Welcome to the first Friday of May where we join those sweet pups from the Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to click on the highlighted link to see what other posts were shared. After a laughter-filled good visit with Mom’s Dad and sister, and just like Arnold Schwarzenegger, we’re ‘baacck.’ It was a bit early as spring on the prairie was just beginning to wake up but with temperatures warming up this week, it’s bound to go into overdrive. Crystal blue skies greeted us every day along with breezy conditions, but it was a lovely visit. Let’s start our tour, shall we?
Elsa: A new neighbor has slowly been getting settled in. They put up this adorable mailbox-one of the nicest in all of Pueblo West. Mom was captivated by it. Wilson thought the post needed to be baptized and I kept thinking, “Ugh…who are these weirdos?” Egad I just hope nobody saw me with them.
Wilson: What?! There was a small message in the gravel that the post was setting on that I needed to respond to…what’s wrong with that?
Elsa: I can’t even begin to respond to those ‘needs.’
Wilson: Well I noticed you left a message along our walks.
Elsa: Yup, I did. It said DON’T PEE HERE, YOU BOZO. Or do you need a translator?
Wilson: {miffed} Well I never…
Elsa: If only that were true. Moving along…the trees were just beginning to leaf out. This is one of a few deciduous trees that my Grandpa has that serves as resting spots for the prairie birds and shades the patio. Mom said the meadowlarks were back with fewer doves this time. The doves have taken over the past couple of years, much to the chagrin of the uprights but everyone seemed happy to hear the meadowlarks chirping their lovely songs. We couldn’t get close enough to take a pic but had to be content with their song. Mom starts to swoon whenever she hears their distinctive trilling. Here’s what they sound like.
Wilson: My heavens, what a charming and delightful sound. I can see why Mum enjoys their calls. She said the Western Meadowlark’s most common call is a “low, bell-like pluk or chupp which they use when disturbed and during courtship and territorial displays” according to the All About Birds website with the males giving “a hurried, excited “flight song” of short-spaced whistles and warbles.” If it makes Mum happy, who are we to interrupt?
Elsa: I know that…it just cracks me up when she goes into “bird frenzy.” More than once while they were all chatting on the patio, she interrupted the conversation excitingly telling the others “ooh, ooh, check out the Meadowlark call” {eyes rolling}. Her sister looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
Wilson: Well I didn’t notice her sister seem to mind since she never stopped rubbing my ears. Boy was I glad I got to meet her.
Elsa: You are simply shameless. One day you’ll meet someone who isn’t seduced by your oafish large self.
Wilson: I doubt it but until then, I’ll enjoy the attention. I notice you were hanging out near her a lot of the time too.
Elsa: {clearing her throat} Ahem, she was my aunt before she ever became yours. And one of the sweetest dog lovers in the world. I love being around her and her husband and think I filled a vital role since I know they both were missing their dog back in Texas.
Wilson: It’s a good thing we always answer the call to quickly go to service, right mate?
Elsa: Oh jeez…get over yourself, House Pony. Anywho…what else you got today?
Wilson: Mum told me the rabbit brush is beginning to flower but I was somewhat disappointed there didn’t seem to be any rabbits at home whenever we walked by.
Elsa: I suspect its pollen was what made Grandpa and Mom’s sister all stuffed up although there could have been other culprits, like maybe this wild Verbena that was beginning to sprout here and there. It’s a pretty little flower that stays low to the ground and provides a nice pop of color in a tawney landscape.
Wilson: How did I miss that one? I surely would have left a message.
Elsa: Ha…color Mom happy about that!
Wilson: Speaking of color…Mum mentioned that this untraditional iris was something her Mum planted many years ago. It’s quite striking and with the anniversary of her passing this past week, gave everyone a smile between their tears as they remembered her and how she lovingly created her garden over the years. I wish I could have met her, I’m sure I’d have loved her as much as everyone else.
Elsa: Yeah, she was the best, and I’m sure she’d actually have enjoyed you plonking your big fat head in her lap. She was especially fond of Sam who tended her when she went into hospice.
