Lunch and Art

 Fran, Sue, Kathy and I used to teach together: English, Spanish, French and German teachers.  We are mostly retired and now go out to lunch every few months.  Since the St. Louis Art Museum just opened a new wing, we decided to meet there for lunch and browsing.  Although we were told we should have made reservations at least 24 hours in advance, they were able to seat us.  We had turkey, curry chicken salad and trout sandwiches with a cantaloupe and peach beverage (which we at first thought was salad dressing)

After lunch we visited the new East wing which had mostly modern art---some very good and some that looked like raw hide bones.  One looked like it had pieces of my old Camaro.

 As we crossed into the "old" section we noticed  a "wishing tree".  So we each added a wish to the wishing tree.  There have been many new exhibits added outside including one with Missouri limestone  arches.

There were several old familiar pieces, then I noticed this French portrait next to a bust of Louis XIV and said, "I think I know who this is---a relative of mine who was married to Louis XIV after she was his mistress---Francoise d'Aubigne' " (click on the link to see several of her portraits) But the chins look a little different. . . artistic license?

Madame de Maintenon

Portrait of a Woman

Madame de Maintenon AKA Francoise d'Aubigne

For more than you want to know about my genealogy, click here.

 The St. Francis above is one of my favorites because it looks so  contemporary with the browns---love the lines and the light.  Below is a painting that both Fran and her sister have copies of in their homes:  New York City near Central Park on a rainy day.

Visiting Butler, Part II

 On our way to lunch (where Dave and Jim had country-fried steak), we stopped at Curtis's medical offices which he has decorated with paneling made from wood he harvested from dead trees on his farms.  He also has a lot of antique surgical instruments and medical furniture along with a moose head.

 After lunch we headed to the new Battle of Island Mound State Park which adjoins his land where the actual mound is located. Atop the mound, we could see for many miles.

For more on the Battle that was fought here, click here. Click here for a video of the entire area from atop the mound.

Visiting in Butler, Part I

 My brother had heard so many stories about our cousin in Butler, Mo., we drove to Kansas City, picked Jim up and drove an hour to Butler where we met Curtis and Ann.  Soon they had us in the truck, careening across fields to see their black angus herd and their native prairie which they say is beautiful in May when all of the wildflowers are blooming.

 Then, we headed back to town to see the hunting store which has many of Curtis's "stuffed" animals on display as well as hunting supplies and an archery range upstairs.

Curtis and Ann are some of the most interesting people I know----how many Angus ranchers/prairie conservationists/hunting store owners do you know.  Well, that's not all they are involved in---how about banking/physician/pecan growers/historians, too?

Back to School Part 2

Although the Texas grandchildren don't start school for another week or two, I sent them cards (with a little $) Eli starts public school, Anna pre-school and Sam will be home-schooled.  The photo above was at their doctor's appointment a few weeks ago.  I will add a school photo later.