Kentucky 2017

[Roanoker]

As you may have realized with pictures from previous trips, I name the overall group of pictures with the primary name of the destination. In this case, it is Kentucky. Of course, I take pictures all along the way. I’ll try to explain where we were at each point. Sometimes, I don’t really know. If pressed, I can find out.

The first place we visited was Les Bourgeois Blufftop Bistro, a restaurant associated with a mid-Missouri winery. We stopped there for lunch on 5/27/17. You can get a glimpse of the Missouri River on the side.


I cannot pass up a flower. I cropped the image and applied a filter.


We didn’t have to wait very long.


Took a few shots from the inside.


And now, a picture of the inside.


What to order? Or maybe, what is on my iPhone?


I rather imagine this metal goose cannot fly very well. But he is pretty.


Still taking pictures from the restaurant, I caught folks getting ready for a wedding. It was a perfect day for the occasion.


The eagle has landed. Permanently.


Lovely treetops.


My son, getting one last shot of the Bistro and river.


We end with a nice flower.

[Highlander]

Looks like a classy place. I know Missouri has tried to promote vinculture tourism along the Missouri River but what I've seen to date has not been particularly well done - Herman was a huge disappointment. The area along the Missouri River and northern ozarks does resemble some of the wine growing areas of Europe, particularly the German vinculture regions (kind of - Missouri has much less dramatic topography) . I notice that Missouri vinyards don't try to tackle the popular and more marketed drier wines sticking to less marketable sweet whites and rose's. I suspect that is driven by climate? I'm not really that into wine but enjoy vinculture areas in the US and abroad.

[mean]

I think it's most likely a demand thing. Anecdotally, many people in Missouri (and most people in general who aren't really "wine people" or are just getting into it) seem to prefer sweeter wines.

[warwickland]

Looks like a classy place. I know Missouri has tried to promote vinculture tourism along the Missouri River but what I've seen to date has not been particularly well done - Herman was a huge disappointment. The area along the Missouri River and northern ozarks does resemble some of the wine growing areas of Europe, particularly the German vinculture regions (kind of - Missouri has much less dramatic topography) . I notice that Missouri vinyards don't try to tackle the popular and more marketed drier wines sticking to less marketable sweet whites and rose's. I suspect that is driven by climate? I'm not really that into wine but enjoy vinculture areas in the US and abroad.

the much more intensive wine areas (hermann and on east) further towards st. louis do market drier wines at some places. i don't know how far people travel to missouri wine country but it usually seems to be like 75% st. louis area residents, anecdotally. some of the wineries are a little more sophisticated but lots of people drinking beer (albeit sometimes local beer from like augusta brewing, etc) and spew-drunk day bus people.

[Roanoker]

It is now the second day (5/28/17), and we have arrived at a family reunion, held in a gorgeous park with pavilion, near St. Louis, MO.

Flowers come first.


Gorgeous surroundings.


Here is the pavilion. Perfect for a family reunion.


The playground is a little kid’s dreamland. The adorable little boy finishing his slide is my cousin’s grandson.


More to see and do.


One relative knows how to select shoes.


And blouses. Isn’t that embroidery insanely beautiful?


My cousin’s son “invented” this cake. Awesome delicious. He calls it “Gooey Cake."


He claims it goes well with strawberries.


Aww. Little cutie aims to run that play again.


Speaking of beautiful flowers...


When we arrived at the hotel, I spotted this remarkable vehicle and asked the owners if I could take pictures. They said yes. Thankfully.

[loftguy]

Your framing experiments are starting to bear good results.

[Roanoker]

Thank you, Lofty. Whatever seems to work.

It is now the third day (5/29/17), and we are visiting the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. I took a lot of pictures, but many of them were lost. So sad. These made it through. Our first stop was…


The garden areas were lovely.


Natural lighting enhanced the beauty of this flowery plant.


Pretty in pink.


Intriguing promise.


The lighting was kind that day.


If you have to be orange, you may as well do it up right.


Peeking through to the lake.


These orange things be everywhere.


For a bunch of money—and courage—you can zip through the sky.


No shortage of flowers.


Stay on the path and you will see all sorts of things.

[Roanoker]

I wonder if this water lily feels lonely.


These guys at least have each other.


I think I must have embarrassed these young men when I took their picture. Sorry about that.


These deer are fake. But then, so is the picture. I cloned out what appeared to be a bald head and an obnoxious, lawn machine.


This is the back of the Creation Museum. Nice place.


I call this a roundabout, but you don’t see any vehicles.


Attractive structure.


Peaceful scene.


This looks like just a picture, but I spent a lot of time cutting around the top layer, plopped on top of part of the same image.


This is a different picture, closer to a clump of flowers. I selected the top part of the picture and applied a lens blur. I also added more to the top, forcing the 3:2 image into 4:3. I didn’t want to lose the sides with a simple crop.


For the background, I selected a tiny portion of the image, bottom right, where you can see warm gravel. I applied the Photoshop filter of “Colored Pencil” and liked the result. Then one of my typical frames, using sampled colors from the background.


I frequently enhance color on my D70 pictures, but not this time. All I did was crop off the sides.

[Roanoker]

We’re still walking around the gardens at the Creation Museum. Flowers abound.


We found water here and there…among the flowers.


I took more than a few pictures of these yellow beauties.


The red is a nice touch.


If you must walk on a path...


…it should be strewn with lovely flowers.


It’s almost an invasion.


Something different. But just barely.


To discourage climbing on the fountain, I suppose.


It’s as if the sky were in front.


A stand out.


That red flower thing may be just leaves. Still pretty.

[Roanoker]

Sweet lady bug, doing her thing.


These beautiful flowers presented themselves in a lovely arrangement.


You can walk around and see all kinds of flowers, trees, and bushes.


The yellows hold the upper hand.


Still walking around.


Maybe they just look dangerous.


This beetle found a nice place to rest.


Sometimes, just trees and grass are enough.


“What is that?"


“We aren’t sure."


“I think I know."


“No, you don’t."

[Roanoker]

Notice how the fruit-filled, ice ball hangs at just the right length. Not sure what this horse thing is.


Aww. “See my pretty teeth?”


A face to love.


Arrogance on display.


“What you say?”


I call him a “mascara horse.”


“What’s that noise?”


“Just us chickens.”


I don’t know what this animal is, but I like his car.


Nice scenes abound in this park.


One of many attractive paths.


A filter makes the roses pop.