Here’s hoping you don’t lose your chair this week. Happy first Monday of December.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Author: Tails Around the Ranch
The inspiration behind this blog was one knuckleheaded Standard Poodle named Sam but is now inspired by Norman & Elsa. I'm Monika, their upright. We live near downtown Denver in a 1950's style ranch house. Norman recently passed so there won't be ongoing pet therapy posts for a while. Meanwhile Ninja Elsa will share her thoughts on life, the loss of a beloved companion along with tips and stories about living with a puppy mill dog who has epilepsy and is still scrappy as all get out.
So grab your favorite beverage and be prepared to BOL (bark out loud) with our adventures. And don't forget to bark your 'pup-tacular' comment; we'd love to hear from you.
Nature Friday ~ December 1, 2023
🎵 Oh give me a home…where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play…🎶…oh, hi,ya remember me? Elsa here and after a long time away, I’m back from the Thanksgiving Day break visiting Mom’s Dad in Southern Colorado. It wasn’t intended to be extended but Mom was kinda stranded with poor cell phone coverage and no Wi-Fi. I don’t know what Wi-Fi is but it spun my Mom into a real tizzy. She’s not a techno-wizard type and really had a hard time dealing with all the behind-the-scenes machinations of getting everything back to normal and restoring the network so to say she was stressed out was an understatement, but I came to her rescue providing just the kind of Ninja support she needed…but no I didn’t chew anything up. After working 87 hours and a few days on getting the network up and running with lots of crossed paws…we think everything is ok. We’ll be talking with Grandpa later this morning to make sure nothing fell through the cracks.
So here we are, the first Friday of December and that means we’re going to some views of Mother Nature from the past week or so. As always, we’re joining our friends, Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard to share photos from Nature this week from time spent in southeast Colorado over the holiday. You ready for this?
Before Mom went to PW, she saw a rare sight in late November-a butterfly on a walk before the weather turned cold. It startled her when it popped up but true to its nature, stayed fairly low to the ground and hung out on the fallen leaves. They’re super skittish and didn’t linger long before flying away.
A rare November snow storm hit Pueblo West on Thanksgiving while the extended family gnawed on turkey, ham and all the trimmings. Mom’s sister and her family drove up from Texas and her grandkids enjoyed the little snow that Nature kindly provided. The adults weren’t quite as enamoured as the kids were, but everyone enjoyed being together, eating, laughing, playing games, watching football and yes eating again. Talk about a food coma!
Mom can’t stop gawping on and on about the view of Pikes Peak, the prairie and sunrises. She never gets tired of seeing one of Colorado’s most famous peaks. On the other hand, I’m happy to sniff for bunnies when I’m there, but it’s more like I can take it or leave it. Mom says I’m missing out on all the teeming wildlife. I keep telling her unless she’s actually letting me chase a bunny or two or better, prairie dogs instead of watching sunrises and wide open spaces, I’m more…meh.
Mom says she could watch the sunrise every morning and always takes a jillion pics as it goes from intense colors to pale as the sun rises. She raves about those pink and orange skies. I, on the other hand, am more interest in seeing prairie dogs, bunnies, deer and antelope. Talk about curious creatures. Those prairie dogs stay well away from the ‘jaws of death’ and as soon as they see me, they scurry their chunky bodies down into their burrows. I’m surprised they can fit. Those were the chubbiest prairie dogs Mom’s ever seen. Guess with the rain this summer, the grass was in abundance. I told Mom it wasn’t fair they’ve been celebrating Thanksgiving for months if their little chubby tummies were any indication. This guy is hard to see as he was pretty far away and Mom only had her cell phone with which to capture him so sorry for the crummy pic. They don’t pose for long before diving into those light tan burrow mounds.
Even deer avoid getting close, preferring to stay far enough away from humans and dogs. That said, sometimes they come close to the road in evening hours and end up paying for it. Nature is nothing, if not cruel.
Still don’t know why she wouldn’t let me have that antler. I could have chewed on that puppy for ages.
