Welcome to Nature Friday where we join our friends, Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard to check out scenes from Nature around our ‘Hood. Elsa here to bring you the latest hodgepodge from the 303. So come along with me on a recent walk and check it out for yourselves. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to click on the link to see what others have shared.
This past week’s commitments kept Mom from taking very many pics but we decided to share a few recent ones before the weather changed. She’s starting noticing that folks are [finally] putting their Halloween decor back in their storage sheds and even though Thanksgiving is next up on the holiday calendar, waaay too many people have catapulted directly into Christmas. What the dog, people? Can’t we enjoy a few pumpkin pies and some tasty turkey first? I say we need to acknowledge gratitude more than ever these days and what better time than at the holiday recognizing it…Thanksgiving.
Let’s get started, okay? We walk by this house every day and have shared an image before of that rooftop creature. But on its last day being out (they were getting ready to take everything down), it was such a nice morning, Mom took another photo that was much better than the other one. Needless to say, it creeped me out. I swear that thing was watching me like a hawk and I was just grateful it didn’t fly down after me, though I was prepared to go all Ninja on him.
Creepy, right? Guess some people just like macabre. There’s so much decor in this yard though, I can’t walk passed it quick enough. It tires my eyes out just walking by. After leaving this block and heading toward the old Elitches carousel, we noticed this scene. Mom and I rolled our eyes. Umm…seriously? A Christmas tree pop-up lot…this early in November? Ugh.
At least some things we walk past transcend seasons. Mom discovered this carved tree when she first moved into the neighborhood over twenty years ago and it always delights her though it could use another coat of weatherproof stain. It’s about 10-12 feet tall and Mom always wonders about what the tree looked like before it was recreated into this art piece. She had to chuckle at the round rocks placed at the feet of the eagle to resemble eggs.
One thing we’ve noticed lately have been the brilliant sunrises. Mom was in awe of waking up to this scene on consecutive mornings.
Well, that’s about it for today. Like I said, Mom has been busy and it didn’t help she had to spend significant time trying to coax a stubborn Wi-Fi signal back to life on a couple of days. I’ll leave with one more pic showing the latest fad we’ve seen this autumn, blue pumpkins. What’s your take on these non-traditionally colored pumpkins? I think I prefer the traditional ones.
Have yourself a swell weekend and don’t forget to go for a walk and take in some of the beauty Nature leaves for you to check out. It’ll be good for your health and you just might see something pretty unique.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
I love the macabre, and that carved tree too!
I’m more of a carved tree kinda gal but glad someone enjoys the creepy bat creature. 😆 There’s no way I’d walk past that house in the dark!
Hahaha! It might be kind of fun. But . . . it would have to be a group of peeps and absolutely, positively no “You guys go that way, we’ll go this way” business. That never ends well.
Boy, ain’t THAT the truth?!
Right?
Mee-yow wow!!! Eagel Statue iss simplee amazin Elsa an Miss Monika. An yore Sunrisess are speck-taculur!!!
THAT Halloweeny dissplay iss sure cp00ky an creepy an mee wuud nevurr go neer it!!! An what iss with BLUE Pinkinss?? They look weerd!
An yeah what iss it with all THE Catmass Stuff startin….**sighss**
It WAS nice to go fore a virtual walkie with youss’!!!
***nose bopss*** BellaDharma an {{{hugss}}} BellaSita Mum
Thanks, dear kitty. We always are grateful when you come on one of our hodgepodge walks. 😊
We all love the eagle tree, except we hope it doesn’t come alive and carry us off!
And that first house….yikes!!!!!!
Safe to say that eagle won’t be carrying any of you off-it’s been around for over 20 years and still leaves me in awe.
Yeah, that house…🙄 They tend to go over the top with your holiday decor-I think there were a jillion snowmen last year for Christmas. But at least they weren’t terrifying!
I would rather spend my money on a nice vacation!
Ooh that is creepy on your neighbor’s roof. I appreciate the gorgeous sunset much better. 😊
I like the non-traditional pumpkins but yes, still prefer the orange 🍊 ones. Hope you are having a good weekend!
That creepy bat thing is one of those things you can’t take your eyes off, even when it creeps you out. Come to think about it, Halloween has a few things like that (including oddly hued pumpkins 🤣).
LOL! I will take the oddly hued pumpkins over the creepy bat! 😂
You may be right, it’s hard to put a weirdly colored winter squash on the same scale as a hideous and creepy creature.
