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Thursday, September 28, 2023

Visit Missouri-Review of Faust Park

Butterfly House

There are many interesting parks in the St. Louis metro area and I enjoy visiting them. On a beautiful September morning I toured parts of Faust Park with a photography group that I mentor. Faust Park is located in Chesterfield, Missouri which is in St. Louis County. On this visit we spent our time in the historical village, but on other occasions I have visited some of the many features of the park. It is complete with a playground, picnic areas, walking paths, a lake and so much more. In this post I will give you some of the highlights of the park and share my photos with you.

History of Faust Park

The land that is now Faust Park was originally owned by Frederick Bates who was the 2nd governor of the state of Missouri. In 1819 Bates built an estate on the property and called it Thornhill. That building still stands and is open for the public to see what life was like in the 1800 and 1900's.

In 1968 Leicester Busch Faust acquired 100 acres of the land and opened it to the public as a park. By 1995 the park area had doubled in size.

St. Louis Carousel

The St. Louis Carousel was built in the 1920's and for years it delighted visitors to the Forest Park area. It was in an amusement park called the Highlands. In 1963 when there was a fire at the Highlands forcing it to close, the carousel was moved to Faust Park. Today it is housed in a building at Faust Park and is a delight for kids of all ages. I have taken all four of my granddaughters there at different times and they always enjoyed riding the majestic horses.

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House

In 1998 the Butterfly House opened in Faust Park. This beautiful building, which is pictured at the beginning of this post, houses a wonderful collection of butterflies. I worked for several years as a volunteer at the house and I was able to guide the public as they toured the Butterfly House. I learned a lot about butterflies and various insects and enjoyed photographing the butterflies. Here is a link to some of my photos and an article on photographing butterflies.

Photographing Butterflies

Historic Village

The historic village at Faust Park consists of a collection of nineteenth century St. Louis County homes and buildings. They all were in danger of being demolished and were rescued and moved to the village at Faust Park by the St. Louis County Parks Department. The buildings date from about 1840 to 1900. You can read more information about the village at Faust Park Historic Village

There was not a formal tour going on the day we visited so we wandered through the village taking photos and enjoying the historic buildings. As we approached one of the houses a worker for the parks department offered to give our group a tour of that home. It was the Davis House, and we were able to go inside on the main floor where she gave us a bit of information about the house. Here is a photo I took of the outside and one of the front parlor.

Below you will see a photo I took of the 1800's General Store.

There were several other homes in the village. Here are three of them. You will note that each is a completely different style from the others.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Thursday, August 24, 2023

Reviewing Quail Ridge Park - Visit Missouri

Gazebo at Quail Ridge Park

I love exploring new parks and the St. Charles County Park system has a lot to offer. On a beautiful day in mid-August, I was able to explore Quail Ridge Park with a photography group. We had a great time exploring the park and taking a lot of nature photography.

Quail Ridge Park

Quail Ridge Park is located in Wentzville Missouri at 560 Interstate Drive. Although it is only about 20 minutes from my house it is a park I had never visited before. This park has many trails that can be used to explore the park. There are over seven miles of both paved and natural trails throughout the park.

The park features fishing lakes, ponds, playgrounds and shelters. It also has a wonderful dog park where you can unleash your dog and let them run. The park has an eighteen-hole disc golf course and is also home to the National Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame.

Lodge and Gazebo

My group met in the parking lot of the lodge and then proceeded down the paved path for a walk around one of the lakes.

Lodge at Quail Ridge

The lodge, pictured above, is a rustic cedar banquet facility that is often used for weddings and other events. It will hold 180 people. The gazebo, which is pictured in the opening photo is the first stop on the path leading down from the lodge. One of the photographers that was with our group said it is a popular place for the bride and groom to have their photo taken for the wedding.

Walking the Paved Trail

From the lodge there is a paved trail that curves around past the gazebo, and then around the lake. It was a beautiful day, and we took a leisurely stroll along this path stopping to take photos along the way. Here are some of the photos I took.

