Pic Today 8/31/13

SPRINKLER FUN

Nothing like a sprinkler

in the park

to cool things down

on a hot August day!

(Thanks Mom.

Feels good.)

Pic Today 8/30/13

COLD  BREW COFFEE

TASTING

There's a cool way to brew coffee

when the weather gets hot.

My good friend and

daily barista, John, 

has introduced me to a new way

to enjoy my morning coffee.

Especially when it's so hot outside!

He slow brews fresh-roasted beans (coarse grind)

with COLD WATER.

This brew took a couple of hours,

using a Toddy® filter system.

The bottom carafe didn't work for our tasting,

so he poured cold coffee from kitchen bowls.*

*(John is so resourceful.)

On the rocks, these coffees were so fresh and fruity.

Yum!

Pic Today 8/29/13

HOW TO MAKE

BASIL BLOSSOM HONEY

1.  Plant a large patch of sweet basil

in your vegetable garden.

2.  Put your bee hive within 100-yards

of your garden (a quiet corner.)

3.  Let nature take its course.

Enjoy your fragrant basil honey this fall.

Pic Today 8/28/13

SUMMER'S SEEDS

Next year's fields

are being sown

on hot summer days.

Pic Today 8/27/13

MEDICINE

FROM JOHN'S BACKYARD

Feeling better.

Rejoining the world.

Thanks in part

to my Sicilian friend (and chef),

John . . .

who gave me some fresh-picked medicine

from his backyard garden, including

o  Italian zucchini

o  Fresh picked summer figs

and

o  Two kinds of fresh pasta sauce

Thank you, John.

Nothing makes me feel better

than you're friendship

and delicious Sicilian food.

Pic Today 8/24/13

UNDER THE WEATHER

Recovering . . . healing.

Not up to getting out,

or shooting pics.

Be back soon.

Pic Today 8/23/13

FAUX FLIGHT

There's a "life size" model airplane

in St. Louis County Laumeier Park

that's attracting a lot of attention.

Although not accurate in some key areas,

and certainly not ready for take-off,

this will show what you can build

with some plywood, scrap lumber, sheet metal,

a jig saw and a couple of cans of paint.

What fun!

Pic Today 8/22/13

SMALL FARMS

ARE BIG NEWS

For an increasing number of people

in Missouri, growing food is

more than a hobby.

It's a main occupation.

In fact, Missouri is #2 in the nation

in the number of small farms.*

*(At least $1,000 production and sales per year.)

Growing local and organic

is becoming big business for the 

serious gardener.

Pic Today 8/21/13

I LOVE HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

Gnarly, twisted, imperfect

shapes and sizes.

But always the delicious

taste of summer!

Pic Today 8/20/13

MOVING THE GREAT EYE

Since 2007, Tony Tasset's Eye 

has been a popular installation

at Laumeier Sculpture Park

in St. Louis County.

Never blinking, the Eye

has constantly watched over

Laumeier, day and night.

With expansion and construction plans

for the new Arts Center,

the great eye ball was carefully moved

to it's new location.

Now looking back as visitors arrive.

Keeping an Eye on things,

so to speak!

Pic Today 8/19/13

HONEY'S GRANDE DAME:

JOY STINGER

The great lady of honey (and honey bees),

Joy Stinger,

conducted her first harvest of 2013,

on a perfect August weekend.

With the help of her son, Karl, and

helper, Keaton, 25 "supers" were carefully

removed from their hives below.

The bees remain behind, waiting for their

freshly cleaned frames.

Can you spot the queen?

(Hint: she's got a white dot on her back.)

Rich with honey comb,

each frame is scraped to remove the

protective beeswax caps, and

then placed in the centrifuge to spin

the honey free.

This harvest is rich, thick and flavorful.

Thanks, Joy.