Decorative gesture

Back to the STL area. We spent the night in a luxurious B&B in Alton, Illinois, just north of St. Louis. It's called The Beale Mansion and it is overflowing with antiques and Victorian decoration. We had a huge, ornate room. The marble-floor bathroom was big enough to host a small party but contained a heart-shaped hot tub for two. Just the right size party.

The reason for the short trip was that there is a large bald eagle population that hangs out along the Mississippi there in mod-winter, so people go eagle watching. We'll see how the photos go. For now, this young lady graced the mantle in our room (oh, yeah, working fireplace, too!). Another obsessive Lensbaby shot.

TOMORROW: A trip along three rivers - the great confluence