Blimey, is it really the last Friday of May? Norman here along with the Ninja…
Elsa: {Interrupting} Hey, I thought I was going open this week’s edition of Nature Friday. What the dog!?
Norman: Oops, sorry mate. My bad. By all means get us going but make sure you include the opening, ok?
Norman: I think it’s good to be proper though I’m not sure where you came up with that accent. For the record, that’s not a very good imitation of Hermione Granger. There’s nothing wrong with following protocol.
Elsa: Yeah, whatever…but I ‘for the record’ I thought I did a superb Hermione Granger but let’s get this show on the road. I ain’t got all day, I got squirrels to harass monitor, okay?!
Norman: Mum’s not going to be thrilled to hear you’re planning to ‘monitor’ the local rodents. So…what do you have to share?
Elsa: The irises in our neighborhood are really coming into their own now and our Mom likes those that are atypical. Just check out this purple/red and orange one, called “Supreme Sultan.” Don’t think I’ve seen one like that before.
Norman: Golly, talk about a gobsmacking beauty!
Elsa: Gobsmacking?! Well aren’t you just a “cheeky bugger”? {eyes rolling} Good lord, do you British dudes always talk like that?
Norman: Ahem…{indignantly} I beg your pardon. Moving right along. It looks like the oriental poppies are also starting to bloom. Mum really likes the pinkish ones. The ones in our garden are the classic orange variety so whenever she sees one, she always has to photograph it.
Elsa: Ooh, ooh, that’s pretty but did you see these anemones? I even saw one with a ginormous flying raisin I love to catch, otherwise known as a Miller Moth. They look like they’re made from crepe paper, don’t they?
Norman: Flying raisin’s? “Miller moths” are migrating to the mountains right now and there sure are a lot of them on the Front Range, and their stay has been extended with all the smoke drifting down from the Alberta fires. Did you know they aren’t even a moth…they are the adult stage of the Army cutworm who annual migrate from the Eastern Plains toward the mountains. They’re going through the city much like every other vacationer on their way to the high country and provide a good food source for bats, birds and beetles. Those anemones we found along our walk are quite posh. But then we saw this next plant along our walk: Columbine, Aquilegia Columbine (often referred to as granny’s bonnet though that was a new one for Mum). Did you know they come in lots of different colors.
Elsa: I sure did, we’ve seen white/cream, yellow, red, purple and of course my favorite, the blue ones. The Blue Columbine is Colorado’s state flower, you know. I sure can see why it was chosen. It’s mighty attractive. Columbine nectar provides a good food source for butterflies and moths and according to the online sources I found, Native Americans used very small amounts of columbine to treat ulcers. Good thing, too since the seeds and roots are super toxic if eaten. I think I’ll pass on them as an appetizer.
Norman: That’s quite fascinating, sister. What did you uncover about our next flower, this peony?
Elsa: Easy, peasy. That one is called Red Charm and it’s an award-winning beaut. Just check out those fully double scarlet blossoms that stand tall on sturdy, green stems.
Norman: It’s very showy, that’s for sure. I loved the rose-like scent and read that it’s quite heat tolerant too.
Elsa: Well I know Mom was smitten. She immediately checked our peonies when we got home to see if any of them are getting ready to bloom because it’s her favorite garden flower. Because of our big shade trees, ours are a bit slow in blooming, but they are budding up nicely. With the potential for hail in the forecast, she’s hoping they’ll remain safe.
Norman: I heard there was pea sized hail in other parts of the city but we were spared. But will you look at yesterday’s sky? We received a little shower and lots of thunder again, but we were sure lucky the hail missed us.
Elsa: You’re right on our good fortune for dodging the hail bullet. Mom also discovered she actually didn’t lose one of her Bleeding Heart plants, it was just slow in recovering from a tough winter. Yesterday she noticed it was beginning to bloom but she was bummed the one in the front garden didn’t survive apparently. Isn’t it a pretty thing?
Norman: It sure is. I just want to kiss those cuties.
Elsa: Awk…I’m positive they wouldn’t appreciate your dog slobber, so best if you just appreciate them from afar.
Norman: I didn’t really mean I’d actually kiss them, it was just an metaphorical analogy. Hopefully one of these days you’ll actually understand me.