😂 Yup!
Yikes on that bat, even the crow up on the rooftop seems in awe…or taken aback.
Love that Eagle/tree!
We have some of those maples here in our yard, and they do make a mess…and yes, they rot…but worse yet are the so called Manitoba Maples, they just keep on keeping on, even after you try and cut down offending or rotten trees. I swear they send out underground runners to make new versions.
Those blue pumpkins look like Halloween scared the orangeness out of them LOL!! I too prefer the traditional colored ones.
Brilliant-scared the blue out them! 🤣
Trees that sucker are in league with the devil in our books.
That sunrise is phenomenal. Those are going to be some dry Christmas trees! I have to say that although i love thanksgiving, I have begun Christmas shopping…I got chester a dunkin egg and sausage squeek toy! I think I’m early mentally bc of the bell choir rehearsing Christmas carols since September! Happy weekend!
Thanks. Early Christmas shopping is one thing…full out yard decor is way too much. Here’s to loads of awesome bell choir rehearsals.
Those are some gorgeous sunrise skies you are having! Our skies have been too clear in the morning this Autumn, we are getting the first rain/snow event here in the ABQ area this morning and it’s the first cloud cover in what seems like weeks!
WP has recently gone off the reservation-this was another of multiple comments it sent to the spam folder. Sorry, Mom just found it. Our apologies. Looks like we’re in for some more white stuff over the holiday. Let’s all stay cozy and warm and hope for some nibbles to fall on the floor.
I’m not a fan of creepy Halloween decor… I like my specters of a friendlier nature, grinning jack-o-lanterns and all that. I agree that we need to up the gratitude level every day and not just T-Day. We are pretty blessed, living in the US.
And as far as I’m concerned, one month AFTER T-day is enough for Christmas. It gets pretty old after a few weeks. 😉
All the more reason to not blow past the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Our society tends to be very fickle.
I can’t even wrap my head around Christmas carols in stores yet either! It’s all just too soon. Have a great weekend.
That first picture was more than creepy! Jikes!! And neighbors of ours have their Christmas tree up, decorated and lit, for the whole world to see in their bay window. Too early.
Too early doesn’t begin to describe a fully decorated Christmas tree. Sheesh!
What sort of people put things like that on their roof? Distinctly creepy.
I wondered that too. It’s an older couple…and they hired a service to put it up and take it down along with all the ‘graves’ of mini bark chips with various forms of skeletons buried therein. One side of the yard is full of cleverly made gigantic spiders made from pool noodles, the other has at least a dozen skellies. It was all too much and that beast on the roof was worst!
You got it, Frank! Done.
Interesting things to see … but definitely a creepy guy. Hopefully, he goes away soon. Christmas trees on sale? Already??? Yikes!!!!
Thanks, Frank. Luckily he’s been packed up for the year (thank dog!). Thought the morning light behind his wings was nice but that’s it. Too creepy for us!
I know, right? I was saddened seeing that. Those trees are going to be like the desert before Christmas!
That is definitely a creepy Hallowe’en display! Out! I’m with you… Blue pumpkins are just weird.
Here, in my neck of the woods, the day after Hallowe’en you cannot find a single pumpkin in the store. What the dog, people? Doesn’t anyone eat them over here? If I go to one of our markets, I’m luckier but still… I always have to stock up before, just in case. I love to cook it and freeze it for later use.
That is a very cool carving.
As for trees being cut down, it’s always sad. When we had the emerald ash borer problem, hundreds of trees were cut down in my town. Heartbreaking.
I’ll admit, our motto is you can never have enough pumpkin in the house. They are so tasty, versatile and good for you! Blue pumpkins, umm, no thanks!
The Emerald Ash borer has made it’s way to Colorado. Treatment labels hanging from the more responsible owner’s trees. I hope we can stem the destruction of them. The ash trees were really beautiful this autumn.
Of course. It is so healthy for humans and dogs! I bought a green one but, it feels more normal as it IS in the squash family so… Blue? Nope.
Oh no. Many tried to treat their trees but unfortunately, many could not be saved. I admit I am not that familiar with trees (good ole google has helped me identify it 🙂 )
I can’t help but wondering if spraying is effective once it gets a toe-hold (maybe that should be bark-hold?).
Pumpkin is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and incredibly healthy. What’s more, its low calorie content makes it a weight-loss-friendly food. Its nutrients and antioxidants may boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, lower your risk of certain cancers and promote heart and skin health. It’s equally great for dogs especially dogs with digestive issues. Elsa gets it twice a day with her meals.
