In the summer, in the city

Our little flat on Magnolia Avenue isn't exactly overflowing with green space.  While we are fortunate enough to live on a street lined with giant, old, shady trees, our front yard is completely sloped and the space out back is completely paved.  This means that a would-be green thumb like me has to make do with a few potted plants, and shoving growing things into every nook and cranny that she can.

This year I have a total of 14 (eek!) containers of multiple shapes and sizes, full of as many different kinds of flowers as I could manage.  I hung three large planters over the side of our deck.  The flowers have been struggling a bit due to the severe heat we were having, but this week's cooler temperatures have allowed them to green right up.  And yes, I have a garden gnome.  A garden needs whimsy, okay?  A garden needs joy and laughter.  A garden does not need stupid lawn ornaments, but a garden does need one small gnome named Mungo Boffin of Needlehole.



I also dug up some over-grown hostas along the side of our building to insert some color in the shade.  No one really sees this space but us, but we have to make the best of what little we have.

While this century-old brick patio may not look like a haven to you, it certainly is to us!  It is also a huge chore to keep looking nice.  Well, er, sort of nice.  Have you ever tried to manage the weeds in a century old brick patio?  Trust me, it could be a full-time job.  I do my best.  We have some plants and a fire pit.   It's nice enough for now.



Watson and I sat for several hours on the front stoop tonight.  We've never done that before.  It was really nice out and we got to see the neighborhood pass us by.  Watson is a very active member of the neighborhood watch association.

Whitaker Music Festival

Kyle and I packed a picnic and headed over to the Missouri Botanical Gardens, just down the street from our house.  We met up with some of my classmates and their men to partake in the free concerts that happen every Wednesday night at the Bo.Gs, as I like to call them.






It was the most beautiful night of the summer, so far.  The temperature was perfect, no humidity, full moon, fireflies galore.  It was a super sweet little picnic with my man and my friends.

Plus, I finally got to use my picnic basket.  We got it as a wedding gift, and after nearly 5 years, we finally got to show it off.  It received many oohs and aaahs.  Thanks to whomever purchased it for us.  I can't remember who you are anymore.  I should've taken a picture, it was so pretty.  Next time! Hopefully not five more years...



If we get more nice weather, I would love to go back and do this again.  It was free and full of happy people and it was awesome to enjoy the beautiful, fragrant gardens.  Oh yeah, and some band played, too, but we couldn't hear them.  It didn't matter.  The company was too good.

Winter on Magnolia Avenue

Back in the fall, I gave you a nice little photo tour of our street.  While Winter lacks the color and warmth of autumn, it has its own kind of beauties.

The ice began falling from the sky Monday afternoon and hasn't stopped falling yet.   When I stepped outside last night the ice-covered trees sparkled in the dark.  It was kind of magical.  I took Watson on a little walk this morning and noticed all kinds of wintry beauty in the neighborhood.

I adored the spectrum of reds, purples, and greens in these icy buds.  I walk by this small tree multiple times a day and I never noticed the colors until it was covered in ice.


This little old fence is covered with climbing flowers in the summer, but in the winter you can appreciate the intricate patterns and twists that have withstood years upon years of extreme weather.



None of this is snow on the ground.  It is all ice for now.  With every little stem of every little branch of every big tree, you can really see the richness and fullness of these trees.  I'm amazed by the details.

None of this is snow on the ground.  It is all ice for now.  With every little stem of every little branch of every big tree, you can really see the richness and fullness of these trees.  I'm amazed by the details.



My favorite thing about a snow storm, or ice storm in this case, is the way it makes the city so quiet.  I'm sure I've said it before, but my least favorite part about living in the city is the noise.  Somehow the snow and ice have a way of dampening everything.  People stay in and so there aren't as many cars on the road or neighbors outside.  There's silence and peace.  When I took Watson for a walk this morning, we didn't see another living being besides birds and squirrels out looking for food.  I love that.

