Hey there sports fans…welcome to this week’s edition of Yippee-Ki-Yay, Mother Nature…
ELSA!!!!
Elsa: What?!
The Mom: Today is Nature Friday and you well know it.
Elsa: Umm, erm…sorry. {Spoken in a dull monotone voice} Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where my little Pony of a brother and I share slices of nature and join our friends from over at Adventures of the LLB Gang. Click on the highlighted link to see what other posts were shared. There, you happy now?
The Mom: That’s better. Now get on with it and stop with going off the reservation. This is a G-rated blog.
Elsa: But Mom…I was just adding a bit of color commentary to start the post off…no harm, no foul.
The Mom: I said, there will not be colorful language like that before and I meant it!
Elsa: Ok, I get it. Why are you so grumpy today, I thought you were feeling better after last week’s reaction to the shingles vaccine.
The Mom: I feel fine, thank you very much. Boy that was some kind of reaction, wasn’t it? {Sarcastically} Can’t wait for the second round. I’m just glad you guys nursed me back to health. Anyway, like I’ve said before, this is a family friendly blog and you can’t talk like that here. You wanna talk like that, go to Twitter.
Elsa: Yo, Mom, it’s “X” not Twitter.
The Mom: Nonetheless…this blog is off limits to colloquialisms like that. Got it?
Elsa: Yes, I got it. Sheesh…
Wilson: Hey sorry, I’m late. I was eating breakfast. What did I miss?
Elsa: Mom is having a meltdown about my opening sentence. FYI, we have to dull it down for her tender sensibilities.
Wilson: Hmmm, ok…don’t see why that’s a problem but I’m the new guy so what do I know…don’t answer that.
Elsa: Oh never mind…let’s just get on with it. I got stuff to do today.
Wilson: Stuff? What are you doing later? Can I come, huh, can I?
Elsa: Ugh…little…or in your case, gigantic brothers…are such a pain.
The Mom: Be nice, Elsa. Wils is trying to fit in and you’re making it tough with an attitude like that. Why not show us what we saw this week, without the editorializing, okay?
Elsa: {Sigh} Fine. Now that she’s feeling better, Mom had to make a quick trip to visit my Grandpa’s. She says she never tires of the early morning sunrises. I myself am a bit fonder of sleeping in but whatever floats your boat, right?
Wilson: I didn’t mind, one whit. I mean, the early morning may appeal to humans visually but there are lots of wonderful sniffs a bloke can enjoy while they’re oohing and ahhing at the sunrise. I mean, who doesn’t love a bunny scent??
Elsa: Dude, you need to get a life. Bunny smells at Grandpa’s house is old news.
Wilson: Well it’s still interesting to me. The early morning dew brings out some great smells. Remember, I’m still learning about the flora and fauna in Colorado which is quite different from Missouri.
Elsa: We’re not holding the Missouri thing against you. But after you’ve visited as often as I have, you’ll get used to bunny smells. Maybe even the donkeys that live across the street from Grandpa’s house?
Wilson: Meh…those guys didn’t impress me…I am after all, used to seeing hoofed livestock. We had horses so seeing those guys was no big deal. The traffic however, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.
Elsa: You’re getting better. Just remember to stay next to Mom and she’ll protect you.
Wilson: I’ll try, but blimey, the traffic is so noisy. I get frightened by vehicles.
Elsa: Stick with me kid, you’ll get used to them.
Wilson: I sure hope so.
Elsa: Trust me, you’ll be fine, it just may take a while. But I can promise you this with 100% certainty. Mom will never let anything hurt you. Got it?
Wilson: Thanks, that’s somewhat reassuring. I’ll try to remember that.
Elsa: You got this. The other sight that Mom never gets tired of seeing is the back side of Pikes Peak, particularly when it’s covered in snow on a clear day. You can find out more about this iconic Colorado view here.
Wilson: I’ve begun to notice small signs that Spring is impending. Looks like yellow is the color of the day. I think both of these yellow beauties are varieties of crocuses which are now beginning to bloom.
Elsa: Yeah, you’ll want to not get too close to this tree cholla cactus. It bites back. It’s starting to bloom as well. Mom thought this variety was Cylindropuntia imbricata ssp. imbricata.
Wilson: Stay away…right, got it.
Elsa: Well so much for the flora this week, but we do have a couple of pics of fauna. Mom attended the annual Rocky Mountain Old English Sheepdog Rescue board meeting and saw these guys at the placement director’s home. The rescue is getting closer to being certified with the state. Hurrah! Finally, something that’s your size.
Wilson: I know I’m supposed to do something around those guys but not sure just what exactly that is. Someone said something about herding. I just hope that involves food.
