A chilly Saturday sojourn

Field testing some Outdoor Research wool gloves just like Daddy's.

Today we met visiting cousins from Spokane at the local farm. It was in the low 30s early in the morning, but was about 40 when we left the house. Luckily we had just topped off our fuel tanks with some pancakes, so the trip went well. 

A cat on a cold day in a cozy basket beneath girly hands near the sunny spot upon a table beside a fireplace. This caption brought to you through the generous help of prepositions.

The animals were as blissfully ambivalent about human attention as ever. Likewise, the plentiful farm implements were as enticingly rusty, splintery and greasy as any child could ever hope. In short, the farm continues to be a paradise for kids.

Taking an imaginary ride in the old wagon from MandG's hometown in Iowa.

This leaf pile never had a chance

The trip home was fortified with the addition of a blanket

Amazing but true: Westword Web Award Nominee

A gaggle of Denver's technorati huddled beneath the comforting glow of projected LCD

Somehow, as an outcome of the intricate and unfathomable machinations of the universe, this modest, and I daresay, oft neglected blog was nominated for a Westword Web Award. That our sincere but haphazard little collection of photos and anecdotes was nominated is most astonishing because, as just about anyone in the Denver metro area will recognize, Westword is not some two-bit operation; it is the leading arts and entertainment publication for the city. Our role in this bewildering episode only came to my attention the day before yesterday when Nick, the friendly Westword web editor, sent an invitation to attend the awards party.

In the end, we didn't win. To be honest, I'm not even sure in which category we were competing, but it really matters very little. Whatever the case, the party was fun and the free beer, food and entertainment was a great way to enjoy the rarity, as parents of a young child, of being out on the town.

With any luck, those ethereal entities who pull the levers behind the curtains of the online world will again see fit to nominate us, if nothing else for the chance of another evening out. Surely, if next year there is a category for blogs about immense mute and/or cerebrally challenged bikes piloted by a father/daughter combo, an epic win is practically in the bag. Maybe I should get a head start on the acceptance speech now.

Parents out after bedtime. Virtually unrecognizable without bike helmets.

B-cycling the streets of Denver

The propulsion system for a Denver B-cycle

One of the perks of my daily life is that I get to ride around the streets of Denver observing things, usually by way of the fleet of Denver B-cycle bikes. Being on a bike for much of the time, I've become accustomed to carrying an accoutrement of outerwear to deal with the frequent and sometimes dramatic changes in weather.

A few days ago I encountered a sudden snowy/slushy storm after a clear but windy afternoon. Yesterday the temperature was sharply chilly, and today was about 20 degrees warmer, so I shed layers as necessary. Whatever the weather throws at me, I have never had to remind myself that I'm having more fun than I would if I were sitting at a desk. I'm not a great fan of the cold and gloomy months that lie ahead, but I'll continue to relish my time on two wheels.

Clear sailing on a grayish afternoon

Get it while you can

The shadows are completely across the trail well before four o'clock

Today was a magnificent Colorado Fall day; it just doesn't get much better. On the down side, thanks to the end of daylight savings time the shadows are getting longer much earlier in the afternoon. For me, it's essential to make the most of the light. We had a terrific ride home, enjoying the colors of the leaves, a snack and shirtsleeve temperatures.

Not too bad of a view for a commute

Supposedly the weather will sour tomorrow, but today was a good day. The forecasters have been wrong before, but even if we are in line for something colder soon, we've had an especially good run this year.

Dummy and Daddy humming along

CSA apples and cherry wine

Excited about a seed she picked out of an apple core

After school on Wednesdays for the last few months, my daughter and I swing past a pickup spot for our CSA fruit share. The share has mostly been apples of different varieties for the past several weeks. Outcomes of having all these apples around include apples for snacks, lunches, and a lot of apple pie and apple crisp, all of which I enjoy. However, this week we got some cherry wine in addition to the apples. I'm eager to drink the wine, but I'm not sure what foods go with cherry wine. Apple strudel perhaps?

Halloween aftermath

Queen Butterfly trick-or-treating at Oma's house

Prompted by a question from G, here's how Halloween night ended up for us. Our girl went as a Queen Butterfly, a title and concept of her own. She played the role well, truly becoming a nectar-infused monarch. We hit a couple of neighborhoods, including a particularly over-the-top neighborhood populated by many of her school friends.

On the prowl for sucrose with other disguised marauders

 She took on pumpkin design for the first time this year, drawing a three-eyed alien face on a pumpkin, subsequently carved by Daddy. She also contributed art direction for the pig pumpkin.

Alien (top) and pig pumpkins

After a successful haul on her part, and sometime late in the night, the candy fairy visited our house. The candy fairy exchanged all the excess candy for a cool new Cat in the Hat book, much to her delight when she discovered it in the morning. Thanks, candy fairy!