Magnolia Flower

Closeup and personal photo of of a Magnolia Flower. After being cooped-up at the house I had to find subjects in the back yard. Normally the squirrels would have eaten this by now but there were to many this year. This was taken with my Nikon D7100 with Sigma 17-50mm 2.8 EX DC Lens, atContinue reading “Magnolia Flower”

Japanese Garden

https://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Galleries/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-8DpxzTX/A A nice shot of Missouri Botanical Garden’s Japanese Garden. Spring in Missouri is very colorful with flowing Dogwood, Redbud, Cherry Trees and Magnolias. Use a wide angle lens to get a photo like this. For this scene, you cannot get back far enough to include the whole lake without adding unwanted elements to theContinue reading “Japanese Garden”

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”

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”

Spiral Staircase

I always liked this scene of the back door to a local hunt club. The lower level is a living room area with a large fireplace in the center. The spiral staircase leads up to a children’s playroom. The front of the property is on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River and the clubhouse isContinue reading “Spiral Staircase”

Are you ready for Christmas?

https://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Galleries/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-gshRcLf/A This is one of my favorite scenes at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis. Every Christmas season they decorate the grounds for an event called the “Garden Glow.” As always this is an extravaganza of sights and sounds. You can follow the trails around the grounds for one amazing holiday scene after another.Continue reading “Are you ready for Christmas?”