Whew, we made it to Friday before melting. This week we’re once again joining Rosy, Sunny and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard for Nature Friday. Greetings, peeps, Norman at the helm today. The Ninja turned over today’s post to me so I’ll try to do my best to provide an interesting walk about Nature, Denver style. We sure managed to see a bunch of nature this morning on our post dawn walk. From death defying jumps by squirrels from telephone poles to rooftops, a couple of chubby raccoons who scurried into a drain, and a noisy cat fight in the middle of the street, we saw it all (Mum just couldn’t photograph any of it because she couldn’t balance our leashes, and safely hang on to a certain nameless Ninja who was losing her mind at the sights all the while trying to pull her phone out of her pocket in time. Perhaps another day, eh?
[From nearby room] Elsa: You better not screw this up you big tank!
Norman: Ahem…I thought you said I could do this by myself.
[From nearby room] Elsa: I’ll still be snoopervising from the other room, dog breath.
Norman: Can I start uninterrupted now?
[From nearby room] Elsa: Knock yourself out, just don’t screw it up. I’m watching and have razor sharp hearing.
Norman: Sigh. Let’s start, shall we? Mum went to the annual Lavender Festival last weekend, and I may need to split this up over a couple of weeks. There were so many photos, I just couldn’t decide just what to share.
[continuing] Norman: It was a bloody hot day so Mum didn’t stay in the sunny spots too much but you can see past lavender photos from the last festival here along with a video about the Chatfield location. This was the first time since 2019 the festival was held after a COVID hiatus.
She did spend a lot of time at the butterfly house. She’s fascinated by these guys flitting around from flower to flower. Can you blame her?
Mum was somewhat surprised by the large number of people attending so early (and most were maskless) so she and her friend (my Auntie Cheryl) tried to avoid the crowds as much as possible. And did I mention it was HOT and sunny? A sheepdog like me isn’t a fan of all the heat but when you add intense sun at a mile high, it’s a wonder she managed to stay as long as she did. I’m sure I’d have dug a hole in the shade and laid there till time to go.
[From nearby room] Elsa: Pfft…as if they’d let you in.
[continuing] Norman: As I was saying…here are more photos of some of the many butterflies.
[continuing] Norman: Gosh, aren’t they something? I guess I understand now why Mum is so fascinated by them.
[continuing] Norman: After wandering about the butterfly house, Mum and Auntie Cheryl wandered the grounds at Chatfield. The Coleus was particularly impressive. Just look at those brilliant neon colors!
[continuing] Norman: Mum said she might even plant some in pots in the garden next year. They sure are colorful.
[continuing] Norman: Mum toured the historic farm at the Chatfield botanical gardens (it’s a part of the Denver Botanical Garden facilities located near Chatfield Dam in the southern suburbs). She saw goats, ducks, and chickens at the farm. Here’s the weirdest animal she encountered. Look at the bouffant-what in the bloody blue blazes is THAT?
[continuing] Norman: Poofy-headed Elvis the Duck was a bit of slob when it came to drink but then again he wasn’t very happy being the subject of finger-pointing by all the visitors crowding around him so Mum and Auntie Cheryl moved along to see other aspects of the farm which I’ll share next week.
[From nearby room] Elsa: What makes you think I’ll let you do the honors next week?
[continuing] Norman: Hmm, well one of us will share the other photos next time. That’s it for this week. We hope you enjoyed this butterfly edition of the Lavender Festival. Stay cool if you can and if possible get out to see some nature this weekend. We’re planning to mostly hide out in the comfort of the air conditioned house. Good lord, will the heat ever go away? Just 62 days until autumn arrives.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Fields of Lavender oh how lovely! I’d love to have that here! And those butterflies! My grandson is very much into Monarchs this year! Hope you all stay cool!
