Category: iPhoneography

Nature Friday ~ June 20, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 63 Comments

Heat advisoryWelcome to the Summer of Hades, 2025 edition. Bloody hell…who turned the blinking heat up?? We are under a heat advisory for the next few days. Good thing my fur coat was groomed last week but I’m still panting up a storm to cool myself down and Mum is sweating like a pig. Neither of us do well in heat and I have to make sure she stays well hydrated. Heck, we both have to stay well hydrated since unlike many areas of the country, ours is what’s known as ‘a dry heat.’ I don’t give a squirrel’s patootie, the bottom line is it’s been ungodly hot.

Wilson here. For those who need a bit of inspiration in the “this too shall pass” category, there are ‘only’ 94 days until autumn arrives. You can count on us keeping track of that number as it goes down. I know there are many of you enjoy summer and extol the virtues of extra sunlight to which I say, “Bollocks-you can have it!”

The Mum: Wilson!! Easy with the language, buddy!

Wilson: Whaaat? I’m just stating facts, Mum. It’s miserable out there. {grumbling} Bloody Summer Equinox…you can have it.

The Mum:  My goodness…you’re sure getting very worked up. We’re going to have to soldier up, do the best we can and hope this heat dome breaks up. It’ll mean our walks will likely be starting at oh-dark-thirty…i.e. 5:00 AM. I’m yawning just thinking about the uncivilized hour.

Wilson: I’ll be ready, Mum. So let’s get started with this week’s slices of nature…it’s all about trees. We’re joining our friends from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Be sure to click on the link to see what others have shared. Before the heat set in on us, the mornings were heavenly perfumed by the scent of all the Littleleaf Lindens that are in bloom across our neighborhood right now. Their fragrance is absolutely intoxicating. Don’t the flowers look like Lily of the Valley?

Linden Trees

Linden Trees
American Linden Tree-a grand shade tree

The Mom: It’s one of my absolute favorite trees. I inhale deeply on our walks enjoying that fabulous fragrance once they start blooming.

Wilson: It’s a lovely tree, Mum but what about the Popcorn tree?

The Mum: Popcorn tree? Oh, you must mean the Catalpa tree which is also in bloom.

Catalpa tree

Wilson: I dunno, Mum…it looks like popcorn all over the sidewalk to me.

The Mum: Yeah, it does rather look like popcorn on the sidewalk. Catalpa trees are kind of messy but they’re great shade trees and those blooms are beautiful when you look closely. Just make sure you don’t look too closely, you might inhale a bee!

Catalpa flowers

Wilson: They sure are messy trees. All those orchid-like blooms all over the sidewalk and then those long, cigar shaped seed pods will start falling, from autumn through winter. The blooms and seed pods from the large specimen across the street always manage to land in our yard in addition to our own. Remind me why you planted it?

The Mum: When the city made me take down the Silver Maple, they said they’d replace it with another shade tree. I applied for a Honey Locust which they did plant, but for some reason, they threw in a Catalpa as well as an Oak tree. Lots of leaves, flowers and acorns to deal with. The squirrels don’t seem to mind. They seem to love all the trees that are messy. Me, not as much.

Wilson: Hey, I try to do my part keeping the squirrels at bay. I can’t help it if you don’t want me chasing them..

The Mum: Well they tend to run out in the street and you’re all too eager to follow them. There’s been another flowering tree that’s currently in bloom and it’s also a beauty..

Wilson: That’s right, Mum. It’s a Japanese Tree Lilac. Those creamy white flowers fill the morning air with a luscious scent. This is a modestly small tree but seems to do well in Colorado. We’re starting to see and more of them around the neighborhood.

Japanese Tree Lilac

The Mum: It’s a real beauty for sure. But what about that fabulous cherry tree we walk past every day? It ripened earlier than any of the other cherry trees in the neighborhood. The owner even said if we could reach the fruit at the top, it was ours.

Cherry tree

Wilson: Well I’d have been up for it but don’t think you could have reached the top fruit without a ladder and then we’d have to carry a bucket with us then wash and pitt them once we got home. You told me you did that once and it was pretty much an all day project.

The Mum: Yup, it sure was. Pitting was the pits-no pun intended. But the jam sure was yummy. I might consider making peach jam later in the summer but cherries are a lot of work and we’ve been pretty busy with hospital visits and rescue work.

Wilson: Speaking of busy, there was the rescue picnic over the past weekend. We were unable to attend but it sure looked like a fun event. Lok at all those sheepies! And we managed to raise about as much as we raised last year for the rescue. Everybody had a good time even if it was somewhat warm.

OES Picnic 2025

The Mum: Yeah, maybe next year we can attend and you can run around in a beautiful setting with loads of other sheepdogs.

Wilson: Oh that would be so posh, Mum. I do hope I can attend.

The Mum: Well we’ll see. Well, that’s it for this edition of nature. We hope you all have a lovely weekend and we pray everyone stays safe and hydrated this weekend and especially don’t overdo it. But if you’re out, please try to savor the wonders of Nature.

Wilson: Meanwhile I’ll be wondering why Nature has to be so doggone difficult and likely making plans to visit Yellowstone National Park and lying near the air conditioner vent. We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Wilson

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Nature Friday ~ May 30, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 50 Comments

WilsonWelcome to the last Friday of May. Crikey…how in the world did we zip through May so quickly? I mean we’re nearly half way through 2025. {Head shaking} It must be done with sorcery or with some help from Hogwarts. Both Mum and I have been  scratching our heads trying to understanding how we got here.

So it’s been kinda cool this week, temperature wise. And get this…we’ve had rain showers on several days. With temps hovering around 46ºF (7ºC) when we take our morning walks, a chap has to warm up before he goes out. Oh don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about the cool temps. Both Mum and I are enjoying them and the gentle rain has really brought out the curls in the Floof. To top it off, the rain has made gardens look pretty amazing.

We all know that May is a great season for blooming peonies and irises but today we’re going to showcase another favorite flower…the common rose, which also loves to bloom in May.

Wilson: What’s that old Shakespeare’ saying? “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Guess ole William didn’t figure on genetics affected that once familiar scent. You may have noticed that roses don’t smell like they used to years ago. So why don’t roses have that luscious fragrance anymore, Mum?

