Another sun day

I'm loving these bouts of spring that we're having, in between resurgences of winter. Today M had another day off and we took the bikes out for another big spin around town. This is the neighborhood called - appropriately - Sunnyside.

Buds getting ready to burst.

For all you Lost followers - a random little Dharma Initiative slogan on a rooftop.

I love when painted walls come together in a felicitous arrangement. This one makes me particularly happy!

More painted buildings.

M. crossing a bridge into Lodo.

We stopped for lunch by the confluence again, and, inevitably, I found me some ducks. Here's a happy couple that I was able to tempt close with some crumbs.

Diving for treats.

The smile on that ducky face makes it all worthwhile. Look at those orange feet! Orange feet make me happy.

While we managed not to come home with a rucksack full of spices this time, we did not entirely escape the lures of charming Denver merchants. This is Amato's of Denver, purveyors of fine garden statuary. We've been riding by Amato's for two years now, admiring their wares through the fence. This time, we wandered in.

M. inspecting the statuary.

The temptations are many and, uhm, heavy.

But what really attracted us? The lions. Lions seem to be a hallmark of Denver, adorning the front stoops of old Victorians, historical houses and Denver squares alike. These two particularly noble specimens guard the door of a building on Lodo's swishiest block. These are way out or our pricerange, and much too heavy to carry off ;)

But lions come in all shapes and sizes, all attituds and poses, and various different styles. Here is part of Amatos' stable of lions.

We poked and inspected, debated a few, but after two trips through the yards, there was one and only one that captured both of our hearts. He reminds me particularly of New York's fabled Library Lions, noble, protective and discriminating. This, then, is the lion that might be ours. We're considering. Stay tuned!