There’s nothing quite like walking through the 2000+ lavender plants. It’s just divine. I’m counting down the days to autumn. This summer has been brutal. 🥵
Well, if the heat gets to you that much you could always send some of it this way. South Australia is cold, wet and miserable and I am looking forward to some sunshine – and did I mention cold?? The room I am currently in is less than 14c. Anyway, the flowers and the butterflies were beautiful. I wish I could take such good photographs.
You’re too kind with your praise. These new cell phone cameras allow anyone to take good pics. So sorry about the cold temps. I’d gladly ship over the heat if possible. The US is broiling (or at least well above what was considered normal for summer).
THE lavendur plantss are lovelee Sweet Norman. An such beeuteefull Butterfliess. Did youss’ heer on THE Mewss Monarch’ss cuud beecome X-TINCT??? Wee are so furry sad to heer that. Wee can say wee only seen 1 Monarch this yeer so far~~~wee used to get lotss!
An those Coleeuss plantss are so vibrant an colorfull! Miss Monika defo plant sum next yeer!!!
An wee sorry iss hot as H*L….ummm Hadess there. Same here…With Humidex it feelss like 100 F deereess. Wee not doin much of anything here….
Have a lovelee an safe weekend!
**paw kissess** BellaDharma an {{{huggiess}}} BellaSita Mum
Thank you, sweet kitty. Yes, those beautiful coleus plants sure have a punch for their presence, don’t they? I’ve planted some in the past but not sure I have enough shade to bring out those gorgeous neon colors. We’ll see. Have a good Sunday and hopefully things will cool down a bit up your way. This next week forecasts some cooler weather, thank goodness. 🤞🏼
Miss Monika an Sweet Norman an Elsa iss rainy an clouded over here….still hue-mid butt nothin’ like it was yesterday! Wee not have enuff shade to grow such lovelee Coleus sadly….wee hope you can grow sum….
Stay kewl deer frendss!
**purrss** BellaDharma
We have our paws crossed 🤞🏼
That duck looks like she was in a 1950’s hair salon. And we are glad your Mom was able to take so many great pictures (because she didn’t have with her a certain Ninja wanting to attack everything she saw). Not judging, just sayin’. XOX Xena, Lucy, Chia and Mom
Thanks The only thing she wanted to attack was the hot weather. We’re all over that…completely.
What super photographs. You might like the National Museum in San Jose Costa Rica. It is an ex fortress, and as you go in, you take a ramp through a garden setting absolutely full of butterflies.
Thank you. Ooh, sounds a lot like paradise. Have a lovely weekend.
Charlee: “Oooh, what fun, walking around with so many butterflies!”
Chaplin: “We would have SUCH a good time there.”
Lulu: “Uh-huh. The sign says not to touch the butterflies or try to pick them up.”
Charlee: “Doesn’t say anything about not chasing them.”
Chaplin: “And we don’t want to touch them, we just want to, you know, swat them around a little.”
Lulu: “That’s touching!”
Charlee: “Rules are for silly humans.”
Gah…no swatting, Chaplin. This is one place were the rules must be followed. Boo-flies are fragile beauties.
WOW! How very beautiful…the butterflies are especially beautiful!
Our Lavender festival is this weekend…Sunny comes home tomorrow…but I may sneak out Sunday and let hubby take care of the patient for a bit.
We like butterflies very much. And these guys were pretty picturesque. Hope you’re able to sneak away for a bit.
Plush flowers, magnificent butterflies and the Elvis duck . . . reported by Norman (Thank you to sister for giving him the stage this week)! What more could we ask?
Okay, the temps . . . we need more agreeable temps.
Soon.
Oh yes, we’re praying to the temperature gods all day long. From under the ceiling AC vent mind you, but still…
We think next week will be a few degrees cooler and that’s A-Ok in our books. Have a great weekend.
Jeez!
Fingers crossed.
Have a great weekend as well.
it’s good to hear Elsa chiming in!
She always makes her opinions well known. Always! 😆
Beautiful pictures! The coleus made me feel cooler as they are such shade lovers.
