Walking adventures
I had a little coming-to-Jesus moment about the state of my health recently, and I've been trying to walk more. There's an amazingly high entertainment value in walking, at least the last couple of days.
Yesterday was a lovely, if slightly warm, day. I figured Main Street would hold a lot of people--thus people-watching opportunities. I headed down, only to discover the entire north section of Main Street was closed to vehicular traffic. They were setting up for a street concert. I never did see a sign for who was playing, but it was really nice to walk in the middle of the street. Lots more room than on the sidewalk. Looks like I missed jazz. Bummer! http://www.historicstcharles.com/event/Item.aspx?ID=178
As I got farther south on Main Street, the sidewalks got very congested, especially around the "cutesy shop zone," around all the gift shops and boutiques. I cut over to Frontier Park, which is lovely, but in full sun. Ah well... I really like walking along the Missouri River, though. It's so beautiful and strong. I stopped in the park to sit on a bench in the shade to meditate on the river and to rest up before making the trek back home--straight uphill. I'm enjoying my beautiful view very much. Then I sort of feel like there's movement nearby, even though I don't see anyone. A very creepy feeling. I stand up to get moving, and what do I see but a big black snake heading right for my bench. Eeewwww!!!!
I'm certainly not an outdoorsy sort of girl, so I have no idea what kind of snake it was. It didn't have a copperhead (I think copperheads are the only sort of local snake that are dangerous), but it was terrifying nonetheless. I headed immediately for home, and the safety of my four walls. I took a slightly different route home than I normally do, and what did I see on the sidewalk but a chunk of dried snake skin. Huh. It was about a mile from where I saw the snake in the park. Huh. I guess I should be happy that the land around me is still viable for wildlife, and not so soaked in suburban pesticides that nature's creatures can't exist. But I'd be happy with just bees and flowers, thank you very much.
Today, I decided I'd walk along Main Street the entire way. It's just so darn cute.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/snapshots/PL2964082.html
It was even warmer today than yesterday. It was still crowded, but it didn't seem as bad as yesterday. I walked Main all the way down to the end of the commercial district, then doubled back for a while, then cut over to Frontier Park again, just to prove to myself that I didn't need to be afraid of the park. I was praying the rosary, the Glorious Mysteries for Sunday (http://www.ourladyweb.com/mary-rosary-glorious.html).
And it paid off. There was some sort of gospel revival going on in the park. As I entered the park, the bandstand held a dance troupe of young black women wearing long white dresses with purple ..mmm.. I'm not sure what to call them. If they were Catholic, I'd say they were wearing purple full-length scapulars, like monks and some nuns wear. Anyway, they made for a really lovely sight. They were dancing to some rockin' gospel music. The bandstand is right next to the river, which made a fantastic backdrop to their praise dance. All-in-all, an awesome sight.
I walked the long loop of the park, so gradually the music faded away. It was really hard to tear myself away from the show, but I figured I was there to walk. I would catch them on the return on the loop.
By the time I made it back, the dancing and singing was finished, and a terrific preacher woman was going to town. I'll call her big boned. And she neatly fit into the stereotype that I have of large, enthusiastic Baptist preachers. (I have no real-life experience with them, except from movies, etc.) It really was marvelous. She's going to be very hoarse tomorrow. But today, she was filled with the desire to preach with all her might, and I'd call her a success. I loved every bit of it. She was accompanied by a keyboard, which struck dramatic chords at just the right moments.
I even got brave enough to sit on a park bench a little ways away, but within earshot. It was very near the place of my snake encounter, so I felt very brave indeed. I watched the river flow by and listened to her energetic preaching. Birds were flying on the wind currents over the river, and in the background I could see airplanes coming into Lambert airport. It was a lovely setting.
Yesterday was a lovely, if slightly warm, day. I figured Main Street would hold a lot of people--thus people-watching opportunities. I headed down, only to discover the entire north section of Main Street was closed to vehicular traffic. They were setting up for a street concert. I never did see a sign for who was playing, but it was really nice to walk in the middle of the street. Lots more room than on the sidewalk. Looks like I missed jazz. Bummer! http://www.historicstcharles.com/event/Item.aspx?ID=178
As I got farther south on Main Street, the sidewalks got very congested, especially around the "cutesy shop zone," around all the gift shops and boutiques. I cut over to Frontier Park, which is lovely, but in full sun. Ah well... I really like walking along the Missouri River, though. It's so beautiful and strong. I stopped in the park to sit on a bench in the shade to meditate on the river and to rest up before making the trek back home--straight uphill. I'm enjoying my beautiful view very much. Then I sort of feel like there's movement nearby, even though I don't see anyone. A very creepy feeling. I stand up to get moving, and what do I see but a big black snake heading right for my bench. Eeewwww!!!!
I'm certainly not an outdoorsy sort of girl, so I have no idea what kind of snake it was. It didn't have a copperhead (I think copperheads are the only sort of local snake that are dangerous), but it was terrifying nonetheless. I headed immediately for home, and the safety of my four walls. I took a slightly different route home than I normally do, and what did I see on the sidewalk but a chunk of dried snake skin. Huh. It was about a mile from where I saw the snake in the park. Huh. I guess I should be happy that the land around me is still viable for wildlife, and not so soaked in suburban pesticides that nature's creatures can't exist. But I'd be happy with just bees and flowers, thank you very much.
Today, I decided I'd walk along Main Street the entire way. It's just so darn cute.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/snapshots/PL2964082.html
It was even warmer today than yesterday. It was still crowded, but it didn't seem as bad as yesterday. I walked Main all the way down to the end of the commercial district, then doubled back for a while, then cut over to Frontier Park again, just to prove to myself that I didn't need to be afraid of the park. I was praying the rosary, the Glorious Mysteries for Sunday (http://www.ourladyweb.com/mary-rosary-glorious.html).
And it paid off. There was some sort of gospel revival going on in the park. As I entered the park, the bandstand held a dance troupe of young black women wearing long white dresses with purple ..mmm.. I'm not sure what to call them. If they were Catholic, I'd say they were wearing purple full-length scapulars, like monks and some nuns wear. Anyway, they made for a really lovely sight. They were dancing to some rockin' gospel music. The bandstand is right next to the river, which made a fantastic backdrop to their praise dance. All-in-all, an awesome sight.
I walked the long loop of the park, so gradually the music faded away. It was really hard to tear myself away from the show, but I figured I was there to walk. I would catch them on the return on the loop.
By the time I made it back, the dancing and singing was finished, and a terrific preacher woman was going to town. I'll call her big boned. And she neatly fit into the stereotype that I have of large, enthusiastic Baptist preachers. (I have no real-life experience with them, except from movies, etc.) It really was marvelous. She's going to be very hoarse tomorrow. But today, she was filled with the desire to preach with all her might, and I'd call her a success. I loved every bit of it. She was accompanied by a keyboard, which struck dramatic chords at just the right moments.
I even got brave enough to sit on a park bench a little ways away, but within earshot. It was very near the place of my snake encounter, so I felt very brave indeed. I watched the river flow by and listened to her energetic preaching. Birds were flying on the wind currents over the river, and in the background I could see airplanes coming into Lambert airport. It was a lovely setting.