Category: Gardens

Nature Friday ~ February 27, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 60 Comments

Canal iceWelcome to the last Friday of February where we’re joining those kids from Adventures of the LLB Gang. While the eastern part of the country has been repeatedly pounded with snow, bone dry conditions continue in our area. And the temperatures have been all over the map but mostly the days are unseasonably warm. As in 20-24 degrees warmer than normal. And yet, the canal along the Ralston Creek Trail earlier in the week had ice along the banks. Talk about whiplash! Wind has been the dominant weather feature this week; we’ve been under High Wind Alerts all week. There have been a couple grassland fires in the metro area as well, and in particular, in the northern suburb of Thornton, a portion of I-25 was closed. Mine you, this is the major north/south highway through the metro area. Evacuations of homes, businesses and a high school were ordered. For photos of some of the damage to various business including the destruction of 148 vehicles, visit this link.

WilsonWilson here. I know Mum whines a lot about the lack of moisture (for which I apologize about that) but seriously, have you ever seen 148 vehicles melted from a vegetation fire before? It’s quite alarming when the sky is black with smoke. But we soldier on…it’s all we can do…and pray Mother Nature takes pity on the West and stops dumping mounds of snow repeatedly on the East coast. We heard there is another system set to hit again this weekend.

The Mum: Hiya, House Pony. While snow is falling everywhere but here, the weather marches on with very spring like conditions. And spring bulbs are beginning to emerge. We love seeing spots of color in the brown landscape but we’d welcome moisture of any kind at this point. Two days ago, about 23 drops of rain fell but it had barely landed before it evaporated, only leaving spots on windshields.

Spring bulbs

Wilson: Check out this pitiful hyacinth that probably has seen better days in years past. Emerging early and having dry edges upon emerging underscores the seriousness of our drought. It makes my Mum sad. She loves spring bulbs but they aren’t soothing her soul like they normally would do with these kinds of conditions.

Hyacinths The Mum: It’s kind of depressing, although I was delighted to see a few bulbs emerging around the neighborhood that we walk through every day. This small clump of  crocuses caught my eye from quite a distance away since the landscape is so very brown. I felt like I needed to water the newly installed landscaping because things looked extremely parched and have notice others along our regular walking route also resorting to supplemental watering. I just grateful the development we moved into has not installed any turf–only trees, shrubs and drought tolerant perennials. I’m making a list of the kinds of plants I hope to install (and bulbs for next spring) once the risk of frost has passed. Still it’s hard to conceive spring is just three weeks away.

Crocus

Wilson: On the plus side Mum, we’re enjoying longer amounts of sun each day. In fact, when we walked through the golf course the other morning, we were rewarded with a coyote sighting. He was probably over a 100 feet away but we could make out his shape. Mum had to chuckle as he was laying on the green sunning himself and when Mum noticed him he spotted her and began to walk away. Sorry about the dismally lousy photo, Mum only had her cell phone but in the good news department, she actually found her large DSLR camera yesterday and will start carrying it periodically. She was thrilled since she’s been wondering where it was since she moved in back in early December.

Coyote

The Mum: I know when we walk past the wildlife habitat that borders the golf course you always are on high alert and think you know there’s some sort of critter there so after seeing that guy, I won’t doubt you in the future.

Wilson: I’ve been trying to tell you there’s ‘something’ there but you just think I’m seeing things. Truth of the matter is, I’m smelling things, Mum. So you’d be well served by paying attention to my highly tuned snooter.

The Mum: You’re right, Floof. I’ll definitely respect your sniffing abilities henceforth.

Wilson:  Glad to see you’ve come to your senses. I noticed right after we saw that coyote you were keeping your eyes out for other signs of critters. Look at this little guy, scurrying around in the grass. What is that little thing, Mum? He sure tried hard to run away from my inquisitive nose.

Ladybug

The Mum: That’s a ladybug, buddy. We must do everything we can to protect them. They are one of the good bugs (actually they are considered a beetle but let’s not get too technical here) in any garden. Whenever you see one scuttling about just know they are considered good luck since they are known for eating aphids and other pests. Being so tiny, they implement a particularly fascinating defense mechanism where they secrete a noxious liquid from their joints to ward off predators. Referred to as “reflex bleeding,” that liquid emits a disgusting odor, so it makes sense to not crush ladybugs. That’s why I always make sure you don’t inadvertently squash him with one of your gigantic paws.

Wilson: Well that explains why you dragged me away from him. I only wanted to sniff him and wouldn’t do any harm. Well, not on purpose anyway.

The Mum:  I know you don’t mean to injure bugs or little critters like that. But that inquisitive nose seems to come just before the big paws land.

Wilson: Lastly this week, we wanted to give you a progress report on Figaro. He looks pretty doggone good since he seems to have looked outside and noticed the spring like temps. Just look how much he’s grown since he woke up. I think it’s safe to say he likes the new neighborhood too. We’re looking forward to putting him outside soon for a good dose of Vitamin D.

Figaro

The Mum: Well, that’s it from us. We hope you have a wonderful weekend and if bad weather sets in where are live, we hope it passes quickly. Let us know if there are any signs of spring in your area or if it’s still (or yet again) buried under white stuff. Feel free to send it to us. We’ll accept COD deliveries at this point.

Nature

Live, love bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ January 16, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 48 Comments

Wilson-sleeping dogIt’s Friday and you know what that means…it’s time for another edition of Nature Friday where we join our friends from at Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what others shared for their Nature Friday blog hop. Wilson here with a light version of the Nature we encountered this week since we really didn’t see much beyond what we’ve shared before. I mean how many gorgeous sunrises can you stand, huh? Well this one was quite a showstopper with a sliver of the moon showing, but still. Anyway, Mum’s been busy trying to finish unpacking the studio and arranging it so the large space is efficient and easily accessible but she is struggling with moving furniture around. I think she’s come to realize she isn’t a spring chicken anymore. She got another bright idea yesterday that will require more moving. I can hear the sighs, grunts and groans already. Good thing I know how to help.

Sunrise

The Mum: Good morning, lad. Are you trying to blame me for a shortage of nature photos this week?

Wilson: Ooh, hiya  Mum. Nope, no blaming, just stating facts. You’ve been busy and we didn’t have a lot of different encounters with the landscape unlike the pics you’ve already posted from the past month. Critter-wise, mostly we’ve only seen Canadian geese-thousands of them in fact. Apart from them being everywhere when we walk through the golf course area, they are just flat boring. Honk, honk, honk. Don’t they ever do anything beyond honk?

