Greetings mates. Wilson here and I’d like to welcome everyone to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where as always, we’re joining our friends at The Adventures of the LLB Gang. Clicking on the link will take you to see what others have shared this week. Well it’s been a uber busy week and Mum has been up to her eyes in alligators. All fun stuff mind you (her sister from Texas came for a short visit and brought her Dad with her) and she had some work done around the ole barn so photo taking sessions are, well let’s just say a bit slim this week. But one thing that’s not too slim are the number of bunnies we’re seeing whenever we’re out on our dawn walks. Why are we going on walks around dawn, you ask? Well, neither one of us can stand being outdoors when it’s 900 degrees. And yes, that is a bit of an exaggeration but not by much. The temps we’re having are more in the July or August variety of hot. We’re not looking forward to those months if these are the kind of hot temps we’ll be getting.
The Mum: Yes, it has been a very busy week with lots of work to take up loads of time. Last night I collapsed on the sofa-my body said “No more, woman or imma gonna hurt you” but apparently my body lied about the threat and delivered a raging ache in her lower back. She’s hoping now that things are semi-back to a more normal schedule that her lower back will stop aching nonstop. I asked Wilson when did I get so old but he didn’t have an answer…
Wilson: {interrupting} Not an answer you’d want to hear, at any rate.
The Mum: Wait, are you implying I’m just old?
Wilson: Umm, might be. You know if the shoe fits, you have to wear it. But I digress. Let’s get on with it and share what little we managed to capture around our neighborhood, shall we?
The Mum: Oh gosh, you know you’ve cut me to the quick, House Pony. Alrighty then, show me what you’ve got.
Wilson: Let’s first start with an update on the bloody cottonwood seeds that continue to stick to everything. No matter how many times you clean them up, the afternoon winds manage to disperse loads more. This was just a teensy fraction of them that rolled up together.
The Mum: Oh yes, I’m so over the cottonwood seeds. It’s beyond incomprehensible why there is so doggone much of these fluffy seed heads. It’s as if they’re never going to end.
Wilson: It funny how fluffy they are when they’re floating around for a spot to land. After a few days the seeds begin to dry out and then they resemble popcorn and they are crunchy under your feet. These were found on top of the BBQ grill cover.
The Mum: I know, they’re everywhere. Luckily there are other things that are non-cottonwood related that brought smiles this week.
Wilson: Quite, Mum. Like this blooming yarrow. It’s so cheerful to look at and several of the homes near us have planted it. I think this variety is Moonshine. It’s very fuss-free, and loves the heat and blooms with large clusters of canary yellow flowers on narrow stems on ferny-like, grey-green foliage clumps. Landscapers use it to accent sunny borders and rock gardens, or in mass plantings like it appears around our area to create a nice band of color throughout summer. The beauty of this particular yarrow is that it doesn’t go bananas naturalizing like so many other yarrow varieties.
The Mum: Seeing these over by the mailboxes always makes me happy, even if it’s hot as blazes over there. It’s an especially great plant for our mountain desert climate.
Wilson: It is a beauty, no doubt, but there’s beauty in the milkweed plant that’s beginning to bloom now. Hopefully that means there’ll be lots of butterflies arriving soon and not just the cabbage butterflies we’ve begun seeing around the neighborhood. Milkweed seems to be everywhere around the golf course and along the Ralston Creek Trail where we walk everyday.
The Mum: The grasses along the trail have really gotten tall and thick. With a bit of rain recently, even the dandelions are gigantic. I think it’s actually Salsify or Goatsbeard, not the typical small yellow flowered plants we find in people’s lawn. 
Wilson: Well I’m no horticulturist, but it looks like your average dandelion to me. Anyway, it’s not the most unusual thing we saw this week. While it looks a little bit like your average every day Canadian goose, it was actually a wild female turkey on the golf course. You don’t see those every day. Mum didn’t have her big camera with her and had to rely on her cell phone to capture it and sadly it’s not a great shot, plus it turned its head and waddled away as fast as her long legs would carry her.
The Mum: Nope, you sure don’t see them all the time. But it’s always a joy whenever I see some new critter along our walks. We’re starting to see lots of blue jays now but they seem against posing so I haven’t managed to capture any semi-reasonable shots. Hopefully soon though, since we are seeing them every day now.