The Mum: It all boils down to 3 words-economics and disease resistance, House Pony. Many years ago, as the floral industry realized they could import roses from other countries cheaper than growing them in the US, they teamed up with genetic science. Growing overseas would require sufficient time to ship cut flowers back to US consumers who demanded longer lasting roses and roses with large blooms were especially sought after. Enter Ecuador whose roses boast the largest blooms in the world and are thus some of the most sought after because of their size. Crossing breeding efforts to achieve those larger blooms, longer thornless stems, increased petal count, and disease resistance unfortunately replaced the gene which removed that beautiful fragrance. We may enjoy bouquets longer, but the price is those bouquets no longer have the fragrance that we all know and love, unless the rose happens to be one of the David Austin varieties. Apparently the two genes are incompatible. But all is not lost. Science is working on a solution by breeding compact fragrant roses that are healthy and have a lovely perfume as well. The bad news is that in order to create fragrant cut roses that are durable may take as long as 10 years to develop a fragrant, disease resistant rose but work on that continues. Once that happens, that Shakespeare quote won’t need to be changed. In the meantime, let’s take a look around our neighborhood to see some of the beauties that have been blooming.

Roses

Wilson: Just goes to show life isn’t perfect but there’s always going to be someone who’s willing to try to build a better mousetrap, Mum.

Roses

The Mum: That’s quite true. I felt lucky to capture most of these roses after a little shower so there are still droplets on the blooms and leaves that I think add to their beauty.

Roses Roses

Wilson: I think my favorite color are the pinks. They manage to look the best longer than some of the other colors whose petals get a bit ragged looking around the edges. Still all these beauties looked so lovely when we saw them on our walks and the good news is that most of them (with proper deadheading), will continue to bloom throughout summer.

Roses

The Mum: Right you are, Floof. The ‘show’ will go on, presuming summer heat doesn’t impact them too much. I’m willing to keep my eyes on them. How about you?

Wilson: Oh yes, it’s always good to look forward to beauty when and wherever nature provides it, be it on rose blooms or other flowers. So, do you have any plans to welcome the month of June? I think we’re probably just going to catch up on garden chores after all the rain that fell has fertilized weeds like crazy. After over a week of cool temps, the weather will start warming up and weeds are popping up everywhere, just waiting for Mum’s hoe. I’ll be sure to snoopervise her from the shade of the covered patio. One must practice their keen ‘quality control’ skills to make sure the human doesn’t slack off, don’t you think? We hope you have a splendid weekend and are able to get outdoors to enjoy a spot of sunshine or find some beautiful flowers in bloom along a walk. Enjoy…whatever you choose to do.

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Nature Friday ~ May 17, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 61 Comments

Wilson

Welcome to the 20th Friday of 2025 and  the 136th day of the year. Your friendly neighborhood floof is here to share slices of nature for this week’s latest edition of Nature Friday. Once again we’re joining the LLB Gang and hope you’ll click on their link to see what others have shared. And no…in case anyone is wondering, I’m not broken this morning, I’m just catching a few more winks before starting my day. Plus I just love laying like this on my favorite pile of pillows. Ahhhhh-the good life.

The Mum: {from the other room} Wilson! Get off the sofa!!

Wilson: {sighing} Whoops, guess that’s my signal to get up and get rolling. This week started out with a couple of toasty days with temps in the upper 80’s F (31C) but then a cool front moved in along with about 16 drops of rain. Both Mum and I enjoyed the sunny mornings and temps in the 60ºs F (15º C) in the afternoons to spy on this week’s focus-irises. Mum is a huge fan of irises, bearded irises in particular. They do extremely well in our semi-arid climate and if there’s any downside to planting them, it’s that they have a relatively short blooming cycle. I guess that old adage-into each life, some rain must fall-is accurate…pitiful as it may be.

The Mum: Life is full of give and take, House Pony especially in our climate. But it just makes life interesting. You’re quite right, I am a big fan of bearded irises. While they prefer well drained soil and sunny conditions they have done fairly well in our garden and around the neighborhood. Low maintenance, low water requirements…yes please-sign us up! And now that I’ve discovered there are some varieties that will re-bloom again in autumn, color me happy as a clam at high tide. Bearded irises are just about perfect as a garden addition and are easy to grow. The re-bloomers are currently flowering now while our main iris bed is only beginning to  show signs of waking up. Here are a couple photos of the re-bloomers. Normally, white flowers aren’t a big deal, but I have always thought these are just plain pretty with that soft pale yellow signal below the ‘beard.’

Iris

Wilson: They are lovely, Mum and if I do say so, most sniff-worthy as well (but I will resist because I know you love them). Last week’s rain sure made them very happy. I know you like unusual colors in flowers so this reddish colored one seems to fit that bill. Just look at how the sun shines through the petals. Early morning light is just so special.

Iris

The Mum: Yes, that red one is quite a beauty. Right now most of what are blooming around the ‘Hood are the purple ones.

Iris Iris

Wilson: They’re pretty too, Mum. It’s like they’re sticking their tongues out us. Who knew flowers had a sense of humor?

The Mum: Oh Wilson…you are a funny dog…the things that amuse you.

Wilson: What? I’m just calling things like I see them. You humans are so serious, it’s good to look at life with a dog’s perspective.

The Mum: I’m not objecting, you just crack me up. One of the many reasons I love you. I have a feeling you have something else to share from around our garden. You’ve spent a lot of time hanging out with me while I’ve been cleaning up the beds.

Wilson: Yes, and it’s been pretty exciting. While you’re pulling weeds and picking up leaves and twigs the squirrels have been taunting me with, I’ve been watching bees hanging out around the lupines. Last week we captured the purple one and this week, the pink one is playing center stage.

Lupine

The Mum: You’re starting to sound like me being mesmerized by bees going from flower to flower searching out the best pockets of pollen.

Wilson: And I see you managed to capture another one in mid-flight. I wish I could do that, but you keep telling me I wouldn’t like that so I’m being a good boy and not trying to capture them in my sheepdog jaws of death. I’ll save that for the squirrels. Did you see how close I came to catching that tree rat yesterday?

The Mum: Don’t remind me. You shot down the alley like a rocket. I saw that you scared the daylights out of a bunny who ran along with the squirrel. Poor thing. You know the rule, no chasing the bunnies and certainly not down an alley where you may encounter traffic. I nearly had a heart attack when you did that. Are you just insane?

Wilson: {blinking innocently} I have no idea what came over me but you notice I responded to your hysterical command to return.

The Mum: Umm, that’s not exactly what transpired. I had to go chase you before you returned.

Wilson: Now, now,…the bottom line is I came to my senses and came willingly.

The Mum: Hmmm, as I recall it, I had to snatch you by the collar and drag you.

Wilson: You say say tomato (toMAYto) I say tomato (toMAHto), …let’s be like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, shall we?

The Mum: I just want you to be safe, buddy. Please promise you’ll do better about chasing the tree rats, okay?

Wilson: I’ll do my best, but you gotta admit, I sure gave that rascal a run for its money.

The Mum: While giving me a heart attack in the process. It’s one thing to try to chase them up a tree, but let’s agree not to go flying down the alley, shall we?

Wilson: Deal, Mum. I hope I can keep that promise. I don’t want to disappoint you. And I know you’re just trying to keep me safe. So bunnies are ok to chase?

The Mum: {smacking her forehead} NO, BUNNIES ARE NOT OK TO CHASE!! For the record, we do not chase anybody, least of all down the alley, okay? Do you understand now?!

Wilson: {sheepishly} Got it Mum. Sorry. Not to change the subject, but what’s on the agenda this weekend? Got any special plans? Whatever you do, we hope it includes checking out all the beauty nature dishes out. Have a great weekend and avoid any squirrels.

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Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ May 2, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 66 Comments

WilsonWilson: {Yawn} Good Friday morning everyone-as you can see I’m a bit slow getting started after a very busy week but wanted to welcome you to another installment of Nature Friday where we join our friends from the Adventures with the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to check out what others have shared.

Well, the calendar page turned yesterday and we’re now in full blown spring mode. Hope you had a wonderful May Day. We spent the day catching up after celebrating National Pet Therapy Day the day before. It was a bit overwhelming for both me and Mum. Mum learned a valuable lesson (though she wasn’t a bit surprised at realizing it). She knows I struggle with a large group of overly excited people wanting to meet me for the first time as well as their excited pups all trying to get up in my grill. I’m afraid I was less than hospitable with a couple who didn’t seem to understand it’s too overwhelming for me. Here’s a fraction of the approximate dozen number of dogs who participated. Mum stopped trying to take photos because she was concerned about my reaction and couldn’t get the whole gang in the frame.

Pet Therapy
Lutheran’s pet therapy dogs come in all sizes and shapes

Wilson: Mum, I sure hope we don’t have to do a group thing like that again any time soon. I was so stressed, all those dogs wanting to be so close, I mean, I was just a wreck.

The Mum: I know sweet boy, I’m so sorry and promise I won’t put you through that again.

Wilson: Whew-thank you…I was a total wreck and am so grateful you decided to let me to visit with the nice folks in Medical Records instead of participating in the dog conga line upstairs on the floors. For the record, I do not conga.

The Mum:  Totally understand. I enjoyed meeting with Records as well and you were a big hit. We’re adding them to the other stops we make before our regular floor assignments. Let’s change the subject and focus instead on all the beautiful signs of spring we encountered this week, shall we?

Pet Therapy

Wilson: Happily. Well it’s official- spring has definitely sprung. We had a few days of gentle showers with coolish temperatures and things are greening up nicely. The trees in particular really have enjoyed the moisture. It looks like the cherry and apple trees were particularly thrilled and I can’t wait until I can taste the fruit first hand, later in the year.

Cherry blossoms Apple blossoms

The Mum: Flowering trees have indeed been quite lovely. Check out this Eastern Redbud. I just love their bright color.

Red bud flowers

Wilson: Does it have fruit after blooming? You know I’m a big fan of fruit.

The Mum: Umm, no, in fact, I often forget about these trees after they bloom-the tree is unusually nondescript once it’s finished blooming. It’s a shame too, they so pretty when they bloom.

Wilson: Well that’s unfortunate. I’ve noticed the tulips are just about finished blooming too and what a lovely year it’s been for them. This has to be the absolute prettiest one we’ve seen.

Tulip

The Mum: You’re so right, I so love walking past that house and especially enjoy that beautiful variety. It’s so delicate looking and the color is so pretty.

Wilson: It sure is, Mum. I noticed your favorite lilac bush is blooming. It’s not quite as lush as it was last year when you created today’s header but it’s still gorgeous as is the second bush right next to it. What’s nice is they aren’t the usual purple-ish color we usually see.

Lilacs

Lilacs

The Mum:  Their fragrance is deliciously amazing, too. What else do you have to share?

Wilson: I started to notice some Hedgehog and Prickly Pear cactuses that are starting to bloom. I’m not getting close enough to sniff at those guys but they sure are fascinating to see.

Cactus

Cactus

The Mum: No doubt they provide valuable cover for tiny garden mice and small birds from various neighborhood predators as well as an interesting change from our usual blooming landscape.

Wilson: When we walked yesterday, this bright patch of Golden Alyssum sure caught my eye. Talk about a cheery look on a somewhat cloudy day.

Golden Alyssum

The Mum: It sure was an exuberant sigh.! And they smelled sweet too.

Wilson: How come it’s okay for you to sniff flowers but you fuss at me when I do?

The Mum: The difference is that I don’t ‘leave‘ a message on them after I sniff.

Wilson: Oh yeah, I do try to leave a note. But, in all fairness, I’m just telling other dogs how beautiful the flowers are. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing.

The Mum:  {eyes rolling} Right. You might be able to fool others, but not me.

Wilson: Doggone it, I was hoping you wouldn’t see through me so easily. But I am doing better about leaving little messages, especially since you’ve pointed out it’s against the rules. I know you don’t appreciate it when dogs leave messages on our flowers and I respect that when we’re walking. Weeds are a whole different category though. Especially when they pop up in sidewalk cracks. I don’t have to remind you I’m doing a public service then, right?

The Mum: Umm, if you say so. Got any other photos to share?

Wilson: A couple; here’s a shot of some elm blossoms. Usually you only notice the little round seeds that blow all over the place, but you’ve never noticed the flowers that produce the seeds before. Aren’t they fascinating? I’m going out on a limb by saying I think it’s going to be a good year for elm seeds.

Elm tree

The Mum: Yes sadly, I’m think you’re so right. Which leads me to chat about the subject of Silver Maple tree seeds. Since you’ve been noshing on the flowers against my wishes, I’ve noticed the past couple of days that you’ve graduated to now snarfing up the seeds. You have to stop doing that, you hear?

Silver Maple seeds

Wilson: You mean those aren’t little green crepes? I mean, the flowers tasted like truffles so I just figured they were crepes.

The Mum: NO, THOSE ARE NOT LITTLE GREEN CREPES, you dingleberry! What is wrong with you?

Wilson: Umm chill, Mum.

The Mum: You are going to be death of me yet with what you find tasty. Elsa only ate things like reading glasses and socks.

Wilson: Maybe that says you’re not feeding me enough. I mean, the vet may be pleased with my nice trim physic but I’m a growing boy and growing boys need lots of calories to maintain.

The Mum: I give up.

Wilson: Oh Mum, don’t be so uptight. It’s not like a tree is going to sprout in my tummy is it? How about we end with a nice pretty blue flower. Blue flowers always make you smile to forget. I think this is some variety of forget-me-nots. I think it’s pretty, how about you.

Forget me nots

The Mum: Yes, House Pony…it’s a lovely shade of blue and the two tone color of the leaves add to its beauty. Sigh. It looks like the sun is returning to the Mile High City for the next few days. It’s a gorgeous morning with crystal blue skies and will be in the 60’sºF…totally perfect for checking out all the beauty Nature has to offer this weekend. We hope you have a great weekend and do try to get outside to enjoy it.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

 

Nature Friday ~ April 25, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments

Wilson Greetings mates…and welcome to Day 115 of this year. As we do on Fridays, we’re joining our friends Rosy & Sunny from  the LLB Gang for their weekly Nature blog hop. Be sure to click on the link to see what scenes were shared by others.

The Mum: Ummm, good morning, House Pony. Now could you please get off my laptop?

Wilson: Oh right, sorry about that. Just thought you needed some up close and personal help.

The Mum:  Uhhh, that’s very sporting of you but I think I’m good. Besides, you don’t have any thumbs.

Wilson: Mum, it’s not nice to point out negative aspects of one’s anatomy. I’m a bit disappointing you’d resort to something like that.

The Mum:  Nothing malicious intended, sweet boy. Just pointing out obvious differences. We both have to work with what we’ve got for each situation. Feel better now?

Wilson: Okay, but you know how sensitive I am. As long as you don’t mean anything by it, I’m good.

The Mum: Of course, the one thing we are here at the Ranch is kind. That’s a rule that will not be ignored. So what do we have for today’s slices of nature?

Wilson: Uh right…let’s get started. People are going to think we’ve gone batty about birds.

The Mum: Yeah, it kind of does seem that way. While most people show cool raptors and diverse images of birds, when you live in the heart of the city, your options are somewhat limited.

Birds-pigeons
Yoo-hoo, my love…look at this terrific leaf I found.

Wilson: Well one thing that’s universal is it’s definitely springtime and springtime is nest building time for birds of all stripes right now. Even if it’s a simple rock dove…more commonly known as a pigeon. In some places they are referred to as rats with wings since they eat just about anything. Here’s a male collecting some nest material in a parking garage. Adults are about 11-15 inches long (29 to 37 cm) and weigh anywhere from 8-13 oz (238–380 g). They typically have a dark bluish-grey head, neck, and chest feathers with glossy iridescence around their necks.The most identifying characteristic of this bird is those two black bars on their pale grey wings with their tails having a black band on the end, and the outer web of the tail feathers are lined in white. Pigeons are known to be quick on the wing when surprised or avoiding potential predators. Eye color is generally orange, red, or gold and they have those weird red/pink colored feet. Did you know the females are nearly identical as the males though the iridescence is less intense.

The Mum: Oh my goodness…I see you did some homework.

Wilson: Well, I am a professional and enjoy knowing little bits and bobs about things. It’s important for one to be curious about the day to day stuff. More people out to try it, especially since they they’re constantly looking at their cell phones.

The Mum:  I say Wilson…good job. I found those pigeons when I parked my car at the doctor’s office. I don’t know why but I was simply fascinated watching them as they busily were ‘feathering their nest.’

Birds-pigeons
Thanks Rufus, nice leaf…I’ll just tuck it right here.

Wilson: You must have been really engrossed in watching them-you were almost late for your eye appointment.

The Mum: Yeah, but it was nice to be captivated for several moments watching their rituals as they prepare for new babies. They almost didn’t mind me watching them working on their construction project-a common scene around the city.

Wilson: I noticed after your eye appointment, you went on a long walk around that neighborhood and found some serious signs of spring.

The Mum: It’s a habit I can’t seem to break. I used to live nearby and whenever I’m on the east side of town, I always have to walk by my old house. Like everywhere in the Mile High City, the neighborhood has changed so much. It’s very dismaying to see beautiful old Victorians torn down in favor of box-like McMansions. Fortunately my little 1900 Victorian cottage is still standing, having last sold for almost 19 times more than what I paid for it. Yikes!

Wilson: Gosh, Mum, that’s wild. It was a tiny little house but gentrification has really inflated home values.

The Mum: Yeah, it’s a truly bizarre real estate market, but enough of that. Why don’t you show some of the signs of spring from around that neighborhood.

Wilson: Right, well that part of town seems a little bit farther along than the area around the Ranch. I mean don’t bearded irises usually bloom in May?

The Mum: Indeed. In fairness though, they are starting to bud up on our side of town around the Ranch but I haven’t seen any that were flowering. This is your classic purple iris. Nothing flashy but oh my gosh, so early.

Wilson: Early, eh? What about this somewhat out of focus Bleeding Heart (sorry about that). Guess it surprised you so much, you couldn’t hold the camera straight.

Bleading Heart

The Mum: {blushing with embarrassment) Something like that. To say I was stunned would have been an understatement. Around our neighborhood, I haven’t seen any even close to blooming. Must be because of the sunlight exposure. They sure are pretty and fairly easy to grow.

Wilson: I see you found some new garden art on your walk.

The Mum: Yeah, I can’t help myself. When I came across these frogs, I kept thinking now that Lent is over I could actually enjoy an alcoholic beverage. Suddenly I was craving Mexican food and margaritas-hold the salt, please.

Wilson: I can practically hear them singing ay-yi-yi-ing from that sunny spot.

The Mum: You’re a real hoot, you know that? So what else do you have for this week?

Wilson: Looks like the lupine are starting their annual surprise appearance in odd places where they weren’t planted.Lupine

The Mum: I had to chuckle about where this one showed up. It’s not even remotely close to where last year’s lupine bloomed in that part of the garden. It always makes me smile. I’m looking forward to seeing what color the blossoms will be.

Wilson: Well, Mum, it’s time for me to go on my morning constitutional so I’m going to wrap this up. Be sure to get outside and enjoy the longer daylight with slices of nature that are appearing in your neighborhood. Is spring in full swing near you? Have a great weekend.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ April 18, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 51 Comments

Easter Bunny WilsonHappy Good Friday, mates. Wilson here to finish up sharing the photos from Mum’s recent outing to the Denver Aquarium for this week’s edition of Nature Friday. As always, we’re joining Rosy and Sunny from the LLB Gang for their weekly blog hop. Be sure to click on the link to see what scenes were shared by others. But before I begin to share the rest of the photos, can I just say Spring has left the building and done a boomerang back to Winter again. Yesterday was a right proper Spring day with temps in the mid-70’s. (22cº). Today when we woke up, it was 28ºF and snowing. We can expect anywhere from 3-6 inches of white stuff. It’s not accumulating on the sidewalks but I think our walk this morning will require lots of waterproof layers. Can anyone explain why Mother Nature can’t seem to decide what season she wants to be?

