A Final Word On The National Western Stock Show

The National Western Stock Show here in Denver is part-rodeo, part livestock show, part-fair, and features events such as wild west shows, Xtreme dog Shows, draft horse, mule and donkey shows, and even dancing horses. However, the best part for me is to just walk around and look at all the animals, such as the ones in the photograph on the left. Are they alpacas? I think so. We very seldom saw creatures like that running around the South Side of Chicago when I was growing up. The important thing is that they are willing to have their photograph taken, as are most of the animals at the National Western. I suspect they were instructed to do so for the sake of public relations. These guys were in the Itty Bitty Acres area on the first floor of the Hall of Education Building.

I know for a fact that the two animals in the photograph on the right are baby goats. I took their photograph in the Petting Farm, also located in the Itty Bitty Acres area. And in keeping with National Western Stock Show policy, they too were willing to pose for photographs. It was kind of funny when I was there the other day - half the animals were approaching visitors to see if they had food to feed them (sold right at the entrance to the compound) and the other half were just sitting around watching the action, like the two in the photo. No doubt having thousands of young children pet you for 16 days straight can get a little tiring.

I think but am not completely sure that the animal in the foreground of the photograph on the left is a Miniature Zebu, a breed of cattle originating from off the coast of Southern India and also native to Southeast Asia and Africa. Miniature Zebu cattle first appeared in the United States at the Chicago's World Fair of 1893, which was way before my time, but I probably did attend it in a different life. I took this photograph in an area of the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center devoted to this breed, but if it is not really a Miniature Zebu, my bad.

And of course, the photograph on the right is of a sheep and a goat hanging out together back in the Petting Farm. Since there is also a goat in the photo, it cannot technically be called a "sheep shot," but it is damned close. In any case, the stock show runs through this Sunday, and if you have not yet visited it, I strongly recommend you do, despite the cold and snow that is forecast for this weekend. That is called "stock show weather" around here. And if you do go, perhaps you can make a deal to adopt one of those cute goats or Miniature Zebus and take it home to your apartment or condo. However, I would suggest that you wait until after midnight to bring it inside. You know how picky those damn HOAs can be.

A Return Visit To The National Western Stock Show

My friend Mark, sister Susan, and I paid the National Western Stock Show a second visit yesterday afternoon to see some of the things we missed the first time around. When we visited last week, a lot of the participants and their animals had not yet arrived, especially the cattle, and the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center was virtually empty. However, yesterday, the place was filled with people and their animals, and a judging event was taking place at the CoBank Livestock Arena, as seen in the photograph on the left.

Meanwhile, back in the livestock hall (aka the cattle barn), everyone was busy getting their steers ready the show - washing them, vacuuming them, giving them a trim, and God knows what else, as seen in the photograph on the right. As far as I can tell, it takes four people to get a single animal ready to exhibit. Hopefully they don't have to go through all that back on the ranch with their hundreds of heads of cattle. Now THAT could take some time. 

Meanwhile, back on the ground floor of the Hall of Education building, people were working to get their horses ready for competition, too, as seen in the photograph on the left. I am not sure what they have to do to get those horses ready, but it also seems to take three or four people to do it, too. And I must say, they do work hard to keep the floors clean at the National Western, but you still have to watch where you walk to avoid stepping in cow or horse manure. I guess it might be too hard to put diapers on those animals when are inside the building, but perhaps they should try. Just a suggestion.

What I find pretty amazing is walking through the cattle barn and seeing people leading those huge animals down the aisles on a leash, such as in the photograph on the right. I guess if you work with these animals every day, you don't think twice about it. When we first arrived at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center, there was a long line of cattle being led to the shower areas, where the participants would wash their animals. Besides that, I assume many of those people were leading their animals to the arena where the judging events take place. Also, I suppose they could also just be taking them for a walk, just to give them a little exercise, much like you might do with your dachshund or poodle. Although taking a championship steer for a walk around the neighborhood would certainly draw a bit more attention.

Pray For Snow...