The Mum: Good question; if they do, I sure don’t know what, if any redeeming qualities they have, that would be considered share worthy. We did see a few mallards earlier this week after last week’s snow had melted but they weren’t all that keen on our presence and skedaddled quickly. But watching them float around on the canal was very peaceful and there were some interesting reflections on the water from the branches. But the landscape is more than colorless this time of year. Just drab brown everywhere with lots of wind. There’s another high wind warning for today and proposed power cuts for northern Colorado.

Mallard ducks

Wilson: Yeah, those ducks were boring to me and they weren’t interested in how fabulous I am. Now if squirrels were swimming in the canal, they’d have my full and undivided attention. Heck, I might even jump in the water.

The Mum: Ha…that’ll be the day. You avoid water like the plague and I can’t believe you’d jump into the water, even for squirrels.

Wilson: {protesting} Now Mum, you know I’m totally obsessed into checking out squirrels and will follow them wherever they go. I don’t know why but there’s something quite captivating about those scurrying little troublemakers.

The Mum: Yeah, I do know. All too well. This week the sheepie stubbornness was on parade, front and center. So much so, that you and I had to have a couple of heart to heart conversations. What’s up with that, anyway?

Wilson: [nonchalantly rolling his eyes] I have no idea what you’re talking about. I mean, just look at this devoted, compliant face of a good dog. I mean, ‘who’s a good boy?’ Huh?

Wilson

The Mum: Don’t give me that “I’m such a good boy look. You conveniently forgot to mention it took several minutes to get you in this pose. You acted like you were deaf.

Wilson:  Umm, I don’t think it took more than the usual pocket of bribes treats.

The Mum: Uh-huh. You can say it, but that doesn’t necessarily make it true.

Wilson: {deftly changing the topic} Well, will you check this out! On our daily morning walk, we sashayed past a particular house on the way to the Ralston Creek Trail and I noticed you said out loud…”what the…” and promptly turned me around to go back and confirm what you thought you saw. You know I have a pinched nerve in my neck, right?

Rose budding

The Mum: Oh puleese…you weren’t hurt and seemed more than happy to check it out. I was blown away that this rose bush had started budding out. I know it’s been super mild with temps in the 50’sF and 60’sF (10C – 15C) but it’s WAY too soon for deciduous plants to start setting buds. I mean winter officially started less than a month ago and we haven’t had much in the way of winter moisture…but dang.

Wilson: It is rather surprising and of course, with all the windy conditions, even more shocking. I don’t know what to make of it, Mum.

The Mum: Me either, House Pony. It’s definitely alarming. But there’s not much we can do but supplement water for the new trees that were planted recently to make sure they get sufficient moisture to establish themselves, even though the landscapers assured us they were dormant. Hope springs eternal, right?

Wilson: Right. Not to change the subject, but I’ve noticed you’ve been checking for quirky garden art on our walks now that we have an established route that we take every day. Hopefully we’ll find more otherwise this is going to be a rather dull neighborhood compared to some of the original stuff we were used to seeing.

Signs

The Mum: Yeah, but I did have to laugh out loud when we walked past this house. So what’s up for your weekend? Got any plans, buddy?

Wilson:  Beyond catching a squirrel…umm, no nothing overly special. We may have a birthday party for your granddaughter who turns the Big 3-0 next week. That out to be fun. What about you readers? Anything? Whatever you do (and I hope staying safe and warm is included in your weekend plans), we hope you have a fantastic weekend that includes checking out nature around your ‘Hood.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ November 21, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 80 Comments

WilsonIt’s a foggy, grey morning in the 303 and while we’re slow getting our brains to work, it’s Nature Friday so we’re still going to join our friends at Adventures of the LLB Gang for their weekly blog hop. Wilson here. Mum and I have been c-r-a-z-y and it’s not going to end any time soon but, as you can see, I’m working hard to help her out. {yawn, snore}

Let’s see now, Thanksgiving in the US is next Thursday. As you can imagine, I’m very excited about a day  celebrating food. Woof, woof! My tail is simply giddy about it. {wiggle, wiggle} Anyway, let’s show what we managed to find in Nature around our ranch.

Wilson: The weather has been simply amazing all week long until today. We’ve enjoyed temps in the 70F’s (21C). Today our high will likely be in the low 40’sF with a potential for showers. I’m not keen about the wet but Mum says it’s welcome since we haven’t had any moisture since early September.

The Mum: Good morning, Floof…I share your blunted enthusiasm for today. With our foggy and grey skies, it felt good starting the day on the down-low rather than busting a gut dashing about. I don’t know about you, I just wasn’t into hustling out first thing this morning. With all the online difficulties I’ve encountered, I just didn’t have the bandwidth. In case you don’t follow us on Facebook or Instagram, our Instagram account was hacked and it’s been hell trying to wrest control over it. I have changed passwords daily but the low-life gremlin comes back in the middle of the night and switches it again. He keeps trying to sell a 2020 Honda. All fine and good but why not sell it on your own doggone account if its legit, which it probably is not. So if you do follow us, please accept our apologies and for heaven’s sake, don’t click on any links (if you’re so inclined you can report it as well). Of course we’ve contacted Meta repeatedly since they hold the keys to both platforms and all I’ve heard is crickets. Not surprising there. But enough energy on that. Suffice to say our picture taking is somewhat slim this week because I wasted way too much energy trying to fix it.

Wilson: Naturally I’m quite distressed when my Mum is unhappy but I don’t have thumbs and probably less computer savvy than she has (and, let me just say for the record, she doesn’t have a lot and will readily admit she’s a Luddite when it comes to her computer). We’ve got way too much going on to continually fuss about it…do you hear that, Mum? Ok. Let’s get started, shall we. We mentioned in a previous post that the “Christmas cactus” started to form buds and this week a few of them burst into full bloom. It’s such a striking hot pink shade and being in the kitchen window, it seem most happy and is a cheerful presence in the room she’s in a lot-so it makes her smile which makes me happy. We both wonder why it’s called Christmas cactus since it always begins to bloom before Thanksgiving.

Christmas cactus

The Mum: It’s one of life’s mysteries, I guess. But in this month of thanks, I know I’m very grateful for the shock of color when nature is at its brownest. With leaves falling everywhere and windy conditions, everything is very dry and dusty. Today’s sprinkles may help keep the dust down and this potted beauty will warm our souls.

