Monday Musings ~ August 28, 2023

Welcome to the last Monday of August. In my water-adverse household, this kind of sampler would never be an option but it made me chuckle nonetheless. Here’s hoping today is a ‘pawsome sampler’ of a day.

Monday smiles

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ May 15, 2023

We hope all you moms had a lovely Mother’s Day. Now it’s time to begin a new week.

Today is another soggy Monday for the Ranch Hands and it seemed like a good time to share a smile from our favorite sign maker, Vince from Indian Hills. Back in 2019 we started sharing some of Vince’s funnier/punnier signs. And if you are interested in some historical background about Vince, we shared a bit of it here.

Sign

There’s nothing better than a good groaning pun to start out the week. May smiles abound for you and you make this Monday extra special.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday-May Day 2023

Well…will you looky here. Time to turn the page on the ole paper calendar or for those who aren’t as old-fashioned as me, you can just swipe your digital device from April to May. Today is May Day, and is also known as International Workers Day around the world, which is a celebration of labourers and the working classes around the world and promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every May 1st, or in France, a big day to gather and protest the recently revamped pension system. I’d hate to be in Macron’s shoes these days.

In the U.S. May Day is a celebration of all things Spring and has its roots in astronomy with a touch of agriculture on the side. Being the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, it’s an unofficial holiday, marked with springtime festivities filled with song and dance celebrating the sown fields that are starting to sprout. Cattle were driven to pasture, special bonfires were lit, with doors of houses as well as livestock adorned with yellow May flowers. In the Middle Ages, the Gaelic people celebrated the festival of Beltane, the “Day of Fire.” People created large bonfires and danced at night to celebrate. May Day was a big celebration in England and ultimately migrated to the U.S. with the new colonists. Children would dance around the maypole, holding colorful ribbons. People would ”bring in the May” by gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral hoops and hair garlands, and crowning a May king and queen. As a wee lass, I remember decorating May baskets in school, by making little paper cones, colored with crayons and filled with dandelion flowers or lilacs if they were blooming to give to  Mom when I got home from school. Being resourceful kids, we also decorated the tether pole ropes with colored paper flowers, and giving our best  imitation of dancing around the ‘maypole.’ Ah, now those were the days.

Fast forward and my ‘celebration’ of this annual date began by pulling weeds that I swear sprouted overnight from last week’s rain showers, otherwise known as fertilizer for weeds that germinate between the flagstone paths. Being a kid on May Day was a lot more fun.

But it’s still Monday, which means we need to start the week out with a smile, right? No point starting out the week with a grumble. So let’s see what the Ranch Hands came up with today to celebrate springtime.

Monday Musings

Don’t know about you, I think there might be a subtle message here indicating ‘somebody’ apparently isn’t keen on costumes for photo shoots, Luckily I’m not completely oblivious which means I should be visiting the Dollar Store to check out what junk inexpensive decor I can use for the next photo session.

Norman & Cinco de Mayo

Wishing you and yours a very Happy May Day.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ July 18, 2022

Elsa encountered some stomach upset yesterday in the living room (I know…hard to believe given all the things she’s eaten over the years). Apparently (1) she does NOT have a cast iron stomach as once thought and (2) napkins don’t digest very well. My question is why do dogs intuitively race over to the carpet to up-chuck? Especially when they’re sitting on hardwood floors several feet away. Oye.

Monday Musings

For the record, she’s fine, just a ‘tiny’ bit obsessed with eating grass. Who knew grass acts like ginger ale for canine tummies?

Here’s hoping any accidents you encounter this week are minor. Try to stay cool.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ May 9, 2022

Do you ever have a feeling you’re doing something wrong but can’t figure out what it is? Today’s smile might shed some light on that.

Smiles
Now I get it.

Here’s hoping there are plenty of ‘sit-ups’ with those smiles this week (along with some extra steps).

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ July 5, 2021

We hope you survived the 4th. Clearly there were no supply chain problems when it came to obtaining fireworks if last night was any indication. Booms were very loud and steady until shortly after 1:00 AM. It’s simply inconceivable so many people were so thoughtless. While I understand wanting to have fun and celebrate, blowing up loud fireworks nonstop, well into the night seems beyond excessive or necessary.

But enough of the past, it’s a new week with a clean slate, so let’s begin it with a smile.

Smiles

Here’s hoping your favorite scent remains available. Have a ‘pawsome’ Monday.

Live, love, bark!  🐾

Monday Musings ~ June 29, 2020

How do you expect me to drink that…it’s not “Dog-pérignon.”

OES

Happy Monday. Here’s to a week of just the right stuff.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ May 18, 2020

So I was walking the dogs a couple of days ago and noticed a bunch of young guys had hopped the closed and padlocked playground at the neighborhood elementary school. They obviously have whistled past their ability to continue to deal with shelter in home restrictions. I just shook my head. Not sure what’s worse. Not wearing masks or ignoring social distancing rules.

Coronavirus

Even the pandemic’s official animal observes those protocols. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not making light of the current situation. It’s definitely serious and not a laughing matter but it seems that gallows humor is becoming more and more prevalent in dealing with these unprecedented times. Around the Ranch, we’re still observing social distancing and wonder if those who are wearing masks are smiling back at me or silently mouthing “stupid Boomer” while I hopscotch back and forth across the street maintaining social distancing. When you have a dog like Norman who simply invites being pet and totally enjoys it, it’s hard to act nonchalant while maintaining appropriate social distance. For his part, Norman doesn’t seem to understand why people can’t shower him with attention these days.

So how are you coping? Has your state ramped up relaxed restrictions? Has shopping for groceries become easier? Is life moving back toward the ‘old normal?’ The Ranch-hands want to know when passersby are going to start petting them again.

Norman & Elsa

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Three Word Wednesday ~ January 8, 2020

Humor

Especially after Christmas.

Live, love, bark! 🐾