Good Abode--Photos of Memphis, TN, USA

Picking the Perfect Pumpkin...

2008-10-27T17:28:00.003-05:00

More fun at Tom's Farm...we had so many pumpkins to choose from, but I thought that my guys chose some nice ones for our front porch (last photo).

I hope that you're having lovely fall days where you are, too! (Edited to add:...wow, I need to change my width settings, don't I? Blogger is cutting off my hosted photos...).

Cotton Harvest Time

2008-10-22T21:04:00.005-05:00

This is the time of year when cotton is harvested here, and you can often smell the cotton seed oil aroma before you even see the field (I like that smell). It looks almost like a dusting of snow, doesn't it?

My late uncle was a "cotton man", so the yearly cotton crop has a special place with my family. These fields are just outside Collierville, near Rossville.

Tom's Farm, Rossville...

2008-10-19T21:34:00.004-05:00

Located in Rossville, just outside the Collierville and Piperton area, Tom's Farm has long been our favorite destination for choosing our pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn each Fall season. You can find their address and contact information here (be sure to check out the aerial view of the corn maze!).

We first bought pumpkins from this family years ago when they hosted their "pumpkin patch" at their country home, and this has become such a popular destination for people in this area that they had to move to their current larger location. Now, they also have hay rides and a huge corn maze that are enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is definitely worth the drive, and makes an afternoon adventure out of finding the perfect pumpkin!

You can also find quite a few wonderful spots for taking Fall photos there, and I'll be sharing more of this picturesque and fun place (and also the pumpkins that we chose this year) later this week.

Preview...Horses For A Cause, Courtesy of Glenda/Mid-South

2008-10-18T20:46:00.010-05:00

All of our beautiful photos today are courtesy of a sweet friend and regular reader, Glenda/Mid-South. I recently put out a call for someone to share photos of the beautiful horses that had been placed around the Germantown area for the past several months, and she enthusiastically and graciously agreed to share the photos she had taken of them.

Didn't she do a wonderful job capturing these horses in all their glory? The horses are the creations of local artists and were placed around the Germantown Charity Horse Show arena in June, and later around the city of Germantown after the Germantown Charity Horse Show had ended.

Some citizens expressed wishes that they might become permanent additions to the city...everyone has enjoyed their presence so much. They are being auctioned for charity this weekend, and I'm so glad that Glenda captured their beauty in her photos so that we can remember and enjoy them any time we wish.

My observant and thoughtful husband noticed that the horses had been displayed one last time at Saddle Creek Mall in Germantown this weekend. We took photos of each horse yesterday, and my father went with us. I think that he enjoyed them as much as we did, and we took some photos of him by one of the horses, too. He took my sister and niece to see them today, and they enjoyed seeing them, also.

I will be sharing photos of each of the 20 artists' horses, including photos of the detail of their beautiful work, occasionally over the next few weeks, and I hope that you will enjoy seeing them as much as we have in this area.

Once again, thank you so much to our friend Glenda for her great eye and generosity, and this great preview of some of the horses commissioned for this charity auction. We so enjoyed your photos!!

I hope that you're having a great weekend!

Fall Display, Collierville Town Square

2008-10-14T19:26:00.004-05:00

If you are near the Memphis area during the fall season, be sure to drop by the Collierville Town Square. The city employees do a wonderful job decorating the entire charming historic area each year, and it will certainly get you into the fall spirit. I will be sharing more photos of the Town Square area soon.

Once again, thank you so much for the kind messages! I didn't realize that CityDailyPhoto had added me back onto their link pages, and it is so nice to see everyone again! Work is overwhelming this week, and I will try to catch up on my correspondence in just a few days.

Fall at the Agricenter Farmer's Market

2008-10-12T17:35:00.003-05:00

I think that this is my favorite time of year, and we always look forward to choosing colorful mums and pumpkins for decorating our yard and porch. The Farmer's Market at the Agricenter has lots to choose from this season!

Do you enjoy fall, too? What's your favorite thing about this season?

Old Barn, Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club...and a favor...

2008-10-11T20:57:00.006-05:00

Thanks to those of you who wrote me for such a warm welcome back! I have a new job which takes a bit of time each week, but I hope to be blogging as regularly as possible. I enjoy sharing the Memphis area with you, and I'm glad that you enjoy seeing it, too!

Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus, was formerly a cattle ranch by the same name. Some of the recently-developed residential streets surrounding the club are named after the bulls that resided here when it was ranch land. This is one of the old barns remaining on the Spring Creek Ranch property, and I'm not sure that preserving the barn structures is on their long-term plan. I wanted to have a photo to serve as a record of this property's history, and I thought that the barn looked especially pretty with the goldenrod (and ragweed...achoo!) in full bloom.

And now for the favor! Do any of you have any photos of the artists' life-size horses that have been around the Germantown area since the Germantown Charity Horse Show? We came back from the MS State/Vanderbilt football game tonight and passed through Germantown, and they're gone! We were going to take photos of them on Sunday and Tuesday this week, when we had some extra time to visit each site, and share them here. SO disappointing! If any of you have photos (of the horses, of anything else in the Memphis area) that you'd like to share here, I'd be glad to post them and credit you for the photo. If you do, please leave a message here. Thanks!

Goldenrod, Spring Creek Ranch

2008-10-10T21:17:00.003-05:00

Goldenrod found blooming this past week on the naturalized property of Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club on Collierville-Arlington Road. Yes, I know that some consider it to be a weed, at best a wildflower...but no matter its classification, it's an awfully pretty one!

Magnolia Blossom Time

2008-05-21T18:15:00.003-05:00

This has always been one of my favorite times of the year in Memphis. This is the season when everything is so green, it's still not too humid and hot to get out in the middle of the day, school is just about to get out for the summer, and the magnolias are in bloom. Aaaahhhh...

My father and I took a ride through some of his favorite areas of town today, and we stopped for a little while in Chickasaw Gardens. A visitor left a message a week or so ago speaking of missing the magnolias, especially the ones surrounding Chickasaw Gardens Lake and lining some of the streets in that area (this photo was taken with you in mind). We found this magnolia bloom on a tree just by the lake in early afternoon, and we thought that the lighting was perfect. I wish that you could smell this flower; it's a sweet, lemony scent that's unmistakeable, and smells heavenly when there is a warm breeze.

Japanese Garden of Tranquility

2008-05-17T18:43:00.003-05:00

Another view of one of my favorite places, the Japanese Garden of Tranquility at Memphis Botanical Garden.

I am still under the weather and just not quite feeling up to my energetic self, so I will be unable to post on a daily basis for a time. I will still be posting as I am able, and as always, I appreciate your stopping by!

Railroad, Collierville

2008-05-16T21:46:00.003-05:00

Railroad tracks in historic Collierville, just to the south of the Collierville Town Square.

Feeding the Koi...

2008-05-15T22:20:00.003-05:00

Feeding the Koi is a favorite activity for visitors to the Memphis Botanic Garden. The lake in the Japanese Garden of Tranquility is brimming with Koi, who enjoy this activity even more than the visitors, as you can see in the second photo.

Thank you so much for the warm wishes and nice messages! xo

A bit under the weather...but at least there are pretty garden photos to share!

2008-05-14T18:21:00.007-05:00

Hello! I've been away from the computer for several days, so I figured I owed you a few photos in this post. This is the Tennessee Bicentennial Iris Garden at the Memphis Botanic Garden. It was the first garden at the Memphis Botanical Garden, and the plantings are primarily the results of donations from the personal collection of a Memphis family. The sculpture in the center of the fountain is the Iris Goddess (first photo above). Most of these irises bloom in mid-to-late April, but some also bloom in late autumn.

Chris left me a message asking if I'm ok...thanks so much for thinking of me, Chris! Actually, I have been under the weather healthwise. During a routine health screening, my blood pressure was abnormally high (family curse, I think), and we've been working this week on adjusting medications, etc, for that. Right now, it's actually too low, which saps every bit of energy you have. Not whining here...I'm very thankful that it's a fairly easily controlled condition. I just wanted to let you know why I may be a bit hit-n-miss with posting or visiting for a short time.

I hope that everything is wonderful with you!

Iris Bloom

2008-05-07T16:53:00.003-05:00

My father and I visited the Memphis Botanic Garden last week, and were delighted to find the iris garden in full bloom. The Iris Garden is quite large, and centered around a fountain with a gorgeous statue in the middle. I will try to share a few photos of this beautiful spot in the next few days.

The babies are here!...and so is a new blogging friend!

2008-05-06T19:37:00.005-05:00

When I posted recently about the nesting Canadian Geese in this post, several of you asked for me to please update you when the babies arrived. Well, this weekend we spied this lovely goose family enjoying a family outing on Chickasaw Gardens lake. Definitely an "awwww" moment for DH and me, and I hope for you, too.

I also want to introduce you to a blogging friend of mine, Pat, who is an excellent photographer, and an even sweeter and most genuine friend. I have known her through her personal/homemaking blog, Back Porch Musings, for over a year, and now she has a new photo blog. She took that gorgeous lily photo above. You can find her photo blog, Snapshots from the Back Porch, here. Every visit to Pat's blog is a delight, and I am always inspired by her beautiful photos, and I think that you will enjoy them, also. When I have a few more minutes, I will be adding her link to my sidebar. Please stop by and enjoy her beautiful photography, and welcome her to the photo blogging community.

A photo? Why, yes, of course...

2008-05-04T19:53:00.003-05:00

We stopped by the annual Collierville festival, "Fair on the Square", for some traditional spring fun with lots of food, talent acts, arts and crafts, and of course, lots of animals.

When we stopped to take a photo of this mule hitch team, the mule on the left was looking right at me, and the one on the right was looking the other way. As soon as he spied my camera, he leaned his head in and posed, perfectly. Every time I raised my camera, he did the same thing...what a pro! Is this not a sweet pair? They are 20 and 21 years old respectively, and the sweetest animals you could meet.

