Can it truly be the last Friday of January (otherwise known as the 13th month of 2020)? Where did this month go?! As we usual, we’re joining our hosts, Rosy, Sunny, Arty and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard for this week’s edition of the Nature Friday blog hop. Don’t forget to “hop” over to their backyard by clicking on the link and checking out what great nature images folks from around Blogville shared.
A welcome snow shower visited us this week to cover anything that might be showing signs of life beyond the brown but we’re not complaining. Before the change in landscape, we noticed on our daily walks that shadows are long this time of year. How long you ask? Well that tree on the right side is approximately halfway into the park (a city block square) and stretches toward the two evergreens which line the outside boundary along the street.
The low winter sun makes for great shadows this time of year and captivates my eye on our walks. Norman & Elsa seemed interested in them too, though I suspect a certain fuzzy ‘hoodlum’ who scampered into that evergreen tree is what mostly piqued their interest. I rather love that tree shadows dominate the landscape on sunny days and stretch across yards. Even Norman’s long legs look longer.
Have you ever noticed winter shadows when you’re out and about?
We hope you have a lovely Friday and a super weekend. We’re planning on being outside as much as possible before next week’s forecasted storm and cold temps. I don’t know about you, but almost 60ºF sounds like a pretty good forecast for today.
Welcome to the last Monday of January and what a month it’s been. We experienced an insurrection, an impeachment, a inauguration, an anniversary, sixty plus degree sunny days with a couple of minor snow showers mixed in for variety and now know which teams will be competing in the Super Bowl. Goodness…I can’t even begin to imagine what may happen in February!
As you may recall, I don’t make resolutions at the beginning of any new year but I do focus on routine rituals when it comes to good health practices so today’s musing reminded me it’s time to schedule Norman’s wellness check this week.
Let’s hope your 20/20 hindsight is spot on (without dwelling on the past) and you and your good pet(s) are staying happy and healthy. Let’s keep smiling and have a good Monday!
While I typically do not post on Saturday’s, I couldn’t let this particular Saturday pass without acknowledging an important anniversary. It was one year ago today that I drove to Colorado Springs to pick up a moose, er, I mean, my buddy “Stormin’ Norman” at a restaurant parking lot. I had been introduced to him a few days earlier at his foster dad’s home and admit I wasn’t quite sure just what I was getting. Oh sure, he seemed absolutely lovely and he was great around Elsa but I knew he would need some time to find his inner self after being uprooted from his long-time family and fur-sister and placed into the world of rescue where getting used to new people, new routines, etc. would be what would occupy him for the next several months. As I drove home from the initial meet and greet a few days earlier, I kept wondering what would an addition of this size be like around the Ranch? I couldn’t help but wonder how he would handle the 70 mile drive home, let alone integrate into a new pack with vastly different players and energy from what he was used to experiencing? I didn’t know if he’d balk at getting into my car and knew for certain I couldn’t lift this hunk but he easily climbed into my car and we never looked back. He was the perfect gentleman in the back seat and the perfect road companion, then and now.
Day One-the ride home
To say much has happened over the past year is a bit of an understatement. Norman and I have become use to one another’s quirks and idiosyncrasies, he’s been a model Big Brother to a less than hospitable at times Ninja sister, he survived a life threatening event (bloat), and became an intern therapy dog. Norman is one of the most affable, laid back dogs and his core personality has unfolded over the past year to reveal one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever known.
Let’s take a look back at this lovable joker over the year.
One of the things that impressed me most is how this sweet boy will allow me to pose him in the silliest of hats, etc.
To say he’s larger than life is a real understatement. Weighing in over 85 pounds, this boy is BIG…and v-e-r-y tall. Like all sheepdogs, he has a big, fat large head (the better to munch bones on apparently) and has managed to master being adorably photogenic like a puppy without even trying.
He has no problem being photographed as a unicorn (super patient with me laughing hysterically trying to capture the photo while not moving the camera) or as a slumbering sofa-surfer.
It was just ten minutes after he arrived at his new home that he was making himself comfortable on the sofa, despite being assured by his foster dad that “no, he never gets up on the furniture.”
