Epilepsy Awareness Month ~ 2023

Epilepsy awarenessHello, 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.

Elsa💜 Live, love, bark! 🐾 💜

Howl-oween 2023

Elsa - Halloween

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! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 13, 2023

Tra, la, la, la, la…doh, dum, de, do….Greetings, peeps, Elsa here to share this week’s Hodge-Podge Friday scenes from around the Ranch.

The Mom: Umm, sweetie…it’s “Nature Friday” not Hodge-Podge Friday. Would you like to correct that so we can get started  as we join our pals, Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard.

Elsa: Nope, not happening. I’m calling it Hodge-Podge Friday because none of the photos you took have any real theme. I looked up hodge-podge in the online Oxford Dictionary and it specifically defines it as, and I quote, a confused mixture. So nope, it stays Hodge-Podge Friday.

The Mom: Ahem…well ex-cuussse me. Jeez, you’re pretty scrappy today. What’s got your backside all up in arms?

Elsa: Nothing special. My blog, my post. Now can we get on with it? I got things to do.

The Mom: Bwahahaha, what do you have to do today?

Elsa: I’m a dog, there’s always something to do. We are always busy, even if you don’t think so.

Sleeping Elsa

The Mom: I see…so is that what you consider as ‘so busy?’

Elsa: Erm…I’m thinking…this blogging thing is harder than it looks. Now can I get on with it?

The Mom: Fine by me. What ‘cha got?

Elsa: Well I know you went to another Dragon Boat Race last weekend, this one in Broomfield. You must really like those races. Not sure I’m on board with all that water activity but whatever floats your boat. I will give you the fact that it was a pretty autumn day. Are we through the hot temps…finally?

Broomfield park

The Mom: Well you know Colorado. I’m sure there’ll be a day or two in the 80’sºF over the next couple of weeks, but it’s probably safe to say, most likely.

Elsa: You sure know how to slice the hair in half. Is this from all the years you worked in the legal field, quibbling over terms like ‘may’ as opposed to just stating a fact?

The Mom: Ahem…I don’t quibble. But I am just trying to express the possibilities that may or may not happen.

Elsa: See, you did it again!! What the dog, Mom!

The Mom: Oops, I guess I do tend to equivocate sometimes. Sorry.

Elsa: Whatever. Just wanted you to be aware that I’m keenly aware of how you do that. So I noticed one dog at least tried to compete with the boat racers. What was up with that knucklehead?

Dog in Water

The Mom: Whaddu mean? He was just enjoying a simply swim and there weren’t any Canadian geese to race against the boats.

Elsa: Swim and enjoyment are mutually exclusive in my books.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} To each her own, right? Remember we talked about this thing called tolerance, Elsa.

Elsa: Ugh…I just want people to know how dumb it seems for dogs to actually jump in water and swim. You wouldn’t catch me doing that…not for all the bones in Denver.

The Mom: But some dogs DO enjoy it so let them have their fun.

Elsa: Sheesh…so where’s an actual picture of a race? I know this was not nearly as large an event but let me see for myself.

Dragon Boat Race

The Mom: You’re correct, it was a smaller venue but I mean…Dragon Boats! It was fun watching folks compete and it looked like they all had a good time. I especially enjoyed the entertainment from a couple of dance groups from the Asian Pacific community. Such colorful costumes on kids as young as 10 years old dancing for the small crowd.

Elsa: You think it was small because they’ve only been doing it for the past 3 years at that park? Seems a shame considering how many thousands experienced the one at Sloan’s Lake back in July.

The Mom: Could be, but I’m sure more folks will start attending. It wasn’t even close to hot which was a huge plus. The drawback was I couldn’t walk to the venue and it seemed like so far though it was only about 20 miles away. I just rarely drive that far.

Dragon Boat Race

Dragon Boat Race

Dragon Boat Race

Elsa: Ooh, I’d love to chase those twirling skirts and I’m sure that littlest girl would love to have me lay my head in her lap. Maybe next time, I’ll go.

