Mueller State Park

Here's a pretty sunset I captured at the end of last month when my friend Stacey visited from Tennessee. Stacey's a photographer too, and she flew out here to do engagement portraits for some Denver clients. The clients requested Mueller State Park, on the west side of Pikes Peak, for their location. I've driven past it countless times but had never been inside until now. It's so pretty! Lots of paved roads and camping areas, and also lots of wilderness and trails. And wonderful views! Just spending an afternoon there made me miss the fun of camping. It's been so long since I've had the pleasure.

I took this photo just as we were leaving. I can't resist a gorgeous sunset! Colorado is so beautiful!

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I thought this funny little bumper sticker would make a nice photo for the blog. I like what it has to say. No exceptions! :^)

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I'm running my annual fall portrait special, which means I've been spending a lot of time in parks lately! Here's an image I took in Monument Valley Park yesterday in between clients. We are having a really lovely autumn this year.

Room & Board

My brother Chuck recently took the plunge and bought his first home. Chuck's a big fan of midcentury modern design, just like me, so it's no surprise he chose a house that was built in 1959. (My house was built in '58.) Of course now that he's got this groovy new abode with all the midcentury lines, he's got to have a new couch! We went to Denver a couple of weekends ago in pursuit of just the right one. We found a beauty at Room and Board in Cherry Creek, and while browsing all the goodies there I came across this beautiful retro chair as well. I'd love to have it but I think it costs more than the couch!

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A view of Tejon Street at nightfall, looking west. In the foreground is Pikes Perk, a coffee house where you could hang out all day -- lots of comfy couches, nooks and crannies in there. The large building to the left in the background is the Antlers Hotel, a Colorado Springs institution. I have certainly shot my fair share of weddings there. If you ever happen to be in the Antlers, check out the large photographic prints displayed in the atrium. Some of them are mine!

Bingo Burger

This delicious repast was had at Bingo Burger in Pueblo the other day: two cheeseburgers cooked to order; a rich vanilla shake for Pat; a fresh salad for me, full of lettuce, cranberries and cucumber slices and drizzled with vinaigrette; a pile of sweet potato fries with just the right amount of salt... Delicious, I say! Delicious! Pat gets to eat at Bingo Burger all the time because his job takes him to Pueblo frequently, but I'd never heard of it until this week, and wow is it good! The food is all locally grown and sourced, including the beef. I highly recommend it if you happen to find yourself in Pueblo with an empty stomach. It's a step above your average burger joint, that's for certain!

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Some nice fall foliage for you! The days are getting shorter and chillier. This was taken yesterday afternoon just south of Fountain, as Pat and I were on a drive.

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The sidewalk ringing America the Beautiful park features a decorative, curlicued stripe down the center. Nice touch!

Saint Francis of Assisi

Here's Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. You have a like a guy who loves animals! He lives on the beautifully manicured grounds of Grace Episcopal Church on Tejon and Monument downtown.

Acacia Park

Acacia Park, 1925

Acacia Park, 2010

Here's a picture of Acacia Park in the heart of our downtown, taken in 1925, apparently in wintertime. I believe those stylish young ladies are Palmer High School students (then known as Colorado Springs High School). Palmer HS is diagonally across the street, so Acacia Park is always a favorite spot for students to hang out. The image is taken from the southwest side of the park, near the corner of Bijou and Tejon streets, looking dead north.

The second photo was taken by me last month. I did my best to duplicate the framing and perspective. Those probably aren't students in the park though -- more like just regular people enjoying the day, although sometimes there are shady characters that hang out there as well (hey, it adds to the ambience). As you can see, the building in the background is more or less unchanged.

I'm kind of loving these "then and now" posts and I plan to do more. (You can see my first one HERE.) BTW, the "then" pictures are coming from the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, which has a treasure trove of archival photos of our beautiful city. I'll do another Then and Now post soon, I promise!

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One last image from Karl's garden. This cheerful little pig was tucked in among the ivy. Very cute!

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A beautiful water feature in Karl's garden (see yesterday's post). I think this would look even better in my yard, don't you agree? ;^)

A beautiful garden

My mom's good friend Aurora lives in the Broadmoor area, a neighborhood with many gracious old mansions and large homes. Aurora is an avid gardener and practitioner of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. About three weeks ago she hosted the local ikebana club in her fabulous garden. We're not members, but my mom and I attended as guests of Aurora. I've been to her house before and had seen her beautifully landscaped yard, but was completely unaware of her next door neighbor Karl's incredible gardens. Wow! There is a hidden pathway that leads from one yard into the next, and Karl welcomes any visitors from Aurora's side. I think I could spend all day exploring Karl's garden. Clearly many, many years of hard work have gone into it. I took a few pictures for you. Here's one of the many charming little structures tucked here and there among the trees, plants and secret pathways. This one is so whimsical -- I just want to snuggle up in there with a good book.

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Today is October 2nd, and finally we have chilliness after an unseasonably, almost unbearably hot September. Suddenly I find myself pining for warmth! Here's a bee enjoying the sun and late summer flowers on September 12th, in front of First Christian Church on the corner of Platte and Cascade.