Showing posts with label . Mosaic Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label . Mosaic Monday. Show all posts

Sunday, June 28, 2026

The United States of America's Semiquincecentennial!


It's almost July, and July 4th, 2026, the USA will be celebrating its Semiquincentennial--the 250th anniversary of becoming a nation!



I looked at my digital photos from over the years to pick out a few that symbolize patriotism and celebration in our country.
 

This August 2026 will also be the Sesquicentennial--150th anniversary--of Colorado becoming a state!

Read President Ulysses S. Grant’s statehood proclamation admitting Colorado to the Union on that date in 1876.


Did you know that the first official battle for independence of the United States of America, after the Declaration of Independence was read on July 4, 1776, was fought on August 27, 1776, in what is now called "The Battle of Brooklyn"?
General George Washington's Continental Army fought against tens of thousands of British and mercenary Hessian soldiers in what is now the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York.

Many years ago, I wrote a three-part post about this monumental battle that almost ended our independence, showing the area of Brooklyn, NY, where it took place.

The links to those posts are here:




How about making a Mixed Berry Pie for the 4th of July?  I made this one for a family celebration a few years ago, and have a recipe for a similar--Berry Cherry Almond Tart on this link.




Happy Fourth of July to America!


  Happy July to all!


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Sunday, June 14, 2026

Twin Deer Fawns Were Born in My Yard Last Week!



The adorable twin mule deer fawns seen in this photo in my backyard were born last week on June 8th, 2026!


Google made this collage a bit out of sequence order...

My husband and I had gone out for breakfast to celebrate our June birthdays, and when we arrived home, we looked out the window to see if there were any deer in our yard, as we wanted to do some gardening. We saw a Mule Deer doe lying in the shade under a pine tree in our side yard. It was a hot day with temperatures reaching 90 degrees. When we saw two hoves, we realized she was in labor and about to give birth!
 
The gestation period for a Mule Deer's pregnancy is around 200 days, and many in our neighborhood were also seeing fawns being born. This was the second time we witnessed fawns being born in our backyard in the thirteen years we have lived here--see the first time in this blog post. 



Female deer that are giving birth for the first time, often called yearlings, typically have only a single fawn. Mature does, however, frequently produce twins. I could see this deer was still in labor with the second twin when a curious buck showed up in our yard! If you look closely, you can see that his new antlers were beginning to grow in.


A doe licks the newborn fawn and eats every part of the products of birth to remove their scent and protect the fawn from predators. The buck came close to see what she was doing, and she had to get up and chase him away three times before he left for good!


It was nice to watch how caring the Momma doe was to her fawn.



A short YouTube video of the first fawn twin taking its first steps on wobbly legs.



The doe retreated under the pine tree again to give birth to the second fawn.


It began to thunder, and we had a brief rain shower, so she stayed under the tree during the storm.


When the sun returned, the firstborn twin curled up to take a nap...


...while the doe cleaned the second-born twin and bonded with it.



Momma Doe also looked ready to take a nap! 

They all remained in our backyard until the next morning, when they left. 
Important: a doe will leave her fawns for long periods of time to protect them from predators, as fawns' fur does not have a discernible scent. She will return for short periods to allow them to feed. If you ever come across a fawn that is alone when hiking, leave it be!


It was the end of a beautiful day!

I know these fawns will be back in my yard from time to time this summer, and it will be fun watching them grow!


 



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Sunday, February 15, 2026

The Blue Mustang of the Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport (DIA) is located 25 miles (40.234 kilometers) east of Denver on the high plains in Aurora. Colorado. Opened in 1995, it replaced the smaller Stapleton International Airport. 
It is the largest airport in North America by area — 53 square miles (137.269 square kilometers) — and one of the world's busiest, serving over 64 million passengers annually.
The Denver International Airport Jeppesen Terminal's internationally recognized peaked roof, designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects, resembles snow-capped mountains and evokes the early history of Colorado when Native American teepees were located across the Great Plains.


 The airport features some of the longest commercial runways in the world, necessary due to its "hot and high" altitude, which affects aircraft performance.
Downtown Denver is less than 40 minutes away via the A Line Commuter Rail.


On trips to the airport, we witnessed the construction of the Westin Hotel, which opened in 2015 and is adjacent to the airport.

The hotel was designed with this description:
 “Building upon imagery of flight and aviation, the sleek form resembles a bird with wings extended, framing and accenting the acclaimed tent-like roof of Jeppesen Terminal.”





Travelers heading to and from Denver International Airport (DIA) along Peña Boulevard have been greeted for 18 years by a blue horse statue called "Blue Mustang." He recently celebrated his birthday!  There is no parking area near the sculpture, so my photos are all "drive-by" ones. 

Weighing 9,000 lbs. and standing 32 feet tall, Blue Mustang is a fiberglass sculpture by Luis Jiménez. It was one of many public art projects at the airport. 

According to the DIA website: "Jiménez’ characteristic style references the grandeur of the Mexican muralists, the energy of the Southwest, and the bright colors he experienced as a youth in his father’s sign-making company. Jiménez’s vivid paint, unique surface treatments, and method of exaggeration have influenced many young artists who are emerging in the galleries of Los Angeles and New York in the styles that are known as Lowbrow and Urban Art."


Most people tend to affectionately refer to the statue as "Blucifer" due to its piercing red neon eyes, but the eyes are actually a tribute to the artist's father, who owned a neon light shop in Mexico

There is also the sad fact that the statue’s creator was killed when a section of the sculpture's three sections came loose in his New Mexico studio, pinning him and severing an artery in his leg in 2006.
After his death, family and friends made the decision to complete the sculpture. Jiménez’s son took over the project to make sure Blue Mustang was finished.



The Blue Mustang is definitely an eye-catching sight when one drives towards the airport terminal!

