There are some misconceptions about Cinco De Mayo that I’m gonna clear up today before we get started. First of all and contrary to popular belief, it is not Mexican Independence Day. Instead, it actually commemorates a battle during the Franco-Mexican War that took place in a town called Puebla on May 5, 1862. The Mexicans were severely outnumbered and under-supplied but they still managed to defeat the 3 times larger French army. While Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with tons of food, drinks, and partying in the United States, Mexicans celebrate somewhat differently. In Mexico, the holiday is mostly celebrated in the state of Puebla and while there’s food and drinks, local residents cheer the military with a parade with people dressed as French and Mexican soldiers, cheering from brightly colored floats, and there’s a reenactment of the battle on its original site.
Hombre Norman: Gosh, I didn’t realize that tidbit. You find the most interesting things to share.
Senorita Elsa: Hey, I’m not just a pretty face or can’t you tell from the expression in the photo above? Can’t believe Mom expected me to dress up for today’s post so I felt like I needed to find out what the dog all the fuss was all about.
Hombre Norman: Well, I do recall you were adamant about not being photographed with me. You acted like I had fleas or something.
Senorita Elsa: Nothing personal, dog breath, I just don’t like being photographed. Period. With you or anyone else.
Hombre Norman: {sniffle} I’m rather offended by your comment. I mean, look how Mum dressed me up. You don’t see me trying to hide my face.
Senorita Elsa: Bwahahaha…you probably should have. You look pretty…umm…how can I put this diplomatically-ridiculous?
Hombre Norman: {interrupting} Ahem, I. am. a. good. sport…something you might do a bit more often, {sarcastically} dear Senorita. No me gusta when you hurt my feelings {sniffling}.
Senorita Elsa: Ha! Fat chance, eres un tonto (you’re a fool), Bucko.
Hombre Norman: Oh dear. Well, guess I understand better. Mum didn’t share that pic with me after she took it. She was laughing so hard no sound was coming out. I thought I’d have to give her CPR.
Senorita Elsa: {steamed} No me gusta indeed! Ok, let’s get on with it. Vamos amigo!
Hombre Norman: Aye, yai yai. Ok, let’s see what we’ve got from this week’s walks.
Senorita Elsa: Well it looks like the snow continues in our neck of the woods.
Hombre Norman: That’s not snow, Chiquita. That’s a crabapple tree in bloom on a windy day.
Senorita Elsa: Harrumph.Well it looks like snow to me.
Hombre Norman: It’s just some of the beautiful crabapple trees in full bloom. Check out this pink one. Is that gorgeous or what?
Senorita Elsa: Oooh, you’re right, that is a beaut. But when it comes to beauty, what about this Common Purple Rock Cress?
Hombre Norman: It sure is colorful! It was just a few feet away from this Golden Alyssum. It compliments that purple nicely.
Senorita Elsa: Whoa…looks like it’s spilling out of that garden onto the sidewalk.
Hombre Norman: Indeed it does. Such a cheerful garden plant. And I didn’t even try to pee on it.
Senorita Elsa: Well that’s gotta be a first! Mom walked to a nearby garden center and found some blooming Clematis. When she came home she was very excited about those blooms but wished the white specimen had been flowering. She’s gonna keep checking on it to see what it looks like.
Hombre Norman: Boy, both of them are really gorgeous.I hope she gets some to add to the pergola. It’d be a perfect spot, don’t you think?
Senorita Elsa: It sure would. Let’s keep reminding her there are a couple of supports that need something that spectacular once she paints the wrought iron supports.
Hombre Norman: Deal, senorita.
Senorita Elsa: Well that’s it for this week So what are your plans for the weekend? What’s going on with you?
Hombre Norman: Well, our first big fundraiser for the rescue happens on Sunday. Our first annual Old English Sheepdog Picnic will be held. We managed to receive a bunch of fabulous donations of dog accoutrements, OES themed jewelry, sports items and some swank alcoholic beverages to auction off. Plus there will be a toss game of skill. Mum helped assemble the gift baskets a couple of days ago and came home super chuffed. It’s gonna be a great event in nearby Elizabeth, CO. I love going out there and schmoozing with my fellow sheepdogs among the pine trees. It’s going to be quite epic. Over 40 people have registered and there will be a big herd of sheepies like me. I’ll finally be around my people and we all get along. Mum will be taking pics and try to share them soon. She may even post some on Instagram. You do follow our Instagram account, don’t you?
Senorita Elsa: I confess I don’t but will be sure to check it out. I may not show it often but I do love ya, you big hunk of fur so I promise to start following. You know me, I’m not that much into social media but will be a dutiful supporter of my big brother.
Hombre Norman: Thanks, sister. I appreciate it. Whatever you do, we hope you have a wonderful weekend and are able to get out there to check out wonderful Nature, first hand.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Beautiful!
Thanks so much for your comment.
Lol! Your Spanish is really good. Wow! Loved your pictures and the clothes they were wearing.
Thanks. We’re hoping there are no clothes wearing sessions in the near future. 😆
Lol. They look adorable!
Java Bean: “Ayyy, you are both looking good in your sombreros and scarves! I will have to ask my Mama to get me some so I can join in! I am from Mexico, after all!”
Thanks, Bean…we’re looking for one with the dingle balls on it now.
The fundraiser sounds just great…best of luck for a good result.
Cinco de Mayo…beating the French,eh?
Father used to refer to the French army as the Comedie Francaise – more for the low calibre of the officers than of the men they led, and t he French Foreign Legion still commemorates Cameron, where one of their units was wiped out.
Thanks, Helen. We’ve managed to sell more tickets than in the past so we’re very excited and optimistic about the event.
