Thursday, July 30, 2026

BABIE BIRDIES

 

We have had doves using a nest under the eaves of our porch, which I think was built a few years ago by robins. They hatched a pair of eggs in late spring (https://tinyurl.com/4rjcmzny). Doves can have more than  one  clutch of eggs in a season and two more little ones showed up recently. They have been out of the nest for a couple of days. I think this is one of the parents and a chick waiting for dinner.

Over to Kansas City today, then out to the farm for a family event.          

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

SOUTH BROADWAY ATHLETIC CLUB

 

I drive by this place occasionally and it has always seemed mysterious. Plain facade of a building on the edge of the Soulard neighborhood, near the huge Anheuser-Busch brewery. So I looked up the website, https://www.sbacstl.org/, and it is stranger than I thought. Not my hangout.                

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

WATER GATE

 

A gate in the flood wall along the Mississippi, part of the graffiti-permitted Paint Louis section. The river lies just beyond the trees. I've never seen this gate closed, but then I wouldn't drive by if the water was that high.                         

Monday, July 27, 2026

AMTRAK AMERICA

 

Yeah, we have some passenger rail service in this country. I wish we had a lot more, like Europe or Japan. We have good memories of being whisked from Avignon to Paris on the TGV, or Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen. Our town has service to Kansas City and Chicago. It takes a little longer than driving but is so much more comfortable. Looking forward to October when we go from Prague  to Vienna to Budapest by train.               

Sunday, July 26, 2026

AIR FORCE NONE

 

I occasionally drive by a strange sort-of junk yard, a full city block surrounded by a tall chain link fence. It is full of the remains of military aircraft. The inventory slowly changes. I don't know where it comes or where it goes. The place contains a truck repair shop and, according  to what is available online, the owner says he wants to preserve history.                        

Saturday, July 25, 2026

WORDS TO LIVE BY

 

Down and out philosophy in my favorite post-industrial ruins near the Arch and the Mississippi. Doesn't leave any room for reassessment, growth, the unforeseen or bad choices. For your Philosophy 101 exam, discuss and critique.                       

Friday, July 24, 2026

THE RAPTURE

 

Railroad engineers snatched out of their cabs? Scary. For those unfamiliar with the particularly American theological concept, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture .