With the concept of time being totally upended during this panDAMNic, how in the world did we get to the last Friday of August…otherwise known as Hades for those of us in the midst of wildfires with scorching temps and little moisture. With 24 days until the official arrival of our favorite season, we’re hoping the weatherman is correct with his forecast for cooler temperatures beginning today. I’m not sure I’ll know how to act in temperatures that aren’t in the 90’s but you can bet your sweet bippy I’ll be sure to give it a go. Well enough about the weather. Let’s join our ‘fur-iends’ Rosy, Sunny, Arty and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard. We hope you’ll click on the link to see what the Gang and others around Blogville have showcased this week.
This week saw me being confined to the house. After a dog on human accident last Sunday where Elsa zigged and I zagged, I haven’t been able to give them their usual walkabouts where we explore our urban nature. Luckily I did manage a quick early morning visit to the Denver Botanical Gardens over the weekend, the first since it reopened with timed reservations and reduced visitors. And despite cutting my visit short, it was definitely worth going.
The waterlilies at the botanic gardens are in fully glory and are a frequent favorite of visitors. August and September are prime viewing times for waterlilies with the most awe-inspiring “Water Platters” (Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ and Victoriacruziana) taking center stage. They are measured in feet sometimes as much as 6-feet across), unlike the smaller waterlilies that are merely inches in size across. Both are beautiful and make the pools a garden favorite. An interesting footnote regarding the “Monet Pool” as shown below is the addition of a non-toxic, food-grade black dye to the ponds weekly when needed in order to maintain the dark coloration seen throughout the displays. This dye performs multiple tasks. The first being it blocks out sunlight deterring growth of algae, all the while hiding the planting containers and creating a beautiful reflective surface that makes the aquatic plants stand out even more.
Wildlife lives in harmony at the gardens as numerous ducks frequently skim the pond surfaces for food. This female Mallard was hard at work but then decided to turn stalker after her shift follow me to a nearby bench where I was able to take in the whole pond in all its fabulous glory. She was within touching distance but I kept a watchful eye to exit quickly should ‘things’ get real. She maintained a jovial demeanor, smiling for the camera though I missed capturing any winks. I called her Estelle and she didn’t seem to object.
These strawflower flowers bring vivid colors to any garden or craft project alike, making lovely dried-flower bouquets. Strawflowers resemble daisies in form, but unlike daisies, their petals are stiff and papery. In fact, they aren’t true petals at all, but a modified leaf known as a bract. Native to Australia, they are easy to grow and thrive in bright, sunny spots.
‘Tiger Flower’ (Tigridia pavonia) is one of the best-known species from the genus Tigridia, of the Iridaceae family. Sometimes referred to as jockey’s cap lily, Mexican shellflower, peacock flower, Tiger Flower is widespread across Central America. Their blooms open early in the morning and close up near dusk. A fresh bloom opens daily.
Update to the wildfires ~ Glenwood Springs:
The fire (known at the Grizzly Creek fire) has consumed over 32,000 acres, is now 68% contained, I-70 reopened earlier this week and firefighters are hopeful in making progress with lower temps and the potential of rain with higher humidity to make their job just a bit easier. The largest wildfire in Colorado’s history, the Pine Gulch fire near Grand Junction, is now 77% contained and has consumed over 139,000 acres. We continue to pray for firefighters and those folks living near these fires (as well as all other wires in the state).
We hope you have a great weekend. My family will be convening to celebrate my dad’s 90th birthday and we’re looking forward to the clan celebrating our Patriarch with a mirthful gathering in the mountains filled with loads of good food, spirits, and raucous fun. It ain’t everyday you toast 90 years along with his good health.
Enjoy whatever you plan to do, and make sure you are able to enjoy some of the beauty Mother Nature dishes up. Posts will likely be sparse but don’t worry. We’ll be around enjoying each other and the cooler temps, but probably not particularly active online.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Mee-yow wow Estelle Duckie iss cute as a button!!! An THE button flowerss are kewl…an the Lilly Pad pond iss furry kewl too…
Miss Monika you sure see THE most kewlest Scenery!
***purrss*** BellaDahrma an ((huggiess)) LadyMew
Aww, thanks Bella Dharma. You’re too kind.
Mee just meowss mee like mee seess it Miss Monika!! Yore a grate foto-graffur!
Aw shucks…blush, blush. Thank you!
Such beautiful photos.
Thanks!
I love the strawflowers and the water lilies.
Hope you’re doing well, mama
Thanks. Trying to make some improvements each day. Think I did too much this morning but oh, it was so worth it!
You take things nice and easy, young lady.
Will do. Have a great week.
Some really lovely flowers there and I loved the Waterlilly Pads. I take birdseed with me when we go to the Wetlands – I feed the ducks and geese. One wanted to take the seed from my hand but being a bit on the odd side, I really like having fingers…
Smart thinking on your part. I’m leery of feeding wildlife. Keeping one’s fingers takes on greater importance when there is the potential of losing them. 😇
So so so glads your fires are contained!!!! Ours are getting better, as the weather has helped out so much! That duckie is sooooo cute!!!! I bets it wanted some foodables…butts it’s tricky cause some peeps say that you should gives them anythings, and others say it’s okay to gives them duckie foods, butts I just likes to bark at em’! BOL!!!
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
When in doubt…right? 😁 Elsa would agree with you, Ruby.
Great DBG pics, love the duck shots! Hope you are back to your walks again soon, those pet-related mishaps are no fun 🙁
It’s a bad couple of broken toes so it’ll be a while till we can do our normal walks. The hardest were lovely, especially the dahlias.
