Happy Thanksgiving

Snazzy Stamp

Ever notice these on a walk? The stamps can be found next to the drainage gates in some of the city's streets, warning us not to dump anything down there so we don't pollute the river.

Groovy Cruiser

Maybe you have see one of these cruise by? There are a few about town. A few in the window in the bike shop on Abriendo. Knitting and crocheting has gone beyond granny blankets and scarves.  Its become a trend to knit around different objects, such as these bikes, trunks of trees etc. adding a touch of charm here and there. Nice.

Tucked Away

If you are an avid fisherman, perhaps you have come across this little gem, but it was a nice surprise to us. Out on a marathon walk we passed this mosaic 1/2 circle bench.  A lot of people wouldn't notice it unless they were fishing near Runyon lake, or out on the bike path. Or, of course visiting the nearby Peace Garden. Recently we have seen some unique images, that I would love have in my yard, this mosaic bench, the obelisk light post and the owl statue, but alas, I still get to enjoy it in my big back yard of Pueblo!

Obelisk of Light

One of our favorite "landmarks" of the city, this historical light post is seen in City Park at the foot of "Monkey Mountain".

Last Leaf Standing

Alright, I was told this wasn't the most interesting photo to use, but I disagree. Look at those leaves up there still holding on for their dear lives! Are they taunting us, telling us not to put our rakes away so fast? Or are they holding steady and waving proudly like the American and Colorado flags nearby? This photo, taken in windy Pueblo West, shows most of our glorious yellow, red and orange trees are gone.  But, a few survivors still cling. Perhaps till a more vigorous snow comes along and knocks them off? What are they waiting for?

Thank You to Our Veterans

While reading names from the Veteran's Bridge, the graphical lines of the walk way from the street caught our eye. Almost like a modern work of art in itself.

"Who, Who"

"Who, Who", can tell us where this wonderful little gem is?  I wish on a fixture on my house!
hint: Isn't he scholarly? Leave us a comment if you know who ( I mean where)!

Still Thriving

We don't know what caught our attention first. More wonderful ironwork tucked around town or this lively rose bush still thriving. We are enjoying every ounce of this autumn!

Reader's View

I spy a cupola, a college, a convention center and a red barn. What do you see?
(photo snapped from the third floor of the Rawlings Library)

Don't forget to VOTE today!

The American and Colorado flag fly outside Fountain International Magnet School on Pueblo's East-side.

Scenes from the Weekend

We imagine this scene may look pretty familiar to a lot of you. Pueblo may be a city of diverse backgrounds but we come together on a lot of things and one of them is our love of the breakfast burrito! Rushing to weekend sports games, taking one to family members for breakfast and coffee or picking one up along the way of running errands, breakfast burrito lines are long on the weekends. Well, and during the week too! Here the Saturday line at Burrito's Betty runs out the door. As it usually does. And those who stop, know the line will be long at any given minute, so we just go with it and join in the conversations going on as we anxiously await our turn. 

Editor's Note:
Though we do admit we have our favorite stops, nothing beats the homemade ones brought to our front door made by deal ol' dad. They are made with whatever whimsical ingredients he has that day, and we even rave that he can knock the top contenders off their throne, but mostly we suspect they are so good  because they are made with love!

Still Enchanting

Remember these? We haven't done a "Front Door Friday" in awhile so we thought this week was the perfect time to reuse a location. Remember the fountain we showed a few posts ago? Well the beauty extends beyond the fountain itself and into the doorway of the plaza where it sits. Still enchanting this time of year.

Did you run into any of these last night?

We hope your Halloween was relatively "bat free". Unless you stopped by the zoo to visit this guy!

Happy Halloween!

These ghostly ghouls are one of SEVERAL blow ups in this yard in the Aberdeen neighborhood.
Beware!

First Snow

Friday the city woke up to it's first snow of the season. There were trees of gold, orange and red sprinkled with a touch of glistening white. If you braved the cold air and spent time outside you were rewarded with the beauty of such scenes. This week will be more like the fall we've been enjoying with temps back up to the 70's!

Autumn Splash

The beautiful afternoons the city has been enjoying have fountain keepers still running them. Notice, they are frozen in the mornings, then trickling like music in the afternoons. This one is found tucked between businesses in the Union Ave. district.

(Book) Birds in Flight

That's right. These birds of flight are made from old books and can be seen soaring through the Rawlings Public Library. They are part of a display to kick of the grand opening of Pueblo's Creative Corridor in conjunction with the library's "All Pueblo Reads" event.

He Otter Use His Teeth

Ok, no groaning at the post title. We couldn't help ourselves! This photo, taken by PPAD photog Teddy, captures a magical glimpse of the day of an otter's life. He wasn't trying to pick this cup up out of his pool, it was his toy for a few hours as he pushed it around through the water with his nose enjoying the bubbles it made. If you have time to stop by the Pueblo Zoo in the coming week, the animals usually get a pumpkin as treat. If this cup provided hours of fun, wait till you see the floating pumpkin snack!