 I captured this photo of him in the snow a few years ago


Some fun facts about the Blue Mustang: 

The Mustang's eyes are made out of LED lights, and the maintenance team has changed them just once in the airport's lifetime.

The piece was partly modeled on Jiménez's own Appaloosa stallion, Blackjack, a horse that he bought in fulfillment of a childhood desire after becoming a successful artist

A team of professionals helps to perform maintenance on the Mustang's paint as it becomes weathered. Every year, a local art fabrication and conservation company gives him an exam and a cleaning. They check for any cracks or chips caused by the elements. The sculpture is then washed by hand with distilled water, any holes or cracks are filled, it's repainted with an airbrush, and sunblock is applied.

The city ultimately paid $650,000 for the sculpture. A 2007 appraisal valued the work at $2,000,000, and the city has insured it at that value.


Denver International Airport is a busy one, and the Blue Mustang is certainly an iconic sight when one is beginning or ending a travel adventure!


 
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Monday, December 8, 2025

Early December Holiday Happenings!


I don't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, so I decorated our Christmas tree on the first few days of December. It is full of sentimental ornaments that bring back many memories as I place them on our tree.


We were happy to have decorated the outside of our home the day after Thanksgiving, as the cold and snow finally arrived! Colorado experienced significant snowfall over several days following a prolonged drought.



We usually leave some leaves on our lawns in late fall, as we have seen the deer dig under the snow to eat them all winter.  They are good foragers, and they survive on what they can find in the wild.


Santa Claus visits our community in early December, and although our oldest granddaughter is a few months away from becoming a teenager, she agreed to take photos with him again. 
My husband and I joined in, as this might be the last year we see him!



We even get to take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage after seeing Santa Claus!




Our community is about 25 miles west of Denver, located in a valley of the foothills, and on our way back home after seeing Santa Claus, we had this view of dramatic, stormy snow clouds over the city!
 



This past week, we enjoyed listening to our oldest grandson and oldest granddaughter play the viola in a holiday orchestra production at their schools. They both enjoy music very much!


Our youngest granddaughter enjoys ballet, and her ballet school put on a fabulous production of "The Nutcracker" this week.



Our granddaughter had some solo parts in the dance of the "Russian Candy Canes" segment of the ballet, as seen in the short video above.


She was so excited!


As these assorted decorations proclaim ..."It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"...and more busy times are ahead! 
I'll be writing my Christmas cards, baking some traditional cookies, and making savory zeppole that we serve as appetizers.

I'm sure you are all busy too! Enjoy all the fun!


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Sunday, November 9, 2025

Casa Bonita -- a Fun Denver Area Restaurant and Entertainment Center



We visited a quirky Colorado restaurant and indoor fantasy Mexican-style entertainment center called Casa Bonita in October.



The restaurant was decorated for Halloween at the time, and they even changed their outdoor marquee to say "Casa Boonita"!


Reservations are not easy to get at this very popular restaurant and entertainment center, and we felt fortunate to be able to celebrate our daughter-in-law's birthday together!

On the Casa Bonita Fun Facts page, they say:

"The Greatest Restaurant in the World! 

A cultural institution in the Denver area since its opening in 1974, Casa Bonita, under new ownership, is proud to open with a refreshed look and feel, and a brand new culinary team. While maintaining the magical ability to transport guests back in time to 1970s Mexico, Casa Bonita provides an unmatched experience that includes live music, shows, games, and memories that will last a lifetime."



Inside, different facades and themed rooms are intended to invoke regional Mexican architectural styles: for example, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, and Guadalajara.



After dinner, one can go to Casa Bonita's theater and see a magic show!

It is also fun to travel on foot through the long, dark Black Bart's Cave and find his stash of gold, but beware of ghouls and detours along the way!

One can also buy tickets to play in the arcade, where you can win prizes!

Admission to the restaurant also enables guests to interact with roaming characters in costume, have their face painted, get a balloon animal creation, make a wish in the wishing well, buy souvenirs in the Mercado, listen to a mariachi band, and watch a puppet show.



The most exciting attraction in Casa Bonita is watching the periodic Cliff Diver Show!



Divers appear on the cliffs while music plays, and then they make a daring twisting dive into the water below!



A video of a cliff dive!


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There are interesting display cases of Casa Bonita's 50-plus-year history memorabilia in one area of the restaurant.

The Casa Bonita Restaurant concept was originally founded in 1968 in Oklahoma City, OK, by entrepreneur Bill Waugh. It later expanded to Tulsa, OK, Little Rock, AR, Fort Worth, TX, as well as Lakewood, CO, but Colorado's Casa Bonita location is the only location still remaining in business.




In 2021, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the popular animated satirical sitcom South Park, shown on Comedy Central, reached an agreement to purchase Casa Bonita’s Lakewood location, which had been closed since early 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and then bankruptcy. 
Parker and Stone had many memories of going to Casa Bonita as children, and the restaurant meant a great deal to them. They had to invest many millions to refurbish the entire restaurant, and the story about all they faced to reopen Casa Bonita can be seen in the documentary called Casa Bonita Mi Amor.




The South Park character, Cartman. has his own corner in Casa Bonita, and on the day we visited, he was wearing his Halloween costume!




According to the Fun Facts Page:
" The iconic, pink Casa Bonita tower stands 85′ tall and is visible for miles. On top of the tower’s golden dome stands a statue of Cuauhtémoc (kwah-hoo-tem’-ok), the last Aztec Emperor.
The exterior of the building was repainted in 2022 and required over 400 gallons of custom-blended pink paint!"

We had a fun time at Casa Bonita--we visited a few times in the past and enjoyed seeing all the improvements on this visit after its refurbishment. 
It is wonderful that such a fun, iconic place was saved for future generations to enjoy!


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