While much of the country is buried under snow, Colorado's snowpack is hitting record lows, and the near-term outlook is not good. I took the photograph on the left last week of the free trolly in Breckenridge, Colorado, which simply says "Pray for Snow" on its destination sign. In addition to ski resorts seeing fewer skiers, affecting all kinds of businesses who depend on those winter visitors for their livelihood, everyone in the state is also worried about the water supply, which relies on the snowpack, and about possible drought conditions and the danger of wildfires this coming spring and summer. 

Breckenridge has indeed received some snow, but not nearly enough. The local weather forecasters are all excited about snow this coming Friday and Saturday, with a trace to an inch in Denver, and perhaps 3 to 6 inches in the mountains, which will help, but probably not that much. Everyone is still clinging to the fact that March and April are the biggest snow months here in Colorado, and it is possible the snowpack might finish the season close to normal. That said, Breckenridge is still a great place to hang out, with or without snow, and so I encourage people to visit this charming mountain town and enjoy all it has to offer.

Watching Live Sports From Across The Globe With Mark

I watched Leeds United play Fulham in a Premier League soccer match this past Saturday morning with my friend Mark, seen in the photograph above wearing his Leeds jersey and magically transported to Elland Road Stadium in Leeds thanks to the wonders of Photoshop. I didn't get to Mark's house until the 75-minute mark of the game, but was in time to see Leeds score a goal and beat Fulham 1-0. We then watched the end of the Tottenham soccer match, seeing Tottenham fall to West Ham 2-1. Tottenham is bad this year, but West Ham is worse, currently in the relegation zone, but still able to beat the Hotspurs. Next, we watched Lens beat Auxerre 1-0 in a Ligue 1 soccer match. Ligue 1, by the way, is the top tier of French soccer. And then we watched the end of a cricket match in South Africa between the Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals, which Pretoria handily won. Later in the day, here in Denver, the Denver Broncos beat the Buffalo Bills 33-30 to advance to the AFC championship game, although the celebration in Colorado was tempered by the fact that the Bronco's quarterback, Bo Nix, broke his ankle in the final moments of the game. All of this to say that there is a hell of a lot of live sports that can be watched on television these days from all over the world. And evidently there is a big demand for it. The question is whether or not this demand is fueled by sports betting, which now seems to be very popular across the globe. I myself don't see the attraction, since any baseball team I ever root for always seems to lose, and betting money on them would just add to the pain. And I mean you, Chicago White Sox!

Celebrating Our Birthdays With Camille Pissarro!

Today is my 73rd birthday, and yesterday was my sister Susan's birthday (age withheld by request), and so we decided to celebrate these two earthshaking events by taking in The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro's Impressionism, "the first major U.S. retrospective of Camille Pissarro, "known as the first Impressionist," in 40 years," and currently on display at the Denver Art Museum (The DAM). And yes, that is indeed me posing with Camille in the photograph on the left. Both Susan and I really enjoyed this art exhibit, which features 100 works from 50 museums and private collections from around the world. I was surprised to learn that Pissarro was born in the Danish West Indies to French Jewish parents, moving to Paris in 1855 and becoming not only the "dean of the Impressionist painters," but also a "father figure" not only to the Impressionists but also to the four major Post-Impressionists - Cezanne, Seurat, Gauguin, and van Gogh. 

The DAM did an excellent job in presenting this exhibit, but when we first went into the gallery, it was extremely crowded. And I think this was because each visitor was given an audio guide as they entered, resulting in everyone viewing and listening to a narration about the same painting as everyone else as they went through the gallery. Talk about a major traffic jam. Susan and I did not use the audio guides and so were able to maneuver back and forth among the art works instead of bunched together with the 200 others moving in a tight group from one painting to the other. As we progressed further into the exhibit, things seemed to open up, as seen in the photograph on the right. No doubt after a while many people just decided to say the hell with it, forget the audio guide, and simply looked at the art. This exhibit will be at the DAM through February 8th, and I highly recommend seeing it. I would also highly recommend seeing it on a weekday, unless you love big crowds. Although who doesn't?

My Sister Susan's Birthday!

