As the calendar gets ready to flip over to September, these are exciting days in Alabama. Why, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you — and you know that if you have to ask, you obviously don’t live in Alabama. Because … it’s Football Eve! Finally, after weeks — months? — of anticipation and planning and hard work and sweat and tears, football is here again. Tonight there are a few high school games, with the bulk of the high-school season openers on Friday night. The University of North Alabama, our hometown college that’s always a powerhouse, plays its first game on Saturday, and then next weekend we get down to business as Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss and others show us what they’ve got. All across the state, everybody’s busy checking supplies of school T-shirts, pom-poms, shakers, grills, BBQ and coolers. And of course, just because the season’s starting doesn’t mean that practice time is over. There are still hours ahead of drills and run-throughs under the steamy summer sun as frustrated cries of “Left! Left! You’re supposed to turn left there!” and “Didn’t you see Clint there on the 50-yard line? How could you run over him?” ring out across the practice field. But it’s all worth it on Game Day, as the lights pop on and the crowds gather and the fans follow your every move — roaring approval and rising to their feet in wildly enthusiastic applause for a job well done.
Yup — I love marching band season. Why? What did you think I was talking about???
Coffee with Cathy 
🙂
Love you, sweetie!
And to everybody else: That photo is Younger Daughter, from a couple years ago when she was drum major for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marching Blazers. Good times!
I’ve been listening to band camp for two weeks–they sound good. You need to buy my house so you can stroll over to watch them practice any time.
Miss those college games with all the energy about them!
My favorite part of football season is the marching band. It used to be those corsages made of huge mums. I guess that reveals how far back I go.
I must admit that as a high school student I hated football season, hated the marching band. Symphonic band, where musicians sit in chairs in a warm room the way the Lord intended, could not come soon enough for me.
Love the sparkling pom poms, the stylish band moves and those gorgeous mums….
Watching the band is always the best part of the football game!
I LOVE that photo of Carolyn!! That’s so her personality. 🙂
Danielle — Thanks so much. That means a lot coming from a professional photographer!
P.S. Danielle — Do you see Riley there at the bottom? That’s all him, too!