Wilson: She must have been a very special human. And for the record…I don’t plonk. I gently rest my head in the lap of uprights who seem to appreciate and need my company. That’s why Mum thinks I might be a good candidate for pet therapy. So what was all that falderal about that flying thing? I couldn’t tell what all the excitement was but it sure seemed to entertain everyone.
Elsa: Oh that thing? That was the first Swallowtail of the season. It’s one of the largest of all butterflies and quite distinctive.
Wilson: Mum was very excited and tried to follow it around the patio area. She wasn’t able to get too close before it would flit around and move to another tree so her photo isn’t the greatest and is pretty grainy. But it’s not for lack of trying.
Elsa: You’ll learn soon enough that Mom isn’t the best photographer anyway but especially with her cell phone. She considers it a victory if she gets a shot that resembles what it is she’s trying to share.
Wilson: Well in all fairness, sometimes a cell phone is all one happens to have at the moment and the only way to document something.
Elsa: Yeah, you’re probably right, but still…some of that documentation is so lame. Like this one, as we were heading back to Denver. You can tell the species, but you couldn’t tell what kind it was. Mom thought it might be a rattlesnake but she wasn’t about to get out of the car to get closer. She cropped it hoping it’d be more clear but alas…another fail. The full size pic looked more like a rope was across the road. She worried that if this guy sunned himself for too long, some big truck would likely run over him. She’s not a fan of snakes, I mean who IS right, but she didn’t wish him any harm. He was pretty long and blended in well to the landscape.
Wilson: Snake? Umm, I’d have passed as well…
Elsa: {interrupting} That’s rich, I know perfectly well you’d have investigated. You’d have either peed on it or tried to eat it.
Wilson: Well what else can you do with something like that in the middle of the road? I mean, come on…
Elsa: Well they are useful out on the prairie, keeping the mice population down and other small critters.
Wilson: I think this guy might have been napping a bit too much. He missed one in a planter near the front door that Mum and her sister were getting ready for plants.
Elsa: I heard the commotion. Auntie wasn’t nearly as thrilled as Mom was seeing that cute little thing. Mom thought it fell in and couldn’t climb out. It seemed pretty exhausted so she took it out and gently let it escape into the underbrush of a mugo pine. Look at all those hairs standing up!
Wilson: I thought I smelled something but didn’t see it.
Elsa: That’s probably why Mom brought out the scissors and clippers when we got home. I heard ‘something’ about you getting a trim later today.
Wilson: Ugh…yesterday’s bath was bad enough. While I’m mostly a good boy when it comes to grooming, I’d rather be out walking and checking out Nature, frankly.
Elsa: Well you needed a bath and you might as well get used to it. Mom gets worked up if we get mats or begin to ‘heaven forbid,’ smell like dogs and then runs around collecting all her grooming gear.
Wilson: Oh dear. I didn’t sign up for that.
Elsa: Un-lax, Pony…there are lots of treats involved. And this new self-dog wash Mom found is run by a really nice lady who will make you feel quite special at her adorable shop and dog wash.
Wilson: Yes, but, but..water. I mean…are there enough treats for water?
Elsa: There are, after it’s all over. Trust me. I don’t like baths either but when I smell good, Mom really loves on me. Well, I’m outa here…time for my mid-morning nap. I’ll let you wrap it up, Pony.
Wilson: Roger that, Ninja. We hope you have a fabulous weekend and are able to check out all the posh sights Nature brings us everyday. Cheerio, mates!
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Lulu: “That sure is a cute mailbox all right! You could probably rent it out as an apartment for a couple grand a month here in California. At least until somebody peed on it …”
Java Bean: “Ayyy, I wasn’t even there!”
Charlee: “It was nice of your mom to help that poor trapped mouse. If you find any more, we’d be happy to keep an eye on them after you set them free.”
Chaplin: “Yes. We. Would.”
Lulu: “We hope you got lots of treats for the dreaded B-A-T-H, Wilson!”