Today is my sister Susan's birthday. She has now reached the point where she can't believe she is as old as she is, an age which I will not reveal in this blog post, except to say that I myself am much younger. Much younger. Years ago, Susan, her late husband George, and I would go to Santa Fe, New Mexico each year for Thanksgiving. Susan and George would spend the week down there, while I would drive down from Denver on Thanksgiving Day and join them for a turkey dinner at La Casa Sena, which was located in an historic building in a courtyard right across the street from St. Francis Cathedral. The following day we would walk around that historic city, and wind up on a hillside overlooking the area, which is where I took the photograph above of Susan feeling that Santa Fe vibe. And that night, we would walk around Santa Fe Plaza, where luminaries would be set up along all the walkways - a really wonderful experience. In any case, Happy Birthday Susan! And yes! You are indeed that old!

A Big Day For The Denver Broncos

Today the Denver Broncos are hosting their first home playoff game since 2016, the year the Broncos won the Super Bowl. After that win, quarterback Peyton Manning retired, and the Broncos did not return to the playoffs until last year as a wildcard team, losing to the Buffalo Bills by a score of 31-7. And this year, as the AFC's No. 1 seed, they will be playing - get ready for it - the Buffalo Bills. The local news has been all over this story, and everyone in the state seems to be on pins and needles, waiting for the game. People here are obsessed about the Broncos. They talk about them all year long, rehashing the season, discussing possible draft picks, following the training camps, you name it. Even during the middle of baseball season, the Broncos are usually the main story on the local television sports broadcasts. Of course, now the whole town is in the grip of Super Bowl fever. And as you can see in the photograph on the left, Denver's Larimer Square is well into the spirit of things, with Broncos jersey banners for every player hanging over the street and other banners urging the team to "climb higher."

And as the sun begins to set over Empower Field at Mile High this afternoon, will fans here in Denver be celebrating, or will there be "no joy in Mudville"? The Broncos and second year quarterback Bo Nix finished 1st in the AFC West, but I read somewhere that most of the teams they faced this year had key players missing. And Josh Allen, the Bills quarterback, is one of the best in the NFL. I am a baseball fan, and do not follow football all that much, except when the Broncos actually make it to the Super Bowl and everyone in the state is required to watch the game. And so I have no idea if they will win or not. But I do hope they win, because the entire state will go into a major depression if they don't. Which will last until the start of next season. And it is so unnerving to walk into a bar and see everyone, even the bartenders, sobbing uncontrollably, for weeks if not months on end. Go Broncos, for God's sake!

The National Western Stock Show Part II. A Family Affair

Each time I attend the National Western Stock Show here in Denver, I notice that many if not most of the visitors are families. This is especially evident at the Petting Farm, where entire generations seem to be represented, such as in the photograph on the left. And not only are the visitors mainly families, but the participants seem to be mostly families, too. When you go to the Junior Barn, where the youth exhibitors prepare their animals for the various competitions, you always see their families sitting together nearby, offering support. And in the cattle barns, you see whole families sitting in a circle, talking, eating, and just enjoying each other's company, while several poor souls - no doubt as some sort of punishment - are busy vacuuming the cattle. It really makes for great people-watching, seeing two very different ways of life coming together like this.

The Petting Farm is a big draw for the kids, but adults really seem to enjoy it too, such as the women in the photograph on the right. And is that a Sicilian Donkey that they are feeding? Sad to say, but coming from the South Side of Chicago, I am not much of an animal expert. I don't think my late brother-in-law George was much of an animal expert, either, considering that my sister Susan once heard him refer to boy cows and girl cows. And this from someone who spent summers on a farm in Honduras when he was young. I assume he was joking, but you never know.

The little boy in the photograph on the left has a brush in his hand and seems to be deciding whether to start brushing a sleeping pig. Being so young, he probably has never heard the famous old expression "Let sleeping pigs lie." However, after taking that photograph, I moved on to a different part of the compound, and so don't know what happened. But the entire time I was there, I did not hear any screaming, or for that matter any squealing, and so I assume it all worked out.