Fall Inspiration

Back from our fall hiatus, we couldn't be more inspired by the gorgeous turn of the leaves that the city is witnessing. This time of year is how, we believe Pueblo earned the title "Tree City USA".
The yellow, orange and red hues make us want to extend our walks, stay outside all day and drink in this particularly magical time of year. 

A Rare Close-up

We can't help it. We are fans of the zoo here at PPAD. Almost anytime we go out on a shoot half the crew wants to do it at the zoo. Oh, we understand why, and on this particular day we got a real special treat. The lion, usually allusive and aloof on top of his mountain, was up and about and sauntered right over to us and gave us a great shot.  A little too close for comfort for some us!

A Celebration of Water

Little Cat

This little darling was spotted at the 112th Annual Bell Game over the weekend. The Be1l Game, play by Pueblo's Central High School and Centennial High School is one of the oldest football rivalries in Colorado history. And while this little kitten was in a happy mood, the bell actually rings red again this year!

Fontana Di Victoria

Maybe not quite on the grand scale of Rome, but Pueblo has many beautiful fountains to enjoy while wondering about town. This one was bubbling away during a recent stroll and our imaginations called this the Fontana Di Victoria in the Piazza de Union.

There is still s'more days of summer left

Labor day has come and gone, which means fall is just around the corner. But there are still plenty of days to enjoy summer's last shine. Photograph chooser of the day, Teddy, loved this glowing concoction of a marshmallow roasting after a late night summer grill. Of course here at PPAD, we think making s'mores is a year round activity!

Blue Moon

Did you get to see the Blue moon this weekend? This guy lit up the sky this past Friday night. Well, it doesn't look blue you say? That's because blue moons aren't necessarily blue. A blue moon means that it is the 3rd blue moon in a season, whereas there are normally only 2. Blue moons happen roughly every 2.7 years, so if you missed this year's, you will have to wait almost three years for the next. There will be two full moons in a single month in July 2015 (July 1 and 31).

Peace Labyrinth

Yesterday we posted the "entrance" to the "Pueblo Peace Garden" so today we wanted to show you the wonderful labyrinth.  A lot of work was put into this garden and when you are down there in the quiet, taking in nature, it really is a peaceful place. Great job to the founders!

Well Who Knew?

We stumbled upon a neat little secret tucked way back on the hiking path behind Runyon Field. A Peace Garden! Its got a Peace labyrinth walk in a peaceful xeriscape setting. We believe, according to the "Pueblo Serves" website, that it was founded in 2007 in remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi. The work that went into this nice gem is quite apparent and we enjoyed discovering it.

Meet Baby Nova

"Star", a lemur species protected in Madagascar, became a first time mother to "Nova" earlier this spring.

If you haven't made it to the Pueblo Zoo this summer, you need to make a trip out there to say hello to "Nova". She is the baby lemur pictured here riding atop her mom "Star".  The day we were there she was so playful it made it hard for our photographer Teddy, to get a good snap. He finally managed when a plate of food was brought out. It slowed her down for about 2 seconds!
Zoo curator Marilyn McBirney tells us she had her first visit outside on Monkey Island this week.
We imagine, after she feels brave enough to leave mom a bit, she will be all over the place!

Happy Again

Have you noticed the slight drop in temperature has made the flowers and gardens happy again? It amazes us that 90 degrees feels so much cooler than the summer long streak of 100's! These black eyed Susan's are enjoying a revival as well.

Ominous Clouds

Photographer Teddy was amazed at how these ominous dark clouds loomed over the equally ominous giant Ferris Wheel, visible from all the way out side the gates of the Colorado State Fair. Making it extra scary for the brave souls at the top. We can agree with that, however, I'd bet most of the fair goers welcomed the clouds to cool things off and make for a perfect evening. The temps are supposed to be back in the 90's this week for the fair's visit up to Labor Day.

Target for Education - Help Our School Earn Votes!

Two of our photographers came online to post some pictures they had taken of some enourmous sunflowers, but then got side tracked by the idea of wanting to promote their school to get some votes so here is their plea:

Target is giving schools gift cards worth $25 for every 25 votes a particular school receives.
One school can earn up to $10,000! To vote for us here at St. Therese go to:

https://givewith.target.com/schools/113485

and click vote for this school. We are up to 90 votes and you can vote once a week until
September 8, 2012. Send this link to all your families and friends and help us earn even more!

Out on the Bayou

Have you ever noticed the island in the lake at Mineral Palace?  I guess we never really had either, till we spotlighted the park this week. Its plush and green and overgrown and is the home to many a feathered friend. We were witness to a lot of "fowl" play the day we did our discovery walk around.

Duck's Eye View

We think this picture looks like it should be a setting in an old 50's black and white movie. We can picture the moon in the background and fog...No, its not a big city bridge. This where our duck pal from yesterday was headed!

Arches and Marches

This little guy marches alone across the front of the historical bridge in Mineral Palace Park

Feeling the Heat

 This view of the Xcel plant, taken from atop a hill on the East Side of town, could have been taken from practically anywhere in town. The plant seems as if its in our horizon where ever we stand! We know we've been in a long hot heat wave, but here you can see a bit of the toll its been taking. We may get a slight break in the heat this week as cloudy days are forecast thru Friday.

