I would be there if I did not currently have a clogged duct which leans toward mastitis (nonstop nursing is our cure, mehopes) but if you are reading this blog right now, stop. Jump in your car and drive on over to Snow Hinton to show your support for our local immigrant community.
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This summer, the Birmingham Museum of Art presents Who Shot Rock & Roll, the first major museum exhibition on rock & roll to put photographers in the foreground, acknowledging their creative and collaborative role in the history of rock music.
From its earliest days, rock & roll was captured in photographs that personalized, and frequently eroticized, the musicians, creating a visual identity for the music. The photographers were handmaidens to the rock & roll revolution, and their images communicate the social and cultural transformations that rock has fostered since the 1950s.
The exhibition is in six sections: rare and revealing images taken behind the scenes; snapshots of young musicians at the beginnings of their careers; exhilarating photographs of live performances that display the energy, passion, style, and sex appeal of the musicians on stage; powerful images of the crowds and fans that are often evocative of history paintings; portraits revealing the soul and creativity, rather than the surface and celebrity, of the musicians; and conceptual images and album covers highlighting the collaborative efforts between the image makers and the musicians.
Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present is organized by the Brooklyn Museum with guest curator Gail Buckland.
General admission to the exhibit is $10 a head, not much considering all the goosebumps you'll accrue as you view.
FIRST THURSDAYS ROCKUMENTARY SERIES AUGUST 4 and SEPTEMBER 1 // FREE
The Museum is partnering with the experts at Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival to bring you a series of the "baddest rock-and-roll documentaries ever produced". Not bad.
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Thanks to Shannon Eileen's blog post, I have discovered something else to get excited about. Because I'm not already overly-excited about so many happenings and happynings.
Begun as a roadside folk art show in 1996, inspired by the Burning Man festival, the Doo-Nanny is now located on a beautiful 80 acre farm in Seale, Alabama. It includes a wacky "lo-fi" film festival, fun food, the Possum Trot auction, and an eclectic assortment of music and activities. Not to mention the Doo Nanny Burn. When I read the following invitation on the festival website, there was no doubt in my mind that they were talking to the Coryells:
Come all ye inventors, movie makers, ballerinas, bikers, morticians, bakers, artists, conspiracy theorists, scientists, foodies, eco-whatevers, moonshiners, comedians, fire-spinners, yodelers, he-shes, animal-trainers, pickle-makers, party girls, sock monkeys, stackers, jugglers, musicians, whittlers, spankers, fisherpersons, beggers, wanderers, and map-makers.......
The Outsider Art Show is primarily rooted in southern folk art, but the doors of interpretation are wide open. Oh my goodness. The plan is hatching. Somehow, I have to convince the Adams Family, who now resides in nearby Columbus Georgia, to camp out with us that weekend. We could buy a vendors pass or two for $50, including camping, party admission, and admission for one helper / partner. Children are free.
Butch Anthony, also known as The Museum of Wonder, is quite the visionary. He started building his log cabin in 1988 and is still tweaking it. It is made from heart pine salvaged from an old mill in Columbus, Ga., and put together with the help of his home-made rigging — cables and pulleys strung from the branches of pine trees. Mr. Anthony made the chandeliers on a screened porch from twigs and cow bones; the 1930s quilts came from his Possum Trot auction.
Mr. Anthony dresses exclusively in Liberty bib overalls (he owns 25 pairs).
The house is built into the side of a hill, and the bedroom is half-underground, which keeps it cool in the summer. A rusty mattress spring from an antique bed makes a wall hanging; ladder-back chairs have seats woven from old ties.
A visionary man needs a visionary woman. When Ms. Chanin and Mr. Anthony met, he told her he was living in a log cabin in the woods. "But this was like a vision," she said. Now, his aesthetic and hers — she makes hand-stitched clothes and home goods under the Alabama Chanin label — have merged. Mr. Anthony and Natalie Chanin's 4-year-old daughter, Maggie, jumps on a bed next to a bathroom with "windows" made from "beaver sticks," a.k.a. twigs chewed by beavers.
Mr. Anthony describes his art, which includes old family portraits (not his own) embellished with skeletons or creatures of his own imagining, as "intertwangleism." His definition: "Inter, meaning to mix," he said, "and twang, a distinct way of speaking. If I make up my own 'ism,' no one can say anything or tell me I'm doing it wrong."