This weekend has been very busy, but fun...I hope that yours has been the same!

Spring Creek, Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club

2008-05-03T17:51:00.004-05:00

This is Spring Creek, for which Spring Creek Ranch Golf Club is named. This Jack Nicklaus-designed course opened in 1999, and is rumored to be the possible future home course for the annual Stanford-St Jude golf tournament.

This course is also a member of the Aububon Conservation Reserve with 330 acres used for wetlands and a natural habitat and ecosystem for wildlife.

Spring Creek Ranch was once a very large cattle farm, and the course design (by Jack Nicklaus) has made wonderful use of the natural beauty of this land.

Oaklawn Garden Residence

2008-05-01T20:23:00.005-05:00

This is the Oaklawn Garden residence, built in 1854.

In this area, homes of this vintage are often painted white or cream. I think that green suits this residence, allowing it to remain in harmony with the gardens which Mr. and Mrs. Cloyes generously share with visitors.

Please do click on the photos for a more detailed view.

May Theme Day: (Dwindling) Numbers

2008-04-30T19:01:00.008-05:00

They don't make 'em like this anymore (as the railroad caboose is now found in very limited numbers)...but you can find this Norfolk and Western Caboose (1944) anytime in Harry Cloyes' collection of Germantown artifacts at his home, Oaklawn Garden. He and his wife, Becky, generously open their garden and vast collection for the public to enjoy each day, and have bequeathed their home and garden to Germantown (just outside the Memphis city limits) for future generations to enjoy. I will share a photo of the Cloyes' home, built in 1854, tomorrow. You can see why this garden was a favorite spot for my boys to visit...Mr. Cloyes' collection of railroad, municipal, and military artifacts delights both little boys and grown-up boys alike.

For those of you who asked about the jail building in yesterday's photo, yes, it truly was the original jail building for the Germantown area.

Please click on the photo to see a detailed view (railroad car numbers included). And please visit these other wonderful CDP blogs, listed on the CDP Theme Day Page here to view their contributions to today's Theme Day.

Reservation For One...

2008-04-29T19:07:00.003-05:00

This is the original jail for the Germantown community, which can be seen at Oaklawn Garden, the home of Harry and Becky Cloyes. You can see photos of Mr. Cloyes here.

The Cloyes are lifelong Germantown residents, and for years have graciously opened their gardens to those who enjoy seeing their beautiful azaleas and other plantings, and also their extensive collection of Germantown artifacts. They still live in the lovely home on the property (built in 1854...I'll show you that soon), and have generously bequeathed their home and land to the city so that future generations can continue to enjoy this very special place.

I will be posting another artifact in Mr. Cloyes' collection tomorrow, for Theme Day.

Water Lily

2008-04-28T20:13:00.003-05:00

Water Lily, Memphis Botanic Garden.

Some day soon I'll show you other places around town, but this time of year our area gardens are just too pretty to ignore.

White Clematis...

2008-04-28T09:09:00.001-05:00

Clematis vine, Dixon Gardens.

Cordova Baptist Church...One of 1000 Churches

2008-04-27T17:18:00.002-05:00

Memphis is often called "The City of 1000 Churches" or the "City of Churches". There are many beautiful places of worship in Memphis, and one of those is Cordova Baptist Church.

I tried to find out more about the history of this lovely church, but the history link on their site seems to be down and there is little other information to be found. This church is located in the older/historic area of Cordova, a small village (at that time east of Memphis) that was founded in 1835. This area was renowned for its flowers and the town motto was "Farms, Flowers and Fellowship". It was also a whistle stop for the busy St Louis, Nashville and Chattanooga railroads.

Most of Cordova has been annexed by the City of Memphis, but fortunately (thus far) the historic area is still much like the charming whistle stop town of years ago.

Garden Visitor

2008-04-26T10:10:00.004-05:00

When my father was visiting the other day, he noticed this beautiful visitor to my garden...thank goodness my camera was right inside the door (and that my daddy has an eye for detail)! Isn't he pretty?

I hope that you're enjoying a pretty Spring where you live, and are having a great weekend.

Mid-Century Modern Residence, Hedgemoor

2008-04-25T21:57:00.003-05:00

This is the Mid-Century Modern home (across from Auto Ethnographer's childhood home) that Auto Ethnographer mentioned in a comment in reply to this post. The architecture of this home is unique and quite pretty, and an interesting and lovely contrast to the very traditional architecture found throughout the Hedgemoor neighborhood. I thought that the comment (below) said more about this home than I possibly could:

"...Our more elderly neighbors across the street had been art collectors and dealers. Everyone in the neighborhood called their house "the hotel," because it was a mid-century modern with an elevator and amazing swimming pool. They had lavish grown-up parties (probably fund-raisers), the comings and goings of which we all watched in awe. The people we bought our house from were the Thorntons. I am pretty sure they were the original builders. They would be as happy as I am to see that so much of the original grounds and house have been preserved. Thanks again for bringing back all these wonderful childhood memories!!"

I'm sorry that I've been MIA a bit this past week. Sensing that it is time for a change and some growth, I turned in my resignation letter yesterday at work (my place of employment since 1984, having held my current position for eight years), and have been interviewing for two different, exciting opportunities. In addition to that, my older son has been interviewing for two jobs in another city, and is very excited about his opportunities, also (of course, his mama still has to get used to that idea...). Nothing like mixing things up a bit, huh? :)

I hope that your week has been a good one!

Earth Day, 2008.........Going Green at the Dixon

2008-04-22T16:17:00.005-05:00

View of the Dixon Gardens South Lawn from behind "Europa and the Bull" (which I first showed you here).

The photo just above (courtesy of the Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal) shows Horticulture director Dale Skaggs (left) and Bobby Rice, a landscape gardener at the Dixon, using a steam generator to kill pathogens and weed seeds in soil.

As today is Earth Day, I thought that you might be glad to know that even this large and beautiful garden space, Dixon Gardens, is adopting greener methods of landscaping and gardening. This article, by Commercial Appeal garden reporter Christing Arpe Gang, appeared in The Commercial Appeal on February 29, and has made me enjoy my visits to Dixon Gardens even more:

"Those who don't take the time to stroll in the gardens get to see cut examples of the plants artfully arranged and placed in the gallery by members of the Memphis Garden Club.
The garden is being renovated to make it more environmentally friendly, as well as beautiful.
"We want to promote sustainability and greenness at the Dixon," said Dale Skaggs, director of horticulture.
The project includes improving drainage in the mixed perennial border, installing a new irrigation system and steam-sterilizing the soil in the planting beds.
After having soil samples analyzed, Skaggs discovered that years of using synthetic fertilizers created a nutrient imbalance in the soil.
"We had almost toxic levels of phosphorus," he said.
Starting this year, soil fertility will be improved with the addition of nitrogen-rich organic products, such as cottonseed meal and blood meal.
The Dixon gardening staff is also installing a new drip irrigation system. It replaces a system that sprayed water on the leaves and stems of plants, which set up an environment ideal for fungal diseases. The new system emits water at the base of the plant, where it can quickly soak down into the root zone.
"This will keep us from having to spray fungicides," Skaggs said.
Drainage will be improved in the mixed perennial bed by adding French drains and raising the beds a few inches above ground level.
The most dramatic new tool in the move toward sustainability is the use of a portable steamer for sterilizing soil and compost.
The portable Steam-Flo Steam Generator is connected to several porous hoses that are placed on top of gently tilled soil in a planting bed. The hoses are covered with a heat-resistant tarp before the steaming begins. In about 15 minutes, the soil reaches 180 degrees, high enough to kill pathogens and weed seeds in the soil.
"Sterilizing allows us to start planting with a clean slate," Skaggs said.
The not-so-good outcome is the steam also kills earthworms and beneficial microorganisms that make soil the healthy, living environment plants need to prosper. A teaspoon of good garden soil will contain as many as a billion invisible bacteria and fungus threads.
To remedy that situation, garden staffer Lowell Lott is preparing compost teas teeming with microorganisms to add back to the soil.
Commercial products that contain microorganisms will also be added to the soil.
Microorganisms are essential to soil health in every garden.
To boost the level of these invisible but very important creatures in your garden, you can learn how to make compost tea at a workshop at the Dixon at 10 a.m. March 13.
Each participant will receive a five-gallon bucket, an aquarium pump, ingredients and recipes for making an aerated compost tea, the kind that promotes the growth of microorganisms. Lott, a retired chemist, is teaching the class.
The steamer is also being used to sterilize leaf mold made every year by composting the huge volume of leaves collected in the woodland areas at the Dixon.
Leaf mold is a key ingredient in the potting soil mix made at the Dixon and is also an organic soil amendment.
Previously the Dixon sterilized leaf mold in a small-batch "cooker" that used a lot of electricity.
Most commercial potting soils and composts available in retail garden centers are also sterilized before they are bagged and sold.
All of the work in the cutting garden is expected to be completed in time for spring planting, so there will be lots of flowers for the arrangements inside the gallery and for visitors to enjoy outdoors."

In our family we recycle, keep our thermostat set very low during the winter and higher (with ceiling fans) during the summer, and consolidate trips in our cars as much as possible. Also, when planting in the South, considerations about watering and heat-tolerance are very important, so we try to use native plants in our garden. One of my favorite recent finds is the coco-brick, or "coir". These fibers, found on the outside of coconuts, would usually be a waste product in coconut processing, but are available now as a moisture-retentive soil additive, and are a great alternative to peat. I find the brick form to be easy to use....the brick is soaked in a bucket of water for a few minutes until it turns into a mass of fluffy fibers, and then you just mix handfuls of the fiber in with your potting mix. I have found that it works better for retaining moisture (without souring the soil) than any other additive, at least in our region. You can read more about coir here.

What are your favorite earth-friendly practices?