Right. Once they’ve made their residence, I don’t know how much spraying or whatever they do works.
Don’t I know it. I add it to my chilis, spaghetti sauces; make soupes, purées, waffles, etc. Zeke loved it, too.
It worked wonders for Sam and Norman. Elsa gets it to help lower her high cholesterol. It’s a wonder plant!
Of course! And that’s great. So nice when a natural food can help.
We are pretty traditional at our house and prefer orange pumpkins. Like you we hate that Christmas comes to the stores in August/September, almost squeezing out Halloween and suffocating Thanksgiving. What is the rush people? Nothing but Thanksgiving at our house until the day after, then we do our month of Christmas but on January 1st, that is all taken down. Have a Grand weekend!
A trip this week to Costco was mind blowing. I thought I was at the North Pole for all the Christmas decor and gifts. So sad.
Those blue pumpkins (and even the white ones) are just weirdly odd. Everyone knows orange is what real pumpkins are supposed to be. Have a wagnificant weekend!
Java Bean: “Ayyy, I don’t think I would want anything to do with that scary yard! I don’t like that gargoyle watching me! I would happily pee on that silver maple tree stump, though.”
Lulu: “How is that going to help?”
Java Bean: “Well I mean it can’t hurt right?”
Looks like this was another comment WP put in the spam folder for some inexplicable reason. So sorry. Java Bean…trees always need water, don’t they? That’s what Norman told me.
Your fur-iend,
Elsa 🐾
First things first: pumpkins are orange, not blue or white (like some I’ve seen this year). Leave them alone. I’m with you Elsa!
We had our morning exercise in the back yard – as always – and now the 3 of us are enjoying our chill-out time. Zen is panting hard – like he normally does after playing in the yard – Zoey WAS quietly chewing on a large Nylabone toy; but now she’s pestering poor Zen; and I’m sitting on the couch enjoying my second dose of caffeine while I check the day’s emails.
Yes!! Orange pumpkins, not those wannabees! Sounds like your morning is going great. Ear scritches to the Zen Kiddos with a nice digital hug for you, Sue. Have a lovely weekend.
I thought I recognized the Elitches Carousel! Many fond memories of that place. The new joint is so very … corporate.
Great job on the photos! Now that my life it slowing down a bit, I need to get out and take some more shots.
And Elsa is getting to be quit the blogger! Well done, Elsa!
Thanks. Elsa couldn’t convince me to chat with her about the limited pics this week. After everything I went through with the Wf-Fi for a couple of days and dealing with Xcel yesterday I just didn’t have the bandwidth. I’m hoping to rejuvenate this weekend to face next week’s dragons. 😉 That carousel pop up has been there for the past few years. But it seems way too early this year. Ugh. I’m just not ready for the over commercialization yet. Hugs and tail wags to you and the pups.
Lots to look at in your neighborhood. We’re always sad when a HUGE old tree dies. We have some really huge oaks and maples in our woods and when they come down on their own they “go back to the soil” eventually and new sprouts pop up to renew the woods. It still makes me sad to see the old ones go. That roof decoration is creepy!! I’ve heard people talk about non-orange pumpkins being called “ghost pumpkins” – might be appropriate for Halloween but I like ORANGE!
Hugs, Pam (and Teddy)
Thank you. Trees have a tough enough of a life under normal circumstances and we still mourn their demise. Too many of younger homeowners are removing trees because they don’t want to have to water and rake leaves and replacing the area with rocks. So sad, they have forgotten that trees remove the CO2 from air that continues to get more noxious with all the cars driving everywhere. Sigh.
You’re right-those ghost pumpkins are kind of creepy to us too. It’s as if they’re infected with a powdery mold. Umm, no thank you. 😉
I’m a traditionalist so prefer pumpkins that look like…pumpkins! Nice sunrise!
Thank you. We’re with you. I draw the line when it comes to blue food, even if it’s just decorative. Have a great weekend.
Always so nice, and interesting, to walk with you two around the city. That tree eagle is amazing, poor tree was getting too old.
Thank you for a great walk.
Thank you; it’s always wonderful when you join our walks. I’m going to take a wild guess and say that tree was probably only 20, maybe 25 years old. That hollowing out of the interior is not uncommon with Silver Maples, which is why the city is trying to get them replaced for the slightest reason. Have a great weekend.
Thank you the same.
💙