Pic Today 7/31/19

YELLOW FINCHES

ARE WAITING

Weeks away from turning

to seed, acres of sunflowers

will soon be a banquet

for Missouri yellow finches

waiting patiently on

Kirkwood river banks.

Dave Endres is a Kirkwood farmer

who enjoys rotating crops of corn,

vegetables and pumpkins,

restoring vintage farm equipment

along the way.

Pic Today 7/30/19

MERAMEC RIVER DRIFTWOOD

With the floods

come fallen trees

big and small.

Pic Today 7/29/19

HERON FEATHER

A favorite fishing spot

for the Great Blue Heron.

He left a wing feather down

on the gravel bar.

(The waters of the upper Meramec

are sooo clear and cool

following all this rain.)

Pic Today 7/28/19

MORNING COFFEE,

TALKING POLITICS

Sitting outside, enjoying our 

morning Kaldi's coffee,

talking politics on a national

and local level.

And along comes our favorite

state representative, Deb Lavender,

asking for our support as she

runs for Missouri State Senate.

And she's got it.

www.lavenderforstatesenate.com

Pic Today 7/27/19

LITTLE LOBSTERS

IN THE RIVER

They're actually crawdads,

fresh water crustaceans,

commonly called crayfish.

We find them in the upper

Meramec River, which

means the waters are

free from pollution.

That's good news.

Pic Today 7/26/19

FLOWER POWER

Such symmetry, such beauty.

Happy Friday!

Pic Today 7/25/19

RIVER WILDFLOWERS

Wild Rudbeckias, standing tall.

So pretty.

Pic Today 7/24/19

MINCE MEAT PIE

Vanilla ice cream, right?

Pic Today 7/23/19

PERFECT WEATHER

FOR WATER LILIES

Heat wave has passed.

Overnight rains cooled

things down.

Water lilies love this.

Pic Today 7/22/19

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ROGUE UNDERGROUND

DINING EVENT #77

Rogue's 77th dining event,

this time joined by the owners

of Villa Ragazzi Winery,

Napa Valley, who brought their

fabulous Italian varietals

to match our 8 course meal.

Extraordinary gourmet event.

Pic Today 7/21/19

THICK WEATHER

Our extreme weather

and simmering temperatures

have challenged our 

local forecasters to come up

with new and creative

terminology.

Last evening, I heard a new one . . .

"our humidity and temperatures

feel like 105 in thickness."

Huh?

Pic Today 7/20/19

NO NEED TO COOK

This fabulous white corn

is soooo sweet this year.

You can eat it cold.

So addicting.

Pic Today 7/19/19

THE BEST OF

BORDEAUX

Grand crus . . . first growths . . .

classic vintages.

All that remains are the corks,

and the memories of these great wines.

Can't afford 'em these days.

Pic Today 7/18/19

FRESH SUMMER SALAD IDEA

Pick some ripe cherry tomatoes,

an ear of corn, and some

fresh basil leaves.

Voila!

The taste of summer

in a bowl.

Yum!

Pic Today 7/17/19

WHEN TOMATOES

ARE THIS GOOD

 It's time to make sauce!

Pic Today 7/16/19

GOTHIC LIGHT SHOW

Afternoon stained glass colors,

St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Wow.

Pic Today 7/15/19

LAST OF THE SEASON

Fresh picked rhubarb,

is always a lucky find,

especially the yellow stalks.

Cut some up,

but not the leaves.

Cook with sliced strawberries

and enough sugar to sweeten.

Pour over shortcake

for a summertime treat.

Yum.

Pic Today 7/14/19

PERENNIALS

THAT ENDURE

Cone flowers and

black eyed susans.

Garden favorites that

thrive in our weather extremes.

Hurricane Barry reaches us

here in Missouri on Tuesday.

Pic Today 7/13/19

POPPY POWER

My favorite summer flower.

Twice is nice.

Kapow!

Pic Today 7/12/19

WHY WE PLANT FLOWERS

To remember the perfection

of nature!

Pic Today 7/11/19

MOSAIC MASTERPIECE

Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis.

(Also known as the New Cathedral)

41.5 million pieces of colored glass,

over 7000 different colors.

Started in the early 1900s,

completed in 1914.

The side chapels were designed and

installed by Tiffany & Company.

While the main cathedral was designed

and painstakingly cemented in place

by Paul and Arno Heuduck,

who spent their entire working lives

completing this masterpiece.

(The final photo is a close up

of their mosaic work.)

Definitely worth a visit.

Pic Today 7/10/19

FRESH LOCALLY GROWN

FOOD

is soo beautiful,

and always delicious.

Pic Today 7/9/19

RIPE AND JUICY

BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES

ARE HERE

BLTs anyone?

Pic Today 7/8/19

FAVORITE MOMENTS

THIS PAST JULY 4TH WEEKEND

Moss covered steps down

to the Spring.

Mist above the cool cool

Spring waters.

Ripening fruits hanging

from the PawPaw trees.

Wild blackberries still red

needing to ripen on the vine.

And 4th of July breakfast

out on the deck.

What a great retreat!