Welcome to the last Friday of October for this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we observed some urban Nature. As always, we’re joining our PNW pals, Rosy, Sunny, Arty and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard.
While parts of the both Coasts were pounded by rain, the Mile High received a pittance of wet stuff and what did fall was more leaves than moisture. It was very windy for a couple of days so a lot of leaves are no longer on trees. I was determined to find any remaining color on yesterday afternoon’s walk and was quite surprised at what I encountered. Care to tag along on a walk through the ‘Hood to see what we found?
First off, many trees still look like those in my yard. Green with brown edges. Even my two Locust trees are only slightly yellow, fairly unusual for this time of year. The Catalpa looks as if it’s still channeling summer. Its leaves mockingly stare with a look of disapproval when I pulled out the leaf rake. I think I heard it chortle, “Fat chance, lady-you ain’t getting rid us any time soon.”
Ok, big boy, but your day will come…one way or another. Think wet snow, dude. Many oaks I’ve come across look similar but not nearly as arrogant as the Catalpa. I think they’re just trying to figure out what the heck is going on this autumn.
As I wandered about, I was determined to find some colorful trees. And I wasn’t disappointed. Looks like it pays to take different routes on occasion to see different landscapes. Ahem…you hear that Elsa…Miss Can’t Possibly Deviate from the Route” walking partner. I feel rather foolish for kvetching about a lack of color on our daily walks. I stand corrected, Mother Nature, with my apologies.
While this maple had a lot of green on it, there were a fair number of red mixed in on the lower branches.
This maroon beauty was especially pretty even in the shadows of a corner lot.
There’s nothing I enjoy more than a long autumn walk on a clear day. We’ve been blessed with lots of those trademark Colorado bluebird skies lately and they stand out in between colorful leaves.
Colorado’s rising COVID numbers may be depressing, but receiving a healthy dose of Vitamin D daily helps keep the spirits up.
Turning onto a new street, this red beauty practically screamed at me.
At least it should be easy distinguishing fallen leaves on the ground from brown grass and leaves as shown on this nearby sidewalk.
A detour over to Sloan’s Lake shows how clear the skies were yesterday. The downtown skyline gleamed.
While on my walks, I’ve been noticing Halloween decorations. The neighborhood has really gone all out. My favorite house that I pass every day has a colossus skeleton, a dozen life size skellies, and a dog skelton (they are the people who had the gigantic Aragog spider that I featured earlier). Yesterday they had added 3 vultures overlooking their fence. Earlier in the week, the colossus was engaged in a game of tug-o-war (see on our Instagram feed) with the skellies. These folks must have a great sense of humor. I always laugh at their latest arrangement with the decorations.
People seem to be embracing costumes too. This local pup was dressed in prison stripes behind bars of his yard which made me giggle. “Louie” was not amused by my response and barked ferociously as I passed.
It’ll be interesting to see if any Trick-o-Treaters will venture out this weekend. The weather is set to change here with rain/snow showers starting Sunday evening. Typical Colorado weather for Halloween. I’ll be prepared just in case some fool trick-o-treaters decide freezing is worth a piece of candy.
What are your plans for the “Howl-oween” weekend? Staying in or going out? Whatever you do, we hope there’s some outside time taking in all that Nature offers us when we only take a moment to look. Stay safe but have fun.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Poor Louis. We think you hurt his feelings, BOL. That skeleton of that bird was scary! And Mom decorated the house with silk leaves that look like those first colored ones. We hope you had a good trick or treat night. XOX Xena and Lucy
Poor Louie-he was not a happy pupster. I think it was the hat myself.
Those neighbors have entertained the whole neighborhood with their clever arrangements of the skellies. Too much fun. We hope you had a spooktacular Howloween. 👻🎃
I spent the day and am spending the night in the hospital with my son who had emergency surgery today. He came through it ok.
Glad to hear Andrew made it through ok. We’re keeping him in our thoughts and prayers (and you as well too). You must be exhausted. Hugs and tail wags.
