Hot Wheels

I took my mom to lunch at the Patty Jewett clubhouse on New Years day, and our table afforded me a great view of the golf course and the entry road. This elegant Ford Coupe was hard to miss on its approach! I pointed it out to my mom, and as we left I decided to try and find it in the parking lot and grab a shot of it. By then most of the golfers had gone home so it was easy to spot. After I got home I showed the picture to Pat, and we agreed that it looks a lot like the famous "ZZ Top car" (a.k.a. the Eliminator), minus the snazzy paint job. It appears to be a 1935 five window Ford Coupe, and it sure is gorgeous. Someone has put a ton of money and love into this automobile.

Merry Christmas 2025!

We made it! I saved the most festive house for today's post. This one's located on La Salle in sort of the Venetian Village area, bordering on Patty Jewett. Look at all the fun lights! This one is definitely my favorite!

For my readers who celebrate it, Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel! Maligayang Pasko! Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou! Feliz Navidad! Milad Majid! Glædelig Jul! Feliz Natal! Shinnen omedeto! Buone Feste Natalizie! Nollaig chridheil huibh! Hristos se rodi! Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu! Selamat Hari Natal!

Peace on earth and goodwill to all!

Art on Wheels and Then Some

You might remember the van in the photo below from THIS post. Last weekend as Pat and I were driving through the Patty Jewett neighborhood we discovered its companion piece. It was so interesting that I made Pat turn the car around and park it so I could take a picture, and I was doing so the neighbor across the street struck up a conversation with me. He told me that the lights affixed to the giant structure on this truck do light up, and that they don't have any particular purpose. When I asked him if the owner was an artist, he told me that it was an electrician. That makes perfect sense! A very creative electrician, I might add. One of these days I'll drive past there at night to see if the lights are on.

I Wish You Could Smell This Photo

It's springtime, which means the lilac are in bloom. For some reason lilac grows very well here, and many homes in the older parts of our city have giant hedges like this one that borders the parking lot of the Greek church in the Patty Jewett neighborhood, currently profusely in flower. The scent was heavenly.

Another Classic

Sunday again brought out the classic cars as it was yet another beautiful, balmy day. My mom turned 89 last week and I treated her to brunch at the Patty Jewett Clubhouse. I couldn't resist taking a picture of this awesome Buick Riviera on the way in. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it's a 1970, and it looks all original (except for the paint color). Nice!

Tiny Building, Big Flavor

Is this a thing where you live, too? Little tiny coffee establishments? There always seem to be long lines of cars around them. Here's one over by the Patty Jewett, and from what I hear it's some of the best coffee in town. I'll  have to try it someday. I'm really kind of boring when it comes to coffee, I just like a good pour-over and nothing fancy, no froth, no syrup, none of that stuff. How about you?

2024 Garden Tour (Part 3)

A few days have elapsed since my last post, but I'm back now! Here are the rest of my images from the annual city garden tour in June. Even though I mentioned last week that I was planning on going, I missed out on the Ivywild garden tour last weekend because I got a Covid booster shot on Friday, and it knocked me flat on my back for a couple of days. I'm feeling much better now. Anyway, enjoy these and I'll move on to new subject matter tomorrow.

Not a garden, but a peek into someone's garden shed.

Micro gardens!

2024 Garden Tour (Part 2)

More inspiration from the garden tour! I'm also going to the Ivywild garden tour on Saturday. I can't wait to see more good stuff like this.

2024 Garden Tour (Part 1)

I made it to the garden tour last month with a couple of friends, and took a few pictures although I'm only just now getting a chance to share them. This year the tour was in Patty Jewett/Bonny Park/Venetian Village, and there was not as many stops as last year. Still, lots of inspiration and pretty things to see! More tomorrow.

Pink Is the New Pink

The eastern redbud are in high bloom all over the older parts of town right now and they couldn't be prettier! I think this year's display is extra spectacular because of the foot of snow we got last month.

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A closer up view of what the golfers in yesterday's post had for a backdrop. Not bad! There are several feet of snow crowning Pikes Peak at the moment, and it's beautiful.

