My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
Seeing, in the finest and broadest sense, means using your senses, your intellect, and your emotions. It means encountering your subject matter with your whole being. It means looking beyond the labels of things and discovering the remarkable world around you. – Freeman Patterson
I grew up in a town just south of me, called Loveland, Colorado. Since Friday I have been house/cat sitting for a friend of mine while she visits friends on the east coast, where it’s been warmer. The gig has been okay. The cat, Mittens, and I are getting along fine. The one exception was Easter morning when he decided to wake me at 4:11 am. I told him no we re not going to any Easter Sunrise service. He gave me that look and went back up stairs.
In downtown along main street is a large coffee shop called the Coffee Tree. If my memory serves me correctly this is where a barber shop once was and I began my working life with a shoe shine stand. Made my first million there. 🙂
Needles to say, I have been coming down here for morning mocha latte and loving the memories. I’ve found a comfy chair with my name on it. I like their music and it’s not loud. The kids are always smiling, greeting you as soon as you open the door. This past Saturday morning after coffee I ventured around on the streets with my camera, reflecting back to these streets I use to wander. I remember the Loveland Reporter Herald building where I would pick up my newspapers, roll them and then load them on my bicycle for delivery. I remember the dentist office, the Woolworths store, J. C. Pennys, Drapers Drug store, McCauley’s Jewelry, Hancock’s Photography, Brown’s Shoe Fit, the Home State and First National Banks, the Rialto Theater, the post office, Klitzke’s Bicycle Shop. As a young one I participated in the world famous Pet and Doll Parade down main street. Even though the weather was cold and cloudy, I enjoyed the mocha and the walk through town. Memories and a mocha!
I met this beautiful woman while on a walk around the Loveland Benson Sculpture Park. I started up a conversation with her but found her to be a little on the quiet side, possibly some shyness. I loved the way the wind blew through her hair and the intensity in her eyes. Don’t think she is my Sugar-mama but I’m always open to new relationships. Hope everyone has a wonderful Aprils Fools Day.
I have posted images taken from the park previously so some of the sculptures you’ve already seen. The park is located on the north side of Lake Loveland and showcases, at the present time, 131 sculptures. You can follow the walking path and meander through the sculptures. If you feel a bit tired you can relax on the many benches along the pathway There are a couple of ponds in the park where youngsters can try their luck at fishing, and a gazebo with enough room to seat 50 people.
Loveland has a sculpture park called Benson Park that has 130 pieces on display. Since it is a few blocks from my sisters house, I stopped by and walked among the sculptures one morning on my way to the coffee shop. I wanted to try and show the large quantity of sculptures but nothing seemed to capture that. So I settled on this bronze lady with her hat on and not much of anything else.
A couple of days after the above image I awoke to overcast skies and a light fog. Immediately my mind went to the sculpture park so I spent some time wandering around looking for more images.
I stopped by Lake Loveland with this image in mind. I am standing at a boat launching dock and looking west towards the Rocky Mountains. The taller of the two peaks in the distance are Longs Peak in the park. I was raised just to the south of this image about six blocks. When I was a young kid we would ride our bikes up to the lake and fish for crappie. It’s difficult to see but there are ice fishermen out on the lake.
One of my coworkers lives in the small New-England style Village of Granville, Ohio and suggested I visit the town sometime. Well today was the sometime. We had clear skies and cold temperatures so felt a drive over there was the order for the day. After having my car serviced I headed for Granville which is located about 15 miles from Columbus along Highway 161. The above image was taken on the main street of the older part of town. Just behind me is the intersection of Broadway and Main. Each corner of the intersection was a church. It reminded my of the fact this country was founded and settled with Christian roots.