Don's Blog Halloween Surprise 10-31-24

For years we have been visited at Halloween by this outrageously spooky

but frightening form in our window. 

Now in her golden years she has been transformed into the beautiful Queen

that was aways there.

But do not confuse this Halloween Queen with my two real Queens.

Flower for the Day Indian Summer Action 10-30-24

Here is what is growing now.

Indian paintbrush just keeps plugging away - rain or no rain. The canary colored finches love the seeds on the coneflower heads.

Here is the fruit of the trumpet vine. Its huge.

The most prolific plants these days are the dahlias.

They grow quite tall.

Flower for the Day Miniature Bouquets 10-28-24

I am so fortunate to have Jan Sessions the Artist to create miniature bouquets of 

flowers for our continued pleasure. Here are a few examples.

These bouquets show up every where.

The Bell and the Blackbird

The sound of a bell 

Still reverberating, 

or a blackbird calling from a corner of the field,

asking you to wake into this life,

or inviting you deeper into the one that waits.

Either way takes courage, either way wants

you to be nothing but that self that is no self at all, 

wants you to walk to the place where you find 

you already know how to give every last thing away.

The approach that is also the meeting itself, 

without any meeting at all.

That radiance you have always carried with you 

as you walk both alone and completely accompanied

in friendship by every corner of the world crying

Allelujah. 

David Whyte

Flower for the Day Moon Flower 10-24-24

The moon vine continues to produce miracle flowers.

Flower for the Day Fading Zinnias 10-25-24

The zinnias are fading in color and vitality. 

They are interesting when they drop their petals.

And they continue to grow tall.

         Zinnias

zinnias zig zag
red-yellow flower power
heads turned toward sun

 

 Amanda Massingill 

Don's Blog A note from G. Arch 10-21-24

Dear Friends,

Thanks for coming by today. This note is to remind you that although you do not visit often I love seeing

 you and actually was wondering if you knew I was still here. You may remember that my grounds began as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in 1935 but after I was created between 1961 and 1965 I have become the Gateway Arch National Park. I remember clearly that when my final section at the top was being constructed that the fellow in the red hat was in resident training down the road at Barnes Hospital. I remember you saying you could follow that "capping" from the hospital. When I was completed I may have been shorter than the Eiffel Tower but I am way taller than the Statue of Liberty. I am the tallest Arch in the world.

I remember being visited at the top by all of you pictured in the image at various times in the past (except the young lady in the black shirt). We have experienced that uncanny feeling of movement when we are looking out the windows.  I know that in the early days a few planes flew through me and intrepid climbers have made incredible adventures on my walls but the truth is I just like to Be. With my extraordinary symmetry and architectural beauty I don't need to Do anything. What makes me happy is when a visiting tourist from Hanover, Germany can take an image of me and a group like yours today.

Look, I know its hard to park near here but its worth it to make the effort to see me again. I know through

the years we have had great fun together - the concerts, the picnics, and most of all the Fourth of July fireworks

are unmatched. What if there were a few thousand folks here -they were all in a festive mood right?

And today with perfect weather you have enjoyed the grounds almost to your selves. You know its one of the best places to enjoy 'The River'. Remember when we welcomed your eldest son who had started canoeing down the river at its origin, Lake Itaska in Minnesota. We loved greeting you all at the bottom of the steps and then seeing them off 10 days later on their journey to the Gulf.

I know that you think of me often especially since you can see me from Kirkwood - you told me that if you paused 'on'

the railroad tracks on a clear day at Geyer and Big Bend and looked directly down the tracks that you cold see me. 

Even if you don't look when you go through that intersection I know that you think about me every time. We love our little secrets don't we.

I remember when you all went to the east side to see the fireworks with me in the background. You had to admit it was more fun being on this side with me. Look I don't take it personal that you don't visit me regularly, but you have to admit there is an incandescent feeling when we are together. But then life intervenes and you forget me.  This is just a nudge - you do not have to have out of town guests to come down here so we can be together. You know as well as I do that when we get together there is an undeniable warm feeling  of community. Thanks for coming by. I really miss you.

Your friend,

Gateway Arch

Don' Blog Painted Lady

This amazing butterfly, a Painted Lady, ate for a long time on the orange dahlia.

It is also called a cosmopolitan.

It allowed me up close for an image of it consuming nectar.

Halloween Flag 10-23-24

Here is our Halloween flag. It is very mature.

Here you see the tall dahlias.

Pre- Halloween Flag 1021024

Here is our Pre-Halloween flag in all its glory.

You can see a moon flower on the vine to the left.

The orange flowers are tall dahlias.

Senior Tax Freeze

St. Louis County Senior Real PropertyTax Freeze: An adventure. This is the skinny. Required - you must be 62, live in the house, and have certain documents. You cannot do it online despite rumors. You must go to a STL County tax office -North, West, South or Clayton. Clayton requires an appointment while the others take walk-ins. They are closed for lunch from 12:00-12:30 and stop admitting people at 4:00. Everyone is congenial. Take a lawn chair in case there is a line. Google sent me to the West county office. Going south on Clarkson you turn on a marked road but the first turn right is NOT marked. This takes you in the back way into a shopping center with the tiny office. The door is locked. Inside there are six chairs for seniors, four workers at desks, a nice Greeter, and a superviser who takes money if you need to pay for a Title ($4). The workers are friendly. You must have Original Documents: Drivers License, Locator Number (from the computer or your tax bill), Deed, and Trust (and ammendments there to). They take your Deed and print you out a Title and keep a copy for the application. They take the trust apart and copy the required pages and put the trust back together. You sign the application which has print that is too small to read. They return your papers and a copy of your application which shows a website to follow the process.
You get to re-apply yearly for five years after which the program might be changed or even discontinued.
When I came to the office last week I did not have my original Trust documents so I had the opportunity to return for a second time. I arrived then at five minutes to noon and got to stand in line for 35 minutes with a great group of very nice folks.