The Mom: Umm, hate to break it to you, even though dogs are welcome to the event, they aren’t allowed on stage. So, no…that ain’t gonna happen.

Elsa: {ruckus…rats…%$&#} You just never let me have any fun!

The Mom: I’m sure if you learned to dance, they’d allow you on stage, but I don’t make the rules.

Elsa: I notice our neighbors are getting into the Halloween spirit full bore. I heard you tell the lady you’re making them Instagram stars.

Skellies

Skellies

The Mom: {snicker} Well I wouldn’t say Instagram stars but a lot of people sure seem to enjoy my posts and have contacted me to get the address so they can see them in person. The theme this week was ‘camping.’ I had to chuckle, though with the 2 dozen Skellies they must have, it must take an entire weekend to dress and set the props for the scene. It makes me smile whenever I go past that house.

Elsa: I saw that one dog who started barking at the big skellies, growling with raised hackles. What a rube!

The Mom: Now, now, Elsa…Halloween can be scary for some dogs. You used to bark your head off whenever Trick-er-treaters rang our doorbell in costume.

Elsa: Those were serial killers, I was only protecting the Ranch.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} Oh Elsa…you slay me sometimes.

Elsa: Glad I can be of comedic entertainment for you. Just don’t come crying to me when something bad happens. I take my security duties quite seriously. So is there anything else autumnal, this week?

The Mom: Well as a matter of fact, yes. Leaves are s-l-o-w-l-y beginning to change. A few here and there. This one was all aglow when we walked over to the library.

Changing leaves

Elsa: Pretty, yes, but the crunching leaves kind of bother my feet. The jury is still out on this whole autumn thing. But I do appreciate the cooler temps. And what the dog was this guy doing sashaying along the sidewalk this week?

The Mom: I know, right? There were 4 dogs in the nearby vicinity and he just waltzed past us. Blew me away. Usually they dash so fast I can’t get any kind of pic that close.

Fox

Elsa: Did you see my jaw drop open? I don’t know what he was thinking walking past us and the other dogs. I’m still flabbergasted.

The Mom: It was one of the more unusual encounters we’ve had. Seeing foxes always makes me smile.

Elsa: Me too. I think I could be a good friend if only they’d let me.

The Mom: Probably not, but it’s a nice thought. Well that’s it for this week. It wasn’t too bad, was it?

Elsa: Hodge-podge, Mom, definitely hodge-podge. So what’s on board for your weekend? Got anything going on? Whatever you do, we hope you get to see some of the pretty things Nature is serving up right now.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Talk Like A Pirate Day ~ 2023

Well, ahoy me maties and shiver me timbers…today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day and because I apparently enjoy living dangerously, I thought why not try for another photo session with the ninja to celebrate it. I mean if she would no doubt pay me back anyway for the birthday Gotcha Day picture session, why not go all in and really make it worth her while? It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve walked the plank so I decided to go all in. It wasn’t as easy as you might think. Let’s review the process of how we got here after a few tidbits about how this day became what it is today.

Back in 1995, pals John Bauer and Mark Summer were playing racket ball together and randomly chiding each other by talking in an exaggerated form of pirate talk for the day just for fun. They decided to mark the day annually on Summer’s ex birthday so they’d be sure to remember it. For a few years it was celebrated mostly amongst themselves and friends until humorist Dave Barry brought public attention to it in 2002.

Now let’s see what it took for us to get here.

Step 1. Locate the hat thingy that Sam wore a few years back at a hospital visit one Halloween. Pull out the box that houses  all the hats and bandanas. Drat, it wasn’t there.

Step 2. Ok then, no biggy. Find the bag with a couple of Halloween costume items. Normally I loathe the whole Halloween thing because the doorbell ringing always drove the dogs nuts but when I worked, our department was always a leader in clever costumes so I have a couple of old standbys from those days I can tap.

