Welcome to a new month and a new Friday. That of course means it’s time to join our friends, Rosy and her brothers from LLB in Our Backyard for this week’s edition of Nature Friday Blog Hop. This week I am joined by an assistant to show off how fickle Mother nature can be with some photos from a training session with none other than…the Ninja.
Mother Nature dealt quite a hand this week with snow, rain and cold but things are now headed back toward lovely spring-like conditions. Elsa ‘offered’ her modeling talents before Mother Nature began dating Ole Man Winter again (are Ninjas really capable of offering?). Most of the week temperatures rarely left the 30’s F and barely reached the 40’s yesterday. I keep hoping Mother Nature will leave that Winter guy.
Before showcasing the return of spring, let’s see what the jerk boyfriend looked like. You remember him. The one who Mother Nature can’t seem to stop from stringing along periodically. Even with the snow storm that blew through, the grape hyacinths didn’t seem to mind him nearly as much as us peeps did. They are gloriously colorful, once they shook off Old Man Winter’s dandruff. Even the late-blooming tulips in my yard managed to survive with nary a problem.
Elsa and I went out to run a few errands and like always, we used the outing as a training opportunity. Elsa is eager to please and performs the sit/stay command like a champ. Even with distractions, she was nearly flawless. Good girl.
She actually looked directly into the camera a couple of times although her usual MO is to look away. I think a certain brother told her that’s the way to offer her modeling talents. She frequently follows his instructions but one in a while, she’ll give you some magic.
While I try not to overwhelm her on these training sessions, I do change-up the length of time I ask her to stay and, at different places. This girl is far too smart and needs the challenges they offer. She performed flawlessly along on a street we’d never been down with loads of interesting smells to distract her, yet she managed to nail it perfectly.
Teaching a dog like Elsa to focus on a hilly location with lots of undergrowth while trying to keep my balance and not poke out an eye with a branch, keep her in a stay position all the while trying to highlight a flowering apple tree, can prove interesting and required a couple of tries. I’m sure a rabbit had hung out in the undergrowth which if you know anything about dogs with a high prey drive can sabotage any training session. The photo itself isn’t anything to write home about nature-wise, but the fact that she managed to sit without breaking the stay seemed like a big deal in my books. Her progress with learning new things continues to improve and provides confidence. I can’t help but wonder if ‘Ninja swagger’ with Elsa will be a good thing or my downfall.
For the most part, the tulips are beginning to wane (except for those in my yard-yay) but we did manage to visit this garden with some pretty pink ones still. Last year they were amazingly beautiful, this year, the beds hadn’t been cleaned up so they’re not quite as lovely, but still managed to coordinate with Elsa’s bandana, proving once again that Mother Nature will sometimes still work with you.
This weekend is shaping up to be warm and sunny which will be most welcome in the 303. Elsa and I hope you are able to get out and enjoy it. Sam indicated he plans to laze about in the sun as he contemplates the complexities of life. Happy weekend, peeps and pets!
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Pawsitively furbulous Elsa!
You got the moves & the look🐾
💜nose nudges 💜
All the pics of Elsa are beautiful…but that one where she is looking straight ahead is gorgeous! I see it enlarged on canvas and adorning a wall!
Thanks. I am considering having it printed on glass. She’s a pretty girl and deserves to be memorialized on a wall. 😍
that pink bandana is GORGEOUS!!!
Thanks. Elsa looks pretty good in pink, if I do say so myself. 💞
Wowzers I love the red tulip and snow!!!
Thanks! It was a lucky capture.
Silly Old Man Winter was here too Elsa an Miss Monika an Sam!! THE snow iss all gone an rain has stopped butt it iss still so chilley out! Today Caturday iss ferst day mee sat out inn Condo fore an hour!!! All week was too wet an chilley an nasty!
Elsa yore photoess are purrfect…do you know what a purrty doggie girl you are??? Lovelee…..
***pursss*** BellaDharma
Thanks, sweet kitty. Snow here this time of year is not unheard of, but 80 F degrees one day and 30 the next seems uncharacteristic.
Wee are havin tempyture swingss like yoress Miss Monika all tho wee not get over 60 deegreess yet…seems efurry where iss goin thru crazey weather! FISHSTICKSS!
It’s definitely strange and extreme weather all over. If only those in power saw what’s happening and work to minimize the effects of climate change. Today will be warm but back in the 40’s F by Wednesdays. Fishsticks and dog bones!! What kind of spring is in the 40’s?
Wee agree with you Miss Monika…butt from what LadyMew meowss to mee THE Governmentss do not seem too bothered ’bout Climate warmin or animalss dyin or anything impawtent! Today started sunny an warm; now it iss cloudy an chilley….wee had to tern heet on again! FISSTICKSS an DOGBONESS iss RITE!!!!!
Meowza! Those flowers in the snow look a lot like where we live. Thank goodness the last of the white stuff has left our yard and the flowers will be ready to be sniffed when we take our first stroll in the garden.
Purrs & Head Bonks,
Tucker
The snow didn’t last long and gave everything a nice drink. Lilacs are blooming now!