The Mum: Good morning, House Pony. I see you’re raring to go. Is it because we returned to winter today? You seem to get a bit frisky when the temps drop.

Wilson: Umm, something like that, although I was perfectly content sleeping on top of your legs this morning.

The Mum: Yeah, about that…you know you’re killing me at night with this “dog pile” behavior. What’s up with that?

Wilson: Dog pile? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just staying close to you for a couple of reasons. One, I think enjoy it and two, since I got groomed last week, I’m a little short on hair and thus a tad chilled.

The Mum: I tried to cover you with a blanket on your bed but you end up kicking the covers off and then jumping on my bed.

Wilson: Well your bed seems a bit more comfy. So does the sofa. I REALLY like the sofa…well so long as you’re on it.

The Mum: We’re gonna have to have a ‘come to Jesus chat’ about that. It’s becoming harder to read a book when you’re sprawled across my lap.

Wilson: I’m just staying close in case you get stuck on a word. Consider me as your reading tutor.

The Mum: {eyes rolling} I see we’re going nowhere fast here so let’s wrap up my visit to the Denver Aquarium, ok?

Wilson: Works for me. This first one is going to freak everybody it so feel free to skip this part. Why in the world would you take a photo of a Green Tree Python? He looks quite intimidating!

Green python

The Mum: Hey I’m not a fan of snakes either, but he was quite fascinating.  I learned that they are arboreal (meaning they live in trees, not on the ground); their luminescent scales give off a green light and help them blend into the trees allowing them to stay camouflaged; unlike most snakes, they don’t lay eggs-the females give live birth to their offspring and are quite protective of them; they aren’t venomous; they have a unique skull shape that’s different from other snakes, was told they make great pets for experienced snake keepers and live a relatively long time for snakes.

Wilson: No, nope, not a chance…if you think you’re going to bring home one of those, you’re sadly mistaken. And that is non-negotiable. I put my paw down on this, Mum.

The Mum: Don’t get your knickers in a bind. There’s not a chance that one of those guys will become a Ranch Hand any time soon. But you gotta admit, they are quite fascinating to watch.

Wilson: Well I’m glad we agree on the part where there’s no chance of them coming here. I don’t even think I’d enjoy eating them and that’s saying something!

The Mum: I should say so! For you to not be interested in eating something has to be a first. Well, what about these fish?

Trout & Kokanee salmon

Wilson: Whoa…those Kokanee salmon are quite colorful and I hear they are pretty tasty, so yes, you can put them on the menu. And so is that trout. I heard the Cutthroat Trout is Colorado’s state fish, did I get that right?

The Mum: You’re are right. They are a big hit among Colorado anglers. They were first discovered by the Spanish explorer, Francisco de Coronado in 1541. Lewis and Clark made notes of their presence in their journals in the early 1800’s as they were exploring the Western US.

Wilson: You told me your highlight was seeing the Sumatran tigers, Rudi and Luhahn. Sumatran tigers are extremely endangered with probably only about 400 of them left in the wild. They are the smallest of the subspecies and have the darkest coats, allowing them to blend in quite well to their habitat. Did you know all tigers have unique stripe patterns much like humans fingerprints? They tend to sleep around 20 hours a day. You think there’s some truth to Sumatran tigers being the source for the expression, ‘taking a cat nap?”

Sumatran tiger

The Mum: {snickering} They are truly majestic; I could watch them for hours as they play and move around their enclosure.

Wilson: I see you found Nemo, Mum. Those clownfish are quite colorful, too!

Where's Nemo

The Mum: Yup, I DID find Nemo! I think Dorie was in that tank as well but she refused to swim with Nemo while I was there and because there was such a crowd, I needed to move along to the Lionfish. Talk about a fearsome looking fish.

Lion fish

Wilson: Those fish are quite invasive I understand. Native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific, the fins are venomous to small fish. Fatalities can occur on very young children, the elderly, or anyone who is allergic to the venom. Healthy adults fare better but in some cases they can sure make you uncomfortable for several days. I’d hate to be poisoned by one of those guys.

The Mum: No kidding…that would definitely make for a bad day.

Wilson: You seem to have a fascination with stingrays, Mum.

The Mum:  I love watching them swim around so effortlessly.

Sting ray

Wilson: So what the bloody heck is this fish?

The Mum: I think that’s a Shovelnose Ray but I didn’t make a note about it. It was most fascinating with its long nose and tail. There was another fish I forgot to note. It might be a young Lumpfish, but I wouldn’t bet the Ranch on it.

Fish

Wilson: Hmm, it’s kind of interesting but definitely not scary like this Moray Eel. My heavens…look at those teeth! Now do you understand why I hate water.

Moray eel

The Mum: Those eels are pretty scary looking, I’ll give you that. I saw a green one, too that was positioned in a “S” shape under some rocks. It’s creatures like this that made me decide diving in the ocean was not my scene. I’m more of a ‘walk along the shoreline’ kind of person.

Eel

Wilson: Yikes…they come in green too? No, thank you. I think I’m done with all the creatures of the sea. I’m glad you are more of a dry land kind of mum. Hopefully we’ll get back to photographing flowers and land animals next time. We hope everyone has a lovely celebration of Easter and Passover. And don’t forget to get outside and view the natural world in between egg hunts and Seders. Have a fabulous holiday weekend.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ April 11, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 46 Comments

Denver AquariumWelcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday in April, where we’re joining the LLB Gang for their weekly blog hop. Be sure to click on the link to see what scenes from nature others are sharing. This week my great-granddaughter turned one year old and the family visited the Denver Aquarium to celebrate. Kids young and old are fascinated by the calming sight of fish floating through coral and rocks. While it’s challenging to photograph fish in large tanks with glass reflection, not to mention the occasional photo bomber or poor positioning due to large crowds visiting, we apologize in advance here. That said, let’s ‘dive in,’ so to speak.

Wilson: Right, Mum. I’m sure glad they don’t allow dogs. You know how I feel about water especially since I received the full professional water torture treatment so I could visit patients and staff at the hospital. The only water I’m interested in lives in my water bowl where I’m happy to gulp and make a mess with the best of ’em. The Downtown Aquarium (originally known as Colorado’s Ocean Journey) opened back in 1999. It’s not huge as aquariums go, however the aquarium holds approximately 1,000,000 US gallons (3,785,000 L), and exhibits a variety of fish and other animals.