On a morning walk before the snowstorm, Mom captured the Spanish peaks far to the south. Usually they’re pretty pale bumps from Grandpa’s house since they are over 102 miles way to the south of Pueblo West even though they range in height from 13,623 feet (4,152 m), to 12,708 feet (3,873 m).
We’re waiting for a couple of new fronts this weekend that will likely include a flurry or two. Seems like a good time to stay inside and may pull out some holiday decorations. This is the time of year where the house is filled with the scent of hot cocoa and evergreen boughs. Whatever you do, we hope you have a lovely weekend and spot some scenes from Nature. Stay safe and warm.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Epilepsy Awareness Month ~ 2023
Hello, Elsa here. We normally don’t post on Thursday’s but because today is the last day of November, we are focusing attention on epilepsy (especially after the recent return to Standard time which always winds up my Mom as she tries to phase in the meds to keep my anti-seizure medication as level as possible so I don’t seize). Mom hates having to figure out when to integrate those incremental shifts in time to keep things on an even keel since my meds must be administered every 12 hours at 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Sometimes she’s better at it but it gives her heartburn nonetheless and she always worries it might trigger a seizure. Luckily we got through it unscathed again but it’s always a colossal hassle. Can anyone tell me why we still do this stupid “spring forward/fall back” nonsense?
Originally we had hoped to have had this post prepared during the Thanksgiving holiday week rather than on the last day of the month but we were hampered with poor cell phone coverage and no Wi-Fi while visiting Mom’s Dad and we only just returned yesterday afternoon. As a blogger, this is as troublesome as trying to deal with the whole WordPress block editor garbage, and ranks right up there with Daylight Savings Time in dumb things you shouldn’t have to deal with. Between you and me, Mom’s bandwidth to deal with such junk is pretty slim so I knew we’d have to publish today.
When you’re a dog like me, you become pretty used to taking your meds. Mom has become quite creative in wrapping my pills in a very tasty treat so it’s not like she has to hog-tie me and pop a pill in the back of my throat. Having that happen would be weird, not to mention rude.
I began having seizures shortly after Mom rescued me over seven years ago (you can read about it in the highlighted link) and she’s been educating herself ever since.
My diagnosis came two weeks after I was rescued. There I was, a completely feral dog started having seizures getting used to being around people. I was fortunate to have Sam and Norman as my brothers-they taught me how to be a dog. I mean, I didn’t even know how to accept food from my Mom’s hand I was that shut down. Grand mal seizures started at first and following a short stay at the emergency vet clinic, I was treated and diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy which meant the vet wasn’t sure what the cause was. A likely factor was believed to be most likely was genetic (all the dogs seized after the owner of the puppy mill passed away had various conditions and he didn’t keep health records of any of us). Initially it was challenging determining what the right dosage of anti-seizure medication should be. I was placed on the least potent dose of Phenobarbital as well as given CBD oil but the dosage proved to be inadequate. The Phenobarb had to be adjust several times and for the most part I’m happy to report that Mom has been pretty good keeping me seizure free since late May {knock on wood}. Having a dog like me who has seizures can be a terrifying thing to witness. Even with treatment, seizures are no picnic in the park and there are always challenges. Despite a few hiccups along the way like determining what the right dosage would be for my situation, Mom and my vet have seemed to hit the sweet spot and manage to keep the seizures mostly at bay. Even when I do have one, Mom has learned various techniques which make them fairly minor compared to when I first experienced them. I even went over a year without a single one.
Mom says she’s lucky to have been part of an amazing blogging community who are far smarter and more knowledgeable than her when it comes to epilepsy and is particularly grateful for loads of advice from our friends over at Knotty Toys for Good Dogs and The Five Sibes who have shared amazing and informative resources and tips that have helped me. Remember that epilepsy is not a death sentence by any means and it is super important to get accurate information when treating epilepsy. There are also various epilepsy websites including Canine-Epilepsy as well as generalized info found at the Epilepsy Foundation and The Wally Foundation for educating oneself if it ever happens to you or your pet. I’ve certainly learned a lot since that first seizure and hope, with proper nutrition and the right balance of medication, I will live a long and happy life. If chewing on various items like reading glasses is any indication of happiness, Mom thinks I’m in hog heaven.