This past year I’ve watched as Norman’s personality blossomed especially during the past few months when my son was staying with me. This mellow giant is just giddy expressing his love for people through significant butt wiggles with a one-sided smile (I’ve never managed to capture that smile in a photo as he’s constantly wiggling and my cell phone just can’t focus without blurring). He’s become a master at sniffing every tree and bush encountered on walks and I’ve learned the hard way that when he puts the brakes on or suddenly stops I’d better be prepared for significant recoil since he’s not easily moved. And I’ve also learned to hang on for dear life when he suddenly takes off after a squirrel and pray I stay upright.
Norman has brought such joy to my grieving heart after Sam’s unexpectedly crossing to the Rainbow Bridge just a month after Norman arrived. Sam must have thought he was leaving me in good paws when he departed and he was right. Norman seems to know when my heart is particularly heavy and will quietly lay next to me with his head across my lap or legs. It feels like a big furry hug that comforts my aching soul.
And so on the anniversary of his first Gotcha Day, I wish this handsome pile of fur many happy returns. Turning eight looks pretty darn good on you, Dude. Here’s wishing you a ‘pawsome’ year of great adventures and fun. Love you, buddy!
Welcome to Friday, our favorite day of the week. It’s been another unseasonable week of pleasant weather in the Mile High which means the season of brown and drab is very much alive and well. As we typically do on Friday’s, we’re joining our friends, Rosy, Sunny, Arty and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard for another Nature Friday blog hop. Don’t forget to “hop” over to their backyard by clicking on the link and check out all the great images of nature that folks found this week.
Let’s get started, eh? As I mentioned, it’s pretty brown around here. Brown trees, brown leaves and grass, shrubs, and perennials. But that doesn’t mean nature doesn’t have beauty and interest. Take for instance, tree bark.
We walk passed a very small park in our neighborhood every day. Evergreen and deciduous trees line the outside border of this park and were featured in a post last June here after a severe wind storm. When we walk past this little park, we’re more alert for dogs off leash than any botany but a recent morning there were no dogs or peeps so we ventured in the interior a bit where some trees caught my eye. They caught the eyes of the Ranch hands too.
There are a small handful of shorter trees which I think are some sort of crab apple. They aren’t overly tall and the leaves aren’t overly flashy in the summer, but the bark…now that’s another story. Just check out the texture and shape of these babies!
This tree looks as though it’s seen a thing or two and it caught our eye. It almost reminded me of ancient Greek olive trees. It just reminds Elsa to stay vigilant for tree rats who seem to instinctively know that she has a fierce prey drive but who are willing to tempt her anyway. How is it they seem to understand exactly how long her leash is and take advantage when taunting her?
That gnarled shape and textured bark remind me it’s good to keep your eyes open as you routinely walk through your neighborhood.
The bark reminds me of tiny shingles overlaying one another in rich and various shades of brown, grey, and tan.
All is not lost in the ‘Hood; yesterday we passed by one front garden that is beginning to show subtle signs that spring bulbs are engaged in their annual emerging journey. Like other scenes seen from this week, there’s hope and a fresh newness in the air and in our souls (if you didn’t watch the inauguration, I would direct your attention to America’s first national youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman. What an amazing and inspiring young woman. You can watch a video about her appearance here).
Notice that tiny emerging columbine on the upper right side next to the rock? I don’t know about you, but that made me grin with optimism for the days ahead.
We are still hoping for snow to fill the watershed this weekend but know that January is the driest month yet remain hopeful nonetheless. It’s been a dry winter which won’t bode well for summer time but are keeping our paws crossed.
In a rare Saturday post, I hope you’ll join us tomorrow for a look at a certain Ranch hand’s Gotcha Day celebration. Till then enjoy a beautiful Friday and a terrific weekend.
When it comes to the world of dogs and their social media, I can’t get enough, apparently the ‘posting’ aspect, right Norman? Have a smile filled week.
Since every day of the week in the age of COVID are referred to as “Blursday,” I had to check the calendar to make sure that today is in fact Friday. Welcome back old friend! As we typically do today we join our friends, Rosy, Sunny, Arty and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard for another Nature Friday blog hop. Don’t forget to swing by their backyard and check out all the great nature scenes.
Well it may be the middle of January already, but around the Mile High that just means we’re steadfastly stuck in a season of brown drab despite a small storm that dumped some white stuff at the beginning of the week. That just means we are bit shy on anything particularly scenic to share…unless you’re really into dried leaves and grasses.
