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Natural Art?

ellenparkerwrites

Mother Nature is a great artist. No one puts on a scenic display like she does.

Think of it: Clouds from faint wisps to dark thunderheads. Trees from delicate spring green, bold broad leaves, fall displays, and evergreens contrasting with the background. Streams with rapids and waterfalls. Rock displays and arrangements like you can’t believe.

Speaking of belief. These giants at Missouri’s Elephant Rock State Park are best believed in person. Red granite. Pushed up to the surface. Quarried — ooops! Mother nature does not quarry. No — human hands are evident in this park in more than the paved path.

The rocks, and their position on this particular surface are real and natural. The worker’s initials engraved on many of them are real — and man-made.

This site is one of many Missouri State Parks where camping is not allowed. In the later-in-life romance, Morning Tryst, the photographer set up her motorhome at a different park, fourteen miles away. Check out the book at the link: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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A Delicate Season

ellenparkerwrites

According to the calendar, spring arrives later this month. Depending on your individual climate, sightings may vary.

Hardy plants poke above ground as if to test the weather. Do we have enough hours of sunlight? Will the freezing temperatures be brief? Are we sheltered from the wind?

The garden bulbs of crocus and daffodil test the air for the tulips. Buds of several bushes and trees swell as fluid rises from the roots.

By late spring (this photo was taken in early May), the Missouri forests are bursting with life. White dogwood lingers, enticing some early pollinators to take a sip.

Get an introduction to several Missouri State Parks in the later-in-life romance, Morning Tryst. This is a great read for a rainy day when a walk in a park would be difficult and memorable for all the wrong reasons. Book details are at the link: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Don’t Believe Everything…

ellenparkerwrites

Frank, the bald eagle here. My mate, Hali, writes as if she’s an avian public relations expert. Bah!

            We’re a normal couple. Our primary interests are raising a family, gliding on the thermals, and eating well. Fresh fish is high on our desired menu. But neither one of us is above grabbing from another raptor, bear, or human. You would have laughed yourself silly watching me snatch a bass right off the hook in front of an angler last month.

            Of course, life’s not always a clear day with great air currents. We need to be careful around electrical transmission lines. I love my wingspan – a nice six-feet – but it can be hazardous. Hali, she’s a big girl and goes seven feet tip to tip, has to be extremely careful if we decide to rest on a metal tower.

            Well, time for me to report for incubating duty.

            What follows sunrise and sunset Serena Carter’s list of favorites to photograph? Birds – on the wing, in the nest, or perched and staring at the camera. Check out the later-in-life romance, Morning Tryst, to find some of her bird adventures in Missouri State Parks. White feathers take on a new meaning when they are a gift. Check at the link for more information. https://amzn.to/35gH37S

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The Eagle has …

ellenparkerwrites

            How did you end that sentence? Landed? Nested? Soared?

            I favor the word “arrived”. It’s especially appropriate at this time of year. My mate and I – oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Where are my manners? Did I leave them at our summer home?

            I’m Hali, shortened from Haliaectus, the first of my Latin names. I’m a bald eagle living along the upper portion of the Mississippi River. During the warmer months, I live near the river and roam between Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the river freezes in the early winter, I follow the border of ice and open water and find the fishing excellent at one of the dams connecting Illinois and Missouri.

            Bird watchers and photographers, from novice to professional, seek me out during these months. I don’t object. But I do like my privacy. That’s why I insisted our nest be constructed in a tree on a small island.

            Well, time for me to go. My mate, Frank, has returned to take his shift incubating our two eggs.  

            Several Missouri State Parks are visited by bald eagles each winter. Photographer Serena Carter, in the later-in-life romance, Morning Tryst, enjoys the challenge of capturing their image. Follow the link for more information about her adventures. https://amzn.to/35gH37S

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Tropical Walk

ellenparkerwrites

February is a good time to take a tropical walk. It does not need to be long — often less than an hour.

No need to bother with planes or reservations. Block out a little time and be sure you have fuel in the car is all you need to do in the St. Louis metro area.

Yes, I said tropical. This is orchid show time at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Lean close. Breath deep. Enjoy.

My “thumb” is very pale green. I admire. I do not attempt to grow at home. (Many others are successful at this.) Instead I enjoy an annual visit to savor the hard work of others.

