Evidence of a fox that uses my yard as its own personal highway

Backyard (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZkfcdFFbJs/)

Crossing the driveway

Marshal Fire Before and after scene of Downtown Superior - devastation

Here is a before and after scene of Downtown Superior

and the devastation of the Marshal Fire:

Referenced on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYVTc97MjTl/

Several great places around town this week

Awesome desserts at Mango Mango Dessert in Glendale, CO

Delicious street tacos and Mexican Coke at Bartaco in Boulder, CO

Authentic Banh Mi and Boba at Paris Banh Mi Cafe in Broomfield, CO

Of Wolves and Rocks (Part 4)

Even with the current world crisis, and the lack of things to do regardless of where you might go, it was great being able to stay in the Colorado Springs area to see the wolves at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center.  It was also great to explore the Garden of the Gods for an afternoon.  That said, our original plans included a bit more.  There are still places to explore.  We'll be back.

Places we missed this time due to covid-time, that we'll try to do next time we are in the area:

• Pikes Peak
• Manitou Incline and other natural trails near Manitou Springs
• Colorado Springs Downtown
• The Broadmoor Seven Falls and restaurant
• Royal Gorge

Series:

Of Wolves and Rocks (Part 1)

Of Wolves and Rocks (Part 2)

Of Wolves and Rocks (Part 3)

Of Wolves and Rocks (Part 4)

Finally passing by at the right time of day for a good photo. This appears to be one last vestige of a time when houses and shops didn't rule this area. #oldbarn #abandonedplaces #abandonedbarn #ruraldecay #barn #farm #westminsterco #westminster #colorado #frontrange #igotmyshoesmuddyforthis #clearsky #bluesky #sunny #sunnyday #winter #wintertime #winterday

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Photos you post for businesses on Google...or really, one in particular that I posted...347K views

Several years ago, I posted a photo of a lunch that others from my work and I enjoyed at a rare find in New England: an actual Chinese restaurant (as opposed to "authentic" or "real" ones that are easy to find and even more easily disappoint).  The restaurant in question is Sichuan Gourmet in Billerica, Massachusetts (of all places).  The food was great.

Typically in New England, when you are given a food rating of spiciness, hot is actually medium. medium is actually mild, and mild somehow even more mild.  At Sichuan Gourmet, spicy dishes were actually spicy!  Hot was hot!  In fact, hot was very hot!

So, what's so special about the photo I posted from this restaurant?  For some reason, over 347,000 other people thought it was significant enough to view it.  This is surprizing for a few reasons.  First, it's amazing that Sichuan Gourmet is being searched and found on Google by hundreds of thousands of people in a place like Billerica.  Second, it's amazing that my photo is being found in a sea of dozens of other photos at this location.  Third, it's amazing that the number of people choosing my photo to view is 347,000+.

Since I don't know how to see view numbers for the other photos from this location, and I don't know if this is actually a lot for this location.  I have many other photos on Google for arguably much more popular places that only received a few views.  Some of my photos have 11K+, 22K+, 60K+, and even 73K+ views for a photo of perfume at a Banana Republic (which also baffles me).  From the rarity of these high counts, my guess is that even these numbers are fairly extraordinary, even at popular places.

Side note, Billerica is not pronounced bil-LER-i-cah, bil-LAIR-ri-cah or bil-le-RI-cah.  It's pronounced BIL-ric-a, with a bit of bitterness infused into each of the three syllables. This video should help.  (Yes, this is really a really thing.)
  

Crazy, I mean Voodo donuts

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Floor

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Broomfield evening view of the Rocky Mountains

I know English is evolving when I hear these words in a courtroom

I was recently snared into Jury Duty in Massachusetts.  This isn't so much an article about that.  Instead, this is about something I noticed while listening to the case before me and my 5 other jurors; word choices.

The first interesting word was uttered by the Prosecutor quoting the defendant who was fighting a DUI charge. The Prosecutor stated that the defendant pleaded with the arresting officer to cut him a break because he was not cocked.  This word cocked was used in a mocking manner by the prosecutor several times in his opening and closing arguments.

The second word that stood out was spoken by the Defense attorney.  While questioning the arresting officer, the Defense attorney asked about the likelihood of something-or-another.  What caught my attention is that he used the prolly, instead of prob'ly or probably.  The use of this word in such a formal manner struck me, since the word is still considered by many to be of the mythically inferior not-a-word status.

The last spoken element I picked up on was the Judge's use of the idiom begging-the-question.  I've written about the idiom begging-the-question quite recently.  There are two official definitions for the idiom.  The traditional definition is based on a logical fallacy.  The modern definition is an alternative for raises-the-question; this was Judge's use that day.  It is interesting to note that both definitions appear in dictionaries now.