The Mum: That’s right, House Pony…the aquarium was rebranded in 2005 as the Downtown Aquarium after Ocean Journey filed  bankruptcy when it wasn’t able to make the high construction cost repayments. The restaurant chain, Landry’s Restaurant purchased the facility in 2003 and remodeled the premises by adding a full restaurant, bar and ballroom for events.

Wilson: This aquarium examines the relationship between inland freshwater ecosystems and the ocean and features the path of two rivers in their route to the ocean (namely, the Colorado River and the Kampur River in Indonesia).

Reticulate Whipray
Reticulate Whipray

Wilson: After the 2005 renovations, the two paths were continued although they are not arranged in a zoogeographic pattern. Tanks were added to showcase species from African and South American freshwater ecosystems and some tanks are mixed community spaces. There are several interactive exhibits, including a stingray touch-and-feed tank. Check out the Reticulate Whipray that looked like a leopard. It’s a large species from the Indo-Pacific area. I notice you chose not to pet him.

The Mum: Yeah, I had a minor infection on one of my finger tips and decided there were plenty of people to pet him so I’m sure he didn’t miss my fingers running along his skin.

Wilson: Whoa…for someone who’s so gung-ho about petting animals, that was a surprise. But I applaud you for thinking of the welfare of ‘therapy ray.’

The Mum: I just thought it was prudent for him. Besides, I was kind of mesmerized by the way he floated around and didn’t even realize I wasn’t petting him. He did seem to enjoy the attention under the watchful eye of the human attendant who was quick to correct overly enthusiastic visitors.

Wilson: The aquarium continues to focus on conservation by housing many endangered or threatened species. There are twelve species of fish, six reptiles, two mammals, and two birds and the aquarium participates in the American Species Survival Plan for Sumatran tigers with two gorgeous young male tigers, Rudi and Luhahn who will be featured in another post.

The Mum: There were loads of students on field trips and I couldn’t help watch them checking out all the fish. The largest tank is the one where everyone is awed. It was quite something to see sharks floating in front of and above the crowds, almost like a cave. Most of the sharks were females but there were a couple of males that looked quite fearsome.

Shark
Shark
Shark
Shark

Wilson: Gosh, Mum…it’s not even Shark Week! But I can see why everyone wants to see them. Say, didn’t your grandson dive in the tank with them years ago on his birthday?

The Mum: He did and we chatted about his recollections. It began his ongoing love with diving and the ocean. I ‘m afraid I’d be too afraid to do that as an adult, let alone as a spry young kiddo.

Wilson: I don’t blame you for not getting in. There’s water involved and not nearly enough treats to make me want to get in it.

The Mum: Silly boy. Diving is not for everyone but it’s good that some people are willing to do the research to save and protect these amazing creatures. I mean, just look at those rows of teeth!

Wilson: Ummm, I think I’ll pass on focusing on all those teeth. Let’s look at a few more of the creatures from the aquarium.

Octopus
Octopus
Sea star
Sea star
Sea Anemones
Sea Anemones
Fossil
Fossil

The Mum: It was a great visit and I loved watching Halia’s reaction to the fish floating around. I’m sure it was somewhat overwhelming for her but glad she had the opportunity to be exposed to the natural world. Well, we’d better skedaddle for the hospital. Another big day, buddy. You were a real superstar and I know there will be more opportunities to bring smiles to folks today. This afternoon, I’m going out to pick up a sheepdog who’s coming into our rescue. Her family is moving here from out of state and the landlord won’t allow pets so she’s relinquishing her girl. While I don’t know a whole lot about her, I’ll have a better idea later this afternoon. It’s going to be a big day. What’s on your weekend schedule?

Wilson: Whatever it is, we hope you can get outside and experience a great springtime weekend. You’ll have to fill me in after you pick her up. I’m glad the owner had sense enough to contact us but sad that she’ll lose her family. I know how traumatic that can be and we’re keeping our paws crossed it goes well. Have a great weekend, mates.

Nature FridayLive, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ April 4, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 49 Comments

Nature FridayWelcome to the first Friday in April where as always we join the LLB Gang for their weekly Nature Friday blog hop. Click on the link to see what scenes from nature others are sharing.  Hard to believe we’ve officially entered the second quarter of 2025. Where has the time gone? Soon Passover and Easter will be front and center. The speed at which time flies by seems to speed up the older you get. Luckily there’s a certain ‘lad’ who’s happy to keep me on my toes (aka staying young by trying to keep up with him, despite the uncanny number of wrinkles staring back at me from my bathroom mirror). Well, let’s get started with today’s latest conversation.

Wilson: Hello, Mum…happy Friday. So what will we showcase this week?

The Mum: Well, young man, before we get started, how’s about we have a little ‘chat’ first before we share any photos from nature we encountered this week, shall we?

Wilson: Umm, this sounds ominous. Am I in trouble?

The Mum: Not in trouble per se but we do need to have a heart to heart about the maple flowers that are dropping on the sidewalk like flies.

Maple Flowers

Wilson: Ooooh, you mean those tasty morsels I find whenever I go outside? They are just so…

The Mum: {interrupting} STOP…you can’t eat those…

Wilson: But Mum…I can’t help but think of them as little truffles. I realize they may not be for everyone, but you do realize one of my greatest gifts to humankind is my uncanny ability to hoover up crumbs, wherever I find them. Just think of these things as crumbs that I’m cleaning up for you. I mean, you realize I’m doing you a solid by you not having to constantly have to sweep them up from the patio. When you think about it, I’m actually doing you a favor.

The Mum: Umm, well when you put it like that…wait, what am I saying? When you snarf those little flower clusters up, I have to mop up the slobbery drool marks! No, no, no…maple flowers must not to be eaten. While it should be noted that they aren’t poisonous, ingesting the flowers could cause stomach upset, including vomiting and diarrhea. You wouldn’t want to have to go to the vet now, would you?

Wilson: {gasp} Well, when you put it like that…definitely not. I’ll try not to eat them Mum, but we both know it won’t be easy. May I suggest you bring plenty of treats with you when taking me outside to deter me from eating until they’re gone?

The Mum: Boy, you’ll do just about anything for a treat, won’t you?

Wilson: I say, Mum, I’ve told you many times before, I’m no ordinary fool. You should know treats are a bravo-good way to deter unwanted behavior. All the training videos say so.

The Mum: You’ve been on Facebook again, haven’t you?

Wilson: {clearing his throat} Let’s just say I’m a quick study, Mum.

