Blimey, is it Friday already? Norman here with my little sister Elsa and we’re ready to share some Nature views from around our neighborhood. As always, we’re joining Rosy and Sunny from the LLB life. Make sure you click on the link to see what other slices of nature have been shared.
Norman: {shivering} Brr, it’s chilly out there this morning. Good thing I’m in Mum’s studio. I’m just not built for 29ºF (-1.7ºC).
Elsa: Oh jeez, you big wuss. It’s not so bad, think of it as ‘bracing.’
Norman: Bracing? Umm, I can’t get past the bone chilling part. Anyway, let’s get started, shall we? Nature has been having a party at our house. Or specifically, a pool party. Birds have been showing up every evening around 5:00 POM and carousing in the bird bath. Mostly in the past they’ve dropped by for “Happy Hour” but I guess the water was just too inviting and they started to dive in but first, a quick slurp.
Elsa: Mom seems fascinated by them as she watched for a long time. She said she was rewarded with their Mark Spitz imitations. {eyes rolling} I mean, come on…what’s so exciting about watching them dive in after drinking a Mai Tai? That’s what a lot of drunks do when there’s a nearby pool. Wait a minute, just because you called it “Happy Hour,” I distinctly didn’t see any little umbrellas. What a cheap dive bar!
Norman: Well aren’t you just precious? There were no Mai Tai’s, Ninja.
Elsa: Well, I know I wouldn’t hang out at that bar…swimming pool notwithstanding.
Norman: What are you talking about? You don’t go near water any more than I do and you have webbed feet!
Elsa: There’s a reason I don’t. I just don’t want to make you feel badly. Yeah, yeah, that’s the ticket…I’m trying to bolster your ego.
Norman: Okay, now you’re just being cheeky.
Elsa: {giggling hysterically} Umm, {stifled snicker} no I’m not. {bursts out in wild dog laughter}. Ok, maybe just a little.
Norman: Ahem…moving right along. Mum says ‘spring has sprung’ when the Eastern Redbuds start blooming. Check out this lovely little specimen. She’s not sure how well it’s going to do long term. It faces south and with the heat those rocks and brick will generate…who knows what its long-term health will be. It sure is colorful though. Mom didn’t recall it before, likely because they’re only stunning when blooming but once they’ve leafed out, they’re mostly nondescript as far as trees go.
Elsa: In the past couple of days, flowering trees are popping out all over. It’s fun to watch the bees buzz from flower to flower. Mom had to drag coax me to move along our walk but I think I was hypnotized by their noise and watching the bees flit from one bloom to another. Boy, they sure are busy little guys, aren’t they?
Norman: I’m drooling thinking of the sweet apples that will be forming soon on this tree. I hope Mum lets me carry a fallen apple home from one of our walks.
Elsa: You…carry anything on a walk? Bwahahahaha! Don’t make me laugh.
Norman: {clearing his throat} That’s not very sporting of you. I’ll have you know I carry toys in my mouth all the time.
Elsa: I know you well enough brother that you’d carry an apple for maybe and I’m being generous here, probably only for 3 or 4 steps. At most.
Norman: {indignantly sniffing} I’m rather offended by your criticism.
Elsa: It’s not a criticism…merely an observation, dude. Let’s not give people the wrong idea-you’re not a fetch-n-carry kind of dog. But I promise you the next time Mom offers me a slice of apple, I’ll give it to you before I gum it into mush and then spit it out. I don’t know how you can eat those things. Give me a meaty piece of jerky any day over fruit and vegetables if you want to give me a snack!
Norman: Variety is the spice of life, little one. And you know what they say…”an apple a day…”
Elsa: I know, blah, blah, blah. Barf.
Norman: Heavens, sounds like one of those bees you were mesmerized by flew under your bonnet!
Elsa: Ha, ha, my brother trying to be funny. Hey, don’t quit your day job, Bucko.
Norman: Well, I think we should get back to the nature portion of this post. Mum was delighted the chilly night temperatures hadn’t seemed to bother the Magnolia tree down the block from us. It was covered with lovely soft yellow blooms. Talk about a beautiful sight.
Elsa: Well I know for a fact you tend to keep your nose more focused on the ground, like this Peony bush that is already forming buds. Can’t wait to see what color the flowers are. They always smell so divine.
Norman: I can assure you nothing gets past my sniffer. I’ll check it once it starts filling the air with some perfume.
Elsa: {eyes rolling again} You know you’re the reason why our walks take forever. Mom has to pull you along from Point A to Point B because you’re sniffing so much. Are you sure you’re not part Bloodhound?
Norman: {with dignified straightening of his collar} For the record I. am. 100%. Old. English. Sheepdog.
Elsa: If you say so. But some days, I have serious doubts.
Norman: This is not the place to discuss one’s ancestry, dear sister. We’re here to share slices of Nature from around our neighborhood. And with that pronouncement, let me share one last picture from across the street. Their Phlox are blooming so prettily but I found one with a special ‘flower’ in the center of it. Mum said what a shame and we’ll probably have an infestation of the yellow flowers but I think it’s quite lovely.
Elsa: Meh…I’m mostly indifferent. I know you really get into this whole botanical thing. I prefer to keep my eyes focused on the neighborhood squirrels.
Norman: Remember little one that “Happiness held is the seed, happiness shared is the flower. ~ John Harrigan. And with that we hope you have a smashing weekend. Don’t forget to get out there and check out Nature…right now she’s sharing loads of flowers. Cheerio, mates.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Wheee…it’s been a wild and busy week but we managed to ‘hang’ there and make it to Friday which means it’s time to join Rosy from “
Autumn is in full swing along the Greenhorn mountains west of Pueblo and a beautiful alpenglow at sunrise silhouetted a lone pinon tree in the wide open space on the nearby Walker Ranch. Nature deftly adds some tawny buffalo grass among the prairie dog burrows and provides a serene and resplendent landscape.
It’s Friday and that means it’s time to join our pals 
Elsa [from Mom’s studio]: Of course you would…you NEVER miss a chance to sniff or water ANY plants. You’re probably the main reason why they don’t let us good dogs accompany their parents to the botanical gardens.
