Field Trip to Monticello Sculpture Gardens, Through the Looking Glass

Who loves to go on a field trip? I do!

A field trip with friends is not only fun and relaxing, it also stimulates the brain.

This month I've gone on two outings, the first was a trip my friend and former co-worker Barb planned, which included a walking tour through the Monticello Sculpture Gardens on the historic campus of Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois.

The college's 2016 "Gardens Through the Looking Glass," Summer Garden show, celebrates the 150-year anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” books.

The college offers free guided tours, or you can do as our group did, and visit the sculpture gardens on your own at your own pace.

According to their website, "The Monticello Sculpture Gardens have been designated by Missouri Botanical Garden as one of their Signature Gardens in Illinois. Here, the traditional edges between art and landscape blend to create a seamless partnership between sculptor and landscape architect."

Here are some photos from the trip.

I'm taking a photo through the looking glass

with my friend Patty waving and looking on

Here's a lovely centerpiece fountain with an egret

and some of the many limestone buildings in the background

My sister Kathleen and I take time for a photo op

A fountain surrounded by flowers - delightful!

Breathtaking sculpture of Sacajawea

carrying her child on her back

A bit of history about the original Monticello Female Seminary,

founded in 1838 by Captain Benjamin Godfrey, who championed

education for females

Horticulture Manager Ethan Braasch took time to

highlight some features of the gardens

My friends and fellow co-workers: Fran, Nancy, JoAnn,

Judy, Barb, Kathleen (my sister), Donna (me), and Patty

For information about the garden tours, call Ethan Braasch, Horticulture Manager, phone: (618) 468-3140 or e-mail him at ebraasch@lc.edu

If you're interested in learning about the history of the Monticello Female Seminary, here's a link to the Monti Memories blog.

After our sculpture garden tour we took a quick drive across the street and met up with two more friends, where we enjoyed lunch at the magnificent Josephine's Tea Room and Gift Shop, I had the special quiche, salad, and lobster bisque soup, after which I was as full as a tick. For dessert, I bought a slice of lemon meringue pie to go. On the drive home, we stopped at one of the many roadside farmers markets along the way, where farmers displayed freshly picked tomatoes, watermelons, peaches, and other delights.

The field trip to Godfrey with my friends was a wonderful way to feed my mind, body, and soul.

How about you? Have you had any interesting field trips or vacations this summer that inspired you?

Thoughts on Elvis Presley on His Birthday

It's hard to believe Elvis Presley would've been 81 years old tomorrow, January 8th. Elvis, the "King of Rock and Roll," was in his early 40s when he died, but he lives on through his music and memories of him.

My mom was an Elvis fan. Sunday nights we sat around the TV and watched Elvis and other musicians perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. At other times, Mom would turn the radio on and dance around the kitchen to tunes by Elvis, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, and Andy Williams. She also loved Tom Jones.

Two of her glitzy (and, to be honest, ditzy) sisters made several trips to Vegas, where they saw Elvis and other famous entertainers perform then they'd come home and tell Mom about their adventures. Mom could never afford to go with them -- although she was thrilled when my sister Kathleen and I took her, much later in her life, to see Tony Bennett and Andy Williams perform when they visited St. Louis on separate occasions.

Back to Elvis. I wasn't a huge Elvis fan. I liked some of his music, especially "Love Me Tender," "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and "Blue Suede Shoes" was another good one, but I thought his movies were cheesey. Several friends from our neighborhood Bunco, which has been going strong since 1974, adored "The King" while they were teens and well into adulthood. In fact, a few of them were  upset on Bunco night two days after Elvis died in August of 1977; they were so inconsolable they could barely roll the Bunco dice.

Another Elvis story came from Nick Nixon, a contemporary of Elvis. Nick was a local St. Louis area celebrity, a songwriter, and country singer. Nick discovered late in life that he wanted to write something other than songs, and he became a treasured member of our Coffee and Critique writers' group for several years until he passed away a couple years ago.

Nick once told a story during lunch at C&C of how, while he was in the Marine Corps and stationed in Tennessee, he had a run in with "The King of Rock and Roll." Apparently words were exchanged between Nick and Elvis, a gun was brandished, and an apology from Elvis arrived in the form of a telegram to Nick some time later.

How about you? Care to share any thoughts or memories about Elvis on his birthday?  Or, do you have a favorite Elvis song?

November: A Time to Remember and Hats off with Hope in our Hearts

Last week, on November 2--the Feast of All Souls--I took time to pray for the souls of my loved ones who have departed this earth.

I also remembered to say a prayer for a good writing friend who passed away this summer.

Bea Siros was a cherised member of Coffee and Critique writers' group who left us suddenly and much too young. Although Bea is gone, her spirit remains with us.

Bea was known for her cheery smile and for her collection of hats--ball caps, feathered hats, trendy berets, demure chapeaus, you name it--Bea had one in her wardrobe. And often her signature bumblee pin could be seen on them.

