Unblogged Photos from Around the Lou

These photos have been hanging around on my desktop for awhile now. Guess it's time to post them so that I can move them to their permanent home.

(Above 3 Photos) Suson Park, STL

(Above 2 Photos) ST Louis Science Center

(Above Photo) Willa with a Chocolate Ice Cream Mustache at The Fountain on Locust

(Above Photo) Willa at the Boathouse

(Above Photo) Bill on Eric's new Motorcycle

Cinco de Mayo on Cherokee Street

"Little Mexico" on Cherokee Street - Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival, May 7, 2011.

Across the Pond

Recently on Facebook my sister in law started posting slightly vague status updates about #1 being in London and #2 the Royal Wedding (yes. as in Prince William and Princess Kate). Assuming that she was just kidding I didn't take them seriously at all. I mean, really. There are specific kinds of people that would go to London with the express purpose of seeing and/or celebrating the Royal Wedding. I certainly never had her pegged as one. But, then again, she was on an episode on The Real Housewives of New Jersey (she is friends with one of the housewives, although I'm not sure which one, and was in one of the episodes with her). So, you've probably figured it out by now, she WAS totally serious! And the proof came in the form of photos that she posted online and a surprise package that arrived on Thursday for Willa. Yep. The Official Royal Wedding Programme and the Official Princess Catherine doll. Crazy, I tell you! I wonder how much I can get for these on Ebay? I kid. I kid. Willa loves, loves, loves this doll already. Many thanks to Aunt A and Cousin M!

Painting a Metro Bus

Our school district recently sponsored its first arts festival. As we walked around, we took in the sights and sounds of the artists, dancers, and musicians. We came as visitors, as did a many of our younger students, but I saw a number of our middle and high school students and our teachers and our parents and our community members all willingly, all happily, all tirelessly volunteering their Friday night to make this festival super fun and super successful. I felt a lot of pride as I left that night. However, one of the main reasons that I went to the festival, aside from just showing my support, was to have the experience of painting a Metro Transit St. Louis bus. Well, I should clarify, Willa got to paint the bus, not me. Boo to adulthood. Anyway, the artist created a design that highlighted several of the more unique things about our district that we are, dare I say it again, very proud of. I forgot to ask the driver which route the bus be on but I'm hoping that it's the 30 bus, which runs West/East from Southwest Ave to Arsenal Avenue, because that's the one that I'm most likely to see.

Big Spring @ the Current River

For our spring break trip in March we went to Van Buren, MO where we stayed at Big Spring Lodge and Cabins. We were interested in seeing and exploring the area around Big Spring, which feeds into the Current River and is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways system. I guess most people visit during the summer when they can canoe or float or play around in the Current River but we're not into sharing the outdoors with big, big crowds so we wanted to check it out now in the off-season. Another reason that we choose this location was because the cabins were built by the CCC in the 1930's. Ever since we stayed at the Old Faithful Inn a few vacations ago, I've had this obsession with historical lodges and cabins in state & national parks and/or wilderness areas. This one was cool too. No heat, no air, just a small three room cabin with a fireplace and a few kitchen and bath amenities. Oh, and a screened in back porch. I'd recommend bringing your own sleeping bags and/or blankets though if you go in early-mid March. I did stay warm with the fireplace but not nearly as much as I would have liked once I went to sleep.

On the way there, we also stopped off for a quick hike up the tower at Taum Sauk Mountain, the highest point in Missouri. Bill and I had been there previously but never with Willa. She had a great time climbing to the top. And, on the way home (despite the cold and wet weather) we stopped off at Johnson's Shut-ins and Elephant Rocks State Parks. A few years back, Johnson's Shut-ins was devastated by a major flood and we wanted to see how it looked after it had been restored; we couldn't tell much: #1 the Black River was in spring high water mode, and #2 no real vivid memory of what it looked like before - Bill hadn't been in many, many years and I'd never been.

