Pic Today 10/31/13

TRICK OR TREAT

How could you resist?

Share the make-believe wonder

of dressing up and knocking on doors

with your little ones.

Be extra safe this Halloween.

Pic Today 10/30/13

"WHEN EVERY LEAF IS A FLOWER"

Albert Camus described fall the best,

how "fall is a second Spring,

when every leaf is a flower."

That time is here, this week.

All the trees have turned

into the passion of autumn.

The show is on!

Pic Today 10/29/13

TEAM PUMPKIN

A St. Louis Cardinals pumpkin,

in honor of the 2013 World Series

during the Halloween holiday.

Game 5 was held at Busch Stadium last night,

between the Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox.

The series now goes back to Boston

for the final 2 games (if necessary)

in this "best of 7" championship series.

Whatever the outcome of the series,

last night's game was the final one

to be played at Busch Stadium in 2013.

What a season!

Pic Today 10/28/13

FANCY SEASONAL HARVESTS

Farmers Market growers take pride

in featuring late harvest specialties,

some cultivated, some collected wild . . .

like orange cauliflower, heirloom apples,

giant "chicken of the woods" mushrooms,

flavorful tomatillos, late fall squash,

ice radishes and blue pumpkins.

Enjoying our fresh Farmers Markets

before winter sets in.

Pic Today 10/27/13

OH, FOR A TICKET

TO THE WORLD SERIES

The Boston Red Sox have come

to St. Louis for Games 3, 4 & 5

of the World Series.

And even if St. Louis fans

can't get a seat at one of these games,

it doesn't keep them from partying

outside Busch Stadium.

An estimated 10,000 Cardinal fans

were on hand at Game 3

to celebrate the World Series in St. Louis.

And they weren't even in the stadium!

Go Cardinals!

Pic Today 10/26/13

THIRTY-THIRD

ROGUE UNDERGROUND

GOURMET DINNER

The Rogue Underground Dining Society

held its 33rd dinner event last evening,

while 26 attendees challenged Rogue chefs

to invent a creative interpretation

on traditional family favorites.

One guest challenged Rogue

to "make me love beets".

One course featured 5 beet dishes,

including fresh sorbet and crisp chips.

(They're now "beet lovers.")

Rogue events are 100% "underground",

while chefs and staff contribute time and efforts

anonymously.

(All dishes are made from scratch.)

Pic Today 10/25/13

FALL FOLIAGE

TURN ON

A walk in the woods

is a treat for the senses.

The trees have turned.

The leaves put on a show

before they fall to the ground.

A beautiful weekend ahead.

(The Cardinals beat the Red Sox, 4-2,

and evened the World Series at

1 game a piece . . . and are headed

back to St. Louis for Game 3 on Saturday.)

Pic Today 10/24/13

HOW WITCHES PARTY

I drove by the first Halloween party

in the neighborhood.

Seems it was "witches only" at this party.

Very scary!

(Game 1, World Series:

Red Sox 8, Cardinals 1)

Pic Today 10/23/13

TONIGHT

THE WORLD SERIES BEGINS

Tonight, in Fenway Park in Boston,

the two best teams in major league baseball

meet for Game One 

in the 2013 World Series.

The St. Louis Cardinals play

the Boston Red Sox

in a "best of 7" series

to determine who will become

the first team to win

the third World Champion title

this century.

Wow!

Pic Today 10/23/13

CRISP AUTUMN DAYS

Suddenly the nights are chilly,

the days crisp and clean.

This cold snap has shocked

the leaves into technicolor.

The sun is extra bright,

the air is fresh.

Autumn is in high gear.

Pic Today 10/22/13

BIG STINK

Commonly referred to as

the "corpse flower,"

Titan Arum is a giant genus

(6-foot bloom)

which flowers infrequently

and unpredictably.

This specimen last flowered

12 years ago, and was on display

at Missouri Botanical Garden.

At the prime moment of flowering,

the corpse flower earns its name

by emitting a foul smell

of rotting flesh.

(No doubt to attract animals

and insects who would surely

help pollinate the species.)

Pic Today 10/21/13

CELEBRATING

60 YEARS AS A MONK

60 years ago,

the Reverend Timothy Horner, O.S.B.

was ordained a priest

in the Benedictine order

in Ampleforth, England.

Soon thereafter, he was sent to America

with 2 other monks

to open St. Louis Priory

as a new school far from England,

where he dedicated his life to teaching.

We joined Fr. Timothy in a special mass

in the church he helped build

to celebrate his life of dedication & devotion.

Hundreds of friends, families and students

(this blogger included)

helped celebrate his holy life as a monk

in St. Louis.

(At 93, he's still a brilliant scholar

and author, signing copies of his latest work,

Learning All The Time.)

Congratulations, Fr. Timothy.