Step 3. Closet where the costumes live 99.9% of the time was going to need organizing in order for me to reach said bag that houses the costumes.

Step 4. Well I figured since I’m organizing any way, guess I’d better vacuum while I’m pulling things out, right? It’ll only take a second but discover vacuuming takes a while since I’ve been purging books, clothes and household items no longer being utilized into a large pile that I need to maneuver around. Grr…where the heck is THAT doggone bag in this mess?

Step 5. A-ha…find the bag. Rifle through it, poop…the Davey Jones hat thingy not there. However there is one other bag it might be in so I go find a step ladder to easily pull that one down to check.

Step 6. Eureka…finally found the Davey Jones hat thingy but realize it’s in the wrong bag so reorganize both bags to reflect what’s what. Get out labelmaker to identify the boxes both bags will now live in. Have successfully cleaned the shelves, reorganized the Halloween stuff and managed to find a bunch of old craft projects never started and arrange to include them in the pile headed for the thrift shop. This only took a couple of hours. Ugh, I’m tired and think maybe just forget the whole bloody thing.

Step 7. Fortuitously (or not, depending which side of the fence you’re on) Elsa sashays into the studio. Ooh, ooh, energy surges through my evil veins…”come here said the spider to the fly!”

Step 8. Surprisingly and unwittingly, Elsa waltzes over. I spend several minutes showering her with praise and ear rubs. She’s unsuspecting but now she’s giving me the signal she’d like to take a potty break. Sigh. To accommodate the princess, I take time to take her outside where she sniffs, sniffs, and sniffs some more. Finally, success. This only took 20 minutes.

Step 9. Aware I better strike while the iron is hot, I go into the pantry and pull out the chicken jerky and begin to cut up several pieces. Elsa’s nose catches that nirvana sweet smell of chicken and follows me into the living room, Davey Jones hat and chicken jerky in hand.

Step 10. I ask Elsa to sit politely. She’s starting to realize she’s walked into a trap while giving her a treat, and she plops down as I wave another one in front of her nose. Now I have her full attention. Like Blackbeard, I slyly go to set the scene.

Step 11. I slowly pull the hat from my pocket. “Uh-oh…what did I get myself into” expression flashes crossed Elsa’s face. Enter another well-timed treat. She relaxes-whew.

Step 12. Anchor hat on Elsa’s head which drops because she now realizes exactly what’s coming.

Step 13. Hold up head with the booty under her nose to get her attention. She perks up-snap!

Step 14. This old salt may be just a landlubber but I’m in the groove. I pull out another piece of jerky and wave it under the lassie’s nose. She sniffs at it like a true buccaneer and takes it ever so gently. Yum, she thinks…is this a great country or what?

Step 15. Snapping simultaneously as my hand quickly pulls out of the frame, I capture this pic. She may be a black dog and harder than heck to get any decent pic but after nearly 3 hours of preparation, I have my prize and shout for joy! Bonus, I have a clean and organized closet-woohoo!

Elsa Talk Like a Pirate

Step 16. Elsa’s thinking ‘dead men tell no tales’ but another well timed piece of chicken jerky seems to make her forget her indignity for a few seconds. I retrieve the hat, put it in my pocket and dispense yet another treat.

Step 17. “Aye, aye, maybe this wasn’t so bad,” Elsa thinks. She even wags her tail a bit which she seems to know will also be rewarded since she’s not much of a tail wagger.

“X” marked the spot and we all found our respective treasure. Luckily for us, we have some time before there’s another photo session. I don’t think I can do this again any time soon.

Have fun today with International Talk Like a Pirate Day. All I can say is “thank heavens for Dave Berry and chicken jerky.”

Live, love, bark! 🐾

 

Monday Musings ~ September 18, 2023

Gotcha Day

While I played ‘Queen for the weekend,’ and paw-tied like it’s 1999, today is Monday which means we get to start the week out with a smile.