Likewise here in the Mile High. Rents are beyond absurd. That mailbox was just so doggone adorable and a very fresh addition to the humongous house they built. But between you and me, the mailbox is better looking than the house but maybe it’ll look better once they install some landscaping. New desert just ain’t my jam.
Mom saw the mailbox and thought, hope it survives snowplows in the winter. It is cute. We were gone for a long weekend and came home to everything in lush green and flowers popping out all over. We now have real spring here finally.
Yay, glad to hear spring finally arrived. Trust us, there’s less of a chance a snowplow will ever wreck that mailbox and it hardly ever snows down there anyway.
I do like snakes, but not poisonous ones. That does look like a rattler, along with the triangular shaped head. Couldn’t tell from the pic if it had the rattles at the end of its tail.
Everyone thought I was crazy when I rescued a mouse in the church from a sticky mouse trap. “germy, vermin, etc.” It’s just a little creature, and it was scared and needed help, just like the one you found. Thanks for giving it a hand.
It looked enough like rattles to keep me in the car! And like you, I think saving a little mousie was a good thing. Nature is hard enough on little creatures, a helping hand was the least I could provide. those sticky traps seem horrible cruel-good on you for helping the little guy out-bless your gentle heart.
We do not normally have snakes in our vicinity, but during an extended period of drought a couple of summers ago I was mowing the lawn when the lawn started to move. I jumped about two feet in the hair. I don’t know how I missed, but it looked 100% intact as it slithered away. That being said it was nowhere close to the size of the one shown here, although it did blend in just as well.🤪 That Meadowlark’s song is preferable to city noise every time!
Thanks Bruce. Like so many of nature’s creatures, the startle factor can really rev up the ole ticker. When I was a kid we lived on a edge of a new development and bull and garden snakes were not uncommon. They were fascinating to watch, even if they scared the be-Jesus outa a little kid. 😊
Benji tried to destroy a large garden snake a few days ago…I rescued it and got it out of the yard…hope it will recover.
Mice are kind of cute, but, um…well, you know!!
That snake image looks like it could be a rattler. The tail seemed to be in sections? At least here we don’t have to worry about rattlers, the Mattawan isn’t around where we are, thankfully, and that is Michigan’s only poisonous snake.
Lovely pics, and that meadowlark sang a sweet song!
Glad you all had a good visit with the rest of your family.
Thanks. When I realized that it was a snake and not a rope (and a big one at that), it seemed like a rattler to me…from the safety of my car seat. 😉 I wasn’t about to get close enough to verify. He seemed to be using the pavement to warm up and I figured he didn’t need to be disturbed. I’m sure there are little garden snakes in the city, but I’ve never encountered one, then again I live practically downtown and wouldn’t expect them here. They’re probably in the developing suburbs. When Sam and I were training for his canine good citizen certification, one session was specifically spent on avoiding rattlesnakes, in case you took your dog up to the mountains. Seemed like a good skill to be proficient if you ever encountered them.
Yes, mice can be terribly troublesome but I don’t mind them in the garden. They seem to visit the compost bin for discarded leftover food and I’m ok with that, so long as that’s the only place they visit. I named the last one Mortimer; he was quite adorable and looked just like the picture, only smaller. Enjoy your weekend.
“Crystal blue skies” yes those skies were very blue and you must have a good camera. Blue skies with my phone camera looks fuzzy whitish with just a little bit blue. Your photos are bright. All your photos are great.
Aww, you’re far too kind. Thank you.
Here’s to the bird calls and colors you so love mama. And I have to respectfully disagree with Elsa on one thing. Wilson will always charm us, LOL
Ugh, I was afraid somebody would say that. Otherwise, thanks for swinging by. At least I got me revenge…Wilson had to suffer through a grooming session with Mom (that is until she dropped her blade assembly and can’t figure out how it goes back in the clipper) 🐶 Have a wagnificant weekend!
Hahaha! You are so lovely Elsa.
MUAH!
