Flying high

We had never visited Purina Farms before, but when we saw that there was 

a dog agility demonstration there, we knew we had to check it out
while we were in St. Louis.

(This is where the chicken showed up in the audience.)

My kids were eager to get the show on the road--but so were the dogs!

The trainers were awesome!

We loved the interactions between trainer and dog.

Very fun!

Up on a roof

Photo 52, Week 35:  Photographer's Choice

Sometimes to get a little perspective on life

you just need to climb a little higher.

We may have planned our trip to St. Louis to go to a baseball game,

but there was another reason we have always wanted to go in the summer:

the roof at City Museum.

I have raved about this place several other times, but it was always in the winter.

The roof is only open in the summer.

We were NOT disappointed!

Especially since we arrived at the magical golden hour, 

just as the sun was dropping toward the horizon.

When we were up on the ferris wheel,

I realized that through the shield, I had the perfect view of this silhouette.

I had to dodge the spokes of the ferris wheel, but I was stunned when I saw these people in my images.

So sad I didn't notice until later.  I totally would have chased them down!

You know what's after the golden hour?

The blue light special!

(Do people actually call it that, or did I just make that up?)

City Museum.

Go. There.

Face in the crowd

Photo 52, Week 34:  Face in the Crowd

We just returned from a week-long vacation.
We crammed it into four days.
Typical.
During which we saw plenty of crowds and faces.
We are not such crowd people.

But it seems that this is one crowd we cannot resist joining whenever we are within any sort of proximity.
Sometimes, we will even plan a whole vacation around it.  It's just how we roll.

Somehow, it happens with some frequency that we cheer against the crowd.
Hello Braves shirt in a sea of red.  But notice the bullpen below...hello Braves!

These guys were chatting on the field as we arrived, right there!
Brian McCann caught my eye, but I neglected to notice that I knew the other face quite well--until later.
It was a truly fun catcher-catcher exchange.  McCann probably revered him when he was still a teen.

The starting pitcher greeted me personally.  Looking for you in the World Series, Maholm!

That other guy again...ah, yes, I would know that face anywhere!
Bullpen coach Eddie Perez caught for pitching great Greg Maddux in the Braves' glory days not so long ago.
It was unthinkable to see Maddux without Perez.  He appreciated the recognition.

He gave us a gift.

Thanks Eddie!  Yes, we totally remember.

Speaking of great, I have to admit I have been charmed by baseball's appreciation for its greats.
The most beloved ones are the true good guys.

Baseball's name gets tarnished too often,

but baseball truly loves a class act.

Yes, we scheduled a whole trip around the Braves playing in St. Louis.
I would do it again.
More to come.

Painting Pancakes

Sometimes as the summer lives on

it takes a little creativity to figure out how to spend the day.

Why not paint some pancakes?

We did it for the 4th of July,

but why wait for a holiday?

Bethany was having a friend over.

We didn't quite get around to making them by breakfast time,

so we made them for lunch.

All you need is a squeeze bottle (or 2 or 3)

and some food coloring.

Just put a little batter in each bottle, and color it.

Voila!

If you run out of the regular pancake batter,

it's a free-for-all.

Yum!

And cute.
There may or may not have been a teenaged boy at my house who said
it looked like a rainbow regurgitated, in not so many words.
The girls said, NO, a unicorn!!

Time to go outside.

Did I mention we bunny sat for a couple weeks?

You know how I feel about rabbits, right?