Did you know one in every 100 dogs is affected by epilepsy? Idiopathic epilepsy (the most common cause of seizures in dogs), is an inherited disorder, yet its exact cause is unknown. Other causes may include liver disease, kidney failure, brain tumors, brain trauma, or toxins. Onset in dogs usually beginning sometime between 2-6 years. As I mentioned, my onset episodes were quite severe, life threatening in fact and required emergency vet intervention but are now mostly managed. I live a good life and enjoy things considered normal for dogs now and when the epi-monster hits, Mom knows how to treat me and get me through it easily. Do you know anyone who is epileptic?
Again, many thanks to Knotty Toys and the Five Sibes for their counsel and support along this journey. With their help and info they share, Mom hopes to have me around chewing on her things for a good long time.
We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are making ready for Santa Paws.
💜 Live, love, bark! 🐾 💜
Monday Musings ~ November 20, 2023
Happy Monday. We’re big fans of the the Carroll County vet signs and hope this one tickles you as much as it did us.
The Ranch will be taking the rest of the week off in honor of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. For our U.S. readers, we hope it’s a pawsome week where the turkey and pies are cooked to perfection. Wake us up once the food coma wears off.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Nature Friday ~ November 17, 2023
Hey yo…sports fans…it’s me…Elsa. How the heck are you? Mom and I have been visiting my Grandpa in southern Colorado this week and well…life kinda took a bad turn but we think things are under control now. Whew! We weren’t able to do much in the photographic department but Mom took a few scenes of autumn on the prairie that I wanted to share.
The Mom: So little miss…what do you have this week?
Elsa: Well I wanted to show everyone what autumn looks like on the prairie. It was breezy but the wind behaves differently in southern Colorado.
The Mom: Well it does tend to ‘move things’ around like leaves, tumbleweeds, but because it’s so wide open at Dad’s house, raking is a lot different than in the city.
Elsa: You got that right! The wind messes with my Sherlock Holmes nose and I had mega problems picking up bunny scents. I did manage to find all the presents that the neighbor’s horse left on the ground.
The Mom: {interrupting} ahem…and yes, we don’t need to get into how you tried to enjoy snacking on them, either.
Elsa: Yeah, I was disappointed. When I managed to almost, so-close nosh on one, I wasn’t keen on you’re quick yank on my leash, dragging me back on the road.
The Mom: No need to tempt the gods with an upset digestive system, yanno.
Elsa: Aww, man, you are always harshing on my fun.
The Mom: Just trying to keep you save, sweetie.
Elsa: More like being a control freak. But I digress.
The Mom: So what caught your eye on this trip?
Elsa: Well I’m gonna tell you, this wheel thing sure had me do a double take. You uprights…you throw the weirdest things in your gardens.
The Mom: Well, I thought it was kinda cool if you’re into sort of thing. Nothing like an old wagon wheel-axle to bring the West to a garden.
Elsa: Umm…weird, Mom, just weird. This ain’t the O.K. Corral, okay!
The Mom: Art is in the eye of the beholder, toots.
Elsa: {head shaking} Guess I guess we just have to agree to disagree. Anyway, we probably should move on. One thing about the prairie that I like is how wide open the vista is. As far as the eye can see, there’s stuff to check out along the horizon. I noticed you neglected to include Pikes Peak (which was off to the far right) in your photo.
The Mom: I thought I had it but clearly not. Too bad, too. There was a touch of snow on the back side that people who drive south on I-25 never get to see. But at least that ancient piñon tree stands out.
Elsa: That it does. I was disappointed we didn’t see any antelope. Talk about weird. They stand out on the plains and just blink and stare. Why won’t they come closer like the donkeys do?
