Pic Today 9/30/14

TIM MURPHY,

MASTER FLINTKNAPPER

Meet Tim Murphy.

He turns flint rock into

beautiful, artisanal blades and tools.

He digs the best flint rock.

(His best flint comes from Missouri.)

And with tools made from Buffalo bone,

he hammers and fashions

razor-sharp points and blades on his lap,

one chip at a time.

This is the art of knapping.

Virtually every civilization has made

similar blades, arrow heads and points

since the beginning of time.

Tim lives in Hannibal, Missouri,

and travels the world teaching this

ancient art to students and artists.

(www.flintspirit.com)

Pic Today 9/29/14

ROOT, ROOT, ROOT

FOR THE HOME TEAM

St. Louis Cardinals celebrate winning

the National League Division Championship

on the last day of the regular baseball season.

Now it's on to the Play Offs.

Photo #1 -- Rafael Furcal, Jon Jay, Daniel Descalso,

courtesy of USA Today.

Photo #2 -- Courtesy of St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Pic Today 9/28/14

CRYSTAL FEST

DRAWS ENERGY SEEKERS

Perfect weather helped draw hundreds

of crystal enthusiasts to the 3rd annual

Midwest Crystal Fest at Emenegger Park

in Kirkwood, Missouri.

Attracting attendees who believe in the

healing and protective power in crystals,

collectors and dealers from the Midwest

brought their mystical and magical

crystals and stones for healing,

 awakening and transformational energies.

Energy workers and meditation counselors

traded their natural remedies and techniques

to this free outdoor gathering.

Pic Today 9/27/14

OLD BARN,

RUSTY ROOF

The colors of autumn

are everywhere.

Explore your world.

Enjoy your weekend.

Pic Today 9/26/14

DISCOVERIES

IN THE FALL GARDEN

Autumn is full of surprises.

Blooms in their final triumphant display,

dried grasses and seed pods,

warm colors and shades,

and acorns to fatten the

squirrels and wild turkeys.

Seeds for next season.

Pic Today 9/25/14

PUMPKINS

AND APPLES

AND MUMS.

Oh my!

(The autumn market

is so colorful.)

Pic Today 9/24/14

FOOD OR FUEL

While driving through central Illinois yesterday,

I stopped to watch a corn harvest.

Massive fields of dried corn . . .

 giant green John Deer harvesters . . .

gobbling up rows of stalks,

silage in one truck,

kernels in the other.

It's harvesting time.

Destined for feed or fuel,

or overseas export.

(These are not small farms.)

Pic Today 9/23/14

AUTUMN RIVER COLORS

Almost overnight,

the autumn weather

has changed the colors

along the river.

Loving the shades of the season.

Pic Today 9/22/14

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF FALL

Today marks the Autumnal Equinox,

the astronomical start of the fall season.

Day and night are balanced to 12 hours each

all over the world.*

*Daylight in the Northern Hemisphere

will grow shorter until the Winter Solstice

(December 21.)

Pic Today 9/21/14

DOGWOOD FRUITS

There is a dogwood tree

whose flowers turn to red fruits

in the fall, edible fruits.

Red fruits of the Kousa Dogwood

are indeed edible when ripe,

with a semi-sweet gooey texture.

Like ripe red raspberries on stout stems

heralding the beginning of autumn.

Pic Today 9/20/14

BALLOON GLOW

AT FOREST PARK

The night before the

Great Forest Park Balloon Race,

when the crowds gather

just to see the competing entrants

fire up their colorful hot-air balloons.

The take offs and competition

start tomorrow morning,

with cash prizes for the first to land

at the destination target.

But for tonight . . .

just a beautiful light show

on the ground.

Pic Today 9/19/14

SWEET SOUNDS

IN THE EVENING AIR

Lucky fans enjoyed an evening

of sweet harmonies and 

perfect weather

in downtown Kirkwood last night,

listening to The River Rats.

Blue grass, vintage blues

and roots music

played to perfection.

Bravo River Rats!

(You've never sounded better.)