Cluck.

The chicks are now a month old. They're getting bigger, more vocal, and a lot more curious about us and the world around them. They've started going outside a little bit. It's really entertaining watching them play in the coop. They run. They chase each other. They flutter about, trying their wings out a bit. They hunt for food. They take in all in. And, of course, they try and hide from Willa who wants nothing more than to try and pick them all up. So far, being a chicken farmer has been very exciting and very educational.

I'm Hungry.

Bill's Mom treated us to lunch at Bandana's last weekend. Thanks, Mom H! The food tasted as great as it looks in these photos.

The Butterfly House

After a week's worth of great spring weather, it's been dreary and cold and rainy all weekend long. Doesn't look much better for tomorrow either. But, you can't let a little uncooperative weather keep you down, or indoors if the case may be. So, today, we headed out to Faust Park to the Missouri Botanical Garden Butterfly House to see the March Morpho Mania. Basically, thousands of these brilliant blue butterflies have been added to the conservatory's normal collection to create a big, blue explosion of color. It was pretty cool too. But, quite possible the best surprise of the outing was getting in free! It's been a couple of years since we last visited and in that time the Missouri Botanical Garden has assumed stewardship of the place. So, what a nice surprise it was to present my Garden membership card and get in free! Woo Hoo!

Book Review: The Easter Parade by Richard Yates

"Neither of the Grimes sisters would have a happy life, and looking back it always seemed that the trouble began with their parents divorce."

Wow. What an opening line. Love it. Love it. In The Easter Parade, Yates tells the story of the Grimes sisters, Sarah and Emily, and the different lives they build for themselves after the divorce of their parents. One sister follows a traditional path while the other is an intellectual free spirit yet neither of them are able to achieve what they had hoped for: happiness. The story is a simple one yet Yates ability to create characters that are vulnerable, flawed, real and dealing with the human condition is complex and genius. I'm giddy for Yates right now and can't wait to buy another of his books. The only question that I have is how in the world did Richard Yates not get discovered?

Urban Farming

Bill and I went to pick up our new chicks today from the Fenton Feed and Mill Store in Fenton, MO. We bought 5 Buff Orpingtons and are hoping that at least 4 of them are hens. Sorry, rooster(s), you are not welcome (or legal in the city of St. Louis!). The chicks are only a couple of weeks old so they'll be living in the kitchen under a heat lamp until its warm enough to put them out in the backyard coop -- just in time for them to start producing fresh, organic eggs.

Camp DuBois

Back in 2004, I went to watch the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Expedition reenactment launch at Camp Dubois in Hartford, IL. Camp DuBois is the site of Lewis and Clark's winter camp as well as the starting point of the famous expedition. At the time, I was with a group of history teachers and our schedule only allowed for the launch so I didn't get to visit the interpretative center. But, a couple of weekends ago, Bill, Willa, and I drove over so that Bill could check it out as a potential field trip location for his middle school students. If you get a chance to go, it's worth checking out, both as a piece of local history and as a piece of national history. The museum is bright and informative. The movie is pretty good too (not George Rogers Clark good, but still good). Maybe it was because of the sparse crowd but I was especially amazed by the friendliness and attentiveness of the museum staff. However, two things have struck me as I have visited museums lately that I must comment on. First, the movies are getting a lot better - more dramatic, more accurate, more generally appealing, especially to non-historian types. Second, the museums are getting a lot better too (for many of the same reasons plus they are more interactivity, utilize more user-friendly primary source materials and interpretations, new walking tours/pod casts, etc). But, and this observation applies to both, they are getting really, really formulaic! Is there like a Museum Exhibits for Dummies book floating in and around and between curator circles now? It seems like it. Anyway, if you get some time, check it out.

Mushrooms!

Bill's first crop of white button mushrooms. Perfectly gorgeous, aren't they? He said that there would have been more to photograph but he ate 'em all up because they were that good.

Book Review: Are You There Vodka It's Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

I'm never insecure about the books that I choose to read whether it be privately or publicly. There's always a good reason why I read what I do and I'm happy to elaborate should the need to ever arise. That said, I've never really found a way to comfortably read, privately or publicly, Miz Chelsea Handler. She's completely inappropriate, politically incorrect, and offensive and her behavior is, at times, immature, shocking, embarrassing, and dangerous. Yet, I am smitten. I find Handler beyond hilarious, beyond adventurous, and beyond convention. As for her latest book, Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea, it's good. Not as good as My Horizontal Life but a must read if you worship at the house of Chelsea.

