Jack-O-Lanterns!

This weekend was the annual Jack-o-lantern festival at the Rees Carillon in Springfield. This was the fourth year we have attended and it was great, again! Each year volunteers carve the same number of pumpkins as the year, 2009 this year. And then all the volunteer set them up and light them along a set path in the park. You pay a cover charge and walk through, with scary music, tours of the Carillon, movies shown on the side of the Carillon and hot chocolate. I am going to start with a shot of my favorite jack-o-lantern below.

The one below was one of Christy's favorite this year, the tiny pumpkin in the larger one.

And she likes the Jack-o-lanterns with eyelashes.

Fun fat-faced pumpkin.

Witch on the Carillon, scary.

Happy faced jack-o-lantern.

The Mark Largent Jack-O-Lantern!

Elvis Jack-o-Lantern.

By one of the fountains full of bubbles, note the St. Louis Cardinals Jack-O-Lantern.

A close-up of the Cardinal Nation Jack-o-Lantern.

Scary shot of a display.

Punk rock Jack-o-lantern.

This one was another favorite.

Scary shot of Cruddy with some Jack-o-Lanterns.

Fun one w/o flash.

We ran into our friend Marie and she took this shot for us.

Very well done!

Fun jack-o-lantern with crazy eyes.

Peace-eye pumpkin for Pam!

Another fun one w/o flash.

Scary monsters roaming around. This guy was great, on stilts and everything.

Scary!

Another cyclops jack-o-lantern.The only thing that disappointed was that they forgot to carve a set of pumpkins that read "2009", so I took my annual shot with this solo pumpkin that had 2009 on it.

Christy and Maire having fun.

A few fall shots of Washington Park in the fall.

How about that...

An older shot off my phone. From the KC Irish fest.
I am standing with (L to R) Greg Pryor, Jerry Terrell and Dennis Leonard.

2009 Cardinals

First, CONGRATULATIONS are in order for the St. Louis Cardinals. Central division champs and hoist another banner in Busch.

However, The Cardinal Nation expects more. The 3 and out to the Dodgers was unexpected and we underachieved.

Matt Holiday is not to blame for the loss. I love that the fans at Busch gave him a standing ovation when he took the field. Many note that Cardinals fans know the most about the game and I believe that claim. Sportswriters however need to sell papers and like to be lazy. The article in the State Journal Register called attention to Holidays dropped ball in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd paragraph of the story.

The choke artist for the Cardinals in this series was Ryan Franklin. With no closer and an anemic offense we were in a bad spot against the Dodgers.

Franklin's line in the postseason;

2 appearances, 1.1 innings pitched, 3 hits, 2 walks, 1 loss, 1 blown save. A disaster.

We need help in the pen next year.
Speaking of next year, here come some suggestions.

Brendan Ryan, quit toying with baseball metaphysics (you are not above it) get rid of that #13 if you expect to start for the Cardinals in the infield. Nothing good can come from wearing that number, take a look at your last defensive play of 2009, a muffed grounder against the Dodgers. Respect the history of the game, it is larger than you.

Albert, knock this BS off. If Ryan has no respect for the metaphysics of baseball Albert has not respect for THE metaphysics. Don't give God the credit for the home run, he does not care. Please, send a confessional Lutheran pastor to Albert's home this winter and straighten this theological mess out with my favorite current player.

Get back to this. Crank a home run, toss your bat, stare the pitcher down, trot the bases, tip your helmet to the Cardinal Nation and keep the game on the physical plane.

2010, sign Ryan Zimmerman. A great third baseman for the worst team in the big show. He is a power hitter from the right side and has a good glove and strong arm.

Sign Jason Bay and quit trying to make Rick Ankiel into Paul Newman from The Natural, he is no Roy Hobbes. Get Jason Bay out in that large Center Field in Busch and watch him turn into an all star for you.