Wilson: You’re so right about that, Mum. Were you as surprised to see some Globe thistle on our walk a couple of days ago as I was? This plant, native to southern and eastern Europe, from Spain east to Turkey, Ukraine, and Belarus, and western and central Asia east to Mongolia, is sparingly naturalised throughout various locations in Canada and the US. The blue color is quite pretty but it doesn’t particularly enjoy a sniffer like mine. It poked back but not so bad that I didn’t adhere to its subtle warning.

Globe thistle

The Mum: Yes, I was pretty surprised. We were walking along at quite a clip and the sight of it took a moment for it to register in my little pea brain. I had to backtrack to photograph it. Blue being my favorite color, I always have to stop and admire blue flowers.

Wilson: Yes, you confused me by going back. I’m used to moving forward but I can see why you wanted to capture it. Let’s just call it like it is…pretty.

The Mum: I noted in previous posts the Christmas tree lot is now stocked with inventory and suspect it will open this weekend. What the actual…there just are no words. While they all look nice and fresh now, given our above average temps are up by as much as 15 degrees above normal, those babies are going to have a hard time staying green through the whole Christmas season. I haven’t had a cut tree for decades and nearly fainted at the price tag on closeup of the 5 footer. Is that a ‘normal’ price? I hope you can see the tag easily enough. If not, it says $79.99…almost $16 buckaroos a foot. Seems very high to me, but what do I know. I know prices are high everywhere for all sorts of things, but like I said, it’s been years since I had a live tree…in fact it’s been years since I put up any tree. I hope this year will be different but the next two weeks will determine that.

Christmas tree
Anyone else notice some brown needles on the left side?

Christmas trees Christmas trees

Wilson: Oh be still my beating heart. Look at all those trees that I could ‘water!’

The Mum: Down dude…notice the fence? That’s specifically up to keep the likes of you (and Christmas Grinches) at bay. You can only look from afar to appreciate. Got it?

Wilson: {sigh} Jeez, Mum, you’re taking all the fun out of the holidays. Well that’s it from me. I guess it’s time that we hit the trail and go for a nice long walk. We hope you have a great weekend and are able to get out and enjoy a spot of Nature. It’s good for your mental health to make time for it. Let us know if you’re doing anything fun and if you’re ready for Food Appreciation Day.

Nature

Live, love, bark!

Nature Friday ~ November 14, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 73 Comments

Wilson & the squirrelWell here we are again on a Friday. With forty-seven days left in the year, we continue to zoom toward the holidays in break neck speed. As always, we’re joining the crew at Adventures of the LLB Gang for their weekly blog hop. Be sure to click on the link to see what posts were shared by others. Wilson here and can I just say it’s been an interesting week. We’ve been lucky with our weather, it’s been, in a word…gorgeous. Mild autumn days and not too chilly nights. I think I could get used to the low 70’sF (around 22C). It’s been somewhat breezy most days, blowing leaves all over the place but I haven’t minded. It’s glorious and it’s autumn so it’s to be expected, right? Mum continues to remove leaves from under our covered front patio porch several times a day and said we could use some moisture-it’s been 2 months since any wet stuff fell so things are fairly dry and dusty. My once beautifully white paddles (also known as paws) are a lovely shade of grey. Do I care…heck no. Mum keeps trying to remove those little pieces of grass and leaves from sticking to my furs which means sessions with a brush. That part I do care about and hope she stops and soon. I’m fabulous enough without her fluffing me up.

Wilson: {continuing} Like I said, windy conditions are making good at disbursing leaves all over. But there still are a few trees that seem reluctant to let go of autumn, most notably the Bradford pears. They will keep shedding leaves for probably another month. Our neighbor has a pair in his front yard and Mum sometimes grumbles when they finally fall all over her sidewalk when it snows. Nothing like shoveling the sidewalk when the first snowflakes of the season arrive and its half full of Bradford pear leaves. But they sure are pretty. Just look at their color when most trees are down to their branches!

Bradford pear trees

The Mum: Those Bradford pear trees scream “GOOD MORNING WORLD!” every day when we walk past the old Elitches theatre on our morning constitutional. It’s a perfect autumn scene made even more perfect by the morning quiet before the city wakes up in earnest.

Wilson: Another colorful specimen is this Scarlet Firethorn tree. Looks like the birds who stay here during the winter will be well supplied with a nice batch of berries.

Firethorn

The Mum: That firethorn ranks right up there in color with this Japanese Barberry Bush-another screamer.

Burning bush

Wilson:  What? I can’t hear you, that bush is too loud.

The Mum: You’re too funny, you know that, House Pony? So we had some interesting astrological sightings this week. With the Beaver Moon appearing recently we were also treated to some spectacular Aurora Borealis showers over the past couple of days, I never thought I’d see them in person here with our dense neighborhood tree canopy but my son sent me pics a few pics he took from just north of the the Boulder city limits. The colors were incredible and did not disappoint. I loved seeing the tiny white stars showing up in the dark skies. When you live in the city, you get used to not seeing a lot of stars because of light pollution in a metro area so when you’re in an area that has little or no competition, it’s always a wondrous sight.

Aurora Borealis
Photo courtesy of K. M. Samson
Aurora Borealis
Photo courtesy of K. M. Samson

Wilson:  Pretty cool celestial happenings, Mum. With just 41 days until Christmas, the local neighborhood tree lot is getting ready to ramp up for the season. Although we posted about this lot showing up a couple of weeks ago, does anyone else find this signage somewhat ironic? “Fresh Christmas trees” in November…hahaha. While they haven’t begun to display trees and wreaths just yet, but I think not, at least not this early in the season. They are beginning to put out lighted spheres out that were very pretty when they had them last year along with a nice ‘herd’ of log moose and reindeer. It’s nice and festive especially as our landscape continues to get browner and browner.

Christmas tree sign

The Mum: Speaking of moose and reindeer, do you see any other critters this week on our walks?

Wilson: As a matter of fact, I did although I have never seen one of these before, either in Colorado or Missouri. What the dog is that thing?

The Mum: Silly Floof, it’s just more of unusual garden art that amuses me. This one is in the form of an alligator sunning himself on a low wall. I can’t wait until it’s covered in snow. Now that will be a sight!

Garden art croc

Wilson: Harumph…well I for one don’t plan on encountering it, not with that set of choppers.

The Mum: Don’t worry, this guy can’t hurt you. It did made me chuckle though. You know how much I love finding these unique pieces of garden art around the neighborhood.

Wilson: You’re so weird, Mum. Well that’s it for us this week. Hope you’ve taken time out of your busy holiday preparations to get outside and enjoy Nature, Northern Lights and the unusual. Let us know if you have any unusual plans. From both of us, we hope you have a ‘furbulous’ weekend!

