Toots Toys - First Year

These five portraits of Toot's toys are a new project I have started to document my daughters life. None of these toys were purchased new. They represent the aesthetic we are looking for in things that we think are proper in a young child's life. They have each brought her joy. More than once. That's all a toy need do.

One Porch-Five Views-Cool July

If you can't come sit on our porch with us, which would be an option, perhaps you can just look. Or, use this as a seek and find activity when you do come.

Grasping Water

Children must surely have a right to play in clean water. I sometimes wonder if Toot will grow up in a world where she will have a reasonable expectation to have children of her own that will be able to play in water. And I do mean play. Will clean water be plentiful enough for play? Let us hope so and then work to make it so.

The Sock Monkey and the Weasel

I've got a sock monkey that lives in a box.
He only comes out when the weasel goes pop.
Now a box is not a box if it hasn't a top.
And a sock is not a sock till it's been to the hop.
But a weasel's a weasel from start up to stop.

When I Grow Up

When I grow up I wanna be a sycamore tree. Or a crow. Or both at the same time.

Mop Junky

Toot has a thing for hair. Can't go to sleep without being in contact with it somehow. These are my girls as I'm leaving the house most mornings.

Poly Culture

It is increasingly clear to me that we would be well served to consider plants in "community" more than in single species plantings. And although I know this is a design aesthetic opinion, I think that community plantings look much better. As climate change rears it's ugly head I think that monoculture will become the luxury of fools and the childless.

New New Harmonists

On the way back from St Louis we stopped in New Harmony Indiana on the banks of the Wabash River. It was a Sunday so most shops were closed up but that may have been for the best. The roofless church was an interesting part of the visit. Would love to create something like that out at Bernheim. The town had an odd feel. Everything felt like it was just shy of wonderful. Great ideas that nearly came together perfectly. From what I can tell that might be the history of the New Harmonist communal experiment. Nearly came together. Toot loved playing in the fountain near the labyrinth.

Finger Lickin St Louis Food Tips

We were in St Louis of recent for the American Public Gardens Association conference and had an opportunity to check out some restaurants. Quite luckily we stumbled upon a little Vietnamese place that boasted "the best spring rolls in St. Louis." A few friendly locals inside the joint confirmed it. It's the Vietnam Kitchen of St. Louis. It's called Bahn Mi So #1 and it's located at 4071 S. Grand Blvd. Try the Palestrinas Delight (#27) or the Tofu Xao Xa Curry (A4) Even if you are not that fond of tofu. Then we had Ted Drewes frozen yogurt which was a little further south down Grand Blvd. Next time I'm getting the black walnut. The next day, following a tip from some locals we met at the Bahn Mi So we tried a persian restaurant called The Majestic. Don't think we could have done better.