Near Big Spring

Big Spring

Looking away from Big Spring

CCC Cabin at Big Spring Lodge and Cabins

Grover having fun on the Current River

Taum Sauk Mountain Tower

Johnson's Shut-ins State Park

Elephant Rocks State Park

Blooming Azaleas

Willa posing with the azaleas

We have 3 larger sized azaleas in our front yard -- all very vibrant pinks and reds. I love the way that they look when they are in full bloom. They create this awesome sea of color that pops out amid the green hues of the other revived plant life.

Kindergarten Parents Lunch at SMOS

Bill and I got lucky this year when the annual St. Margaret of Scotland School parents' lunch day fell during our Spring Break. Yay! No need to take a personal day! And, as if it couldn't get any better than that, it was actually on my birthday. On the menu? Papa John's cheese pizza, salad, orange wedges, and your choice of milk or orange juice.

My First Kickball

(photographs mostly align with the story. but you get the idea.)

A few weeks ago, Willa went to a friend's birthday party in Tower Grove Park. One of the planned post-lunch activities was a game of kickball. So, when the time came, the players, all ranging in age from about 5 to 15, divided into teams; a few dads acted as fielders and coaches. I watched from the sideline, my eyes and fingers focused on taking photographs. When it was her turn, Willa walked up to home plate and looked to Eric, the dad of the birthday girls, for some guidance. Willa had never played kickball before (I'm not sure that she had even heard of the game!) so she needed a little help. So, Eric leans in and explains what she is supposed to do. Bill and I watch, anxiously (at least me), to see if Willa's foot would actually connect with the ball. And, luckily, it did! But, instead of running full steam ahead toward first base, she paused, like she didn't know what to do next. So, Bill stepped in and starts coaching and encouraging her. It was then that I realized, a little too late I might add, what was actually happening. One of the teen girls had fielded the ball and was standing between Willa and first base. Willa slowly ran toward her, I think, completely unaware of what the girl's internal choices were - 1. to throw Willa out, or 2. to give the little kid a break and get by her. The girl chose #1 and Willa got slammed with the ball on her arm. You should have seen the look on Willa's face! Hurt and surprise all wrapped up in one. I'm not sure how hard the girl actually threw the ball at Willa but I am certain about three things: 1. Willa was totally shocked by this (friendly?) act of violence, and 2. while Willa probably did get hurt but she reacted the way that she did because we didn't bother to tell her all the rules of the game, and 3. Willa won't ask to play that game for awhile.

Tree Climb on the Big Oak

2 Above: Bill and Scott, the big Red Oak tree

Bill and Scott, the other middle school science teacher, started an after school club, called The Adventure Club, this year. As the name suggests, they try to learn about things and do activities that are adventurous. Their most recent adventure was to learn how to tree climb. You might be thinking that tree climbing doesn't sounds too adventurous, right? Well, take a look at the photographic evidence -- obviously, not the kind of tree climb that you might have imagined! At the back of our school, on this empty lot, lives this huge big 70 foot tall Red Oak tree. And, yep, as you can see, they climbed it! Bill, Scott, and their students, along with instructors Deanna and Guy from the LREC, all got harnessed up and up they went! Up and down. Over and over. Even Willa joined in. Although, at 6 years old, she stayed a little closer to the ground. The best part, to her, was being swung in the harness about 6 feet or so off the ground.

4 Above: Going up the tree, Still going, Up in the tree, and Bill doing a "Bat Hang"

2 Above: Willa climbing the tree, Willa staying warm

Bees

Bill and fellow teacher/friend Kay are the official beekeepers at the middle school in our district. Bill has enjoyed it so much that he's purchased our first Henske hive, which arrives at the end of April. Our plan is to keep the hive at our neighborhood community garden and, so far, there's been no opposition to that. Back at the middle school though, the bees have been a big hit with the kids. A few times a month, Bill and Kay lead a beekeeping club. Not only have the kids enthusiastically excelled at beekeeping, they have also taken an interest in all things bee-related such as making jars of honey, lip balm, and hand lotion. Next up? Facial moisturizer! Yay! I took these photos of Bill and Kay beekeeping during our spring break a couple of weeks ago. It was a lot of fun to watch and photograph. And, despite having dressed completely inappropriately - it was a cold day so I wore dark, woolly, fuzzy clothes which, while keeping me warm, happen to look a lot like bears to bees! - I managed to remain sting-free.