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It was time to leave the zoo and I walked by the ponds with beautiful birds. Could they be swans? I was so excited, I forgot to snap the plack ... so I can't act like I am smart ... :)

"Poet Sitting by a Tree" by Ernst Trova ... Laumeier Sculpture Park in St Louis

Trader's Joe opened a new store nearby and I found this hyancinth. The next day it started to bloom and today it is in full bloom and really smells ... good!

This week's "a photo a week project" Still not much change even tho we had a couple of snow days. But the snow seem to evaporate ... always have a few hours above freezing.

Another foto during the snow we had last week.

Another red, white and blue scene!

Zoo is not only animals. There are many plants and flowers along the path. The bird cages along the path were hidden with different plants and flowers.

Visited my brother and his wife in nearby Collinsville and we went for german dinner prepared by a local church. WOW ... great food!

The Sanctuary was open, I slipped in and grabbed a shot ... pretty church!

Artist Jonathan Borofsky place various parts of a Ballernia Clown on the lawn. The face is around 6 ft tall ... ground to nose!

Laumeier Sculpture Park is in West St Louis County.

Nearby Alton has great eagle watching. Eagles were once close to extinction. But they recovered with the ban on the insecticide DDT. Missouri is home to the largest wintering population of bald eagles in the lower 48 states. St Louis Zoo

Check the larger fotos, but it still does not do what I wanted. It is a failure! Large snow flakes were falling ... I had a baggie on the camera ... but it really does not show the magic feeling! What should I have done to capture the snow falling feeling?

One of many orchids from the annual Orchid Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden's in St Louis, MO. Should you visit St Louis, don't miss the gardens!

What is a visit to the zoo without a giraffe? No little kids around so the giraffe kept his distance. They know that little kids can't read and will feed them!

18 salvaged steel oil tanks provide and interesting display on a clear snowy day in St Louis County Park. How's this for red, white and blue?

The new snow and bare tree adds dimension to the Cor-ten Steel display at Laumeier Sculpture Park.

Torso, face/head, hand are included in this display. Laumeier Sculpture Park near St Louis displays many sculptures in the open air.

The open air museum in St Louis. 55 Marine steel buoys stretch in a line but with 90 acres and over 84 structures, museum and gift shop they don't seem out of place. Visit this St Louis County park from 8am to dusk every day. No fee is charged to walk the park. Dogs on a leash are welcomed.

Ostriches are the largest living birds. Since they can't fly, ostrches next on the ground, leaving their eggs vulnerable to predators.

It is snowing! Not really very cold so unlikely it will still around.

The Bactrian Camel long eye-lashes and nostrils protect them from blowing sand, they can live without water for a long time, and the fat stored in their humps helps them survive long periods without food. In the spring, Bacrtian camels shed their thick witntercoats, leaving them almost hairless in the summer.

Pictures of the zoo placks sure come in helpful. Don't know if I would spend the film on them ... good thing I am digital! Altho I do have to type in the info.

Orchids are the largest plant family in the world with 30,000-35,000 species ---that's about ten percent of all species of flowering plants found in nature.

If you have a brochure, you don't need the plack. I have some placks, but they are not as helpful ... too many flowers and the placks are not as helpful for me.

The butterfly puzzle is done!

Orchid Show 2006 at Missouri Botanical Gardens in St Louis from Sat, Jan 28 through Sun., Mar 12 ... Don't miss it!

Orchid Show 2006 at Missouri Botanical Gardens in St Louis from Sat, Jan 28 through Sun., Mar 12 ... Don't miss it!

The St Louis zoo has no bars, just large glass windows. Watch out for those reflections.

a photo a week project foto for week 10. Weather was cold. With all the warm weather we had some flowers show up. Hope they don't freeze ... I have them covered.

The Missouri Botanical Gardens in St Louis, MO show cases the Orchid Show 2006 until March 12! It is only $3 in addition to the entrance fee to the gardens. See hundreds of Orchid is a natural setting! I've only shown a few.

The Missouri Botanical Gardens in St Louis, MO show cases the Orchid Show 2006 until March 12! It is only $3 in addition to the entrance fee to the gardens. See hundreds of Orchid is a natural setting! I've only shown a few.

The Missouri Botanical Gardens in St Louis, MO show cases the Orchid Show 2006 until March 12! It is only $3 in addition to the entrance fee to the gardens. See hundreds of Orchid is a natural setting! I've only shown a few.

I take a foto of the plack on the cage so I know something about the animals in the fotos. see other fotos

I posted many more shots at Zoo fotos I will post a few more fotos here during the next few days.

Visit the free St Louis Zoo

This beautiful, shy cat is well adapted to the severe climate of its forested mountain habitat. A thick coar and tail, and fur-covered foot pads, protect the snow leopard against the cold...

...from plack in zoo!

The day at the zoo was fantastic. Almost deserted, except for the animals, I had a very causual day taking pictures of every thing! I posted many more shots at Zoo fotos You may have to wait an hour if you are too quick! I will post a few more fotos here during the next few days.

Visit the free St Louis Zoo

Buddie is still sitting in his cage capturing the attention of all the visitors. I arrive at 9am on weekdays and only a few people were visiting. Fantastic day!

Visited the zoo yesterday. My buddie captured my attention about a year ago when I visited the zoo to test some new equipement. I was sitting on the bench in front of the baboon display reading the instructions and looked up ... there was Buddie, making faces at me! He has been my favorite ever since.

Looking at the I390 bridge over Creve Coeur park near the Missouri River in west St Louis County from BELOW!

Situated near Creve Coeur Lake in west St Louis County is the I390 bridge. I390 is an extension of Page blvd and crosses the Missouri River about 3 miles past the lake and ends in St Charles County. You can continue along a walk path near the I390 and meet up with the Katty Trail which extends almost all the way across Missouri.

Missy was sitting in front of me looking into the distance. I whipped out the A95, shot, Missy walked out of the foto and the A95 finally decided to fire. The ye old shutter delay struck again! But the bridge was still interesting.

This could have been titled, "the one that got away!" ... but I have a lot of them.

George loves his bath. He sits, waiting for his bath to start.

Getting dry after a bath is an experience ... for all! He just can't wait to get upstairs and show off his new coat. Try handling an excited dog, drying him and trying to take a photo ... all at the same time.

Ealier, driving while it was raining I noticed the stop light colors in the street. But it stopped raining by the time I got the camera rigged up in the passenger seat.

I had hoped to be out when it was raining, but it stopped.

I've been waiting to play with this technique. First try wasn't too bad.

This week's entry for "a photo a week project" The weather is NOT typical Jan. Yesterday the temperature was over 60 F. We did have frost this morning, but the sun is up and it should be another warm day.

It is been about a week since I started the puzzle and it is coming along. The shape of the puzzle is a butterfly.

George is a real model, but he does get tired after awhile. Loves the attention. We also were using his stool! I checked back in an hour and he was asleep on the stool with the camera equipement all around.

Missy gets up on the stool for one photo ... that's it! That's all you get dad! Of course she got more peanut butter! Yum!

Missy gets her medicine in peanut butter but George expects peanut butter too!

Recent blooms of the window flowers. Spring is too far!