Can’t get to the garden? Cold winter weather being a bother? Settle into your favorite chair, have a warm drink within reach, and open a book. I favor romance. Comfort Zone, a later-in-life novel set in St. Louis should warm you with an opening in an August heat wave. Check out details at this link: https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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Catch!!!

ellenparkerwrites

Here! Over here! My arms reach high. I sway right, then left.

Plunk. Snatch. The beads have landed at my feet and I made a grab for them.

Quick! Add them to the multiple strings around my neck and bounce on my toes in anticipation of a new float approaching. Will I capture another? Which color? Which size?

I was not especially good at “catch” during the Mardi Gras parade I attended several years ago. But the collection has an honored place among my jewelry.

Today’s your last chance in 2026! The celebration ends at midnight — sharp.

The characters in the sweet romance, Comfort Zone, press against a different sort of timeline. Will parents demand more time now that the children are out of the nest? Will Janet leave her “comfort zone” and live with “gusto”?

Check the blurb at this link: https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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High Spirits

ellenparkerwrites

Did you know we’re in a holiday season?

Mardi Gras is more than a few parades in New Orleans. In fact, it’s an entire season of frolic and fun in cities all along the Gulf Coast and — St. Louis. (Hey, when a city has a rich French heritage, you may as well brag about it.)

While the popular pet parade has come and gone for 2026 — last Sunday — congrats to the winners — much fun remains.

Have you gotten your ticket for tonight’s ball?

Have you planned your transportation and wardrobe for tomorrow’s grand parade?

What’s this? Could it be a preliminary model for a float? Lots of places for people to stand and toss beads to the crowd. Green would be a good color for the tractor (or truck) pulling it. Replace pink with purple, add a dash of gold, and you’re all set.

No parades in the clean & wholesome romance, Comfort Zone. This story of second chances and empty-nester decisions features other events in St. Louis. Check out complete blurb at the link: https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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Light is Returning

ellenparkerwrites

Daylight is lasting longer in the Northern Hemisphere. Have you noticed? According to the Almanac, daylight in the Boston, MA area has increased by one hour and nineteen minutes since the winter solstice.

For those of us living south of that point, the difference is different, but proportional.

Are you a sunrise person? Or do you prefer a lingering sunset?

This winter sunrise, captured a few years ago, did not require much change in my alarm clock to go and view.

Sunrise is the favorite sight for photographer Serena Carter in the sweet romance, Morning Tryst. She witnessed some beautiful ones during her year in Missouri State Parks. On at least one occasion, she had company – human, not wildlife. Click on the link for the complete blurb and opportunity to purchase. https://amzn.to/35gH37S

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Being Prepared

ellenparkerwrites

Were you prepared for the recent winter storm across the United States? Did you have food and water available? A plan if you lost heat or electricity?

Some plans are a little more obvious than others.

This supply of firewood at a Missouri State Park is intended for use at the campsites. However, if you have a wood-burning stove, you should have your own supply. A cheerful fire (in stoves with glass doors) and a kettle to keep some water warm on the top. Then you can gather together and tell stories or read books. Perhaps do a craft such as knitting or whittling.

In the clean & wholesome romance, Morning Tryst, Serena Carter spends a year photographing Missouri State Parks. She would have sighted many supplies of wood and burned a little in the firepit alongside the parking area for her motor home. A few times she had a visitor – a man with an unlikely history. Check out the blurb at the link for more information. https://amzn.to/35gH37S

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Bright Flashes

ellenparkerwrites

‘Tis the season — for bright flashes of color from feathered friends.

Did the birds in your neighborhood ignore the memo to migrate a couple of months ago?

Do you have a wide variety of year-round residents?

Several, but not all, of the wildlife in this puzzle appear near my home. Sheltering in a row of bushes during wind, they pop out during sunny breaks to stretch their wings (not the chipmunk) and seek food. Humans are generous with the feeders and birds, chipmunks, and squirrels stay plump and healthy.

During her year photographing in Missouri State Parks, Serena Carter would have encountered these and more. Check the link at the end of this post to find the blurb for the sweet romance, Morning Tryst, to get acquainted. She has a memorable year in the Show-Me state. https://amzn.to/35gH37S