Halloween comes early in Balboa Park!

Halloween was celebrated a bit early today in Balboa Park–if you’re a Pomeranian!

Furry participants in cute and humorous costumes were running about near the Bea Evenson Fountain when I walked through Balboa Park late this afternoon.

I had stumbled upon the 7th Annual Pom Pom Halloween Walk In Balboa Park, a fun event with members of the San Diego Pomeranian Meetup Group.

Which costume do you like best?

(I’m trying to decide: taco or cupcakes.)

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Rabbit sculptures find a home in Civita Park.

Walk through beautiful Civita Park in Mission Valley and you’re likely to cross paths with numerous rabbits. Rabbit sculptures, that is!

The bronze bunnies, which are pleasing to children (and the young at heart), can be encountered in surprising places around the spacious public park, which opened in 2017.

The lifelike rabbits were created by Encinitas sculptors T.J. Dixon and James Nelson. Their fantastic work can be viewed all over San Diego. (Click here to see many more of their creations!)

The above photo of a rabbit standing guard by small baby bunnies is located right next to the Civita Park welcome sign. As you can see in the next two photographs, a bronze book containing a story about two rabbits finding their home is perched on another rock nearby.

Finding Home… Once upon a time there were two little bunnies named Franklin and Alta. They were looking for the magic stone that had once covered their little doorway for so long…

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Heart and art on National Dog Day!

Today is National Dog Day!

What a perfect time open your heart and adopt a furry friend. Or provide a little help to your local animal shelter.

In San Diego, you might consider a visit to the San Diego Humane Society or Helen Woodward Animal Center. Adopt a rescue animal, donate or even volunteer. Click the above links!

In celebration of National Dog Day, please enjoy this collection of fun photographs.

I’ve captured all sorts of dog-themed art during my random walks around the city. Whenever I spot murals or street art featuring cute canines, my camera is on it!

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Unexpected encounters in the city!

I know it ain’t Friday yet, but who cares! Let’s have fun anyway!

These photographs of unexpected encounters all around the city were taken in the past few weeks.

Enjoy!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A handful of problematic photos!

I didn’t know what to do with these photos!

They were taken all over San Diego–some recently, some years ago.

This evening I’m purging hundreds of old files from my computer. And I thought it would be a shame to not share these!

So now, for your viewing pleasure, in completely random order, I present this handful of problematic photos!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A few cute, humorous dog sightings!

Painted dogs peer from a painted window.
Painted dogs peer from a painted window.

Look what I sighted this morning downtown. Some cute, humorous dogs!

These three graphics that I walked past feature lovable pooches…

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Love like Dog Love.
Love like Dog Love.

This is how we (puppies) roll.
This is how we (puppies) roll.

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Funny cats, coffee, books and a teacup!

This black cat likes drinking lattes.
This black cat likes drinking lattes.

Check out these photos of fun street art on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights. A small electrical box just east of the Normal Heights landmark sign is painted with three funny cats.

They are drinking coffee, reading books, or sitting in a teacup!

Coffee. Cats. Books. Sometimes the answers to life's troubles are quite simple.
Coffee. Cats. Books. Sometimes the answers to life’s troubles are quite simple.

Cat in armchair reads Of Mice and Men. On the shelves are Cat's Cradle, The Cat in the Hat, Puss in Boots, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof...
Cat in a comfy armchair reads Of Mice and Men. Books on the nearby shelves include Cat’s Cradle, The Cat in the Hat, Puss in Boots, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof…

This kitten likes oolong tea.
This kitten in a teacup must like oolong tea!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Priest sprinkles startled pets with holy water!

Many animals were blessed in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
Many animals were blessed today in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

The animals were blessed today in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Dozens of beloved pets received a sprinkling of holy water at the annual Benediction of the Beasts, a long-time local tradition.

Monsignor Mark Campbell, Catholic priest of Our Mother of Confidence Parish in University City, administered the blessings. The traditional church ritual, which dates back to ancient times, invokes St. Anthony of the Desert, the Patron Saint of Animals. In the very early years of San Diego, livestock were blessed for an abundant harvest.

I watched for livestock but, alas, didn’t see any.

After today’s blessings, the fun event included a mid-afternoon costume and animal trick contest, which I missed. The male human ritual of watching football could not be violated.

Front row dogs wait patiently for the ceremony to begin.
Front row dogs wait patiently for the religious ceremony to begin.

Monsignor Mark Campbell reads from Genesis and praises faithful pets.
Monsignor Mark Campbell reads from Genesis and praises faithful pets.

Holy water is cast by the Catholic priest upon animals to bestow health and blessings.
Holy water is cast by the Catholic priest upon animals to bestow health and blessings.

Animals lined up for blessings included dogs, cats and rabbits.
Animals lined up for blessings included dogs, cats and rabbits.

These two guys seemed to enjoy the proceedings.
These two guys seemed to enjoy the proceedings.

Bunny rabbits need blessings as much as any other creature.
Cute, furry bunny rabbits need blessings as much as any other creature.

Here comes Chopper, the motorcycle-riding dog, a local celebrity.
Here comes Chopper, the motorcycle-riding dog, a big time celebrity.

Chopper, the canine motorcyclist, is quite the sensation in San Diego. I must’ve seen him on local television news a dozen times. He’s even made a cameo appearance on TMZ!

Chopper rides his motorcycle up to the priest for a sprinkling of holy water.
Chopper rides his motorcycle up to the priest for a sprinkling of holy water.

This dog was a bit spooked and didn't know what to make of things.
This dog was a bit spooked and didn’t know what to make of this craziness.

A cat is fascinated by the shiny aspergillum waving about.
A cat is fascinated by the shiny aspergillum waving about.

One dog seems bored while the other appears suspicious!
One dog seems bored while the other appears suspicious!

A long line of pet owners waited in Old Town during the Benediction of the Beasts.
A long line of pet owners waited in Old Town during the Benediction of the Beasts.

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Small bubble bath child: a bronze sculpture.

Small bubble bath child bronze sculpture.
Small bubble bath child bronze sculpture.

This bronze sculpture can be found near the Shelter Island public pier, on the other side of the children’s playground.  It’s called Bubble Bath, by artist Dan Hill.  The tiny work of art is easy to miss while walking along the bay.  According to the Port of San Diego website, the sculpture was erected as a memorial to a toddler.

Sculpture of toddler on rock near Shelter Island playground.
Sculpture of toddler on rock near Shelter Island playground.

A pile of cute teddy bears in a downtown window!

a pile of teddy bears in a window

Here’s another fun pic taken during a recent walk down B Street. A law enforcement teddy bear collection drive has filled several windows of the downtown Merrill Lynch building with warm fuzzy cuddly cuteness! I’m guessing that some less fortunate kids in San Diego are in for a bit of unexpected love!