Watson looks cute all the time, but I like him covered in little ice crystals.  He likes it too and did not want to go inside today.  In fact, he's been begging all day to go out.  Times like these I wish we had a fenced-in yard...

He kept getting hit in the eyes with sleet while I was trying to take his picture.  He sat still like a good boy, though.  I almost felt bad for him, but the look on his face was also pretty cute.

Back inside the house, a few of our windows are iced over...



... and there's turkey roasting in the crockpot.  Phoenix, Snow Patrol, and Mumford & Sons are giving me a warm, happy feeling through the stereo.



Hope your snow/ice days have been peaceful.  Here's hoping we get a repeat tomorrow!

No class!

In celebration of our normal Thursday afternoon class being cancelled, and Abby and Melanie's birthdays, several of my classmates went to Eckert's farm in Belleville yesterday, followed by dinner at The Fountain on Locust.





Teamwork in action!

Representing the ECLC.



The always lovely Hannah, who has the world's most soothing voice.

World's cutest apple:

Beautiful Briana, whose hair I covet.

Stacy with eyes that sparkle. (photo taken by birthday girl, Abby)

Autumn on Magnolia Avenue

Autumn on our street is getting more beautiful every day.  This afternoon (after all my most-pressing work was done) I spent a little quality time with my camera and our neighborhood. 

Standing under this tree is almost magical.  There is an orange, radiant warmth.  It glows.  I could stand there all day.



I loved the natural patterns of these falling leaves.

I am obsessed with the way the moss grows through the cracks on our old brick patio.  It reminds me of my dad's patio, which has the same old, mossy look.



My wreath, which I would love to leave on our door all year, but every year I force myself to put it away.  It makes autumn that much more special.

This little independent radio station is about a block from our house. 



This plant is growing wild in our back alley.  I have no idea what it is, but it's pretty!

  

Thanks for visiting!

School days. School daze.

For once, the start of the semester does not make me feel so bad.  I'm not in a daze.  I'm actually quite excited for the upcoming semester, though I'm told it's the "make-you-or-break-you" semester of my program.  I've got a little confidence, not in myself, but in Jesus who is big enough to get me through this. 

Can I tell you how nice it is to walk across campus with Kyle? It's really great. Such an improvement from the loneliness of summer.

I still cannot believe that we're here together.  It seemed like such an impossible thing that we would even get into schools in the same city, let alone the same school!  To boot, our buildings are right next to each other.  Have I told you that before?  I can't remember.  Yeah.  It's awesome.

The SLU campus is beautiful.  I'd grown used to the drab architecture and dull landscape of SIUC.

Sure, the hills and trees are nice down there, but there's a serious lack of style and color.  SLU is quite the opposite.  I mainly attribute the differences to the fact that Southern is a poor state school, and SLU is an affluent private school.  They can't help it, really.

The landscaping here is immaculate.  There are grounds employees everywhere.  They keep the weeds pulled, the sidewalks clean, the hedges trimmed.

There are flowers everywhere.

There are statues, fountains, streams, coy ponds, and clock towers.  It's a place you want to be.

This lovely change in scenery has done a great deal to lift my spirits lately. More than I could have imagined.



Now there are some drawbacks to being a private school girl.  The tuition, for one, would make you cough your morning coffee through your nose.  I won't go into the others here. 

One more really great thing about SLU is that students just seems happy here.  Kyle is nothing but impressed with the law school and the instructors (despite the fact that the backpack he now has to carry is bigger than him).

In general, you don't here people complaining about the university as a whole.  You rarely hear someone badmouth instructors.  You don't hear students making fun of the school or the programs. 

I am totally impressed with the instructors in my department.  They're all doing interesting research.  They're constantly traveling around the country, around the world, making presentations on important topics.  Just in the few months I've been here, I've had teachers travel to Washington D.C., San Diego, Holland, Greece, and Australia.

In short, we love being Billikens!