The morning has arrived

The Daybreak Orange Gazania is still closed.

One hour after daylight

The Daybreak Orange Gazania is beginning to open.

Royal Crown Flower

I had never seen this variety of flower with its Royal Purple ring of color around the crown. This flower is a yellow "Daybreak" (it closes up in the dark) variety of the Orange Gazania.

Day Lilly

My Saturday afternoon photography project was to capture the delicate reproductive structures (the Stamen and Pistil) of the Day Lilly flower.

God and Country in One Picture

I arrived at the St. Louis Temple early Saturday morning. The air was fresh and sky was beautiful. While we are blessed in America to have no religion sanctioned and mandated by the government, most americans feel a close association between their religious beliefs and our country. So do I. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes that God raised up the Founding Fathers to establish this country and the Constitution. Regardless of their own religious faith and differences, the Founding Fathers envisioned and established a country where religious tolerance was the ideal, while not always achieved, and a place where the Restoration of the Church could occur. Consider also the great prosperty of America and the faithful families living here that have provided the missionaries and means to allow the message of that Restoration to go across the world.

Roadside blossoms

Along the roads in St. Charles County you will see at this time of year many patches of wild flowers that have come up and blossomed since the right of way was last mowed. I enjoy these flowers. I stopped and took this picture of some of the flowers to remember them for another year.

Old Masonic Hall

On a trip to Jacksonville, Illinois I photographed this old Masonic Hall in a nearby small town.

Hanging On

What makes this photo of an ordinary bird interesting to me is seeing how it hangs onto a vertical branch, one spindly leg well above the other with its claws tightly wrapped around the branch. In life, we sometimes find ourselves in awkward and precarious positions. Then, we too must cling to the vertical branches of strength - truth, family and God. Cling to, hang on, hold on, stick to, persist and endure despite the cramps and pain. We will make it until it is time to fly to a nest or a horizontal branch to rest for a minute or two.

Washington Avenue - St. Louis

Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis is experiencing a revival, not as a vibrant garment district of the 1930's, rather as an entertainment and trendy renovated housing district. I spent a couple of hours photographing some of the architectural details found in the grand old buildings. A few of my photos follow. I lament that some of the old garment district signs are now gone. Yet the buildings are still a marvel. A stroll up Washington Avenue from Ninth Street to Fourteenth Street is an interesting outing and a cultural experience for anyone living or visiting the St. Louis area. You will find some wonderful places for a nice meal and refreshments along the way. I rccommend Mosaic Restaurant, Rosita's Mexican Food or Copia Restaurant, or even Wasabi Sushi, if you are into Sushi.

Detail around arched window

Detailed Medallion

Architectural Detail covering a steam exhaust pipe

Bee Hat Building

One of the few remaining signs on the buildings when Washington Street was a thriving garment district

Merchandise Mart Building

Yellow flowers and summer

This summer scene was near highway 54 and Fulton, Missouri