The kitchen is heated by a wood-burning stove. The mantel was salvaged from an old house being torn down nearby; the pine cones are from Longleaf pines, a historical Southern original that Mr. Anthony is reinstating on his property.
Credit goes to excellent reporting and photos from The New York Times.
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There will be a free Post Storm Tree Recovery Workshop on next Wednesday, July 27th from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. It will be located in the County Extension Office at 402 Arnold St. NE in Cullman, AL. If you'd like to register to attend the event, contact Tony Glover at 256-737-9386 or email him at [email protected]. You can learn more, including a specific schedule for the day, driving directions, and details, from the online flyer.
If you are like me and can't do the drive to Cullman, the Tuscaloosa County Extension will be broadcasting this event as a free webinar on the same day at the same times. A live webinar. Just go to the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse Annex at 2513 7th Street. Contact [email protected] with questions.
Seminar Goals include:
This is a super opportunity for mature homeschooled kids to learn more about how they can assist the community, since not every broken tree is in our own backyard.
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The folks at The Druid City Garden Project were in an area ravaged by the tornado in Tuscaloosa. Yet they have managed to pull together and keep this amazing local garden project going. This afternoon, from 4 to 6 pm, they will open their garden gates to the public. They have sunflowers and zinnias sold at two stems for $1 and purple hull peas at $2 per pound.
If you can't make it this afternoon, then drop by on Sunday, July 10th, at the same time same place. Show your support for homegrown goods.
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The University of Alabama will pay tribute to Autherine Lucy Foster, James Hood and the late Vivian Malone Jones, the three African-American students whose enrollment represented the University's first steps toward desegregation, at the dedication of the Autherine Lucy Clock Tower and the Malone-Hood Plaza at Foster Auditorium on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The formal dedication will be held at 1 p.m. and will be carried live via webcast here.
A 2 p.m. community celebration at the Plaza, hosted by the University's Black Faculty and Staff Association, will feature music by the Alabama Brass Quintet and the Afro-American Gospel Choir.
The day also includes a 9 a.m. panel discussion with Foster, Hood and relatives of Jones for students, faculty and staff in Ferguson Center ballroom. The discussion about the events leading to desegregation of UA, will be moderated by Dr. E. Culpepper Clark, former dean of UA's College of Communication and Information Sciences and author of the book "The Schoolhouse Door: Segregation's Last Stand at the University of Alabama." A ticket is required for admission to the discussion. Free tickets are available online at crimsonartstickets.com.
For more information, please visit the Malone Hood Plaza webpage.
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Micah and I spent some together this morning just the two of us at the March for Midwives, put together by the Alabama Birth Coalition. She is such a sweet, tough little creature who always leaves me with reason to marvel. I was proud to take her to yet another march for, yes, yet another cause which I think is important.
When Max was still in diapers, I thought long and hard about what good parenting really meant. And then I met a man who shared my visions and agreed to go that heady adventure called "family" in which we would work out our visions and ideals in the day-to-day. While Patrick and I do not agree on absolutely everything, I am grateful for our differences and the mutual respect which keeps our dialogue from growing stale or petrified. My favorite part of the day is still that time of the night when we steal sleepish moments to discuss everything under the sun.
So back to the March for Midwives-- and to the concern on the part of some friends and family that perhaps we protesteth too much. Our good parenting test is a historical one. If we raise our children in such a way that they would be unable to live in a Nazi Germany without speaking out and standing against it, we will feel we have done a good job. I don't care if Max, Micah, or Milla pursue professional careers or "make a name for themselves" so much as I care if they are kind, gentle, and conscientious persons who refuse to settle for or accept a world in which cruelty is just "part of life". So that's my test-- would Max, Micah, or Milla refuse to live under a Nazi regime which killed Jews, homosexuals, the handicapped, and other groups?
And a greater part of pedagogy involves playing an active role in our community which involves standing up for causes we believe are just, fair, and consistent with the kindness which acts for love of our fellow man. So we protest. And march. And sign petitions. And carol for veterans. And try not to look the other way when someone is suffering. And today, we marched with other community members who wish to see an immediate end to the legal persecution of midwives in the state of Alabama.
Oh, and did you know that Paul Bear Bryant was born at home?