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 17, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments

Baby TerryWelcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday. Today is the 42nd Friday of 2025, and the 290th day of the year. If you’re celebrating a holiday today, it’s National Pasta Day and National Mammography Day for all you gals out there. There are only 75 days left. But for our family, it’s an extra special day-it’s Mum’s sister, Terry’s birthday. Happy Birthday to Mum’s special sister, “teeny-weenie Terry Jeannie” who is incredibly talented and always there for her family. We both send our love and best wishes on her special day. I, Wilson, also send her extra loads of digital sheepdog kisses which she should especially enjoy because they aren’t wet.

With it being Nature Friday, we are once again joining our friends from Adventures of the LLB Gang for their weekly blog hop. Don’t forget to click on their link to see all that others haver shared this week.

The Mum: Hiya, House Pony. It looks like Nature has decided to roll out some slices of autumn finally. Sheesh, you’d think she was Microsoft changing to Windows 11 with a new software rollout.

Wilson: To show how slow the ‘software update’ has been these past few weeks, here is a progression of a tree we pass by every day on our walk. Mum has previously complained mentioned how slowly Nature has been taking its sweet time showing off its autumnal beauty. But it has been interesting watching it change, not daily, but rather weekly. Here’s Exhibit A from earlier this month.Maple leaves

The Mum: It was as if someone forgot to check their inbox to read a memo about changing colors.

Wilson: Frankly I think Mother Nature forgot to push the send message button, Mum. Fast forward to a couple of days ago, and here’s that same tree.  Looks like the message was finally read and executed.

Maple leaves

The Mum: And then there were some trees that said, “oh crap, we’re late and started dropping most of their leaves all at the same time.”

Autumn leaves

Wilson: I’ve been entertained by some side-by-side comparisons. Some trees are turning while others seem to be in denial like these two. Colorful on the left…green on the right. That has to irritate the person who does the leaf raking since the season for that activity is dramatically extended.

Autumn leaves

The Mum:  Other trees just flat out scream “AUTUMN!” like this tree we passed by yesterday a couple of blocks away from the ones above. Clearly the neighborhood has defaulted to various time zones for changing colors.

Maple leavesWilson: It’s been fairly noisy walking on sidewalks covered in fallen leaves. I haven’t been able to sneak up on the squirrels because of it. But in exchange for losing my stealth, Nature has provided me with the more fascinating smells. I have been enjoying all the sniffing I am able to do lately.

Autumn leaves

The Mum:  You’re right, our morning walks in particular are taking a lot longer because you’re acting like a NCIS investigator.

Wilson: But Mum…even you’ll have to admit, the smells of autumn are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I can’t help myself when things are that much more interesting.

The Mum: I really don’t mind, I love watching you in olfactory heaven and the more you sniff, the more your brain relaxes and enjoys the whole walk. Plus it seems to wear you out more completely. When we arrive home from a walk, you pass out from having your nose engaged far more than the physical exercise. A couple of times, you’ve gone into such a deep sleep, you started making adorable little squeaks. You must be enjoying some wonderful dreams.

Wilson: Ummm {blushing} I guess so. Anyway, I am having a most enjoyable time picking up all manner of fabulous smells. It’s like Mother Nature is providing me with a calorie-less treat so I’m good with that.

The Mum: We were supposed to get a bit of moisture this week but it skipped over our neighborhood. The cloudy and windy conditions provided some lovely photographic opportunities for  shadows and composition like this golden leaf that managed to land squarely in the middle of this clump of leaves in a bush.

Yellow leaf

Wilson: Nature knows how to stage scenes, Mum.

The Mum: She sure does. And those scenes must be the roadmaps for birds when it comes to food in the neighborhood. It’s no wonder this Oregon Grape Holly always has tiny little birds in it. Just look at all those berries. It should help keep them well fed this winter.

Oregon grape holly

Wilson: Every time we walk past those holly plants, a bunch of little birds fly out of it. I know I should be used to it, but they startle me, every single time. But I bravely walk on, training my eagle eyes on any possible squirrel sightings. Those two species seem to cohabitate well together. Though lord knows, I don’t get it.

The Mum: You know you have to calm down about squirrels. We need to work on your impulse control. This morning on our early walk, you were a little tightly wound, buddy.

Wilson: Erm, sorry, Mum. I could say I was startled by seeing this neighborhood pair of spiders but I don’t think you’d buy that.

Halloween spider

The Mum: {chuckling} Nice try but you’re right…I’m not buying it. So what’s the game plan for your weekend? You ready to do some exploring in a different neighborhood to see what Nature has unrolled there?

Wilson: Oh yes, you know me, I’m always up for an adventure and if it involves a car ride, well…pencil me in! We hope you have a great weekend exploring your neighborhood and checking out signs of autumn. Make it a great one!

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 10, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 60 Comments

Welcome to today’s edition of Nature Friday. Today is day 281 in 2025 and there are 82 days left until 2026 arrives. Gosh, where has this year gone? As we always do, we’re joining our friends from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Wilson here with today’s mishmash edition of sights from around our neighborhood. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what others posted about nature this week. Mum was grateful to find enough time in a busy week to snap a few pics, but nothing is really cohesive. Let’s get started, shall we?

Wilson: Oh Muummm. Where in the bloody heck is that woman…

The Mum: {panting out of breath} Sorry, I was preoccupied and just now realized I was running late. Sorry, House Pony. Forgive me?

Wilson: Hmm, let me think…o-kay. Just don’t make being late a regular thing, ‘kay Mum?

The Mum: Yessir. Me thinks someone is just a tad full of himself but let’s see what you’ve got.

Wilson: Well let’s open with a couple of critters who stopped by. Normally I wait until it’s fully dark to have an evening potty break, but the other night I decided to go out at dusk. I thought there might be a squirrel out there (like I always do) so I completely missed the bunny hiding in the dark foliage and low light. Mum has been saying that I’m beginning to resemble a muppet with hair in my eyes, maybe she’s right. I did not see this little guy at all, even when he moved. Mum thinks he might be our strawberry thief. He sure blends in to his surroundings, doesn’t he? If it hadn’t been for his twitching ears, she probably wouldn’t have been able to see him either because he blended in so well.

Rabbit

The Mum: Silly boy…didn’t you hear me whisper, “see the bunny?” You’ve got to stop being so fixated on squirrels. And speaking of squirrels… last week we shared a pic with acorns but this week I managed to capture one of the little hoodlums that usually eat them. He was raising cain for interrupting him when I walked near the Catalpa tree. Noisy little bugger.