Elsa: Oh for heaven’s sake. Dip into your genetic pool, dude. Yes, you’re a herder (well technically you’re a drover but herding’s close enough). Jeez, do I have to teach you EVERYTHING?
Wilson: Well I’ve led a rather sheltered life but promise I’ll get up to speed soon. {gulp} I hope.
Elsa: Egad, you’re such a mental light-weight. Well, that’s it for this week. Got anything exciting going on? Mom said something about working on taxes but I’m not sure what means and frankly, Scarlet, I don’t really care.
Wilson: Umm, for the record my name is Wilson.
Elsa: I can see this socialization thing is gonna take time. Anyway, whatever you do, we hope you enjoy getting outside and checking out what Nature shares. Have a great weekend!
Wilson: Yes, right-o…a good weekend.
Elsa: Argh…there appears to be an echo these days around the Ranch. It may or may not get amusing. I wonder just how far I can push the envelope.
The Mom: Elsa…be nice.
Elsa: Drat…she wasn’t supposed to hear that last part. Anyway, we sincerely hope the last weekend of February is downright wagnificent! Come on down, Spring…we’re waiting with bated breath on your arrival.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Mew mew mew Elsa you sure like pushin THE envelope off THE tabell don’t you???
MIss Monika you sure have yore pawss full with a certain Poodell don’t you???
Wilson take small Pup stepss….Elsa can bee a bit ummm, HYE-TEST butt shee iss a guud Poochie at heart…
Lovely Sunrise foto Miss Monika.
An sorry wee late……BellaSita been so busy doin her new mewsick wee REELLY far beehind now!
~~~head rubss~~~BellaDharma~~~ an (((huggiess))) BellaSita Mum
Not a problem, I’m glad you’re enjoying creating new music. You’re right, sometimes we can’t help but wonder if Elsa wasn’t a cat in a previous life 😂
Mew mew mew Elsa wuud have been a GRATE CAT Miss Monika 😉
😂 She probably would have!
Lulu: “Ooh, the shingles vaccine! Our Dada got that last year and it instantly replaced the tetanus vaccine as his least favorite vaccine of all time. He still went and got the second one though because he knows people who had shingles and it sounds like that would be worse …”
Java Bean: “Ayyy, never mind all that! We need to get some goats!”
I ended up getting both tetanus and shingles at the same time. Dumb move I think. Won’t be doing that again. Round two in about 4 months and no other vaccines should be needed. Whew.
Lovely to see some spring flowers. And that close-up of the goat’s eye is great!
Thanks. I think he was showing off 😂
Well, everything sure is pretty and I like seeing Pike’s Peak and the pretty flowers too. That funny critter is a hoot!
Thanks, guys. While not the prettiest peak in Colorado, it is very iconic and was the inspiration for Katharine Lee Bates’ song, America the Beautiful. [see https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/places-of-katharine-lee-bates-and-america-the-beautiful.htm for full story] Happy Sunday!
I, too. have been procrastinating about getting the shingles vaccine… I’ve known a few people who have had it and it was extremely painful so I really should stop hemming and hawing and git ‘er done.
Lovely images! My weekend started off COLD but tomorrow should warm up big time.
Everyone I know who got shingles said it was most agonizing-enough so that they’ve vaccinated themselves since. I’ve seen photos of the blisters and can only imagine how painful they are. It’s one of those things where you forget about it until the threat is real. Glad for your warm up. It’s quite balmy here reaching the 60’sF with bits of glimpses of spring trying to emerge. I’ve been watching the progress of a few daffodil plants on my walks and they are getting very close to opening. Yay! I’m sure there’ll be more snow but to see flowers blooming gives us hope. Enjoy today!
Oh yeah. I am going to stop procrastinating and set up an appointment!
The warm-up is finally happening now, at noon (it’s a “balmy” 27) but Tuesday, we are expecting 52! What???
I am off to run in this sort of perfect weather.
Enjoy your jaunt 🏃🏼♀️
I shall, thank you! Gonna take it slow…
We’re glad you’re feeling better, Monika😺😸Thank you for bringing in a little Spring, Elsa and Wilson🌸The goat is overcute. Always love to see them😻Double Pawkisses for a Happy Weekend to all of you🐾😽💞
We think seeing goats just equal happy thoughts. 🐐
Thankfully Wilson finally stepped in. Geez … the shingles vax sure affected her personality …. well, that and no beer in January. Meanwhile, although spring is springing, winter isn’t done – so be careful. And thanks for the views of your region where the plains meets the mountains. Have a good weekend.
