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Life in Colorado
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun

Life in Colorado

Life as the days and months pass in Colorado もっと詳しく
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  • 旅行の開始
    2024年5月31日
  • Life in Colorado
    Brewer's Blackbird — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Brewer's Blackbird — Colorado Springs, CO.Brown-headed Cowbird — Colorado Springs, CO.Brewer's Blackbird — Colorado Springs, CO.Pronghorn ... a mammal unique to North America — Colorado Springs, CO.American Robin — Colorado Springs, CO.House Finch — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Critters ... from Our Deck

    2024年6月5日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    It is always a pleasure when we have birds and beasts come a-callin' ... and we get to enjoy them without having to travel far.

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  • Life in Colorado
    African Lion ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.
    Leo the Lego Lion ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Grevy's Zebra ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Reticulated Giraffe ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.American Flamingo ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Komodo Dragon ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Variegated Sea Urchin ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.South Arabian Spiny-Tailed Lizard ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Showy Milkweed ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Eastern Bongo ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Clouded Leopard ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO."Marshmallow" the albino wallaby ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Black-Handed Spider Monkey ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Tawny Frogmouth ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Bearded Iris ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO."Family" ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Cinereous Vulture ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Lesser Kudu ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Black Crowned Crane ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.

    Denver Zoo

    2024年6月14日, アメリカ ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    We, of course, prefer to see animals where they belong. In the wild. But that’s not always possible … especially when one has a specific goal … to be accomplished within a particular time frame. In this case, I wanted to test a new camera to see if I wanted to keep it.

    Our recent adventure Down Under made it clear to me that while the iPhone 15 is great for all around shooting, it doesn’t have the zoom reach for wildlife. Upon returning home in May, we ordered a Nikon Coolpix P950, which has an 83x optical zoom … equivalent to a 2000 mm lens.

    Last week, we pre-ordered timed-entry tickets for the Denver Zoo, which we had not been to before. Might as well do some sightseeing with a purpose, we figured, and set off bright and early this morning … hoping to get in and out before the forecasted storms hit the I-25 corridor.

    The camera performed brilliantly. The weight turned out to be easily manageable. Admittedly, I mostly used the program mode this time, allowing the camera to make most of the decisions. Now that I have decided to keep the camera, I’ll practice with the other modes to re-sharpen my photography skills.

    We almost always have an ulterior motive for going to Denver … to get together with our friends Boris and Sonia … usually for lunch. This time was no exception. We met up for a nice meal at the City Park Tavern … across the road from the zoo. The weather cooperated and the rain held off so that we were able to dine al fresco with a distant but lovely view of downtown Denver. A great way to wrap up our day trip.

    For more photos from our trip to the Denver Zoo … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can…    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Untitled (Atlas) by Fred Wilson ... the DAM — Denver, CO.
    The Bloom of the Corpse Flower ... by Simphiwe Ndzube (South Africa) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.African Art Exhibit ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Cheval: The Other Side of the Mirror is Home ... by Didier William (American born in Haiti).Nature Morte ... by Pablo Picasso (Spanish) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.No Man is an Island (with Atomic Rainbow) ... by Niki-Hastings-McFall ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Freedom (R); TV Man (L); All This, And Heaven (hanging) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Biophilia ... Flowers & People — A Whole Year Per Hour ... by teamLab (Japan) ... the DAM — Denver.Biophilia ... Botanica Chandelier (by A. A. Rusu) // Bulbo Chair (Humberto & Fernando Campana).Biophilia ... Ethereal Double Console of Sycamore veneers and resin ... by Marc Fish (British).Biophilia ... One-seater Concrete Tree ... by Nacho Carbonell (Spanish) ... the DAM.Biophilia ... Meadow ... by Drift (established in Amsterdam) ... the DAM.Biophilia ... dresses inspired by nature ... the DAM — Denver, CO.About (MT 97 4) ... by Mark Tansey (American) ... comparison with right side up (L) and upside down.Winter Landscape with the Convent of San Cosimato, near Tivoli ... Jules-César Denis van Loo.La Petite Pensée (The Little Thought/Pansy) ... by Thomas Ball (American).The Gulf of Spezia ... by Henry Roderick Newman ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Edge of a Wheat Field with Poppies ... by Vincent van Gogh (Dutch) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Waterlilies or The Water Lily Pond ... by Claude Monet ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Autumn, Poplars, Éragny ... by Camille Pissarro (French) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.The Awake Volcanoes Exhibit of Sandra Vásquez de la Horro ... Ring of Fire ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Awake Volcanoes Exhibit of Sandra Vásquez de la Horro ... From the Rising Sun ... front (top) & back

    Art & Ice Cream in Denver

    2024年6月24日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    On a day that reached 94F in our state capital, we figured the Denver Art Museum — aka the DAM — would be a cool place to visit … in more ways than one.