All in all, it was a relatively good day at the National Western Stock Show. And since it was a free day, I really shouldn't complain, but when I went to the Sue Anschutz-Rogers Livestock Center, the place was almost completely empty. Which makes sense, of course. This show lasts for 16 days, from January 10th through the 25th, and since most of the participants are from family farms and ranches, they probably only show up when their particular event is taking place, instead of staying in Denver the entire length of the show. But no matter. There are still many days left to attend the show again, even if it means paying actual money to attend. And by the way, I am assuming the animals in the front and the one standing in the back in the photo on the right are all some form of goat. Perhaps next year they should have labels attached to them letting us know for sure. Someone definitely needs to drop a note into the suggestion box.

The 2026 National Western Stock Show

The 120th annual National Western Stock Show began this past Saturday here in Denver and will continue through Sunday, January 25th. It is described as part-rodeo, part-livestock show, and part-fair, and is a real big deal, drawing thousands of visitors. The best part of the show by far is seeing all the livestock. A number of years ago I attended one of the rodeos at this event and stuck it out until the bitter end, but would never willingly do so again. As Ed, my friend and former boss at the University of Denver Bookstore once said about rodeos, "once is interesting, twice is a mistake." However, the year before last, my sister Susan insisted on attending a rodeo, too, no doubt influenced by reading all those Joe Pickett novels by Wyoming author C.J. Box, who is a rodeo enthusiast. She managed to stay for 15 minutes before insisting we leave and head over to see the livestock. In any case, Susan and I, along with our friends Mark and "the other Susan" from our building's 10th floor, decided to attend the stock show this past Tuesday, which was a free day and my favorite price point, as regular blog readers know. We started out at the Junior Barn in the basement of the Hall of Education Building, where I took the photograph on the left. And yes, virtually all the goats down there were wearing masks. Are they Covid masks, or simply masks to keep those goats from biting stock show visitors? I have no idea.

I took the photograph on the right of Izzy the steer at the brand-new Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center. In previous years, almost all the animals were housed in the basement of the Hall of Education Building, right next to the Junior Barn, while the petting farm was on the 3rd floor of the same building. Which was very handy if looking at the livestock was the main reason you were there. Now, you have to walk to the other side of the grounds to see the cattle, and there is even a new building to house the horses. Which makes it a bit of a challenge to see all the animals you want if you have a limited amount of time. I think they call that progress.

The positive part of moving most of the animals to different buildings is that the petting farm was moved to the basement and doubled in size from its previous location on the third floor. Each year I would attempt to take photographs in that limited space, but there were always so many kids, animals, parents, pooper scooper-uppers and staff in that small area that it was always a challenge. This year there was actually a lot of space to move around, and I was able to converse with the various animals and get them to pose, such as the sheep in the photograph on the left. Of course, it is not hard to get those animals to pose for you because they all think you have food for them, which is sold in front of the entrance to the compound. Granted, I never have any food for them, but they don't realize this until after I take the photo. Sorry about that, guys, but didn't the photos turn out well?

I took the photo on the right of that sheep in the petting farm, too. And from the expression on its face, I suspect it must have a really dry sense of humor. Not everyone doing people watching is actually a person, after all. I think this guy is perfectly okay getting petted - and more importantly, fed - by thousands of kids for a 16-day period and having all kinds of different people admire you. Beats sitting in some cold damn barn 24/7 in the middle of winter doing nothing but watching Animal Planet on the cable channel, right? All in all, a very fun day at the National Western Stock Show. I am even considering going again and paying actual money to get in. And so you know it must be worth going to.

Pitchers And Catchers Report In Exactly Four Weeks!