Wilson: Well, that’s it from us. We hope you are able to check out some of Nature’s finest sights. Whatever you do, we hope you have a terrific weekend. Stay cool if you can (or in the case of some of you, stay dry).
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Lulu: “Bunny! We have a lot of them around here. Our Dada keeps moving his trail cam around trying to get pictures of them in different places. You would think he would eventually get tired of quivering little noses and long ears, but …”
Java Bean: “Ayyy, I think you just described me!”
Lulu: “Stay well clear of those geese, by the way! They have got an attitude problem a mile wide!”
Java Bean: “Sí, it’s like the Canadian people took all of their meanness and gave it to the geese, and that’s why they are so legendarily nice.”
You can never have too many pics of bunnies.
As for the geese, you may be right about how they got so mean. Hope you guys have a doggone great rest of the weekend.
The heat and humidity was brutal the first part of the week, we hardly went out at all. Storms came through and cleared the air bringing cooler weather but we left town and went to where it is hot again…bummer. Lots of rabbits are out too and they make Nelson’s brain hurt, LOL! Have a good weekend!
Heat and humidity are summer’s scourge. We are not fans of either. Sorry your travels took to the heat. Hopefully when you get back home it won’t be too bad. Wilson isn’t quite sure what to make of bunnies. Now if a squirrel is in his frame, that’s a totally different story. Happy weekend.
The cottonwoods have to quit blooming sooner or later. Meanwhile, I am enjoying your other nature shots very much.
One would hope. But I think June isn’t going to be the month! I’m just trying to figure out how to get rid of all the cottony seeds in the mulch without having to replace all the mulch! We hope you have a terrific weekend enjoying the beauty of nature.
Nice photos. Have a great weekend. XO
Thanks, Ellen. Glad you enjoyed them. We hope you have a pawtastic weekend.
These are great photos. You guys had a very nice walk.
Thanks, Dan. Very kind of you to say. It was quite the week but I find if you just look, you’ll probably find something worth sharing. Nature is pretty amazing. Have a wonderful weekend.
That really does look like it could have been a goose from Canada way, but a female wild turkey huh? Cool that you found some new critters walking through the neighborhood that weren’t actually alligators!
There’s a bloomin’ going on in spite of these 900 degree temps. I checked the weather yesterday and it told me 91 but feels like 103 so I said . . it’s 103. And then I said, hell it’s just too hot! 91 or 901 . . either way, nope!
Wilson is quite the snarkey handsome goodest boy isn’t he?
Have a great weekend ranchers and umm . . I would say “stay cool” but I would be meaning the cool as in Fonzie, because the other cool? Ain’t been seen in a while!
Hahaha…yeah I’m done with alligators (hopefully). It’s bloody hot with clear blue skies (well apparently not too clear since we’ve been getting ozone alerts but there aren’t any clouds. I always get giddy whenever we come across a new critter. It makes our 3+ mile walk all that more interesting.
Hope your hot temps start to modulate in your hood. I can’t even begin to comprehend what it’s going to be like in July and August. Awk! Enjoy the weekend, even if you’re like Wilson and me and finding a register to hang out over. 😉
No, the only Gators I want to see play for Florida University. And I root against those guys seeing as my team lives in Miami. But still, seeing new critters, a good thing.
I. Can’t. Either. My God, this really isn’t right but Mo Nature ain’t care. She’s a gangstah.
I plan on beating the heat tonight with a dirty Martini. If only to help ease the yuck.
Mother nature as a gangstah…sooo very true and a great way to describe it. I thought that gator was pretty clever as well as artistic. And making something that might make you smile before the insurance adjuster clobbers them. A dirty Martini…a great way to add an explanation point to the day. Hopefully there will be a reason to celebrate with a Knicks win tonight with one as well. Happy weekend.
Great walk, Monika and Wilson. I loved the yarrow and the wild turkey. That yellow is so intense, and turkey sightings are so rare. I hope you have a super weekend.
Thanks John. Glad you enjoyed today’s post. Moonshine yarrow is easy on the eyes and the landscape. You could have blown me over with a feather when I spotted that turkey. Definitely wasn’t expecting that! Have a great weekend, John.
Such beautiful bits of nature you found this week Wilson, and how fun to see a wild turkey!
We sure hope your Mom’s back feels better soon!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
Thanks Rosy and Sunny. Me too. Mum isn’t a lot of fun when her back hurts. ☺️ We hope you have a terrific weekend!