    We left the house around 8:15a for the 1.5-hour drive to Denver. Traffic was light and we made good time. Even with having to find parking near the museum and fiddling with the QR code to make payment at the unattended lot, we arrived before the DAM opened at 10:00a. Luckily, there was shade under the trees. Otherwise it would have been a hot, uncomfortable wait for the doors to open.

    The DAM consists of two buildings — the Hamilton Building and the Martin Building. They are across the street from each other. We figured that we could go through both buildings today. Perhaps we could have. But it would have been overwhelming. Instead, we decided to focus on the galleries in the Hamilton Building and leave the ones in the other building for another time.

    We were last at the DAM in December 2019 … with members of my family, who were visiting us from Türkiye, and Sonia & Boris, our Denver-based friends. Our primary reason for going to the museum then was to see a special exhibit of Claude Monet’s paintings. Thus we gave the rest of the galleries short shrift. This time there was no specific purpose to our visit. That being the case, we took the elevator up to the fourth floor and worked our way down … spending more time in some galleries than others … sometimes because of our interest in the artwork on display; other times simply because of the size of the exhibit.

    When we reached the second floor, the bridge connecting the two buildings of the DAM beckoned us. At this point, we were still thinking that we could do both buildings. It took a mere glimpse of the few pieces in the foyer of the seventh floor of the Martin Building to change our minds.

    Once we made the decision to stick to the galleries in the Hamilton Building, we started to retrace our steps across the bridge. We didn’t get far as that was when we noticed that the two dining venues at the museum are both located in the Martin Building … Café Gio and The Ponti. After perusing the menus, we settled on The Ponti for lunch. The food was delicious; the kiwi lemonade very refreshing.

    Thus energized by lunch, we returned to our meandering around the Hamilton galleries. Shortly after 2:00p, having already extended our parking from 1:00p to 2:30p, we were ready to move on to the next portion of the outing … ice cream!

    If I am being honest, it was the ice cream that led us to Denver today. Our source of inspiration was an article in the “303 Magazine” email Mui receives on a regular basis. The article mentioned a time-limited collaboration between Bonnie Brae Ice Cream and 7Cellars Winery … the latter owned by John Elway of the Denver Broncos fame (and an NFL Hall of Famer). The result of the collaboration … three ice cream flavors made with wine … available for tasting through the end of June.

    Of course, tasting these flavors was attractive … but they were not enough of an inducement for a 90-minute drive. Hence the addition of the DAM to today’s outing … and the invitation to Boris & Sonia to join us for a sweet treat. Turns out that the only wine-flavored ice cream Bonnie Brae still had was not to our taste. Just a bit … well, too wine-y. So, we went with some of their regular flavors … tasty and creamy.

    A sweet wrap up to our day in Denver.

    If you would like to see more photos from our DAM visit, or would like to read some of the additional information that I could not fit in the captions … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can…. (For the caption information, click the photo you are interested in, then click “i” icon on the left.)    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Rainbow on the plains — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Post-Storm Rainbow

    2024年6月24日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Rainbows seem to grace us fairly frequently. We’re lucky that way.

    A sudden, fast-moving storm that popped up this afternoon after we returned from Denver today gave us another rainbow to enjoy … with the hint of a double colorful arc.

    In fact, it was a rainbow not-unlike this one that sealed the decision for buying our home where we did. That was in the summer of 2018. We’ve been happy with our decision ever since.    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Happy 4th! — Colorado Springs, CO

    4th of July @ Home

    2024年7月4日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    We are lucky in that we don’t have to go far to see fireworks on the 4th. We can see them from our deck!

    We don’t usually have to bundle up to sit outside and enjoy the festivities … but the temp tonight was only about 65F. Not complaining mind you!もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    What's that in Jumbo's hand? — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Why, it's the news he's been waiting for! — Colorado Springs, CO.Fountain @ the park — Colorado Springs, CO.Rainbow in the fountain water jet — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Jumbo the Egg Got the News!

    2024年7月20日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    … the egg came first. Not the chicken.

    Here at over 7,000 feet we are lucky in that even when it is really hot during the day, we have comfortable mornings and evenings.