Four weeks from today pitchers and catchers will report to baseball camps in Florida and Arizona, and the first spring training games will begin on February 20th. Hope springs eternal for baseball fans during the spring, and so even though my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, lost 102 games last season, the team is loaded with promising rookies and could finally turn things around this year. I am not talking playoffs, but perhaps this year, finally, they might play .500 baseball. Which means if you watch one of their games, they might actually win. What a refreshing change that would be. As for that North Side club, the Chicago Cubs, they finished 2nd last year in the National League Central and made the playoffs, winning the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres before losing the Division Series to the Milwaukee Brewers. Could they go further into the playoffs this year before blowing it? Which they will, of course, since they are, after all, the Cubs. And of course, my adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, who lost 119 games last year (a full two games less than the worst record in the history of baseball, a record currently held by my White Sox), have had a complete change in management and are now being run by people who actually know something about baseball. They will probably lose over 100 games again this year, but at least fans know that they are finally on the road to respectability. Look for a .500 season from them as early as 2030. In the meantime, enjoy the view from the upper deck of Coors Field. And yes, I am once again featuring the photograph above of spring training back in 1996 at Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach, Florida, where the Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves used to train and where I attended a number of spring training games. That was, I have to add, a time when you didn't have to shell out $60 to see a game played mostly by rookies who will never make it to the majors. But enough complaining - it will be good to have baseball back.

A Very Impressive Sunset Here In The Mile High City. But As For The Photographs Of It...

It was a very beautiful sunset here in Denver last night, as seen in the photograph above that I took from the balcony of my condo overlooking the University of Denver. The television weather forecasters were all gushing about it and showing the many photographs sent in by viewers. I myself never submit photographs to the news stations. I remember years ago reading an article by someone commenting on how daily newspapers and local television newscasts were laying off many of their photographers and videographers to cut costs, often depending on freelancers or viewer submissions instead. And the author of this article was outraged when he heard one local news anchor complaining about viewers submitting photos with cliche scenes of patio tables covered in snow after a blizzard, instead of something more original. In other words, complaining about the quality of work they were getting for free that was often previously done by paid employees. In the business world, this is called doing more with less. But as usual, I digress. It was indeed a pretty sunset, and happily, it was not the result of wildfire smoke in the atmosphere, which is how Denver usually gets it most beautiful sunsets. 

A Book Signing Event For The Witch Of White Bay Cove

And no - it wasn't the witch herself signing those books, but Carla Howell, the author of a new romance and fantasy novel, The Witch of White Bay Cove, the first book in a trilogy that Howell describes as a fun, escapist read set in Scotland.  The story features an American witch living in Ardentinny, Scotland, who lives a quiet life running a coffee shop. When she meets and falls in love with Steaphan Wallace, a land developer, it unleashes dark forces that threaten their relationship. My friend Stuart did the editing work for the book and arranged for the signing event yesterday at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Lakewood, Colorado. My sister Susan and I attended, and Susan was immediately sold on the book when she found out it involved a witch. While we were there, a number of people came up to talk to Howell and have a copy autographed. I took the photograph above of Carla after telling her how my blog, with its millions of followers, will promote her book beyond her wildest dreams, although I am not quite sure she believed me. In any case, this novel is reasonably priced and available at the Barnes & Noble in Lakewood or on Amazon. Good luck with the book, Carla!

The January Issue Of Chicago Magazine

I just finished reading the January issue of Chicago Magazine, and unlike some past issues, which involve stories about people and events from the city's past, many that I remember, this issue features articles on people dealing with problems the city is facing today. One of those articles is about Doug Schenkelberg, the executive director of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness, and his perspective on the issue of tent encampments in Chicago's parks and along its roadways. Chicago regularly removes these camps, but Schenkelberg feels that doing this makes life even harder for these people, and also, that having the community see these tent cities makes them realize the seriousness of the problem, persuading them of the need to get involved in solving it. There is also an article about Shlomo Tenenbaum, the former longtime rabbi at the Ark, a Jewish social service agency in West Rogers Park, who has conducted more than 3,000 funerals for destitute Jews, making sure they receive a proper burial. Finally, there is an article about Larry Snelling, the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, who grew up in the Southside Englewood neighborhood, one of the most crime-ridden neighborhoods in Chicago, and where Snelling stated his career as a police officer. He was appointed by "ultraprogressive" Mayor Brandon Johnson as superintendent in 2023. Given Johnson's skepticism of traditional policing methods, many predicted disaster for the department, but many now say appointing Snelling was the one thing he got right. Snelling is an "old school" cop, has won praise from all sides of the political spectrum, and has been especially praised for his efforts to have the police work with the communities they serve. Most importantly, crime is going down in Chicago. Finally, there is a feature story about "Our 25 Favorite Things to Eat Right Now," which as usual, has a few dishes on offer at Chicago restaurants that I might like to try, but many more that I would pay not to have to eat. Suprise.