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This past Saturday, Patrick stayed home with Milla while Bunica and I went to the 1st Annual Johnny Shines Blues Festival in Holt, a few miles away from our home. It was lovely- the blues always make me so happy, such a beautiful tradition and amazing slice of history. The festival itself took place in the backyard of Carol Shines (pictured above), Johnny's daughter, who made all of us feel at home. One kind lady offered Max and Micah free hot dogs and juice after they wore themselves out dancing and wrestling together. I missed having a camera so so much (our camera is dead and we've missed SO MANY amazing moments to photograph), but my mom took a few photos and made a video in which you can watch the munchkins break it down.
Leave it to Debbie Bonds and Carol Shines to present a Hungarian bluesman in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Enter Little G. Weevil, whose accent added a special touch to his blues performance.
I'll share a Little G. Weevil tune soon...
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As part of the The Year of Alabama Small Towns & Downtowns, historic downtown Northport will have a walking tour on May 22, 2010 that will include the Alabama Blues Project. From 1-6 p.m., there will be live music with Music Maker's Dr. G.B. Burt, our Advanced Blues Camp Band, and a jam session of Alabama musicians present - including the Blues Camp Instructors and the ABP Intermediate Band. Also, you can get a sneak peak of what we have to offer in our goal of a Living Blues Museum. There will be a Blues History Exhibition Tour where you can soak in all things Alabama blues!
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The weather couldn't have been better - sunny and breezy. We parked and snacked on grapes and Lo Mein because Patrick couldn't resist the allure of China Bob's in the strip mall nearby. Max yelled with excitement as each plane roared past. I was surprised by how much he enjoyed the Blue Angels air show. Micah, of course, was not impressed. She covered her ears and snuggled close when she saw the planes approach. At one point, she laid in the grass with her ear to the ground and the other ear covered by her fat little hand.
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Living near the University of Alabama Arboretum is awesome! This past weekend, we purchased our tomato plants, a few cool herbs, and various peppers from the plant sale. Yesterday, I drove over there with a huge storage bin ready to pay for some compost. When Kenny rode up on his tractor, Max and Micah stood in awe. He helped us load some dark, gorgeous compost into the trunk and then, when I handed him my money, he refused to accept it. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Max, like Kenny, is also a gentleman with long hair.....
Anyway, we'll be somewhere in the Georgia mountains this weekend, but there is fun to be had at the Arboretum this Sunday. The Montgomery Zoo will be bringing their array of raptor birds. Trained professionals will bring you up close and personal to several native birds of prey. This will be a family-friendly event sure to delight kids young and old, meek and bold. There is no admission charge but they are requesting donations to help with expenses.
BIRDS OF PREY
Sunday, April 18th at 2:00 PM
UA Arboretum Pavilion
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DCAF is a family friendly environment, free and open to the public from the hours of 2pm to 9pm. The DCAF After Party (10pm-2am) spans across downtown Tuscaloosa to participating venues hosting DCAF bands. For $5 you can purchase a DCAF wristband which acts as your cover to our participating venues. For that one night only, most of these participating venues will grant access to patrons ages 19+! Support an important cause…Benefits of the Druid City Music Festival will go to create a Tuscaloosa Arts Education Grant!
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The second annual Black Warrior Storytelling Festival will be held on March 28th, 2010 from 1:00-6:00 P.M. at the Park at Manderson Landing off of Jack Warner Parkway in Tuscaloosa. This free and entertaining event along the banks of the Black Warrior River will be for all ages, so bring your picnic blanket and be entertained by storytellers, University of Alabama dancers, Drum Circle, and artists.
Tasty sandwiches from McAlister's Deli will be available for purchase. The festival will feature original stories about Civil Rights, sports, life in the South, and so much more! Enjoy an inspirational afternoon for our community because everyone has a story to tell.
Kathryn White will be conducting several children’s programs on site while there will also be various activities for young children and adults to participate in such as journaling booths, live paint sessions, UA Outdoor Recreation stories and demonstrations.
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There has been much talk recently at the national and state levels about Charter Schools. If you'd like to know more, and/or if you care to share what you know with others in our community, please join us at our next TEN event:
What About Charter Schools?
Monday, March 1, 2010, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Tuscaloosa Public Library, Rotary Room
Jack Warner Pkwy.
