Saturday, October 31, 2009

Cloud Snuggies for the Mountains

A quick shot of the Boise Front while on our way to dinner last night. The foreground is sagebrush.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Spooky View

Looks like some sort of prison view, but it's the view that customers see along the parking lot for a couple of downtown businesses. Maybe a fresh coat of paint to spiff up that razor wire?

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Parking Garage Color Coding

I like the color-coding for the levels of the Capitol Terrace Parking Garage, downtown Boise. No need to remember numbers, just remember what color the stairwell/elevator is for your floor.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Possibly Offensive IF You Click to Enlarge

I've always thought these little family decals on cars and trucks are so cute. Yesterday, I'm sitting in traffic and happen to look a little closer at this one. Um....you can enlarge to see it, if you want. It might be offensive, or funny! I'm sure there's a story behind it.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Orange Barrel Highway Decor

Orange is the color along Interstate 84 in Boise with several miles of heavy work. If you look closely, you can see just part of an overpass in this picture, the other sections were taken down over the weekend and the "new" overpass is just behind it. I rarely drive on the interstate. I had no idea there was this much construction going on.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Surprise Among the Leaves

Not just leaves falling from trees this time of year. We had some sporadic strong breezes over the weekend to help nature along.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Golfing in Late October

Golfing season is still open, even though it's late October. We've had some really nice afternoons, nice enough to golf in short sleeves. These folks are practicing their putts at Foxtail Golf Course.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Rooftop Campers

A police officer, a firefighter and radio station folks (KQFC) have been camping out on top of Krispy Kreme to raise money for Special Olympics.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Is Anyone Home?

Looking up at all the blank-faced windows of the Union Block. I think the Rose Room is behind some of those windows. I also wonder if this type of stone was this color originally? Can it be cleaned? Or are the grungy edges part of the charm?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Cloud Strangeness at Sunrise

A strange twisty cloud caught my eye just after sunrise yesterday morning. See it there on the left? It looks like a cloud slide, or a flame. Maybe it was a contrail? I don't think it was smoke, it didn't move.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

A Spider Fright

With the change in the seasons, our house has been invaded by spiders. None, thankfully, as large as this Halloween decoration. My neighbor did find a real black widow on her front porch last week, which is real-life scary.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Tree Swing in Autumn

Have I said it a hundred times yet? Autumn is my favorite time of year in Boise!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Recycling Heap

Not really "trash." This is a heap of metal recyclables at Pacific Recycling. They have open bins for the public to use for free, and when I was there to take this picture, there was another type of "recycling" going on: dumpster divers looking for treasure.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Kathryn Albertson Park - October

I took a short walk in Kathryn Albertson Park Saturday and it was a busy place. Several weddings and family photo sessions going on. The scenery is lovely.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Autumn in the City of Trees

Autumn in the "City of Trees," Boise's nickname. These are trees and shrubs for sale at a local nursery.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Boise Dogs

I may be a crazy cat lady, but I recognize that Boise is a dog town. On the block where I live, I believe the dog population is higher than the human population.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Wind Storms

Wind storms have been blowing through Boise. Lots of trees have been tipped. How lucky for these folks that the tree damaged the fence and not their home.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Recycled Sign for Recycled Goods

RE Boutique is in the 8th Street Marketplace. Consignment goods are for sale, along with eco-goods and "upcycled" products. The cool sign for the sale comes from Amber Conger. You can read more about her work here - her projects can be seen throughout the valley.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Mistaken Art?

This is a very specialized piece of equipment. When I took this picture last month, I didn't know what it was for, but during a recent trip downtown, I saw it in use. It's a cover for parked bicycles. See it at the Borah Building on Bannock Street. (I thought it was a piece of art until I saw it in use)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Downtown Coffee

There are several coffee houses in downtown Boise. Dawson's Downtown brews up coffee the company roasted here locally at Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters. Their Backcountry Blend is my favorite.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Miniature Golf, Bumper Boats and Go-Karts


We attended my husband's company party late yesterday at Wahooz - a fun park featuring two 18-hole miniature golf courses, bumper boats, laser tag, arcade games, batting cages and two go-kart tracks. Both of these shots are from the golf courses. It may have been only 40 degrees outside, but that didn't stop the kids, and "grown-up" kids from having fun.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

A Taste of Italy in Boise

This is outside a shopping plaza with a hair salon and a computer network company inside. I will guess this Tower of Pisa replica is for the salon?

Friday, October 9, 2009

Boise River in October

A sweet spot along the Boise River late yesterday afternoon. The water is so slow through this area, it's actually glassy.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Spying on Hip Kids

The young and hip waiting in line to get into the Knitting Factory Concert House downtown Boise last night. Here was the list of entertainment: The Academy Is & Mayday Parade with special guests Set Your Goals, The Secret Handshake, and You and Me at 6. That string of text means nothing to me, although with the number of girls in line, I figure there must have been cute boys on stage.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Beginning, or End, of the Road?

The beginning of a new road and the end of the road when it comes to this farmed field. It's amazing that over the past 15 years, so much of the farmland surrounding the city has "grown" houses.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Mountain Snows are Here

It seems early for the snow-covered mountain view to be back, but here it is. Mountain snowfall this week has ranged from 6 inches to 27 inches.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Fundraising Pumpkin Patch

Boise firefighters at the fire station on McMillan Road near our home grew 400 pumpkins in the lot behind the facility this year. Their pumpkin patch opened over the weekend. Make a donation to the Fallen Firefighter Memorial and help yourself. Extra goodies for kids and they get to climb around on a firetruck, too.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Bronco Mania

Boise State University Bronco football is the talk of the town this year. I've seen several RVs painted Bronco blue and orange over the years, usually in the football stadium parking lot for tailgate parties. Yes, we really do have blue AstroTurf in the stadium.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Idaho Candy Co., Home of the Idaho Spud Bar

This Idaho Candy Co. location has been open since 1909 in downtown Boise. Buy Idaho Spud bars here, yep, they do kind of look like a potato, as well as some other candies you might have seen over the years: Old Faithful Peanut Clusters and the Cherry Cocktail. If you've never tasted an Idaho Spud bar, I'll offer a "virtual" tasting next week at Eat Boise - see the link on the right side bar.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Pedal-Powered Taxi

A pedicab, "BicyTaxi," ferrying passengers around the BoDo district in Boise. I've seen a couple of versions of pedal-powered taxi over the years in Boise, but this is the first covered model I've spied. The "driver" traveled on sidewalks and the streets.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Alive After Five - Fountain Closed

Caught the season-ender for Alive After Five last night - I was one of a small crowd in the cold wind. These kids were playing in the fountain area. I guess there is still fun to be had even when the water is turned off. Below is last week's event with the water on low.