And by smile, I don’t mean at the one above. And if you snickered at it, I WILL find you. Mom is already on notice; you can see me plotting my revenge    .

Elsa

She is not getting away unscathed for having me pose in multiple photo sessions. I will get even, despite her trying to bribe me make it up to me by making the best scrambled egg breakfast on my special day while showering me with loads of attention and tasty high-value treats all weekend. And because I’m not a complete tool, here’s your Monday smile. You’re welcome.

Smile

Here’s hoping all your ‘go’s’ are pawsome the entire week.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ August 18, 2023

ElsaWelcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday…which means we’re joining our pals Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what other slices of nature have been shared.

The Mom: {softly speaking} El….sa, oh Elsa.

Elsa: {yawning} Wha…er, who said that?!

The Mom: Good morning sweetie, didn’t want to startle you but it’s time to share nature from around the neighborhood. You ready, sweet girl?

Elsa:  {Big yawn and stretch} I guess so. You do realize that  you interrupted my wonderful snooze.

The Mom: So sorry, little one. I tried to be as gentle as possible waking you.

Elsa: It’s okay, Mom. I appreciate it-you know how I can wig out if I’m unexpectedly startled so I appreciate it.

The Mom: You’re very welcome. So what do you plan to share with us today?

Elsa: Well, I like to call it ‘hodgepodge’ slices of nature since there really wasn’t a congruent theme we could pursue. Ok with you?

The Mom: Of course, it’s your blog; you can do what you like.

Elsa: {wheels in her head are spinning around} Seriously? I get to decide?

The Mom: Sure-you can do whatever you like…

Elsa: {interrupting} Hot dang! Woo hoo…finally, some power…

The Mom:  Umm…let’s not get too carried away. You still have to operate within the perimeters of WordPress and decency…

Elsa: Wait…what? There are limitations on what I can share?

The Mom:  Well, first there is the User Agreement that WordPress will enforce and then there are technological limitations. So we don’t want to get too carried away by letting power go to our heads…

Elsa: Oh man…you’re always raining on my parade.

The Mom: Sorry, but that the way things work in life. That’s just the way it is. Now given that, are you ready to start?

Elsa: {grumbling} Fine…sheesh…you never let a girl have any fun.

The Mom: That’s not exactly true, but it’s a simple fact of life that it has its boundaries. Plus you want to be a good girl, don’t you?

Elsa: {more grumbling} Harumph…I guess so. Ok, let’s get started. Maybe if I find some interesting pics this week, I’ll feel a better.

The Mom: Probably a good idea. So what ‘cha got for us?

Elsa: Well, like I said, we’re doing a hodgepodge collection of flowers from around the ‘Hood. But first, check this out! I had no idea Groot lived in our neighborhood. I always thought the Guardian of the Galaxy star (aka Flora Colossus) lived in Marvel-land. You never mentioned he lives so close to us.

Groot
I am Groot

The Mom:  Umm, hate to break it to you, but that’s not Groot. It’s a Virginia creeper that spread all over a power pole. But it rather does look like Groot. Can’t wait to see it when autumn arrives and the leaves change color (note to self, try to remember where you saw that thing to photograph it!).

Elsa: Umm, that’s Groot, Mom-you can’t fool me. Besides, remember this is MY blog and I can write what I want. You just got through telling me that. Remember??

The Mom: {sighs} Fine, believe what you like.

Elsa: Woof! I’m kinda liking this new found power thing.

The Mom:  Oh dear, I’ve created a monster.

Elsa: Hey, no comments from the peanut gallery. Just because humans have a thumb, they let things go to their heads. Sheesh.

The Mom: Well ex-cuuuse me. What else did you see this week on our walks?

Elsa: Well, I noticed those gigantic pink Hibiscus blooms at that house around the corner-you know, the one that bugs just love to sniff?