Dr. John Petrovic, UA Education Policy Center, will talk briefly about what charter schools are, how they work, and what the research says.
Dr. Wayne Urban, UA Education Policy Center, will talk briefly about the legislation recently proposed in Montgomery.
Dr. Bill Stewart, (retired) UA Department of Political Science, will talk briefly about the process by which such legislation might pass or fail and the politics involved therein.
The floor will then be opened for questions and discussion. I am certainly curious as to why The Capitol School has not been granted charter school status by the state of Alabama, though I wish could be more curious (as opposed to cynical) about the reasons for our legislature's reluctance to experiment with a few charter schools.
For more information on TEN in general, visit the website. Hope to see you there!
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The wikipedia entry on Duncan Jones' feature debut film, Moon (2009), slated to open the Bama Art House Film Series this week, describes it as a "science fiction/psychological drama film about a solitary lunar employee who experiences a personal crisis as the end of his three-year stint nears". The film opens tonight; tickets for the entire series of 6 films cost only $30 a head.
Other films will include:
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Mark your calendars...Storyteller Molly W. Catron will be sharing stories on this coming Monday evening at 8 p.m. in the upstairs portion of Smith Hall (the Natural History Museum). If you haven't had the opportunity to experience an old-fashioned raconteur with your family, this might be it.
Molly has been telling stories for over twenty years. She lives on a farm in East Tennessee with husband, Wayne, a herd of goats, three cows, three dogs and a bird. She is Nana to three granddaughter and two grandsons and loves to play the guitar, make jewelry, sew, and sit on the porch. You can listen to a few of Molly's stories for free here.
If you'd like to keep current on local storytelling events, join the Facebook group, Storytelling Club. Julie Guthrie will keep you abreast of all storytelling-related events in the Tuscaloosa area.
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Thanks to the Michelsons for the lovely bouquet that has stayed fresh to brighten this gloomy day.
And thanks to Tori Gleason's advice, we will pick up our first delivery of fresh, organic veggies from Grow Alabama tomorrow around noon. I am so excited about trying new recipes with veggies. Here is one of the many recipes posted at the Grow Alabama website:
Warm Sweet Potato Salad
1/2 cup olive oil
3 red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbs honey
1 tbs finely chopped orange zest
1 tbs finely chopped fresh thyme
3 sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/2-thick slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat 3 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onions slowly, turning often, until golden brown and caramelized. Add mustard and vinegar and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add honey, orange zest and thyme, stir to combine. Let cool.
Preheat grill, Brush the potato slices on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the potatoes on each side for 3 to 4 minutes or until just cooked through. Place potatoes in a bowl and fold in onion mixture.
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Download Cahaba Fun on Sept. 20
Spend some fun family time in canoes and on the beautiful Cahaba before the weather gets too cool for river swims.
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APRIL 4 Alabama Wildflower Society Native Plant Sale (Kentuck Courtyard)
APRIL 7 The Gee's Bend Experience (Vestivia Hills Public Library)
University of Alabama Opera Theatre Present Selections from American Musical Theatre (Choral/Opera Room, Moody Music Building)
APRIL 9 Barbed Wire Reading Series Poetry Reading (Little Willie's)
Red Mountain Reading Series features fiction writer Bob Whetstone (Jefferson State Community College)
APRIL 11 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt (Oak Mountain State Park)
Glass-Blowing Demonstration (Kentuck)
Tank Tasting (Morgan Creek Winery)
APRIL 13 Spring Break Movies (Tuscaloosa Public Library)
APRIL 15 Tax Day Tea Party (University of Alabama Quad)
Princess / Prince / Fairy Party (Tuscaloosa Public Library)
APRIL 16 Campfire Activities (Tuscaloosa Public Library)
APRIL 16-17 Montevallo Literary Festival (Montevallo University)
APRIL 18 Alabama Book Festival (Old Alabama Town, Montgomery)
APRIL 30 School House Rock! (UA School of Music)
MAY 1 2008 Alabama Blues Project Extravaganza (Bama Theatre)
EXHIBITS & ONGOING:
Recent works by Sam Cornman (Kentuck Gallery)
National Poetry Month at the Dead Mule School of Southern Literature
Hewett's Honey Farm (Duncanville) has local honey to help with seasonal allergies. (It worked for Max.)
