute.  Owner Libby is a bird lover and has huge cages inside with a wide variety of feathered friends. Augustus pretty much does his own thing from what I can tell.  The bottom photo is a birdhouse on an outside wall.  It's too small for Augustus but I just liked the light and shadows.  You guessed that I'm sure.

Hard to believe that way back last June when I got this harebrained idea to do a daily photo blog,  I'd have 300 posts under my belt.  I've come a long way since the day I asked my "Mac Dude"  at the Apple Store, "How in the heck do I make a blog???"  Well 300 posts, many, many new friends and strangers,  hilarious experiences and about 1 gazillion  photos later, I'm still having a ball!  Thank you all for your visits, comments, helpful suggestions, photo critiques etc.                                                Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!

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".

Easter Sunday

Today is Easter Sunday,  and I am pleased to share this beautiful cross that will stand in the front of my church this morning.  At 11 and half feet tall, it took my breath away when it was finished,  and the last lily was lovingly tucked into place yesterday. What a powerful message it symbolizes.  I'm including another photo as well.  This is the cross our crucifer will bear as he leads the processional into the sanctuary this morning.  For those of you celebrating Easter around the world , I send blessings to your and your family!

Easter Memories

Today, the day before Easter, I thought I'd share a special photograph from my childhood.  I'm guessing I was about 2 years old.  A treasured memory of my Momma and me in our Easter bonnets.  

The photo below was one I remembered when Laurie, at South Pasadena DP,  posted a 1957 Chevy Thursday .  I think it's interesting how our parents often  posed  us next to the family car. I know my mother and I were very "car proud" when she bought this fine finned vehicle,  so it rightfully shared the Easter pictures with me that year!

Today I leave you with a clip of an  Easter commercial that my girls always loved.  

"Thank you Easter Bunny, Bawk, Bawk!"

Three Crosses

I discovered these three beautifully carved crosses at the Plant Odyssey on 6th Avenue South on Birmingham's Lakeview District.  Libby has owned this nursery for many years and has a loyal following.  You can't miss the shop.  With it's quirky  pointed roof, it looks more like something out of Hansel and Gretel.  We'll come back another day and you can meet Augustus.  You're going to love him!

The Dancing Chairs!

I hope you'll love this post as much as I do.  This is another photo from the "abandoned office building adjoining the abandoned Lyric Theatre."  This photo made me smile when I took it. What made it more fun was the response my friend Bob Crowe, ( St. Louis Daily Photo),  had when I sent him some of the photos.  Bob, may I quote you???

" What are those things and how do they stand independently?  My immediate strong association was to a poor-side -of -town version of Mickey Mouse's buckets and mops in the Sorcerer's Apprentice section of Disney's Fantasia.  Whatever those things are - old chair backs? - they are dancing. "

Well, my friend and tour guide of the Alabama and Lyric, Tom Cronier, had something to add:

"Wander, wander

Faster, faster

Fetch your master

WATER  

Gushing from the buckets

See when I look at that room I see old Alabama Theatre seats that were stored  here when the Alabama got new ones.  BUT you and Bob see something magical."

What can I add,  but that these are the side panels from old seats from the Alabama Theatre across the street that are piled in this room.  You  will have to admit they seem to be dancing to the window to get one last glimpse.  

Easter Finery

Down here in the Deep South, we take Easter garb very seriously.  I 'm not especially proud of this,  but in the 70's when I spent the winter as a P.O.W. in Neenah, Wisconsin, I drove through a snowstorm in order to buy my 2 year old a pair of white Mary Jane shoes for Easter.  You can probably guess she was the only child at church on Easter Sunday not wearing a snowsuit!  That said, when I spotted these adorable pink shoes and the exquisite dresses in Christine's Across the Street's  window in Mountain Brook Village,  it all came back to me.  The Easter shopping ritual.  How fun it was to get the new outfit, shoes, even the brand new socks and slip!  Of course mine were never as fine as these, but a delight nevertheless.  Christine's is a mother's and  grandmother's paradise alright. When I hit the lottery, I'm going to shop right here!

* I've added a new music player on the sidebar. You will need to click on the player and choose the song using the blue arrows.  Please let me know how this works for you.