The Mom: Well they’re just being cautious around potential predators.
Elsa: {beaming with pride} Huh…so I’m considered a potential predator, eh? Well, color me proud!
The Mom: Umm, that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Elsa: It is when you’re a Ninja. People respect you.
The Mom: {eyes rolling} One thing about life on the prairie is the sunrises are pretty spectacular. The orange light can wake a person up from a sound sleep.
Elsa: It was pretty bright. But very cool…it allowed me to look for bunnies first thing in the morning in the early morning light.
The Mom: Yeah, all that sniffing for bunnies in the ‘crisp’ early morning light isn’t really taking care of the business at hand, if you know what I mean.
Elsa: Hey, a girl’s gotta explore. You said it yourself…us dogs process our world through our noses and if I go a little bit off the reservation, that’s called enrichment.
The Mom: Enrichment, eh? Guess I need to make a note to myself to be bundled up while you’re enriching yourself.
Elsa: Well duh, Mom! Sheesh, that goes without saying. Think of it like the Boy Scouts do. Be prepared.
The Mom: O-kay. Got it. {eyes rolling again}
Elsa: Hey! I see you rolling your eyes…again. That’s kinda rude, Mom.
The Mom: Umm, er…sorry. So what else do you have?
Elsa: Clever deflection, Mom. At times, you actually think like me. Well, we always walk past this neighbor’s house when we visit my Grandpa and this was the first time I actually got to investigate the rabbit brush. I could tell lots of bunnies hide out in it. But where the heck were they when we walked by? I mean, you know I’m a good hunter and I saw bupkis. That’s no bueno, Mom.
The Mom: I’m sure you’ll see them again soon. We are headed down to see Grandpa again for Thanksgiving.
Elsa: {excitedly} Ooh, can’t wait. Maybe I’ll even see a bunny in the yucca plants. The flowers have gone to seed and I’ll bet they eat those black seeds.
The Mom: Maybe. I’ve never have seen one close by. No doubt those stiff spines tend to protect them. I’m sure the birds are more interested than the rabbits.
Elsa: One thing about the prairie this time of year, it’s sure full of various shades of brown at first look. But when you’re ace hunter with a killer nose like me, you notice all the tawny shades. You uprights would do well to notice nuances like that. Too bad you don’t have excellent sniffers.
The Mom: That’s true, we tend to be more visual. But there are lots of shades in the brown family on the prairie right now. This snakeweed for instance was gloriously orangey with tones of brown. It was everywhere and the spent flowers stuck to your legs and my socks like Velcro.
Elsa: Yeah, I had to ‘evacuate’ those pesky stickery things with my teeth. Next time maybe I’ll let you brush me after our walk.
The Mom: Wait…what? You’d actually let me brush you without a fight? I know you’re not all that keen on brushing.
Elsa: Well I know you at least have my best interests at heart. How about we take a “let’s wait and see” approach?
The Mom: Uh-huh…that’s what I thought. Just remember it’s for your own good.
Elsa: Yeah, you keep telling me that. Well that’s all I got this week. I know you got stuff to take care of this morning so how about we tell folks to have a good weekend and be sure to get outside and enjoy autumn…wherever they are.
The Mom: Sounds like a plan. I agree with Elsa…be sure to enjoy the weekend and enjoy the beauty of Nature in autumn, wherever you are.
Elsa: Hey, I’m supposed to have the last word. Have a ‘wagnificent’ weekend. And don’t forget to click on the link to see what everyone else shared about Nature on the website of the LLB gang. And say hi to Rosy and Sunny from me.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Monday Musings ~ November 13, 2023
Normally whenever I hear of a week devoted to a particular topic, I kind of roll my eyes. The cynic in me often wonders why something simple needs to be recognized by having a special day/week on the calendar acknowledging it when it should be a normal part of life. Too often it seems to be a function of corporations trying to capitalize on another way to make a buck by selling us something to literally buy into it.