A Winter Wonderland, At Least For A Day

Denver and the Front Range of Colorado finally received some snow yesterday after a month of sunny skies and temperatures mostly in the 60s and 70s, making for a winter wonderland across the area, especially in Golden, where I took the photograph above of the Clear Creek Trail, with the Golden History Park and Table Mesa in the background. The Golden History Park, by the way, features cabins and a one-room schoolhouse from the 1800s, and on a day like this it makes you realize how hard life must have been back then for those early pioneers, especially during the winter months. In any case, the weather forecasters predict temperatures will return to the 50s all next week, and so it will be a very brief taste of winter. Everyone is hoping that March and April, which are traditionally the snowiest months of the year, will bring the snowpack back close to average. The only thing we can do now is just enjoy the snow while it is still here.

The National Western Stock Show Parade

The National Western Stock Show Parade took place here in Denver yesterday afternoon, featuring horses, floats, and bands, in addition to the main attraction: several dozen longhorns leading the way down 17th Street in downtown Denver. All to celebrate the start of the National Western Stock Show, which runs from January 10th thru January 25th and is a major event here in Denver.  I have this parade circled on my calendar each year, hoping to take a head-on photograph of those longhorns marching down 17th Street with Denver's Union Station in the background. And failing each time. Last year I was in position to take that photo and it turned out that the cattle were not in the parade because they could not be transported to Denver due to a snowstorm. And this year, I had to wait for the plumber to fix several issues in the kitchen and did not have enough time afterwards to head downtown. Of course, even if I had, the shot I wanted to take would have required me to walk into the middle of 17th Street as those cattle approached, which probably would have gotten me arrested. And so instead, I am featuring a photograph of that parade that I took back in 2020, right before the start of the pandemic. It is not the head-on shot I wanted, but it is better than nothing. And definitely better than being arrested.

Talking Baseball With Stuart At The Old Chicago In Lakewood, Colorado

I had a late lunch yesterday afternoon with my friend Stuart at the Old Chicago in Lakewood, Colorado. Lakewood's main street is Colfax Avenue, an ugly stretch filled with old motels, pawn shops, fast food outlets, and other such attractions, although on the plus side, you can't see any of that from the bar area at Old Chicago, where I took the photograph above of Stuart. Baseball season is long over, but spring training begins in less than five weeks, and so we did talk a little bit about our teams' prospects this coming season. Stuart, who is originally from the North Side of Chicago and a Cubs fan, believes the Cubs will once again make the playoffs and then quickly be eliminated, since they are, after all, the Cubs. Coming from the South Side of Chicago, I am, of course, a White Sox fan, and am sure they will be back in contention after completing the rebuilding program that started last season, although God knows how long that will take. The best news for the team is that the Pope is a White Sox fan. That can only help. As for our adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, the big news is that they have hired Paul DePodesta, the sabermetrics guy featured in the film Moneyball, as President of Baseball Operations, and he in turn has hired General Manager Josh Byrnes and many other staffers who actually know something about baseball. This as opposed to the Rockies' previous philosophy of hiring only relatives and pals, which resulted in the Rockies becoming one of the worst teams in the history of baseball last year. DePodesta and his team definitely have their work cut out for them. The big question is whether team owner Dick Monfort will let them do what needs to be done. All bets are off on that one.

