The National Western Stock Show Parade - Canceled Once Again!

The National Western Stock Show Parade, which usually takes place on 17th Street in downtown Denver, and is the prelude to the National Western Stock Show's 16 day run at the Denver Coliseum, was canceled this year due to weather concerns. Last year's parade was also canceled, due to Covid-19. It is probably all for the best. I had decided that to get a really great parade photograph - like the ones you see in the Denver Post - I would need to stand in the middle of the street in front of the steers, with Union Station in the background. To do that, I would have had to wear my fake Chicago Daily News (out of business since 1978) press credentials, and most likely would have been either unceremoniously ejected from the area or arrested. The stock show itself will go on as planned, and I still intend to get a photograph of the grand champion steer at the Brown Place Hotel in a few weeks, where it is traditionally invited for high tea each year. Of course, that steer is destined for the slaughterhouse, and high tea is obviously not nearly enough compensation to make it worthwhile. And so for God's sake, make a break for it, guy! And by the way, I took the photograph above back in 2020 from the sidelines. Good enough, but not great.

Epiphany!

This is Epiphany, the day the three kings are said to have arrived in Bethlehem and presented their gifts to the Christ Child. After today, you have no more excuses for leaving the Christmas tree up, and can be reported to mental health professionals if someone sees it is still up after a few more months. Just a heads up, as I am wont to do. Today is also the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection. Donald Trump was planning to hold a press conference, and no doubt make some off the cuff remarks, but canceled it at the last minute. Which I, for one, am disappointed to hear. I will miss his message of optimism and good cheer to all, which, of course, is in the true spirit of Epiphany.

Blackberry Gets Groomed

My sister Susan and her dog Blackberry stayed with me at my condo here in Denver over the holidays, and I am pleased to report that she had Blackberry - seen in the photograph above - bathed and groomed for the holidays. I am not sure how Marie, the dog groomer up in Fort Collins, is able to get Blackberry to stand still for this miracle, but somehow she does. I suspect she uses knockout drops. In any case, whenever I take Blackberry out for a walk these days, she has been trying hard to get back all those smells she lost by rolling around in such things as goose poop, and the remains of a squirrel - the Chanel Number 5 of the canine world.

The 2022 CTA Historical Calendar Is Here!

Right on time, the 2022 CTA Historical Calendar appeared on the Chicago Transit Authority website on New Year's Day, providing another year of fun and historic photographs of Chicago neighborhoods and the streetcars, busses, "L" trains, and other kinds of public transportation used in bygone eras. I just love this calendar - you can download it to your desktop, or print it out each month and put it on your wall. I was hoping to see some photographs of the South Side Brainerd and Beverly neighborhoods - my old stomping grounds - but once again, there were none. Oh well, maybe next year. Be sure to check out the CTA website at https://www.transitchicago.com/historicalcalendar/ to download your copy.

Winter Arrives At Last

Like a lot of places around the country, the weather has remained very mild here in Denver - at least until New Year's Eve, when temperatures plummeted and the snow began to fall. That was, of course, the night of the fireworks displays on the 16th Street Mall - one at nine and one at midnight - which I am sure were just lovely, what with the temperature hovering around zero and the snow blowing around. I did catch the fireworks live on television that night, but was not impressed. I guess you just had to be there. Thank God I wasn't. The photograph above, by the way, is the view from my condo, across the street from the University of Denver, on Saturday morning, when it was a brisk 6 degrees outside. Hard to believe there were actually people getting ready at that very moment for the "polar bear plunge" in Evergreen, in the foothills just to the west of Denver. I suspect they all must be transplants from California. But it does sound invigorating. Perhaps next year.

New Year's Weekend Continues!

New Year's Day was on a Saturday this year, and so the celebration will no doubt continue today. My sister Susan, soon to turn 80 years old next month, advises people still reveling to be sure to "mind their Ps and Qs." She tells me that expression goes back to 17th century barkeeps, who, as part of their job, were supposed to keep a close eye on their patrons. The barkeep would tell everyone to "mind their Ps and Qs," which referred to pints (Ps) and quarts (Qs). Good advise no matter the century. And speaking of centuries, I took the above photograph of Susan sometime back in the late 20th century, when we were visiting our mother Mary at her condo down in Stuart, Florida. I assume Susan borrowed that hat from my mother. As for the bear, I suspect she swiped it from some young kid living in the neighborhood. Hopefully, she returned it.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! Let's hope 2022 is a much better year than 2021. And to celebrate, I am featuring a photograph of my mother Mary and father Nelson, taken in the family room of our house in Country Club Hills, a suburb south of Chicago, back in 1968. I never did like Country Club Hills very much, and living there for 10 years is the main reason I developed such a hatred of most, but not all, suburbs. On the other hand, almost the whole extended family lived close to each other back then, and we all got together frequently. It was only later in life that I realized what a great thing that was. In any case, I hope you all have a great 2022, and spend as much time with your family and friends as possible.