Signs of spring merely provide a spot of hope. We can ‘enjoy’ touches of winter until May…if we’re lucky. January was so long the dry continues and isn’t noticed as much now. Plus with the shingles reaction, water was barely consumed, let alone beer. LOL Happy weekend, Frank.
A reminder …. with every step of spring being one step closer, you are also getting closer to next winter.
Well aren’t you just a font of optimism! 🤣
I am supposed to get the shingles vaccine but have been putting it off because a friend of mine had a reaction that made me have second thoughts, even though I know I have to get it.
Wilson is going to find his groove in no time. The fam is doing just fine from the looks of it.
It was a hard decision for me to make too though my doc convinced me any reaction will be less onerous than getting a case of the shingles. I suspect the reaction could be comparable to some people’s reaction to the COVID vaccine. What’s that expression…what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger? 😉
Yes, yes it does. And I will do it.
Wilson is trying his best to not step on paws and find his place isn’t he…..it will happen – these things take time! Those photos are stunning – all of them. We can’t wait to see some signs of Spring here but so far…..duh…..nothing! My Mom had shingles a few years ago and the reaction from the shots she recently got were nothing compared to the agony of shingles SOOOO she thinks it was totally worth it…..(although at the time she wasn’t so sure!). Anyway, have a good weekend kids! And speaking of kids – those goats and those blue eyes are fab!
Hugs, Teddy
You’re so right. patience, consistency and love will mold his behaviour more than anything and provide him with the best tools to handle city life. You’re also right on the notion that NO ONE wants to deal with a case of shingles. NO ONE!
Weren’t those eyes captivating?
Yikes! I had a reaction like that from a flu vaccine once…the docs even sent me for a stat CT scan of my head…the shot made the latent EBV come out of hiding, and the only symptom of that that I had was a =headache like a million jack hammers trying to escape out of my head. I was flat for several days. Even tylenlol was useless…and the script I got wasn’t much use either. It needed tincture of time! At least the shingle vaccine only gave me a sore arm… (And I never even knew I had EBV…aka Mono. until that test was done, go figure. We think I must have been exposed when I was on Chemo years ago.)
Lovely to see crocuses…we have just started to see the snow drops emerging, I love those pretty .ittle white blooms.
Those goats made me giggle!
Our neighbors over the years have had various goats…large ones, and miniature ones!
They want to check out everything! One of the large ones got loose once, and he followed me and MJF when I wn=ent on a two mile walk, he just wouldn’t let me take him home, he balked in the middle of the road when I tried to guide him back, LOL!!And they say donkeys are stubborn!
Tincture of time…yup…that’s good medicine that we don’t utilize enough in this “I want relief now” times. It’s hard to function when your head is pounding. I’m hoping the second shot will only give me a sore arm. I can handle that easily enough. 😉
Nice photos. Cute goats.
Thanks, Ellen. Goats are just so entertaining-it’s hard not to smile when you see them.
Thanks. There’s something adorable about goats. They always make me smile.
Those are beautiful photos. Nature Friday is a great thing. Elsa and Wilson and Mom certainly have beautiful surroundings.
Thanks. We’re very blessed to live here. Have a great weekend.
Monika, I love your sunrise pix! The colors are always so vibrant!! And the crocuses are the same gorgeous yellow as the ones peaking out around our yard here.
Thanks-I just love those early morning sunrises at my dad’s house. Yellow flowers are always so cheerful, especially in the midst of so much brown. Wishing you and the Zen kiddos a great weekend.
I’m glad you’re over that vaccine reaction! Yikes!
Elsa, you are such a sassy girl, just like Ducky was! But that’s why I love ya both! And Zoey isn’t far behind, but she’s still a baby compared to you and Ducky. You better be nice to Wilson or your mom might give him your share of the treats! 🤪 And, Wilson, you’ll get used to it…just give her a little taste of her own medicine once in a while. 😂
He can be a bit reactive around her so I’m always on high alert. She’s a bit gun shy these days, though she acts all tough. We’re a project all around but they’ll be better for it once everyone is on the same page. Have a super weekend.
Ha, love those goat pix, they have such crazy eyes!
They sure know how to milk attention though. Way too hilarious.
I thought shingles was from something left in your body from chicken pox. So I looked and found this on the web: Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). A person can only have shingles if they have had chicken pox.
I’d say skip the booster.
While I’d love to, my doc tested me for antibodies and I have them. She thought I was asymptomatic to my siblings and kids who all had chickenpox. But thanks for the thought-I’d love to avoid it again.
Oh, smart doc. At least you didn’t have to go through it as a kid.
