We recently agreed to add our voice to Louis Dog’s Life Endangered Species Challenge. Mom however missed the date so I’m posting it for her albeit a couple days late. Why not use all that groovy technology you have at your fingertips for crying out loud, I ask? Sheesh, pawrents!
Sam here. I think we can all agree that far too many of the world’s fascinating animals are in danger of disappearing from Planet Earth. To figure out which threatened or endangered animal we wanted to highlight, we went to our state Parks & Wildlife website for their comprehensive list. Sadly there were waaay too many listed and it was hard to single out one in particular until we saw the beautiful and elusive Lynx. With its trademark ear tufts and huge feet, it was clear we wanted to shed some light on this beautiful mammal. Besides, I’m fascinated by cats!
Lynx are a large bob-tailed cat about 3 feet long weighing anywhere from 20-30 pounds, possessing a black-tipped tail about one-eighth of its total length, and only about half the length of its huge hind feet even if mom’s photo makes it look like Mr. Lynx is ginormous compared to moi. For comparison, I’m about 50 lbs. when I hold my breath 🙂 [sizing–yet another technology fail on mom’s part-ugh]. Their coats are grayish with some obscure spots but their single most recognizable characteristic is the fabulous ear tufts that might be nearly as long as the actual ears. Often referred to as a ‘silent predator,’ the lynx is a patient hunter, waiting for the right moment and helped by those enormous hind feet which allow them to move easily across the snowpack to pounce on their preferred meal of choice: snowshoe hares. Their feet are huge at around 8 inches long. Can you say, “Big Foot?!”
Endangered Lynx (Lynx Canadensis) in Colorado
Although you’re more likely to see Sasquatch than a lynx in Colorado, there was an ambitious and controversial reintroduction plan in the late 1990’s in the remote San Juan mountains. Nearly 30 years later it has been deemed successful with between 150-250 of these magnificent felines being monitored by radio-satellite collars. Lynx are still considered critically imperiled in Colorado and with a recent population explosion in our state, it does remain to be seen if lynx and humans can eventually co-exist again. We’re rooting for this ‘fur-tastic’ mammal to survive. Have you ever seen one in the furs?
We were hoping our fur-iends over at Noodle4President would be sharing a feel good story about their cat-bro, Jamison. Unfortunately, Noodle’s ‘panther brother’ crossed the Rainbow Bridge earlier this week following injuries he received around Christmas in a dog attack. Jamison bravely fought to overcome those injuries longer than was expected but in the end, they were just too severe. Even though Blogville prayed its hardest, there wasn’t enough healing canine kisses to pull our friend though and like his brother and family, we are heartbroken about this latest loss in our community. Jamison will be missed by everyone in his family as well as throughout Blogville.
All of us at the Ranch send our love to Noodle and the rest of his family. Rest in peace, dear Jamison. #jamisonforever 🐾
While today is normally referred to as Wordless Wednesday, as we all know, sometimes a few words just need to be spoken but words for today’s post comes hard and tears flow much easier. Today we acknowledge our favorite Weim is now back home where he should be, with his family. Welcome home, Easy. While he may not be with us in the furs, he will always remain in our hearts. For your mom and dad, we send our heartfelt thoughts and hope the tender thoughts and sweet memories of you and your life provide them with some measure of comfort. For them we offer our deepest sympathies. We will miss your posts, your joie de vivre for life, and the voice you shared about your life with us. We love you, buddy.
Thanksgiving was always the most favorite of all holidays for mom growing up as a kid. Sam here. Her favorite dog came to live with her on Thanksgiving day, a small white Boxer-mix puppy with patches on her eyes who quickly outgrew her promised diminutive size. They named her Beans and she was quite the card with a snapping whip of a tail. Mom loved her so much but she didn’t stay with the family all that long. She outgrew her body and the yard and moved to a family with more space to take care of her.
This Thanksgiving though, despite the best laid plans for a family get-together, life decided not to allow a family get together, offering something different instead.
Sam: I’ve been taking care of my mom for the past 10 days because like I mentioned in our last post, she’d been under the weather. What I didn’t mention, was it was pretty serious. So, mom, tell me what was it that ailed you?