Wilson: Well he wouldn’t be so chatty if I’d have been there, I can tell you that. Cheeky little devil.

The Mum:  I’m glad you weren’t outside then. That little guy was quite the taunter and I know how that would have bothered you,. Stick to watching the bunnies, Floof.

Wilson:  Sorry, can’t make that promise. He comes in my yard, there’s going to be some WWF action. But enough about him. So I see you finally found a patch of pretty leaves. Seems like autumn is continuing to take its sweet time showing up this year. What’s that all about? Most of this tree was green except for this clump of leaves.

Autumn leaves

The Mum: It’s been rare seeing the leaves change but this bright spot of color stood out nicely. Leaves have been slow to change and a good share have simply turned brown. It was another pleasant week of cooler temps with a light shower one day. The remnants of that shower showed up in a couple of pics.

Tomato in rain

Wilson: I see the tomatoes are still producing fruit.

The Mum: I have enjoyed fresh, tasty tomatoes for the past few months but to tell the truth, I’m tired of eating them twice a day just to keep up with all of the new ones ripening and have started removing flowers since it’s unlikely for them to mature before the first frost anyway. I gave away a couple of bags this week too. Next year I won’t plant multiple plants which should help. Every year is always an adventure when you garden, and I learned that there’s a limit to good things. There’ll be lots of rich organic material for next year.

Wilson: ‘Figaro’ seems to have enjoyed the moisture. The fruit is slow to ripen and with it being late in the growing season, it will be good to bring it indoors in the next few days and keep me company.

Figs

The Mum: I have so enjoyed watching ‘Figaro’ grow over the summer and think he will be a nice edition to the indoor garden as well.

Wilson: So what was that funky weird green thing we saw yesterday on one of our walks? It looked like a piece of a green leaf but then it moved and it startled me.

Katydid

The Mum: Silly boy, that’s an insect known as Microcentrum rhombifolium, commonly referred to as a greater angle-winged katydid. They are widespread throughout the world except in Antarctica and live in trees and shrubs. As insects go, they’re kind of big reaching anywhere from 50–65 millimeters (2.0–2.6 in) in length and are rhombus-shaped. I usually don’t see them since they camouflage themselves nicely by looking like leaves. You generally see them in late summer and they should be considered a ‘backyard buddy’ as they prey on garden pests like aphids and do some pollination as well. While they do eat leaves, any damage is mostly negligible since they tend to move on quickly leaving little damage. They are an important segment of the food chain providing food for birds, frogs or other garden critters. Katydids are gentle bugs and harmless to humans and are not poisonous. They make a “ticking” sound with two or three  syllables. “Kat-y-did, kat-y, kat-y-did” and while they have a pair of leaf-like wings, they are unable to fly.

Wilson: Hmmm, What a fascinating bug. So glad it wasn’t another toxic thing like plants you’ve focused on lately. I didn’t hear it making any noise but given that it didn’t stick around after posing for us, but I’m sure I would have liked enjoying a little tune before checking it out more closely.

The Mum: He probably would have not been impressed with your ginormous nose getting all up in his grill once he saw you investigating him. You tend to frighten off little critters.

Wilson: It no doubt due to the squirrels’ telling malicious lies about me. Critters should realize  I’m a harmless floof.

The Mum: I think the squirrels have every reason to avoid you and doubt they are spreading any lies.

Wilson: {interrupting} But Mum, bugs and bunnies avoid me like the plague.

The Mum: Well, you are so much bigger than they are and it’s natural to avoid potentially threatening creatures.

Wilson: Well I mean them no harm, I just wish they’d let me get close enough to sniff them and then they’d know I could be a wonderfully fabulous friend.

The Mum: {chuckling to herself} It’s not very likely but you can always hope. So are you doing anything exciting this weekend?

Wilson: I’m meeting one of your friends who just recently moved back to Colorado from California so I’m excited about making a new friend. Other than that, I’m open for new adventures in this glorious season called autumn. We hope you have loads of fun and are able to get outside and enjoy some of the finer aspects of autumn.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 3, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 61 Comments

Greetings, mates. Tis I, Wilson, the fabulous floof here to welcome you to the first Friday of October. For those keeping track, today is the 276th day of the year with just 89 days left until we can tuck 2025 in the history books. This week we captured some images showing October at its finest as well as learned about some of the dangers that often live in our gardens. Let’s get started but first, as always we’re joining our friends from Adventures of LLB and hope you will check out their link to see what others have posted this week.

Wilson: So my Mum and another rescue volunteer drove up to Evergreen, Colorado, a lovely mountain community located about 20 miles west of Denver to check out a potential adopter. They couldn’t help but wonder how bad the traffic might be going up on a weekend with all the city leaf peepers heading up to the high country and were pleasantly surprised that the ride up was nothing like the cluster it was last year. It was a cool day but you couldn’t ask for lovelier weather. Evergreen’s elevation is 7,220 ft. (2200 m) and the aspen leaves were beginning to change into their trademark gold colors. Against dark evergreen trees, you could see those ‘quaking aspens’ from miles away.

Aspen in Evergreen

The Mum: It was a gorgeous day and it was a thrill to see Populus tremuloides often referred to as Quaking Aspen leaves are beginning to turn in areas all over the state. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Quaking Aspen is one of the most widely distributed trees in all of North America. They are a tall, fast-growing tree, usually about 15–18 m. (50–60 ft) tall at maturity, with a relatively smooth white bark that is marked by thick black horizontal scars and prominent black knots. When you see parallel vertical scars you know the elk have been munching on the bark with their front teeth particularly during winter months when grass is buried in snow. Quaking aspen get their common name from their distinctive leaves’ tendency to “quake” or tremble in wind due to  their flattened stems.  Aspen trees are considered the largest living organism in the world because of how they spread through a long underground root system, creating clones (suckers) with new trunks emerging from it, thus creating large clonal groves. Their leaves tend to be moist and do not readily burn and it has recently been reported that wildfires will sometimes bypass stands of aspen enclosed within a coniferous forest.

Wilson: After your rescue work, you guys drove back home from Evergreen and enjoyed the show of gorgeous changing leaves and wide open meadows where elk walk through grazing on grass.

Changing leaves - Aspen

Aspen

Evergreen meadow

The Mum: It was a quite a sight winding down the mountain and seeing those spots of gold dotting the landscape. Every turn provided another gorgeous view.

