AT ANCHOR

The scene is the central reflecting pool at our botanical garden, where angels made by Swedish sculptor Carl Milles charm us with their flutes. One of Chihuly's boats filled with an explosion of colored glass seems to have come to rest. It's called simply Fiori Boat, the first word being Italian for flowers.

The works seen in this series get oohs and ahs from the public. However, I once asked an artist acquaintance what he thought of Chihuly. His review was in two words: too easy. Something to think about.                  

WOULD YOU EAT WHAT THEY CAUGHT?

Might be hard to read depending on the size of your screen but the side of the small boat says Gateway Blues Catfishing.  Apparently there is a business that will take you out on the Mississippi searching for the critters, which are served fried. The river is a lot cleaner than it was some decades ago but, still, catfish are bottom feeders and the river is busy and just imagine what's down there. So, no, I wouldn't eat it.

Note the enormous size of the barges in the background, some distance behind the fishing boat. When in transit, they are connected two across and up to eight or ten long, pushed by a very powerful boat. How the pilots steer them through the many bends on the Mississippi is beyond me.    

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - UNRECONSTRUCTED

Budd Lake, Harrison, Michigan. You can just see that there is a second flag that has come loose from its lower anchor point. It is a Trump banner. Reminds me of a photo I took in this town four years ago, https://tinyurl.com/yaubpcl3 .  

And on a completely unrelated note, happy birthday to Mrs. C, my life's companion.       

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - MADELEINE AND AUDREY MONDAY

A rare post with both of my granddaughters. The lodge where the wedding took place provided leisurely pontoon boat rides on Sebago Lake. Both Ellie and her cousin Audrey Crowe of Clare, Michigan, got to drive, sort of. Big thrill. They are almost exactly two years apart. Several people at the wedding took them for sisters.

Really good phone cam shot by daughter Emily.