King Batman

Hi Kids,

This is the Cheshire Inn where I stayed in St. Louis.  It looks like it should be in England!  There were lots of antiques inside and a HUGE Kodiak bear.  Fortunately, he was stuffed otherwise I wouldn't have stayed around to have my picture taken!  They were very nice to me here.  I got to sit on a throne.  And even wear a crown!

We went to the Missouri Botanic Gardens.  There were lots of flowers and other plants there.  This is me and Miss Mary in front of the Climatron where they grow all the tropical plants that need to stay warm.  They are getting ready for a Chinese Lantern Festival next month.  We got to see the workers making the lanterns.  They are REALLY big.  One of the dragons is longer than your classroom!  This picture is of one of the smaller dragons.  They will all have lights inside them and will be beautiful at night.  I think this one is beautiful now!

After we left St. Louis, we went to Branson.  Miss Elaine had to do some stuff with her book.  One of the women she wrote about used to live near here.  Her house was called Bonniebrook and we got to see it.  Her name was Rose O'Neill and she was an artist and a writer and a really great lady.  She is most famous for drawing some little cherub-like figures which she named Kewpies.  They were so popular that children wanted dolls like them -- and so she made Kewpie dolls.  Here's a drawing of some of her first Kewpies and that's me with a modern Kewpie doll.  Kewpies can be either boys or girls.  They like to do good deeds but often do them in mischievious ways.  Branson was our last stop before we came home.  It really felt good to get in my own bed!

Love,

Batman

Horsing around in St. Louis

Hi, Kids,

Take a look at this video.  Miss Elaine, Mr. Jack and I got to see this show when we were in St. Louis.  These horses were amazing!  We couldn't take pictures during the show, but here are pictures of the tents where the show was and me after the show.  I hope you enjoy this -- I did!

Love,

Batman 

Bear on the Prowl

Hi Kids,

After a couple of months of hibernation, I'm on the go again.  Last week Miss Elaine, Mr. Jack and I drove 1200 miles around the state of Missouri.  We started in Kansas City -- and that's what my first post is about.

     Kansas City has lots of beautiful fountains.  This one is on the Plaza -- the first suburban shopping center planned for automobile traffic in the country.  Miss Elaine thought it would be fun for me to sit on a bench in front of the fountain while she took my picture.  Unfortunately, it was windy and before we knew it, the wind blew water from the fountain all over me! 

The next day we visited the Toy and Miniature Museum.  I particularly liked the bears!  This is me with a giant Teddy Roosevelt bear and a little bear cub.  Do you know who Theodore Roosevelt was?  Can you discover why the museum would have a bear dressed like Teddy Roosevelt?  It's a good story.  Do some detective work!

Out in from of the museum was this drummer bear.  The drum made an excellent seat!

Later we went to Crown Plaza, a neat shopping and entertainment area in downtown Kansas City.  I posed with this statue.  Can you guess what he's made of?

Can you tell now?

Legoland Discovery Center is about to open across the street from here.  They also just opened a new aquarium.  What a fun place to visit! 

While we were in K.C. Miss Elaine went to lunch with another travel writer.  Her name is Diana Lambdin Meyer.  I forgot to ask her bear's name but we had a good time together. 

I'll continue with my adventures in a day or two!
Love,
Batman