During Bea's visitation service, several members of our writing group wore hats in her honor. I shopped around and found a tan hat with a dark brown brim and a black ribbon to wear in honor of Bea. I keep the hat on my coat rack by the door, and when I see it I remember her sweet smile.

This morning I used that hat to select the winner of the copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hope & Healing for Your Breast Cancer Journey. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left a comment.

The anthology includes two essays by Alice Muschany, a breast cancer survivor and member of Coffee and Critique. One of Alice's essays is titled "Hats Off to Betty."

When I e-mailed Alice to ask her if she wanted to pick the name of the winner or if I should throw the names into a hat--she asked me to use the name-in-the-hat option.

So, I wrote down on sheets of paper the names of everyone who left a comment on the Chicken Soup giveaway post in October during breast-cancer awareness month. I folded the papers and threw them into what I call Bea's memorial hat.

I reached into the hat and pulled out one sheet then took a photo (on the left) of the hat, the book, and the name of the winner.

In case you can't read it, the name selected was  -- Marcia G.

Congratulations, Marcia. I will get the book to you. And thank you Alice for your generosity and for sharing your stories of  hope and healing.

Finally, if you're the praying kind, take time to remember the souls of your loved ones or those who have left us. Here's a prayer I use:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

2012 Memorial Day Remembrances and the Poem "In Flanders Fields"

My Memorial Day post from last year has had several hundred visitors and is my most popular. In case you missed it, here's a repost of the text:

On this Memorial Day please join me in remembering those who died serving our country.


I am remembering two friends of my youth who lost their lives in Vietnam.

James Donnelly, a classmate at Most Holy Name of Jesus School in North St. Louis, took me to the eighth-grade dance on the S.S. Admiral, and bought me my first corsage (pink and white carnations). The eighth-grade dance in 1962 was my first "official" date where a boy asked me to go out. Six years later James lost his life while serving as an Army soldier in Vietnam.

Mike Blassie was my escort to the St. Alphonsus (Rock) High School senior prom. Rock High was an all-girls' school, so we invited the boys--and Mike graciously accepted my invitation. That night he talked about how excited he was to be going to the Air Force Academy after graduation. First Lieutenant Michael Blassie's remains rested, for a time, in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery before being returned to St. Louis in July, 1998.

Please take time today to remember James and Michael, along with all the fallen who gave their "last full measure of devotion" while serving our country.

If you've ever wondered the connection between the red poppies you see on sale around Memorial Day, read "In Flanders Field," the poem by Canadian Army Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. The link to the Arlington National Cemetery also has an explanation about the writing of "In Flanders Field."

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.



Mary Flannery O'Connor's Birthday is Today

Today is the birthdate of Flannery O'Connor , one of my all-time favorite short story writers. She was born on March 25, 1925 to Regina Cline and Edward F. O'Connor. Here's a link to her bio if you want to read more.

I was first introduced to her short stories in an American Literature college course in the mid-1980s, while living in El Paso.

After reading, "Good Country People" I was hooked. During that semester we studied the fiction of many American writers, including two of my favorites, O'Connor and Katherine Anne Porter. Something about their writing moved me to want to write short stories.

About four years ago, while returning to Missouri from Florida over Thanksgiving holiday, we stopped in Savannah to visit her Flannery's childhood home at 207 E. Charlton, where she lived from her birth in 1925 until she moved to Milledgeville, GA, in 1938.

Her Savannah home wasn't open the day we visited, but I took some photos of the grandkiddos standing outside the house. I thought it was neat that the name of the street she grew up on (Charlton) was the maiden name of my great-grandmother.

If you're not familiar with O'Connor's short stories, do youself a favor and read at least one.

And, if you're a lover of short stories or good literature in general, I recommend the book, THE ART OF THE SHORT STORY: 52 GREAT AUTHORS, THEIR BEST SHORT FICTION, AND THEIR INSIGHTS ON WRITING by Dana Gioia and R. S. Gwynn.

Included in that text are O'Connor's short stories "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and "Revelation," along with an essay by O'Connor's on her perspective on the element of suspense in "A Good Man is Hard to Find."

So, Happy Birthday, Mary Flannery O'Connor, and thank you for bringing such wonderful stories to the world.

Memory Tricks and Saying Thanks to Our Veterans

When I was younger I prided myself on my good memory, which helped me do well in school. My memory is still pretty good, although sometimes I'll walk into a room to get something and by the time I get there I'll forget what it was I was going to get. I attribute that to getting older and having too much on my mind.

To help me remember throughout my life I've used what I call "memory tricks," which I found out actually have a name. They are called  mneumonics. 

In grade school my classmates and I learned to use HOMES to remember the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior) and A Rat In The House Might Eat The Ice Cream to spell (ARITHMETIC). In music class, it was FACE and Every Good Boy Does Fine. For spelling, there was: "i before e, except after c or when sounding like A, as in neighbor or weigh." And what child doesn't remember jumping rope to "Thirty days have September, April, June, and November. All the rest have 31 except February with 28, but leap year makes it 29." And the list goes on.