Hibiscus

The Mom: Indeed I do. That plant has the biggest blooms I’ve seen this year and the color is truly Barbie-inspired.

Elsa: Umm, right. Just don’t get any ideas of dressing me up, Barbie style, okay?

The Mom: Wouldn’t think of it, Toots. Everyone else may be gah-gah over the whole Barbie phenomena, but I know you’re more of a tom-girl than a Barbie girl.

Elsa: Doggone right! I am not some silly girly-girl who needs protecting, although you notice how much I’ve calmed down on our walks?

The Mom: I sure have. I’m grateful you no longer seem compelled to attack passing dogs on our walks. You’ve been a very good girl and pretty much stopped fence biting with the dog next door.

Elsa: Thanks, Mom. I guess now that I’m the solo dog who coincidentally is enjoying all this newfound power, I don’t feel as threatened. But never fear, I’ll happily defend you should the need arise, Mom.

The Mom: Thanks, sweetie. That’s very kind but there’s no reason to scare dogs we may encounter. I’m glad you recognize that. So, you have any other flowers to share?

Elsa: Ooh, ooh, I do. On the farthest end of our walks, do you remember those beautiful Hollyhocks we walked past? There was one in particular that really cranked my handle. Such a bright shade of red and sooo pretty.

Flowers

The Mom: Oh yes, that one was particularly striking. Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are part of the mallow family and are considered a popular ornamental annual, biannual or perennial. Hollyhocks were imported into Europe from southern China. Did you know that the red varieties seem to prefer sandy soils, while the lighter colors seem to like more clay like soils. No doubt the hummingbirds love that garden.

Elsa:  Well, it seems to be Dahlia season now and we’re seeing a bunch of them blooming around the ‘Hood. Sure wish you’d plant some of those, they are very pretty even if they don’t have much fragrance. I really liked this pink one with the yellow center.

Dahlias

The Mom: They really are gorgeous, but I’m just not willing to dig them up at the end of the season to over winter them and then replant next Spring. I prefer less work-intensive perennials.

Elsa: Pfft…don’t know why. It’s not like your slaving away on the blog anymore. You should reconsider that plant for next year.

The Mom: Umm, not gonna happen little one, but nice try  with the guilt. There are so many others that are equally as pretty that require a lot less fussing over.

Elsa: Whatever. How about something like this one? It sure is pretty. Although most of the plant seems stripped of its leaves (likely due to the hail storms we had), the flowers sure are  pretty. Didn’t you say your plant identifier thought this was some kind of Hydrangea?

Flowers

The Mom:  That’s right, sometimes called hortensia, Hydrangeas are native to Asia with the greatest diversity in China, Korea, and Japan.They can be deciduous or evergreen, although the majority of temperate species are usually deciduous. One fascinating thing about Hydrangeas is how they act as a natural indicator of the soil’s pH levels, with the flowers turning blue when the soil is acidic and pink when the soil is alkaline. I discovered the white ones (the oakleaf or smooth varieties), don’t change their flower colors. They can naturally bloom in white (sometimes fading to green), cream, or dusty pink. There are some red ones, too. Isn’t that cool? They aren’t typically planted much in Colorado since they tend to require supplemental water with rich soil, and the leaves and flower buds are poisonous to dogs and cats if eaten. Guess we won’t be planting any, just to be on the safe side.

Elsa: Well poop, I like them. They look like big snowballs and you know how I like the snow. Just when I get excited about a plant, you share facts that shoot down any planting around the Ranch. Rats!

The Mom: Sorry, Elsa. Just want to keep you safe, that’s all. Got anything else for us to enjoy?

Elsa: Well there are a couple more pics to share. The first is a small garden in front of a storefront along on our walk. This border contains Peregrina, the colorful plant mixed in with some ornamental grass and Black-eyed Susans behind a wrought iron fence. This was a tiny little garden, but it sure makes for a pretty summer border.