    We took advantage of a nice morning for a neighborhood stroll that took us to a nearby fountain. Not only did we get to visit with Jumbo, we saw a rainbow in the water jet.もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.
    Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.2Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Monarchs ... Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Queen (top left) and Monarch butterflies ... Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.I'm a carrier! ... Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Gulf Frittilary (top left); Red Admiral (top right) & Buckeye (bottom left) ... Chatfield Farms.Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Sunflower @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Nigella (Black Cumin) @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.

    Littleton: Lavender Festival

    2024年7月21日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    A few weeks ago we came across an article promoting a lavender festival … to be held at Chatfield Farms, which is part of the Denver Botanic Gardens … in Littleton, which is about an hour’s drive north of us.

    Tickets had to be purchased in advance … online only. Knowing that rain storms tend to come through in the afternoon, we purchased tickets for the 10:00a time slot for today … the earlier slots were already sold out.

    Chatfield Farms is “… a historical ranch, working farm, and an important habitat for wildlife.” So said the signage near the booth where our tickets were scanned for entry. Once inside, we meandered, using the paths running through the property, and around the lavender fields.

    Apparently, French and Spanish lavender aren’t cold-hardy enough to withstand the Colorado climate. English lavender and lavandin, on the other hand, thrive here. And that is what is planted at Chatfield Farms.

    Near the lavender fields we found the “Butterflies at Chatfield.” The young woman who gave us the entry and exit rules also told us that there are some 200 butterflies … 15 species. The butterflies were flitting about as they are wont to do, but there were plenty of photo ops when they landed on the colorful flowers in the enclosed garden. By my count, we saw 12 of the 15 species … not bad.

    Next, we headed over to the working farm where they cultivate greens and root vegetables — such as lettuce, scallions, beets, radishes, and more. This section is on the lands of the former Hildebrand Ranch, which dates back to 1860. But even well before there was a ranch here, the land was used by Native inhabitants. The Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho hunted, gathered, and camped on these grounds for thousands of years.

    The ranch house today serves as a museum of sorts. It was open to visitors, so we wandered in for a quick look-see before wrapping up our visit.

    I must admit that I was a bit disappointed. Most of the 2,000 or so lavender plants seemed like they were in the early stages of bloom. I was expecting that the festival would be timed to coincide with peak blooming.

    Disappointment in the lavender plants notwithstanding, we had a fun outing … on a sunny day that wasn’t too terribly hot … at least for this time of the year.    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Lolley's ... our favorite ice creamery — Monument, CO.

    Monument: National Ice Cream Day

    2024年7月21日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    How could we not honor National 🍦 Day?

    With the afternoon rain storms holding off, on our way back from Littleton, we detoured to Monument … a little over 6 miles from home.

    First, a late lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant — Casa La Fiesta.

    Then, down the street to our favorite creamery “that’s full of dreamery” — Lolley’s — for ice cream that is scrumpdillylolleylicious! Hey, I’m just repeating what the sign says!

    Methinks we won’t be eating dinner tonight 😊 😉

    And yes, we not only beat the rain home, but managed to get in a quick bit of exercise before the downpour to walk off some of the lunch and desert calories.    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Siirt Kurabiyesi ... pistachio cookies with a smile! — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Mui's Been Busy (2 … with recipe)

    2024年7月29日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    Mui loves his sweet treats. If they have pistachios in them ... well, so much the better since, in his mind, pistachios fall into the "fresh greens" category 🤭

    So, when he found a recipe for Siirt Kurabiyesi (Siirt Cookies), he just had to take it for a bake & taste drive.

    What did he think of the cookies? "They taste like Turkish baklava," he said.

    Siirt, by the way, is a province in southeastern Türkiye ... a region that is well-known and celebrated for its pistachio production. It is also home to the world's third largest pistachio processing plant.

    While we have visited other provinces in the region, Siirt is not one of them ... not yet at least.

    🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

    RECIPE

    Siirt Pistachio Cookies

    125 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
    110 g sugar
    1 egg yolk
    100 g finely crushed pistachios
    80 g of flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1 TBSP vanilla extract (or to taste)
    Whole or half pistachios for garnish

    Preheat oven to 350F

    Whisk the butter and sugar for a few minutes. Add the egg yolk and continue to mix. Add the remaining ingredients (except the flour) and mix (a rubber spatula works fine). Slowly add the flour as you continue to mix. The resulting dough is at the appropriate texture if it isn’t sticking to your hands. If necessary add more flour in small amounts until the texture is right. Use a small ice cream scoop to portion out the dough onto the baking sheet. Garnish with pistachios. Bake until the cookies take on color …. required time to bake will depend on size of the cookies … approx. 12 minutes.

    Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let stand until the cookies have cooled. You can then remove the cookies from the baking sheet to a rack to completely cool.    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Our destination today ... Pikes Peak — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Pikes Peak (far left) from Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.Pikes Peak (far left) from Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.My panorama and signage ... Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.We meet Big Foot at Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.Unsolved Mysteries aired a show about an alleged Big Foot sighting in nearby Green Mountain Falls.America's Mountain ... this time with land in the foreground — Pikes Peak Highway.Switchbacks make for reasonable grades for vehicles to negotiate — Pikes Peak Highway.The new and the old Pikes Peak markers — at the summit.The new visitor center opened in 2021 — at the summit.Panorama from the visitor center terrace — at the summit.The boardwalk near the visitor center and the cog railway — at the summit.The Cog Railway — at the summit.Toot, toot! The Cog Railway arriving at the summit of Pikes Peak.One of several North Slope reservoirs that are scattered around the Pikes Peak National Forest.What's left of the old signal station/summit house (from 1882) — at the summit.Yellow-bellied marmot — at the summit.Donuts in the Sky ... fluffiest donuts ever — at the summit.Info panel at the museum explains how the Rockies were formed.Pikes Peak ... the inspiration for "America the Beautiful."Bottomless Pit ... on the way down from the summit of Pikes Peak.

    America’s Mountain

    2024年7月30日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    A Mountain of Many Names!

    The Utes knew it as Tava-KaavÌ (Sun Mountain) … the Pawnee knew it as Tûs Pêh (Where the Heavens Touch the Earth) … the Jicarilla Apache knew it as Ya ta ye’ It si’ (Mountain Touching Heaven) … the Arapaho knew it as Heey-otoyoo (The Long Mountain).

    When they came through the area in the late 1700s, Spaniards called the mountain El Capitán. When he spotted it in 1806, Zebulon Pike called it the Grand Peak. In 1820, the mountain was renamed James Peak … in honor of botanist Dr Edwin James … to whom the first ascent of the mountain is attributed.

    Today, we know this mountain of many names as Pikes Peak … named as such during the 1850s to honor Zebulon Pike. Pike never ascended the mountain that bears his name. He merely saw it from the top of another mountain — thought to be Mt Rosa … some 100 miles away. In fact, when he first spotted the mountain, he thought it was “a small blue cloud.” It was only when he got “closer” that he appreciated the mountain for the giant that it is.

    Pikes Peak is number 30 of Colorado’s 53 “fourteeners” … mountains that are in the 14,000-foot plus range. Part of the 300-mile long Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, it has another moniker by which it is known — America’s Mountain … an inspiration for USA’s unofficial national anthem, “America the Beautiful.

    Today was our third time visiting Pikes Peak … but the first time since the new visitor center opened in 2021. Unlike back in the day when visitors had to hike up, ride burros or horse-drawn carriages, we drove the 19-mile road that was constructed in 1915 … a toll road that requires an advance reservation to secure parking at the top. We opted for the 8-10a window. Early, but a good choice. By the time we left around noon, the summit was hopping!

    Another time — perhaps next winter — we’ll ride the cog railway (built in 1891) for a different perspective of the scenery. But today, we simply enjoyed the stops along the road that were familiar to us … but amazing, nonetheless.

    We knew it would be cold when we reached the summit. No worries. We were there to escape the heat … forecasted to reach into the 90F range in the city. Besides, as Colorado residents, we always carry winter gear in the trunk of our car. The parkas came in handy as we were at the top well before today’s Pikes Peak high temp of 48F was reached … + windchill … only slightly mitigated by the sun shining bright in the cloudless blue sky.

    The summit of Pikes Peak is at 14,115 feet. At that elevation, there’s only 60% of the oxygen that is available at sea level. Since we live at a little over 7,000 feet, we’re used to operating with less oxygen … maybe 75-80%. Nonetheless, the difference in oxygen level at the summit immediately made itself noticeable. The solution? Take it slow and easy.

    We had a quick breakfast … packed from home; wandered around the visitor center terraces and interpretive boardwalk; checked out the amazing views from the different vantage points; enjoyed a close encounter with a yellow-bellied marmot; watched the cog rail arrive and depart … packed to the gills in both directions; and explored the exhibits at the small but interesting museum.