Quite by accident, I was made aware that November 13-19 is World Kindness Week. Lately it seems we need kindness more than ever and while searching for a meme to exemplify it, I came across this one that truly exemplifies the meaning.
Lao Tzu, the legendary Chinese philosopher, thought to have lived in the 5th century has been credited with founding the philosophical system of Taoism and is best known as the author of the Laozi (later retitled the Tao-Te-Ching translated as “The Way of Virtue”) which best illustrates his thoughts. Aligning oneself with the Tao according to Lao-Tzu, would bring about harmony with the universe and enriches one’s life; opposition to the Tao brings frustration, unhappiness, and anger which then results in manifested bad behavior.
While his name is actually a title meaning ‘Old Man’ or ‘Old Master’ there remains much debate as to whether he actually existed or whether Lao-Tzu is more of an amalgam of different philosophers. Either way, the teachings seems prophetic especially in these troubled times. More than ever, humans could use these teachings to be better than they’ve been lately.
You can learn more about Lao Tzu’s teachings in this video.
Bottom line, we hope this week is filled with kindness for you and others. Let’s spread the message of kindness far and wide…humanity needs it now more than ever.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Nature Friday ~ November 10, 2023
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.
It sure beats seeing this Silver Maple that didn’t fare nearly as well, with the owners cutting it all the way down. As you can see, the interior is quite hollowed out and even carving probably wouldn’t have made a difference. This is the biggest problem with Silver Maples here and the city has all but declared war on them and having homeowners remove them. Still, we can’t help but mourn the loss of any mature tree.
One thing we’ve noticed lately have been the brilliant sunrises. Mom was in awe of waking up to this scene on consecutive mornings.
The orange light was stunning, if I do say so myself. Now if I can just get Mom to get some software to edit out those doggone electric and cable wires. What are you going do with moms some days?
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! 🐾
Monday Moanings, er Musings ~ November 6, 2023
Don’t know about you but the return to regular time may require some nuanced adjustments at the Ranch. How’s it going for you?
The semi-annual switch has chapped my hide forever. Apart from having a personal dog in this fight (tinkering with times to Elsa’s epilepsy 12 hour medication, as well as with some diabetes patients’ medications can also be impacted), research indicates instituting a permanent Standard time would better align with humans natural day-to-night rhythms. Now I know many of you are screaming, “NO!” right now because they enjoy the extra hour in the summer, but hear me out. It’s actually harmful to the body resulting in circadian misalignment which has significant health risks (i.e. increased heart attacks, strokes, abnormal heart rhythms, sleep disruption, mood disturbances, and even suicide). Research shows Standard time makes far more sense. According to Dr. Lisa Meltzer, pediatric psychologist, of National Jewish Health, an internationally renown medical/research center, provides the following practical explanation of why returning to Standard time would be a better choice. According to Dr. Meltzer:
Switching back and forth is problematic because in the spring when we move forward an hour, we’re making our day shorter for that short period of time. And in the week after we go onto daylight saving time, there is an increase in heart attacks, motor vehicle crashes, workplace accidents, and it takes some people up to a couple of weeks to adjust to the new time. In the fall, everybody likes falling back an hour because we make our day longer by an hour, and that only takes about two or three days to adjust. So springtime is like traveling east one or two hours and the fall is like traveling west so it’s easier to make our day longer. But the reason why permanent standard time is better for our health is that our internal clocks are regulated by light and dark.
When it gets dark in the evening, that cues our body to produce melatonin, which prepares our body for sleep. So when melatonin’s released in the evening, it cools off our core body temperature and it changes other body functions to prepare us for sleep. And then in the morning, bright sunlight goes through our eyes and tells our brain to stop making melatonin and wake up. So we need light in the morning to help us wake up and get our days started. When we’re on daylight saving time, our days are longer. And what we know is with increased light in the evenings, as much as we all enjoy having those evening light hours, people go to bed later. But yet our social clocks, which are work schedules and school schedules, don’t change. So even if we go to bed later, we still have to wake up at the same time to start our day.
