WE'RE BACK!

Yes, we are back! Well, I am back!

Thank you all for your patience during this time when I took a bit of a break from Blipfoto. It really wasn't intended - it just happened. But I am back to blipping everyday again and will continue.

We took the day off from packing up the house and other house projects and drove down to Manitou Springs, right outside of Colorado Springs. The day started out lovely, but by the time we got to Manitou Springs, the clouds were out again, but it was still beautiful. We went to a Arts and Crafts Fair and wandered around. I was planning on taking some pictures, but there were "No Camera" signs posted everywhere.

I did have a chance to talk with one of the photographers that was selling his photos. We talked a lot about his equipment and technique. He shoots film most of the time, and only uses his digital camera occasionally. He doesn't think too highly of digitals. He did seem to be the kind of person who is very "set" in his ways. And it works for him. But, he did tell me that he only shoots with prime lenses. He also says he never uses Photoshop. That was about the time that I felt the sharp tugs on my leg, and left.

We purchased some nice pens from the Boy's Correctional Facility stand. The young men would make the pen barrels out of beautiful woods or stone, then fit them with the pen nibs and other accoutrements. I was very surprised to find such nice fountain pens, so I bought a couple. And J found his preferred writing instruments - mechanical pencils.

About this time, it started to rain - again! We took the shuttle back to where our car was parked, stowed our packages,donned our well used rainjackets, then took a walk into the downtown section. Even though I have been in Colorado off and on since marijuana was legalized, I just can't get used to walking into public places and smelling "grass" everywhere. We smelled it at the craft fair, at the park we walked through and even outside restaurants. Since the rain had stopped and the sun came out, we decided to have a nice early dinner at a little pub with a nice outdoor patio. But we very quickly ate our meal and left because both of us were feeling the effects from the couple sitting at the next table smoking pot. J ended up with a killer headache. Oh well. I guess the "newness" will wear off sometime.

I hope that you are all having a wonderful weekend!