Mom: Hi-ya Sam. I started to feel bad late Monday and it developed into excruciating back pain with a fever by Tuesday. On Wednesday I knew something was seriously wrong and scheduled a doctor’s appointment.
Sam: Yeah, I kind of figured as much. You weren’t your usual chipper self and you NEVER go to the doctor. You just went away and I had no idea what was going on.
Mom: After visiting with the doctor, she said I needed to go immediately over to the Emergency Room so they could start administering antibiotics and fluids. I was pretty weak. The diagnosis was Pyelonephritis…a fancy way of saying ‘kidney infection.’
Sam: Sounds miserable. I was concerned when you finally came home later. Notice how I stayed right by your side?
Mom: Yes, sweetie. I noticed both you and Elsa were great nurse mates taking care of me. I very much appreciate it.
Sam: Oh yeah, the sister who shall remain nameless. She kind of got in the way a few times. I don’t think she knows how to be the kind of therapy dog you needed then.
Mom: Sam, she did fine though I could have managed with a little less “observation” on both of your parts and maybe a little more room in the bed. After being in bed for so long, I started to feel like I was never alone with two shadows attached.
Sam: I was just making sure you were going to be ok and to remind you when to take your medication. Who knows what the sister who remains nameless was doing. I gave up trying to figure her out shortly after you brought her home.
Mom: Sam…be kind now. She had a rough start in life and just needs to properly learn how to be a dog. It’s our job to help her figure that out. I noticed you played with her for a few moments the other night so she can’t be all that bad.
Sam: Uh, what…noooo! That wasn’t play, I was just avoiding her from crashing into me. Yeah, that’s the ticket, it was just avoidance. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Not to change the subject, but….how are you feeling today?
Mom: Sure, if that’s how you want to play it, I’ll go along. I’m doing better, almost feeling like a human again. It’s good not to be stuck resting all day. Do you know how bad TV programming is? It’s so bad, you can barely sleep because you keep having ear worm commercials screaming in your head. If I hear this commercial one more time, I may go insane!
Sam: Yeah, that song bugs me too. But I hope you don’t over do it like you usually do when you start feeling better. I don’t want to have to guard take that kind of care of you for long-term. I mean…I only have so much healing power available at any given time.
Mom: I promise not to over do it now that I’m feeling better. But there are now other things on my mind besides trying to get well that have me sad and teary. Our fur-iend, Easy Rider left this earth a few days ago. We were stunned and saddened at the news that this wonderful Weimaraner left for the Rainbow Bridge to make ‘snowfetti’ there. We are heartbroken for his pawrents, Katty and Mark who loved their boy with all their hearts and who have provided such joy and laughter in Blogville. If you aren’t familiar with the “king of comedy” and his family, go over to his website and poke around. I guarantee you’ll smile at all his adventures. We also learned our fur-iend, Sammy will be joining him later today. We send our love and condolences to his mom, too. Run free sweet boys. You will never be forgotten by us.
Sam: Oh no, not Sammy too? Why has this year been so hard on us ‘anipals,’ mom?
Mom: Not sure, Sam. We definitely lost way too many dear fur-iends this year and can only hope the new year begins better. Of this we pray. Now come here, you knucklehead and give me some sugar, I need puppy kisses and a hug from you.
Sam: Mooommm…you’re squeezing me too hard! [Shakes head hard, gains poodle composure and gets off the sofa]. You know I love you…but don’t strangle me!
Mom: I know sweet boy, I just want to keep you fur-ever. Us ‘pawrents’ are like that. As we say goodbye to our dearest fur-iends this year, we bid 2016 a curt farewell. Goodbye and good riddance. We hope your cousin 2017, is kinder to our world.
Sam: Yup, goodbye 2016. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. For me, I’m going back to loving my mom and tolerating the sister who shall not be named and have a good time playing therapy dog tomorrow with my Grandma who had surgery a couple of days ago and who is recovering nicely at home. Woof, woof. Way to go, Oma, we 💗 ya!
We recently agreed to add our voice to Louis Dog’s Life Endangered Species Challenge. Mom however missed the date so I’m posting it for her albeit a couple days late. Why not use all that groovy technology you have at your fingertips for crying out loud, I ask? Sheesh, pawrents!
We were hoping our fur-iends over at 