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As Patrick and I were beginning to worry about cleaning our old house and preparing it for the terrible housing market, the wonderful Marsha Roberts called and invited Max to visit a farm with her nieces to pay their respects to the 4-day old little goats. Max jumped out of his pants with glee... When Marsha arrived, the first thing Max said to the young ladies was, "I am 5 years old, and I am smarter than you". Whew! Fortunately, these young ladies were graceful (and smart) enough to giggle understandingly. Then off they went, while Patrick and I spent the afternoon at the house packing and cleaning and giving things away.
I am so happy that Max got a taste of new life in his prelude to spring. Last year, Micah was born with the animal babies in the spring. And I am so grateful to all the warm, large-hearted people in our world who give so much joy and share so much love with those around them. Thank you for giving Max this wonderful experience, Marsha!
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Getting ready for The Capitol School's International dinner tomorrow, we are setting up a table on Romania. It's always difficult for me to decide what to present at this table, since Romania has such a rich history and culture. Max and I purchased some poster board, which we'll use to make a little map tour of the country, focusing on regional specialties and famous landmarks. Unfortunately, Romania is not served well by a strictly visual tour-- in order to really get a sense for the country, you need a taste of its storytelling tradition, as practiced for thousands of years in the mountains and villages.
Castles are one route to exploring the history of European countries, and Romania has a number of beautiful castles.
A Romanian folk tale called "The Educated Man and the Peasant" reveals a scorn for education as contrasted with the common sense wisdom of the peasant:
You can read more Romanian folk tales, including priests, gypsies, thieves, and, of course, peasants at Romanian Tales.
Orthodox monasteries have a long tradition in Romania. (You can appreciate the large number of monasteries by looking at this Romanian monasteries map.) My mother tells stories of her youth in which her gang of friends would stay for free at monasteries while exploring the mountains. During the communist period, the monasteries continued to function as a place of solace and respite for Christian pilgrims. Unlike the Orthodox clergy, which often became involved in local politics, the monastic tradition, which required removal and distance from the "city of Man" (to use Augustine's distinction), remained true to the Christian tradition. In fact, many monks played the role of dissidents in that they refused to acknowledge the preeminence of the Communist government.
The painted monasteries of Bukovina educated a largely illiterate peasant population about the life and glories of Christ at a time in history when literacy was still the provenance of a leisured, fortunate few. The churches were founded as burial places for nobles, who commissioned painters to share the Gospel on the church walls. Painters brought their own visions to bear on the canonical iconographic program. Voronet is known for its spectacular blues; Sucevita's tones are mainly green-red; Moldovita's yellow becomes a gold in the summer evenings, and so on. At first, the paintings were limited to the interior walls and then expanded to include the outer walls as well. The frescoes of Florence seem humble in comparison to the extraordinary colors of the Romanian monastery frescoes.... I will never forget them.
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Bill and his lovely girlfriend, Anna (pronounced Ah-nah), came to visit from New Jersey this weekend. It was wonderful to see them! When they arrived Friday afternoon, Max and I were making junk collages, so we whipped out our finest fingerpaints and invited them to join.
Anna depicted a beaitful flower (above), while Bill took a more abstract expressionist approach (below).
On Saturday, after Max received his flu vaccine, we all piled into the Cadillac to learn more about the local folks at the Moundville Native American Festival. You can see Max wearing his Junior Flu Fighter badge below. I'm really not sure what he is doing with his hand...
Jack Thiele and Max roll down the hills.
A few Choctaw stop to pose for a photo. You can see Jack rolling with abandon in the background.
Max joined me in the Indian social dancing with trepidation-- "Mommy, my face isn't painted. How can I do an Indian dance if my face isn't painted?" Smart, sweet, always thoughtful Maxer.
After getting his face properly painted, Max and Bill pose for a few shots.
Can you see the dog Max drew on the front of his head piece?
After spending the afternoon at Moundville, we headed back to Firethorn for a lesson on how to make piroshki. Anna and Bill turned out the be quite the dicers. And, while Max preferred not to participate in the piroshki-making extravaganza, he loved playing with his own little bit of homemade play-dough. The piroshki were delicious; I ate more than God probably intended.
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I'll keep adding as I get a few minutes...