The Mum: I can see this conversation is going nowhere. Now that we’ve chewed on that topic, what slices of nature do you have to share this week?

Wilson: Well, the forsythias are blooming right now and boy are they cheerful and bright. I’ll bet they make lovely cuttings in any vase.

Forsythia

The Mum: They are definitely a sign that spring is here.

Wilson: And flowering shrubs are beginning to bloom around the neighborhood. One of the prettiest is Prunus Glandulosa, commonly known as flowering almond. This small shrub is fairly tolerant of urban conditions, and once well established, can be fairly drought-tolerant. All parts of the flowering almond shrub  including the stems, leaves, and seeds, are toxic as are many plants in the Prunus family (i.e. plums, cherries, and peaches). It contains cyanogenic glycosides, that release cyanide when metabolized. Ingestion can lead to all sorts of health problems like gastrointestinal distress, difficulty in breathing, seizures, coma and death. Yikes-I’m rather glad we don’t have any in our garden. 

The Mum: Yikes indeed. When I first moved into this house, there were a couple of them but ultimately they didn’t survive for which I’m rather grateful now. I had no idea about its toxicity.
Wilson: Why is it that so many of the prettiest blooms in spring are toxic or poisonous?
The Mum:  I have no idea but it’s quite true. Spring bulbs are poisonous for dogs and because of your propensity toward noshing on things, I worry and have to make sure you don’t get any dumb ideas.
Wilson: I appreciate your looking out for me. When I was researching for this post, I learned that the most common spring bulbs like tulips, hyacinths, irises, daffodils and crocuses are all poisonous for us canines. But boy, they sure are pretty. Guess we have to take the good with the bad, eh?
The Mum: You’re right on both counts. So what flowering bulbs have you seen this week? It’s been pretty chilly and grey, unlike last week where we enjoyed some fabulously warm days. We experienced some flurries of white stuff over the past a few days but nothing that has accumulated.
Wilson:  Quite right, Mum. As usual, winter is being difficult and it just can’t seem to stay away. It even dropped below freezing last night.
The Mum: Yesterday was even chilly enough to turn the furnace back on and more snow showers have been called for in the forecast with temps in the 20’s tonight. Brrrrr.
Wilson: These flowers don’t seem to mind the weather. Check out the unusual hue on this hyacinth. What would you call it, magenta, claret?
The Mum: Sure…that works. It’s quite a beauty but I still tend to be drawn to the purple ones. Their fragrance is just so divine.
Wilson: Oooh, that one is a real beauty, Mum. They sure do have a luscious scent to them. And aren’t you proud of me, I didn’t even water them or the daffodils that we found later on our walk nor did I try to eat them.
Tulip
Daffodil
The Mum: Very proud of you, House Pony. Well done. It’s important to look, just don’t water. And definitely don’t eat!
Wilson: See, I can be a good boy, Mum…well most of the time. So what’s your plan for the weekend? Anything interesting happening? With the weather reverting to winter again, we think we’ll just hang out and stay cozy.
The Mum:  An easy weekend sounds just paw-fect. We hope you are able to enjoy whatever spring has in store for your area. Have a great weekend!
Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ March 28, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 57 Comments
WilsonWilson: Hey Mum, you know it’s Friday, right? It’ll be my second day of visiting patients and staff at the hospital but I wanted to know if we’re still going to try to participate with the Nature Friday posts from our friends over at Adventures of the LLB Gang without the Ninja?
The Mom: Well…I thought we should at least try but I doubt our posts will be nearly as entertaining. Would you be up for it?  I’m sure Elsa would like that. Just know some days will be easy and some will be harder. That last sentence is more of a note to myself than to you, House Pony.
Wilson: You do know that I miss her even if I’m more than enjoying having you all to myself. Is it wrong for me to be selfish?
The Mom: No, I understand, House Pony. She was a special girl and while she had her quirks, she was quite unique in her own way that made her truly adorable. I was always rooting for her to succeed as a dog-it just took a little longer after enduring such adversity in the puppy mill.
Wilson: I can’t imagine what she endured. But I do have to wonder, if you loved her more than me?
The Mom: No, sweet boy. She and I just had a slightly different connection-she was basically feral when I got her and needed lots of love and care. You know I loved you as well.
Wilson: That’s reassuring but you do know I’m worried about you. You seem so sad at times…that’s why I feel like I have to smother you with love.
The Mom: I know. It…well except when I wake up and can’t breathe easily because of it. But I do understand. You’re a sensitive chap and true blue loyal which are some of the many qualities I love about you. So what kind of slices of nature did you find this week to share?
Wilson: Right-o. I’ll give it a try but without her unique slant, I think you’re right, it’s not going to be nearly as entertaining. Let’s start with a couple of pics taken earlier this week now that some of the early spring flowering bulbs have begun to appear. Just look at this lovely Scilla luciliae specimen (aka squill). It’s part of  the Asparagaceae family and its common name is Bossier’s glory-of-the-snow after the Swiss botanist, Pierre Edmond Bossier. Sometimes it’s referred to as Lucile’s glory-of-the-snow, as an homage to the botanist’s wife. After this early spring bulb blooms, it goes dormant until the next spring and originally came from western Turkey. It is a low-maintenance naturalizing bulb that can be found in zones 3 to 8. I know you like low-maintenance and was surprised you don’t have any in your garden. Their blossoms have a white center with blue or violet petals and the stamens are flat and clustered in the middle of the flower.
Scilla flower
The Mom: It’s lovely, Wilson. You know how partial I am to blue flowers and this is a pleasant change from yellow daffodils that are beginning to bloom. I like how it naturalized between the fence post and sidewalk. Isn’t it fascinating that there weren’t any other flowers like it nearby. I keep asking myself why I haven’t planted any before too. So far, I haven’t got a good answer to that.

Wilson: Well maybe this autumn you’ll remember to add some. You know I was just about ready to ask about how is it that Nature is so selective and surprising when it comes to placement of some plants.
The Mom: It’s one of those botanical mysteries, I guess. But it never ceases to amaze me how Nature arbitrarily decides for something to appear out of nowhere.
Wilson: Boy, you can say that again. Nature really knows how to surprise gardeners. Speaking of surprises, did you see that yellow magnolia tree blooming in the next block up from our house? Talk about being pretty. Hard to believe it’s blooming in March especially considering the temperatures were just shy of 80ºF (26ºC) yesterday. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.
The Mom: I know! The temperatures have been crazy warm for March and uncharacteristically dry. March and April are the two snowiest months and all we’ve had around the Ranch is wind, wind, oh and more wind. Everything is parched and spring bulbs are flowering earlier than usual. I’m surprised any bulbs are blooming without winter moisture. Guess flowering bulbs somehow manage to be quite adaptable when conditions aren’t ideal. No wonder they’re so popular.

