Faith, Folklore, and Friends

The 2015 UNA Front Porch Storytelling Festival is over, and I'm sad to see it go.   Some days, I just don't have the energy to schlep my camera around all day.  I decided to leave it at home, and just take shots with my cell phone.  Bad idea! I only had one presentable photo;  Three on a String, shown below. Fortunately, you can go  here  and see lots of pictures and other information about the festival. This the the festival's fifth year, and in humble opinion, it was the best one yet.  I love that all the storytellers talk about the importance of stories; how it is the family stories told on the front porch and at the dinner table that make us remember who we are.  If we don't pass these stories to our children and their children, they will be gone forever. In addition, there is nothing better than spending two whole days with peeps that make you laugh until you hurt.  Can't wait for the next one.

  The year’s at the spring And day’s at the morn; Morning’s at seven                                                The hillside’s dew-pearled; The lark’s on the wing;                                   The snail’s on the thorn; God’s in His heaven -                                   All’s right with the world!                                                                               ~Robert Browning

Some say the ginkgo tree is a living fossil, that it hasn't changed at all in over 200 million years.  It lives longer than most trees, and is so tough that it is planted as street trees all over the world because it will survive the traffic and fumes that would kill other trees. It has a distinctive leaf, one that you will never forget after you  learn what it is.  There is not another leaf like it, not one in the  whole wide world. Ginkgo Biloba, an extract made from the leaves, is sold in health food stores.  It is alleged to improve memory and have other health benefits.  Ginkgo has been studied as treatment for dementia and Alzheimer's disease, but there has been no scientific evidence that it works. I can't prove how old it is or if it really has health benefits.  However, I do know this: many years ago, someone had the foresight to plant a ginkgo tree on the campus of the University of North Alabama, on a s...

The best thing about getting to work early at UNA is you can have your choice of parking places. The second best thing is the light is perfect for capturing fall color when there are just a few people on campus. These images were taken on October 28 using an Iphone 4. It does not, of course, come close to the beauty of the real thing.  I hope you can visit the campus in the next few days while these colors are showing off.

Last night, we attended a performance by humorist Jeanne Robertson at the University of North Alabama. We had never seen her in person, but had seen her on YouTube clips and DVDs.  We were there thirty minutes before the doors opened.  There was already a long line when we got there. It was worth the wait. Ms. Robertson had the crowd laughing with her stories about things we deal with every day, like panty hose that won't stay up and taking casseroles to the sick. Listen to one of her stories  here  and another one  here. Many thanks to the UNA Distinguished Events  Program for sponsoring this show for the community at no charge. 

Today is the first day of classes for the fall semester at the University of North Alabama. This is the Floyd Science building that will soon be replaced by the new science building under construction on Pine Street. I have spent many days of my life in the room on the top floor right. This may be the last semester we are here.  Plans are that the new science building will be ready by the beginning of the spring semester in January, or soon thereafter. It has been a long time coming, and I guess we can wait a little longer. 

You believe   In God, for your part?--that He who makes     Can make good things from ill things, best from worst,       As men plant tulips upon dunghills when         They wish them finest.                       - Elizabeth Barrett  Browning Mid the sharp, short emerald wheat, scarce risen three fingers well,   The wild tulip at the end of its tube, blows out its great red bell,     Like a thin clear bubble of blood, for the children to pick and sell.       -  Robert Browning Dutch tulips from their beds   Flaunted their stately heads.           ~James Montgomery

 To celebrate Veteran's Day at the University of North Alabama, t his outdoor display “Remember” was created by the UNA Military and Veteran Alliance with help from the Kilby School Cub Scout Pack 297. The flags in the display represent the 6769 fallen from Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. For perspective, the current enrollment at UNA is 6931. This flag display is eye-catching and a great reminder to remember.  Thank you, Veterans, for your sacrifice.

I may be just a little biased, but I think the University of North Alabama has the most beautiful campus anywhere.  Anywhere. And that is especially true in the fall.             I spend much of my time in the lab room just right of the stairs on the top floor.  I see this tree every time I come and go.  It is just as pretty in the spring as I watch it go from bare to buds to beautiful.           When I went to college here, the walkway below was a congested street.   Most of these photos were taken between Floyd Science Building and the Collier Library, a regular trek for me.  There is much more of the campus that is not shown here.