Welcome to another edition of Nature Friday at the Ranch hosted by our California friends, Rosy and her brothers over at LLB in Our Backyard. We hope you’ll swing by their backyard and check out theirs and others tip of the cap to Mother Nature.
You can say things have been unseasonable around the Ranch lately. Normally our coldest weather comes in January when the Stock Show is in town. This year however the weather for the most part was quite balmy. A number of days even had peeps wearing shorts with their puffy jackets (yeah, I don’t get that either-wearing shorts with a ski jacket is very common around here). January and February typically have little in the way of snow and yet we’ve had two snow storms in consecutive weeks with 10 and 6 inches respectively. I don’t mind the snow, but the below zero temps following this latest storm seems beyond what is normal for this time of year. Yesterday it was -5 F and just barely over 0 this morning, so let’s go for a little orchid action to warm things up.
It’s been some time ago but I found this beauty hanging out forlornly at the grocery market so naturally I felt compelled to ‘rescue’ it. It was the only blue one and I knew it would be a lovely addition around the Ranch. Isn’t that blue color simply exquisite? I don’t know how they get the color, but it’s beautiful and made me feel like I was back in Hawaii.
Speaking of Hawaii, I would be remiss to not include a photo of the real deal in its natural environment. Located just north of Hilo on the Big Island is the Onomea Bay and the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. With 2,000 species, representing more than 125 families and 750 genera, this is just one many beautiful plants located in this one-of-a-kind garden.Their orchid collection is particularly spectacular. Just check out this specimen. Talk about colorful and delicate looking!
I don’t know about you, but after seeing photos of tropical orchids, I can once again appreciate all that nature has to offer even as I look out the window at a wintry white-scape. I hope we won’t have to bundle up like Eskimos again, like yesterday. Lacing up 10 snow boots, donning three coats and mittens was more exercise than the actual walk!
Have a super weekend and get out there to enjoy all the beauty Mother Nature has to offer but stay safe and warm.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
All the boots and mittens in the world wouldn’t have done any good here this morning… as any dog walk would have resulted in an ER visit. Freezing rain an hour before I got off work this morning made for the most treacherous commute I’ve ever attempted before. And our city’s in no hurry to salt the roads on a Sunday morning when they just assume everyone should be at home. I passed five accidents on the short drive… and it was a miracle I didn’t become a sixth!
Eek, sorry about the freezing rain carnage. Stay safe.
Such gorgeous flowers!! I’ve taken to buying cut flowers at the grocery store lately when I stop in for other things. It’s really been cheering us up around here.
Cut flowers right now are a sure fire remedy to banishing winter blues (no pun intended).
OMD, Ma has that same tropical orchid in the kitchen right nows! It is indeed beautifuls, and I would love to see them in their proper environment. Oh, that is COLD! I don’t thinks even Ma would likes it that cold! BOL (oh, and Ma says the same thing abouts getting her spanx on! hehehehee)
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
Haven’t seen another blue one here since I found that one. Happy weekend, Ruby.
The orchids are so beautiful, they sure bring a little light in these cold months <3 Warm Pawkisses for a Happy Weekend🐾😽💞
Yes, we’ve needed some orchid beauty lately with the snow but more for the cold. Stay warm, sweet kitty.
We are having a very snowy February so far. seems like winter has been here too long
hugs
Hazel & Mabel
We tend to get spring cravings in February too. All those seed catalogs showing beautiful flowers don’t help.
Wowzers pretty flowers. I don’t like the freezing cold either.
After the holidays my mind starts to turn toward spring and being outside in shirt sleeves, not Eskimo gear. 😇
There’s a trap Bring one of those Hawaiian things home and it will spark a volcanic eruption.
🌋
Is it just a fluke that the pic of you and the pooches is small? Hmm? No need to be hiding. That blue looks fake! Then I realised it wasn’t a painting but a real flower. Wow… Beauty.
Wish I were back in Hawaii right now…
Can’t pull the wool over your eyes, can I? 😆 Yes, Hawaii in February is even more of a paradise than normal.
Nope… nor the tuque 😉
Sigh… I went there for my honeymoon… We arrived on the big island on October 31, then hopped on a 10-day cruise. Sweet memory.
My son lives there so I have two reasons to live going there. 😍
Oooohhhh… lucky you!
Truly. A son who just happens to live on the Big Island and who just happens to be a realtor, talk about a temptation.
There are worse things..