Caught a few zz’s during the night, and he’s much more coherent this morning, but there’s a glitch. Post to follow.
Drat, sorry to hear that. Take good care. Hugs.
Charlee: “Locust trees??? I wish we had one of those!”
Chaplin: “Did you have a good harvest of locusts this year?”
Charlee: “Do they fly off on their own or do you have to pick them?”
Lulu: “You two don’t actually think grasshoppers grow on trees, do you?”
Chaplin: “Well I mean they have to come from somewhere, right?”
Locust trees are the best because their tiny leaves usually blow away. Unlike maple and catalpa leaves which stick in the yard like Velcro.
Mee-yow those red an maroon tree leeves are gorgeeus Miss Monika!!
Elsa it does pay to deeviate from normal roo-teen 😉
Our trees are changin butt not vibrant colors; more washed out….outside of town treess are lovelee….go figure???
Wish youss’ a Happy Halloweeny!
Louie lookss adorss in his Prison costume even if hee not liek it 😉
***purrss*** BellaDharma an <3 BellaSita
Pee S: Pleese give lotss of ***kissess*** to Sweet Norman fore mee! Thanx!
The weather has had such an impact on the trees here. They all seem stressed from the lack of moisture. Wishing you a spooktacular Howl-oween 🎃
Our frendss out yore way are meowin SAME THING Miss Monika!! Our werld sure iss changin issn’t it?? Mee so gratefull to have home to live inn 😉 Mee wuud not want to bee a street kitty anymore!
What a lovely walk you shared with us. I love the efforts people make for Hallowe’en. The colours are beautiful!
Happy Weekend!
Thank you! It’s fun to see how people translate their experience into amazing yard displays. Those folks with all the skeletons and vultures, put up a bunch of skeleton ravens sometime yesterday. They really have gone all out. Have a safe but fun ‘Howl-oween!’
I love that they move their “figures” around to create scenes. Lucky you to witness it!.
It’ll be quiet as I’m one of those awful peeps who just turns off all the lighs (too many years of being left with all that junk for my own butt to finish off!)
Silly girl…take that stuff in to your ‘favorite’ co-workers and bosses. 😈 Let them finish it off. I guarantee it’ll be gone in no time.
Oh hell no… I work there so I have access, too. Bloody cleaning lady brought a bucket. I won’t say how many I ate…
Hahaha. It’s one of the few places where I had discipline. Well it helped that I’d buy candy I wouldn’t eat with a gun pointed at my head. If I’m going to spend calories on junk, it better be tasty junk. LOL
Me? Zero. Zilch. Nada. Nyet.
There is the rub… I should buy crap…
You’re too funny. Yes, crap is good-satisfies the kiddos and the leftovers go quickly at work. Now that I’m not working I’m praying for nasty weather so I don’t have to answer the door.
Hahahaha!
You did find some beautiful leaves on your walkabout. Our maples are the prettiest this year – some other trees just had BROWN leaves and fell off period – no pretty “show”. Weird year for leaves and weather. Love the dog behind bars and even though it’s a bit scary, the vulture on the fence has a SCARY touch indeed. We expect kids for trick or treat here this year – we will be purrrrpared with Mom and Dad wearing masks and gloves – maybe they’ll be dressing up as surgeons? HAHAHAHA
Hugs, Teddy
The Silver Maples (which are the majority in older neighborhoods) have been pathetic colorwise. But when you take time to look at the newer trees, there are some beautiful Flame Maples. So striking in looks (and far less problematic as the Silver Maples)!
We had a couple nights of light frost, so now the leaves are quickly turning into their fall garb for us to admire. But we also had over 4 inches of rain this week, so a lot have been already brought down into soggy piles…we have a catalpa tree, too…it loves to dump branches in even slight winds…one fell on our shed and broke through its roof. Phooey! The walnuts are more than plentiful this season, and who knows what our winter will be like!
You sure found some gorgeous colorful trees!