Path Around Lake

Fishing Lake

Blossoms, Butterflies and Moths

As we walked along the path, we stopped to photograph the wildflowers and butterflies that made their homes in the woods around the lake. I also captured a moth on a wildflower across the path from the lake.

Missouri Wildflower

Lavender Wildflower

Swallowtail Butterflies

Butterflies

Flower on Edge of Prairie

Moth on Blossom

Purple Wildflower

Learn More About Missouri Butterflies and Wildflowers

Here are a couple of books where you can learn more about butterflies and wildflowers.

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Thursday, August 10, 2023

National Bird Holidays and Awareness Days- 3rd Quarter

Bluebird of Happiness

I love to explore designated bird holidays to find out more about these fascinating creatures that give pleasure to our lives. For the third quarter of the year, I discovered three different holidays that I would like to write about in this post.

National Hummingbird Day

The first Saturday in September is designated as National Hummingbird Day. These little birds have long fascinated people and as beautiful as they are, they are only found in the America's, especially North and South America. The first recorded siting of a Hummingbird took place in 1557 in Brazil in by a French explorer.

Hummingbird at Feeder

Hummingbirds are very colorful little birds that are characterized by their ability to hover mid-air and rapidly flap their wings which make a "humming" sound.

In my area of the country, we put out our hummingbird feeders in early April, hoping to attract these fascinating little birds as they migrate north.

To find out more about hummingbirds and National Hummingbird Day check out this website. https://nationaltoday.com/national-hummingbird-day/

World Shorebirds Day

World Shorebirds Day is celebrated on September 6th and is a day to learn more about the birds that frequent our shores. It is surrounded by a week where volunteers count the shorebirds in their area.

Blue Heron

Shorebird fishing on Rock

White Ibis

When we travel to the shore, I always enjoy seeing all the different shorebirds. They are very different from the types of birds we see at home in the Midwest, and I enjoy trying to identify each bird. The three photos above are shorebirds I photographed in Florida.

National Bluebird of Happiness Day

The bluebird is my favorite bird and I get very excited the few times each year when they visit my backyard. I have my camera ready and delight in capturing these beautiful birds with my camera.

Bluebirds Enjoying a Drink

Bluebird of Happiness

There is much written about bluebirds, and you will find them on all types of cards and household decor. On September 24th we celebrate National Bluebird of Happiness Day. Here is a little history of the bluebird I found on the website. https://nationaltoday.com/bluebird-of-happiness-day/

For the longest time, it has been known that the bluebird is a harbinger of happiness. This notion was first held by the Chinese who saw the bird as immortal, a protector, and a symbol of the sun. Native Americans too were in deep awe of the bluebird. Navajos revered it as a spirit in animal form, and the Iroquois believed the bluebird’s song would make the harsh winters bearable. For the Russians, the bluebird represented hope.

Bluebird of Happiness Day will be a great time to spend some time learning more about these birds that bring happiness to so many people.

Reviews on Birds

Here are some reviews written on Review This about the birds listed in this review.

Bluebird Facts and Photography

Hummingbirds at Your Feeders

Photographing Florida Birds

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Thursday, July 27, 2023

Photographing Wildflowers in Missouri

Purple Coneflower

I love wildflowers and, in the spring and summer, they are abundant in Missouri. It makes photographing them so very easy, I can find them in parks, along the sides of roads, on my neighborhood walks and even in my own yard. When I am planning to go out specifically to take photographs, I usually bring my Sony mirrorless camera along with a 55-200 zoom lens. It makes it easy to take pictures at a distance and also to zoom in for closer shots. When I am taking my dog for walks in the neighborhood, I always have my iPhone handy, and I find that it takes great shots of the wildflowers I find in the neighborhood and at our park.

The photo at the beginning of this article was taken at O'Day Park in O'Fallon, Missouri. It is a purple coneflower, that is very popular in my area in the summer months. It is one of my favorite wildflowers. I took my granddaughters to the park and brought along my Sony to capture the wildflowers that were in abundance.

O'Day Park Wildflowers

O'Day Park is a 57-acre park in O'Fallon that features a lodge, playground, camping and miles of paths and trails throughout the park. Near the playground area, I discovered a paved trail that had lots of beautiful wildflowers along the sides. They were in full bloom during our visit, and I was able to capture several different types of Missouri wildflowers. Here are some of my favorite shots.