Wilson: Pretty cool, Mum. This week had a few slices signaling autumn’s arrival around our neighborhood too. Look at this clump of acorns Mum found. I can’t believe the squirrels hadn’t eaten them.

Acorns

The Mum : Aren’t they simply adorable?

Wilson: The squirrels?

The Mum: No, silly Floof, the acorns. You know my thoughts on squirrels.

Wilson: Whew…I was beginning to think you’d gone to the dark side, Mum.

The Mum: Not likely. So what else would you like to share?

Wilson: We found some very interesting but potentially dangerous plants along our walks. Check out this one! What is it, Mum?

Castor bean plant

The Mum: That is the castor bean plant and is widely cultivated in parks and public spaces. It’s surprising as it is quite toxic and extremely poisonous. I have seen it around and while those flowers are colorful and fascinating, I was shocked when I found out what it was. We won’t be planting it in our garden any time soon. Yikes!

Wilson: You seem to be on a roll, Mum. I see you’ve managed to find another poisonous plant. Caladium, also known as elephant ear or the heart of Jesus, is also poisonous. Native to South and Central America, they are hardy only to Zone 10 in the US and cultivated as houseplants or treated like annuals in a garden and should be lifted before the first frost and stored when temps reach 65F (13C) after the tubers have been dried. All parts of this plants are poisonous and should not be ingested and the leaves could irritate the skin.

Caladium

Wilson: Ok, you’re beginning to scare me, Mum. Those plants were discovered along our daily walking routes. Should I be scared?

The Mum: Not really sweet boy, it was just a fluke that I found some beautiful plants that happen to be toxic. Nature provides defensive strategies for lots of critters and plants to allow them to survive in a world that can be threatening to them. Even like this beautiful hydrangea which I learned is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. This is why I keep you on a short leash to avoid encountering anything dangerous.

Hydrangeas

Wilson: I’m getting nervous walking around because you know I love our walks and love to sniff.

The Mum: Don’t worry, buddy. It’s good for dogs to sniff, because it activates your brain, reduces anxiety and provides mental stimulation. Besides, I watch you like a hawk to make sure you stay safe and don’t get into plants that could cause problems.

Wilson: I appreciate that, Mum even if I sometimes wish I could roam freely without such close observation, it sounds like being careful is the best strategy and appreciate that you look up all the plants that we encounter on our daily jaunts so we can avoid any toxic ones.

The Mum:  It’s good to learn about the natural world in general but especially prudent to  avoid encounters that could have unpleasant consequences. Learning about common plants we may find in our garden provides us with the necessary information to stay safe. So what’s on your weekend agenda? Have you got any plans?

Wilson: Nothing really specific but I hope we can go check out Sloan’s Lake and watch the lake birds. The weather should be lovely and I’m sure there will be lots of people enjoying the pleasant temps and changing leaves. We hope you have a terrific weekend full of beauty. Enjoy getting a healthy dose of Vitamin D!

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ September 19, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 51 Comments

Wilson-bathWelcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we’re joining our friends from Adventures of the LLB Gang for their weekly blog hop. Wilson here and it’s been an interesting week. Mum tricked me by taking me into taking a ride to the dog wash place but they were closed which meant she had to take me back to the house to endure Chinese water torture treatment (aka a bath). Have I mentioned I. don’t. like. baths. At least at the dog wash I’m restrained and elevated which makes it easier for Mum. At home she has to contend with me trying to escape every 3 seconds and she has to bend over…a lot. Naturally I’m going to turn into a bucking bronco. Good thing Mum is wise to a lot of my usual tricks and was only able to escape just once. I did manage to get her completely soaked and it took her longer to mop up the bathroom than to actually bathe me. Heh, heh. This of course was necessary because this is my week spending time visiting patients, staff and visitors at the hospital. Yesterday was quite busy-I saw nearly 50 people before I even went to our assigned floor.  Of course I love all the attention and the treats are pretty doggone good too. Mum keeps telling people I can’t have a lot of treats because I tend to lose focus. I just blink at her like I don’t understand what she’s talking about. It seems to work out nicely if I do say so myself. I managed to make a bunch of new friends and we ended up staying twice as long as usual. I became BFF’s with the security guards in the emergency department and they had me pose for photos for them. I did so many photos with nurses and hospital visitors that I may need to hire an agent.

Wilson-Security Guards

But enough about me, let’s get to the nature we saw this week, eh?

Wilson: Chrysanthemums are exploding with color around our neighborhood and these red beauties caught my eye. Just look at all those blooms!

Mums

The Mum: Those mums are beautiful and can see why they caught your eye. This is definitely the time of year where these flowers truly shine in the glorious golden light of September.

Wilson:  You’re right, Mum, the light this month makes even flowers passed their expiration date like this oversized sunflower look good. Mum loved it, even if it’s droopy.

Sunflower

The Mum: You are correct there, House Pony. I think if we’d have received any of the forecasted rain instead of only very loud thunder, it might have been more perky. But I did like it and viewed it from all angles.

Wilson: You’re so weird Mum. I mean when I stop, I at least sniff. You just stand there and look at flowers. That’s so lame. I just don’t understand why looking is enough for humans.

The Mum: Are you kidding me? The magical light this time of year is enough to look in awe and appreciate the light as well as the form.

Wilson: Whatever floats your boat, Mum. So what’s the story behind this zinnia? I heard you squealing about it and when you came inside; you looked proud as punch. Looks like they were splashed with paint.

Zinnia

The Mum: Well I planted this new variety of zinnia seed called Confetti. It’s taken all summer long before any of the ‘confetti’ actually showed up. You can see a couple of pink ones in the background. All the flowers were only solid colors but no confetti so I was somewhat disappointed, even though the few flowers that displayed the confetti part were a lot less exciting than the picture on the seed packet. It was underwhelming by comparison but I’m grateful at least a few finally germinated even if it was somewhat subdued.

Wilson: When we were out walking before our hospital shift began yesterday, we noticed this little vertical garden just down the street. Look at this cute little pumpkin…just hanging there…waiting to be picked. It’s the first time since the owner installed that steel arbor that had something like that grow. Going vertical in a limited space seems brilliant.

Baby pumpkin

The Mum: It was a clever use of the narrow ‘hell space’ that rarely gets used effectively. And a plus is there’s no misshapen form from the bottom from laying on the ground. Win-win.