Elsa: That’s likely very doubtful. I’m a literal dog, when you say something, I think you actually mean it. I just don’t get you British dogs. I’d like to but, nah…you’re just too complicated for me.
Norman: {eyes rolling} You’re not reading my body language, sister or maybe you just don’t want to see it. Sam never had a problem understanding me.
Elsa: Yeah, that’s why Mom called him a Knucklehead.
Norman: You cut me to the quick, sister. I try very hard to understand you but am not 100% convinced you reciprocate the notion of understanding.
Elsa: Guess that’s your cross to bear. Tough biscuits, Bucko. I am what I am, deal with it.
Norman: {Sighing} I still love you, little sister.
Elsa: {umm, erm, stuttering} Now don’t go all sweet on me, dude. Let’s wrap this up before I get misty-eyed. So, you got any plans for this weekend?
Norman: Well I heard Mum planned to go to the Iris Farm to check out the iris bloom with a good friend. It wasn’t open last year because of the pandemic so they’re very excited about seeing the flowers this season. Should be quite amazing and I hope Mum takes lots of photos for our next Nature Friday. How about you, little one?
Elsa: Well, like I said, I plan to be ‘monitoring’ the squirrels in our big maple tree, catch a few Zzz’s and just generally be a regular dog. Whatever you do, both of us hope you have a super weekend and take Ansel Adams’ advice to heart. Because it’s a holiday weekend (Memorial Day is Monday) it’ll be fun and we hope a safe one for everyone.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Lulu: “Squirrels definitely need monitoring. Otherwise who knows what they’re going to get up to?”
Charlee: “And by ‘monitoring’ you mean … ?”
Lulu: “Chasing, of course.”
Chasing is good, catching would be better.
Your squirrel monitoring fur-iend,
Elsa 🐾
What absolutely gorgeous flowers in your neighborhood and your own garden! They’re even better with the fantastic commentaries by both of you. Hope you are having a great weekend! Our bro Adam is here and our other bro Andrew is coming tomorrow and we’re grilling out, woohoo! XOX Xena, Chia, Riley and Lucy
Thank you-we try to make our posts as interesting as possible 😉
Sounds like you’ll all be having a super howliday weekend. Yay!
All THE Flwoerss are so beeuteefull Elsa an Sweet Norman an Miss Monika.
THE Sultan Iris iss speck-taculur. BellaSita Mum meowed it have been yeerss sien ceh seen one of these beeuteess!!!
An that Red Peony iss dino-mite!
Elsa you amde us MOL/LOL over “Tuff Biskitss” comment!!! Yore so funny!!
***nose bopss*** BellaDharma an (((hugss))) BellaSita Mum
We didn’t recall seeing the Sultan before and it sure caught our eye! Mom’s favorite flower is the peony and that red one was wowsers!
Flowersss are so kewl Sweet Norman an Elsa aren’t they????
We sure think so!
Beautiful flower shots!
Why thank you, Sue. It’s been a pretty springtime thus far and we’re actually enjoying the showers since they’re making things so beautifully green.
what pretty flower shots! I love Norman and Elsa and their mom…
we’ve had lots of rain lately but no flowers in our colorado hood.
Thanks, the rain has been most welcome, the thunder, yeah…not as much. Isn’t it fascinating how 10 miles difference seems worlds apart? Have a furbulous Memorial Day weekend.
All I know is that it’s finally safe to go outside. How long it lasts? Who knows . . .
Have a great weekend kids
That’s good news! Because water is such a scarce commodity in these parts, we’re not complaining about the showers. Yet. 😂
I feel for you guys!
WOWZERS – that Supreme Sultan Iris is a real beauty! Our bleeding hearts are “over” the flowering time here in Virginia but the foliage is still strong and growing – next year’s “crop” will be even better I guess. Enjoy all the beauty around you – you’re luck to have such a gorgeous variety!
Hugs, Pam
Thanks Pam. Some days we need to remind ourselves just that. And seeing Sultans like that one was a nice tap on the shoulders reminding us just that. Have a beautiful howliday weekend.
Those storm clouds were intense – wow! Have a great weekend, y’all!
Yes, they sure were. There were more today snd a right proper shower. But thankfully no hail today either. Whew! Have a splendid howliday!
Thank you!