    Oh, and of course, we treated ourselves to “Donuts in the Sky.” These donuts are said to be scientifically crafted. Technically, that means that a special recipe is used. After all, at 14,115 feet, the air is thinner and the water has a lower boiling point … some adjustments are bound to be needed. Fluffiest, tastiest cake donuts that we’ve had anywhere … we opted for the cinnamon sugar variety.

    An excellent visit to America’s Mountain … and our local fourteeener.

    [More photos from today at this link … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can….]

    [Photos from June 2015 … with snow on the ground … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/WeGoA-Rollin/Fulltim….]

    [Footprint from the December 2019 family visit to the summit … with even more snow on the ground … https://findpenguins.com/8pccjefaitoru/footprin….]    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Colorado State Capitol & Civic Park from the Martin Building @ the DAM.
    "Chantet Lane" by Andrew Dasburg ... DAM — Denver, CO."Tom Po Qui" by Robert Henri & necklace by a Navajo artist — The DAM, Denver."Houses in Victor" by Paul K. Smith ... DAM — Denver, CO."The End of the Trail" by James Earle Fraser ... DAM — Denver, CO.Bureau Mazarin ... one of the earliest French desk forms ... DAM — Denver, CO."The Game of Civetta" by Pietro Fabris ... DAM — Denver, CO."Three Young Girls" by unknown British artist ... DAM — Denver, CO.Late 1700s English man's court coat ... DAM — Denver, CO.Romanian coat & Indian head cover; Apache poncho & skirt; Diné dress & wearing blanket.From the "Thirst // Exposure // In Place" series by Fazal Sheikh ... DAM — Denver, CO.Guardian Lion ... served as a temple guardian to ward off evil ... Northern Thailand.Elaborately carved section of a palace façade (c 1835) ... from Pakistan's Swat Valley.Shiva Nataraja (Lord of Dance / c. 1200s) ... from Tamil Nadu, India ... DAM — Denver, CO.Shrine door from India (late 1600s) ... DAM — Denver, CO.Mandala by the monks of Seraje Monastery (foreground) and "The Three Precious Jewels" by K. PhuntsokBurmese Buddhist altar from Myanmar (late 1800s-early 1900s) ... DAM — Denver, CO.Shell necklace by unknown Bahía artist from Manabi Region of Ecuador ... DAM — Denver, CO."Death Cart" by José Inés Herrera ... DAM — Denver, CO.3Lunch at The Ponti with Sonia & Boris — DAM ... Denver, CO.

    Denver: DAM … Martin Building

    2024年8月5日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    And still we have more to see!

    When we visited the Denver Art Museum [DAM] in June, we only managed to wander through the Hamilton Building … one of the two premises of the museum … located in Denver’s Golden Triangle.

    Going back today, we figured we could go through the Martin Building from top to bottom and see everything we missed the first time around. Hah! We only got through floors seven through four … and that only because we gave a fairly cursory look-see around floors four and five.

    True, we arrived about 30 minutes after the museum opened at 10:00a … stopped to shop at the Middle Eastern supermarket on our way to the DAM.

    True, we took time to have lunch at The Ponti with our friends, Sonia & Boris … great to see them again since our last get together in June.

    True, we left well before the museum closed for the day … we wanted to get home before the forecasted rain storm totally muddled up the traffic.

    Even if we hadn’t done all that, however, I don’t think we’d have been able to get through all the exhibits before our feet gave out. There’s just so much to see at the museum.

    We’ll just have to plan a third trip back to the DAM. But it’s doubtful we’ll manage to squeeze it in before we head to Europe in September for our fall/winter trip. Oh well … something to look forward to in the new year!

    By the by … we did beat the storm. The impending rainstorm had already obscured the mountains and the foothills by the time we got to Colorado Springs. But the heavy winds and buckets of rain held off until we were nice and cozy at home.

    [I took some 200 photos today at the DAM. Difficult to select just 10% of them to share in this footprint. If you want to see more images from today, you’ll find my online gallery at this link … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can….]    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    A cool and misty August morning in Colorado Springs, CO.
    A cool and misty August morning in Colorado Springs, CO.

    Doesn’t Feel Like August

    2024年8月9日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    But we are not complaining.

    Only 57F at 6:45a … with a forecasted high of 69F today.

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  • Life in Colorado
    Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.

    A Good Time Had By All

    2024年8月16日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    Tonight we hosted the Sercels for dinner at our place.

    We met Pat & Jon on the 2022 world voyage … when we joined Oceania’s Insignia for its European crossing segment from Miami to Athens.