Walkways, Dixon Gardens

2008-04-19T15:20:00.004-05:00

Walkways at Dixon are one of the most important elements in the gardens. Not only do they make walking easier around the perimeter of the South Lawn (especially in inclement weather), but they also beckon you to each separate garden room and little hidden places featuring seasonal plantings, an antique bench, or statuary. Some walks are curved and some are straight, and usually are constructed of brick or pea gravel.

Above and below are the terraced brick walkways joining the first garden room I showed you, and the one I will share after this. In the photo above you can see the restored, 19th century cast iron fountain that is the focal point in the distance (please enlarge this photo for a better view).

I hope that you are enjoying a nice weekend. We are spending time with my father today, and then I'm looking forward to catching up with each of you.

Dixon Gardens, South Lawn

2008-04-18T20:21:00.003-05:00

This is the first view of the expansive South Lawn of the gardens that you see after you first enter the gardens from the main entrance. My father says that it reminds him of Augusta National Golf Club during the Masters Tournament.

Formal Garden Room, Dixon Gardens (100th Post)

2008-04-17T19:01:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, my father took me to Dixon Gallery and Gardens in celebration of my birthday (you can also read more about Dixon here).. You know how some days are just "perfect", and you know that you will remember that day as special forever? Yesterday was one of those days. It was a mild day, perfectly clear and sunny, and probably the prettiest Spring day in Memphis this year. My father and I walked the entire perimeter of the 17 acres of garden area, and it was breathtaking, and fun to just spend an afternoon with my father.

Of course, I took too many photos (don't we all?), and have chosen my favorites to share with you over the next several days. I hope that you will come to love this special place as I do. It is truly wonderful any time of year, either for its blooms, lush grounds, or well-designed architectural beauty. But, during the first through third weeks in April, it will take your breath away. You may enjoy seeing the larger version of this photo...just click on the photo and then click on "all sizes" and choose the larger size.

This is one of the formal garden rooms, fashioned after French and Italian formal gardens, on the east side of the museum building. This area is planted in clipped boxwood, pink azaleas, an ivy border, and white dogwoods. It is this lush in color in person, and it was lovely sitting on that bench and just taking it in.

Today is my 100th post, and it is hard to believe how quickly that time has passed. Participating in this community is a highlight of each day, and I hope to have many more "anniversaries".

Nesting Time...

2008-04-16T20:48:00.003-05:00

We saw at least four Canadian geese nesting, including this lovely mother-to-be (and we also were eyed very closely by their protective gander mates) when we visited the Memphis Botanic Garden this past weekend. Hopefully we soon will be taking photos of cute baby goslings. Spring is just full of expectation, isn't it?

Bridge, Japanese Garden of Tranquility

2008-04-15T17:02:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, we visited the Memphis Botanic Garden, which is beautiful any time of year. This bridge is located in one of our favorite areas of the Botanic Garden, the Japanese Garden of Tranquility.

The Japanese Garden was originally designed by Dr. P.T. Tono of Tokyo in 1965. This garden was redesigned in 1989 by the late Dr. Koichi Kawana, who designed more than a dozen Japanese gardens for botanic gardens around the country. He worked closely with local landscape architect J. Ritchie Smith on this project. Dr. Kawana pioneered the use of native plants in traditional Japanese garden design. You can read more about Dr. Kawana and his work and see a photo of him here. You can also read more about Memphis Botanic Garden's history here.

Do you have a botanic garden to visit nearby?

Wysteria

2008-04-14T17:40:00.003-05:00

The wysteria peaked this past weekend, and has been just beautiful! This was one of my mother's favorite spring blooms (she loved anything purple), and we always had fun looking for it to bloom each year.

If you've never smelled wysteria before, it is just heavenly. The aroma reminds me a lot of lilacs, which don't grow too well in our area. Wysteria only blooms for a bit over a week, but it is always such a delight.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Collierville...One of 1000 Churches

2008-04-13T11:41:00.005-05:00

Memphis is often called "The City of 1000 Churches" or the "City of Churches". There are many beautiful places of worship in Memphis, and one of those is St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in the Collierville area.

St Andrew's is located on the rear west side of the historic Collierville Town Square. The cornerstone of this lovely Gothic Revival church was laid on April 22, 1890, and the original bell, made in 1891 by by Meneely Bell Co. in New York, is still being used today. The medallions in the stained glass windows, as seen in the detail photo, have red borders and deep blue backgrounds, and are of French origin. All of these stained glass windows were part of the original church construction. As you can see, this property is currently undergoing a bit of work...it is a beautiful, well-maintained historic structure.

Thank you so much for such nice birthday wishes! You helped make my day very special.

My Favorite Spot in Memphis...

2008-04-11T21:48:00.007-05:00

Well, this post is a little self-indulgent, but I hope that you will think it's a beautiful place, too. You see, today is my birthday, and since I've earned another number (for which I am very thankful!), I thought it would be fun to share with you my absolute favorite spot in Memphis.

This is "Europa and the Bull", which can be found at the rear of the South Lawn at Dixon Gallery and Gardens. I will be showing more beautiful detail in the coming days....it's stunning! Here is some information about it, found here on the Dixon website:

Europa and the Bull, located as a focal point in the south vista from the Gallery, is an 18th century marble group from Grimston Park, Tadcaster, York. It was bought in 1962 when the entire contents of the castle and gardens were auctioned. Greek mythology tells the story of how Zeus, transforming himself into a white bull, carries off the maiden Europa, daughter of the Phoenician king, Agenor (or Phoenix in some versions). He swims with her to Crete where she becomes the mother of Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon.

I googled Grimston Park, and look here to see what I found for sale....Grimston Park, the original home of this magnificent marble sculpture! It's a very lovely residence, but a bit pricey...even for my birthday...

edited to add...Jim asked if I had shared which number birthday this is? :) Of course not! ;) But, I will say that the sculpture was acquired at approximately the same time as my birth, which is actually neat considering how I adore it.

Pink Azalea

2008-04-10T19:55:00.006-05:00

I thought you might enjoy seeing a pretty pink azalea after the pink dogwood yesterday....click to change the size to a larger photo to see even more detail (by clicking on "all sizes" and then choosing the larger size) . We found this beauty at Dixon Gallery & Gardens last weekend. I'm hoping that the azaleas may be fully-blossomed this weekend.

The past few days have been long workdays, and I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone tonight and tomorrow!

Pink Dogwood

2008-04-09T19:51:00.003-05:00

I took this photo in our garden yesterday. When you really study them, dogwood flowers look almost like delicate sculpture, don't they?

Can you see the little fellow on the back of one of the petals? I didn't notice him until I viewed the photo on the largest size on Flickr. Feel free to click on the photo and view it in the larger size in my Flickr account if you would like a closer view.

Are you having a good week so far? This weekend is supposed to be sunny and in the 60s after some stormy weather tomorrow...perfect photo weather, don't you think? What are your weekend plans?

Sunny Yellow Tulips...

2008-04-08T19:51:00.003-05:00

At the Botanic Garden, I couldn't look at these without smiling! I hope that they bring a smile to your face, too!

Happy Spring!

Hedgemoor Classic

2008-04-07T23:09:00.003-05:00

This lovely classic home is in the Hedgemoor neighborhood of east Memphis, near Walnut Grove and Goodlett and across from the Galloway Golf Course. This is one of our favorite neighborhoods for both the architecture and the beautiful gardens.

This beautiful residence is also the childhood home of fellow blogger Auto Ethnographer...I hope that you enjoyed seeing these photos as much as I did visiting the neighborhood and taking them.

Thanks so much to all of you for the good wishes on the NCAA Championship game....it was a close one, and a heartbreaker! I hope that my voice returns before work tomorrow...

Go Tigers Go!

2008-04-06T22:45:00.008-05:00

The University of Memphis Tigers basketball team made it to the Final Four in San Antonio, defeating UCLA on Saturday, and will be playing for the NCAA National Championship tonight (televised on the CBS network). Everywhere you look, this is what you see....people showing their spirit, and sporting their Tiger blue. I thought that the little girl above in her cheerleader attire looked especially excited about her Tigers' accomplishments.

There is so much excitement in the city, and everyone you meet is talking about "the game" with high hopes. The Tigers had an NCAA record season this year with only one loss, and spent quite a bit of time at #1 on national polls. They have made three Final Four appearances, in 1973, 1985, and 2008.

The players on this team play unselfishly, seem to really like each other, and under the direction of Coach John Calipari, seem to be really having fun no matter how competitive the game or opponent.

Regardless of the outcome tonight, this season has been an exhilarating one, and a delight to watch. It has been both fun and unifying for the students, fans, and for the citizens of Memphis. We love you, Tigers!

Go Tigers Go!

Idlewild Presbyterian, One of 1000 Churches

2008-04-06T00:13:00.004-05:00

Memphis is often called "The City of 1000 Churches" or the "City of Churches". There are many beautiful places of worship in Memphis, and one of those is Idlewild Presbyterian Church.

This is the church of which I was a member when I was a little girl, and I dearly loved attending there. I went to Vacation Bible School and Sunday School, and also attended Kindergarten there. You can see why I developed my love of church and gothic architecture...and also stained glass and slate floors, deep and rich pipe organ music, and lovely church bells that cause many people in Midtown Memphis to stop for a moment and just listen.

Idlewild Presbyterian was built in 1926 and was designed by prominent Memphis architects Charles Pfiel and George Awsumb. It was built in the English Gothic style, using stone from Arkansas, Vermont, Massachusetts and Tennessee. The main entrance is also stone, with panels depicting characters and symbols of sacred history. The interior includes massive stone piers and hand-hewn arches and trusses, and is fashioned after Lincoln Cathedral in England.

If you would like to see more photos of this beautiful church, including some photos of the lovely detail in this church, you can visit my "church blog" here.

Flowering Dogwood...