Globes of Light

These neat little globes sit atop the posts on the bridge in Mineral Palace Park. We think they are quite elegant and add to the great history of the park.

Stop to Smell the Roses

C'est cliché, I know. But here at PPAD we do, are accused of always having done, and I expect we always will - stop to smell the roses - literally. Especially here in Pueblo. We could start a whole other blog on Pueblo's roses alone. Pueblo-ans love their roses! No matter what neighborhood, no matter if you are in a well manicured yard, or a yard with only dirt, you will most assuredly not go far without seeing a rose bush! It makes me want to use an old Southern exclamation, "This town has more roses than you can shake a stick at!".  So while we can sometimes hardly get a good pace on our usual "wog" because we stop so often to swoon at rose buds, we thought we'd celebrate these lovely flowers and all flowers of the city before our heat streak does them all in. Forgive us if we get out of hand in the coming weeks, and flower photos start to bore you. We however, think its good for our hearts to stop and gaze at a sweet blossom on a regular basis...

English Calling

First of all, yes! We are back from our hiatus and have been gathering a bunch of great photos for you! Now, back to business!

Not only do we just love the ambiance this British phone booth ads to the Union Depot district, we thought it would be perfect in honor of the Olympics. Have any of you been watching?

We're Getting Our Ducks in a Row

Ducks line up along the edge of the lake at Mineral Palace Park

We may have a guest photographer check in, but for the next week or so, we'll be on a hiatus getting our ducks in a row. We'll miss chatting with you, so keep your comments coming, we won't be far away. Thanks for joining us each day. We so do appreciate the company!

P.S. The deadline for the PAWS for Life 2013 Calendar is drawing near. This is your chance to get your pets photo in an official 2013 Calendar. The donation is $10. This is a great cause that will pay off all year long. Submit your photos now! Email Sonja at paws2013calendar@gmail.com. Tell her we sent you and she'll help you from there.

Zig Zag

We liked the crooked lined view these steps down to the Arkansas River provide. This access point can be seen crossing the bridge on union up to the Rawlings Library

A Knotty Idea

Come on guys, get your mind out of the gutter! Ha Ha!
I don't know how many times a week I pass this tree.
It stands out to me every time I pass. See the knots and curves of the branches? What do they look like to you? Anything? To me, they remind of Italian or Moroccan tiles that are popular in the design world. Of course, they are broken up and overlapping, rather than on a floor, but tiles none-the-less. So much so that I wanted to share this first photo with you, so remember this tree when I do another post to illustrate a sorta how art imitates life thing.  What do you see in your everyday world?

Crooked Little Steeple

OK guys, we haven't had a "Where Are We Wednesday?" in awhile, and I found this one that is sure to stump you. Where were we standing when we took this picture? Email me if you know! But I bet this one will have you perplexed.

"Pueblohenge"

Photo by Teddy

These rocks, found at Liberty Point in Pueblo West reminded one of our photographers of Stonehenge in England, and he had lots of ideas about how they got here!

Music Tree

The music tree, found of Washington Ave. doesn't look half bad with sparkles from CD's that have been strategically placed throughout it's branches to ward off garden predators.

The gentleman that tends to this garden calls this his "Music Tree". He has come up with a brilliant  idea of discreetly hanging CD's on a string from the branches of his fruit trees. Not only do the CD's gently spin, their motion scarring off birds looking for a snack, they cast a reflection on the ground as well that makes it look as if another predatory critter is hiding under the plants.  We are told he has done this for years, and that it really works at keeping his fruit trees and garden protected from birds and squirrels alike!

Happy 4th!

When looking for the perfect picture to wish you all a Happy 4th this morning, we were thinking flags, red, white and blue, something Americana, etc. Then these bright beauties walked through the front door with one of our favorite early morning visitors!  Perfect for a day full of sun, picnics, fireworks and summer. Be safe everyone!

River Art

While the jury is still out on this type of art, we can most certainly identify with its brilliant color, making this photo of graffiti art, found on the banks of the Arkansas River, the perfect specimen to show you our newest obsession. No, its not "Pin it!", its "Chip It"!

Following in the footsteps of "Post It" or "Pin It", Sherman Williams has come up with an ap for us color obsessed,  to "Chip It".  Now, this may not appeal to you all, but I was born a color junkie. Since my days in graduate school having to do several thesis-es on color theory and LOVING it, my interest has only blossomed. And SW has made this so easy for us! Formerly having gone through the drudgery of doing it with a light calibrator (yes, it really is a science!), then viewing it in Photoshop, you can take color samples with the click of your mouse, live from photos online! Want to match your brown walls to the color of a fresh baked brownie? Chip It! Want to know the exact color of the perfect red rose? Chip It! Want to replicate that gorgeous aqua splash on the river bank wall to your bathroom towels? Chip It! Visit Lets Chip It to see more.

Walk on By

We had never noticed till recently,  that these sun imprinted bricks make up part of the sidewalk in front of a building near Broadway and Adams Streets.