Pinocchio Needs A Scarf Today

Winter has arrived in St. Louis in earnest. Someone always puts a scarf around Pinocchio's neck in Citygarden at this time of year. It's not enough. Look at those sleeves and pant legs. At least he has gloves.

I think my attempt at humor in yesterday's post was a bit over the top. That is not a tanker full of coffee headed for an emergency delivery in Seattle. If you look closely, the back of the truck says "the best coffee on the Interstate." It belongs to a chain of gas stations, convenience stores and truck stops along the main highways. The truck is actually full of gasoline.          

First Snow

I'm sure some of you are under a meter of the white stuff by now but we're not that far north. We had our first dusting last night. What better way to get home on a cold, snowy evening than by following a tanker truck of fresh, hot coffee.         

Thursday Arch Series

"Tis the season. There aren't a lot of places to go Christmas shopping downtown since Macy's closed the city center location. There is a good book store. You can get Cardinals hats and shirts at the stadium. Lots of places to buy a drink. We had a Fiat dealer but that only lasted about a year. Thus go mid-sized American cities.

But, hey, we're not Detroit. Always look on the bright side of life.        

Early Sunset In Flyover Country

Forest Park empties out early in November and December with their shorter days and progressive cold.         

Shy Children

I'm about out of local material so I have to draw on Kansas a bit more. I've lost track of all the kids on the Kruse side of the family. (The Crowes have been less prolific.) These are a couple of them who are on the shy side. 

Above is Brody, grandson of my wife's sister, at Grandma Kruse's 95th birthday party. He was not engaging the rest of the crowd but his eyes met the camera. The little girl below is Sidney (I think that's how it's spelled), one of the many grandchildren of my wife's brother. She is being held by Dr. Kristin Kruse, the wife of my wife's brother's son . . . it all gets so complicated. At one point we were trying to figure out the relationship of my granddaughter Madeleine to these moppets. The calculus is too difficult.

         

The Prairie

I like Kansas, or at least the part my wife is from. Some people think the state is a huge bore, flat and featureless on the long drive from Kansas City to Colorado. I think the northeastern part, the area I know, is beautiful and subtle. Not flat, not hilly, the land undulates in broad, low waves. Not many trees, which gives a feeling of great openness. This is its late fall look. It is altogether different in snow and summer green.

The first two pictures are around the old family farm, now owned by my wife's brother and his wife. Note the dust trail from a truck in the second photo, driving up a gravel county road. The third picture was taken a short distance from my mother-in-law's apartment on the edge of Marysville, the only town in the area big enough to have a Walmart.

We drove the 400 miles (644 km) straight home yesterday under warm, clear skies. Cruising through this territory listening to Hildegard von Bingen on satellite radio's medieval music show was otherworldly.                      

A Big Boy And His Dog

Here's STL DPB's version of Field & Stream, or at least Field. Niece Trisha's husband, Steve, and his trusty dog, Dakota, led the way on the annual day after Thanksgiving quail hunt. It was unsuccessful, as usual. I got off more good shots than the hunters. Good exercise tromping around in the fields, though.