2008-04-05T10:43:00.003-05:00

Isn't this dogwood magnificent? This is one of my favorite flowering trees during each Spring in Memphis.

I hope that you're having a great weekend so far. This is a busy one for us with family activities, but I am looking forward to taking a little time for some blog-visiting, too!

In Memory...

2008-04-04T12:51:00.006-05:00

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I Have a Dream" delivered August 28 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

Edited to add: A few of my Flickr photos were requested by a Canadian photo site...if you would like to see more photos from around the nation related to Dr. King's Day, please click here.

(Please click on the image above...Blogger is cutting off the right-hand portion of this photo)
Images from the Lorraine Motel/National Civil Rights Museum...

Memorial at the site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King...

The older, original Hotel building of the Lorraine...

Another view of the memorial site. The interior of the room has been left exactly as it was the day of the assassination.

The Lorraine, Motel side...

The gate (incorporating one of his famous quotes) that leads to the gift shop and building from which James Earl Ray committed the assassination.

"I may not get there with you, but I want you to know that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land."

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Mountaintop speech, April 3, 1968, Memphis

Rev. Jesse Jackson, National Civil Rights Museum

2008-04-03T15:25:00.007-05:00

My DH and I took our son to see the Mississippi River at flood stage, and then stopped by the National Civil Rights Museum before heading home. Tomorrow is the 40th Anniversary commemoration of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, and there is quite a bit of preparation and activity at the Museum, originally the Lorraine Hotel (the site of his assassination 40 years ago tomorrow). BTW, today is the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's famous "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, delivered April 3 1968, at Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters), in Memphis, Tennessee.

When we arrived at the museum, Rev. Jesse Jackson was standing in front of the museum, greeting a few people before going inside the building. My son and I considered walking up to meet him, but he was only outside for a minute or two. The gentleman to the left in the photo seemed very interested in what we were doing...we think he may have been a bodyguard.

All of the major national and international news outlets (CNN, BBC, NBC, etc) were there today (photo above), and will be televising portions of the activities from the museum grounds tomorrow.

Clickable links are in bold color script.

Cherry Trees In All Their Glory

2008-04-02T11:35:00.004-05:00

The cherry trees in full blossom just outside of the Memphis Botanic Garden...it doesn't get much prettier than this! (Be sure to click on this one to see the entire width of the photo).

April Theme Day: Water....The Floodwaters of the Mighty Mississippi

2008-03-31T20:03:00.003-05:00

For the April theme day of "Water", I had visions of posting one of my several favorite, most beautiful Memphis water features. But, the current flooding of the Mississippi River is quite compelling, and was the natural choice for me for Theme Day. This past weekend, the river crested at over 37 feet (flood stage is 34 feet), with even more rain in the forecast this week for this entire region. You can see a photo of the beautiful Mississippi at her sparkling best linked in the paragraph below.

The first view is from Mud Island, looking south toward the M Bridge. This view is almost identical to the one I shared here, except I took the older photo from the tree line that you see currently under water in the newer photo above. The park bench that I shared here is currently under water, also.

The second photo shows the view across the Mississippi looking toward the river bank in Arkansas. The Mississippi at this point is almost a mile wide, so for it to rise as much as you can see in these photos, you can imagine the additional volume of water the river has gained in the past few weeks.

During the Great Flood of 1937 which set flood stage records here, my father (at age 11) went with his father to help sandbag the area at Front Street and Poplar Ave. We looked up the statistics on the flood stage in 1937, and that year the river was 11 feet higher than it is currently. He also said that there is nothing heavier than sandbags that have been sitting out in the rain.

All affected by the flooding this year are in our thoughts.

There are currently 178 blogs participating in this Theme Day. Please stop by each one for a visit and to enjoy their wonderful offerings:

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Sunny Forsythia

2008-03-30T22:17:00.004-05:00

Isn't Forsythia a day-brightener? Ours are almost past peak here, and I wanted to share this with you before the time passes. I'm glad that we took quite a few Spring photos previously, as this weekend was rainy, rainy.

I hope that your weekend was a good one!

Grace St. Luke's Episcopal....One of 1000 Churches

2008-03-30T11:23:00.004-05:00

Memphis is often called "The City of 1000 Churches" or the "City of Churches". There are many beautiful places of worship in Memphis, and one of those is Grace St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

This church was created in 1940 as a result of a merger of Grace Church (founded in 1850 and Memphis' second Episcopal church) and St. Luke's Church (founded in 1894). This church is located at the corner of Peabody and Belvedere in the Central Gardens area of Midtown Memphis, has an active community outreach and missions program, and also Grace St. Luke's School for children in grades pre-school through 8th grade. I attended nursery school at age 3 at Grace St. Luke's, so it is a special place for me.

BB King Statue

2008-03-29T21:26:00.003-05:00

This is the statue of blues legend BB King in the Memphis Visitors' Welcome Center on Riverside Drive in Downtown Memphis. I love the detail in this statue and think that it's a wonderful likeness of Mr. King. He has a blues club here in Memphis on Beale Street, which I shared here last month.

I have to admit that I had never visited our Visitors' Center before today (typical city "native", right? :), and it is quite nice. The Center has wonderful views of the Mississippi River, Mud Island, the M Bridge, and lots of information about fun and interesting places to visit in Memphis and throughout Tennessee.

More Tulips

2008-03-28T20:55:00.002-05:00

These tulips at the Memphis Botanic Garden were almost done, but I thought this color combination was especially pretty. I know that a lot of you north of me are still seeing some wintry weather, but I will certainly be enjoying your pretty Spring when it's already hot, hot, hot here in the South. My mother and grandmother used to say "it's as hot as blue blazes" during the summer; have you ever heard that phrase?

Cherry Blossoms...

2008-03-26T21:03:00.003-05:00

I'm so glad that you're enjoying the spring blooms in Memphis with me. Our Spring is usually about two weeks, with an almost direct jump from Winter to Summer, and the season is seeming particularly nice and leisurely this year.

The Cherry blossoms are almost at peak, and should be just gorgeous by this weekend. We are supposed to have rain during the next few days, so I hope that the blossoms will weather that well (if not, I have a great photo of the trees at peak from last Spring). These trees line the public drive along Audubon Golf Course in front of the Botanic Garden, so if you are in Memphis and want to see them in person, you can just drive through...but the Botanic Garden is a great place to visit if you have time.

A Little More Spring...

2008-03-25T20:27:00.004-05:00

Thanks to all of you for such a warm welcome back! I really did miss all of you while I was away...you meet some of the nicest people blogging.

I promise that I won't be posting flower photos ad nauseam all Spring...but these purple tulips at the Botanic Garden posted yesterday were just too pretty to keep to myself. I discovered the macro setting on my point-n-shoot camera while in Florida, and I'm still learning to play with it. Having a perfectly clear, sunlit day doesn't hurt either, does it?

My younger son is using the computer for his term paper tonight, so I'm posting while he's taking a break. I hope to do some blog-visiting either later tonight or tomorrow evening. I hope that your week is going well so far!

Spring Is Here!

2008-03-24T19:41:00.007-05:00

We just returned to Memphis from Florida, and found that Spring had officially arrived in Memphis, too! Today was gorgeous, so we stopped at the Memphis Botanic Garden and took a few photos around the front grounds (the rest is even more amazing). When we have more time soon, we'll take a photo tour of the entire grounds. I thought that you might enjoy seeing this happy, Spring-y tulip mix today. This time period---now through May---is my favorite time in Memphis.

We had a great trip, spending most of our time in Jupiter and West Palm Beach, FL. We saw five Spring Training baseball games (mostly Cardinals games), including the final Dodgers game in Dodgertown, Vero Beach, FL. It was also Tommy LaSorda's final time at that facility, and it was a very poignant, bittersweet moment. We took lots of photos and I hope to have them all in order to share soon.

I missed all of you, and I know that I missed lots of great photos...I can't wait to catch up!

Then & Now, Church of the Holy Communion...One of 1000 Churches

2008-03-14T19:07:00.007-05:00

below: an undated early photo of Holy Communion, courtesy of their website...

...and this beautiful church as it looks today...

Memphis is often called "The City of 1000 Churches" or the "City of Churches". There are many beautiful places of worship in Memphis, and one of those is Church of the Holy Communion, Episcopal.

As I am going to be offline through Easter, I thought that I would share one of my favorite churches in Memphis in honor of Easter. This lovely church sits on the corner of two well-traveled streets, Walnut Grove Road and Perkins, and is a beautiful church on a wonderful elevation.

One funny thing we noticed after I had taken these photos is how similar in architecture this church is to one that I shared here a few weeks ago, Evergreen Presbyterian. If Holy Communion weren't on a hill, you'd think I just took photos of the same church from different angles, wouldn't you?

I found this passage about the church's history on their website, and it describes their beginnings much better than I could:

"The first service was held in the new chapel on Jan. 1, 1939. By 1947, Crump says attendance had grown to the extent that the Rev. Dr. Theodore N. Barth, who became Calvary’s Rector in 1940, suggested the building of a church and parish house.
“Some Sundays we had 150 people in that chapel,” Crump said. “We were meeting in station wagons and what have you.”
When the money raised among Calvary members didn’t quite cover the cost of both the church and the building that would become Blaisdell, Barth made a decision that went against the custom of the day.
“The question was, what do we build first,” Crump said.
Instead of building an education wing first, which Crump said was typical of church expansion plans at the time, Barth insisted on building the church first, even ruling against the idea of reducing the height of the planned steeple, which represented about a fourth of the $205,000 proposed cost.
“He said ‘No, we’re going to build that steeple,’” Crump said. “That ended the discussion.”
Ground was broken for the new building on Oct. 24, 1948 and Evening Prayer was held for the first time in the new house of worship on Jan.1, 1950. Church of the Holy Communion was admitted to Parish status in the Diocese of Tennessee on Jan. 24, 1951.
Today, Holy Communion is among the largest and strongest parishes in the Diocese of West Tennessee. And the parish’s focus on worship – from Sunday Eucharist to daily Morning Prayer to Celtic and Taize worship to the “Open For Prayer” banner displayed on Sept. 11 – can be viewed as part of a tradition started more than 50 years ago.
“It made a statement on that corner,” Crump said of the insistence on building a church building first. “The church and the steeple made a statement – and they still do.”

