Martini and the Toothpick Crow

 

When the martini has been shaken and the thick-bottom glass chilled, the toothpick crow hands out a single toothpick to bring the olives to attention.

Gateway to Cheyenne Mountain Park

 

Chilly, cloudy morning the day after the Fourth of July holiday. Only a few visitors to the Colorado State Park at Cheyenne Mountain.

Broadmoor Reflections

 

Lakeside reflection of the historic Broadmoor Hotel, in Colorado Springs.

Campus Visit

 

Growing up quickly, Bertie surveys the campus at School of Mines on a perfect afternoon in May.

That's Boulder

 

Scenic rest stop along US 36, the Boulder Turnpike. Rocky Mountain National Park remains snow-capped in late April.

Puppy at the Car Show

 

At the Saturday collector's rally in Golden, Bertie the pup poses in front of a beautiful 1959 Pontiac Bonneville.

Golden Skyline

 

Visitor entrance and grandstands at Marv Kay Stadium in Golden. South Table Mountain is the familiar skyline when viewing the town and campus looking east.

T-Rex on the Loose

 

Although his skills may have gotten a little rusty, this ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex still earns a living guarding the door at Gila Bend Cactus & Stuff, on Pima Street in Gila Bend, AZ.

Truck Stop Display

 

Not sure about the year and model of this Ford-badged flatbed truck, possibly from the late-1930s. I spotted it on display Nov. 26 at the sprawling Iowa80 Truck Stop but did not see any identification placards.

Farewell, Gordy

 

On Monday, Nov. 28, I posted to FB this photo and text of our Gordy the day he left us.

Most sad news. Today our beloved Gordy went to the big park in the sky where he can sniff and squirt and play with all the others. At about noon, Devera Rae Larson and I took him to the animal hospital here in Wheat Ridge and they were great. We said goodbye to Gordy in a quiet, darkened room and he went to sleep for the last time as I whispered to him what a good boy he was. He truly was the best dog ever.

Formerly Modern Gas Station

 

Built as a service station, then converted to an independent auto repair shop and finally the exterior was restored as a gas station seven years ago. It is now the business office of TK Morrison, designer of upscale homes, on Jackson Street in Golden, CO.

Modern Hotel Lobby

 

Plenty of seating options available in the lobby of the Hotel Indigo at Union Station in downtown Denver.

Golden from Lookout Mountain Vista

 

Halfway up Lookout Mountain Rd., in Golden, School of Mines athletic fields are front and center. In this view Marv Kay Stadium, home of the Orediggers, is furthest with the Mines campus toward the upper right.

Wish You Were Here

 

This new billboard on the Jefferson County Library branch in Golden is visible from the Clear Creek greenbelt. The subject of each letter image can be seen within a couple blocks of the sign.

Down a Lazy River

 

By early August, this year's tubing season is winding down but the gentle rapids on Clear Creek in Golden, CO, still provide hours of relaxing fun with family and friends.

Shamrock and Oval

 

At the corner of Front and Pine Streets in downtown Louisville, CO, this gasoline station flies the Shamrock brand on a former Amoco sign, still showing the latter brand's Torch and Oval outline.

Pushing Up

 

The daisies always show up, whether we ask for them or not, in the neighborhood garden. Always something cheerful about their appearance.

Towering Triangle

 

Now home to The Robey Hotel, Northwest Tower looms over the 5-corner intersection of North, Milwaukee and Damen Avenues in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood about three miles northwest of downtown. Built in 1929, the tower stretches more than two-hundred feet above the street, one of the few high-rise buildings in this part of the city.

Rebuilt as an upscale hotel in 2016, The Robey is named after Robey Street, the former name of Damen Avenue.

Bend of the River

 

Water taxi plies the murky waters of the Chicago River where it splits into a north and south branch. Many skyscrapers near this historic location are newly constructed, including River Point Chicago (left) which is built over multiple railroad tracks. It was completed in 2016.

Buffalo Herd Overlook

This small herd of bison has been maintained at the Buffalo Herd Overlook at Genesee Park for more than a century. Genesee Park was the first of the many mountain parks owned and operated by the City of Denver as part of its "backyard" parks system.