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Please mark your calendars for Saturday, September 27th to attend the Bethany Baptist Church Breast Cancer Walk honoring two amazing women-- Sharon Gilliland and Debbie Tilley-- who are currently fighting breast cancer.
THE WALK
The walk begins at 8 am, but registration begins at 7 am. The minimum to raise to be able to walk is $25. T-shirts will be sold-- $12 for people who are walking, $15 for people who are not.
T-SHIRTS
If you can't make it, send along a friend and have them purchase a T-shirt for you. )The layout is to the right... If you would like to go ahead and order a t-shirt, please contact Miranda Gilliland Harbin at [email protected].
THE DETAILS
Bethany Baptist Church is located at 14233 Upper Columbus Road in Coker, Alabama. If you are unfamiliar with this location, here is a Google map (with directions; just type in your address) to assist you. Everyone in the family is welcome! Babies in strollers are welcome as well! They do not have to be registered to participate.
Facebook fans can add this to their events. Those who are less web-based can always just pencil it in to their planners.
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The Petals From the Past newsletter is posted online so you can decide which great garden lectures to attend from May through August. Might I suggest the Blue and Blackberry Festival in June?
The Alabama Blues Project newsletter is also up, and the Bluzkat's Harmonica Jam Workshop this Saturday looks promising. Information about Willie King's Freedom Creek Festival 2008 (this Memorial Day weekend) is also available.
‘Stream Restoration Construction’ workshop held in Jasper, Alabama May 29, 2008. Time: 9 a.m -4 p.m. Registration will begin at 8:30.The workshop will center on Town Creek Tributary, an urban stream in the City of Jasper bordering Maddox Middle School. This workshop will be conducted during construction of an urban stream restoration project at the School. Participants will learn about plan sheet development, construction specifications, permitting, and construction oversight while observing channel grading and structure installation. The workshop will be split between classroom and extensive field work. Instructors will emphasize urban stream conditions specific to the southeastern U.S. Workshop instructors have experience working on more than 40 stream assessments and restoration projects throughout the Southeast. Learn more or register online now at the CAWACO website!
The New York Times article “Amid the Ghosts of Alabama” on April 18 profiled three ghost towns that are within two hours’ drive of Mobile and Birmingham. The first town featured was Claiborne that was one of the last areas occupied by Union soldiers after the Civil War. Claiborne is in Monroe County 14 miles east of Monroeville- the setting for “To Kill a Mockingbird”. The second city featured is St. Stephens an hour’s drive northwest from Claiborne. St. Stephens served as the first capital of territorial Alabama. The abandoned town now lies within the Old St. Stephens Historical Park. Cahaba, the third city featured, was the first permanent state capital of Alabama from 1820 to 1825.
On May 24th and 25th, head to Decatur for the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic. Decatur also has a Geocaching Passport for families that enjoy modern treasure hunts.
And looking forward to June, the Alabama Scenic River Trail opens... If you have a canoe, don't miss the chance to be a part of Paddle Alabama.
(Hat tip to Your Town Alabama blog for a few of these entries. I always find neat treasures there...)
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The first Homegrown Alabama weekly market is going to be this coming Thursday, May 1st, from 3-6:30 p.m. at Canterbury Chapel. This is on the east side of the UA campus, at the corner of Hackberry and 9th St. There will be 13 Alabama farmers at this first market, along with other vendors.
Markets will run weekly in the same location through October 9th, except for May 22nd and July 3rd when there will be no market. We're so excited to get this weekly market started, and we hope you are too. That makes 22 markets this year, each with its own combination of produce, vendors, music, chef demonstrations, recipes, and more!
Come Thursday and support the Alabama farming community, buy fresh veggies and enjoy this beautiful spring weather! They'll have the usual music, activities and plenty of good-natured folks. How exciting is that?
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Make a horn from a drinking straw.
Learn how to crush a can on your head.
Buy a copy of Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods and celebrate Earth Day by reading it in a hammock in your very own backyard.
Donate a pair of running shoes to the Reuse-A-Shoe program.
Watch the Tuscaloosa Triathlon and see the male and female athlete chosen this weekend to represent our country at the Olympics in China. I, for one, am intrigued by the swimmers in the Black Warrior River.
