Monthly Archives: August 2023

Native Plant Sale at World Bird Sanctuary, September 9, 2023

Posted on August 28, 2023 | Leave a comment

Rigid goldenrod (Solidago rigida) and blue sage (Salvia azurea) by Bruce Schuette.

Fall is an ideal time to plant natives, which beautify landscapes and help support songbirds and other treasured wildlife.

You can shop for native plants at the Missouri Prairie Foundation sale hosted by the World Bird Sanctuary, located at 125 Bald Eagle Ridge Road, Valley Park, MO, on Saturday, September 9, 2023. The sale will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine.

The World Bird Sanctuary has an entry fee per vehicle ($8 for one adult or $12 for more than one adult passenger) all plant sale customers will have to pay to enter. Be sure to enjoy the magnificent live birds while at the World Bird Sanctuary.

Read below for pre-order information, and more…

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Roadside Memorials: Grim Reminders Don’t Slow Down Traffic Or Highway Deaths

The road memorial for Marissa can be found on I-270 South between
the I-44 interchange and Gravois.

By Don Corrigan

Roadside memorials are becoming part of the highway landscape along with Culver‘s, Waffle House, and Circle K fuel stops. The grim reminders are not so hard to find in St. Louis – just hit the on-ramp of your nearest interstate – and drive.

James Hill of northern Indiana has made it his business to archive as many of these roadway memorials as he can with his Roadside Tribute. His web master handiwork can be found at roadsidetribute.com.

“Roadside Tribute is a place where families and friends can memorialize their loved ones lost in traffic accidents,” said Hill. “It does this by providing a place to share a picture and story of their roadside tribute site they built along the roadway.”

Hill is a mechanical engineer who began working in automotive design in 1985 at the Ford Motor Company. After witnessing many test crashes, he began to develop a passion for reducing automobile accidents.

According to Hill, there are a number of benefits in registering, free-of-charge, a roadside tribute to a crash site on Roadside Tribute:

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Posted on August 18, 2023 in Environment, Home, Opinion

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Native Gardens of Excellence Program inducts Peers Store Pollinator Garden Near Marthasville, MO

The Grow Native! Native Gardens of Excellence program has inducted the Peers Store Pollinator Garden, located at 16011 Concord Hill Road near Marthasville, on the Katy Trail at Mile Marker 81.2.

Along with four more newly inducted sites, this garden joins 20 other locations in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Illinois recognized by the program since it launched in 2021.

With its location on the Katy Trail, this pollinator garden, a partnership between Missouri State Parks and Magnificent Missouri, provides tens of thousands of yearly visitors a look at native plants and how powerful they can be in transforming a landscape. Visitors can see a prairie reconstruction with a variety of native plants, like rattlesnake master, sideoats grama, and slender mountain mint, that support wildlife and beautify the surroundings.

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Posted on August 12, 2023 in Home, Outdoor/Nature

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Washington State Park Hosts Sips, Stars and Meteors program, Aug. 11-13

Washington State Park invites guests to a special overnight camping opportunity to view the Perseids meteor shower under a dark sky Friday, Aug. 11, and Saturday, Aug. 12. For this overnight meteor shower viewing, guests will camp out in the park’s Big River Day-Use Area near Shelter No. 2.

Beginning at 7 p.m. Aug. 11, special guest storyteller Flavia Everman will entertain guests around the campfire. This portion of the event is open both to registered overnight guests and the general public. Flavia’s program is brought to Missouri State Parks courtesy of the Missouri Arts Council.

On Aug. 12, multiple activities will be offered throughout the day leading up to the meteor shower viewing that night. Join Washington State Park staff at 4 p.m. for a tour of the petroglyphs, the park’s history carved in stone. Learn about the Mississippian-era carvings, the culture and community who created them, and possible interpretations of what they mean. Enjoy a short stroll on a covered walkway with interpretive panels highlighting the cultural features.

Then, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., park interpretive staff will present meteor-themed activities. Meanwhile, Edg-Clif Vineyard of Potosi and Fyre Lake Winery of Cadet will provide limited free sampling to adults 21 and older.

Advance registration is required to attend this event and there is a nonrefundable $10 registration fee. Each registration secures a spot for up to six people. To register, CLICK HERE. Or visit icampmo.usedirect.com/MSPWeb/Activities/Search.aspx and search for events at Washington State Park or call the park office at 636-586-5768.

No individual campfires, RVs or generators will be allowed at this tent camping event. The event area’s amenities include pit latrine restrooms, potable water and a group fire pit. There are no flush toilets or electrical services. Check-out is 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 13.

Washington State Park is located at 13041 State Highway 104 in De Soto. For more information, contact the park at 636-586-5768.

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

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Posted on August 7, 2023 in Home, Local Events