Sunday, May 16, 2010

Kimmswick and Mastodon Historical Site

Recently we went on another trip through Parkway Community Schools to Mastodon Historical Site and Kimmswick, Missouri.
My "big" question was, "What is the difference between a mastadon, mammoth and elephant?"
Fortunately, I'm not the only one to ask that question---there was an entire display class showing the difference. Another question I had concerned the extinction of animals that lived in that time period. Apparently at least three species (above) are alive and living in my back yard. . .not the elephants---the rabbit, field mouse and vole.
Mastodon's trunk, tusks and ear size are very different from elephants---I'm sure the ears are a reflection of the climates since larger ears are found in warmer climates.
These teeth are of the mastodon (left) and mammoth (right)---while the mastodons ate leaves from trees (preferring coniferous), the mammoths were grazers and chewed grass.
Above and below you can see other anatomical differences between the two extinct animals.
Our next stop was the Anheuser home (yes, of Anheuser-Busch) in Kimmswick.
Although this had originally been the summer home of the family, Fred and Mable Ruth Anheuser lived their permanently before their death. We'd hoped to take a tour, but the docent was ill, so we just walked on the grounds.
I immediately noticed Bevo the fox who is seen around A-B properties. He was perched on a wall just up from the Mississippi River.
Looking to the right of Bevo was a pecan tree which reportedly was there when Lewis and Clark came this way. Behind it is an area known as Windsor Harbor.
Here I could see old steps which led down to the "banks" of the Mississippi River which was a main highway many years ago for travellers.
Then, we went to the Blue Owl Restaurant which has been featured on the Food Network. The waitress above was rattling off the desserts: 41 pie flavors, 20 types of cakes and another 26 kinds of cheese cakes. Dessert was included with each of the entrees on the chalk board.
We, of course, chose the levee high apple pie---plain on the left, caramel topped on the right. Actually, we took them home, but they were warm when they were brought out to us.
After lunch, I walked around the historic river town looking in the shops while Dave. . .

Seemed to be content to sit, nap and digest his lunch.

2 comments:

Jane said...

Dave must have finished his levee high apple pie

sbobet said...

part history, part memories, part reflections of sbo
sbo
a retired teacher, but active "Senior". I have always felt

Between Two Worlds

Most of my life, I've considered it fortunate that I was just ahead of the Baby-boom. Generally, the Baby-boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 after the fathers returned from World War II. It was a huge population explosion that has reverberated through American society.

This blog will be part history, part memories, part reflections of a retired teacher, but active "Senior". I have always felt like I straddled two generations forming a bridge. Sometimes I think like a baby-boomer, but sometimes I'm locked into my parents' Depression era thinking. I'm a dichotomy of two eras. But, I'm always ready to try something new---so here I am dipping my toes in the water of Blogworld.