Pic Today 12/31/16

 

 

 

 

POP THE BUBBLY,

SAVE THE CAP

Tonight we celebrate

the New Year.

More sparkling beverage consumed

than ever before.

With millions of wire caps twisted off

and thrown away.

So whether you're serving Champagne,

 Prosecco or Sparkling Apple Juice ...

Here's a way to save the cap,

and twist the wire

into a miniature ice cream parlor chair.

Voila!

And Happy New Year.

 

Pic Today 12/30/16

 

MISSOURI FARM

WINTER SPACE

The best part of living and growing

on a Missouri farm

is space and perspective.

Wide expanses, with views

of the horizon.

And lots of room

to think, to see, to take it all in.

Especially in the winter months.

Pic Today 12/29/16

 

WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM

Lone Elk Park (St. Louis County)

offers visitors a drive-through

opportunity to see bison and elk

up close, and year round.

Herds of bison were first introduced

to this park in 1948.

(Elk several years later.) 

They've acclimated nicely

and reproduced to increase 

the population.

As the weather turns cold and wet,

they roam actively and

sometimes approach vehicles

very close.

(Hi boys.)

 

Pic Today 12/28/16

 

LIMESTONE RIVER BANK

Big River, Washington County, Missouri.

Tributary feeding the Meramec River,

with some solid limestone river banks,

like this one.

Beautiful.  And very old.

Pic Today 12/27/16

 

DECEMBER THAW

Warm days

break the ice hold

on lakes and ponds,

these final days of the year.

"It's not what you look at that matters.

It's what you see."

                                          -- Henry David Thoreau  

Pic Today 12/26/16

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS GET AWAY

A quiet, foggy Christmas day

was the perfect time to escape the city,

and drive down to horse country.

Unseasonably warm weather

for this time of the year.

The rivers were running calm,

and the horses so happy and relaxed.

Such a peaceful day.

Pic Today 12/25/16

 

 

 

 CHRISTMAS CAKE

DISASTER

My only menu assignment

for the family Christmas Eve dinner

was to bring the dessert.

I chose a coconut cake

with coconut meringue frosting.

Followed the directions --

schredded fresh coconut, coconut milk,

coconut flour, egg whites, cake flour --

things fell apart at the frosting stage.

Ingredient separated, and never returned.

Looked more like a cottage cheese cake! 

Nathaniel Reed Pastries to the rescue.

Picked up 6 beautiful pastries

and everyone was happy.

Especially the children.

(Merry Christmas everyone.)

Pic Today 12/24/16

 

 

 

HOW JOY STINGER

KEEPS CHRISTMAS 

When Joy Stinger isn't keeping bees,

bottling honey, tending her chickens and ducks,

raising her rabbits, her tropical birds,

the fish in her ponds and aquariums,

her Portuguese water dogs,

and caring for her rare orchids in her

3rd floor greenhouse . . .

she transforms the inside of her house

into a Christmas celebration.

Every square inch is covered with

her collection of hand-made antique

Christmas ornaments.

It always puts me in the Christmas spirit

to visit Joy during the holidays.

Pic Today 12/23/16

 

A SIGN OF CHRISTMAS

Look who I found, hiding outside

behind a local junk shop.

Hi Santa.

(It's a sign!)

Christmas is almost here.

🎄

Pic Today 12/22/16

 

WINTER SKY

First day of winter.

 Balmy 60˚ weather,

following extreme cold temps.

Thoroughly welcome,

with wonderful light.

Enjoy this weather

for the Christmas weekend

  (while you can.) 

😊 

Pic Today 12/21/16

 

WARMING UP

FOR CHRISTMAS

Following our below-zero 

icy weekend,

the weather has suddenly warmed

with balmy temperatures

to melt the ice 

and make our holidays

safe and pleasant.

Pic Today 12/20/16

JUST ENOUGH SNOW

to trim the holly bush,

and dress it up for the holidays.

A perfect Christmas bouquet!

Pic Today 12/19/16

 

 

TWELVE BELOW ZERO

That includes wind chill,

but we had a very cold weekend.

Icy streets and walks,

and bone chilling temperatures.

