Pic Today 1/31/18

 

 

MY DAILY SMOOTHIE

Every morning,

I head to the blender

for my daily vitamins.

Whatever's in my fridge.

Fruits, veggies, nuts, 

yogurt, and of course

Joy Stinger's bee pollen.

My way to start the day!

 

Pic Today 1/30/18

 

KING LOUIE

STANDING GUARD

King Louie IX of France,

the namesake of our fair city,

stands guard atop Art Hill

in front of the St. Louis Art Museum.

40-feet high, solid bronze,

a majestic sentry overlooking

Forest Park on a foggy morn.

Pic Today 1/2918

 

WINTER

WATERCRESS

After our bitter cold winter,

a visit to Richard Spring

reveals a healthy winter crop

of healthy watercress.

Spring waters never freeze

close to the source,

so we're assured of a 

bounty crop of

sweet, tangy cress

this coming year.

Yum.

 

Pic Today 1/28/18

 

3 WHITE SYCAMORES

Upper Meramec,

 warm sunny weekend.

Quiet river beauty,

waiting for Spring to begin.

 

Pic Today 1/27/18

WARM ENOUGH

TO TRAVEL UPSTREAM

TODAY

With temps in the 50s,

it's time to check out the cabin

and the upper Meramec.

AND CHILLY ENOUGH

TO BUILD A FIRE

 

Pic Today 1/26/18

 

A TALE OF TWO DOGS

And so,

how do you see the world

around you?

 

Pic Today 1/25/18

 

COCK-EYED HOUSE

IN KIRKWOOD

Not your traditional 

3-bedroom home

for this conservative

Victorian neighborhood.

I love it.

(And it's for sale!)

Asking price $415,000!

Pic Today 1/24/18

 

CHIHULY'S

HANGING MASTERPIECE

Renowned glass artist,

Dale Chihuly,

has many installations in

and throughout the 

Missouri Botanical Garden.

His Tour de Force 

at the 79-acre horticultural estate

is easily the 928-piece

Blue Chandelier (2006)

which hangs at the entrance

in the RidgwayVisitor Center.

Comprised of 928 unique 

hand blown pieces

and suspended in mid-air,

visitors walk beneath it

as they enter the garden.

(It is lowered twice each year

for a thorough dusting.)

 

Pic Today 1/23/18

 

THAWED ICE:

DANGEROUS BEAUTY

Our recent warm and sunny days

create ice conditions that

 are downright dangerous. 

Thawing ice, especially

on lakes and ponds,

accounts for more breakthroughs

and drownings than any other

time of year.

Look for ice porosity and bubbles

which occur when slabs are

floating just beneath the surface.

Even when temperatures are well

above freezing, frozen ice melts slowly,

and hardly supports its own weight.

Much less a person!

 

Pic Today 1/22/18

 

 

FLOWING FREE

The lower Meramec River,

Kirkwood, Missouri.

Our recent warm spell has

sent the remaining ice

downstream.

Hope it lasts.

(Doubtful it will.)

Pic Today 1/21/18

 

WARM ENOUGH

TO SAY HI

TO THE GREAT EYEBALL 

A warm sunny weekend

was enough to fill our local parks.

And pose with "the great eyeball"

at Laumeier Sculpture Park.

Pic Today 1/20/18

 

 

WINTER

FADES AWAY

Warm days

and sunshine

are finally erasing

winter's hold.

40's and 50's

are removing winter's

icy white coat.

Farewell ice and snow.

Pic Today 1/19/19

 

 

 

ALBUMS, CDs, CASSETTES

With over 10,000-square-feet

and stacks and stacks of vintage vinyl,

albums, cassettes, videos,

you're likely to find an old favorite here

at the Record Exchange in St. Louis.

"This is the largest collection of vintage 

vinyl in the U.S.," so says Jean Haffner

who founded the Record Exchange in 1977.

He also has a huge collection of amps

and turntables to play them on.