Wilson: When we were on one of our long walks a couple of days ago, I noticed the pussy willow blooms were beginning to change. Those fuzzy nubs are starting to flower. When I looked them up to find out more about them I discovered those nubs are insulation from cold temperatures before these yellow flower bloom. It’s like finding two different plants in one shrub. What a fascinating morphing. Soon the plant will be leaving out and look completely different. We probably won’t even notice it much then.
The Mom: You may be just right about that. It’s a real striking shift from the throws of winter to spring and finally toward its summer look. Again, Nature is full of surprises.
Wilson: Well that’s all I have for this week. I gotta get ready to go back to Lutheran and visit folks. Yesterday was a fun packed day and lots of folks seemed to enjoy our visit. It was the first time I got to train a new applicant who is bringing her dog into the program. She shadowed me as I visited patients and staff. It was a long day but I enjoyed it. How about you, Mum?
The Mom: It was a long day but a nice diversion to establishing a new normal. You and I both passed out early. Hopefully today will be less packed but it felt good bringing a bit of joy to others. You did good, House Pony. Let’s hope today goes as well.
Wilson: Thanks, Mum. I’ll do my best today…as long as I’m with you, I’ll be ok. I’m just glad I don’t have to have another bath any time soon. We hope spring has sprung where you live and you are able to get outside and enjoy finding lots of signs of spring. Wishing everyone a terrific weekend. I see that WordPress acted up on some of the spacing. Doggone it, I relied on the Ninja to make this stuff look right. Hopefully next time I’ll do a better job. For now, please accept my apologies. I may be a trainer for pet therapy but it seems obvious that I need to my own training to account for the vagaries of blogging.
Nature Friday
Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ February 14, 2025

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 51 Comments

Elsa - Valentine's DayWelcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday. Today is Valentine’s Day…the day of love. It’s been a helluva week for all of us. Both Mom and Wilson are exhausted after some very intense visits at the hospital, visiting tons of people and patients and Mom had multiple commitments every single day this week. On top of that she’s been trying to nurse-mate me to feel better. She’s took me to the vet again today and it looks like I have a mild case of pneumonia. Any POTP wishes you can spare would be greatly appreciated.

Please join us along with our friends from Adventures of LLB Gang as we celebrate Nature on this day of love. Be sure to click on the link to see what others shared.

Wilson: Mum especially loves it when she can find slices of wild nature in the depths of the city and not just on Valentine’s Day. Because I had hospital duty this week, that meant that I have to get bathed and groomed and Mum was in no shape to do it herself so she took me to the nice people at The Dirty Dog in Broomfield. Miss Sydney loves us sheepdogs and got me totally spiffed up. Everyone knows I don’t like baths but Sydney is very sweet to me and always she tells Mum I’m a good boy for her.

Elsa: Bet Mom would appreciate it if you’d be that as good for her as you are for Sydney. The last time she bathed you, she thought she was in a steer wrestling contest.

Wilson: I don’t know why I hate baths so much and I was sorry I got Mum and the bath totally drenched. I know with her sternum and now torn bicep, she couldn’t easily do me and like most kids, we tend to behave better for others than our own parents. Umm, sorry Mum. Anyway, Sydney trimmed me up and because of all the nasty dirty snow melting of late, my feet and legs were extra dirty. They had to give me multiple washing. Ugh. Luckily like all dogs, I live in the moment and soon forgot the torture. I was a happy boy at the hospital and brought a lot of joy to lots of doctors, nurses, staff and patients because I don’t discriminate…I love them all, even when it’s not Valentine’s Day. Heh, heh.

Elsa: Oh for crying out loud, you’re such a suck-up. So whaddya got to share this week that’s nature inspired.

Wilson: Well, while I was getting washed for the 87th time, Mom went hiking around the neighborhood after she met up with a rescue board member who lives up north. They were able to have coffee and catch about rescue matters and Mum dropped off some supplies. Afterward, Mum went to explore the nearby area. The Dirty Dog recently moved into a new space not to far from their old shop but it was a world away in terms of finding slices of nature.

Prairie dogs

Elsa: What the dawg are those furry creatures?

Wilson: Ha! Speaking of dogs, Mum said those are prairie dogs. Mum says they are a keystone species having a huge impact on the environment. Native to the grasslands of North America they eat various plants  and are especially found in newly developed areas where humans are taking over their habitat.  While not actually canines, they belong to the family of similar critters like marmots, chipmunks and are related to my nemesis, squirrels. You can imagine how sad I was to not be able to accompany her on that walk. I’d have shown those scurrying little varmints how fast I really am.

Elsa:  You probably would have made those burrows a whole lot bigger. No wonder ranchers don’t like them because any horse or cow whose leg fell in one of those holes never ended well for livestock.

Prairie dog burrow

Wilson: Right you are! Those rodents make my life a living hell and I just can’t help myself trying to chase them down. Not sure what I’d do if I ever caught one, but Mum is very keen on keeping me as far away from them as possible.

Elsa: So where were those little cuties. I always love when the bark at us while sitting up on their mounds when we visit our Grandpa’s house.

Wilson: They were behind the Broomfield Depot Museum-a small unassuming little structure that was built in 1909 as a stop for train travelers. While Mum waited for me to get finished, she took a tour through it. It was one of the first steps that led to Broomfield being created as a regional city. Here’s a photo from their website since Mum forgot to take one herself.

Broomfield Depot Museum

Elsa: Nice building. Wow, look at this old bee hive that was out back. Very cool.

Bee hive

Wilson: The inside of the depot was pretty fascinating too. Just check out these photos from the living room and kitchen.

Museum typewriter Museum kitchen Museum

Wilson: Life must have been challenging for uprights back then but it looks like this place had all the conveniences of the time for travelers.

Elsa: Yeah, things must have been a lot different back then. Guess that makes us pretty lucky that we’ve got soft comfy beds, and modern conveniences like furnaces, running water, but don’t think much toast would be made around the Ranch with that appliance.

Museum toaster

Wilson: Times were different back then. Next week we’ll finish up Mum’s visit to the museum with a special surprise she found near the beehive. We’re hoping today is a nice day after all the sub-zero temps this week but heard Winter is returning this weekend. It’ll be a good time for us to lay low, chill and catch up on our rest. You’ll forgive me if I hibernate to stay warm with this new haircut. Hope you all have a great weekend and if you can, get out there to check out what Nature shares with you.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