Abraham Lincoln's Boyhood Home and George Rogers Clark National Park

Dan and Colette invited us to visit the Lincoln Boyhood Home in Lincoln City, IN and the George Rogers Clark National Park in Vincennes, IN. We gladly accepted their invitation and left yesterday morning around 6:30 a.m. Approximately 3 hours later, we made it to the Lincoln Boyhood Home. Nice enough museum. We saw the movie about Lincoln which wasn't too bad -- a little too superficial but not so bad really. The nicest part of the visit was getting out and walking around outside. Fresh air, cool temps, overcast day, and muddy trails. In my book, that's a decent day, especially given the weather that we've had. On the grounds you can see where Lincoln's mom is buried, replicas of his Dad's farm, and a small little village that, during the summer, is teeming with period actors showing visitors how life was like back in Lincoln's teen years. After we left there, we made a pit stop at Denny's for a quick bit to eat and then it was back on the road to Vincennes - the home of the George Rogers Clark National Park. There was less to see here -- the Revolutionary battle site of Ft. Sackville -- but the Ranger was so much more interesting and very excited about what she does for a living. So much energy! So, Sackville.... ever heard of it? I'm not sure if too many people have. During the American Revolution, the Brits controlled Ft Detroit which was a target of the Americans. George Rogers Clark, a wild & crazy Indian killer (and big bro to William Clark of Lewis & Clark fame), who was stationed/fighting in this area came up with a bold plan to take Ft Detroit by first gaining control of Ft. Sackville (Vincennes) along the Wabash River and a few other strategic locations along various important nearby rivers (the towns of Kaskaskia and Cahokia to be exact). While Clark did gain control of Sackville, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia he was unable to take Ft Detroit. Obviously, the Americans eventually won the war, but had Clark, or the Americans, lost the bid for Sackville when it was fought, we might have certainly lost this portion of the US to Canada (the Brits at the time) leaving no opportunity open for the Louisiana Purchase, Manifest Destiny, and all that good stuff that happens down the road. The story here is interesting enough but the real appeal to me is the story of good ol' Clark himself. Clark was not a nice guy any way you look at it. But, the guy knew how to soldier. How he managed to inspire his men, face some major Mother Nature, and take Ft Sackville is a truly amazing feat.

The Magical Music of Disney

For a number of years, Bill and I used to hold season tickets to both the St Louis Symphony Orchestra and the St Louis Repertory Theatre. Oh, how I loved going! Some of the best memories that I have of this last decade involve nights spent out at the Symphony or the Rep. Then, after we had our daughter, these bi-monthly date nights exceeded my greatest expectations. They were, as my principal would say, magical. At the very least they were an entertaining respite from the hustle bustle of our new life as parents. But, eventually, it just started feeling like we always had too much stuff going on all the time. So, au revoir to the season tickets! Tissue please. Now, my theatre-going is limited to the productions (although very good productions) of the high school and middle school where Bill and I teach and to the annual Christmas musical put on by our daughter's school. Our symphony-going has fared a bit better as we've continued to, on occasion, attend their special concert events. For example, tonight, courtesy of my Mom, were we treated to the SLSO Magical Music of Disney concert. While I hope to never set a foot, even a toe, into the compounds of Disney World or Disneyland, I do very much appreciate the music of many of the Disney movies that I have seen. And, it goes without saying how much I appreciate the music of our local symphony orchestra. So, tonight, a good time was had by all. In fact, the evening was, Mr. Principal, magical.

Here was tonight's line up:
David Robertson, conductor
Gene Dobbs Bradford, narrator

Disney Classics Overture
Disney’s Tarzan Orchestral Suite
Disney’s The Little Mermaid Orchestral Suite
Disney’s Hercules Orchestral Suite
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Orchestral Suite
Disney’s The Rescuers Down Under Theme
Disney’s Aladdin Orchestral Suite
Suite from Disney’s Mulan
Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame Orchestral Suite
Disney’s The Lion King Orchestral Suite
Encore - Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles Orchestral Suite

Surprisingly, I've actually only seen The Little Mermaid and the Hunchback of Notre Dame but it was still very enjoyable listening to the rest of the suites.

What I Love About Christmas

Goofin' at Laumeier

We don't visit Laumeier Sculpture Park very often so when we do go it's always a great adventure for us. We like finding our old favorite sculptures and love sizing up any new ones. Most recently, we went on a cold, rainy day.....obviously not the best weather for an outdoor activity but it was super fun nonetheless.