Wilson: Nice, Mum. A couple doors down the street we found this youngish Ginkgo tree. The city has begun including them in the inventory of trees used to replace the troublesome silver maple trees as a different option for city landscapes. Ginkgos are large shade trees that are resistant to wind and snow damage. They have a distinct and unique fan-shaped leaf but are a slow growing tree that requires at least 6 hours of full sunlight and well watered and well drained sites. Native to eastern Asia, they are like living fossils as they’ve been around for 290 million years.

Ginkgo tree

The Mum: I find these trees quite fascinating with those interestingly shaped leaves. This one is slowly starting to turn golden. It seems like the changing colors of leaves is a bit slow this year, at least in the city. Oh sure there are some spots showing up in the tree canopy but nothing really suggesting that autumn will officially arrive next week. It’s been a strange prelude to this magical time of year. In fact, I was surprised to see this Stella de Oro daylily blooming. It’s often called the perfect perennial because of its many wonderful qualities (beautiful flowers, drought tolerance and the ability able to withstand heat stress, and its low care requirements). It maybe a  miniature daylily but it packs a big punch in a city landscape.

Stella de Oro daylily

Wilson: While it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, it is quite toxic for cats so be careful if you plant it in your yard and you have a kitty that likes to stroll through the garden looking for mousies.

The Mum: That’s interesting-I did not know that about its toxicity to cats.

Wilson: Well that’s it for this week, Mum. We hope everyone has a great weekend and are able to get outdoors to experience this fabulous time of year.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

 

Nature Friday ~ September 12, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 55 Comments

WilsonGreetings mates. Wilson here ready to share bits and bobs of nature that we encountered this week. As always, I’m joining the blog hop hosted by the Adventures of the LLB Gang’s. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what great posts and pics were shared throughout Blogville.

Not to set off an alarm, but I realized there are only 111 days left in 2025. That means there are just 104 days until Santa Paws arrives. Yikes, I don’t know how you feel about that, but I know it’s got me and Mum starting to panic. But let’s focus on how beautiful nature has been this week.

Wilson: While the temps have been warm, they haven’t been too hot (unless you were standing in the sun for any length of time). Warms days, coolish nights…the perfect weather for ripening all those little tomatoes. Mum picks one or two every time she goes outside. Our street was all in a dither last week when a baby squirrel apparently fell out of the large maple across the street. Poor little thing-just a wee baby. It wasn’t doing so great and even my squirrel despising Mum went to help a group of compassionate neighbors rescue it and its sibling. She was told there were three babies, but she never saw the other one and their mum seemed to be MIA. We heard the shrill call of a hawk on Sunday and decided that it was likely responsible for this guy falling trying to avoid becoming an entree and he fell. We managed to coax the other baby down the tree and we put them both in a little box for a young couple who took pity and insisted on taking them up to a wild animal rescue in Boulder. We all agreed they were pretty young. This little guy was pretty week and likely dehydrated. We left some water out and he at least opened his eyes after licking some from where he stumbled and spilled the containers. Another neighbor even put out some bread bits but he wouldn’t eat. I was thinking he was too young and most likely hadn’t been weaned yet to survive. As you all know I’m no fan of these little varmints but felt badly for the baby.

Baby squirrel
Wilson named him little Sherman

The Mum: I was surprised at all the attention those two little guys received from people in the neighbor. Most of the time they hardly ever look up from their cell phones but were very engaged on saving these babies. It almost restores my doubts about humans especially given the news this week. Not only was Charlie Kirk assassinated, there was a mass shooting at nearby Evergreen High School, the shooter shot a couple of classmates and turned the gun on himself. Many students were injured in the melee trying to escape. This world is becoming a crazy place.

Wilson: We were out walking around and came across this pretty dragonfly on the sidewalk. Turns out it was an adult female common whitetail dragonfly most likely hunting for mosquitos, their main food source. Mum had never seen one before and was fascinated with her appearance. The male’s abdomen is all white, while the females have those white dots running along her sides.

Common Whitetail Dragonfly

The Mum: We love any insects that hunt mosquitoes.

Wilson: Right-o, Mum. So I wonder who or what left this web all over these leaves? The water droplets really highlighted the web after you watered the garden.

Spider web

The Mum: It sure was quite the sparkly view and caught my eye.

Wilson: You sure have been keeping your eyes open for spiders this summer. It seems like there’s been more than usual. But because they help control some nasty insects, we don’t mind them so much. Hey, how about this pretty Sweet Autumn Clematis vine?  Native to northeastern Asia, this lovely plant is part of the buttercup family and was introduced into the United States in the late 1800s as an ornamental garden plant,. It’s naturalized in many of the eastern states and is considered an invasive plant in north and central Florida as well as some other eastern states. It had a delicate scent to it

The Mum: At first I thought it might be jasmine but the scent was barely perceptible so I figured it had to be something else. It sure was pretty though.

Wilson: Indeed it was, Mum. That was a good walk but nothing like the one we took after our meeting at the hospital this week. You took me to an open space area not too far from the hospital and we got to walk along the trail. I even got to see some riders with their horses. This pointing pose says it all but it was nice walking along the little stream on such a beautiful day.

Wilson
Halt…who goes there?!

The Mum: I noticed you made no attempt to check out the water.

Wilson: I presume that was just a rhetorical observation. You know perfectly well that I’m not a water dog.

The Mum: {chortling} Yeah, I’ve figured that out. But you should try it sometime. It’s not like a bath. Besides, who knows, you might find a fish or a frog…also known as interactive toys.

Wilson: Also for the record, I don’t do toys, Mum.

The Mum: Lighten up laddie. I do know that…you need to unclench, ‘kay?

Wilson: Well, I just wanted to make it perfectly clear. So what did you think about the reblooming irises we saw outside the hospital before our meeting? I thought you said you had some but I don’t recall them reblooming…come to think of it, did they bloom in the spring?

The Mum: I think they did, but you’re right they didn’t rebloom. The one’s at Lutheran were pretty and just like ours. They caught me off guard. I do love me some irises and the fact that these rebloomers makes them such a lovely addition to any garden.

Reblooming irises

Wilson: They were indeed pretty but I got to admit, I was more excited to see another garden goose dressed up. This must be a ‘thing’ because it’s the second one we’ve seen recently. They’re so funny and make me tilt my head.

Goose

The Mum: You’re right House Pony…they are funny. I love gardeners with a sense of humor. Naturally, I’ll be on the alert to see more of these quirky garden art pieces.

Wilson: Whatever makes you happy, Mum. I can tell we’re getting closer to autumn and I didn’t even have to check a calendar. Apart from more spots of gold in tree tops, I noticed the strawberry plant is changing colors. Just look at those reddening leaves!