    We were supposed to have been on this voyage, setting off from Los Angeles when the ship began the 180-day adventure. But concerns over how the lingering effects of COVID-19 might impact the itinerary had caused us to move our booking to 2023.

    The original itinerary for 2022 was indeed turned on its head because not all of the ports were yet sure they wanted to accept cruise ships. When the revised itinerary called for a spring crossing to Europe instead, we decided to hop on Insignia when it reached Miami to get ourselves to Europe for an early family visit.

    We were having breakfast at the Terrace Café on the first day at sea. Mui was wearing a ball cap with “Colorado Springs” emblazoned across the front. On his way to his own table, Jon noticed the hat and approached to introduce himself to a couple of fellow-Springers. And the rest, as they say, is history.

    With that backstory, moving on to today.

    The weather cooperated with comfy temps, no wet stuff from the daily monsoonal rains, and a lessening of the wind that had made it impossible to place the tablecloth on the deck table earlier in the day. Appetizers and drinks al fresco … with the bonus of good conversation. Perfect. Mui’s hummus and the Brie on crackers were a success!

    We moved indoors to the dining room for dinner. On the menu tonight … piyaz (Turkish bean salad); zeytinyağlı enginar (stuffed artichokes cooked in olive oil); grilled lamb kabobs and shish köfte (meat pattie) … with a side of rice.

    As for dessert — continuing the kabob theme, Mui prepared fruit skewers. But of course, he couldn’t be satisfied with that alone, so he also served orange and chocolate possets … garnished with raspberries.

    If the conversation, laughter, and length of time we sat at the table is any indication, a good time was had by all tonight.

    Here’s to repeating the experience again … when we happen to all be in Colorado Springs and not traveling somewhere around the world 😄    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    A shimmering curtain of lights — Colorado Springs, CO.

    In the Aftermath …

    2024年8月18日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    We didn’t get much rain when the afternoon monsoonal front came through. At least not in our immediate vicinity.

    We did, however, get rewarded with a bit of color. Not a rainbow as we know it. More like a shimmering curtain of color.もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado
    Putting up the tree in August = the house will be ready for the holidays when we return in December.
    Mui got the exterior decorations up today — Colorado Springs, CO.2Holiday cheer at our home — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Ready for the Holidays

    2024年12月18日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 37 °F

    Knowing that we’d be returning from our fall/winter trip with just 9 days to spare before Christmas, Mui put up the tree and a few other decorations back in August.

    We have rules in our community, however, regarding exterior decorations and when you can start putting them up. August, of course, was way outside the allowed time frame.

    Today, Mui got our exterior decorations up. So, we are ready for the holidays now.    もっと詳しく

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  • Life in Colorado

    Happy Holidays

    2024年12月24日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
  • Life in Colorado
    Sunrise from our back deck — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Sunrise from our back deck — Colorado Springs, CO.Sunrise from our back deck — Colorado Springs, CO.Sunrise from our back deck — Colorado Springs, CO.Sunrise from our back deck — Colorado Springs, CO.

    What A Sunrise!

    2025年1月3日, アメリカ ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    We frequently enjoy colorful sunrises from our back deck. However, I don’t always take photos or post them on FindPenguins. But the gorgeous sunrise this morning begged to be remembered.

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  • Life in Colorado
    Cheers with sangria ... Mui's birthday dinner @ TAPAteria — Old Colorado City, CO.
    Mui's birthday dinner @ Tapateria — Old Colorado City, CO.Mui's birthday dinner @ TAPAteria — Old Colorado City, CO.

    Mui’s Birthday Dinner

    2025年1月15日, アメリカ ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

    Last year, we were cruising the Great Australian Bight on Oceania’s Regatta when we celebrated Mui’s birthday. Sasa, the Food and Beverage Manager, and a dear friend, joined us for dinner at the Polo Grill.

    The year before, we were in San Francisco on Oceania’s Insignia when we celebrated Mui’s birthday … picking up the world cruisers joining us for RTW2023. Dear friends Boris and Sonia joined us for dinner in the Grand Dining Room.

    This year we are home in Colorado. We went to TAPAteria, a favorite place in Old Colorado City, for a tapas dinner. We toasted Mui’s birthday with a glass of sangria as we nibbled on tasty tidbits. Dessert was a delicious Crema Catalana with a hint of cinnamon … compliments of the establishment.

    Here’s to many, many more happy and healthy returns … regardless of where we might be!    もっと詳しく

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