Pic Today 2/28/18

 

 

 

 

 

"ORCHID MANIA"

AT MO. BOTANICAL GARDEN

 Over 500 rare tropical orchids

are now on display

(through March 25)

   at Missouri Botanical Garden. 

Making appearances

from the Garden's living collection

are Cattleya, Laelia, Encyclia,

Oncidium and Paphiopedilum.

Come see perfection in bloom.

 

Pic Today 2/27/18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NINE YEARS

AND GOING STRONG

24 lucky guests enjoyed

the 67th Rogue Underground

Dining Experience

this past Sunday eve,

For a multi course

gourmet feast,

including a poutine finger sandwich,

creamy lobster bisque,

and a 20-layer chocolate crepe cake.

This marks the 67th underground event

since Rogue's launch,

a little over 9 years ago! 

Oh my!

Pic Today 2/16/18

 

SUNNY DAY IN THE LOU

Enjoying a bright sunny day

in St. Louis.

Following our rainy dreary spell.

Bound to make the world green.

Very green!

 

Pic Today 2/25/18

 

JUST WHAT WE NEEDED

Three days of steady rain

gave us a good soaking,

and filled the streams

with life-giving water.

Just in time for Spring!

Pic Today 2/24/18

 

SPRING'S SWEET CRESS

No matter our bitter cold

 then warm winter temps.

Spring waters at our cabin retreat

offer dependable refuge

for an annual return

of sweet water cress.

Part of the anticipation

of Spring's annual promise.

(Now to survive this weekend's

flood forecast.)

 

Pic Today 2/23/18

 

OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS

Who's to say this resident

isn't enjoying his castle?

Sure looks peaceful.

(No noisy neighbors,

that's for sure.)

Pic Today 2/22/18

 

A SIGN

IN THE WINTER WOODS

Unexplainable twisted

trees and turns.

A sign or not.

Or random winter

 ready for Spring? 

 

Pic Today 2/21/18

 

HOW I FEEL THIS MORNING

 Actually a 1961 portrait

by Jean Dubuffet, but matching

what I see in the mirror these days

after my accident and recuperation.

(At least they let me out of the hospital.)

  

Pic Today 2/19/18

 

WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS

Be grateful.

(This beauty is one

of the last ones

to be harvested

from my indoor

Meyer Lemon tree

this winter.)

 

 What a great plant to grow!

Pic Today 2/18/18

 

ICE CIRCLES

Pond ice always thaws

in circles,

 And the promise of Spring.

Pic Today 2/17/18

 

 

 

MY KIND OF BOOK STORE

Old books, used books,

from floor to ceiling.

Quiet and warm.

With comfortable arm chairs.

Subjects that make you smile.

It even smells good in there.

With a cat that leaves you alone.

(They're becoming an

"endangered species.")

 

Pic Today 2/16/18

 

THE WOODS ARE AWAKENING

So are the buffalo!

(It was 82˚ yesterday.

That's crazy warm

 for February.) 

Pic Today 2/15/18

 

NOT GIVING UP

CORN BREAD

For Lent.

(No way.)

 

Pic Today 2/14/18

 

LOVE & REPENT

Today we celebrate

Valentines Day

and Ash Wednesday,

the day of fasting

and the first day of Lent.

(Mixed message

if you ask me.)

 

Pic Today 2/13/18

I COLLECT HEART ROCKS

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day.

Have you found your heart rock yet?

Pic Today 2/12/18

 

LAST DAYS OF WINTER

Warm sunny days

are soon to green the fields,

and fill the trees with

rustling leaves.

I'm ready.

 

Pic Today 2/11/18

 

IT'S TIME FOR KING CAKE

The King Cake tradition has been

associated with Mardi Gras,

since the tradition came to New Orleans

from France in 1870.

This pastry oval is always decorated

in purple (justice), green (faith) and

gold (power), resembling the crown 

honoring the Wise Men who visited

the Christ Child on Epiphany.

A tiny baby is usually baked inside the cake,

and whoever gets that slice is

named "king" for the day!

 

Pic Today 2/10/18

 

 

HAPPY MARDI GRAS

It's Mardi Gras weekend in St. Louis.

The second largest celebration and parade

in the U.S. (2nd to New Orleans.)

Once again, it's freezing cold here. 

(That's never stopped us before.)

"Laissez les bons temps rouler." 

Pic Today 2/9/18

 

MAGGIE'S

ESSENTIAL OILS

Living with my daughter

is good for both of us!

She knows, sells and uses

Young Living™Essential Oils.

For every possible need, cure,

allergy, scent, health, mind or

benefit . . . you've got a problem?

She's got the oil!

Pic Today 2/8/18

 

 

OLD RELIABLE

POT BELLY HEAT

Pot belly stoves are nothing new,

providing safe radiant heat

in general stores and railroad stations

for hundreds of years.

Cast iron wood-burning stoves

drawing customers round 

on the coldest of days,

like the antique shop above,

on Cherokee Street in St. Louis.

Pic Today 2/7/18

 

WINTER BARN

I love old barns, 

especially in winter.

How they last,

beyond the seasons.

Keep on going.

Pic Today 2/6/18

 

 

 

FIRE FROM DOWN UNDER

From a mine in southern Australia,

a hot dry desert land

where few things grow or live,

there's a hole in the ground

called Lightning Ridge,

where few miners have been

lucky enough to pull out

the finest black opals every found.

Lightning Ridge black opals!

The top specimen is mine.

To hold it

you'd think there was a battery inside.

The next one down

is how beautiful the fire can be,

and worth tens of thousands of dollars.

On display in a museum.

Mighty pretty rock, heh?

Pic Today 2/5/18

 

 

 

 

HALF TIME WITH J.T.

The 52nd Super Bowl football game

was highlighted by the incredible

Justin Timberlake for a

non-stop show on the field

and in the stands.

. . . including a duet performance

with the late Prince,

saluting his hometown Minneapolis,

the site of this year's game.

What a show!

Pic Today 2/4/18

 

WHY IS MY FINGER PINK?

While spending an unexpected

night in the hospital,

I woke up to find myself

entangled by wires

connected to various parts

of my body.

I was especially startled

to find my index finger tip

glowing a brilliant pink.

It didn't hurt,

so I quickly found my pillow

and returned to sleep.

This morning, my nurse

explained it was the latest

in pulse oximetry.

A device that passes harmless

wavelengths of light

through the finger to

 measure accurate concentrations 

of arterial hemoglobin.

(E.T. phone home!)

Pic Today 2/3/18

 

 

BEHOLD THE

SACRED LINGAM STONE

These lingam stones are harvested

once a year from the banks of the 

muddy Narmada River in the

central western part of India.

The lingam shape represents the

power of Shiva, the Lord of Creation,

the manifestation of masculine energy.

The purple markings, called Yoni,

represent feminine energy,

wisdom and intuition.

The lingam stone is a very sacred icon

of the Hindu tradition, and relates to

the heart chakra and the

manifestation of love.

The shape of these stones

make them unique objects for

meditation.

Pic Today 2/2/18

 

YOU KNOW

WHAT DAY IT IS

Let's just hope

"you know who"

doesn't see his shadow

this morning!

(We don't need

  6 more weeks of 

this weather.) 

Punxsutawney Phil

is another year older.

Nuff said.