Everything frozen.

With the "first day of winter"

two days away.

Brrrrrr!

 

Pic Today 12/18/16

 

 

POMEGRANATES FOR CHRISTMAS

Four good reasons to put pomegranates

on your shopping list:

1.  They're in season right now.

       And they're fresh, ripe and plump. 

   Very nutritious and delicious.

2.  Peel several pomegranates and place

them around the dinner table.

Your guests will delight at picking

the seeds right from the fruit.

3.  Add them to your fresh cooked cranberries,

      1-minute before you take them off the stove. 

You won't believe how delicious your

cranberry sauce will be this year.

4.  They're festive, delicious and

       RED !!!

 

Pic Today 12/17/16

 

 

 

 

GOING ALL OUT

FOR CHRISTMAS

Neighbors are decorating

their yards, their homes,

with fantastic Christmas

lights and decorations.

They really have the

"Christmas spirit"

this year.

(Cause maybe we need it.)

The children love it.

(So do I.) 

Pic Today 12/16/16

 

 

 

 

CANOE CLASS

LESSON LEARNED

Fundamentals of canoeing

taught in swimming class

included the dangers

of overcrowding and tipping.

The inevitable happens.

(Better in the pool

than in a river or stream.)

Pic Today 12/15/16

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRESH FROM THE KILN

It was 3 weeks ago,

when my autistic art student, John,

coiled clay and hand pressed

a bowl and spoon

(for his morning cereal),

dried them, glazed them,

and baked them in a kiln.

Now it's finished.  

Shiny and ready for his

morning Cheerios.

He's so proud.

(I think it's beautiful.) 

Pic Today 12/14/16

 

 

 

HOW CLARENCE GOT HIS WINGS

It's a classic Christmas movie

how George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart)

gets help from his guardian angel,

Clarence, who helps him discover

the true meaning of Christmas.

"It's A Wonderful Life" was

  Frank Capra's favorite film (1946)

and continues to be shown each year

by virtually every TV station 

around the world.

And don't forget . . .

"every time a Christmas bell rings,

an angel gets his wings!"

(If you haven't seen it in a while,

it's certainly worth tracking down.)

🔔

Pic Today 12/13/16

 

 

JOHN'S LATEST WORK

I'm always amazed at the art

and mind of my autistic art student,

John.

His capacity for seeing 

and remembering

every detail, every word

of what he sees is remarkable.

Take these two recent pieces, 

for example:

1)  An impression of Van Gogh's

      "Starry Night", in oil pastels. 

      (He loves and recalls the details.) 

2)  The FBI copyright warning,

       at the start of a recent video. 

      (Each word in a different color.) 

He rarely speaks, 

but draws and paints with

  lightning speed. 

What a mind.

Pic Today 12/12/16

BEST TREE DESIGN

THIS CHRISTMAS

Sometimes the simplest idea

is so striking, so powerful.

One neighbor wrapped 

a front yard tree

in red lights.

Somehow RED is the perfect color

for Christmas and the holidays.

So festive.   So simple.

Such great design.

Good job, friend.

That's a wrap!

Pic Today 12/11/16

 

 

THE FROST FLOWERS

ARE BLOOMING

It's days like this,

after a hard freeze,

with water in stems

   still holding to the soil . . . 

when water continues

to flow from within,

but meets the frozen air outside.

Frost flowers are born.

Delicate sheets of ice

in fanciful shapes.

Just beautiful. 

Pic Today 12/10/16

 

 

 

WASHING THE DEMONS AWAY

Meet Dominic, a young teen,

and my special needs "charge" at school.

He has Fragile X Syndrome,

a genetic disorder that presents

a hyperactive mix of behavior disorders.

High IQ, over stimulation, anxiety,

theatrics, perseverative speech.

He's a handful.

One of his favorite classes is swimming.

The therapeutic value of water

is amazing to behold.

To watch him splash and push the water

is to watch him drive the demons away.

It's quite a battle.

 

 (He is so relaxed and cleansed afterwards.)

The remarkable benefits of bathing.

(I respectfully present these photos,

digitally converted to protect his privacy,

which portray the battles he fights

to remove the demons.)