Water Tower (127/365)

TIME: 7:01 PM
PLACE: Reservoir Park, St. Louis
SUBJECT: Compton Hill Water Tower

*~*~*

Originally built in 1898, this was a standpipe used to equalize water pressure for the water supply of the City of St. Louis. It was retired from use in 1929. 

A restoration was completed in 1999 and prior to COVID, it was open from April to November for tours.  Hopefully, it be able to re-open for tours again soon.  I'd like to take a tour and take photos from the top.  This one was taken from a moving car - HH was driving us north on S. Grand Avenue.

 

Phin Filter (090/365)

TIME: 6:48 pm

PLACE: Pho Grand
SUBJECT: Beverage

*~*~*

We celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary a day early...and took our daughter along as well.

We went to "Pho Grand", a Vietnamese restaurant located on South Grand in St. Louis.

It. Was. Amazing.

I don't know how never went here before, but we will be going back, that's for sure.  

After we ate, StellaDella ordered a "Cafe Su Da" - French roast chicory coffee with ice and sweetened condensed milk - it was brought out in a traditional Vietnamese Phin Filter.  She wasn't too hip about the chicory flavor, but HH and I enjoyed it.

 

Soldiers Memorial (002/365)

TIME: 11:19 am
PLACE: St. Louis, Missouri
SUBJECT: Soldiers Memorial Military Museum (view from Pine Street)

*~*~*

SD and I visited the Soldiers Memorial to see their special exhibit, "World War I: St. Louis and the Great War." before it closed on Sunday.

I had been wanting to go see the Memorial since it reopened in November of 2018 after a 2-year, $30 million renovation.

Very glad we went.

The Court of Honor and cenotaph

Looking down a stairwell

Statue of "Loyalty" facing the flag

 

StL Aquarium (356/366)

Sandbar Shark                            Atlantic Sea Nettle

                                                            

"Lord Stanley" the blue lobster

Cownose Ray                    Giant Pacific Octopus

Leafy Sea Dragon

TIME: 1:00 to 2:15 pm
PLACE: St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station

*~*~*

SD and I finally visited the Aquarium at Union Station today.

The otters were sleeping, so we didn't get to see their antics, but, we were able to spend about 20 minutes doing one of my favorite things....petting stingrays.  We even got to feed them.

I was happy.

I took my mask off for Lord Stanley's claws/hockey photo shoot.

 

The Arch From the Car: Day and Night (355/366)

TIME: 7:52 am and 6:37 pm
PLACE: St. Louis
SUBJECT: The Arch as an arch

TIME: 7:52 am and 6:37 pm

PLACE: St. Louis

SUBJECT: The Arch as a monolith

*~*~*

Different times, different perspectives...

Throwback Thursday (186/365)

TIME: 1:36 PM – 5 July 2006
PLACE: St. Louis Zoo, Children’s Zoo
SUBJECT: James, Stella & Claudia

12 years ago, we went to the zoo with Grandpa and all the cousins. 

Soon after this was taken, the zoo had to close because of some electrical issues.

I don’t think it was our fault.

~*~*~*~

The next day we went to Six Flags
TIME: 5:30 PM – 6 July 2006
PLACE: Six Flags, St. Louis
SUBJECT: James, Stella & Claudia

These are my kids on the kiddie coaster.

Let’s look a bit closer, shall we?

Good times.

Good times.

A Triangle of Flowers (182/365)

TIME: 8:23 PM
PLACE: St. Louis – outside Fire Station 21
SUBJECT: Flowers.

The husband and I revisited Ikea this evening – this time to purchase a vanity and more window shades.

Fire Station 21 is right across the street from the evil place.

Nice flowers guys!

Wizard World 2017 (034/365)

TIME: 10:46 AM
PLACE: America’s Center, St. Louis
SUBJECT: Line to enter Wizard World

StellaDella wanted to go to Wizard World – again.

It’s been a couple of years.

So, I took her.

I got to see the Blues Brothers while waiting in line to get through security.

SD with Bender and all the R2 units.

She is dressed up as Pent from Khonjin House.
Yeah, I have no idea who she is.
No one there knew who she was either – she even had a sign offering a $5 Target gift card if they could guess who she was.
No one did.
She out-obscured the nerds!
That’s my girl.


I saw Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite).

