Mooresville Portraits

The historic town of Mooresville, has been called the "Williamsburg of Alabama". I don't know if I'd go that far, but it is one of the oldest and historic places in the state. When cotton was king, Mooresville was home to many of the cotton planters, field workers and merchants from that part of Limestone County. Remarkably, the town has changed little since then and appears untouched by time. Some of the current residents are descended from the earliest settlers and they strive to maintain the look of the original structures, while adding the conveniences that make modern living possible. One former resident, a tailor's apprentice, Andrew Johnson, went on to become President of the Unites States.

The town's historic and unhurried charm have made it a desired location for several Hollywood movies, including "Tom and Huck" starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas. It also attracts countless photographers, both amateur and professional. Some just photograph the historic homes and beautiful gardens, but many portrait photographers use the buildings as artistic backdrops for their subjects. There have been so many photographers on spring afternoons, that the town now requires that commercial photographers purchase permits, and adhere to certain rules and regulations in order to limit the numbers. The permit is costly, so I'm sure it has had the desired effect.

One day this week, I jumped into the fray, and attempted to take some photos of my daughter, Michelle, and my grandson Kendall. She wanted a new picture to give her husband as a Father's Day gift. I wasn't sure how her 19-month old would do. A child's attention span at that age is about fifteen seconds long, and getting their cooperation is certainly a challenge. My daughter came armed with toys, music and snacks that she used to entice, and otherwise bribe her son. My other daughter, Jennifer, came along to assist, create distractions and get Kendall to smile by making faces and noises that I wasn't aware she was capable of making. I'll have to admit, that he did pretty good, and much better than expected. Here are some of the results.

Just Dropped In

Days that are unpredictable are so rare, so that when you happen to take a look out your window and see a hot air balloon standing precisely at the end of your driveway, you can't help but do a double-take. It's not so much that the balloon exists; hot air balloons are a fairly common occurrence in North Alabama at this time of year. The big balloon enthusiast gathering in nearby Decatur, called the Jubilee, happens each year on Memorial Day weekend. What made this so odd, was the fact that this pilot chose to put down in our quiet cul-de-sac, directly in front of our house. I mean, he could have chosen any of the corn or cotton fiends in the areas or even one of the vacant lots in our less than sold-out subdivision. Any other choice would have certainly provided a bigger target, along with the corresponding margin for error. Unfortunately, by the time I was able to grab my camera and run outside to record the event, the balloon was being readied for launch once again by the ground crew. Once aloft, the crew jumped back in their vehicle and sped away, so I never got the chance to ask the obvious question - why here?

It was only when I mentioned this event to my daughter a couple of days later, did we come up with the logical explanation. It wasn't a forced landing as I suspected, but a deliberate put-down using our rather small cul-de-sac as a challenging target. Obviously, the pilot was testing his navigating skills to see how close he could land to the center of the circular space. If that was indeed the case, he nailed it. Accuracy is one of the criteria that balloonists are scored on during the Jubilee. The fact that we have no power lines on our street may be another reason we were chosen for the unannounced visit. In any event, it made for some interesting photos and one less predictable day.