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Because the line-up looks like a wild and beautiful dream. Among my favorites (the ones I've already seen and would love to see again are in green):
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Free Alabama tree seminar at Petals From the Past in Jemison on February 9th / Join Birmingham Botanical Gardens' executive director, Fred Spicer, on February 9 at 10:30 am, for a beautiful slide show that takes a close look at nearly 40 different outstanding and easy-to-grow trees for our area. Using the BBG's extensive collection as a starting point, Spicer will discuss tree selection, proper culture (including drought-tolerance) and ornamental features. He'll also include a few trees to avoid and talk about the benefits of diverse urban forests. There will be refreshments in the retail shop before the seminar. View the online newsletter from Petals From the Past here.
Honeydripper movie premiere and reception at the Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa tonight / See the latest film from John Sayles filmed in Alabama at the Bama tonight! Sponsored by The Alabama Blues Project.
Free performance by the SSCC Jazz Ensemble at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa on February 5th / presented by the Shelton State 's Terrific Tuesday Concert Series at the Bean-Brown Theatre, no admission charged, February 5th at 1pm. Call 391-2277 for details.
Drew Mays performs at Gorham's Bluff at 3 pm on February 17th / An ophthalmologist by trade, Birmingham pianist Drew Mays recently made a big splash in the world of classical music by winning first prize in the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs this past June. Culminating a fifteen-year journey that took him from the Manhattan School of Music to a long hiatus during which he did not play at all, the Van Cliburn win portends many great things to come for this talented Alabama musician. Mr. Mays will be performing on a Steinway piano courtesy of Forbes Piano Company in Homewood, Alabama.
Pinhoti Trail Day Hike on February 16th / Join the Alabama Rivers Alliance for a social hike along one of our most beautiful trails. For more information, contact Larry Warren at 256-835-0870.
58th Annual Camellia Show at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on February 9th / The Birmingham Camellia Society is pleased to announce its yearly show and sale to be held at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. For more information contact Dave Glass at (205) 408-5756. The show will begin at 9 am.
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We started the weekend with a trip to Red Top Mountain in Georgia to celebrate the wedding of Ryan and Keturah Coryell. The weather was spotless, and the location rather sentimental for us, since we camped at the Red Top State Park the first night when we decided we wanted to start "dating". Ask me about the part where Patrick took off his shirt and loaded the trunk with various trees he plucked from the ground-- "kindling", he called it. I think we just sat on rock that night watching the moon over the lake until the wee hours of the morning a little awed by the road we were considering.
Unfortunately, we couldn't squeeze the nostalgia for all it was worth this time because the Red Top campground was full. We ended up camping at the McKinney campground about 3 miles away from Red Top State Park. It was lovely; Max fell asleep outside by the fire in a nest of blankets with the hum of old timey music on the radio. Sleep came simply after a day full of playing with Trey and Chance at the wedding.
Keturah, the beautiful bride, was escorted by her father. Ryan made his way down the aisle with the preacher who married them. Gary and Bradley sat in the last row with us. Max gave us his best wedding whoop when the groom kissed the bride. A lovely nuptial.
After catching up with the Coryell side of family, and meeting Aunt Russell's lovely sister, Kate, (who used the phrase "kindred spirits", which harkens back to my days as an L.M. Montgomery bookaholic), I learned about the family antique store in Atlanta-- Kudzu Antique Market-- which is now on my list of places to visit. How cool.
After waking with the sunrise on Sunday morning, we decided to hit the road in search of adventure. So we consulted the local stars, gas station attendants, and tourist brochures to discover the Prater's Mill Country Fair. It satisfied (almost) all our cravings, including deep-fried Vidalia onions, homemade lemon creme cake, red beans and rice, alligator sausage, pony rides, live gospel music, avian explorations, good folks, good food, and a little slice of history on the side.
The gentleman featured above cuts bowls from tree trunks with a chain saw. We got to watch.
We also strolled through the Mill, which is still running. You can even purchase Prater's Mill Grits inside (if you still have money left after pony rides).
After spending a few hours at the fair, we decided to follow our fancies to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Patrick remembered a park by the river-- Coolidge Park-- with a carousel and kid-friendly fun. We stuffed ourselves with ice cream and laughed as Max accosted various Sunday strollers that just so happened to pick the same park as our loquacious little man.
