Pic Today 7/31/12

PERFECT PEACHES & PLUMS

It's that time of the year . . .

when Goldbud Farms (Placerville, CA)

ships their flawless, organic stone-fruit

to select markets and customers

in North America.

These famous mountain orchards

are just now shipping their perfectly-ripe

giant peaches and plums,

which have just arrived in St. Louis.

Always receiving critical acclaim,

Goldbud peaches and plums are

indescribably juicy and delicious.

(www.goldbudfarms.com)

Yum!

Pic Today 7/30/12

RAIN, FINALLY

I leave drought stricken St. Louis Friday,

when it's 106˚.

I come home Sunday to blessed rain,

and it's 72˚.

A nice sustained 4-hour rain,

and 34˚ cooler.

(That's what I call a homecoming gift!)

More, please.

Pic Today 7/28/12

BLOG ON HOLD

Blog temporarily shut down.

On assignment.

Be back soon.

Pic Today 7/27/12

RAIN HOPES DASHED

It was exciting, these past few days.

After these weeks and months of drought,

the possibility of rain in the forecast.

Dark clouds formed and rolled in.

We hoped and prayed.

It's all we could do to contain ourselves.

The cool breezes came through,

as we stared at the sky

and waited.

Nary a drop.

Our rain hopes dashed.

(Friday back in the 100's.)

No more posts on our tragic dry weather.

It depresses us all.

Maybe if we don't talk about it . . .

Pic Today 7/26/12

THE NOT-SO-MIGHTY

M I S S I S S I P P I

Rivers throughout Missouri are

at historic low levels

due to the sustained drought,

but none are affecting the area (and nation)

as dramatically as the Mississippi River.

Fact is, most of the nation's commodity freight

(e.g. corn, wheat, coal, mined ore, etc.)

travels by barge . . . and 90% of the nation's barges

travel on the mighty Mississip!

But with no rain, river levels are low . . .

too low to float a full barge.

Barge lines must reduce their loads

or run the risk of getting stuck.

That increases freight costs and delays shipments.

The Mississippi River at St. Louis

is 13-feet below normal

(55-feet lower than last year's floods.)

That's a lot of water we don't have.

A lot of rain we do need.

Pic Today 7/25/12

ONE FLOWER

THAT THRIVES IN THIS HEAT

The prickly pear cactus (opuntia)

stands tall in local gardens,

and brings flowers forward

despite the drought.

Its ripe fruit (the pears) are delicious

in jams and desserts.

Its paddles (nopales) are harvested

and a popular ingredient in Mexican dishes.

The paddles are cleaned, carefully, and

scraped of their sharp needles,

then boiled in salt water for 10 minutes

before being chopped and sautéed

as a delicious ingredient in scrambled eggs,

salsa, tacos and baked potatoes.

Finally . . .

a beautiful and delicious garden crop

for our record heat and drought spell.

(Today it was 108˚ in St. Louis.)

Pic Today 7/24/12

WHEN YOUR CAR

STARTS STEAMIN'

pull over!

WHEN YOUR CAR

STARTS SMOKIN'

get out!

WHEN YOUR CAR

STARTS FLAMIN'

run baby run!

(106˚ today in St. Louis)

Pic Today 7/23/12

THE FACES OF PLAY

"Play gives children

a chance to practice

what they're learning."

-- Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood)

Pic Today 7/22/12

ROGUE UNDERGROUND DINING

AMIDST A FORTUNE IN CLASSIC CARS

Rogue Underground Dining Society

celebrated its 21st gourmet dining event

surrounded by a million dollar vintage car collection.

A collector of rare classic cars

opened his showroom for Rogue Underground diners

for a special multi-course gourmet dinner.

Diners sat alongside vintage cars from yesteryear

while they enjoyed an 8-course meal

prepared by Rogue chefs and their staff.

Craftsmanship from auto makers and chefs

was appreciated by lucky attendees.

Pic Today 7/21/12

HISTORIC MOUNDS

ARE REMNANTS OF THE

GREATEST AMERICAN INDIAN SITE

Just east of St. Louis, in Cahokia Illinois

are the Cahohia Mounds,

the largest prehistoric Indian site north of Mexico.

From 800-1000, the Mississippian culture began

as highly structured communities,

supporting populations of 20,000 people in a

complex permanent community.

Virtually the center of American Indian populations,

trade routes reached across the continent

with Cahokia at its center.

Agricultural fields surrounded the central complex

of enormous earthen mounds,

made of earth dug from pits with stone and wood tools,

and transported in baskets on people's backs.

It is estimated that over 50-million cubic feet of earth

was moved for mounds which still stand today.

By the late 1300's, Cahokia was abandoned.

Where the Cahokians went or what tribes they became

remain unanswered questions.

(Perhaps they had a drought!)