…Thomas Ian Nicholas (Rookie of the Year, Walt Disney in Walt Before Mickey and American Pie)


SD attempted to ride the bull – she lasted 26 seconds!

I didn’t get to see Sean Astin or Sean Bean’s panel, but I did step aside so Billy Boyd could pass by in a golf cart.


This is who I really wanted to see, James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Smallville, Marvel’s Runaways)

Those cheekbones!

I couldn’t figure out where the theatre where his panel was held.  I was wandering and all of a sudden I hear “Coming through” and there he was in a golf cart.  I stalked followed the cart, and ended up walking about 3 feet behind him when he disembarked.  Hey, it was a nice way to find the theatre.

Sunday Funday (028/365)

TIME: 11:59 AM
PLACE: Cherokee Street, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT: Alley art

DQ has a part-time job at a store on Cherokee Antique Row in St. Louis and invited me and SD to their Annual Cookie Spree. 

So we did.

I may or may not have had some Riesling and a nip of Sherry along with said cookies prior to 11am.

Santa’s not telling.

SD had her portrait done.

She and I had our picture taken with the man on the moon too!

~*~*~*~

TIME: 5:46 PM
PLACE: National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows
SUBJECT: SD, DQ and Mulder

In the evening we attended the Tails, Trails and Twinkles at the Shrine. 

We walked Mulder through the lights with many other dogs.  At the end there was a pet blessing. 

Which was good, because he needs all the help he can get!

I was a little worried about him, but he was a pretty good boy.  He was a little excited at times, but behaved otherwise.

Topsy Trees (027/365)

TIME: 8:38 PM
PLACE: St. Louis Zoo
SUBJECT: Trees

My dad’s former employer invited him and his family to their Christmas event which was held at the St. Louis Zoo.  DramaQueen, StellaDella, 2 of my nieces, my sister-in-law, my sister’s mother-in-law and I accompanied him.

After a delicious dinner at the McDonnell Center, we walked through the Wild Lights displays.

It was a mild evening and there were tons of people there – last year it was cold and much less crowded.

Even so, it was nice to see the lights…

…and the kids had a good time.

Wayback Wednesday (210/365)

TIME: 29 Jul 2006, 9:00 AM
PLACE: Jefferson Barracks Park
SUBJECT: Mud Mania before and after

Every year, there used to be a mud obstacle course held at Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis County.
Claudia and James, along with their cousins, Michael and Brandi, went to what ended being the last Mud Mania in 2006.

 

Some kids came down with rashes due to an infection of hair follicles caused by a bacterium that is commonly found in dirt.
It was hot and that combined with the water, set off the rash.
My kiddos were okay, but my niece and nephew were affected.
It went away after a couple of days without any lasting effects.

Nevertheless, likely due to today’s litigious society, they cancelled the event the next year and it hasn’t been back since.



Stella was too young to do the mud course.
She settled for inflatables.


After cleaning off the mud, her cousin Michael joined her.

Solstice, Sleeping and Son (172/365)

“Care to join me for solstice caroling?
[sings in a high voice]
Walking in the grass, it's so fine, don't need shoes in the summertime!”
Spongebob, “Krabby Land”, Season 3, Episode 57a, April 3, 2004

TIME:  6:08 AM to 6:50 AM
PLACE:  Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
SUBJECT:  Woodhenge

I convinced the husband to wake at an ungodly hour to be at Cahokia Mounds at 5:20am to observe the Summer Solstice Sunrise.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not cooperate. 
The rainy weather refused to leave and the sun was not visible.
Still, we heard an excellent explanation of the post circles and we hiked up to the top of Monks Mound for some spectacular views.
(The mound bisected by the back middle post is Monks Mound.)


The steps leading to the top of  Monks Mound


Looking west from the top of Monks Mound 

The east side of Monks Mound
(for perspective, you can just make out a person standing on the top at the far right)


There were many deer on the site.
These guys were hiding out in the tall grass.
~*~*~*~

TIME:  2:44 PM
PLACE:  The car
SUBJECT:  Sleeping children

In the afternoon, we had a graduation party to attend.
They all complained about how the back seat was too crowded now that they are older.
It didn’t stop them from all falling asleep on the hour-long ride there.


TIME:  3:43 PM
PLACE:  Pond at Brother-in-law’s
SUBJECT:  James and a fish

We did some fishing while we were there.