🤣
Indeed. Now if only airfare wasn’t so high flying out of Denver.
Mom has seen those beautiful blue orchids in the store too – so pretty. She has been waiting for her one orchid to send out a shoot with some pretty blooms. But nothing seems to be happening.
Stay warm.
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
That color blue looks like it is a painting! How beautiful.
And there’s the gang!!!! Hey guys!!!!
Happy Friday!
Too bad the photo doesn’t depict the shivering by the 2-legged portion of the Colorado musher’s team. 🥶
You looked supah cool chica!
Thanks. All those layers made me feel like a very chubby polar bear. 😬
You look great Monika!
Thank you. You’re very kind.
🙂
Oh, my goodness! You two look so regal in your snow attire! You get points if you manage to keep your human upright the whole way (that means no nonsense, Elsa!).
She still thinks she’s trying out for the Iditarod. Luckily I have a lot of ballast.
I’m just imagining getting boots on the thugs….
Good luck with that!
Love the combo of touches of warm and cold. Cheers to The Knuckleheads for posing! Have a good weekend! Cheers.
Thanks, Frank. Have a groovy weekend.
Wow, that is a gorgeous blue color! You guys look so cute all bundled up 🙂
Thanks; it was so blinking cold. We went inside after a very abbreviated walk. Much to everyone’s delight.
What beautiful orchids!! The weather has been crazy here too..We are getting some sun today…but after today it may be 2 weeks before we see it again “sigh”
I’m a big fan of orchids and take jillions of photos whenever I encounter them. They are a tough plant, yet they look so delicate.
Love the picture of everyone dressed for the weather and out for a walk. We are also having strange weather. 79 and sunny yesterday and 36 today.
79?? Wow, that’s quite the temperature swing. Hope it gets back to more normal temps.
Nah, we liked the 79, lol.
Gorgeous blue flowers! And the ones in Hawaii aren’t shabby, either! Love that picture of my 3 favorite Denverites, too!!
Thanks, I loved that blue orchid and have yet to see another one since then. The Denverites are working hard to keep warm!
Snazzy dog boots!
We’re all about fashion AND function. 😄Well the dogs not so much…but what can you expect from them?
We had a mild week and it was very welcome. Love the picture of you and the pups.
We look like a Colorado Iditarod team! LOL
Oh that blue orchid is stunning!! Stay WARM! We had it in the almost up to 60 this week and now its supposed to be in the teens tomorrow. So crazy!
Thanks, I have to say that blue orchid is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. I think our temps will warm up to the 40’s for the next several days. Yay-color me happy! 40’s I can do in shorts (almost).
LOL! 🙂
Lookin guud there Miss Monika an Sam an Elsa!!! Have a guud walkie…stay warm! Iss snowin an blowin here again an furry cold….*sighsss*
Have a wunder full weekend.
~~head rubsss~~BellaDharma~~
We love your exotic reminders of the beauty of the natural world in these dreary times.
It’s good to see stuff like this on grey, cold days and gives us something to look forward to on the especially dreary days.
Neat visit. I love those dog boots. 😀
Thanks; they sure help the fur-kids keep the ice balls at bay.
You all look great in your coats and boots! We were not brave enough to weather the cold and snow this week. Our pups were content to sleep beside me as I worked from home and make quick forays into the back yard. The. It was Back to napping. It was cozy. What type of boots do you recommend? We wanted some during our frigid trip in early January and are now looking for boots for our Standard Poodle, River. She likes walking in the snow and cold but needs paw protectors.
Boots are a necessity with poodles IMO. I’ve had these for over 15 years though admittedly their use is a bit limited. I think the brand is Ruff Wear and I like the Velcro straps. If put on properly, they generally don’t come off though I’ve had to retrace our steps a couple of times to find one that got flicked off. Happy napping-sounds like the perfect activity on a cold day.
I thing we used that brand once, long ago, and had difficulty keeping it on our mastiff’s feet. Thanks for the feedback! It’s still cold, but back to the the office. The pups are snoozing away the day without me just so that I can support them in the manner to which they are accustomed!
The trick is to keep the strap the tightest at the thinnest part of the leg. If I don’t get the boot fully positioned on the foot, it’ll tend to slip off.
Good performance tip. Thank you!
You are most welcome.
Milo has started to rebel against the boots… now we have to bribe him to catch him to wrestle them on him
It’s always an adventure putting on winter clothes and boots on dogs. They don’t seem to get fashion or function. 😊