We’re not getting a lot of sun today, but we’re getting a break from all the rain, and the temperatures have finally left the 40’s and climbed into the 60’s!! We hope the worst is now behind us and Mother Nature has dumped that jerk for good!
I love the photos of Elsa with her pink bandana and the matching pink flowers. Great job by both of you! ♥
It’s warm again today but I keep hoping we’ll get a little shower. We always seem to want what we don’t have, don’t we? 😇
The photos are lovely and Elsa is beautiful. I hope the snow soon decides to leave you alone.
Your photos of your garden with snow on it are spectacular!!!! Elsa is a superstar. Not breaking a stay for rabbit smells is very impressive. And your photos of her are too!
Thanks. She’s a smart girl, when she fails it’s because I’ve not done my job right. This training stuff is even hard to learn…for the inexperienced trainer. I applaud all you’ve accomplished with Shyla and Hachi!
What a beautiful model you are, Elsa, and your flowers are so pretty – even the ones in the snow!
Thanks for the kind words. I got lucky on both counts. 😉
We’re so proud of Elsa and you get the hi 5 (or 4) of the day for helping her feel so loved and secure that she can relax and learn all these great new things. Have a sunny, warm weekend. Amy, Lucy and Xena
She tries hard to be a good dog. I wish I were a better trainer. We’re both learning as we go. 😍
Aren’t we all! It seems like that is what life is all about.
We love the snowcapped tulip:) And that first photo of Elsa is a winner!!!
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Thanks. We got lucky with both shots. 📷
Well done Elsa! Even though the next day was not quite so perfect….she has made such progress.
She really has, which makes my heart soar. The trick is to keep her engaged. 😊
Love, LOVE the photos! And how beautiful Miss Elsa looks with her pretty-in-pink bandana! Brando would surely swoon too if he caught a look at her. He’s in slumber-town mode at the moment…. Happy Friday to you and yours.
Thanks. She’s come a long way from the puppy mill but still has far to go. I’d venture a guess she’d be enchanted by your poodle live. Here’s to a swell weekend 🍷
Elsa you were a perfect model for your mom. We loved how the flowers coordinated with your pink bandana.
She was good then, not so much this morning. I think she likes to keep things from getting boringly routine. 😁
Good work Elsa!
She needs no egging on, believe me. Little toad.
No growling? How about this?
AROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I learned that from the dogs.
She manages to save the growls for unsuspecting dogs we encounter on our walks. #ohthatdog If only she’d do a dainty “a-roo-roo” instead of a snarl & bark like Mister T at times.
Oh my goodness! Such great pics! Love that coordinating bandana 🙂
Thanks. Some days you just get lucky. 😊
Wasn’t that a lucky shot? ☺️
You go girl, Elsa!
Trust me, she needs no encouragement!
Boy, if it were cold enough for snow, we’d have gotten about three feet of it this week. Mother Nature is definitely in cahoots with my skunk Rainy here…
I heard about all the rainy your area has gotten. Hope things begin to dry out so there’s no more flooding.
Those are great Elsa shots. Don’t recall ever seeing so many photos of her sitting still. What a good pupper! Watch out, Colorado Poodle Society, there’s a new model in town! Also, +1 for “Old Man Winter’s dandruff.”
She must have heard me talking her up so she decided to go Ninja stealthy on this morning’s walk by scaring the bejesus out of a couple guys. #ohthatdog!
You sure are a magical girl, Elsa <3 We hope the weather will change soon, but we expect snow tomorrow too…again…🙀Have to get out my winterfurr again and Granny too. Pawkisses for a Warm Weekend to all of you🐾😽💞
Right back atcha, Binky. Snow is forecast for next week but we keep our paws crossed it’s just a nice rain. 🤞🏼
Looks like you had three seasons in one week. Yikes.
Elsa is such a pretty girl. I always enjoy seeing and hearing about her.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to Elsa. ♥
Many thanks. We hope you get a chance to get out on the boat.
Not till next Wednesday. We have a long cruise starting then. 🙂
It’s good to hear that Mother Nature changed her number and now . . maybe this guy that’s been coming around will get scarce for a while. 🙂
Elsa is a five tool superstar! What a beauty!
I think she likes stringing Winter along. Heard there’ll be a return visit by him next week. 😳
Elsa must have heard me talking her up and was a bit of a pill on this morning’s walk. She loves the opportunity to keep me guessing.
He probably brings a certain level of excitement to her life, even if we consider him to be much too cranky at times.
The girl has mad skills and she KNOWS it! 🙂
Sometimes I think she’s a fox with her cleverness. Ole Man Winter is just a bully. But some ‘girls’ can’t resist those bad boys.
The age old story, huh?
The flowers blooming through the snow were inspirational.
Elsa is America’s next top model.
It’s amazing to see plants survive a wet snow and stay upright.
Seeing them stay upright IS truly inspirational!
What a lovely girl! 😉
She’s a real pill, that’s for sure. Have a great weekend.
Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend, too!
tulips in snow… wow!!!! Elsa you are such a beautiful girl we love ya!!!! Happy weekend to you all
That red one definitely has game! Have a super weekend. Hope winter has left your garden and the Wiems can romp and roll in it and not wet stuff.