Category: Landscapes

Nature Friday ~ April 19, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 44 Comments

Wilson & ElsaWelcome to Nature Friday where we share bits of nature from the urban landscape. As always, we are joining our friendly hosts from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what other posts were shared.

It’s been another crazy weather week with wide swings in the temperatures which have seemed to accelerate spring’s presence. Fifty degree temperature swings are not uncommon around here, especially at this time of year. Let’s see what we have, shall we?

Elsa: First off, on behalf of Mom who has become super forgetful since the birth of her great granddaughter, we need to apologize for not expressing our shock gratitude for being a winner last week on the Teaser. She’s never first to arrive  but she was first to correctly guess on April 9th, the day Baby Halia arrived. Naturally she’s been gaga ever since so we hope you don’t hold it against her. Originally she thought it was a photo of a pile of gravel she had delivered many years ago but I convinced her to look for some clues to figure out where that photo was taken. Many thanks to Two Spoiled Cats for awarding her this cool badge. We have our paws crossed she starts to remember things better. {shouting out}…oh Mom…don’t forget to put your pants on today, okay?

The Mom:  Umm, for the record, yes, I remembered to put on  my pants {eyes rolling}.

Elsa: Whew…anywho…now that we’ve expressed our thanks, I’m gonna wake up the Pony and see what he’s put together for today.

Wilson: {butt wiggling with excitement} I’m here, I’m here…let’s get going!

Elsa: Down Sportor…don’t weird out on me.

Wilson: Well I just wanted to let you know I’m quite bright eyed and bushy…

Elsa: {sighing while interjecting} Ugh…this guy is way too literal, not to mention, way too bouncy. Let’s move along, shall we? What do you have to share first?

Wilson: {giddy with excitement…tail and bum wiggling like crazy} Well, this week Mum installed this cool garden whirligig that she received as a Christmas gift. She had put it away in the garage and forgot about it…mostly because the ground was frozen at the time. But she came across it and decided now would be a good time to install it. It took her a few minutes to figure out the instructions but figured it out. I can stare at that thing for ages. It’s very calming and Mum is hoping it will not only be lovely to passersby but also that it’ll the squirrels from coming in the front garden. Notice the wet stuff. We are grateful Mother Nature decided to gift us a little bit of moisture but hope she is even more generous later today.

Elsa: Erm…o-kay. Whatever cranks your handle. I suppose if it keeps you from going bananas, it’ll be worth it.

Wilson: As you well know, I’m pretty plugged into anything that moves so maybe this will keep me occupied. Otherwise, Mum is going to have to go back to the drawing board.

Elsa:  I’m guessing this is the first of many strategies Mom is going to have to employ to keep you from killing her.

Wilson: {protesting and sounding slightly miffed} I’d never kill Mum. I just. am. always. hyper-vigilant about my surroundings.

Elsa: Hyper-vigilant? How about you’re a crazed lunatic?

Wilson: Name calling is not necessary. Besides, I’m the big strong one and must protect Mum.

Elsa: Ha! She’s managed to survive on her own without your help for 87 years so don’t flatter yourself. Just try not to run either of us over, and we’ll all be cool, okay.

Wilson: So…moving along. I thought this week we’d share photos of how accelerated spring is this year. Mum tells me she’s never seen perennials in such an early state of blooming.

Elsa: Yeah, I’ve noticed things in various stages of bloom and I’m not just talking about flowering trees although they’ve been nice. Here are a redbud and crabapple trees.

Wilson: Oh I love that redbud tree and Mum tells me all of us dogs love it too because we always try to potty beneath its low branches. She’s not having any of that and at least with me, she drags me off.

Elsa: Don’t feel special. She does the same thing with me while she’s grumbling something about how she’s not bending over like a gnome picking up after us under those low branches.

Wilson: Oh yes, she said the same thing with me. She was quite testy about it, too.

Elsa: Old people…what can you do but humor them. But I know we’ll both try every time we walk past that house. Angels Norman and Sam did the same thing. Maybe someone can explain to Mom why we do that. I can’t explain it.

Wilson: It’s quite a mystery to me but then I’m the new guy and a lot of things are mysterious to me here.

Elsa: So what’s up with this next pic? Care to explain it?

Wilson: Mum said it’s a mushroom clump and she thought it was rather fascinating. Because of our lack of humidity, seeing clumps like this are fairly unusual. It was quite a fragrant spot but Mum dragged me off again. She won’t let me pee on plants.

Elsa: She mentioned to me she can’t remember the last time so many perennials have started to bloom so early in the season. Mother Nature seems to be playing tricks on us. From poppies to irises and peonies and Bachelor Buttons from seed…I mean, for crying out loud, even some lilacs started blooming. In the middle of April! Say what you will, there is definitely something about this global warming thing. How else can you explain it?

Poppies
Irises
Bachelor buttons
Flowering shrub
Lilacs
Peony
1 / 6

Wilson: It sure seems that way, but I’m a herder, not a scientist so don’t rely on my observations.