I hope that you enjoyed seeing one of my favorite churches in Memphis, and that you will have a wonderful week ahead. I'll look forward to catching up with each of you when I'm back online!

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

Bison Naptime

2008-03-13T21:03:00.005-05:00

While driving through Shelby Farms last Sunday, we noticed that the herd of bison were taking a little siesta, right next to the fence. They have a large expanse of land for the herd, and they usually are fairly far away from the perimeter. It was fun to see them up close, even though they really didn't seem quite as interested in us.

I hope that you're having a great week so far. I've been unable to visit in the last few days due to my work schedule, and my father's second operation (which was a success!). I'm anxious to catch up, hopefully tomorrow.

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

USA Baseball Stadium, Millington, TN

2008-03-11T17:48:00.005-05:00

USA Baseball Stadium in Millington, TN (just north of Memphis), was the training facility for the USA Olympic Baseball team from 1986-1996. It has always been so much fun to be able to see world-class baseball amidst the small-town charm of this stadium. We spent many a summer afternoon or evening here, and I think that my sons first fell in love with baseball here. My older son still asks to occasionally drive by it...it is a place full of memories for us.

We have watched Troy Glaus, Jacque Jones, A.J. Hinch, Braden Looper, J.D. Drew, Matt LeCroy, Jim Parque, Travis Lee, Jeff Weaver, Adam Kennedy, R.A. Dickey, Augie Ojeda, Billy Koch, Scott Schoeneweis, and Mark Kotsay play as Olympians in the early part of their careers at this stadium. A list of USA Stadium alumni can be seen here. At that time, the USA players would live with host families in the area.

The stadium is still in use and is host to service academy, collegiate, and high school tournaments and championships.

W. C. Handy Statue, Beale Street

2008-03-10T13:32:00.005-05:00

W. C. Handy is often called "The Father of the Blues", and he and his band moved to Memphis in 1909 to establish their musical presence on Beale Street. His famous song, "Memphis Blues", was originally titled "Mr. Crump", as it was written for then-Mayoral candidate Edward H. "Boss" Crump. It was so popular that he later rewrote it and changed the name to "Memphis Blues". It is considered by some to be the first blues song. You can read more about W. C. Handy here.

This is one of my favorite statues, not only on Beale Street, but in all of Memphis. (All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo(s) to see an enlarged version.)

edited to add: Annie asked this question: "I've always wondered if B. B. King named his guitar after W. C. Handy's first child. Do you know?"

Per Wikipedia: "One of his trademarks is "Lucille", the name he has given to his guitars since the 1950s after he escaped a fire at a juke joint he was playing in. The fire was started by two men who were fighting over a woman named "Lucille". During their fight, they knocked over the bucket of burning kerosene used for heat. When King escaped the building, he realized that he had left his guitar in the burning building. He ran back inside to get it and after learning of what happened, he named his guitar "Lucille" to remind himself not to do it again." You can read the entire entry here.

Then & Now...St. George's Episcopal, One of 1000 Churches

2008-03-09T13:24:00.008-05:00

This is the original building of St George's Episcopal Church in Germantown, dedicated in 1937. Prior to that, church members met in private homes. You can see how it looked years ago, in this undated photo below (credit: Images of America: Germantown, Russell S. Hall).

This building was later used as a chapel when a larger sanctuary was built, and now the church has an even newer facility at a different location (on S. Germantown Rd). The larger church facility on this property is now used for their elementary school, and they have also built a large high school complex at yet another location (on the Germantown/Collierville city limit line).

I just love this doorway, and I'm so glad that they've maintained this lovely chapel so well.

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

John Gray Historic House, Germantown

2008-03-08T14:02:00.011-06:00

The J0hn Gray House is one of our favorite historic places, and is open to visitors several times a year. It is located in Germantown Municipal Park, right next to the Germantown Centre. Edited to add: Does this house look a bit tilted to you? You can see, from the level nature of the steps and the upright growth of the trees, that the photo was taken straight-on. Maybe someone who knows a bit more about building and architecture can shed some light on this.

The historic marker below gives more information than I could find in any other sources. Please click on the photo(s) to see an enlarged version.

Here are a couple of photos of Miss Daisy enjoying the snow. She loved it, and spent a lot of time running circles around the yard and rolling in it.

Here are a few more photos taken in our yard....

I hope that you're having a delightful weekend!

Snow Day...

2008-03-07T19:14:00.006-06:00

Well, so much for our early Spring! Old Man Winter decided to show us that he still technically has domain over the season for the next two weeks...and to tell you the truth, I'm almost giddy. DS was thrilled just to get out of school two hours early, and is playing outside with Miss Daisy right now. We don't get as much snow in Memphis as we did about twenty years ago, and this snow is a pretty one. It is still snowing right now, and we are expected to receive about 3-4" here.

I couldn't decide which one photo I wanted to share, so I'm sharing two today. I thought that this Redbud looked pretty against the snow. Can you see the nest tucked in the crook of the branches?

I hope that you're having a nice start to your weekend! I will share some more snow photos tomorrow (including some of Miss Daisy).

Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

More Kids & Horses

2008-03-06T19:55:00.009-06:00

This is another young family that we met at the stables on Sunday. They were so sweet together, and were having such a good time.

As you can see, this little girl, probably about 2 or 3, wasn't quite sure about feeding the horses. Her parents did most of the feeding, but she finally joined in.

They reminded us of our own family when the boys were little years ago, and I took photos as fast as my point-n-shoot would allow. I asked for their email address and sent them all of the photos I took of their family. I hope that they enjoy the photos as much as I did taking them.

My son laughed at how this beautiful horse seemed to be very interested in what we were doing. He wandered up to the fence and stood there, just like you see below. My son said "well, he seems to want his photo taken, too, and this is what we shot. I didn't crop this in any way; he was right there, waiting...

So much for our balmy Spring days...we are expecting a few inches of snow tomorrow night! Such is the fickle weather in Memphis.

Kids & Horses

2008-03-04T20:09:00.005-06:00

Sunday was a very pretty day, and we took advantage of it. My older son was home from college for a visit, and our family had fun going all over town (can you say Spring Fever?). On the way home, we drove through Shelby Farms, which is "one of the largest urban parks in America", according to this entry on our county government's website. There are 4500 acres to roam, and always something fun going on. On any given day, you will see people biking, flying kites, riding in paddle boats, or riding horses.

Shelby Farms has a fairly large stable area, and you can purchase feed cubes for the older horses. Not only did we have fun feeding the horses, but also watching the people around us, particularly the little ones. Kids and animals just seem to naturally go together, don't they?

This young man was standing right next to us, and had the most gentle way with the horses...and they seemed to love him right back. He seemed particularly fond of this horse, and seeing them interact was a highlight of our day.

I know that a lot of you enjoy "people pictures" as much as I do, and I have some more very sweet, special ones to share with you again tomorrow.

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

Spring's Almost Here...

2008-03-03T17:12:00.001-06:00

Here is a sure sign of Spring in Memphis...Redbud trees in bloom, as seen here in the Belle Meade neighborhood.

I wish it were that pretty today in Memphis. We are currently experiencing thunderstorms (and have already lost power once), with colder weather and a chance to see a few snowflakes tomorrow. I hope that you're enjoying nicer weather where you are!

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

Baptist Memorial Hospital

2008-03-02T21:39:00.005-06:00

Baptist Memorial Hospital on Walnut Grove Road was built in 1979. It originally was built as a suburban satellite hospital for the large Baptist Memorial Hospital System due to the growing suburban population at the time, and both of our sons were born there. The original Baptist Hospital in downtown Memphis was imploded on November 6, 2005, to make way for a bioscience research center (currently being built).

Baptist is a 706 bed hospital, and according to Health Grades ranked highest in Tennessee and in the top 5% nationally for cardiac surgery, stroke care and gastrointestinal surgery and procedures.

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

Evergreen Presbyterian, One of 1000 Churches

2008-03-01T22:29:00.007-06:00

Memphis is often called "The City of 1000 Churches" or the "City of Churches". There are many beautiful places of worship in Memphis, and one of those is Evergreen Presbyterian Church.

Evergreen is a very active church in the heart of Midtown Memphis, near the Overton Park and the Memphis Zoo, and directly across from Rhodes College. I tried to find a founding date for this lovely church, but didn't have any luck even on their site. I do know that it's older than me, as my early childhood was spent in a neighborhood not far from this, and I took my first ballet and tap dance lessons in the recreation hall of this church.

This church has a very active outreach program, and also is the host site to the annual Memphis Scottish Festival, the Clanjamfry. This festival was always a favorite of my parents, and always attracts a big crowd and is quite colorful and fun. The parade of bagpipers and flag-bearers, all in kilts and their best finery, is quite a festive and beautiful sight. I will definitely be sharing photos of that in September...it is wonderful!

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

March Theme Day...Murals, Graffiti, and Street Art

2008-02-29T21:45:00.006-06:00

This mural in downtown Memphis is actually an historic work of art, and you can find it on the side of Divine Rags, an upscale Italian clothing shop at 300 S. Main St. This work has been the center of some controversy during the past few years. You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it.

"Taking Care of Business" was created under the direction of Memphis artist George Hunt in 1983, and is one of a series of murals created at that time (you can read more about the artist, George Hunt, here). It "depicts the emergence of blacks from slavery to freedom through education and entrepreneurial success." There are only two murals (of this series) remaining, and the current owner of this building originally wanted to paint over this mural due to its condition. This created a bit of an outcry due to its historical significance, and the civic-minded owner later changed his mind. You can read more about this mural and these events here.

