Pic Today 5/31/14

ONE DAY GETAWAY

Retreat to the river wilderness

to recharge the batteries.

Away from the phones, TV,

texting, air conditioning.

To the peace of a clean Missouri stream.

Picking watercress from an ice cold spring.

Wildflowers that looked like baby orchids.

Saying hi to a neighbor, 

dropping by on his ATV.

And a curious lizard

clinging to a window screen.

It was a beautiful day!

Pic Today 5/30/14

TROPICAL SPLENDOR

Brilliant color, dramatic design,
intense beauty.

Pic Today 5/29/14

TREES UNDER STRESS

In the wild, trees are under attack

from a variety of sources

  beyond their control . . .

From disease and bacteria

(some beautiful forms, like ornate burls).

From sharp-toothed beavers

(from which they rarely survive).

And forest fires

(which help renew new forests.)

The most deadly form of stress

is mankind, 

who clears vast acres of trees

for his own profit.

Trees will always need our protection.

Pic Today 5/28/14

BEAUTY UNFOLDING

  Always worth the wait . . .

the beauty of Hibiscus is perfection revealed.

Pic Today 5/27/14

GEMS AMONGST THE JUNK

If you're got the patience,

and the knowledge,

going to "flea markets" and antique fairs

 can be a worthwhile experience . . .

with occasional discoveries and treasures

buried in the junk.

Gypsy Caravan is an annual Memorial Day tradition,

the largest flea market that draws thousands

of treasure hunters.

Proceeds from Gypsy Caravan

help support the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Discovered treasures or not,

always a good cause!

Pic Today 5/26/14

LEGOS IN THE GARDEN

There's a fascinating new exhibit

at the Climatron™in Missouri Botanical Garden,

lifelike sculptures made of LEGO® bricks.

There are 25 LEGO creations

installed throughout the Climatron's tropical gardens,

 and they will have you looking twice . . .

as you see butterflies, flowers, birds, giant insects,

coral snake, an accurate sun dial, a roto tiller, 

and a life-like gardener planting a specimen.

300,000 LEGO pieces were used in these sculptures.

The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 7.

Pic Today 5/25/14

IT'S HOMEGROWN STRAWBERRY TIME

Finally!

The season is late this year (chilly Spring),

but homegrown strawberries are ready to harvest.

We pick them when they're ripe,

sweet and flavorful,

unlike those red-on-the-outside,

white-on-the-inside California monsters

shipped to our grocery chain stores.

Homegrown strawberries!

You'll know 'em when you eat 'em.

Sweet and flavorful.

My favorite way to enjoy these fresh berries:

covered with cream!

Yum.

Pic Today 5/24/14

VINTAGE VINYL RECORDS

NAMED BEST IN THE U.S.

St. Louis' favorite record shop,

Vintage Vinyl, was voted 

"one of the nation's best"

by USA Today!

The article ranked Vintage Vinyl

one of the 10 best record stores in the U.S.,

praising it's diversity of music,

as well as its 34-year history in our community.

Located on Delmar in the "Loop",

VV has become a legitimate tourist destination,

with a wide selection of new and used vinyl, CD & tape.

Everything from early 60's Andy Williams

to early Hollies and foreign Hip Hop.

(Vintage Vinyl, next to the legendary Blueberry Hill,

happens to be located on "the Loop", 

coincidentally voted "one of the 10 best streets in the U.S.A.")

Location, location, location.

Pic Today 5/23/14

WALK THROUGH THE

SPRING GARDEN

So many colors,

so many blooms.

The show has begun!

"Earth laughs in flowers."

                  --  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pic Today 5/22/14

BEST GARDEN

GNOME AWARD

I'm honored to report

that Garden Plot #45 (my humble veggie bed)

at the Wild West Community Garden

  has won "top honors" this month . . .

and placement of the coveted Garden Gnome Award.

Of course I had family helpers

(Copy, Maggie, Metta, Eli),

but tis' a beautiful garden,

amongst the 50 raised beds on site.

As the weather heats up, we plant

hot weather crops . . . like these pepper plants.

Lots of compost and rich organic fertilizer mixed in

(fish bone meal, kelp, feather meal, alfalfa meal,

rock phosphate, seaweed extract and 100% pure love!)