More on Trains (from Christmas still)

I still have a backlog of great things Paul and I did over Christmas. And since we just went to a train show this past weekend I thought I'd continue along the same lines. Plant City, FL has a model train club with some really impressive layouts, and I really need to stress - impressive! For one thing they have 3 rooms - one that shares a train museum and two large scale layouts of G and O, one that holds a modular N scale (so that club members can build a four foot section and add it anywhere - the tracks are all in the same place), and the last rooms holds an up-to-date digitrax HO model that's fantastic! (Here's a good link if you want to learn more about model RR scales.) We ended up visiting it twice so Paul could talk with the guys in the club some more, and I could take more photos....

One of the RR Modelers showing me the G-Scale (Garden scale) layout with various RR museum paraphernalia hanging on the wall behind him

Part of the N-scale layout

An N-scale detail

My Dad and Mom in front of the HO trestle

My Dad taking a closer look at the Plant City model circa early 1900's -HO-scale

An orange grove
The orange grove is one of my favorite details in the HO-scale model! We're planning on having a small grove and a citrus packing plant in our model.

Paul and Mom talk with one of the club members that helped build this HO model

Here's a view of the entire length of the model. The hills with the fall foliage are in the middle of the model - Mom and Paul are actually behind them.


Another set of nice details

Paul talking with one of the fellows about the digitrax control panel.

Trains, Medieval Art, REI & The LOVE Project

Today Paul and I went to Nashville to the Model Train Show, then we swung by the FRIST to see the Medieval Treasures Exhibit and finally ended up at one of out favorite Nashville stops - REI! Paul was a bit disappointed with the train show since they only had 2 vendors - lots of booths - but no one selling the fancy DCC engines and cars. They only had catalogs - which was lousy - because the whole reason we'd waited to go to the show was so we could see the items in person and not pay shipping fees. So, no DCC engine for the HO scale model we're planning on building. We did find several nice building kits for the industrial switching layout - and a cool gas station - a mobile home, an airstream and a citrus packing plant (I'm going to do an orange grove somewhere on the layout) one box car and a few small tools to help us in the building.

The DCC engine Paul in planning on buying.

The really snazzy Lionel booth.

Paul on Broadway Street in Nashville.

The FRIST Medieval Exhibit was phenomenal. I've seen my fair share of reliquaries for a while - which I'm really surprised aren't still in churches somewhere. There were wooden carvings, and ivory boxes and oil lamps, jewelry, several iconic images, an altar section depecting several stations of the cross. My favorite part was being able to stare long and hard at the Illuminated pages and several whole books of the most gorgeously gilt texts and pictures. It made my jaw drop - literally. They had a Book of Hours from Charles the Noble King of Navarre, ca. 1404 that was just... wow... words literally fail me in trying to describe it. And all I saw was the two pages upon which it was opened. I think my brain would combust if I had the chance to turn each page.

We stopped by REI and Paul got me a new left handed QAS, (for my new frog) and a few other supplies for caving and camping then we toodled on home. All-in-all - quite a LOVEly day indeed.

So this being the day of commercial LOVE (Buy a card! Send her flowers! Stuff your face with chocolate!!) I thought I'd do a little gentle reminding. Love without a price tag or any expectations. I had letterpress printed LOVE cards and bookmarks several days ago from a design my dad and I drew. I felt like I need to share so I did a little covert art installation at 7 locations in Hunstville and Nashville, posting them up in prominent places. Here are a few that I managed to snap photos of before I left them to the fates:

At the train show.

In a parking garage elevator.

At the post office.

Headed out the door of McAlisters.

A Happy Valentine's Day to You!

A St. Louis Thanksgiving

Enjoyed a weeks worth of St. Louis Thanksgiving and sightseeing with Paul's family - had a great time. We did quite a lot!

2 days of cooking & prep work can make some folks a bit squirrely...

Paul scrubbing one of the many potatoes that I peeled

Karen putting bunny ears on me with her carrots.

There were 4 tables set up for the 34 people we had at Glenn and Karen's. Folks brought dishes to to share (like broccoli casarole, green beans, yams, apple and pecan pies). Karen Paul and I fixed carrots, real mashed potatoes, Carrie's Cranberry Strawberry relish, Olive Bites, Bread Stuffing, cranberries, an apple tart, a pecan pie and 3 turkeys.

Here's Doug's plate for further reference:

Karen picked out all the table settings and I coordinated all the glasses linens and accoutrements with each table. Glenn masterfully carved the turkeys and shuffled tables and chairs around to accommodate everyone with Paul. And then we got to enjoy all the hard work with some food, fun and family.










After Thanksgiving we toured the Foundry Arts Center with Glenn and Karen.



The building used to be a foundry for making trolley cars. Its now used for event and gallery space and houses artist studios like this one -


There was a really nice potter we chatted with for quite some time while he threw a pot to chill wine -




In another studio - a warning to people who might get a bit to close to the artists


Paul and I were even exhibited as art for 20 minutes or so - that is until a competing artist with two canvases arrived to make use of the picture hangers.



Paul and I hit up one and a half floors of the St. Louis Art Museum. Why did we never go there before? Please tell me!! It is by far the primo museum in St. Louis. The History Museum is ok (its a bit more educationally oriented) but the art museum has just as much history - if not more. They have a beautiful collection - and we only had time to see part of it. We'll definitely be back! Here are a few highlights:



Their armory was phenominal. This crossbow was just one of the gorgeous weapons on display.


Paul with a piece from the Medieval period

Egyptian
Pre-Columbian (The central figure is indeed a bat!)


This wooden statue was amazing - it was seated at eye level to the left of the budda in the photo above. This statues presence was tactile. It felt like if you listened hard enough you could hear it whisper its secrets.


This is a photo from a few days after we visited. The Art Museum was closed and we were on our way to the History Museum - but the view was just too pretty pass up.

There were two pretty cool items at the Missouri History Museum plus a really nice restaurant with a great view of Forest Park (Meriwether's).

Cool items #1:


And cool item #2 - a working steam train exhibit with a huge layout:



Paul and I also went to the Butterfly House and the Museum of Transportation with Glenn, Karen, Ted and Marilyn one day.


Marilyn, Glenn, Paul, Karen and Ted in front of the chrysalis (butterfly hatchery)

Here we are playing with the big toys (and freezing a bit too) at the Museum of Transportation





A 1923 Stanley Steamer - not just for cleaning carpets!


How about a 1933 KB LeBaron Convertible Lincoln Roadster. I was practically drooling when I saw this baby. What a gorgeous piece of automobile! There are only 6 of these known to exist in the world. This one had a full off-body restoration and has only had 4 owners!



Next post - A Visit to Firecracker Press!