I am so glad that this mural still exists for citizens and visitors to appreciate and enjoy.

There are 144 blogs participating in this theme day. Please drop by and visit each of them and enjoy their wonderful theme day offerings!

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Kellogg's Plant

2008-02-29T14:51:00.004-06:00

This Kellogg's plant has been in south Memphis for as long as I can remember. As a little girl, I have memories of riding in the car with my parents past this building and being able to smell Corn Flakes baking...and wondering if Tony the Tiger was there, too. This plant produces both Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes (and you can still smell them when you drive by), and this photo was taken from a bridge next to the plant. If you love your morning Corn Flakes, they possibly had their beginning right here.

Mitchell's Barber Shop, Collierville Town Square

2008-02-28T21:04:00.003-06:00

This barber shop is right across the street from the fire station posted yesterday. I just love the old-fashioned barber poles. If this doesn't seem like Mayberry RFD and small town USA, I don't know what does. :) I'll bet that some good stories (and some fine tall tales) are told behind that door....

Collierville Fire Station #1, on the Town Square

2008-02-27T21:30:00.003-06:00

Collierville's Town Square is one of the most charming spots in our area, and visiting there is almost like stepping back in time. It has won several preservation awards, all well-deserved.

This is Collierville's Fire House, or Fire Station #1. It is on the east side of the Town Square, and is one of the oldest structures in Collierville. It was originally built in the 1880s, and in its early years housed a blacksmith shop, and then a flower shop. It has been a fire station since the mid-1940s, and was renovated a few years ago. I think that they did a wonderful job...it seems quite current while still retaining its vintage good looks. You can see part of the water tower just behind the building.

A First Bouquet of Spring...For You...

2008-02-26T18:43:00.006-06:00

I wanted to share these as a "thank you" for your kind wishes for my father today...it meant so much to me. His surgery went very well, and he's comfortable at home tonight--my sister is visiting with him this evening. His doctor said that "he's a very sweet gentleman who's also very strong inside", but my father said he's just a "tough old Marine." :)

While spending time with my father at his home late this afternoon, I noticed that the daffodils were blooming all along his fence line. He and my DH were watching something on TV, so I went out and gathered a bunch for my father, and one for our home. There are still a lot to enjoy in his garden. It is amazing how quickly they multiply; they were only planted a few years ago, and there are so many of them now. I wish that you could smell them...they have that lemony, clean aroma that fills the air as you walk by them. Spring can't be far behind!

I hope that you are having a good week so far. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness~

"Keeping Watch" Angel in Sunlight

2008-02-25T19:56:00.005-06:00

I posted a front view of this angel here last month, and some people felt that she was a bit foreboding. I wondered if that might have been partially due to the dark, cold weather that we had when we took those photos, so we took a few again on a clear, bright winter day. Does the difference in the atmosphere change how she looks to you?

Annie asked if I had missed posting yesterday due to despondence resulting from the Tigers' loss to the Vols on Saturday night. *grin* Not at all :), although it was a disappointment. I hope that they see it as an opportunity instead....sometimes a loss can be the best thing that happens to a team. And the Vols deserve kudos, as they really did keep it together---the Pyramid was loud with an abundance of Tigers' fans.

We spend quite a bit of time with my father, since my mother passed away in October. He's 82 (and a lot of fun!), and we often visit with him, or take him out on the town with us when we are going someplace fun. So, if I occasionally miss a day at the computer, it is usually due to that type of family time.

My father is having surgery tomorrow, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I will try to post regularly, and hopefully I will have good time to visit all of you, too!

xo

Graceland Shows Its True Colors....Tiger Blue!!

2008-02-23T10:42:00.012-06:00

Today is the day.... (you can click on photos to enlarge them, and the words in color are clickable---and I apologize for the run-on nature of this post, Blogger won't let me separate the paragraphs for some reason).

~The #1 University of Memphis Tigers meet the #2 University of Tennessee Vols in the FedEx Forum! If you're a fan of college basketball, or college or Southern sports in general, you know that this is BIG stuff! Up for grabs are bragging rights as the true #1 team in the nation, and also bragging rights within the state of Tennessee. This is a long-time in-state rivalry, and many here are calling this the biggest sporting event in Memphis history. I only wish that I could post the city's energy in a way that you could feel it.

~Last night, we went to see "Operation Blue Suede Show", which is the lighting of Elvis' home, Graceland,...in blue! Blue, in honor of the University of Memphis Tigers. This is the first and only time that Graceland has been lit in blue outside of the Christmas season, when Graceland presents its yearly Blue Christmas.

~As you can see in the first photo, Priscilla Presley was there for the official lighting ceremony, here standing next to the Tigers' mascot, Pouncer. We missed being able to photograph her during the lighting ceremony, due to the crowd, but did catch a glimpse before she was whisked away. She seems to be a truly nice person, and is a wonderful ambassador for the city of Memphis. In the second photo, you can see one of the famous Graceland Gates, and the UofM Tigers board with the switch to officially light Graceland.

~Tonight, the game will be broadcast at 8pm (US Central Time) on ESPN. In the crowd, you will see Peyton and Eli Manning, Priscilla Presley, Cybill Shepard (another native Memphian--my father dated her mother for a short time before they met their respective spouses), and Justin Timberlake. Also, ESPN's College Game Day will be broadcast all day from the FedEx Forum, so you, too, can have your fill of this fun day!

~Who will we be rooting for, you ask? Well, I'm one of those people who actually attended both schools. I did most of my undergraduate work (and had most of my college fun :) at Memphis, and my professional training and my degree actually came from the U. of TN system. My sister and BIL both graduated from Memphis, and my father has a Memphis degree (he also has degrees from LSU and Mizzou, so he can sometimes be very torn!). I guess you'd have to say that my family's blood runs true Tiger blue!

~Go Tigers!!! (and best wishes to the Vol fans, too...).

A Little Bit of Green...

2008-02-22T15:45:00.004-06:00

There are still no big signs of Spring here (although we probably have only a few weeks at most before we see our first blooms), but some things do still stay green in Memphis, even through the cold of winter. This pretty fern at Dixon Gardens (which I first posted about here) seems to be a perennial harbinger of the good, green things soon to come. I also am in love with that vintage iron planter!

Memphis, "The Bluff City"

2008-02-21T18:08:00.007-06:00

After seeing the photo yesterday of the riverside park on Mud Island, Annie of Little Rock Daily Photo asked about Memphis' bluffs along the Mississippi River, and whether they are truly high enough to prevent flooding.

Memphis is known as "The Bluff City", and this area along the river was chosen specifically for the high bluffs, which are part of the Chickasaw Bluffs. According to the entry about the Chickasaw Bluff in Wikipedia, "The Chickasaw Bluff secured Memphis from river floods, while a rare shelf of sandstone below provided a secure boat landing, making this the "only site for a commercial mart" between the Ohio River and Vicksburg, Mississippi." You can read the entire passage about this bluff system here.

If you are visiting Memphis, you will notice that the highest bluffs center around the original downtown area---those early settlers knew which areas were most advantageous, didn't they? As you follow the areas more recently developed along the river---north and south of that original area of settlement---the bluffs sometimes aren't quite as high or dramatic. The park on Mud Island (shown yesterday) is more prone to flooding during the Spring as the river rises due to Spring rains and the snow thaws north of Memphis, although I rarely see the water rise past that first flat area of the park. The residential area to the right in the photo yesterday is actually quite a few feet higher than the park area next to the river.

In the two photos above, you can see the view (first looking north, and then south) from the higher bluffs along a residential area overlooking Riverside Drive. These photos were both taken from the same spot in Butler Park, a small park overlooking the river and the park on the other side of Riverside Drive. The Mud Island photo, shown yesterday, featured the area north of the M Bridge, the Pyramid, and the Morgan Keegan Tower (the brown building to the right, with the spire on top) as seen in the first photo. The Morgan Keegan Tower (including its spire in its height measurement) is the second tallest building in Memphis. You can read more about it here.

These photos don't provide the full impact of standing on the bluffs in person. They are actually quite high and steep, and allow a very nice view of the entire riverfront area. The next time I'm downtown, I will try to take photos looking up at the bluffs, to try to share a different view and the true majesty of the bluffs.

Have a Seat...

2008-02-20T20:24:00.005-06:00

Here is a nice little place to take a break, right on the banks of the Mississippi River. This park is on Mud Island in the downtown area of Memphis. You can find more information about Mud Island here. In this photo, the river is to the left and the residential area is to the right. This park is usually very busy with people walking or playing with their dogs, jogging or skating, riding bikes, having a picnic, or flying kites. The day we visited it was windy and cold, so I'll have to take another photo for you during a busy Spring day (that's a good enough excuse to make a repeat visit!).

I apologize for missing a few days of blogging; I'm a bit under the weather. It seems that just about everyone around here is sick, or just recovering. I hope that you're doing great!

FedEx Forum

2008-02-17T21:23:00.005-06:00

This is the FedEx Forum, which is now home to the Memphis Grizzlies NBA Basketball team and the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team. It is also the main venue for music, circuses, and other performances.

The Forum, which is located at 191 Beale Street and Third Street, was the largest construction project in Memphis history, and was completed on time and on budget. The first public events were held in the Forum in September, 2004. The naming rights were sponsored by FedEx, which is based in Memphis. The Forum seats 19,000 to 20,000, depending on the event.

The Forum's presence, along with the Memphis Redbirds baseball at AutoZone Park (first posted here), has really revitalized and energized this part of downtown Memphis. There is always something fun happening downtown.

The photo can be enlarged by clicking on it, and featured links are highlighted in the bold color.