So ultimately on daylight saving time, people end up getting less sleep, and that’s problematic because we know that the amount of sleep we get is directly related to our physical health, our mental health, every aspect of our health and well-being. People like having light in the afternoons and that’s why permanent daylight saving time is attractive. But what people don’t realize is that in the winter, this means very dark mornings. So in November, if we were on permanent daylight saving time, the sun would not rise until between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. In January, the sun would not rise until between 8:09 and 8:21 a.m. and that means we’re all waking up and commuting in the dark. And this is really hard because again, we’re not going to sleep early enough and we’re having a hard time waking up in the morning. And so the long-term consequences of this are not good.
With the switch back to Standard time over the weekend, discussions are once again renewed as to whether we should permanently making the switch. Nineteen states have already passed legislation allowing a permanent switch to Daylight time with federal permission and/or other caveats, including Colorado. It should be noted that Arizona, Hawaii, U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands do not make the twice a year switch.
But mandating a permanent switch to Daylight Savings time would negatively affect public health, particularly in the winter when workers and students would begin their days in the dark. Safety issues (as well as the aforementioned health conditions) would result in less sleep and negatively impact overall health. While we think ‘extra hour’ in the summer is a bonus, it actually is detrimental to overall good health. If anything, a permanent switch to Standard time makes more sense. So where do you stand on this twice-a-year debacle?
We hope your week eases back into a regular routine easily. I for one wish the ‘powers to be’ would consider the serious health ramifications and return to a more natural rhythm that jibes better with our bodies. This twice a year jet lag imposed by bureaucrats just seems like a really dumb idea.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Nature Friday ~ November 3, 2023
Welcome to the first Friday of November. My goodness, any idea as to how in the dog did we got to November already? As always we’re joining our friends from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Make sure you click on the link to see what else was shared.
The Mom: Yoo-hoo, oh Elsa…time to share pics from this week for Nature Friday.
Elsa: Nope, not coming out. I’m still recovering from the humiliation I suffered from wearing that ridiculous Halloween outfit.
The Mom: Aww come on, everyone thought you were cute.
Elsa: Cute?? Baby ducks are cute! I am a Ninja.
The Mom: Ahh sweetie, I’m sorry if you’re feeling bad about your Halloween photo. I was super proud of you for posing so nicely. You did well, Ninja.
Elsa: Of course I did well. Remember, I’m a total professional.
The Mom: And professionals don’t pout. They lift their head, put their big girl pants on and get back to doing what they are extra good at.
Elsa: Nope, I told you already…I’m not doing it.
The Mom: {begging while pulling out the extra high value treats from the cupboard} Please? For me? {crinkling the package}
Elsa: Oh man, you don’t play fair, do you? You know I can’t resist those dehydrated fish skins. They are so addictive and I absolutely love them. Ok, but you better keep ’em flowing if you expect me to share this week’s nature looks from around the ‘Hood. Got it, Kemosabe?
The Mom: Deal! So other than Halloween, what have you been up to this week?
Elsa: Well, there was that 6 inches of white stuff that hit us over the weekend. That was kind of an adventure. And then there was the cold that followed. But I gotta admit, I’ve been having a blast eating my weight in snow on our walks.
The Mom: Yeah, you have been obsessed with chewing snow along our walks. What’s up with that?
Elsa: IMy new job-I’m on water quality control recognisance. Denver Water contacted me to check it out for dogs everywhere in the metro area.
The Mom: Uh-huh…sure. I don’t think that’s a real job.
Elsa: It is for me. I can’t let snow that’s built up next to sidewalks go un-tasted. Plus, I’m keeping hydrated-very important for us canine ninjas.
The Mom: {eyes rolling} Maybe we ought to move along. So what would you like to feature this week?
Elsa: Well, let’s go with the obvious. Like I said, it snowed about 6 inches of white stuff but then it also added about 87 inches of green stuff.
The Mom: Don’t remind me. The Silver Maple and the Catalpa trees didn’t appreciate the weather and kinda went crazy shedding leaves.
