Walking On Water (181/365)

TIME:  11:25 & 11:26 AM
PLACE:  Splash City
SUBJECT:  StellaDella & MonkeyBoy

SD’s Girl Scout troop had planned a trip to Splash City today.  Unfortunately, the weather did not get the memo.  It was a bit brisk!  Hard to believe that it is the last day of June and it only got to the mid 70’s.  We only stayed about 2-1/2 hours – SD & MB were pretty chilled.

Target (180/365)

TIME:  4:03 PM
PLACE:  Target
SUBJECT:  Carts and a sidewalk Bulls-eye

HH and I made a trip to Target to get something for supper. 
We lucked out. 
Sirloin was on sale!

Raising The Flag (179/365)

TIME:  10:53 AM
PLACE:  American Legion
SUBJECT:  Utility Bucket Truck

What is this Ameren bucket truck doing at the American Legion?


TIME:  10:59 AM

It’s there to help re-cable the flagpole.

TIME:  11:00 AM

A really tall flagpole.


TIME:  11:23 PM

So the Girl Scouts can help raise the flag.


TIME:  11:30 AM

It looks great.

Inching Ever Closer… (178/365)

TIME:  7:56 PM
PLACE:  Bathroom
SUBJECT:  Drywall & Tub

Do you know how fast you can get drywall up when you pay someone who knows what they are doing? 
One day.
They are coming back tomorrow to put a finish coat on the walls.
All it takes is money.

New Harmony (177/365)

TIME:  10:45 AM
PLACE:  New Harmony, Indiana
SUBJECT:  Atheneum/Visitors Center

We took a day trip to New Harmony, Indiana today.  I expected the children to be completely bored.  Surprisingly, only one was cranky – DramaQueen (go figure). 

TIME:  10:56 AM
PLACE:  Inside the Lenz House (circa 1819-1822)
SUBJECT:  Door and stairway

We took the walking tour and were able to enter into several buildings that are only open to visitors with a guide.


TIME:  12:47 PM
PLACE:  Outside the Antheneum
SUBJECT:  Split rail fence posts

It took about two hours.  StellaDella asked some questions that impressed the tour guide (That’s my girl!)  Afterwards, MonkeyBoy even stated that it was “More interesting than I expected”

TIME:  8:40 AM
PLACE:  State Route 66
SUBJECT:  The now closed New Harmony Toll Bridge

Remember this bridge?  I drove across it in November of 2010.  It closed on May 21, 2012 due to structural deficiencies.  It’s still a cool looking bridge.

Goggles (176/365)

TIME:  1:49 PM
PLACE:  The pool
SUBJECT:  SD’s yellow swim goggles

I’m on vacation this week – caught up on laundry yesterday (good times!) and we hit the pool today.

The Jack Paw (175/365)

TIME:  10:51 PM
PLACE:  Desk
SUBJECT:  Jack’s paw

Because it’s been a whole week since I had a Jack picture and because that paw is so gosh darned cute!

Stella Artois & StellaDella (174/365)

TIME: 2:47 PM
PLACE:  Edison’s Entertainment Complex
SUBJECT:  Poster and SD

My company had its annual family event today at Edison’s today.  We ended up with over 4300 points from our expert game playing abilities.  SD is holding some of the prizes she choose by redeeming our points (we had enough for a basketball too). 
She was as bubbly as the beer in the poster!

Flower (173/365)

TIME:  8:02 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Heliopsis “Ballerina”

Deep cleaned the carpet in my Miata and napped today.  This is all I got.

Jesus Is Watching (172/365)

TIME:  8:18 PM
PLACE:  Lake View Memorial Gardens
SUBJECT:  Statue

HH and I were without kids this Friday night.  One is at camp and the two others are spending the evening at friend’s houses.  We went out to dinner.  Afterwards, HH drove me to the cemetery so I could take a picture. 
Sigh.
We are an old, boring, married couple.

Bucket List (171/365)

TIME: 6:41 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  StellaDella’s Summer Bucket List

It reads….

1.  Ride evertthing [sic] at six flags
2. learn to knit
3. eat pig trough with family [this is an ice cream challenge at the White Cottage]
4. get rainbow dash back pack
5. go camping in tent
6. fish with dad.

She said to me, “I think this is all doable.”

Botanical Garden (170/365)

TIME:  9:51 AM

The girls and I went to the Missouri Botanical Garden today.  (MB is at Boy Scout Camp this week)


TIME:  9:53 AM

We saw this gecko in the Cilmatron

TIME: 10:12 AM

Peeked into the Blanke Boxwood Garden.

TIME:  10:26AM

Fed the Koi in the Japanese Garden.


TIME:  10:35 AM

Posed for a photo.


TIME:  10:54 AM

Admired the colorful glass Walla Wallas (made by artist Dale Chihuly) floating in the water in the Milles Sculpture Garden.