You'll get lost for hours!

recordexchangestl.com

(Buy, sell, auction)

 

Pic Today 1/18/18

 

APPLE'S I-PHONE BATTERY

SCANDAL

Every since Apple was caught

installing a weaker battery

in their I-Phone 6 and 6S,

they admitted the ploy

to sell their more expensive

newer phones.

After "getting in line" to order

the newer battery, 

and showing up for the 

promised installation . . .

Imagine my disappointment

to find out I was showing up

to get on get on a new list

and 3-week wait

for the promised battery.

Grrrrrrrr!

 

 

Pic Today 1/17/18

WHILE HAVING MY

VW JETTA SERVICED

The sales manager suggested

I might have "more fun"

driving the new Porsche 911 Turbo S

Convertible (in black, of course.)

I quickly responded

"if it was a big warmer outside,

I might be tempted." 

(And a bit less expensive.)

Pic Today 1/15/18

 

A SPOT OF RED

Celebrating color and diversity

today on

Martin Luther King Jr. day.

Pic Today 1/14/18

 

 

 

 

 

HOT ART

ON A COLD DAY

Our freezing temps

are the perfect weather

for the glass-blowing kraft.

Pic Today 1/13/18

 

DAMN

IT'S COLD

And we were all

just wearing shorts

two days ago.

Pic Today 1/12/18

 

WINTER RETURNS

as quickly as it left.

65˚ yesterday.

15˚ this morning.

Crazy weather!

 

 

Pic Today 1/11/18

 

STRANGEST WEATHER

Can't help but notice

our sudden weather changes

these days.

Yesterday, 

the forecast was for

"frozen fog."

Then today,

it was 60 degrees,

and sunny.

While the wind was blowing

cars and trucks off the interstate.

(Still trying to figure out

what frozen fog is.)

 

Pic Today 1/10/18

 

LOVING THE THAW

Warmer days are here.

 January loses its grip. 

 The freeze is in retreat. 

For now!

 

Pic Today 1/9/18

 

TWO OLD FRIENDS

MELT AWAY

As our deep-freeze weather

warms up, 

it is sad to say farewell

to our local snowmen.

But not too sad.

😏

   

Pic Today 1/8/18

 

COLD SPELL

GIVES WAY TO

ICY WEATHER 

Temperatures are slowly

on the rise here,

but not before Mother Nature

drenches us with freezing rain.

Even warm rain turns deadly

when it falls on frozen pavement.

Easy does it.

Pic Today 1/7/18

 

COLD STRETCH

TAKES A BREAK

Sunday marks the end of our

longest subfreezing cold stretch

since the winter of 1983.

This evening the temperatures

rise above freezing, with sleet

and freezing rain forecast.

A warm week ahead.

60˚ by Thursday.

Climate change brings crazy

weather 'round the world.

Pic Today 1/6/18

 

PIG IN A TRUCK

Pretty in pink.

Shaw neighborhood,

 St. Louis, Missouri

Pic Today 1/5/18

 

LOVING THE SUN

Momma and poppa duck

enjoyed our recent warm spell,

with temperatures in the teens.

You know it's been cold

when 18˚(F) feels warm.

Stick around sun!

Pic Today 1/4/18

 

SAY HI

TO THE PENGUINS

They love our weather,

and saying hi to visitors

at the St. Louis Zoo.

 

Pic Today 1/3/18

 

FROZEN FOUNTAIN

Free form

 frozen fun!

Pic Today 1/2/18

 

THE FROZEN MISSISSIP

You can almost walk across

 the mighty Mississippi River. 

  It's that cold! 

 

Pic Today 1/1/18

 

 

BLACK-EYED PEAS

FOR GOOD LUCK

It's a New Year's tradition

for good luck.

Soak a pound bag of dried

black-eyed peas overnight.

Drain and add several thick slices

of country bacon or ham,

one chopped onion, a stalk

of celery, salt, pepper and

crushed red pepper flakes.

Plus 2 cups of chicken stock.

Simmer for 1-2 hours,

add a sprig of fresh herbs

and serve while you

toast the New Year!