Strawberry in autumn

The Mum:  That is another good sign. Ten days and counting  so color us happy. Looks like that’s it for this week. Both of us hope you have a fantabulously awesome weekend and are able to get outside to see how nature is morphing into autumn.

Wilson: Woof! That means ‘yes’ in dog. Have a great weekend.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ September 5, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments
Wilson
Watching Nature on the telly-those seem like fairly large dogs

Hello mates and welcome to the first Nature Friday post of September. Wilson here to share what I’m seeing in Nature this week. As always, I’m joining those two cute pups from the Adventures of the LLB Gang’s blog hop. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what great posts and pics were shared throughout Blogville.

This week’s temps were warmer than last week’s, but not horrible. Days are warm, nights are crisp and we have a diverse offering for today’s post.

It’s was a crazy week made crazier by Mum. She has been scurrying around swabbing decks and other stuff that probably should have been done in spring and it’s causing me some major heartburn. She keeps saying everything is going to be fine, but seriously, who trusts someone with wielding a mop or pushing a vacuum around. OMD…a dog cannot relax in this kind of environment. I move from one place to another to avoid that noisy soul sucking machine and it’s like she’s stalking me with that vacuum wand. Anyway, please be patient with us as we’ve not had a lot of online time visiting blogs but hope to get reasonably caught up soon. But if anything goes wrong or if you don’t hear from us, be sure to assign blame on her because I’m never at fault…only fabulous. Despite what she may imply with her snide comments about paw prints on the floors and nose art on the front door.

So like I said earlier, it has been a little warmer this week but not overly unpleasant. I have my paws crossed this is summer’s last hurrah and that she’s ready to move aside for our favorite season, autumn, which officially arrives in two weeks and three days, but who’s counting and we’re beginning to notice subtle signs that a new script is in the works. Just take a look at some of a couple of indicators that things are in flux.

Changing Leaves

This tree is from down the street. Those spots of gold make for a nice contrast with the green leaves, wouldn’t you agree?
Changing leaves

While not near as vivid, this Honey Locust is across the street from our house, and we’re seeing little spots of yellow appearing in the upper canopy.

Another sure fire sign that the seasons are beginning to change are oaks trees with their little nuts, i.e. acorns. I’ve always dreamed of noshing on them and just a couple of weeks ago, that tree was covered with them and there were gobs of them on the ground. This week, there were only a couple left on the tree and nothing on the ground. No doubt the hoodlum neighborhood squirrels stocked up before I had a chance to snack on them. Interesting side note…I found out acorns provide food for birds, rodents, beers, even deer, so I ask, why not a Floof? You know, just as a quality control thing. Plus they make some lovely craft items, if one is interested in that sort of thing. I know Mum has collected them in the past for making wreaths and holiday ornaments.

Acorns

The Mum: Good morning, laddie, how’s it…

Wilson: {interrupting} Oh hiya, finally decided to join us, did you?

The Mum:  Well I was trying to find something I misplaced…sorry I’m late. But I see you managed without my help.

Wilson: I can’t believe anything around here is misplaced. You’ve been on a crusade to put things where they belong or even purging it. Did you find what you were looking for yet?

The Mum:  No, not yet, but I’m sure it’s gotta be around and I’ll continue to hunt.

Wilson: Just don’t hunt with the vacuum, okay, Mum? That thing scares the devil out of me, not that there’s any devil in me, but you know. That’s just an expression, mind you. I don’t have to remind you that I’m totally fabulous and a very good boy.

The Mum: Yes, you’re a good boy though I’ve notice a certain stubborn streak emerging of late that…

Wilson: {interrupting} GASP!! I am not stubborn, I’m just strongly devoted to keep doing what I’ve been doing. Besides, my clock is on a different wavelength from your artificial time table.

The Mum: Oh, different wavelength, is that what it is? That’s one way of describing it.

Wilson: Oh I’ll admit, I was nice and comfy on the patio a few times watching the world go by while you were in gardening mode and I was merely not ready to come back in the house.

The Mum: I’ve learned it’s not a good idea leaving you to your own devices. While I was trimming the iris leaves, I noticed you ran across the street to give a certain squirrel the what for. Remember? We had a long talk about that.

Wilson: Talk? Harumph…you put me in time out inside the house as I recall.

The Mum: Well you know the saying, if you do the crime, you have to do the time.

Wilson:  {ignoring the squirrel transgression} Umm, not to change the subject, but I noticed last week’s showers and this week’s warmer temps sure made for some pretty flowers. I mean, just look at this pretty Morning Glory. Is that some gorgeous color or what?Morning Glory

The Mum: Indeed, nature knows how to showcase its own.

Wilson: Another sign that autumn is upon us is the annual ritual of people planting Chrysanthemums. This cheery yellow one caught my eye. They’re pretty but they don’t smell as great as they look.
Mums

The Mum: Yup, you know when mums are planted, autumn can’t be too far away. Being scented isn’t the only reason to plant pretty things in the garden.

Wilson: Yeah, but my own preference is to have both a great scent and pretty blooms. Nothing wrong with that, is there?

The Mum: No, I totally understand. But mums are one of those autumn plants that seem to want to look better than they smell and that’s okay too.

Wilson: Says the person with about a third as many olfactory cells than most dogs have. Suit yourself.

The Mum:  Right…what else do you have? Did you see any critters this week?

Wilson: As a matter of fact, I did encounter a crawly thing with huge eyeballs that seemed to be taking in all sorts of scenery. I do know he kinda startled you but then once you overcame the surprise, seemed transfixed by his eyes and the tiny little hairs on all his legs. Didn’t you say you thought that was a harmless wolf spider?

Spider

The Mum: Yes, I think that’s what it was. I’ve seen several of them hanging out this summer. The early wet conditions seemed to activate the arachnid population around the garden. I’ve been pulling webs off the water spigot and around the base of pots on a twice-a-week basis. They’re great for keeping harmful insects at bay and are not dangerous. I read that they have 8 eyes but the two prominents ones were the ones I was mesmerized most by them. It was pretty cool. So what else do you have to share today?

Wilson: I noticed a Sorbus tree, known as a mountain-ash in North America and a rowan in the UK. An ornamental, smallish tree is in full berry mode which will keep a lot of birds fed this winter.

Mountain Ash

The Mum:  When my kids were very small, they planted one for me one Mother’s Day and it was a favorite addition. I’ve often wondered how that little guy has fared.

Wilson: Well that’s it for this week. We hope everyone has a great weekend and are able to get out and enjoy nature first hand. Enjoy!

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