Your fur-iend,
Wilson
So many happy dogs, despite all that fur!
Yup, super happy pups. And running through the little pool (or drinking the water) seemed to keep the furry ones generally cooled off. I did notice there were lots of lolling about in shaded areas, too. 😉 Have a great weekend, Jacqui.
Nice crop of pics especially since your week was busy! We are sweating in the 90s too. (I should make an exercise video of that! 🙂 )
Many thanks, Kate. You’re too kind. I just took Wilson out for a potty break…it was like walking into a pizza oven. Ugh. But as they say around here…it’s a dry heat. LOL Here’s hoping your weekend is cooler.
I never believe the dry heat thing. I was at a wedding in Denver many years ago. It was 6 p.m., 92 degrees and my makeup was sliding off my face. Obviously my face didn’t know it was a dry heat. Neither did my armpits.
Yeah, it’s like walking into a pizza oven but at least it isn’t 92F and 85% humidity. You want your face to melt, just add humidity.
I’ll pass on that! We usually get humidity with our higher temps. Our next week should be lovely.
Glad next week will be better. If the temperature is going to be in the 90’s low humidity is the only way I can get through it. Heat is one thing, humidity is a whole other kettle of fish.
Have a lovely weekend 😀
Thanks, Paul. Right back atcha!
If the shoe fits, go barefoot. Funny, what you were thinking about this insufferable heat in June. I said the same thing just yesterday. In the 90’s now… I love seeing wild turkeys. There was one staying at the church grounds where I work last fall. I think it was hiding until after Thanksgiving. Scritches to Wilson.
My greatest fear is being realized, this is going to be a miserable summer, heat wise. The El Niño phenomena has hotter temps but more moisture. So long as it’s not hail, I guess that’s ok. Lord knows we need whatever we can get moisture wise.
That turkey really caught me off guard.It was a lovely surprise. We hope you guys stay cool and have a wonderful weekend.
I’d love to be there and share those lovely sights with you, Wilson.
Aren’t you sweet, Carole. You’re welcome any old time! Have a fabulous weekend and stay cool.
WOW……never a dull moment (photographically speaking) out there in your neck of the woods. Always something blooming and a LOT of things we weren’t familiar with until you told us about them! Everything in the garden department is struggling in the strangling heat here and Virginia is in severe drought in lots of places. Fortunately our County is not as bad off as most other spots. Thanks for sharing the pretty things you all see – we’ll pretend they’re photos from our yard (hahahahaha).
Love and Hugs, Teddy and Mom Pam
Thanks Teddy and Mom. I always say, all you have to do is look around you and you’ll see all kinds of interesting things. I enjoy that aspect of our walks plus it likely keeps us save where wild animals are concerned. 😉 Have a fantastic weekend and hopefully you’ll get a few cooler days. 🤞🏼
It’s darn hot here Wilson and it’s supposed to get hotter. You had a fun bunch of pics today. You and Mom have a fun weekend!
So sorry it’s doggone hot there. You have our sympathies especially because I’m sure you have a heck of a lot more humidity than we have here. Glad you enjoyed the photos. We hope you and the kitties have a good weekend and are able to stay reasonably cool.
We’re in a bit of a hot spell, too. Any outside work needs to be done early in the day, and now with the solstice approaching, after supper is possible, too. The garden is going gangbusters and I’m loving it.
Have a great weekend, hopefully you’ll catch up on your rest!
Thanks, Eliza…I hope so too. I’m no spring chicken any more and the heat doesn’t help. Glad your garden is doing well. While I’d love to have wall to wall flowers, it’s rather nice to only have a small plot these days. Have a terrific weekend enjoying your garden!
Great pics of plants for our pollinator friends!
Many thanks, Lisa. Its always good to think of pollinators when landscaping and Nature seems to do it extra well. Have a pawsome weekend!
Days in the 90’s here right now. Way too hot for the dogs’ midday potty break, which lasts only long enough to pee and then back in. Luckily we have plenty of foster cats to play with inside, where it is cool!
I’m with you, it’s too doggone hot. Period. Wilson and I are already looking forward to autumn! Have a great weekend playing with the new foster kitties.
Tact, Wilson, just try a little tact….
Ha…now that’s funny. Wilson is nothing if not a straight shooter. Have a wonderful weekend, Helen.