Don't dare to trespass -- I think.

This sign is leaning against a railing in the company parking lot behind the post office downtown. I just couldn't believe how crappy-looking it is. It probably fell down years ago and someone just propped it up there, and over time it's become more and more weathered and illegible. It's kind of hard to take the warnings inscribed on it seriously, since you can barely read them! Someone should really invest in a new sign.

Twilight

This lovely sculpture, Twilight by Bobbie Carlyle, has graced our downtown for several years, but I've only recently gotten a photo of it. I really like this piece. It has a distinctly Art Nouveau feel to it, verging on Art Déco, one of my favorite eras in art, fashion and architecture.

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One of my favorite Colorado Springs alleyways.

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The neon sign for the Ritz Grill and the Elbo Room. I don't think the sign is actually old, it just looks like it is. I like the way it's reflected in the window glass.

Upside-down Humpty!

Humpty Dumpty looks rather alarmed to find himself in this position on the parking garage at Colorado and Nevada. I would be too! More Humpty Dumpty pictures in the previous three posts.

Humpty Dumpty read a great book

Or judging from his happy expression it sure looks like a good book, anyway. He seems quite enthralled :^) This post accompanies the previous two. Another Humpty tomorrow!

Musical Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty first appeared on our streets several years ago (see THIS POST from January 2009, for example), and recently at least four more incarnations have been introduced. Yesterday I posted a skiing Humpty, and today we have fiddling Humpty. He's so cute! More tomorrow!

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall!

It looks like Humpty's in the middle of a skiing mishap! The other day I was parking my car on Colorado and Tejon when I noticed a bunch of new Humpty Dumpty art pieces installed high up on buildings on both sides of the street. I promptly abandoned my mission (coffee!) and trotted over to take some pictures. I don't know how long the statues have been there, but it can't have been long because I'm sure I would have noticed. This Humpty's expression is hilarous, don't you think? Very cute! I think if I attempted to ski, I'd probably be wearing this expression most of the time ;^)

I'll post more Humpty Dumpty pictures in the coming days!

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A detail of one of the windows on the church in yesterday's photo. Why don't they build churches with windows like this anymore? No offense to any churchgoers out there, but I think most modern-day churches don't have half the charm as old ones do.

Hmmmm...

Another cool old church on Weber Street, across the street from Rose of Sharon Temple (see yesterday's post). I've been daydreaming about buying and renovating an old church to live in, and though this one is really cool, for some reason it doesn't appeal to me as much as Rose of Sharon does. (At any rate it's also very much in use as a church and isn't for sale.) I do like the bell tower and cupola! I doubt there's a bell up there anymore.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a cozy little library room tucked up in that tower? Hmmmm!!!

Rose of Sharon Temple

Sorry to have been away from the blog for so long, dear readers! I did not mean to be asbent, but I caught the flu bug and was sick for over a week. When I finally started to feel human again we were hit with a severe cold snap, which didn't exactly inspire this sick girl to go outside and take pictures! In the meantime, I didn't have any decent photos in my archives to share, hence the abrupt halt in blogging. Thankfully I'm almost back to my old self.  Yesterday while out running errands I took a camera along and snapped a few pictures for you here and there. The above photo is of the Rose of Sharon Temple, located on Cucharras and Weber streets. Lately I've become obsessed with the idea of buying an old church, renovating it and living in it (and running my business out of it). I've had my eye on this particular big old church -- I don't know why but I think it would make a great house! Unfortunately it's very much in use as a church and it's not on the market, and even if it was, I doubt I could afford to buy it. But one can always dream!

Black Hawk, adieu

One last shot from my day spent in Black Hawk (see my posts dated December 29th, 30th and 31st for more). This is the back side of one of the beautiful old buildings in Black Hawk's tiny downtown. I love the colors.

Hello 2013!

Happy New Year! It's customary for City Daily Photo bloggers to post their favorite photo of the previous year on January 1st. I generally can never narrow it down to just one shot, and this year is no different.

The photo above is the only one of my 2012 favorites that was not actually taken in Colorado Springs. I captured this gorgeous elk in Rocky Mountain National Park, just outside of Estes Park, and the photo appeared on my blog on October 17th. I chose it as a favorite not because it's a stronger photo than the other candidates, but for my memory of the visceral rush I felt at the moment took the picture and knew I had gotten an amazing image (well, amazing for me, anyway). I really don't do wildlife photography, so being able to capture this was so exciting -- it's like the elk was posing for me! For just a few moments I felt like a National Geographic photographer.

Below, a few more favorites from 2012, chosen for either visual or emotional content, in chronogical order of how they appeared on the blog throughout the year.

To see other "Photo of the Year" posts by CDP bloggers worldwide, follow this link:  http://ackworthborn.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/cdpb-photo-of-year-2012.html 

A downtown landmark, the façade of the old Antlers Garage, featured on January 12th.

A graphically striking sign and its equally striking shadow on the west side of the city, featured on February 7th.

The Pioneers Museum by night, featured on February 20th.

Another image from my Colorado Springs by Night series: some industrial buildings off of Garden of the Gods Road, featured on February 25th.

 

Pikes Peak at sunset captured from east of town, featured on May 6th.

 

The so-called "super moon" rising over the city skyline, featured on May 7th.

Grateful westsiders rush forward to thank Waldo Canyon Fire hotshot firefighters as they make their way to camp for the evening, featured on July 7th.

A competitor at the Rocky Mountain Rampage World Cup Skating Competition at Memorial Park, featured on August 27th.