The January Mutts Of The Month

I took the photograph above of the January Mutts of the Month at the Delray Beach Art Festival, before heading back to Denver from Florida. And I must say, lately I have been seeing a lot more dogs in baby carriages like the two in the photo, both in Florida and here in Colorado.  I can understand using them if the dog has some physical malady, but otherwise think they should just be put on a leash and walked or left at home. But this is nothing compared with the guy in Denver who would go biking through the parks with a small dog in a basket attached to the handlebars, while pulling a flatbed bicycle trailer with two large dogs sitting on it, as well as a stereo system blasting loud obnoxious music that could be heard in outer space. That fellow disappeared after a few years, and I suspect foul play. But in any case, until the people pushing those baby carts with dogs in them start blasting music like that Denver guy, I won't complain.

Epiphany!

Today is Epiphany, the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the day the Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem, bringing gifts to the Christ Child. It is also the anniversary of the day back in 2021 when Donald Trump tried to overturn the results of the presidential election, which seems to fit right in, since many MAGA Christians believe Trump represents the Second Coming, no doubt due to Trump's Christlike behavior. But I digress. Epiphany Eve, also known as Twelfth Night, is the day some Christians believe they should remove their Christmas decorations. Here in Denver, the proper day to remove Christmas decorations is the day after the National Western Stock Show ends, which this year is January 25th. It is also believed by some Christians that if you do not remove your Christmas decorations on Epiphany Eve, you should wait and take them down on Candlemas (aka The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ), which takes place on February 2nd, the 40th day of and conclusion of the Christmas-Epiphany season. And all of you out there no doubt thought you could simply take those decorations down while watching the football games on New Year's Day. Now you know better. And yes, that is indeed me in the photograph above at my most charming best, no doubt pondering the proper day to take down that Christmas tree in the living room of our home in the South Side Brainerd neighborhood of Chicago, back in the day. 

The Worst Snowpack On Record Through December - Is There Any Hope?

Colorado's snowpack is at a record low so far this year, and the ski resorts are getting pretty worried. And since Denver and the rest of Colorado get most of their water supply from snowpack runoff in the spring, they are not alone. My sister Susan and I drove up to Breckenridge, seen in the photograph above, this past Friday afternoon, and I am happy to report that it was indeed snowing up there, although not all that much. On the bright side, several snowstorms are forecast to hit the Colorado mountains this week. Plus, I read on the CBS Colorado website that historically, Colorado receives only 20% of its snowpack between October and the end of December, and that February, March, and April are the snowiest months. And so, there is still a chance for things to turn around. Also, I have to mention that Breckenridge was packed with people Friday afternoon, and there was a huge line of cars heading into town as we were leaving. Which means business is still good up there, despite the lack of snow, and a lot of those business owners must be crying all the way to the bank. Just sayin'. 

Elk And Deer, Not To Mention Mountain Lions, Are On The Move

This is the time of year when elk and deer, not to mention mountain lions in pursuit of them, head from the mountains down to lower elevations along Colorado's Front Range in search of more easily obtainable food and water. Just this past week, I saw a large herd of deer all huddled together on a hill in Golden, no doubt trying to figure out how to cross from the eastern side of a very busy US 6 to the open space across the road below Lookout Mountain. There was a Golden Police car parked on the side of the road that I suspect was waiting for reinforcements to help move those deer along. The very next day, I spotted a group of deer grazing just past the entrance to Roxborough Park, located to the southwest of Denver. And just an hour or so after that, I was exploring the town of Louviers, located not too far from Roxborough Village, where I took the photograph above of a herd of deer hanging out in the local park. Happily, these deer, unlike the others, were willing to look at the camera and pose for a portrait. Meanwhile, east of Estes Park near a town called Glen Haven, there have been a number of scary interactions with mountain lions. One woman's dog was grabbed by the neck and killed, a couple in the same area described an encounter with a hostile juvenile mountain lion, and an elderly woman was actually killed on a hiking trail by one of those cats. I myself intend to stick to photographing deer and elk and avoiding areas where those aggressive mountain lions have been spotted. Sometimes the cost of getting a good photo can be way too high.

The 2026 CTA Historical Calendar Is Here!