Tilles Park Winter Wonderland

As a kid, I remember one of the holiday season's annual highlights was going to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville to look at all the holiday lights and visit the live nativity (a.k.a. petting zoo). Yes. Good times, good times. But, alas, those youthful memories went to the ol' storage unit in my head until this year when my own kid became old enough to be fully aware of all things Christmas, including holiday lights. So, in the spirit of the season, we drove out to Tilles Park to see the annual Winter Wonderland holiday light display.

I had anticipated hoping on Highway 40, pulling into the park, and driving slowly around the park without the company of a crowd. Boy, did I ever totally underestimated the interest in this kind of thing! We waited in line just to get into the park for at least 30 minutes. Once we entered the park, we drove around, looking at the light displays, for about 30 minutes - probably even less. Then it was all over. We paid our $9 and left for home. Disappointment? Yes, a little. But, for Willa, the lights were a huge source of entertainment and amazement. In fact, Willa enjoyed it so much that she cried almost all the way home while, between sobs, plotting the ways that she would get back there. And that made it all worthwhile.

Sweet Art

Willa's 5th birthday is December 8th but we celebrated this past weekend. What I've learned about kids' birthday celebrations is that they are no small order, especially when it comes to baked goods. Last year, I drove out to Clayton's Bakery & Deli for the birthday goodies - 2 dozen cookies for school, 2 dozen cupcakes for the friends birthday party, and a cake to feed 15+ for the party with the relatives. Although the goodies were quite tasty I just couldn't bring myself to make the drive out to Des Peres again this year. I considered ordering from The Cakery again ~ they made our very tasty Wizard of Oz cupcakes and cake two years ago ~ but opted, instead, to order everything from Sweet Art on S. 39th Street. I had never tried it but had read some good things about the place so I figured, why not? Plus, it's in the neighborhood.

So, let's talk about why I like Sweet Art and why you should go there. First, the ingredients -- organic & local whenever possible. Love, love the commitment to unadulterated ingredients! Second, the baked goods are very, very good. We ordered 2 dozen frosted, flower-shaped sugar cookies, a dozen vanilla cupcakes with pink butter cream frosting, a dozen chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and, finally, a "Best of Both Worlds" cake - a cake with alternate layers of chocolate and vanilla held together and topped with chocolate butter cream frosting. Yes, yes, yes! All very tasty, very delightful, made from scratch products. Third, the place has an awesome vibe. It's the kind of place that, from the moment you walk in, it envelops and you become part of the surroundings - the warmth, the sounds, the sights, the smells. Very nice. Very chill. Very telling.

The bad news? The service was just okay. The staff offered no assistance in helping me to plan my order for the party (Fortunately, I had a vague idea of what I wanted when I went in ~ they do have a great website ~ but having had some additional suggestions would have been nice) and the counter service was super, super slow (I'm not expecting drive-thru service but jeez! The owner just stood there, seemingly irritated & disinterested in my situation as I waited and waited, and did nothing to assist the lost person at the counter waiting on me). Bottom line: If I had come in to buy a $3.00 cupcake, I would have lived with $3.00 customer service. But, because I spent some time making the decision to buy here and I spent a lot of my hard-earned money shopping here, I guess I expected a little more effort on their part.

Wolf Howl

Willa and Evan at the Campfire Wolf Howl. Photo Courtesy of Morton-Holden.

St Louis is fortunate to be the home of the Wolf Sanctuary - a.k.a. the Wild Canid Center. Located near Highway 44 & Antire Road at the Tyson Research Center, the Wolf Santuary is the country's most successful canid conservation, education, reproduction and research center. Although the Sanctuary has limited daytime visiting hours they do offer a fairly regular evening opportunity for folks to come out and participate in a campfire wolf howl. Here's how it works: Basically, you make your reservation in advance, pay 10 bucks, and drive out to the center around 7pm. You hang out in the main entrance while the rest of the group arrives and then head down to the campfire area around 7:30pm. The program starts with a fireside chat, the purpose of which is to dispel myths and falsehoods about wolves. Ours was led by the education coordinator and her sidekick, a gruff-voiced, semi-sarcastic but well-meaning curmudgeon type of guy. The program was loosely strung and, while clearly designed for kids, was full of some interesting facts and lighthearted humor. At this point, you're warned, again, that the wolves do their own thing ~ meaning that they may or may not at the end of the night when you walk to the enclosures for a little howl and response. On our particular night, last Wednesday, the wolves did howl briefly during the ed program but not at all at the enclosures. On the way back, the crowd visit the gift shop (a really cool WWII bunker that stored ammunition) for hot chocolate, cookies, and, of course, purchases! Overall, it was a fun night, especially for the youngsters. And, even though we couldn't get those wolves to howl for us, the money went to a great cause.