Plains Coreopsis

Rough Blazing Star

Queen Anne's Lace

Purple Coneflower with Bee

Around the Neighborhood

The photos in this section were all taken on my walks in my neighborhood. They were all taken with my iPhone.

Trumpet Vine

Purple Coneflower and Golden Alexander

Lance Leaf Coreopsis

In My Yard

As I was looking at lists of Missouri wildflowers online, I noticed that many of the flowers in my flower beds are considered wildflowers. I know that all of them were started with a single clump given to me by and friend and all have spread like crazy. They make a colorful bordered on the side of my house.

Primrose

Wild Geranium

Bottle Brush Blazing

Black-eyed Susan

Learn More about Wildflowers

There are many books to give you tips on photographing wildflowers. Here is one I found on Amazon.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Visit Missouri-Explore St. Louis - The Muny

Bandstand across from Muny

The St. Louis Municipal Opera, commonly called The Muny has been operating in Forest Park for more than 100 years. It is America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre and is a real treasure for the residents and visitors to the St. Louis area.

I have enjoyed many a delightful summer's evening watching Broadway style musicals at The Muny. This year, I had the pleasure of introducing my youngest two granddaughters to The Muny when I took them to see a production of Beauty and the Beast. They were delighted with the show, and it was wonderful to be able to watch it with them.

We arrived at The Muny about two hours before the show started and enjoyed a picnic supper at one of the many picnic areas surrounding the Muny. While enjoying our meal we were entertained by some of the pre-show entertainment. On this evening there was a storyteller who delighted the children with stories and songs. On other visits to The Muny I have enjoyed performances by some of the dance troops and singing groups before the show begins. When it was about 30 minutes before the show we entered the outdoor theatre and made our way to our seats. With time to spare we decided to get some ice cream from the refreshment stands to enjoy while we waited for the show to begin. Here are Kate and Emily waiting for the show to start.

The production of Beauty and the Beast was wonderful, and the girls were on the edge of their seats the entire time.

History of the Muny

About the time of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis the dreams of a permanent outdoor musical theatre were formed. It was 1916 before this dream was finally realized. At that time a site was pick on a hillside in Forest Park between two large oak trees. The first production held their was As You Like It. It was picked to observe the 300th year anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. The production was seen by crowds of over 8000 per night and everyone was delighted. This was the beginning of the 105 year history of The Muny.

Today the theatre has 10,800 seats. The last nine rows (1456) are free seats and the rest of the seats are reserve tickets, with prices rising as you get closer to the stage. The theater is built as an amphitheater and gently slopes downhill towards the stage at the bottom.

It is a true cultural treasure of St. Louis that has been enjoyed by residents and visitors over the decades.

More Reviews on Forest Park in St. Louis

I have written several other reviews on Forest Park venues. Here are a few of my favorites.

Forest Park in the Fall

Forest Park and the Jewel Box

Find out more about The Muny

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Thursday, May 11, 2023

Review of Spring Flowers 2023

I love photography and, in the springtime, flowers make particularly great subjects. Each year I have been trying to post some of my favorite flowers from that year. In this post I will highlight some of my favorites from 2023. The photo above is of some daffodils in one of our city parks. It was taken in early March when they were just starting to bloom and since it was a rather cloudy morning the blossoms were "bowing down" waiting to be warmed by the sun.

A Few Tips for Photographing Spring Flowers

Cloudy days are great for showing off the colors in the flowers.

Right after a rainstorm you can get some great photos including raindrops on the flowers.
Be sure to get some closeups and some wider shots of a grouping of flowers.

Look for unusual angles.
Set your aperture to blur out the backgrounds.
Don't forget to photograph the beautiful blossoms in trees as you see in the photo above and the one below.

I like taking photos of the buds of a flower and then of the fully opened bloom.

Flowers around my Neighborhood

The great part about spring flowers for me is that I don't even have to travel far. I can find lots of spring blooms in my own yard or on my neighborhood walks.