Vigilance

Vigilance: The action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.

I saw this red-shouldered hawk while Heather and I were hiking in Rockwood Reservation, but I'm sure it saw me first. Today while riding I took Hawk with me. I was vigilant, watchful, and ready to swoop or flee. I returned home safe.

May the Hawk be with you.

Night Ride

Very Fine

We seem to have a pattern going here.

The weather is beautiful for the workweek and then comes the weekend.

And then comes the rain.

And the chilly temperatures.

But, it is Spring. It is blossoms on the car windows not snowflakes.

And the iris are blooming.

Yes, the streets are all wet and there is unseasonable chill in the air, but the spirit is fine, very fine.

More Signs of Spring

It didn't rain Saturday, but it didn't "not rain" either. There was a fine mist in the air.

It wasn't enough to get my gear wet, but I had to wipe the moisture from my helmet vizor from time to time.

It was a very busy weekend and the ride Saturday was urban and all too short.

Once again, I was grateful for all the green spaces to be found in the City.

Springtime in St. Louis: Dogwood and barbeque.

On Sunday, I even caught a glimpse of the ever elusive lawn serpent.

Thinking of Winnie the Pooh

Cliff Cave Park is right on the Mississippi River.

The River was high and running fast.

There was plenty of debris in the water. There were lots of tree limbs and old stumps.

There was even a barrel floating downriver. It made me think of a Winnie the Pooh story, the one in which he saves Piglet from a flood.

It was good to see the barges running with full loads again.

It was a beautiful day to enjoy the sun and watch the River run by...

But, in less than twenty-four hours 114 barges broke loose in St. Louis and raised havoc downriver. Four of the barges hit the Jefferson Barracks Bridge, the bridge I-55 uses to cross the Mississippi. (You can read about it here) The River never lets us forget just how very powerful it is.

Speaking of Pooh, are heffalumps pink?

If they are, I may have found one.

The Eyes

Gary France has offered a challenge. It involves finding a photo of  your "motorcycle" in an interesting place. I chose a place that isn't very exotic, but it took me by surprise. It is in a once vibrant, but now decaying area of St.Louis.

It had been sometime since last I had been in this neighborhood. I was pretty much on automatic pilot as I knew there was nothing there to be seen. Suddenly there it was, staring at me.

I just had to get a photo of Isabelle, my Kymco, parked in front of it. I have since learned there are to be more murals in this area. You can read about it here.

The Gnome Wars?

I'm clueless as to why, but when I saw this guy I thought of Star Wars. Oh well.