New photos of the Sloss Iron Pour on Flickr 

HERE

Doorways

Old abandoned office building adjoining the old abandoned Lyric Theatre.  You get the picture. Located on the corner of 3rd Avenue North and 18th Street, this is yet another "treasure in the rough" I was privileged to explore on Sunday.  Coming Attraction:  the Lyric Theatre.  Stay tuned, you won't want to miss this!!!

Oh, I hear mutterings about black and white.  Trust me on this one. This photograph said ...color!

The Faces of the Sloss Furnaces Iron Pour

Well after all was said and done, I got to spend two days at Sloss Furnaces enjoying the incredible activities with the National Conference on Cast Iron Art going on there.  If you missed my first post on Friday,  here it is.  Well my friend Elise took me back on Saturday to see more.  I have so many photos I suppose I'll put them on a Flickr slideshow. We'll see if I can figure that out.  For today, some mighty cool strangers I got to have a chat or just a few words with. Enjoy! 

More photos of the Sloss Iron Pour on FLICKR

HERE

Hosanna!

For Christians around the world, today is Palm Sunday.  I love chronicling events at my church, Independent Presbyterian Church, and this season is no exception.  These palm crosses were made by ladies in our church and will be worn today by everyone attending services.  The top photo was taken in a small room off the sanctuary where the afternoon sun was streaming through a stained glass window.  The colors and effect were a pleasant surprise. 

Gone, But By No Means Forgotten!

I hate having to make this post today.  My favorite bookstore and coffee shop has closed .  My friends the Van Eatons ran  Jonathan Benton Bookseller  in Mountain Brook Village for years,  and it was the kind of bookstore where I  could wander around and get great personal service and helpful suggestions ( do you get that in the mega stores? I think NOT ) .  The Daily Cup in the front of the bookstore had the best peach muffins on the entire planet and some mighty fine gazpacho and pimento cheese. They also knew I wasn't a coffee snob and didn't try and talk "Starbucks" to me!  They closed before I could have one last muffin.  I'm sad today.  They will be missed.

Recreating the *Magic

"I'm too sexy for my goggles"

Wednesday my photography buddy Bill called me up and gave me a "hot" tip .  The National Conference on Cast Iron Art was getting cranked up at Sloss Furnaces.  I was a little skeptical but he persuaded me to grab my camera and get on down there.  Merci Bill!  I wouldn't have missed that for the world.  What I found were teams from all over the country building their own make shift furnaces in order to actually pour iron!  Birmingham owes it's nickname the *"Magic City" to its rapid growth due to the production of iron at Sloss Furnaces.  No longer active, Sloss is a National Historic Landmark.  On Wednesday night at 6:00, furnaces were lit once again.  It was something to see.  Today a sampling.  I can promise this won't be the last!

Previous Sloss posts are here, here , here and here.

Houston, we have lift-off!

( I'm thinking that was a water heater in another life)

The Wisteria is in Bloom!

If you haven't experienced springtime in Birmingham, bless your heart!   For the next week or so I hope to give you all a glimpse of just how absolutely, spectacular this season can be.  Today, wisteria in bloom .   A lot of folks around here will tell you that wisteria can be a bit unruly ( invasive ). Well yes it can!  We try to overlook that this time of year,  when it's hanging from trees and telephone wires,  as gorgeous as can be.  I' m sharing several photos today because the blooms won't last long!

Theme Day: Yellow .....Brick Road!

Today, the first of April, is Theme Day for City Daily Photo Bloggers around the world.  We voted for YELLOW as our theme so here's my entry. It's Dorothy (Eva) and the friendly witch (Maddie) skipping down the Yellow Brick Road  at the A Night in Oz  fundraiser for the Birmingham Children's Theater.  I have a little bonus entry at the bottom.  A still life I took in my kitchen during my first photography class in January, 2008.  

Hundreds of Daily Photo bloggers around the globe have posted their interpretation of YELLOW.  Take a look!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

I am pleased to introduce a new blog today.  My friends at La Bonne Etoile have launched their new blog.  Have a look!  Don't forget that there is still time to register for the photography workshop I will lead there in July.  See the blog or the info on my sidebar for more information.