Poor Wilson as he continues to be the butt of Elsa’s sharp tongue. Just wait until he’s hosting!
Thanks for the meadowlark video as I kept it playing in the background. Mom captured some good photos … but I’m wondering … is getting a little wonky this days? Shhhh …. it could be the age thing.
Not the age thing but her cell phone Amara does good enough pics up close but the distance shots are pretty much grainy crap. I’ll tell her to have a beer tonight so she doesn’t feel too bad. Enjoy the meadowlark clip. Mom has been playing it repeatedly whenever she can to drowned out the city noises. 😆
What a bunch of interesting photos. That snake! Yikes! But the flowers made up for it and the little mousie.
Mousies make up for a lot of gross things, especially when mom saved his fluffy little tush.
What beautiful nature this week! Our Mama is obsessed with the hummers and Oriole that are visiting right now!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
Orioles?! How lucky are you guys? I’ve never seen one.
Always a lovely visit on Fridays! That iris is stunning! And the meadowlark is a delight for the ears. I must admit that mouse was super cute and your mom/mum was probably right that it fell in there and could not get out. As for that snake, I, for one, would give it a very wide berth!
Happy Friday to ya!
And we always love when you drop by. I thought of you when it bloomed because of your love of orange. I love mousies though I guess I’m the exception. I thought my sis would hurl when I pointed it out to her. Then again she lives near a river in Texas where rats frequent the nearby houses and gardens. Wishing you a fur-tastic weekend!
Awww, that is lovely to think of me. I just took a short walk (will share the pics shortly) and found some pretty orange tulips.
You are a sweet soul. I admit I probably would hesitate for a minute before picking it up… and even then, might use a bowl or something! Rats are a whole ‘nother story! Blech!
Thank you. They are calling for rain and more rain. But at least I went out at lunch and got a touch of sun!
This was a delightful conversation to overhear. These guys are hysterical. Great photos, and delightful humor.
Thanks much for swinging by, Dan. Always welcome your observations. These guys are truly a hoot-I just share their ‘voices.’ Here’s hoping you have a wagnificent weekend.
That mouse is CUTE! Elsa looks like Wilson’s shadow in the first pic, LOL.
Thanks Lisa. Someone else mentioned a similar comment on our Instagram account. She definitely is a mere shadow of his larger than life presence! Have a swell weekend.
Beautiful prairie flowers! A laugh of recognition, I interrupt conversations to point our bird songs and bits of nature, too! 😉
Whoa, that was a big snake in the road… hope it made it off before it got smooshed. Natural deaths in the wild are one thing, but man-related is a sad end.
Happy Friday! I’m glad you had such a good time visiting with family and that you made it safely back!
That new neighbor’s mailbox is quite cute. 🙂
Ahh! I love meadowlarks, too! Birds singing is a wonderful part of Spring and Summer. And yes, its worth interrupting a conversation. LOL! Besides Elsa, your mom’s sister’s know already that your mom is crazy. 😂
That is one big snake!
I am glad you could smile through the tears, (((hugs))) about the anniversary of the passing of your mom. ❤️.
Warm wishes for a Happy weekend for you all! 😊
Many thanks. We had lovely weather, great food, loads of laughter and tasty good beverages. With caffeine and without 😉 The size of that snake really caught me by surprise. In fact I had to turn around and go back to take the pic. You really can’t have too many photos of critters now, can you? 🤣
What a fun visit AND so many pretty plants and flying things too! Everything but the snake – ick – we are not fans of those things. But you know what?? In the end – after a fun visit – there’s just no place like home sweet home (even if some people need a bath and a haircut!).
Hugs, Teddy and Mom
We’re not snake fans either but they provide a valuable role in the environment. We’re more of a live and let live bunch. Now about that bath…🤣
That sounds like some trip!
It was a great visit and always good to see Mom’s sister.She’s such a dear and they were able to catch up on all sorts of happenings. May is going to be a busy month with proms and graduations so she was happy to hear the details among lots of other things. We hope you have a terrific weekend!