April 2024 Theme Day: Medicine

Happy April Fool's Day! Since it's the first of the month, it's also Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers, and this month the theme is medicine. I spent most of the last month sick, so trust me when I say I'm tuned into the theme! I was pretty much drugged up on both over the counter and prescription meds the entire time, and I only left the house once, to go to the urgent care facility. I know that the medications are meant to make you feel better, but in a way they make you feel worse: logy, exhausted, dull. And since they stay in your system for a while, it's hard to shake that inertia off. Being stuck indoors certainly did not help my mental state, either. After a while, I got a terrible case of cabin fever and I can't tell you how good it felt when I was finally able to venture out into the world again, even when it was just to run a couple of errands! I snapped this photo on March 23rd, when I was still feeling crummy but just good enough to have lunch with my friend JB at the Patty Jewett golf course. The view from there is wonderful and it lifted my spirits. So did the beautiful weather. I think that friends, fresh air, sunshine and exercise are the best form of medicine, don't you agree?

For more takes on medicine by CDP bloggers everywhere, click HERE. Enjoy!

November 2023 Theme Day: My Favorite Part of Town

It's Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers, and this month the theme is my favorite part of town. I very much have a favorite neighborhood, the Old North End. For me this also has to include the micro neighborhoods around it: Patty Jewett, Bonnie Park, Roswell. I just love this part of the city and always have. My studio was located in the Old North End for a decade; it's only in the last three or four years that I've had to relocate. I miss the daily commute into this neighborhood of wide avenues, gracious Victorian mansions and Craftsman homes, big old trees, and nice parks. Still, it's only a couple of miles from our house, so of course I take any excuse to drive through the Old North End and I typically do my grocery shopping there.

The above photo was taken on North Cascade Avenue in 1927 by an unknown photographer, and the one below was taken by me almost exactly a year ago, on October 30, 2022, on Alamo. I did blog the same shot on November 14, 2022 (here). If you saw this neighborhood in person, you'd love it too.

To see more favorite places by other City Daily Photo bloggers all over the world, click HERE. Enjoy!

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Some serious volleyballers in Bonforte Park (also affectionately known as Bonnie Park) on Saturday.

A Golf Course with a View

Brown grass doesn't ever seem to deter the hardy golfers of Colorado Springs in winter, but snow on the golf course usually does. That must be why Patty Jewett looks uncharacteristically empty in this shot despite the balmy weather. I took my mom out for brunch there today to celebrate her birthday. I love dining at Patty Jewett because of the view (and the great food too, of course).

A Golf Course with a View

I took these pictures on October 30th and promptly forgot about them! I had taken my brother Chuck to lunch at the Patty Jewett Golf Course clubhouse to celebrate his birthday, and on our way out I spotted this cool painting that was based on an old postcard. I did photograph the artist's signature but I can't tell you who it is because it's illegible, which is kind of ironic considering how nice their handwriting is. Anyway, great painting and I love eating at Patty Jewett even though I don't golf -- there is a fantastic view of Pikes Peak from the dining room.

Summer Display

Every summer, this homeowner in the Patty Jewett neighborhood plants a beautiful display of hanging baskets bursting with petunias. And every summer, I look forward to it. It must be a lot of work to do this year after year, but the results are worth the effort.

Christmas Eve

Pat and I drove around on the night of my birthday, December 13th, to take in some Christmas light displays in the Patty Jewett, Old North End and Broadmoor neighborhoods, with a stop downtown. Magical!

The newly opened Olympic Museum, which I haven't had time to check out yet. I took a closer picture of it and I'll post that in a few days.

Below, our favorite Christmas display. The neighbors on Caramillo Street between Wahsatch and Weber collaborate every year to create this magic. I try to post pictures or video of it every year.

Merry Christmas!

Did you have a good Christmas? We did! After sleeping in and opening presents, we went out to eat. I love whipping up a big meal at Thanksgiving, but the weeks leading up to Christmas are stressful for small business owners like me (especially if you're an army of one!), and by the time the big day arrives, I'm too exhausted to cook. So we got dressed up and went out to dinner, then took naps, and it was fantastic.

Here are some pictures I took on Christmas Eve. Pat and I drove around the Old North End, Shooks Run, Patty Jewett and the surrounding neighborhoods to admire all the beautiful Christmas lights. Cheers!

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is to drive down Caramillo Street between Wahsatch and Weber. The people who live on this block string lights back and forth across the street, in addition to festively decorating their homes. It's magical!

This house on N. Union is a favorite of ours. It's so cheerful! Actually, this is a little low key for them -- other years have been far more exuberant!

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Today was grey and chilly and depressing. I did get outside with a camera, though, and I took this picture of the entrance to Patty Jewett Golf Course. Surprisingly, people were going in and out of the place, even though I hardly think it was a good day for a game of golf! If you look closely you can see a car far down the road, driving away from me and toward the clubhouse.