Your father may have been onto something. 6000 Frenchmen were defeated by only 2000 Mexicans and they were poorly supplied to boot.
Spring HAS spring there!!! HURRAH!!!!
Such brite an beeuteefull flowerss Senor Dulce Norman an Senorita Bonita Elsa!
Happy Cinco da Mayo to all of youss’!
Happy trailss an have a pawsum time at THE Sheepiess picknick!!!
Adios Elsa an Norman an Miss Monika!
Amar BellaDharma an BellaSita Mum <3 <3
Thank you.It really is starting to look like it!
Cheers to Elsa for getting the facts straight and enlightening everyone. Both of them look good in their festive garb. Meanwhile, the spring flowers make Mom happy, so hopefully she’ll celebrate with a beer.
Mom’s too busy “shoveling” snow. LOL But she’ll definitely toast digitally 🍺
I love normans face in his little hat😝
Good luck with your fundraiser!!
Isn’t it hilarious? Thanks for the well wishes; we sure hope it is successful (and the weather holds 🤞🏼) Have a great weekend.
Well you all looked very PARTY-READY for Cinco de Mayo……and Mom and I both just loved the colorful things going on in the gardens around your neighborhood. Such beautiful colors – we just aren’t QUITE seeing that much yet here. Still having freezes at night and lots of cloudy days….we want SUN and WARM! Hope the fund raiser is a HUGE success……….
Hugs, Teddy and Mom Pam
It’s still crisp at night and the non-flowering trees haven’t leafed out just yet but we’re slowly moving in that direction. Thanks for the well wishes, we’ve got our paws crossed.
Hombre Norman and Senorita Elsa, that was a wonderfully informative post and we love your crab apple blossom and clematis. It sounds like you have a great weekend ahead of you too. If you live in the UK there is only one thing you are allowed to do this Saturday, else you might get banged up in the Tower of London.
Toodle-oo!
Nobby (King of Duthie Park).
June here ~ mine Mommy “ooohed” and “aaahed” (at the bootiful fluers), and then giggled, that’s an LOL at Seniorita and Hombre … and then she said, oh, thank you for the real story of May 5! Super post … huggies and meows.
Hello sweet June. Thanks for the lovely comment. Springtime in the Rockies (when there isn’t a foot of snow) can be absolutely gorgeous. Now if the non-flowering trees will leaf out, the shade will be perfect for long strolls to check out the flowers.
Your fur-iends,
Norman & Elsa 🐾
I wasn’t aware of that historical tidbit so Imma do right by it by, you guessed it, having an adult beverage!
As far as “snow” goes, this storm was so colorful. I love this kind of snow storm.
Yea-seems like a reasonable response to learning new info about Cinco de Mayo (for the record, our Mom didn’t know that either and always thought it was a sort of Independence Day for Mexico). We’ve all decided we’ll happily shovel that kind of snow any day of the week. Enjoy that adult beverage and have a festive holiday weekend.
I love it.
I bet you would! It’s the kind of storm I can really appreciate, from my hammock, with a cold one . . .
Salud!
Amen. Nothing like a pleasant day from the hammock with a tasty beverage. #Paradise
As good as it gets.
Such gorgeous flowers. Love me some crab apple blossoms. I had two gorgeous ones at my last house. I should plant one here.
We love them, even when they ‘snow’ all over the sidewalk. Have a wonderful weekend.
OMD…Soooooo many beautiful flowers!!! We think you both look snazzy in your Cinco de Mayo outfits!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
Thanks. We both plan to chew up the sombrero as soon as Mom’s not looking. We hope you guys have a great Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Thanks, Amy. It’s starting though the non-flowering trees have a ways to go before leaves start leafing out. Happy Cinco de Mayo.
Norm and Elsa you look fabulous!!! And thanks for showing such beautiful flowers! Happy Weekend to all of you! 🙂 <3
Thanks. Have a festive Cinco de Mayo!
🥂🎊🎊😊
Oooh, can we party with you?
Come on over! 🥰
If only Mom would let us!
Give her those big, sad, expressive eyes of yours! She won’t be able to say no. 🙂
Now that’s an idea! Thanks. Of course you know she’ll blame you and I’ll agree. BOL
Your fur-iend,
Elsa 🐾
Hahaha! Thats Ok , I can handle the blame. 😛 I will have your treats ready.
Oooo, you both look *SO* cute and festive! That fundraiser sounds wonderful, wishing you lots of luck and donations! And those flowers…can I borrow your green thumb…please! I love your “snow” – better that kind than the real kind this time of year! I had a beautiful blooming pink dogwood in my front yard (well, it’s still there, we just moved). But I miss it. May have to plant one here! Happy Cinco de Mayo – we are celebrating over on our blog, too, for FlashbackFriday! Typically, it would be a day of treats for my FiveSibes…I mean party really is code word for food, right?! 😉 Enjoy!
It’s definitely not Mom’s green thumb-Nature was responsible for those pretty blooms. Oooh, yes, we will definitely be hitting Mom up for treats. Can’t believe she thought she’d get away without rewarding us, especially after we had to dress up. Have a ‘furbulous’ Cinco de Mayo.
That is muy interassante regarding the Cinco de Mayo. I had no idea.
Your ‘hood is looking fabulous! We still have zero fruit blossoms and the lilacs are just barely buds. My rhododendrons are still buds with no pink whatsoever. That said, there are still some pretty blooms popping daily so I’m chuffed that spring is springing!
Happy Cinco de Mayo to y’all!
Thanks, Dale. Happy Cinco de Mayo to you. The non-flowering trees are still behind but just now are starting to think about leafing out.
Gracias mi Amiga! Everything in its due time!
Your neighborhood is looking fabulous!