Early February 2009

Becky had asked us to come over this past weekend to help out with the kids. That worked out fine since I had finished some sliding shelves for their kitchen pantry and wanted to see if they worked. I had made one shelf a few weeks ago but when I took it over and tested it, it was just slightly too big, so I brought it home and redid it and built two more to go into the pantry. They worked beautifully. They will now have better access to the deep pantry to see what they have. Here is a photo of the completed shelves. I wish I had taken a before photo.


Pantry shelves

While I was working on the pantry Carol sewed up some pillows for their trundle bed downstairs, so it would be more comfortable to sit in when it was put away. They turned out great also, unfortunately I didn't get any photos of those.

Andrew was feeling his oats at the table the other night and I couldn't resist taking a couple of photos of him.


Andrew


Andrew horsing around

Carol and I had to get home Tuesday. We started our classes at the nature center here in Jefferson City. These classes are for new volunteers and they will last until the second of April. It was almost like applying for a job since we had to fill out applications and get interviewed. There are about 20 in our volunteer class. We are really looking forward to learning what we can about the Runge Conservation Nature Center and the Missouri Department of Conservation, not to mention what we can learn about nature. I will post photos as our training progresses.

Speaking of nature. We have a couple of hen turkeys that seem to enjoy checking out the feed situation in our front yard. I managed to get a photo of one of them yesterday. They are pretty skittish and will run if they see movement in the house.


Hen turkey in the front yard

Winter is getting pretty boring. I'm ready to hit the road again. The classes at the nature center will help get me through the next few weeks before I leave for New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. I'll keep working at Lowe's until late March so I can stash some money away for gas. I've already told the personel director that I want to leave toward the end of March and, if needed, will return in September.

That's all for now. Happy trails to all.

Missouri's winter roads

Sycamores in winter

Over the past few weeks I have been hitting some of the highways and byways near home to see what I can find. I've explored several conservation areas for camping and fishing near home. I've also taken several photos of places in central Missouri that I would like to share with you. Above you'll find a photo of some Sycamores that I took yesterday on my trip along the Missouri River. I converted it to black and white for effect.

The shots below were taken from a bridge over Moniteau Creek just before it feeds into the Missouri. The first shot is looking into the sun, downstream, and the second shot is looking upstream away from the sun. Quite a difference. I used some effects on the shot looking into the sun.


Moniteau Creek looking into the sun


Moniteau Creek looking upstream away from the sun


Front of an old building in Mokane


Deserted farmhouse


Who lived here and what was their life like


Birds of a feather


Missouri's Capitol Dome


An old grain silo along the Katy Trial in Howard County


Howard County Courthouse


Sexual equality? We guys have to share on of the ladies two?


A new home with sculpture along Hiway 179 near the Missouri River


An old home in Booneville


Contrasts - this is one side of the street in Booneville


This is the other side of the street


A winter garden in Rocheporte


Cooper County courthouse

Hope you've enjoyed this little trip around central Missouri.