It’s been a busy week but I kept my eyes open whenever I was out to see if anything worth sharing would catch my eye. While running a couple of errands around the neighborhood, I drove by this little shopfront. This little skin care shop is very close to the intersection and because Murphy’s Law insists that I must stop for the streetlight every time I pass by here. It would seem as if the owners are kind of trying to create some of their own kind brand of spring to offset the dusty drab that has a chokehold on the local landscape. The color caught my eye from nearly a block away but I couldn’t figure out exactly what it was until I got closer to the intersection. That welcome pop of color on the ‘wisteria chains’ give the scene a bit of tongue in check whimsiness.
It may not be the real deal but considering the alternative, I’ll take it. It just goes to show if you keep your eyes open, you’ll find something that’s either lovely, makes you smile or both.
Wishing there’s plenty of nature for you to take in this weekend. Got any special plans?
After 10 months of lockdown, my mind and gypsy heart have been dreaming a lot of traveling again. Since the US is persona non grata throughout most of the world, the only way to go on a trip is through past photos and memories.
This beautiful kitty who seemed to be somewhat annoyed at my interruption of its vigil when I visited the Kommern LVR-Freilicht Museum located near Eiffel National Park not far from the Belgium border. In the LVR-large open air museum , you can experience all your senses learning how people used to live and work in the Rhineland and watch reenactments of life as it was yesteryear by museum employees.
Freilich Museum
On the almost 100 hectares grounds, there are 69 historical buildings from the former Prussian RheinProvinz, farmsteads, complete with farm animals, wind-and-water mills, workshops, communal buildings, and many reenactments of life of a rural population heralding from as long ago as the 15th century.
Despite a beautiful day here in the 303, my gypsy heart longs to be there enjoying this wonderful place today. I can practically smell the freshly baked bread from the hearth.
Freilich Museum
Freilich Museum
Simpler times and ones that would be especially welcome today. Happy mid-week.
Welcome to Monday. The laptop’s back up and running now and we thought this smile was a clever way to let you know we’re back. While we read everyone’s posts from last week, we left next to no comments. My hat’s off to millennials who easily manage life typing on a tiny little phone screen. Alas I’d make a lousy millennial since it became clear quickly that leaving comments from the phone was an exercise in futility and frustration. But we’re back, I’m smiling and the small storm that blew through over the weekend allowed us some ‘dashing through the snow’ time so the dogs (well at least Elsa) were happy too. Norman remains in the “Yeah, I can hold it” camp but he still manages to leave significant amounts of yellow posts nonetheless whenever we ventured out. Talk about a weather wuss.
We hope your privacy settings are well respected this week and it turns out to be a good one. It’s ‘crisp’ this morning, (19ºF at 8:30 local time) but should hit the mid 40’s later today with low 60’s by Wednesday. Woohoo…60’s in January folks! We’ll take it. Have a great Monday and even greater week.
We hope you had a lovely New Year’s celebration. Ours was quiet…well until around midnight when some knuckle-dragging neighbors began shooting off fireworks. For a few minutes, it was nerve-wracking for a couple of pups. Fireworks always set my jaw and make me grumble but we finally were able to get to sleep soon thereafter. Thank goodness for the BBC which broadcasts late at night on public radio. Apart from getting world-wide news without the same cable TV newscaster droning on about that same ‘breaking news’ story that had been highlighted for the previous six hours, it provided some pleasant white noise for the dogs. Hard to believe they have next to no interest in soccer scores or how the 4-1/2 year long divorce known as BREXIT ended up. It only took about 15 minutes before canine snores were competing with news from Britain, the rest of the world and fireworks.
Unlike my usual MO, this post was penned before Monday. Usually they’re done the morning they get published but knowing the laptop will be going in for a tune up later this week, it was actually written in advance. I even hope to get a couple in the hopper to tie us over. Perhaps this proactivity might set the stage for that age-old resolution of ‘being better organized.’ Yeah, probably not.
So let’s start out the new year with a nice big smile, shall we?
So how was your New Year’s celebration? Here’s hoping the ‘first week’ sets the tone for a better year. Hope springs eternal.