Meditation Retreat

Photos Courtesy of MABA

About an hour from St Louis, in Augusta, MO, is the Mid-America Buddhist Association (MABA). Every Sunday, they offer very interesting sounding programs followed by (what I assumed would be) a really tasty vegetarian pot-luck style lunch. I'd always wanted to drive out for one of the programs but never managed to actually do it until last weekend. Starting on Friday and ending Sunday, MABA held a mediation retreat based on the concepts of metta -- a Pali term meaning loving-kindness -- and karuna -- compassion. This was a casual retreat, meaning that you could stay all weekend or you could just pop in on any one of the days, so I only went for Saturday's activities. The schedule was basically a day-long repeated cycle of dharma talk, meditation, walking meditation, and exercise (walk or yoga) with a delicious vegetarian lunch at noon. And, before I write anything else, I have stop here and say -- OMG! What those little Buddhist ladies can do with soy! Anyway, it was a lovely day but much harder physically and mentally than I would have ever thought. But, it felt really good to leave with a sense of having achieved a mindfulness that I hadn't had when I walked in through the door.

Book Review: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

During a recent PD lunch with friends, I mentioned that I was reading Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I spoke a little about the book -- An outwardly popular and successful couple livin' in the burbs whose lives crumble horribly when they realize that their lives (as individuals, as a couple, as parents) aren't extraordinary, that, in fact, they're dull, unfulfilled, and false. One of my friends commented that she disliked books in which the characters or the situations made her feel awkwardly or psychologically uncomfortable. I agreed. But, later, as I continued reading Yates' book, I realized that don't dislike that feeling. Nope, not at all. In fact, it's quite the contrary -- I actually LOVE that uncomfortable feeling! And, many of the books that I've loved best have made me uncomfortable. The best popular example that gives off this feeling that I can think of right now is the play/movie Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The characters in Virginia, as well as Revolutionary Road, are passionate, flawed, desperate, selfish, mean, illogical, vulnerable. And, the thing is you want to look away from them, you want to feel different from them, you want to hate them. But, unfortunately, you can't because, at some level, you can relate to them and their neuroses, you see a bit of yourself in them. Hopefully, you get what I mean. And, if you do and you like what I'm talking about, then Revolutionary Road is a good read for you.

That's Entertainment

I've never been one to go to the movie theater very often but, at one time, I used to rent and watch movies pretty regularly. Over the years, though, I lost interest -- which is why I never have a clue about new movies. I'm the loser at the annual Oscar Party who's never seen or probably never heard of any of the nominees -- unless they were a book first then my odds increase on the latter. Anyway, I have seen a few movies recently that I thought we worth mentioning.

First, The Nightmare Before Christmas. It's pretty old now but it's an awesome movie with a very, very awesome soundtrack which you gotta buy.

Second, Coraline which is recently out on DVD. We saw the trailer for this movie in the theater (seeing what I cannot remember now) and it looked very good. And Coraline was good but not as good as I had hoped it would be. But, it is still definitely worth seeing.

And, lastly, Where the Wild Things Are. Super great movie for older kids and, especially, adults. We took Willa, who's almost 5, and she liked it but, I think, found it #1 over her head at times, #2 frightening at times, and #3 a movie that is more appealing to boys. Again, the soundtrack is super awesome and I highly recommend buying it. I already have.

Happy Halloween!

Look who stopped by....It's Little Orphan Annie, Daddy Warbucks, and Sandy!

"The sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom that tomorrow......"

Bill's handiwork

Willa at the Pumpkin Patch

Here are a few photos from the Autumn season from the Henske house. I love this time of the year and can't wait to get out and enjoy it some more!

Lil' Buddha

I've written before about our cats, Bernice and Four (a.k.a Lil' Man). When it comes to our cats, I have a BIG ol' case of the I love ems' but I can't stand ems'. One of these days, when I don't have Barbies to play with, lesson plans to write, errands to run, and laundry to do, I'll tell you the tale of how we came to share our house with these two great big lovable pains in the arse. In the meantime, he's Lil' Man giving his best impression of Buddha.