Chicken Business

This is a new sign at a home not far from my house. Sure enough, chickens are roaming around the property. I think in this area, one has to keep those chickens protected at night because there are quite a few foxes around who would find chickens easy pickin's.

Kitty Games

Meet our resident board game "helper," Sweetie. She especially likes to assist when playing Candyland. My daughter and I had a supply of candy canes, chocolates, gumpdrops and other sweets to eat when we entered each candy theme on the board. I had been telling her that when I was a child, the Candyland game came with a few small boxes of candy. It doesn't anymore. I wonder when they stopped that?

Modern Barber Pole

The sight of a barber pole is nostalgic for many, but since it's a topic I researched once for a features piece I did, I think of them differently. I think blood. Because that's what the red originally stood for because barbers used to be surgeons and dentists long ago. They would hang the bloody bandages to dry on a pole outside the business. Really!

Meet Readworthy - the Main Library Dragon

Readworthy in his perch above the children's room at the Boise Public Library. He has relatives who live in other area libraries.

Base of the Mountains

A view across Parkcenter Pond. This is all at the base of the foothills leading into the mountains. When this close, the mountains can hardly even be seen. On the right is Table Rock.

Winter Fishin'

Something Boiseans can do after work in the winter - fish the Boise River, which is stocked with steelhead and trout.

Thinking About the People of Haiti...

Saw the news about more aftershocks in Haiti yesterday. What are you doing to help?

Marshmallow Fluff-Topped Mountains

A picture of the Boise Front as seen from the Boise Airport parking garage.

Windy

We've had some blustery days and nights recently. This "senior" housing project recently updated their flags with these bright colors.

Mall Emptiness

An empty wing at Boise Towne Square Mall. Several notable store closings recently, including the Kiddie Kandids, the Disney Store and Marketplace Gifts.

Ashes on the Patio at Barbacoa

The fire-damaged, much-loved Barbacoa on Parkcenter Boulevard in Boise. It burned earlier this month. The owners say restaurant rebuilding is already underway, and they've tried to find new jobs for displaced employees.

A Sign Just for Dogs...If Only They Could Read

I wonder if neighborhood dogs understand?

A Sneak Peek at Spring

It was close to 50 degrees yesterday. NOT, normal for January, but certainly welcome. These kids were playing at Frontier School in West Boise.

Twigs on Fire

I love these red twiggy shrubs in the winter. I ought to get some for my yard....if I only knew what they were. Do you?

Arched Clouds at Dusk

Looking east during last night's sunset.

"No Smoking" Creativity

Smoking is illegal in restaurants these days, but this sign on a cafe gets kudos for creativity.

Glow-in-the-Dark Miniature Golf

Pirates, dinosaurs and deep sea monsters are the theme at Shankz, a black-light miniature golf course. We attended a birthday party there last night. The girl in the picture is the "new girl" at my daughter's school.

Tailor-Made

A peek inside the work area at an alterations shop inside the 8th Street Marketplace, downtown Boise. I wish I had a stock of that many different colors of string on hand at home. Seems like I have to make a trip to the fabric store every time I need to complete a clothing repair or alteration.

"Desdemona's Building a Rocket Ship..."

The title of this post is for Jimmy Buffet fans...plus, I have nothing else to really say about this :)

Frozen Canal

The canals are officially "empty," but they do collect run-off.

A Puzzling World

This was one tough 600-piece puzzle. My husband mostly wrestled with it. Many different sized pieces, and lots of pieces that didn't interlock. Then there was that piece leftover....hmm. It was a duplicate piece. What a trick!

Condo Project...for the Birds

What a cute idea.

Horseshoe Tunnel

Horseshoe tunnel is just my name for this underpass along the Boise River Greenbelt. I don't think that's the official name.

King of the Snow Pile

A crow playing in the snow. Several of them were chasing each other around to win position at the top of this melting pile of snow in a story parking lot yesterday.

Ice Rink Art: "I Love Clay and God"

One of a trio of totem-looking art pieces in the entry at Idaho Ice World. The inscription on this one says, "I Love Clay and God."

Fog and Clouds Steal All the Color

Rolling fog and mist, rain showers and clouds marked the day in Boise yesterday. This is a tough time of year that has lots of folks talking about booking sunny vacations.

Mountain Blues

The mountains looked blue most of the day with our dark skies.

Census 2010

Get ready to see Census 2010 reminders over the next few months. The U.S. Census Bureau is kicking off a big educational campaign this week to try to get more people to fill out the forms and send them in via the mail. There are ten questions on the form, and giant versions of the form are on display at the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona today for the Boise State-Texas Christian game.

30 Degrees and Steam Rising

Frost on the rooftops and steam rising from the cedar fencing.

The Snow Before the Soup

The neighbor boy pulling my daughter on a sled before our snow turned to soup because of rain.

City Daily Photo Theme Day - "Changes"

Welcome to 2010! The City Daily Photo theme day for January 1st is "changes." See all the interpretations here.