Onwards we ventured to Cloudland Canyon State Park, which took my breath away.
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Eva Frontier Days takes places in the nearby town of Eva, Alabama during the last weekend of September.
Kicking off the 19th annual event will be a Bluegrass Jam in the gymnasium of Eva School. The highlight of the festival is the frog jumping contest, pig calling contest, and greased pig chase. All musicians are invited to bring their own instruments and join in on the Bluegrass Jam. Following the Bluegrass Jam is a hayride on Tuesday evening and on Thursday evening is good, wholesome community singing. The festival concludes the following Saturday with the Antique Tractor and Car Show and a fun run. The day wraps up with the always popular greased pig chase.
The first annual North Alabama Folk Festival also takes place the last weekend of this month on September 29th. For more events in Cullman this fall, see the Cullman Times' website.
More things to do in or near Cullman, Alabama:
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![](http://www.kidzapalooza.com/imgs/Kidzapalooza_logo_smalla.jpg"){kind=logo}
Kidapalooza. Yes, like Lollapalooza, but smaller. The 2007 lineup is not so shabby, including, among others:
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Enjoy a pass to the best and best ever of Birmingham, Alabama on July 14th. PDF flyer provides the yummy details.
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The Tuscaloosa area is brimming with things to do for the remainder of this month. A few to add to your calendar:
Through April 21, take the time to visit The Wonders of Alabama Art Exhibit in Birmingham.
April 20 Woodland Hills Garden Club Community Yard Sale at 2841 Firethorn Drive from 8 am to 2 pm
April 20 Antiques in the Garden
April 21 Woodland Hills Garden Club Community Yard Sale at 2841 Firethorn Drive from 8 am to 2 pm
April 21 Sucarnochee Folk Life Festival
April 22 Earth Day in the Gardens at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens
April 27 Alabama Society of Traditional Bowmen at Tannehill State Park
April 27 Men Who Cook Festival
April 28 Alabama Society of Traditional Bowmen at Tannehill State Park
April 28 Hurricane Creek Annual Clean-Up- For paddle trips, arrive before 9 am.
The Woodland Hills Garden Club Community Yard Sale is a fundraiser for neighborhood signs. We met today and priced some incredible items. The entire back porch will have $1 items, including clothing, jewelry, glassware, houreware, linens, books, toys, and bric-a-brac. And yes, it will be hosted at our home, so please drop by. Refreshments will also be sold.
If you need directions or info about local parks, our Google Map might help.
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Thanks to Thomas Pearson's (a.k.a. Pintpundit) incredible musical foresight, Pat and I saw Will Kimbrough and the Avett
Brothers this past Saturday evening. The show was at the Bama Theatre, and I sat next to my husband and a fireman who gifted one of the sweetest soft drinks I've tasted in a while. It was the best. Even though they didn't play Gimme A Kiss, which I share below.
Love Like the Movies
Gimme A Kiss
Colorshow
By the time the Brothers rolled around to their last, pre-encore tune, I had given up on hearing Gimme A Kiss. So when the first chords of Swept Away started, I grabbed Patrick's hand and pulled him to the aisle for a little dance. Because Patrick did sweep me away, and it seemed perfectly fine to dance with my husband in the antique aisles of the Bama Theatre barefoot and beholden to this man who still rocks my world in ways I never manage to predict. Here's the song...
The Avett Brothers- Swept Away
If you aren't ever satisfied, you can find a variety of free Avett mp3s listed at Hypemachine. And maybe a little satisfaction.
More butterflies:
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Downloading fun for everyone, from the thrifty to the whimsical. If you are crunched on time, then you should download the Three Little Birds song. Because it will make you laugh. And laughing is still legal.
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The Friends of Hurricane Creek are hosting the Clean-Up and Chili Cookout on Saturday, April 28th from 8 am until the last man is no longer standing. It's a great way to spend Earth Day, and Hurricane Creek certainly added awesome adventures to my high school years, so giving back is a given.
To get to Hurricane Creek from the Alberta City area, take University Blvd to intersection at 15th street and hwy 216. Take 216 toward Brookwood. After you cross Hurricane Creek take the third paved road to the left. This will be County Rd 88. Follow 88 to the stop sign and turn left. Follow Holt Peterson Rd. to the bridge.
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