Pic Today 3/31/17

 

 JOHN'S FIRST CLAY CREATIONS

There's nothing like the tactile

sensory experience

of working with clay.

Forming, squeezing and molding it

into something personal,

something beautiful.

Firing it, painting, glazing it

and then holding it.

Here is my autistic student's

first serious piece, a beehive cookie jar. 

 And he loves it.

(So do we.)

Pic Today 3/30/17

 

 

REDBUDS ARE BLOOMING

Redbuds are the first trees 

to bloom in the Midwest,

and a sure sign Spring is here.

Their pink blossoms are easy

to spot in the woods,

just before other trees sprout

their greenery.

Pic Today 3/29/17

 

PEGASUS

LANDING

And he picked a beautiful spot.

Pic Today 3/28/17

 

 

 

 

SIGNS OF SPRING

Everything is waking up,

warming up, greening up.

The woods are alive.

Spores are sprouting,

fresh ferns reappearing.

Fresh tracks on the sandy shore.

Is that a bobcat, or a bear?

(Still waiting for morel mushrooms

to appear.)

Pic Today 3/27/17

 

 

 

 

COLORFUL DOORS

OF BOGOTA

Colombians love to

use bright colors

  for their doorways. 

These are the doors and

 colors of La Candelaria

in Bogotá, Colombia. 

Pic Today 3/26/17

 

 

SPRING RAINS

DO THEIR WORK

Warm rains bring forth

such perfection.

Amazing beauty.

Pic Today 3/25/17

 

CAN'T SEE THIS HOUSE?

That's the point!

This property owner knew exactly

what he was doing when

this "house on stilts" 

was nestled on this wooded hill.

Natural tree bark shingles and deck,

with woods left standing.

(No lawn!) 

And when the trees fill in,

it's invisible.

(Nicely done.  Bravo!) 

Pic Today 3/24/17

 

 

IT'S TIME

Whether it's seeds

  or seedling plants,

cool weather veggies

or flowers,

get your garden beds ready

to plant!

 

Pic Today 3/23/17

 

 

 

 

THE PERFECTION

 OF SPRINGTIME 

All the waiting,

frozen cold snaps,

and anticipation

of sweet Spring flowers.

We're reminded now

   of the best part of Spring -- 

Absolute perfection.

(I humbly present the

above specimens

as proof.)

Pic Today 3/22/17

 

 

TURNING A TREE

INTO A DESK TOP

Michael Brown is a resourceful,

talented woodworker.

He's also woodshop/engineering

  teacher  and department chair

at Kirkwood High School.

He turned a gift of a felled pecan tree

into a vision of a new desk top for his office.

Sawing, planing and aging

this beautiful wood,

gluing, sanding and polishing

a single custom fit desk.

Showing off the beauty of

natural wood.

Well done, Mr. Brown.

Pic Today 3/21/17

 

 

 

CELEBRATING SPRING

 DOWN AT THE SPRING 

What better way

to celebrate the 1st day of Spring

than to visit a spring,

Richart Spring

flowing into the upper Meramec.

Unseasonably warm for March,

thunderstorms, followed by

sunny summer temperatures

in the 80s.

This should get things 

growing and greening up.

Pic Today 3/20/17

 

 

 

HAPPY FIRST DAY

OF SPRING

Whether you're planting

a flower garden,

 enjoying magnolias 

who survived our cold snap,

or finding wild daffodils

on a walk through the park

Enjoy this Vernal Equinox today.

If you're in the Northern Hemisphere,

days will now start getting warmer.

Pic Today 3/19/17

FANCY "CUPPA JOE"

I need my morning coffee

to start the day.

Daily habit @ Kaldi's Coffee,

across the street.

And some mornings (like today),

when I need something special,

like a lovely latte (see above),

I ask the ever-smiling sweet Zoey,

(my personal barista)

to make it special.

I taste the love.

Pic Today 3/18/17

ALMOST SPRING

AT THE SPRING

Just days away 

from the first day of Spring.

Mild weather has returned

(thank God)

and the snow has gone.

Quick visit to the river cabin,

to see if the pipes froze.

(They did.)

The warm sun felt so good

shining through the woods.

And the spring is running

fast and clear,

feeding the Meramec River.

Pic Today 3/17/17

 

 

OH OH

IT MUST BE ST. PATRICK'S DAY 

Cause everyone is wearing green,

and acting silly,

and drinking Guinness.

So whether you're Irish or not,

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Pic Today 3/16/17

 

FROZEN IN TIME

Found this beauty

in a small Illinois farm town.

Such great Victorian design,

and holding up through the ages. 

I was surprised to discover

it is still lived in.

Just gorgeous.

Pic Today 3/15/17

 

 FROZEN DESOLATION

Driving through southern Illinois farmland,

  I experienced "sensory deprivation" . . .

no traffic, no signs, no buildings,

no anything!

Just white snow, freezing temperatures,

and straight empty highways.

(And telephone poles.)

Pic Today 3/14/17

 

JUST ENOUGH SNOW

... to make the world beautiful,

  especially the woods. 

The strangest up-and-down

weather this year.

(Last week, it was 80˚F.)

 

Pic Today 3/13/17

HERE'S A HANDY HINT

FROM MR. NATCH*

 

* © 1972 R. Crumb

(Mr. Natural)

Pic Today 3/12/17

 

 

MAGNOLIA DEMISE

Most times, a sudden snow

makes the world beautiful.

But yesterday's snow and cold

took the pink out of our 

beautiful magnolia trees. 

Lesson:

  Enjoy the moment!

Pic Today 3/11/17

 

MAGNIFICENT

MAGNOLIAS 

Our mild winter weather

helped flowering trees

bud early,

giving us so much

early March beauty.

Especially the pink magnolias.

(Just in time for a freezing

cold snap, which will be

bad news for this year's

peach crop.) 

Pic Today 3/10/17

 

WHERE I "SAW ZZZs"

I don't always make my bed,

but I definitely sleep there.

(Afternoon sun

beckoning me for a nap.)

Pic Today 3/9/17

 

CITY UNDER THE ARCH

St. Louis skyline

blazing in the Spring sunshine

beneath the Gateway Arch.

630-feet tall,

630-feet wide

(a perfect catenary arch)

100% stainless steel.

She's a beauty.

 

Pic Today 3/8/17

 

 

 

 

LOCKS, KNOCKERS & DOORS

Some of my favorites,

  in Bogotá, Colombia. 

(Circa 1800s, still functioning.)