The Pyramid Arena and Mud Island Marina, Memphis

2008-02-16T14:04:00.005-06:00

Annie of Little Rock Daily Photo posted this great view of the M Bridge, taken as she was coming over the bridge from Arkansas coming into Memphis. It showed the Pyramid Arena on the left, and I thought that you might enjoy seeing a different view of that here today.

The Pyramid is a sports and entertainment/mulit-purpose arena that was built in 1991, and is jointly owned by the City of Memphis and Shelby County. The pyramid design was chosen as a reference to Memphis' namesake, Memphis, Egypt, which is home to ancient pyramids. It is the third largest pyramid in the world, and is higher---at 32 stories---than both the Statue of Liberty and the Taj Mahal. This photo was taken from the residential side of Mud Island, and you can see the Mud Island Marina, operated by the Memphis Yacht Club, in the foreground.

This arena was the home of the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team (currently #1 in the nation) for many years, and at that time was nicknamed the "Tomb of Doom", and it was also home for several years to the Wonders Cultural Series. It has been a popular choice for many local high school and college graduations. We saw both my sister (college) and my older son (high school) graduate there, and also took our sons to many ice shows and circus performances there when they were younger.

When the FedEx forum was recently built for the Memphis Grizzlies pro basketball team, the contract was written that the Univ. of Memphis Tigers would also play at the Forum, and that most major ice, circus, and music shows would also use that venue. I will try to post a photo of the Forum in the next day or two. Currently, the Pyramid isn't being used for anything, except occasionally for stage sets for movies being filmed in Memphis. Ideas for future use of the Pyramid have included an indoor theme park, a Memphis branch of the Smithsonian, and most recently Bass Pro Shops has expressed an interest in locating a superstore there.

I would hate to see this facility go...it's unique to Memphis, and an eye-catching part of our skyline. What do you think might be a good use for this attractive structure?

Another Central Gardens Beauty...

2008-02-15T23:12:00.003-06:00

This is one of my favorite homes in the Central Gardens district in Midtown Memphis. I first posted about this neighborhood here. I just love everything about this house...the exterior color combination, the Father Knows Best-traditional good looks, and the landscaping, which looks great any time of year. It seems that a lot of care and thought---probably a lot of love---has gone into this house. Everything about it says "home" to me. What says "home" to you?

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T16:16:00.004-06:00

Valentine's Day and cherubs just seem to go hand in hand, so I thought you might enjoy seeing this little one that we found along one of the garden paths at Dixon Gallery & Gardens. I first blogged about Dixon here, and it's one of my favorite places in Memphis.

I hope that you are having a wonderful day! My niece made the card on the left (is there anything sweeter than something made by a child?) and DH surprised me with a box of See's Chocolate---yum! Isn't he the best? Those of you on the West Coast know just how good this candy is! If you're looking for me after dinner, I'll probably be curled up with a good mystery and eating decadent chocolate! It doesn't get much better...

What says "Valentine's Day" to you?

The "M" Bridge, Up Close & Personal

2008-02-13T18:43:00.004-06:00

This is a more detailed view of the "M" bridge (M for Memphis :) that spans the Mississippi River, connecting Tennessee and Arkansas. Memphians also call it the "New Bridge", but its official name is the Hernando de Soto Bridge, as it was named after the Spanish explorer who explored this part of the Mississippi. You can read more about this bridge and its history here.

I took this photo at the base of the bridge on Mud Island. This is the same bridge that you first viewed, from a distance, here. I find its shape to be rather pleasing to the eye...

Memphis actually has two bridges spanning the Mississippi River. I will show you the other bridge, older than this one, very soon.

Water Tower, Millington Naval Air Station...

2008-02-12T18:52:00.000-06:00

I learned through Miss Mari-Nanci's blog, Photos City Mine, that Dot at Strolling Through Georgia had challenged us to take a photo of a water tower in our area. We happened to drive through Millington (just to the north of Memphis) on Sunday, and any time we visit Millington, my younger son--the military buff--loves to see the Naval Air Station. The Naval Air Station converted to Naval Support Activity (housing the national Personnel Center for the Navy) during the military reorganization a few years ago, so you don't see the planes coming and going as much as years ago, but this water tower is still standing on the old air strip. We found it to be quite nostalgic.

It isn't quite as pretty here today as it was Sunday. It's cold and dark, with a chance of a little winter precipitation this evening. A co-worker is out for a few weeks with an injury and we have a big deadline at work, so I'm going to be working some overtime during the next few weeks. I'll still be visiting you and saying hello when I have bits of spare time! :)

The Pink Whale Has Arrived...

2008-02-11T14:38:00.000-06:00

On February 1st, Vineyard Vines---known for its pink whale logo and colorful preppy clothing---opened in The Regalia Shopping Center (Poplar at Shady Grove). It is one of only a few Vineyard Vines retail locations nationwide, the rest of their business being in catalog and internet sales. The other retail stores are located in Nantucket, Edgartown and Mashpee, MA, and Greenwich, CT.

Oak Hall, a Memphis tradition in fine clothing since 1859 (my father worked there while in high school) has carried the Vineyard Vines brand for several years, but this year partnered with Vineyard Vines to open a separate location for the brand in the same shopping center. The store carries both men's and women's clothing, and one of the features on the store's interior is a lovely old Chris Craft boat which has been used to create the main counter for the store.

Edit: I am still having trouble with Blogger comments, mainly on the same blogs as yesterday. The "comments" window won't open, as if it is still waiting for photos to download, etc. I checked my pop-up blocker and it is not on. Is anyone else having trouble with this? It is soooo frustrating, as I enjoy visiting and saying hello to you!...

Our Lady of Sorrows...One of 1000 Churches

2008-02-10T20:35:00.000-06:00

Memphis is often called "The City of 1000 Churches" or the "City of Churches". There are many beautiful places of worship in Memphis, and one of those is Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.

This congregation was first established to serve the community of "Frayser Station" in 1926, as the "Church of the Madonna". Two Dominican sisters from Nashville came to Memphis to operate the "Madonna School", which was closed during the Depression, and then later reopened (along with the Convent) under the supervision of the Poor Clares in 1932. The crypt of the present church was dedicated in 1950, with the present church (shown above) being built above the crypt and dedicated in 1957. You can read more here about the history of this beautiful church. Shown above are the sanctuary (front and side views), and also the Our Lady of Sorrows School.

edited to add: I've only been able to leave messages on about half the blogs I've visited today...Blogger isn't opening comments boxes for me on the rest. If you see me on your sitemeter today, I tried to stop by to say hi! :) I'll try again tomorrow...

Carriage Ride

2008-02-09T22:41:00.000-06:00

One of the most popular ways to see downtown Memphis, in style!, is to take a carriage ride (shown here on Front Street). You can find them for hire in front of The Peabody Hotel and also on the west end of Beale Street. Isn't it fun to let someone else do the driving for a little while? Have you ever taken a carriage ride?

I haven't been able to visit everyone this weekend as much as I would like, as it is our anniversary today and DS1 came home to help us celebrate. I hope that you're having a wonderful weekend!

Autozone Park

2008-02-08T16:59:00.000-06:00

This is the entrance to Autozone Park (Union & Third), the home to the Memphis Redbirds baseball team. The Redbirds are the AAA affiliate team for the St Louis Cardinals. This ballpark opened in 2000, the previous seasons being played at the old Tim McCarver stadium in Midtown Memphis. This stadium is quite similar to Busch stadium in St Louis, and is one of the premier stadiums in the AAA system. It seats 12,300 (fixed seats), and can accommodate 15,000+ with its additional bluff seating and picnic areas and luxury boxes. The new season begins in early April, and we can't wait!

BB King's, Beale Street

2008-02-07T22:49:00.000-06:00

Here's the neon sign for BB King's famous club on Beale Street. There's something festive and fun about neon at night, that just makes you want to have a good time...don't you think so? He still occasionally plays here, and it's a thrill and an honor if you're one of the lucky ones who happens to be a patron that night.

After the storm...

2008-02-06T22:51:00.000-06:00

My photos today are courtesy of my sweet husband. I had to work a long day today, and he had access to some areas that had sustained damage but were closed off to the general public, and he took photos for all of us to see. The sign above somehow made me think that Mother Nature has a bit of a wry, if not ironic, sense of humor.

The photos just above show an industrial area, and a closeup and wide view of the Hickory Ridge Mall in Memphis, which was struck by the tornado last night. That is what is left of the Sears building, which is one of the anchor stores for the mall. This mall is where DH and I met 26 years ago (I worked for him...long story... :) , so even though we don't visit there often, it is a special place for us.

One thing that we've noticed about natural disaster damage photos is that they never seem to show the true scale and impact of some of the damage. There is just something about seeing it in person that takes your breath away. My son said the same thing about the devastation in the New Orleans area. I have all of the photos in an album...if you wish to see any additional photos you can see them here

There is a lot of damage around town, and also in the Jackson, TN area, and this was definitely one of the most active storm systems I've seen in my lifetime of living here. We are blessed to have gotten through it personally unscathed, and our hearts and prayers go out to all who were directly affected by the storms.

Stormy Weather

2008-02-05T18:21:00.000-06:00

Well, today's photo is quite a contrast to the on I posted yesterday, isn't it? We are currently under a Tornado Warning, meaning that funnel clouds have been sighted within our area...the last one sighted being one block from our house. I wanted to post this while we still have power and internet, as we are still in the line of more storms coming from Mississippi.

I've lived here my entire lifetime, and I have never seen a weather system this active. Tornado Warnings aren't rare, but today---the first time ever---the weather service issued a "Tornado Emergency", meaning extensive storms and grave risk are imminent. There have been at least six tornado sightings within the Memphis Metro area over the past two hours, with damage reported at Hickory Ridge Mall in SE Memphis, in the airport area, in the Bartlett area, and also in the Oxford, MS area.

As much as I love trying to get unique photos for you, :) I didn't venture out into the storm to try to catch a tornado in all of its digital glory. We spent an hour huddled in our interior guest bath, Miss Daisy included, instead.

