3306 South 9th Street

The jewel of the ceremony I was invited to photograph was 3306 South 9th Street, a three story brick home built in the first years of the 20th Century. It was nearly a ruin when local developer Kraig Schnitzmeier and his company Historic Homes began a total restoration. The house is now stunning and luxurious. It's on the market for sale if any of my local readers are interested. At the lower right, 9th Ward Alderman Ken Ortmann offers his congratulations.

TOMORROW: CDPB monthly theme day: corner/neighborhood store.

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South Soulard

I've had a notice on this blog for a long time that if people, groups or organizations would like to be featured here they should just e-mail me. Well, someone finally did. Soulard is an eclectic neighborhood just south of downtown. A member of the local community association saw my blog and invited me to photograph a ceremony marking the restoration of three beautiful old homes. This was in a sub-district called South Soulard, a little jewel of a neighborhood tucked in a corner between the huge Anheuser-Busch brewery and I 55. I drive around my city on weekends looking for places to photograph but I've never been here.

An anchor of the neighborhood is the Clydesdale Cottage, a charming B & B owned by Maureen and Ray Kanski. It's been open about a year. The name refers to Anheuser-Busch's Clydesdale horses, a symbol of A-B's Budweiser beer. The bathrooms all have newly-made stained glass windows; this picture is an example. More about South Soulard, the ceremony and the Clydesdale Cottage over the next few days.

Thursday Arch Series

Back to a more austere style of Arch photo, setting off straight lines against its great curve. The shadow on the right side of the stairs is from the Arch's south leg. The monument seems to dwarf other downtown structures. In fact, the largest building of the group with a bit of a point on top is only slightly shorter than the Arch itself.

The Rapture

The Rapture is a belief of a minority of Christians, mostly from the 19th Century forward, predominantly but not exclusively American. As one web site describes it:

The rapture is belief that is almost exclusively confined to conservative Protestants. It involves Jesus Christ returning from Heaven towards earth. In violation of the law of gravity, saved individuals -- both dead and alive -- are expected by believers in the rapture to rise up in the air and join Jesus in the sky...

The word "Rapture" comes from the Latin word "Rapare" which means to take away or to snatch out. This would be a remarkable event. As it is described in Evangelical literature, pilots would disappear from planes, truck drivers from their trucks; people from automobiles, etc. Some born-again Christians believe that a family will be eating dinner, when some of the members will float upwards from their seats, pass through the roof and keep rising through the air towards Jesus.

Could it be that there are already signs of this in St. Louis?

TOMORROW: Thursday Arch series

Yet Another Dose of Gratuitous Cuteness

What is wrong with me? My self-image (hmmm, a little vain, perhaps?) is urbane and ironic. I go to contemporary art museums. I speak a little Japanese (Ikaga desu ka? Genki desu, okagesamade.) Sometimes I dress all in black. And lately I keep posting pictures of babies, with the odd dog thrown in. You'd think I took a job working for Gerber. Can I dare show my face in New York City? Anyway, this is Faith, daughter of a co-worker (that's mom's smile in the upper left) at our law firm's country party. Heaven help me if I ever have grandchildren.

TOMORROW: The Rapture

Stare Down

Dalton vs. Bella. Who will possess the chip in the end?

TOMORROW: What's happening to me?

Get The Blow Off

I walked right over this thing in Forest Park. Probably would have paid no attention to it if it were not for for the white paint. It's scary. I mean, how'd you like to be walking across this, whistling, looking at the birdies in the trees, when WHOOMP, the thing, well, blows off? Imagine your surprise. As a lawyer, I can imagine the consequences.

TOMORROW: Stare down.