My own birthdate helped me remember my multiplication tables. That's because the day of my birth, multiplied by the month of my birth, equals the year I was born in. Guess I'm lucky that way.

I still use dates to remember numbers. If someone tells me an address or a phone number and I don't have pen and paper I'll convert the numbers into dates. For example, if someone says their phone number is 699-0408, I'll make a mental note it's June 99, April 8. Might sound confusing, but it works for me.

Today is 11/11/11, a day that will be easy to remember for birthdates and wedding anniversaries. It also is a special day because it's the day to say thanks to our veterans, and those who wear the uniform. Yesterday my husband Walt (a Vietnam Veteran) was surprised when he received a text from the dad of one of our grandson's friends. The text thanked Walt for his service.The man knew Walt would be out getting ready to deer hunt today, so he texted him a day ahead of time to say thanks. What a thoughtful gesture!

I was pleased to see the list of local businesses who are saying thanks to veterans and active duty servicemembers with special discounts, and even free giveaways. Restaurants include: Applebee's, Chili's, Hooters, Krispy Kreme, Golden Corral, Subway, Arby's, Texas Roadhouse, TGI Fridays, Outback Steakhouse, and several others. Here's a listing I found in the Steals and Deals Blog of the St. Louis Post Dispatch online.

So, whatever way helps you remember, please take a few minutes to remember to say thanks to our vets and active duty servicemembers. Here are the family member veterans I am thankful for: James P. Duly, Sr. (deceased),  Walter Erik Volkenannt (deceased), Walter Volkenannt, and James P. Duly, Jr.

Don't Forget the Beer

When you cook or bake or write, here's an ingredient you might want to keep in mind. . . BEER!

Beer is the "adventure" ingredient that helped Elaine Barbee from St. Charles, Missouri, win $10,000 in a national cupcake baking contest. According to an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Barbee used stout beer to make her "You Make Me Want to Stout" chocolate cupcakes. Here's a link to her prize winning recipe.

Reading the article reminded me of my prize-winning recipe.

Being from St. Louis, the home of "the King of Beers," it's not unusual to use beer in the kitchen--not just for drinking or rinsing your hair--but also in recipes.

About ten years ago I entered a national chili recipe contest. The judging criteria weighed heavily on creativity, so I got creative. When thinking about chili, an image of the desert Southwest usually comes to mind, so I went in a different direction.

I concocted a recipe in homage to my home of birth (St. Louis) and my husband Walt's Bavarian roots. The recipe I created and submitted in hopes of winning a truck for my husband was "Walt's Bavarian Chili." Ingredients included potatoes, sauerkraut--and you guessed it--beer. In this case (make that a can) it was locally brewed Busch Bavarian beer.

"Walt's Bavarian Chili" didn't win the grand prize of a Ford F-150 4x4 shiny red pick-up truck, but it did win a first prize, which took a truck to deliver.

When the delivery truck showed up in our driveway, Walt and the driver needed a dolly and strong backs to unload the prizes, which filled up about a quarter of our garage.

Prizes included a state-of-the-art Weber barbeque grill and utensils, a portable stereo system with a dozen CDs, an apron and a hot pad, a cast-iron dutch oven, chili pepper and little pink piggie lights, boxes of hot sauce, chili seasoning and hot peppers, a dozen ceramic chili bowls and ceramic cups, two boxes of matching silverware sets, a gift certificate for Omaha steaks to be delivered to our door, and several other items I can't remember.

Wow! Hot exciting. Our excitement was tempered a bit the following January when our 1099 arrived and we had to pay taxes on almost $3,000 for the value of the prizes. Still it was fun, and the non-perishable prizes lasted for years and years.

So, if you're thinking about being creative in cooking or baking or writing--don't forget the beer!

A Blessed St. Patrick's Day to You All

Today's forecast for St. Peters, MO: Sunny, high 80 degrees. It's a beautiful day for wearing of the green.

It's said that everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day. In honor of those of us who are Irish, Irish-American, and everyone else, happy St. Patrick's Day. And in memory of my late parents, James and Katherine Duly, my late daughter and late son-in-law, Julie and Mike O'Donnell, my late son Walter Erik Volkenannt, and all the members of the Duly, O'Donnell, Volkenannt, Wade, Noblitt, and McMullan families, wishing you a joyful and blessed St. Patrick's Day.

For my writing friends--Irish or otherwise--here's a Limerick I wrote awhile back, which actually has won me some money in writing competitions. Hope you enjoy, and feel free to add your own--but keep them somewhat clean--it is a saint's day, afterall.

Reverend Finn

A fist-pounding pastor named Finn

chastized all who fell into sin,

but after Finn met

the spripper, Yvette,

Finn's preaching forgiveness -- Amen!