Louis made us giggle. We might get dressed up for a picture session, but we don’t have to keep the stuff on, thankfully!
Our peeps do not celebrate this holiday…except maybe with said pictures. We don’t even get any trick or treaters coming by, we live too rurally and the houses are far apart mostly.
Thanks for sharing your neighborhood with us all:)
It’s not my favorite holiday (constant doorbell ringing stresses out Elsa which makes her susceptible to seizures) and treats must be well guarded otherwise they end up being filched by furry noses, still it’s fun watching people decorate their homes and chose clever costumes. Here’s hoping you have a spooktacular ‘Howl-oween!’
A pittance is right! Those stiff winds this week meant I was raking leaves today! Beautiful red maple leaves covered our yard. Sigh. Take care!
At the rate things are going, I’ll be raking leaves until December! Have a safe ‘Howl-oween!’
Poor Louie!
Your blog posts are such a pick up….it has been a long day, we have a poorly dog but those photographs really changed my mood!
So glad you found a spot of uplifting in them. Sorry you have an ailing pooch. Sending loads of healing energy your way with hugs and tail wags.
That red beauty sure is impressive!!! Most of the trees here are still green. Most of what turned color went brown very quickly, but we did find a few really pretty red maples down one street on our walks today. It has been a very odd autumn as far as the colors go.
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Red maples get me every. single. time! Love them.
Beautiful autumn colours! 🙂
Thanks. Nature seems to be kicking into high gear. Finally!
so cute
Thanks. Have a ‘boo-tiful’ Halloween.
I love this time of year for Halloween the change of seasons and yes, the costumes too. That “prisoner” costume is hilarious.
Great costume for a pup who’s “behind bars”!
Was that ‘pawfect’ or what?? 😆
Totally!!
We love all your fall colors and Louie is such a cutie in his prison garb.
Thanks! Louie’s wrought iron fence really added to the scene. Just too funny!
Happy Friday Monica … Beautiful captures of the season, but Louie appears to have escaped lockdown.
Thanks, Frank. Louie is cute enough he can get away with a lot of transgressions. 😆
Typical Socal here without much color. I miss the old days when we’d make our trip to Japan during koyo season to see the fall foliage. You got some good color there and I can hear that Catalpa snorfing about the volume of leaves it plans to drop on you.
Even worse, it’s full grown cousin is across the street. A 50-60 ft. behemoth that can’t wait to shed its leaves all over my corner lot. They never seem to fall in its yard. 😬 Have a great weekend.
I love Fall leaves!!
And who can’t love a puppy!
We hope to be able to get out and enjoy some Fall leaves on Sunday. Happy Weekend! Don’t get spooked! 🙂
It’s such fun crunching along on a walk. The dogs however don’t find it as much fun. Maybe if I walked barefooted I’d agree. 😉
LOL!! I love the crunching too..
It’s way too easy to channel Linus around leaves. 🤣
Our leaves are turning here on Green Mountain, but our roses are still putting out new growth! They never take the hint, and are hammered by the first hard frost Every. Year. Sigh.
But as you say, another beautiful day in the 303.
I’ve been seeing a bunch of roses blooming. I almost feel sorry for them; they’re probably not going to be quite as chipper next week. 😇
Love all the autumn colors and I want that bird skeleton on the fence. Brilliant. Aw on the pup.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to the pups, a smooch to Norman and a hug to mom. ♥
Is that vulture just the best? Loved his expression. Have a great weekend!
We have the same odd mix of maples changing colors but some of the others resisting as if there may possibly be another indian summer. Hopefully they’ll drop before a big snow sits on them and breaks branches! Silly trees. Or maybe silly mother nature!
Mother Nature is decidedly not silly. She has her reasons for foisting her wrath on us. Here’s to a beautiful weekend!
OMG Louie is too darned cute!!
He was barking up a storm when I walked by and when I realized he was wearing prison stripes, I had to call him over to me. Boy was he unhappy. Maybe it was the hat?