Oh no…Take care of yourself!
No worries. It’ll all be good eventually 😄
Beautiful pictures!!
Thanks! And thanks for swinging by the Ranch. We 💙 visitors.
What a wonderful relaxing place, Monika and that duckie is so cute. We like that they swim in a fountain all by themselves..MOL😸😸Pawkisses for a Happy Weekend and Extra Pawkisses for a Happy Birthday to your Dad🐾😽💞
Thank you; we loved the busy ducks too, even if she followed me closely.
Never saw a strawflower before, pretty cool!
They sure spiff up bouquets and craft projects like wreaths. I love them.
So grateful to hear the fires are being contained. I love your sense of humor! Happy bday, Dad! And heal quickly. 🌞
Many thanks for the kind words and best wishes. 😍
The water lilies look awesome and calming.
They are truly amazing. And really gorgeous.
Beautiful pics. Excited to see you this weekend for the celebration. Sounds like we have some catching up to do!
Right you are! Safe travels. 😘
What a beautiful post full of all of the best of Nature. I got a giggle out of Estelle’s(and your) antics!
Estelle was a total diva! 😆
Yup. It’s been a mighty hot Dogust.
The Dog Days of summer seem tame to our collective melting. 🥵
Get rid of the straw flowers and get sunflowers.
We like both 🌻🌺
Beautiful photos!!! We hope you are mending well. Happy Birthday to your Dad!!! Enjoy the family gathering.
Mom loves your word PANDAMNIC:)
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Thank you! I’ll be ok as soon as my aged body catches up. 🤣 PanDAMNic is the nicest thing I can call it.
I’m happy for you and your dad: congratulations to him! And I hope that you’ll be able to walk your regular amount again soon.
Have a great weekend,
Pit
Many thanks, Herr Pit. I hope I age as well as my dad. Here’s to a ‘wagnificent’ weekend.
Beautiful post and I love Estelle’s brashness!
Thank goodness the fires are mostly contained. Here’s to hoping they become 100% a thing of the past… So much land, so many people affected…
These fires do such long term damage. And with global climate change, the impact is sure to get worse. Worse fires worse hurricanes, etc. We must do something. Maybe the Estelle’s of the world can get people in line?
🙁
And yes… let us hope.
I’m so glad your weather is finally turning, and that the fires are getting more under control. We’ve had distinctly fall-like weather here for the last few days. I’ve been complaining – sorry, but I’m not ready to have to have the house closed up yet! Today we are back to more normal temps, thank goodness. Warm but comfortably so.
Enjoy your family time – that’s a big event to celebrate!!
I can only pray the change continues, though I suspect the temps will rise again. Thanks, we will have a super time time just being together. Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Fall can’t come soon enough. So tired of 90 degrees plus. Hope you’re doing better soon after the dog/human encounter!
We’ll all be fine with a bit of R&R. Yeah I’m with you-so over summer. Have a lovely weekend.
Not sure what happened to my comment. Think cyberspace ate it!
Happy Birthday to your Dad!! Def cause for a BIG celebration! Enjoy!
Praying for the firefighters, I am sure they are exhausted!
Lovely photos. Glad you could go to the gardens!
Hope you are healing fine and that you and Elsa can coordinate your Zig and Zag next time. 🙂
Technology hijacks me too often so I feel your pain. Thanks for the best wishes all around. Enjoy your weekend!
Working this weekend but I will still enjoy it. 🙂
Don’t work too hard.
Water lilies are not popular here, they clog the whole water system shortly after summer starts, no boating or swimming. I wish our fires were so small, the one nearest me is around 400,000 sacres, and it is not the largest. Yesterday there was a
Slight breeze, air quality got as good as yellow, as opposed to the usual red or purple. I didn’t even know there was a purple–it means hold your breath as long as possible.
Weather last night showed 100’s for several days out of the next week. Average temp this August is the highest monthly average ever recorded. My theory is, if I am going to be so miserable so long I want a record to show for it.
Yes I feel badly whinging about our wildfires when California is ablaze.
Purple??!! Yikes. Hope lower temps start happening in the near future We’re experiencing our hottest summer in a long while. Stay safe and have a good weekend.
So nice to see botanical gardens have started opening again. Gardeners prefer people to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 😉
HB to your Dad – 90 is quite the milestone. Blessings!
It was so soothing to my soul. I think the other visitors felt the same. Around every corner there were ooh’s and ahh’s.
I’m with John. The duck was looking for a handout, hoping you had some corn in your pocket! I love Denver’s Botanical Gardens! I always visit when in the city. Good news about the fires. My stepkids have been sending photos of hazy skies in Denver from the fires. Prayers for all!
The gardens are a real respite, made even more so during the haze filled skies. Sunrises and sunsets continue to feature red orbs.
What a beautiful place. I would have enjoyed strolling about all this beauty.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to the pups. ♥
It really is a lovely spot to visit in the heart of the city. Happy weekend to you!
that is super beautiful, we love waterlilys so much… and what a clever idea to avoid algues that way… all our positive theoughts to your firefighters and the helpers, we hope they can rescue as much as possible…. and we wish your dad a wonderful birthday with the family…
Thanks for all the good wishes. We hope you and the boys have a pawsome weekend!
Great photos. Ducks are very social. At some point someone must have given her some food. I’m glad the fires are starting to be controlled. Stay safe.
I’m not familiar with ducks but always give wildlife wide berth out of respect. Friendly or otherwise. Have a super weekend, John. Give the fur-kiddos ear rubs from us.
Thank you, Monika. I will. You do the same.