Phone shots

I took the time to pull some photos off our cell phone and posted them .
Here is a shot of a fox we saw running through a residential neighborhood in St. Charles, Missouri when we were on our anniversary weekend. He was just trotting along, in no real hurry. Grendel and Isabelle in the front window at the end of summer.

A super old school restaurant that Christy found in Springfield. It is called the Old Luxembourg Inn. It has an interior right out of 1967 and is still in perfect shape, the food was great and service was excellent. We would love to have drinks there sometime.

Excellent shot from the local grocery store taken last week. All Cubs stuff on sale 33% off, all Cardinals stuff FULL price. Why you ask? The Cards are in the post season (as usual) and the Cubs are not (as usual).

Beautiful Busch ballpark in St. Louis on a perfect fall day. Good guys in the field against a sea of red. Cardinal Nation.

MLB playoff post to come this weekend.

Pie, Chili and The Cardinals

On Saturday we went to Greenfield, Illinois for the annual Chili Festival that Benefits the Public Library. Below is a shot of our gracious host and good friend Kathy chatting with Nadine.

Christy working the used book sale. She found about 10 books. They should last about 2 weeks during this season (Baseball playoffs).

Each year they have a mystery chili cook. Spooky this year.
Getting ready to judge the 18 pies! Nadine and I looking over the competition as a late entry arrives.

The pie table as we judge for appearance. Next, they take the pies outside for the tasting!

Khara and her "hold the camera" shot. I have to admit she has a knack for this shot.

Christy getting down to the serious business of judging. Bring in the Lefty.

Three hardcore judges.

The winner, an upside down pie....it was awesome. Note the unlucky #13.




Outside judging the taste!

I am a big fan of comparing scores.

Don't you love it when you are with such good friends that make you laugh until you double over.

Dual credentials, pie and chili......nice. Note the Sunday only Cardinals lid.

More dual credentials.....yes there was another theme going with this photo but it is a family festival so we will let it go.

Chili judging. I was not swayed by an exotic this year, standard issue spicy red chili with big chunks of veggies won in my book.

The lefty working the chili table.

Calculating and making the final assessment.

Christy and Marc comparing scores.

We used the Garmin and found the most ridiculous Indian restaurant in St. Louis. It is on the 11th floor of a very old Howard Johnson's Hotel by the airport. It brags about having the best view of the runways and I believe them. At one time is was a super cool Tiki bar and when it changed to an Indian restaurant they just put up a few ethnically correct paintings and called it good. All the grass hut interior design remained complete with kayaks with outriggers floating from the ceiling. The food was great.

On Sunday I ran down to the Cardinals game to see the last regular season game of the year. They played the Brewers and lost in 10 innings.

Someday I hope to be able to say to all my blog readers "meet you at the Musial".The Cardinals played the Brewers for the last game of the regular season this year. Take a look at Prince Fielder playing 1st base. Now check out El Hombre......the intensity level tells the whole story. Each photo was taken as the pitcher threw the ball. Note the Sunday only Cardinals lid.

El Hombre at the plate.

The good news delivered during the game....the Twins won! Well done Minnesota, now deliver a beat down on the Tigers.

Future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffmann closed out the game for the Brewers.

Check out the grip on the pitch....breaking ball.Stretch it out.....
The HOOK!

Excellent shadows at Busch Stadium.

Check out the view that is available for almost every fan in the stadium

El Hombre breaks Buckner's record. La Roussa held the game up until Albert tipped his hat to the standing ovation......humility that you do not see in most modern athletes....and La Roussa is a real class act. And he did NOT do the colossally stupid move of pointing to the heavens, he just tipped his Sunday only hat.

Going to a Cardinals game is a real experience in baseball tradition. Look at that sea of red. I have been to many major league games and have never seen the fan base that the Cardinals have. Easily 90% of Cards fans wear the gear....very few at the game are "too cool for school." I did see a few Brewer fans in gear. They really have a lame logo.

Third deck $25 seat.

Right field view.