Supreme Sultan is awesome. I had not seen that before either. Beautiful blooms. Thank you for the tour. Have a wonderful weekend. XO
Many thanks, Ellen. It was quite the stunner we thought. Here’s hoping you have a wonderful holiday weekend.
GOBsmacking beautiful is so right! Love the sibling rivalry, er, banter. Enjoy the holiday weekend!
Aww, you’re too kind. Thank you. Yes, sibling rivalry indeed. Not sure who’s more jealous when it comes to their mom, Norman or Elsa. 😆 Here’s wishing you and June a wonderful ‘howliday’ weekend.
Gorgeous photos! That dark sky looked ominously awesome – great capture!
I love the conversations between the ranch hands! Elsa is quite the sassy girl, like her angel friend Ducky was! And I love it about her! Norman seems to be a good “foil” for her, too. Maybe they should try to revive vaudeville?!
Ha…vaudeville. Now there’s a thought. Yes Elsa is a sassy girl. Poor Norman, he’s far more tolerant than I’d be. Our sky looks the same this afternoon and it’s been raining. Other than the thunder, it’s been most welcomed. We hope you guys have a lovely holiday weekend.
Zen is far more tolerant of Zoey than I would be, too. Which is why she still eats her meals in the crate.
Recalling Ducky and Elsa, female dogs can be quite fierce and their brothers seem to know it. 😍
Super photos, Monika. That sky shot was fabulous
Thanks John. It’s another angry sky this afternoon and some showers which the garden will be pleased as pinch to receive. Have a great howliday weekend.
Thank you, Monika. Wishing you a lovely weekend as well.
Mama says WOW…she just saw a Sultan’s Iris at our Botanical Garden this morning and was wondering what the name of it was, thanks!!
What a beautiful collection of flowers this week!!!
xoxo,
Rosy and Sunny
Thank you. It’s quite the striking specimen, isn’t it? We were afraid people would think we were making it up or photoshopping the image. Have a pawsome howliday weekend.
Beautiful flowers narrated by two crazy pups!
Crazy indeed. Little escapes these two on our walks. 😆
Gorgeous blossoms!
Thank you! We hope you have a terrific holiday weekend.
Beautiful!
Thanks Marcela. Have a great holiday weekend.
You too.
wow that sultan flower is a beauty… we want one too… or imagine to have such a dress… happy furyday to the ranch and a happy pentecost weekend
Isn’t it something else? We’ve never noticed it before but boy howdy, it sure caught our eye this week! Enjoy a ‘wagnificent’ weekend.
That first iris – whoa! I, too, like the atypical (in pretty much any flower!).
Thanks for sharing these beauties and wishing you a wonderful long weekend. Ours was officially last weekend but because I worked on holiday Monday, I took today off. I’m not complaining!
Thanks. Mum is quite chuffed about her trip to the Iris Farm, a lovely 2 acre site in the middle of the city. The owner is quite the gardener and is known for his hybridizing of bearded irises. Here’s a vid of the place (although whenever she’s been there, it’s been much prettier-she thought the drone over exposed the video in the bright sunlight but that’s just her). https://youtu.be/LsXPJFu4FYA
Have a terrific Fri-Yay off and an even more super weekend.
Wow. That is wonderful. I had promised myself to visit our tulip farm this year, but I am pretty sure it’s mostly too late. And wow, that video makes the iris farm look very similar to our tulip one!.
You too!
Oooh a tulip farm…our Mom is quite jealous. The tulips this year were sensational.
They were here, too. Maybe I’ll drive by, just in case. The first time I walked to it, they were far from ready.
😉 That the adventurous spirit. Nothing like setting oneself up for a win-win.
I do have to go out there to get my garden plants 😉
See…win-win.
True story!
I hope the visit is fruitful and gorgeous!
So, I drove by, saw it from the highway… there was more colour than I expected. By the time I bought all my goodies to be planted, I decided to forego the visit. Methinks Sunday will be the right day!
Can’t wait to see your pics!
I shall do my best!
Ooh, thanks Helen for the recommendation. We’ll definitely check him out! Have a great weekend.
Those photographs make me think you might like a gardening blog with wonderful plant pics…’Paddy Tobin, an Irish Gardener’ on wordpress.
Looking forward to photographs from the Iris farm!