At last! The 2026 CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) Historical Calendar appeared just like clockwork on the CTA's website New Year's Day and is now available to be downloaded onto your computer. And I must say, I am pretty impressed with this year's edition. Nine of the calendar's twelve photographs are from the 1950s or earlier, which I feel makes it more interesting and historic, versus just four in last year's calendar. And one of the photos from the 1990s shows a bus in front of long gone Comiskey Park, where I frequently went to watch my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, win a ballgame once in a great while. And by the way, the cover photograph on the left was taken of thirteen CTA buses caught in traffic on State Street, looking north from State and Monroe, and taken some time between the early 1960s and late 1970s, back when I was spending a lot of time walking and biking around the city. Be sure to download a copy of the 2026 edition of the CTA Historical Calendar at https://www.transitchicago.com/historicalcalendar/. You'll thank me for it.

A New Year's Day Trip To Roxborough State Park

I decided to take a drive to Roxborough State Park, located against the foothills southwest of Denver, yesterday afternoon. It was a rather mild 60 degrees, but pretty overcast with a threat of rain. Nevertheless, the parking lot at the start of the main hiking trail was filled with cars, and I could see hikers heading up and down that trail. This park is famous for its red rock formations, as seen in the photograph above, which are very similar to the ones at Red Rocks Park near Morrison and the Garden of the Gods down in Colorado Springs. It is indeed a very scenic area, but what surprises me most is that just to the north of the park is a major subdivision called Roxborough Village. When I worked at the University of Denver Bookstore, we had an employee who had a house there and made the commute every day (about 27 miles and a 45-minute drive each way). And although a pretty location, this subdivision is in the middle of nowhere. I can only imagine what it must be like to drive there during a snowstorm. I know many people enjoy that kind of lifestyle, but as far as I am concerned, you can only hike the trails in Roxborough State Park so many times before it starts to get a little old. I myself prefer to live much closer to civilization and only take that 27-mile trek once in a while.

Happy New Year!

Today is New Year's Day, the first day of 2026, a year that no doubt will mark the beginning of a return to sanity in politics and the start of a bipartisan effort to make the lives of every American better. I am joking, of course. The atmosphere in Washington will no doubt continue to be toxic and the country run by and in the interests of billionaires for the foreseeable future. But on New Year's Day we can at least pretend things will get better. It's tradition, after all. And to celebrate New Year's Eve, my sister Susan and I had dinner at the Wynkoop Brewing Company in Lower Downtown Denver (LoDo). We arrived around 5:30 PM., and things were pretty laid back at the Wynkoop, as seen in the photograph on the left. The two fireworks shows on the nearby 16th Street Mall were going to take place at 9:00 P.M. and midnight, and I wanted to be far away from LoDo and the downtown area by then.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I have attended several of those fireworks shows in the past, taking the light rail train downtown to avoid parking issues. Each time, the crowds were so large you could hardly move, and I was not able to get to a place where I could actually see the fireworks, let alone take photographs of them in the 5 minutes or so they lasted. Afterwards, I had to make my way back to the light rail station at the Colorado Convention Center, the only one open, since all the downtown stops were closed, along with everyone else who attended those fireworks shows and had come by light rail. Where we all lined up for our respective trains, which of course filled up quickly, necessitating waiting for the next train, or the one after that. Enough of that nonsense. And so Susan - seen in the photograph on the right - and I made our escape by 7:30, a full hour and a half before that particular chaos began.

The nice thing about the Wynkoop, besides its good food and excellent beer, is its location in LoDo, just two blocks from Coors Field and right across the street from Union Station, seen all decked out for Christmas in the photograph on the left. The Wynkoop was opened by John Hickenlooper (who went on to become Mayor of Denver, Governor of Colorado, and currently Senator from Colorado) and three partners in October of 1988, when Lower Downtown was considered Skid Row. And that brewpub played a large part in revitalizing the area. Coors Field opened in 1995, and in 2014 Union Station was redeveloped into not only a transportation hub, but an upscale gathering spot with a 112-room hotel, restaurants, and shops, cementing LoDo's reputation as the center of Denver's nightlife. Which is a good thing for the city. Happy New Year Everyone!