Elsa: Thanks for raking them up from the sidewalk…you know how much I despise walking on them…although I noticed they aren’t crunchy, but they are gross and mushy. Still…no bueno in my books.
The Mom: I agree, they stick to my shoes and your paws and we both end up dragging them into the house. Definitely no bueno. Vacuuming every 12 minutes is not my idea of fun and games.
Elsa: You’ll get no argument from me on vacuuming. That noisy beast scares me.
The Mom: And then as if on cue, the wind came up and dropped another ton. I need to figure out what to do with them in the interim since it’ll be next week before the city will collect leaves for the compost project. Sigh.
Elsa: Ugh. Don’t tell me things like that. I’ll worry my pretty little head off.
The Mom: Oh no, don’t do that. It’s just that it is that time of year where leaves fall; we just have to accept this part of Mother Nature.
Elsa: {boo…hiss} I vote no.
The Mom: Sadly, it won’t make a difference on that kind of vote.
Elsa: Harumph…so much for democracy.
The Mom: {shaking her head} Oh sweetie…what else you got?
Elsa: Well I was thinking we should share pics of those funky critters we encountered. I still can’t believe why some uprights put this kind of stuff in their gardens!
The Mom: The first one really cracked me up. Everyone around here has jumped on the Colorado Buffaloes bandwagon and their notorious Coach Prime…aka Deion Sanders. Lo and behold when I walked over to the Post Office, I came across this new sculpture. It took me a second to realize it’s a buffalo! Interesting metal work, don’t you think?
Elsa: Hmm, not sure I get it but this just goes to show art is in the eyes of the beholder. I was pleased to see you were brave enough to walk up the stairs to photograph that giraffe but glad you captured it quickly. That guard dog was none too pleased with us scoping out his giraffe. Speaking of giraffe, isn’t that the one we saw through the trees back in August? You can see that post here.
The Mom: Good memory, Ninja. Yes, it was obscured through all the brush but I decided to get closer now that most of the leaves have fallen. I really do like that piece. So unusual.
Elsa: Well as long as I don’t have to give that guard dog a piece of my mind, I guess it’s ok. Sheesh, not very hospitable was he? You should have let me teach him some manners.
The Mom: Umm, no..that’s fine. Besides, he was just protecting his giraffe. That’s his job and you wouldn’t want to deprive him of his job, now would you?
Elsa: {pondering for a moment} Yeah, you’re probably right but I was ready to go Rocky on his butt. Nobody talks to my Mom like that and gets away with it.
The Mom: Aww, aren’t you sweet? So I went back to Sloan’s Lake a couple of days ago to see how things looked after last week. All the gold and reddish colored trees have dropped their leaves but the cattails were kind of interesting. I also noticed the squirrels and birds should get nice & chonky this month with pumpkins and fruit setting on trees.
Elsa: Mt. Evans in the distant with the snow was kinda cool. Too bad you couldn’t get a better angle from the hill. It was much prettier than this pic lets on.
The Mom: Sometimes you just gotta go with what you can get. Still, it was a pretty morning looking west from the lake instead of toward downtown.
Elsa: Well that’s it from me. So…got anything cooking for the weekend? I think we’re just gonna chill (though it will be nice around here for a few days). Whatever you do, we hope you get outside and check out what Nature’s got going on. We realize it’s that time of year where things get busy as folks gear up for the holidays, but trust me…it’d be good to look around and see the beauty out there. Have a ‘wagnificent’ weekend.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Howl-oween 2023
Elsa: You are so going to pay for this humiliation, Mother!
The Mom: Egad…you know you’re in trouble when you’re called Mother.
Elsa: Happy Howl-oween, peeps. We both hope it’s safe, fun but sans dumb costumes. Please stay away from Mothers who encourage you with high value treats in their pockets-it’s a complete ruse to humiliate you and is far worse than seeing any ghosts. And while you’re being careful, please stay away from chocolate-it’s not good for us four-leggers.
Live, love, bark! 🐾