Flowers

The Mom: You’re so right, I must have walked past that place a jillion times and just noticed these plants this week.

Elsa: Don’t you just love it when little gardens catch your eye like that? It reminds me of the Painted Lady moth I noticed this week in the dog run. I’m sure they’re out there all the time, but this one stayed in place long enough to get his picture taken. I was only bummed you didn’t try to dress him up like you do me but…oh well.

Butterfly

The Mom: I got lucky being able to capture this guy before he flew off.

Elsa: Well that’s about it for this week though I’m going to miss face rubs on the grass. My eye got all nasty looking and you unceremoniously rushed me off to the vet. Dr. Ken is very nice and I was a good girl. While he looked me over he thought maybe I’d developed an allergy so no more face rubs in the grass, just to be safe. Well, if it means I no longer need eye drops, I’m cool with that.

Elsa

The Mom: Yeah, me too. You had some very yucky eye-snot with redness so no more rubbing your face in the grass…sorry, Ninja.

Elsa: It’s ok, thanks for always looking out for me, Mom. I’m sure I can find one something else for you to worry about {heh, heh}. But I’ll give you a break…for a little while. So what’s on the calendar for this weekend? Anything exciting?

The Mom: Nothing for us; we’re just patiently awaiting for the heat to mellow out. These past few days of high 90’sF (35+C)  really don’t lend themself to getting out and about, unless we do it at the crack of dawn.

Elsa: I’m good with lazing about in a nice air-conditioned home with abundant treats, hint, hint, Mom. What about you readers? Anything exciting going on? Let us know so we can live vicariously through you while the autumn countdown continues. Just 35 days until autumn’s official arrival in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Mom: {smiling at the mere thought of autumn} We hope you’ll stop and pay attention to all the beautiful servings that Nature dishes up for our enjoyment.

Elsa: Woof…good advice, Mom. Have a great weekend, everyone.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ July 14, 2023

ElsaWelcome to Nature Friday, hosted by our pals Rosy and Sunny from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Elsa here bringing this week’s edition to your inboxes. Imma here to also tell you it’s {in the words of my brother} bloody hot. Good grief…who turned up the thermostat? I almost feel badly for Mom since she’s been walking me just after sunrise which means neither of us are getting our beauty sleep. Trust me, she needs it more than I do but still…I wouldn’t be adverse to sleeping in until 6:30 or so. C’est la vie…such is the life of a black dog.

So this week I thought we’d check out pollinators from around the 303. Mostly Monarch Butterflies that is, though Mom got to see other kinds of butterflies at the Chatfield location of the Denver Botanical Gardens for their annual Lavender Festival. This iconic butterfly has an amazing journey, migrating between 1,200 and 2,800 miles from the northeast US and southeast Canadian mountain forests. Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, which means “sleepy transformation” in Greek because of the species’ ability to hibernate and metamorphize. Adult monarchs have two pairs of brilliant orange-red wings, with black veining and white spots along the edges. Male butterflies are slightly bigger than the females. Did you realize these amazing pollinators only live about four to five weeks! Guess they have a lot to do in their short lives.  Here are some of the butterflies Mom saw at the butterfly house at Chatfield.

Butterflies
Butterfly educational board

As you probably already know, milkweed is the only plant on which monarchs will lay their eggs and their favorite source of food for emerging caterpillars. Sadly far too much of the Monarch’s natural food source is being eradicated from urban and agricultural landscapes.

Every wonder what the life cycle of a butterfly looks like? This sign depicts it far better than I can explain it.

Butterfly sign

Mom saw some new emerging Chrysalis, but they were so miniscule, she couldn’t get a photo without them looking too blurry on her phone. How many times do I need to tell you to bring a decent camera with you, Mom?? Ugh, when will she ever learn or pay attention to me? Anyway, she did manage to capture a caterpillar munching on a stalk of milkweed. Kinda cool for a bug. They have voracious appetites and that 18 inch tall stalk will likely be gone in less than a couple of days.

