Pic Today 4/30/18

THE COLOR

OF FRIENDSHIP

In fact, yellow tulips have

come to mean

hope and closeness.

How about they just mean

Happy Spring?

Pic Today 4/29/18

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Never take a child

with you

into a pastry shop

when you're hungry.

Ever!

Pic Today 4/28/18

TIME TO TIPTOE

 "Earth laughs in flowers."

             -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pic Today 4/27/18

CHECKING THE

GROUND WATER

One of the best things about

our river cabin

is the million*-gallon-per-day

natural spring at our doorstep.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources

measures and evaluates flow and quality

of hundreds of natural springs

throughout the state.

And it was our turn to get tested this past week.

Daily Flow, early 1960

1,080,000 gallons per day

Daily Flow, April 25, 2018
4,273,800 gallons per day
Water quality -- excellent

That's a healthy increase
in water output.

*(Time to redo the sign.)

Pic Today 4/26/18

BEHIND THE CABIN

Took the day off yesterday.

Chores to do

down at the cabin.

Fix the plumbing leaks,

from the winter freeze.

Replacing the propane tanks,

behind the cabin.

Haven't walked back there,

2 maybe 3 years.

Wow.

The moss covered rock wall

was a beautiful surprise.

Pic Today 4/25/18

PRETTY IN PINK

There's something

so Spring

about pink magnolias!

Pic Today 4/24/18

INDUSTRIAL RELICS

FROM AN OLDER ST. LOUIS

Down on the northern riverfront

there's a graveyard of 100-year-old

power and warehouse buildings,

a St. Louis that once was.

Vacant, but still standing.

Testament to another century

of smoke stacks and riverboats.

Warehouse walls of giant graffiti.

Mostly unused, but still standing.

Waiting to be discovered

and repurposed for

something new.

Pic Today 4/23/16

REQUIEM

FOR A

CHOCOLATE LAB

Those most amazing

chocolate lab retriever

I've ever met.

Porter!

He was so protective,

so loving, so sweet.

He became a "regular"

at morning coffee,

especially with young Maya.

He died suddenly, and

devastated everyone who

knew him.

And so . . .

we celebrated this

lovely dog's life

and spirit.

On Earth Day, 2018.

Pic Today 4/22/28

ROGUE 68

Coinciding with Shake 38

and a performance of Macbeth

downstairs in a great old building

on O'Fallon Street in St. Louis,

the Rogue Underground Dining Society

held its 68th gourmet dining event

last evening.

The first 24 responders

to an invitation announcement

earned a spot at Sunday evening's

7-course affair.

Good job dedicated chefs

and support staff.

And in honor of Macbeth

King of Scotland,

a toast of fine Islay whiskey

to salute the evening.

Pic Today 4/21/18

TULIPS, TULIPS

EVERYWHERE

Please

enjoy the show.

Pic Today 4/20/18

TIME FOR TULIPS

It's not Spring

until there are tulips.

Finally!

Pic Today 4/19/18

HAMILTON

AT THE FOX

I was lucky enough

to see the Tony "Best Musical"

Broadway show, HAMILTON,

at the Fabulous Fox theater

in St. Louis.

Impossible to get tickets

are touring at select theaters now,

for a second U.S. tour,

including the amazing Fox theater.

This rapped through musical

about the life of founding-father

Alexander Hamilton

features music and lyrics by

Lin-Manuel Miranda

and color-conscious casting of

non-white actors as the

founding fathers of the U.S.

Such an amazing theatrical performance.

Worth every bit of its critical acclaim.

Wow!

Pic Today 4/18/18

A BRIDGE

WORTH RECYCLING

The old Chain of Rocks bridge

spans the Mississippi River

just north of St. Louis.

For 3 decades, this was the landmark

for travelers driving on Route 66.

It's hard to forget a 30-degree turn

midway across a mile-long bridge

60-feet above the mighty Mississip.

Closed to auto traffic in 1970,

the bridge remains open for

hikers and cyclists to this day.

Check out this vintage pic

from 1929.

(Can you imagine 2 way traffic

on this narrow beauty?)

Pic Today 4/17/18

OLD VICTORIAN BEAUTY

Even in disrepair,

and no longer occupied,

I love these old Victorian homes.

Especially against a winter sky.

They don't build 'em

like they used to.

Pic Today 4/16/18

MAY APPLES

IN APRIL

Like little umbrellas

on the forest floor.

Pic Today 4/15/18

GARDENING

ON MY MIND

Started some of my veggies indoors,

and on a heated pad.

(What a difference.)

They're all up.

Now if the weather

will only cooperate!

(Possible cold spell forecast for today.)

Pic Today 4/14/18

THE WORLD

IS IN BLOOM

A great weekend

to get out

and enjoy the yellows

of Spring.

Pic Today 4/13/18

WATER, WATER

EVERYWHERE

No fire damage

from upstairs blaze,

but too much water

from the sprinklers.

Not fit to occupy,

so off to the Holiday Inn

while they tear out my

floor, my carpet, my sanity.

Do you know how much noise

5 dehumidifiers make?

(And of course, the forecast

for today's weather ... RAIN.)

Pic Today 4/12/18

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

The good news:

The fire upstairs was put out,

and no one was hurt.

The bad news:

The automatic sprinkler system

extinguished the flames,

and the water went straight down

to my apartment.

The really bad news:

I'm not allowed back in

my apartment, until the

building inspector says "ok."