Pic Today 11/30/12

THE RED TREE

Each year,

about this time,

a neighbor covers 

the same bare tree

with thousands of red lights.

It marks the beginning

of the Christmas holidays

for all of us.

Bravo!

Pic Today 11/29/12

MY MORNING SMOOTHIE

I start each day

with a liquid breakfast,

full of fruits and veggies,

and when available

something local,

something home grown.

Just before our first "hard freeze",

my daughter, Maggie,

picked the last of her wild

native passion fruits.

Also called maypops,

these small round passion fruits

contain edible seeds 

surrounded by sweet gooey pulp.

This smoothie contained . . .

4 native passion fruits

juice of one orange

NAKED Green Machine juice

1/2 apple

1/2 banana

pineapple slice

blue berries

4 strawberries

4 small carrots

1 kale leaf

fresh spinach

1/2 avocado

1 tsp bee pollen

1 tbsp flax seeds

1/4 cup protein powder

A delicious way

to start the day!

Pic Today 11/28/12

MY BARISTA

MADE ME A PIE

My favorite barista

(@ Kaldi's Coffee in St. Louis)

served me more than a coffee today.

Emily is also a great cook,

and baker of pies!

She brought this in

while it was STILL HOT.

Her invention, baked from scratch.

It's Apple Caramel Walnut Pecan!

YUMMYNESS!

(Thanks, Emily.)

Pic Today 11/27/12

A SEASON FOR WREATHS

Nothing says Happy Holidays

like a wreath at the front door.

Round boughs of fresh holly

or evergreens . . . dressed up

with pine cones and ribbons,

winter berry and sleigh bells . . .

dried flowers and nuts,

whatever smells good

and says an old fashioned

Christmas.

Wreaths have a long history of

greeting and celebration,

and they always say "welcome"

however simple or grand.

'Tis the season.

Pic Today 11/26/12

ELOPING

UNDER THE ARCH

Here's a wedding idea 

that's catching on . . .

eloping!

Short, sweet, simple.

(And so affordable.)

And if the weather's perfect

(like this lucky couple),

you can choose your spot.

. . . like under the famous

 St. Louis Gateway Arch.

Wedding planners are recognizing

this simple alternative

can be elegant and special

(like Carolyn Burke in St. Louis.)

Pic Today 11/25/12

LINCOLN

COMES TO LIFE

Daniel Day-Lewis becomes

Abraham Lincoln in the long awaited

Steven Spielberg movie,

"LINCOLN."

I highly recommend this amazing film.

The screenplay, the cast

and the historical accuracy of the 

last four months of Lincoln's life --

give an accurate account of the

battle for the deciding votes

for the 13th Ammendment,

which led to the end of slavery

in the United States.

Day-Lewis gives the performance

of a lifetime, and captures the soul

and courage of this great President,

at a time when our country

was terribly divided by the Civil War.

Here come the Academy Award nominations . . .

Pic Today 11/24/12

ON SANTA'S LAP

The day after Thanksgiving

marks the start of the holiday shopping season.

It's also the day that little ones

can sit on Santa's lap

and tell him what they want for Christmas.

Smile for the camera!

(. . . or maybe cry for the camera.)

Pic Today 11/23/12

THANKSGIVING DAY 2012

Lots of love and good food

when my daughters came home

with their men (and babies.)

A family feast

that made Thanksgiving Day

a reason to be thankful.

Pic Today 11/22/12

FINDING THANKFULNESS

What I needed

was to work on my gratitude list,

and remember my blessings.

There's great power and grace

in being thankful.

My daughters,

their families and children,

will be here today

cooking and baking with me

for a family feast

this Thanksgiving Day.

So grateful for this day.

And thank you to all
the wonderful friends I've met
while blogging.

Pic Today 11/15/12

SOMETIMES

MY PICTURES

SAY IT ALL

As they say,

"a picture is worth 1,000 words."

I'll just let this PIC-A-DAY

do the talking . . .

Bloggin's just not in me right now.

Putting my camera down.

Taking a break. 

Pic Today 11/14/12

A SHOT IN THE PARK

It's so much fun

to stroll through Laumeier Park,

discovering new and unusual

outdoor sculptures.

To see each piece,

in a natural setting.

In the woods, on the green.

Great fun to decide how to frame,

how to view and compose.

It's all about the light.

And composition, of course.

How to see the world.

Pic Today 11/13/12

FINAL COLORS OF THE SEASON

Now that freezing temperatures are here,

the last splashes of color will soon be gone,

with leaves covering the ground.

Time to find sweaters and gloves,

and take that last autumn hike

through a technicolor woods.

Animals are preparing their winter homes.