That ‘Elvis’ duck is known as a Crested Duck, which is a genetic mutation from ‘regular white ducks’
Interesting info on the duck-thanks for providing that info. I should have known you’d know what it was-you’re so clever at geography it’s not surprising you’d know about zoology too! 😊
Excellent post Norman…you’re right, that is one fancy hairdo on that duck!
Thank you very much. I’ll be sure to let Elsa know you thought so. 😇
Makes you wonder about how much product he needs to use on the pompadour. 😆
LOL
HOT all over, it seems. Makes me pine for the summers of my youth. 😉
Yeah, or at least back in the day when it rained here. But these hot days and nights with no relief are ridiculous. Stay cool this weekend.
Great shots of the butterflies. The Coleus is spectacular
Ism’t that Coleus something else? Sure impressed my Mum. Have a good weekend; hoping you get some relief on the heat.
Not for ten days it seems. Have a great weekend.
Our deepest condolences.
Good job Norman and Elsa from the sidelines. 🙂
Thanks for enduring the heat to get wonderful pics of butterflies. I love them too!
Now stay cool inside! We are having some of your heat this weekend!! Happy Friday! 🙂
Thank you. Sorry you’ll be receiving the heat now. Stay hydrated and try to stay cool.
A/C is a wonderful thing! 😉
Lifesaving in these temps!
oh we love the butterflies and we love elvis… can he sing?
‘Elvis’ was more of a squawker than a crooner. 🤣
Kudos to you for going out there so you would have something to share with us. And your somethings were gorgeous. I love coleus and those butterflies were so beautiful. How can you not love that Elvis duck, as Sandee called him!
Excellent job, Norman. Even with the peanut gallery 😉
Thanks so much for the kind appreciation. It was a miserable day weather wise but the sights were pretty and the company divine. That duck was just odd!
My pleasure. And I can well imagine. As long as the rest was good 🙂
OMG! That had to have been hot! Love the pics though. Definitely worth it!
Thank you. It was pretty. Next time I’ll goi a couple of days in advance of the festival part. I’ve seen enough bunches of lavender for sale for a while lifetime and would prefer less people. 😈
Less people is always better.
Amen!!
Snoopervising…hee hee 😂 sounds lovely!!! The smell must have been amazing!
Mum truly gets intoxicated by the English lavender which can more easily take winters here plus it has a stronger scent over the French varieties.
That lavender field is gorgeous – I can ALMOST smell it! The butterflies are beautiful – we have a lot of them around this year. Elvis – well he has that “Elvis pompadour” hairstyle down doesn’t he. I have always loved coleus – the color combinations and patterns are just so beautiful I think. STAY COOL if you can.
Hugs, Pam
Staying cool will be a challenge this weekend but we’ll do our best. Mum had never seen a duck like that and was tickled by his appearance. Stay cool if you can this weekend.
I think you did a great job even though Elsa was heckling you the entire time. I love all the butterflies. So beautiful.
Thank you for making me laugh at you banter.
Have a woof woof day and weekend. Scritches to you both, a smooch to Norman and a big hug to mom. ♥
Thank you Sandee. Some days it’s a real challenge living with a Ninja heckler but I do try. Stay cool this weekend if you can.
We are big butterfly fans at our house and have seen some beauties so far this year. Elvis The Duck had me laughing – perfect name. Staying cool and out of the heat and humidity this weekend. Always happy to get my “countdown to autumn” update from the Ranch, and hope all Ranch-dwellers stay hidden and comfortable this weekend. Enjoy!
We’re gonna do our level best to stay out of the heat. It’s been beastly miserable but we’ll soldier onward. Stay cool and avoid any Elvis ducks you encounter-they aren’t very good singers. 🤣
Loved the dialogue and the images … especially with the butterflies. Cheers to the banter between Elsa and Norman. Have a good weekend
Many thanks, kind sir. Now you see what I have to endure most of the time. Ninja hecklers are the worst! Have a swell weekend, Mr. Frank.