TIME:  11:00 AM

Love these Shasta Daises (Leucanthemum x superbum 'Becky')

It was a good day.

Ticked (169/365)

TIME:  6:54 & 7:14 PM
PLACE:  Desk
SUBJECT:  (Lone Star?) Tick

Poor StellaDella had this nasty little creature attached to her in a rather delicate area.  Luckily, I don’t think it had been on her long as it wasn’t engorged.  HH was able to pull it straight out without an issue.  I don’t think she will get sick from it, but just in case we put it in a dated, sealed baggie and placed in the freezer. 
My Poor SD.  It was a rather traumatic experience.

Jack (168/365)

TIME:  8:54 PM
PLACE:  Desk
SUBJECT:  Jack

Can I ever really have too many Jack pictures?  I don’t think so.

Father’s Day (167/365)

TIME:  1946 to 1973
PLACE: Various
SUBJECT:  Dad (& me!)

Smoking, drinking and hanging out with the dancers…that’s my dad.  Always good lookin’ too!


TIME:  5:50 PM
PLACE:  Sushi bar
SUBJECT:  HandsomeHusband & StellaDella

This guy’s a pretty good dad too. ;)

Roadside Flowers (166/365)

TIME:  6:23 PM
PLACE:  Highway 161
SUBJECT:  Wildflowers

A very quick snap as I was waiting for the traffic light to change.

Wings (165/365)

TIME:  6:35 PM
PLACE:  The pool
SUBJECT:  Hot wings

It was wing night at the pool.  Supper consisted of these hot wings and an alcoholic beverage or 2.  It was a good evening.

Animal (& Bug) Crossing (164/365)

TIME:  7:15 PM
PLACE:  Living room
SUBJECT:  DramaQueen

She put in pink streaks for the summer.


…and rediscovered Animal Crossing: City Folk on the Wii

TIME:  7:28 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Bug *click on the picture to embiggens*

I discovered this teeny-tiny green bug crossing on the Gerber daisy’s petals while I was reviewing my photos.  I didn’t notice him when I was taking the shot. 

I am amazed that my small camera can capture such details.

Diving Right In (163/365)

TIME:  7:20 PM
PLACE:  The pool
SUBJECT:  HandsomeHusband

We celebrated MB’s birthday at the pool from this evening with a party for him.  We had 18 classmates along with family to toast the birthday boy.  There was pizza, ice cream, cupcakes and lots of swimming. 
As you can see, HH even did some diving. 
Impressive!

Fourteen (162/365)

TIME: 8:27 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

My favorite son is 14 today.  He hates getting his picture taken (wonder where he gets that from?  His mother, maybe?)  He wasn’t always this way…


TIME:  2001-ish
PLACE:  Carlyle Lake

He used to be a happy version of the Lord of the Flies.

Happy Birthday Bud!

Monday (161/365)

TIME:  8:45 AM
PLACE:  Girl Scout Camp
SUBJECT:  StellaDella and her Wacky Hair

Girl Scout day camp began today…


TIME:  6:49 PM
PLACE:  Neighborhood
SUBJECT:  Ford Truck

And MonkeyBoy ranked up to Star at his last Boy Scout meeting…DH and I walked up to the school with him.  I snapped this picture on the way there.


TIME:  7:44 & 7:45 PM
PLACE:  Neighborhood
SUBJECT:  Train Tracks

…and these tracks on the walk home.

Nesting (160/365)

TIME:  9:06 AM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Dove in nest

Robins originally built this nest in our Purple Sand Cherry.  Those babies have grown and flown the coop.  A mourning dove has decided that the abandoned nest will make a great place for its future squabs.

Smells (159/365)

TIME:  8:24 PM
PLACE:  Across the highway
SUBJECT:  Oreo’s head out the car window

DramaQueen is spending the night at a friend’s house and needed a ride.  Oreo was laying down in the living room and saw I was leaving.  I nodded at her; she quickly jumped up, pushed her way out of the door and ran to the car to tag along.  I rolled down all the windows so she could do her sniff, sniff, sniffing of all the good smells to be smelled as we drove along.

Friday Night At The Movies (158/365)

TIME:  10:41 PM
PLACE:  O’Fallon 15 Cine
SUBJECT:  Neon

DramaQueen and her friends wanted to see “The Purge” tonight.
It’s rated “R”
They needed someone over 17 to buy the tickets. 
Normally, if an adult buys the tickets, they are allowed to go in the theatre and the adult doesn't need to accompany them. 
That wasn’t flying with the management tonight.
Guess who had to sit through the damn movie? 
Lucky me.
I swear, I was the oldest person in that room.

Coleus (157/365)

TIME:  8:07 PM
PLACE:  Front porch
SUBJECT:  Coleus “Redhead” and Unknown variety

These guys are waiting to be re-potted in my big blue planter.  I had more important things to do tonight…like go to happy hour with my co-workers and drink a margarita on the rocks.