I hope that all of you in the line of this storm front are safe and sound tonight!

Signs of Spring...

2008-02-04T13:35:00.000-06:00

When we were visiting the riverfront area this past weekend, we saw our first sign of Spring here...a tree budding and near leafing-out. This tree is located right on the Mississippi River bluff. I'm not sure what kind of tree this is, but any hint of Spring is a welcome sight!

Downtown Living, Fit for King Cotton...

2008-02-03T15:42:00.000-06:00

For many years in Memphis, as in many Southern cities along the Mississippi River, cotton was king. Cotton was the leading cash crop of the South, and Memphis was one of the leading cities in the processing, classing, sale, and shipping of cotton, with its easy access to the Mississippi River shipping venue. The multi-level buildings along Riverside Drive in downtown Memphis, overlooking the banks of the Mississippi, were once the hub of the busy cotton district. My maternal uncle started his career in this district, as a cotton classer, and later in his career was a cotton executive and farmer.

Many buildings, such as this one shown, have been restored and are now being used as restaurants, shops, offices, and as loft and condominium space. Downtown Memphis has a unique urban energy and is a fun choice for those wishing to live "at the heart of it all."

The Mighty Mississippi

2008-02-02T15:03:00.000-06:00

This is the Mississippi River as viewed from Mud Island (Memphis, TN), facing South. You can see the "M Bridge" (M for Memphis) and a barge in the background, and driftwood in the foreground. We have quite a bit of driftwood deposited during Spring each year, as the thawing snow and ice to the north of us raise the river level.

When people think of my city, they think of . .

2008-01-31T22:22:00.000-06:00

...Elvis! I know...this one was almost too easy for me this month. I guessed that Elvis might be the most thought-of when it comes to Memphis...after all, the memory of Elvis is still iconic. (The statue above is on the western end of Beale Street).

But, I decided to ask some online friends near and far, and also long-distance contacts through work, what or whom first came to mind when they thought of Memphis, and by far most said "Elvis". But, some also made mention of Beale Street, the Peabody ducks, blues music, and barbeque. When I think of Memphis the lush gardens, warm and friendly people, and wonderful restaurants and traditions come to mind.

What do you think of when you think of Memphis?

There are 135 blogs participating in this theme day (listed below)...please take a moment to stop by and visit them. There are many different time zones represented, so some bloggers may not have posted their contributions to this theme yet:

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA

McGinnis Oil Company and Service Station, Collierville

2008-01-31T15:13:00.000-06:00

You've seen these types of places before...old, charming service or gas stations that have been preserved just as they were years ago. They are often now used as antique shops, or sometimes fun, quirky little diners. The thing I love about this one, located on the Collierville Town Square, is that it is still in use as a service station.

This building was built in 1927 by the McGinnis family as a service station, and also became the office for McGinnis Oil Co. (as a distributor for Sinclair Petroleum Products) in 1939. Every time I pass this building, or visit Collierville's town square, I am able to take a little trip back in time...at least for a little while.

Herb Parsons Lake

2008-01-30T16:46:00.000-06:00

Since today was so clear and pretty and not too cold, my hubby and I visited one of our favorite picnic spots, Herb Parsons Lake, which is just outside Memphis and Collierville. It is a 177-acre public lake that is primarily for fishing (no skiing, sailing or swimming), although I have seen the occasional kayak in the water there, too. This is just the type of small lake that makes me want to get into a canoe and take a leisurely ride through the water, exploring all of the little inlets. It reminds me so much of fun summer days spent at Girl Scout camp, and the water was really that "sparkly" today. Picture-perfect!

The lake was named for Herb Parsons, who was an expert marksman and hunter, even spending time as a showman trapshooter and also as a gunnery instructor during WWII. My son found this very interesting, as we have been visiting this lake since he was tiny, and he is now an expert marksman (trap) himself.

Colorful Beale Street

2008-01-29T20:33:00.000-06:00

This is one of the many colorful neon signs on famous Beale Street, which is especially festive and fun at night.

This is a little quick post...we have been without power quite a bit tonight, due to the unusually high winds (gusts over 50 mph) in the Memphis area today. I promised my son that I would post and then turn the computer over to him to finish a report for school. :)

Stonewalled...

2008-01-28T20:01:00.000-06:00

This is a detail view of the lovely old stone wall that surrounds the Magnolia Cemetery in the Collierville area.

Charming Farming, in the Middle of the City...

2008-01-26T14:11:00.000-06:00

This photo above started out as an attempt to share with you a charming little estate and mini-farm in the middle of East Memphis (shown just below). My husband noticed that the horses were out, and thoughtfully pulled over so that I could take a photo or two (I'm lucky to have a fun and spontaneous hubby, who also knows a fun photo-op when he sees one!)

Every time I pass this little estate, I'm reminded of the charming photos I see posted by bloggers in the British Isles or Ireland. This area at one time was filled with estate-sized lots with beautiful houses and sometimes livestock, but most land in this section has been sold and developed into upscale hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and offices.

This family seems to be the lone holdout (good for them!), and I always enjoy riding past their property. Soon, I'll show you more photos of this land, complete with two old silos covered in wysteria, which is breathtaking in early Spring, and a lovely home. Absolutely dreamy.

As soon as I took the photo above, the tan-colored, smaller horse (Shetland?) took a keen interest in what I was doing. He immediately started toward me at a quick trot.

By this time, he is coming fast and hard (and he's not a small one), and through the still-open car door, I can hear my husband and son laughing loudly, wondering if I'm going to stand my ground and still take photos. (Of course I am...I'm not scared, after all, there's a chain-link fence between my new friend and me!).

He stops for a moment, perhaps to make sure I'm also friendly (he doesn't know me, either, does he?)...

...and then comes right up to the fence to see if I have anything yummy to offer him (sadly, I didn't). I'm laughing and at the same time wishing I had much faster-shutter speed!

Here, he's looking down to see if perhaps I've dropped something yummy instead...I must have been a huge disappointment as his newest friend!

I hope that you enjoyed meeting him, too....he really was a sweetie. I also hope that you are having a warm and fun-filled weekend!

It's Freezing!!...

2008-01-25T19:18:00.000-06:00

I know that we Southerners are often thought to be a bit wimpy when it comes to the winter and cold weather...but this is cold! Even the poor iron griffins in this fountain are freezing! I love how they almost seem to be hiding in a little den in the midst of all that ice. I plan on doing the very same thing tonight, hiding in my den with a hot drink and a good book!

We took these photos this afternoon at Saddle Creek, a shopping center in the Germantown area. I also wanted to share the photos from a little distance, to show you just how eye-catching this "ice sculpture" is.

The most ironic thing is that the weather forecast here predicts that we will be near 60 degrees on Sunday.

Come on, Spring!...

Sculpture, Dixon Gallery & Gardens

2008-01-24T22:18:00.000-06:00

As you can see, not everything is "traditional" at Dixon Gallery and Gardens. This is one of the outdoor sculptures that I discovered while walking the many paths at Dixon. I always enjoy modern or abstract art (especially when mixed in with the more traditional or classic) because it makes you think. The piece ends up being whatever you find while studying it...which is always interesting, and there is no right or wrong in how you interpret it.

I'd love to hear about what you see in this piece...

Germantown Commissary

2008-01-23T17:59:00.000-06:00

Dusty Lens mentioned in my comments section yesterday having a favorite food, which is "a pulled pork BBQ sandwich, with coleslaw on top, Memphis-style". That was music to my ears. We Memphians are kind of proud of our BBQ heritage...after all, BBQ is a food group unto itself, and in Memphis, BBQ means pork (not beef), and to those who know their stuff, that's pulled pork, not chopped. :)

There are some local restaurants which have made their name with the tourists, claiming to have the best pulled pork, best dry ribs (no sauce...a dry rub of spices only) or wet ribs (sauce-covered), etc. I won't dispute that they have some great offerings, which I will definitely share with you soon. But, to many of the locals (including our family), Germantown Commissary restaurant makes the best pulled pork BBQ in town. Before returning to college, my older son usually requests Commissary as his meal before he leaves for school. They also serve ribs, coleslaw (you can have that on your sandwich, or on the side), great baked beans, and homemade banana pudding and other sinfully yummy desserts. Their hot tamales topped with melted cheddar cheese (as an appetizer or a side item) are my personal favorites.

The Commissary building has been in this same spot, next to the railroad tracks and across from the old railroad station in the heart of Germantown (a suburb of Memphis) for over 90 years. It was originally a commissary...a kind of general store. When the present owners bought the commissary building to use as a restaurant in the early 80s, they decided that the name, Germantown Commissary, was perfect and should stay. As you can see from the photos above, they also retained the old small-town charm. The interior shot is only part of the restaurant; it is bigger than what is shown. I can't decide which I like more...the wonderful food, or the atmosphere, but both are can't-miss. You can read more about the Germantown Commissary here...including its history, menu, celebrities who've eaten there, and more photos.

Sun Studio

2008-01-22T17:14:00.000-06:00

Sun Studio is the studio complex (just off Union Avenue near downtown Memphis) that is known the world over for being the recording studio that gave Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison their start.

Sun is considered a "must-see" by those interested in music history. It is popular with tourists from all over the world year-round, and in spring and summer you have to be extra careful driving by so that you don't hit the visitors stepping back into the street to get that perfect photo. It is especially busy during the annual "Elvis Week" in August, and it is a fun stop full of interesting history. If you visit, do allow yourself enough time to soak up the atmosphere and history at Sun Studio.

Jana of Susanville Daily Photo also gave me the "You Make My Day Award" the other day and I had missed her comment during our busy weekend. Jana, I apologize for missing it before, and thank you very much! You made this dreary, cold day brighter for me. Jana has a lovely and very interesting blog, and I always enjoy visiting her...please stop by and pay her a visit!