Caterpillar In the butterfly house, they flit among colorful plants, feeders and visitors. I think this guy was giving my Mom the stink eye.

Butterfly
Hey, what are you looking at, lady?

Here’s one resting on a bright green leaf. He seemed a bit tired, but I think he was probably just suffering from heat exhaustion like the rest of us.

Butterfly

Mom watched the guys below at a feeder. The big one seemed to hog the nectar away from the others and the two other couldn’t seem to convince the hog to move over. Who knew butterflies don’t share much?

Butterflies
Yo Frank, Joe is hogging the nectar again-why don’t you dive bomb him so we can enjoy Happy Hour as well.

There were a bunch of those Red Admirals that followed Mom around in the butterfly house. This one seemed particularly interested in her despite the fact she wasn’t wearing a colorful shirt. If she had, it might have landed on her. Though the Door Attendant would have frisked her when she left so no butterflies escaped. Seems the butterflies are always trying to hitchhike their way outside the butterfly house. Sheesh, conjugal visits apparently aren’t enough for those guys-they’re looking for freedom as well.

Butterfly

They may be small but they sure are pretty. As Mom was leaving the exhibit, look what other cutie she found! Oooh, hello, little bunny. Why can’t I ever find a cute bunny to play with on our walks? Oh wait, they’re afraid of a menacing hunter like me. Oops.

Bunny

Well that’s it for me this week. We hope whatever you do this weekend, you are able to enjoy some of the more gentle aspects of what Nature is dishing out. For you folks in New England, we’re praying the predicted rains aren’t as severe as they have been and for our friends in West, we hope Mother Nature turns down the pizza oven temps. Looks like El Niño is back with a vengeance according to NOAA (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration). Please stay cool, dry and hydrate yourselves.

El Niño

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday

Monday Musings ~ July 3, 2023

Monday smile

Many thanks from the bottom of my heart for all the kindness and tender thoughts of comfort you’ve sent to us over the past two and half weeks. I’m touched beyond words and Elsa and I both greatly appreciated your care and concern. We’re doing our best to be less sad but some days are harder than others  and we need to keep our favorite comfort stuffy close by to great through those rough moments. Yesterday was the first day Elsa had picked up Norman’s moose and played with it briefly. I like to believe Angel Norman was watching over her  saying it’s okay, little Ninja.

Angel Norman

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ October 3, 2022

Is it really Monday…again? Mom said I could do today’s post. Elsa here. I’ve been using this Field Guide for my early morning walks which ‘pawfectly’ shows the Wild Kingdom of critters in my world. Norman only seems vaguely interested in the grumpy or bouncy squirrels. I on the other hand, am all in on every squirrel category. It’s what us Ninjas do.

Squirrels

We hope you have a terrific week and manage to avoid any of the ‘danger squirrels’ on your hunts. I’d also avoid the spicy ones too. Blech. Besides, it’s likely better for your digestion any way.

Hunting

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ September 19, 2022

When I asked Norman if he realized he was leaving dog hair on the sofa, he blithely replied, “well isn’t that why it’s called fur-niture?”

Wishing you a pawsome Monday.

Because of all the hubbub getting ready for the pet therapy award ceremony last Friday and Norman’s subsequent ‘pawticipation’ at a hospital-sponsored event called Bark in the Park, we completely forgot that Friday was the Ninja’s 6th Gotcha Day (you can read her story here). I know, bad dog mommy. Soooo sorry Elsa, I hope all the one-on-one time spent over the weekend and the extra fish skin treats helped make up for my bad. Love you to the moon and back, Ninja❣️

Gotcha Day
I am not amused.

Hope you don’t forget anything important this week. Everyone at the Ranch sends you their best wishes for a totally ‘wagnificent’ Monday.

Live, love, bark! 🐾