Susan and Jake just returned from their first “off-season” trip. We traveled to St Louis to visit Jake’s family and celebrate a birthday and Mother’s Day. While there, we enjoyed some great food, fun times with the family and took in a little bit of art and culture.

On Saturday Susan and two of Jake’s sisters, Kathleen and Nancy, attended the Laumeier Sculpture Park’s Annual Art Fair.

This is a great art exhibit and Fair featuring 160 juried artists. I found a few things that I couldn’t leave without! The combination of talent and the beautiful setting of Laumeier Sculpture Park make for a great day! The Park sits on 105 acres of lush green grounds and meandering pathways and features over 100 pieces of contemporary sculpture placed throughout the park. You should definitely put this on your list of things to do next time you visit St Louis. With or without a special show, it is worth the time to stop and see the magnificent collection. www.laumeier.org

Sunday brought rain and wind, but lots of fun with family as we celebrated Mother’s Day at Jake’s brother Rich’s house in the suburb of St Charles, MO. Like all family gatherings, the food was fantastic. Rich prepared a variety of smoked meats – turkey, brisket and brats – yum! The rest of the family brought lots of side dishes and deserts. You never leave hungry from a Potje gathering!

Monday the sun was shining and the temperature rose to 70 degrees. We headed out with Jake’s mom and dad to the world-renowned Missouri Botanical Garden. Founded in 1859, this is the oldest botanical garden in the country and holds a spot on the National Historic Landmark list. The garden sits on 79 acres of beautiful gardens including a peaceful Japanese Garden- the largest traditional Japanese Garden in North America , Victorian District and a Climatron Dome that houses a tropical rain forest. In addition, you’ll find a wonderful opportunities for family fun including a maze of shrubs and a Frontier Town. The collection of flowers is amazing. We enjoyed the blooms of hundreds of Iris plants and I can only imagine what the rose garden and daylily garden will look like when the blooms start to open. Currently, you can also enjoy the sculptures of Niki de Saint Phalle (1930 – 2002).

Her pieces will be on exhibit throughout the Garden now through October 31, 2008. There are many other pieces of sculpture that are part of the Garden’s permanent collection, including some fabulous Chihuly pieces.

The Missouri Botanical Garden is a “must-see” if you find your self traveling through St Louis. www.mobot.org.

Until next time! Susan