Elsa: Boy you can say that again. Trust me, I wouldn’t rely on your thoughts, even if you WERE a scientist. But the absolute wildest thing we saw on our walks from yesterday were some blooming Bleeding Hearts. We were almost to our house and Mom saw them as she walked by. And BAM! she stopped and yelled, “What the bloody dog?!” and walked back to take a photo. I thought I was going to have to revive her, I tell you.Wilson: It’s quite something, that’s for sure. Well that’s it for the flora this week but Mum was super excited that she saw some wildlife as well. It’s not a very good photo since all she had was her cell phone but she was blown away to see what she thinks was a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk in her silver maple tree. They’re not unheard of but seeing one in the city seems somewhat unusual.

Elsa: We need to remind Mom to get an arborist out to trim that tree. The squirrels are playing havoc with new branches and there are lots of old ones that need to be pruned away.

Wilson: Squirrels??? Where, I’ll get them!

Elsa: Down Pony…I said we need to have Mom take care of it. You’ll just create a mess and hurt yourself or more likely, someone else. I know you mean well but I’m starting to grow used to you and would hate to see you get hurt. Besides, I think I used up the entire veterinary budget this year. So let’s agree to let Mom take care of this. Guess that’s it for us this week. We hope you have a great weekend. So dude…are we doing anything exciting?

Wilson:  Don’t think so. Mum said something about seeing the baby again. I wish she’d let me go with her…I definitely want to meet her. Mum can’t stop banging on about how fabulous she is and hopefully I’ll get to meet her soon when Mum’s sister comes to Colorado for a visit in a couple of weeks. We hope you have a splendid weekend and are able to get outside and take in the beauty Nature shares with us. In the meantime, we’ll leave you with this week’s image of the little sprout on her one week anniversary.

Baby Halia – one week old

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ March 15, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 60 Comments

It’s Friday and that means it’s time for me and the ‘New Guy’ to share a few slices of spring from around our ‘Hood with our hosts from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Be sure to click on the link to see what other posts were shared. Yeah, I’m a sell-out and let Mom put a stupid hat on me. I gave her a nice big fat raspberry to show her what I thought about the whole thing.

Elsa: Welcome to the St. Patrick’s Day edition of Nature Friday. I think you all understand how I feel about dressing up so we’ll leave it at that.

Wilson: Oh come on, dress up is fun! There are treats involved. I LOVE treats.

Elsa: You would, dog breath. We’ve got lots of spring pics to share so let’s not dally with mindless chatter, ‘kay?

Wilson:  Right! Well spring is definitely starting to show up in our neighborhood. Birds are arriving and the spring bulbs are starting to grow in earnest. I had to check out these hyacinths. At first I thought they might have a tasty morsel in them but then realized that was only an illusion. I think their appearance must be related to the whole fabricated AI thingy. As in ‘not the real deal.’ I was expecting something yummy in the middle. Imagine my disappointment.

Elsa: Jeez, dude, not everything is about food!

Wilson: Wait, it’s not? What the…

Elsa: You may think you’re some great hunter of food, but let me tell ya, that’s bunk. As a dignified Standard Poodle, I refuse to be a hunter around the Ranch. I am far too regal to have to search for food.

Wilson: Hey, don’t knock it until you try it. I think I’m a pretty pawsome hunter. Auntie Cheryl got us each a snuffle mat and I’m getting really good at being a real life hunter of goodies. Just look at that buried nose!

Elsa: Oh for crying out loud…you’re an embarrassment to civilized dogs everywhere.

Wilson: What?! It was fun finding all the goodies. But I must say, it wore me out. Hunting is exhausting.

Elsa: I just make sure the forewoman brings me my treats…I am NOT in the hunter/gatherer business. I have a kingdom to rule and as such can’t be bothered with such nonsense.

Wilson: Well I for one, think you should try it, you just might like it.

Elsa: Highly unlikely. Besides, why would I work for food when my subjects Mom will provide it without any interference from me {gasping at the mere thought of such routine plebeian activity}.

Wilson: Whatever. I told Mum I was all in…

Elsa: {interrupting} Of course you’re all in…food never escapes you. And you seem to think everything is food.

Wilson: Not true, I mean I didn’t try to eat these blue grape hyacinths.

Elsa: Well maybe the bees gathering nectar on them might have dissuaded you?

Wilson: Well, that did factor in my thought process. That and Mum hollering “LEAVE IT!” I’m catching on to what that  command means. She sure says it a lot.

Elsa: {eyes rolling} Well if you didn’t view everything as nourishment, maybe she wouldn’t have to yell at you.

Wilson: She told me it was a good way for me to show off some self control. I’m pretty good most of the time…well except for when I hear the dog next door. That guy really winds me up behind the fence.

Elsa: Which is exactly why Mom is trying to make you ‘leave it’ whenever you’re in the dog run. I mean, you’ve got to be 15 shades of stupid to race the length of the run barking, snarling at him.

