Spring is here

https://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Galleries/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-wKGJpWB/A Happy Spring! While our local botanical garden is closed (but pictured here), I am seeing people out walking and enjoying the outdoors. In our area the cherry blossoms and magnolias are all open. In my neighborhood the streets are lined with flowing trees luring people out into the fresh air.

Mississippi River Sunrise

One of the best places to observe spectacular sunrises is at the White House Retreat in South St. Louis County. This is on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River valley and early morning risers are rarely disappointed.

Reflections in a storm

The word “reflections” in the heading of this photo is not of the photography sense such as reflections in the water. This is a retreat house where you spend two to three days in silent reflection. The White House Retreat in South St. Louis County is a spectacular place perched on a bluff overlooking theContinue reading “Reflections in a storm”

Out with her trusty hound

A lone woman with her trusty hound hiking through the woods. Actually she is part of the Gumbo Flats Gold Cup event where hounds show off their tracking skills. Today there are “12 couples” (24 Bassets) in field including Missouri’s Three Creek Basset Pack and Okaw Valley Foot Bassets from Ohio. Awards are given toContinue reading “Out with her trusty hound”

Dixie’s Portrait

I am working on my skills as a portrait photographer so I combined my interests: landscape photography and Basset Hounds and got this. Dixie is standing on an Adirondack Chair in an area overlooking Chesterfield Valley in St. Louis County. Dixie hates cameras and will not look at me. This was taken with a NikonContinue reading “Dixie’s Portrait”

Waiting for the judges

Two ladies showing off their Basset Hounds at a rural dog show in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The Bassets here will also show off their tracking skills in a competition pitting  the Three Creek Bassets pack against the Okaw Valley pack, taking their handlers through creek beds, under barbwire fencing and up steep hills. It willContinue reading “Waiting for the judges”

St. Louis Riverfront

Opened in 1874, Eads Bridge was the first bridge erected across the Mississippi south of the Missouri River. Earlier bridges were located north of the Missouri, where the Mississippi is smaller. None of the earlier bridges survive; Eads Bridge is the oldest bridge on the river. Also, the Eads Bridge is no longer a primaryContinue reading “St. Louis Riverfront”

Sunset at the Arch

St. Louis’ Gateway Arch makes a great subject for photography with endless possibilities. This photo was taken from a viewing platform in East St. Louis, Illinois. The platform gives various heights for a good angle. However, there are power lines and other structures in the way so it is not possible to get a “clean”Continue reading “Sunset at the Arch”

Ethel

Yesterday I posted a photo of Fred, a Basset Hound I helped rescue last summer. Here is his sister Ethel. The two were found with no collars, tags or other form of id. While they were in my care they were nameless. They are a bonded pair and stuck to each other like glue soContinue reading “Ethel”