I had Nubian goats in my past life and they were the best. So loving and gentle. Looks like Wilson is not afraid to speak up so that’s good. Loved the view of Pike’s Peak. Have a great weekend all.
Nubian’s make great milkers. And they’re super friendly and seem like they’re just big dogs.
Wilson can hold his own I suspect. They two of them are sorting out the pecking order-hopefully there won’t be any other incidents resulting in expensive treatments or bruised egos. 🤞🏻I keep hoping they’ll eventually learn to get along without incidents.
I hope it works.
John the Goatherder … who knew! 😉
Sheep, and cattle too.
A man of many talents!
Many lives, Frank.
I ‘herd’ what you did there. LOL
I see the goats have been bagsied by my fellow readers. I will have the gorgeous snow topped mountain view, if you could just pack it up and send it across the Atlantic Ocean 😀
You’re too kind. Will do my best to send that view toward Cawston. 🏔️
GAH i love goats!!!! I wish we could have them here! Maybe I could house train a couple and they could live with us! Chester wouldn’t mind 😆 I also love the flowers, we’re close to the lake so everything blooms later. Have a wonderful weekend!
They seem to be everyone’s favorite. These guys were so endearing and comical. Happy weekend!
Oh sweet Elsa you crack me up! I see how you kept the Scarlet line G-rated, good job. 🙂 You didn’t want to get “yelled” at again did you.
Be patient with Wilson, he is still learning all the different smells. Just think of how much more experienced you are, and all you can teach him. Good luck trying to polish up your herding skills so you can teach him that too. LOL!
Yay for Spring! I am ready! Pretty yellow flowers and I would never tire of seeing Pike’s Peak either.
Happy Weekend to all! Enjoy a relaxing one. Hope your dear mom keeps feeling better. She had it rough!
You’re right, I don’t like it when Mom hollers at me. Mom keeps telling me I’m the big sis and need to help Wilson succeed. He seems a bit thick in the head but then again, nobody is as clever as us Standard Poodles. 😂
That is very true. But I wouldn’t mention that fact to Wilson about standard poodles being the smartest ones. He may be inclined to disagree. LOL!
Pfft…like I’m scared of him. Oh wait, I am, I know what he’s capable of. Good point. 🤐 Mum’s the word.
Smart dog! He will find out the truth for himself eventually. 🙂
Well I AM a Standard Poodle though I keep telling Mom that I’m an Extraordinary Poodle, nothing standard about me.
Thats for sure! 🥰
Love the goats. Mom loves goats, but they are so smelly, she would never have one. As for being afraid of cars, we are all from the same breeder in Missouri. Something in common with the new guy 😉 Our breeder has land out of town in a setting without a lot of traffic. All four of us had a fear of cars the first week or two we lived in our new home with Mom. We had never really experienced cars and traffic. We all got over it and moved on. You will too, Wilson. It must be a Missouri dog thing. Happy Friday!
We’re all keeping our paws crossed on reducing Wilson’s traffic phobia. He practically crawls out of his skin whenever a particularly large truck passes us by. Poor thing-gotta feel bad for him. His breeder lived in a tiny little town with just 1541 people in it so definitely not a lot of traffic there.
Those goats weren’t too smelly (no worse than chickens) and were so tame, they were like big dogs following Mom around.
Cute goats! I had a bad reaction to the shingles vax too, ugh.
I expected some discomfort but was definitely not prepared for a 3+day long headache! Eek. Those goats were like puppies, following us around. Have a terrific weekend.
You too! (that one deserves its reputation, but at least reactions are a sign that your immune system is responding well)
We send lots of potp for the shot reaction… Elsa, is seems your Wilson is the win of our Neilson… they share the same thoughts LOL happy weekend
There’s always one in a pack, right? 🤣 It was a rough 4 days but I’ll all good now. Well once I get caught up. 😉
You had a reaction to a shingles jab? That can’t have been funny! Lucky you had your devoted canine nurses….who seem to bicker just like the human ones…
It was 4 days of misery with a hellish headache. It was like COVID without the fever. Awk! Luckily the dogs were VERY attentive, aty all hours of the day and night checking on me.
Their banter is full stop entertaining. Talk about night and day! Have a great weekend, Helen.
Wow! That was a bad reaction. I didn’t get that with my shot.
Not sure if it’s because I never had chicken pox or what, but it was brutal.
I had chicken pox so maybe that’s it. Chicken pox is not walk in the park! I have scars from it.
My siblings and kids had it, I didn’t (or I was asymptomatic). None of those viruses are a walk in the park and everyone who’s had shingles says it’s incredibly painful. Just hope the next round is a bit easier on me.