Tag: Urban Life

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Special Assistant…

ellenparkerwrites

…to the frustrated bicyclist.

Parks encourage exercise. The type of activity varies by terrain, location, and purpose. The park featured today is a mixture of prairie, woodland, and a great view of the Mississippi River.

Trail traffic is a combination of hikers and bikers. Mountain bikes for the most part. The loop trail is just over three miles long. Count often and don’t misplace anyone from your group.

Mechanical problem? Stop. Look around and figure out where on the trail you are located. Minor? Continue with a mental note for later repairs. Critical? Walk your bike to the trailhead by the shortest, safest route.

Cliff is waiting for you between the public restrooms and the parking lot. He’s equipped with air plus a variety of wrenches to tighten and adjust anything that may have been jarred loose on the trail. Have you spotted a similar repair station in a park near you?

Parks supply interesting locations and a source of mystery in the sweet, later-in-life romance Fine Lines. Meet Mandy Price, criminal defense attorney and Cal Collins, police detective and they discover both hazards and joys of a relationship. Here’s a link to the blurb and pre-order information. https://bit.ly/49FtvjF

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Swing with Me

ellenparkerwrites

When was the last time you played on a swing?

Yesterday? Last year? A decade ago?

Back and forth. Higher and higher. All hairstyles are created equal. (Mine will be full of snarls.) Do you find it easy to laugh? Leave some worries on the ground? Pretend to fly?

I’m lucky to live in a metro area with many parks. And almost every park has a playground. With — swings! The refurbished playgrounds have swings for all – young, disabled, not-so-young. Take your pick.

The next time this author encounters the pesky “plot hole”, I think I’ll seek out a swing. Maybe the solution will be found in the breeze I create.

What happens when a defense attorney gets acquainted with a detective keeping a secondary life private? Fine Lines, a contemporary, later-in-life romance, will be arriving on April 8, 2026. Pre-orders are activated at your favorite on-line bookseller. Here’s a link to one: https://bit.ly/49FtvjF

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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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A Pair in the Shade

ellenparkerwrites

Every year, my legs tire sooner and I appreciate the seating at the public garden more. Consider this pair.

Shielded from strong daylight, an occupant of either of these can relax and enjoy the view.

People -watching is always interesting. What’s the best (or worst) fashion choices on display today? Any service dogs practicing their manners and enjoying the scents? Are the flowers showing interesting colors? Do you spot any birds, pollinators, or small mammals?

Comfort Zone, a sweet later-in-life romance, is set in St. Louis. This centrally located city is often overlooked. But with a top-notch public garden and world-class zoo, the area deserves a second look. Perhaps Janet and Rich will entice you to visit. Click on the link for more book information: https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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Following Mother’s Advice

ellenparkerwrites

Wash your hands before you eat!

Oh, the number of times I heard that advice, or command, in my mother’s voice from toddler to teen. A person can lose count.

As I grew, I understood the soundness of the teaching. Clean hands lessen the transfer of cold, flu, and other illness from one person to another.

Do racoon mothers give the same advice? This fellow, one of a trio at the Missouri Botanical Garden, appears to be minding his manners and following directions.

One of the jewels of St. Louis, the garden has something interesting for almost everyone. Tropical plants? Japanese garden? Victorian patterns? Herbs? Roses? Yes, you can find all of these and more.

In the sweet romance, Stare Down, the hero takes his mother to the garden for Mother’s Day. Does he visit the garden with Maylee as their relationship builds from neighbor and casual running partner to more? A good possibility. Follow the link to the book to learn more. http://amzn.to/1LXiTwP

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Wet Boundary

ellenparkerwrites

A portion of the boundaries of both St. Louis City and St. Louis County are defined by the Mississippi River. This particular statement applies to many large and small jurisdictions in the United States.

States, counties, and cities up and down the river’s 2340 miles length can make this claim. Large enough to be difficult to bridge for most of its length, this was a logical limit for the settlers to observe.

This pleasant view is the river separating Missouri and Illinois several miles south of St. Louis City. An observer with patience is likely to see one or more set of barges pass in either direction. This is also a few river miles south of the final lock and dam on the river.

Would you take your sweetheart to a park viewpoint such as this to observe a river?

In the sweet romance, Comfort Zone, the river stays in the background of the story. This tale of second chances with mature characters includes a fictional account of different St. Louis locations. Follow the link for more book information. https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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Five out of Six

ellenparkerwrites

Do you know the story of the six blind men who went to see the elephant?

This fine photo of a resident of the St. Louis Zoo will assist you the best she can. No tusk, therefore, only five of the six blind men are represented.

The first of the blind men stumbled into the beast’s side and proclaimed an elephant is like a wall. The second, grasping the tusk of a male, exclaimed the hard, round shape like a spear. The third, approaching from the front, grasped the trunk and decided the elephant was like a snake. Absolutely not, stated the next blind man as he grasped a leg and announced the animal resembled a tree. The fifth man, happened to take hold of the mammal’s ear and blurted the resemblance to a fan. You are all in error proclaimed the proud, sixth blind man as he clenched the tail–an elephant is like a rope!

Who was right? Who was wrong? Should each blind man listen to his companions and do a further exploration?

In the sweet romance, Comfort Zone, Rich and Janet’s first date is a day at the zoo. Accompanied by Rich’s father, they spend extra time at the elephant exhibit and listen to stories from the elderly man’s youth. If you like romance with a Midwestern flavor, check out the book at the link. https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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Too Large for a Tabletop?

ellenparkerwrites

Sculpture, like may types of art, is created in many different sizes.

Intricately crafted chess pieces that nestle in the palm of your hand are sculpture as surely as the Statue of Liberty.

St. Louis, like many American cities, contains a number of sculptures on display outside, often due to size. One collection is found at Laumeier Sculpture Park, a facility operated by St. Louis County Parks.

One of my favorite pieces at the park. Can you imagine this tip-toeing across your lawn? Or waving a root in your dreams? (Perhaps the word is nightmare.) Each angle gives a different arrangement.

A quiet, suburban life, where she owns her own home is something Janet Zwingle has worked for since her divorce more than a decade ago. Will she resist change? Or will she seize an opportunity and live with “gusto” when a new man enters her life? Check out the sweet romance, Comfort Zone, for a peek into life in the Midwest. Follow the link to the book: https://amzn.to/2ZvL0Av

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Classic St. Louis

ellenparkerwrites

Okay, here’s a quick quiz. Name one thing associated with St. Louis, MO.

Two sizes in this photo. The little one was in honor of hosting the baseball All-Star game that year. The large one, shiny stainless steel, towers over downtown at a height of 630 feet.

The building between the arches is one of my favorites. It’s called The Old Courthouse. A two-story, brick courthouse was first built on this site in 1826. A series of additions, removals, and renovations followed and the dome was completed on the current building in 1861. With continued changes to the interior, the building served as the courthouse until 1930.

When you visit St. Louis, be sure to include the Gateway Arch (the big one) and the Old Courthouse on your itinerary.

As a member of the St. Louis Police, Maylee Morgan, the heroine in the sweet romance, Stare Down, is familiar with the exterior of both these structures. Check out the book at the link below to discover her story and meet Dr. Dave Holmes. http://amzn.to/1LXiTwP