Pic Today 5/31/15

SUMMER FLOWERS

IN THE RAIN

Drinking in rain drops.

Waiting for sunshine.

To color the neighborhood

with summer's bouquets.

Can't miss the show.

(And tomorrow it's JUNE.)

Enjoy!

Pic Today 5/30/15

 

 

 

HOME GROWN

STRAWBERRIES

. . . not to be confused with

those giant, tasteless factory-farmed

grocery store berries from California.

These beauties are just-picked

sweet, ripe, local strawberries

that make everything

"right with the world."

How about a bowl full

smothered in cream?

or filling the center of 

a ripe melon?

Mmmmmm!

Pic Today 5/29/15

THERE WAS A LUAU

AT BAR LOUIE

LAST NIGHT

Sort of.

(At least the weather

felt like Hawaii.)

Pic Today 5/28/15

SUMMER'S

SIMPLE BEAUTY

How can the simple daisy

hold so much beauty?

Wild daisies always surprise me,

popping up in unexpected places,

putting on a powerful show.

Yellow buttons,

surrounded by perfect white petals.

Such perfect design.

For centuries, 

they've symbolized purity, innocence,

simplicity, patience and love.

Put some in a vase, a bottle, a jar.

Guaranteed to make your day brighter.

Pic Today 5/27/15

 

 

 

 

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

Annabelle and Jordan's final night here,

so we took them to a Cardinals baseball game.

Maggie came along,

  so sisters got to have fun together . . .

while we watched the St. Louis Cardinals

beat the Arizona Diamondbacks

6 to 4!

Great game.   Great time.

Pic Today 5/26/15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RIVER CABIN RETREAT

Cabin on the Meramec River

was the perfect retreat

this Memorial Day weekend.

Away from civilization,

down private country roads,

where springs flow cold and pure,

into "trophy trout" crystal streams.

Both daughters in town

to enjoy the weekend, together.

Maggie, with Eli and Metta.

Annabel with her freshly married husband.

(Welcome, Jordan.) 

No television, no phone.

No air conditioning.

Just quiet.

Neighbors up the hill

who bring fresh-picked strawberries.

(Thanks, Carolyn.)

And fresh made S'Mores on the beach.

(Heaven on earth!)

Pic Today 5/23/15

 

GONE FISHIN'

Taking some time off

for the Memorial Day weekend.

Be back early next week.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Pic Today 5/22/15

 

 

 

 

 

PLANTING

SEEDS OF HAPPINESS

Meet Mark Borella,

(good friend, neighbor and entrepreneur)

who hands out smiles

a handful at a time.

His company, Seeds Of Happiness,

makes little smiles out of clay

(hand formed, painted and fired

at his studio in Kirkwood, Missouri).

His "seeds" are sold at hundreds of retail shops

around the world, and passed out

to friends going through hard times,

who need a little smile.

It's a beautiful story.

(Read more at www.seedsofhappiness.com)

His latest project is painting large murals

of smiling faces (of course), 

and donating them to children's hospitals.

(The one above is a 6' x 10' oil painted canvas

soon to be hung at Boston General Children's Hospital.)

The world needs a lot more smiles.

Thank you, Mark.

Pic Today 5/21/15

 

 

NEW LIFE

FOR A DEAD TREE

Q:  When does a dead tree

        turn into a jungle gym?

A:   When Eli finds it. 

Pic Today 5/20/15

HEALTHY IS BEAUTIFUL

Our spring bounty includes

daily harvests of 

kale and Swiss chard.

I never cease to wonder

how healthy is so beautiful.

(It's delicious too,

sautéed in olive oil

with onion & garlic.)

Pic Today 5/19/15

PERFECTION IN PINK

Now the national flower of Mexico,

the dahlia is perfection from the

moment it blooms.

Absolute symmetry, with long lasting

flowers from Spring through Summer.

A stunning beauty.

Pic Today 5/18/15

 

FOXY FLOWERS

There are two flowers 

in the Spring garden

which are very foxy:

Fox Tails

also called the chenille plant,

with its brilliant red fox-like tail,

and

Foxgloves

with their trumpet like blooms,

source of the important drug, digitalis,

an effective treatment for

congestive heart failure.

Two beauties,

and very foxy in their own right.

Pic Today 5/17/15

GRADUATION CELEBRATION

"ROGUE STYLE"

4 lucky students were treated to

a very special Graduation Celebration,

which included a private gourmet dinner

prepared by Rogue Underground Dining Society.

Parents and friends joined them

(and picked up the tab)

for a 6-course meal,

themed on local cuisine from

their own home towns.

(I doubt if their meals

were anything close to these

fantastic dishes

while they were studying 

and working on their degrees.)

Hooray.  Congratulations.

(Now go get a job!)