Wilson: He really pushes my button but I’ll try to be better about the whole self control thing. I mean, when I’m good, Mum rewards me with things that I enjoy very much. Like taking me to Sloan’s Lake earlier this week. I enjoyed the long walk and sniffing things out although there were a few weird things. Didn’t I pose nicely at the lake?

But what’s up with some of the yard art around here? We didn’t have anything like that back in Missouri. Well we did, but they didn’t have horns and they made grunting sounds. There are some very odd humans who live in this neighborhood.

Elsa: You’ll get no arguments from me on that subject.  I probably would have challenged that guy if I’d been along on that walk.

Wilson: Well he was ok as far as boars go, but just not what I expected to find in the city. Mostly I thought he was more of a ‘bore,’ than an actual boar.

Elsa: Hahaha, Wilson made a funny, Mom.

Wilson: Ahem…I think we have a few other spring pics to share.

Elsa: Oh yeah, sorry I got carried away. So spring in the Rocky Mountains always has its challenges. Crummy soil, intense sun, and a wide range of temperatures but DANG! I sure wasn’t prepared for this type of Spring. What the dog?!

Wilson: I know, right?! I nearly tipped over trying to balance pee in the piles of snow.

Elsa: Ha…if it’s sympathy you want, look it up in the dictionary, Bucko. Try squatting in a foot of snow, dude. Brrrr.

Wilson: The snow was very heavy and broke some branches  that Mum will have to deal with, once she can get back in that corner.

Elsa: Mom tried to shake off the snow a few times, but there were just some areas she couldn’t reach. She noticed that despite the snow, there were a few signs of spring emerging and was very grateful the trees hadn’t leafed out yet-the damage would have been much worse. The good news was there was a LOT of moisture from this storm that will help the landscape.

Wilson: That tree shades my favorite spot to pee and I wasn’t quite prepared for clumps to come falling down on me. But like many things, I know just how to react. Shake it off and take a nap. It’s the best way to deal with things Nature throws at you.

Elsa: Hmmm, I’d have figured you would have said, eat a treat to soothe being startled but a nap does sound like a good idea.

Wilson: Well, a nap was my second choice.

Elsa: Of course it was. Anyway, we’re all snug as bug, the power stayed on (unlike for 11,000 peeps) and Mom made sure we were entertained, happy and didn’t go stir crazy.

Wilson: Yeah, she’s the best. I hope the snuffle mat comes out again soon, but I think all that super heavy, wet snow is supposed to melt in the warmer temps this weekend so walks will resume. We hope you have a safe and fun filled St. Patrick’s Day weekend-enjoy the green. I’m looking forward to more broccoli but no green Guinness. Even Mum doesn’t like that beer. Have a bonnie good weekend and “may the road rise up to meet you; may the wind be always at your back.” Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all of us at the Ranch.

Elsa: What he said. Just make sure you explore nature in your neck of the woods. You may be surprised with what you’ll encounter.

Live, love bark! ☘️

Nature Friday ~ March 8, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 55 Comments

Happy snow day, er I mean…welcome to Friday. Another week is in the books and is arriving just in time since some bonehead decided to reinstate Daylight Savings Time and rob of us an hour. Oi-we really hate this time of year.

So, looks like Winter decided to do a u-turn and revisit us. It’s no biggie as storms go with the forecast only calling for 3-5 inches of  white stuff. Today will be ‘crisp’ as Mom likes to say but we’ll be okay and it should be back in the 60’sºF by Sunday. I will have less furs to protect me since I was groomed a couple of days ago. Sorry-Mom didn’t take a photo. She wanted to even out the hair that was shaved from my back leg after the surgery to repair the broken femur and she still needs to clean up my face and front paws so I’m not 100% finished but look better than the Franken-dog I was before. You can’t even tell I have a long scar which is a bummer as it gave me lots of street cred. Still I only had so much patience and Mom ended up having lots of things going on, so her time was a bit limited. That ought to teach her {giggling}.

Elsa here. Like I said, it’s been a busy week but we’re ready to share a few slices of nature from our ‘Hood with those cutie pies from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Be sure to click on the highlighted link to see what other posts were shared. Wilson had his teeth cleaned a couple of days ago and has been slow to fully recover from the anesthesia. Leave it to a guy to milk the “woe is me” mantra. Heck, I recovered faster from my surgery than he has. Granted he did have a couple of cracked teeth extracted but man…they must have given him a huge dose of Ketamine because he was wobbly legged for a whole day and lost his appetite for two days. Yeah, I know…shocker. That boy never misses any meals! He seems to have rounded the corner this morning and I’m sure he’ll be back to his usual pig-like self in no time. The vet said he has lost 9 lbs. in the two months he’s lived with me and the assistants said he’s looking good with his svelte waistline. It took two of them to lift him up though.

Wilson: Hey, I’ll have you know I started wiggling my bum yesterday afternoon, and that’s a step in the right direction.

Elsa: Hey if you were a girl, you’d be expected to buy groceries, cook and serve said groceries into some healthy meal, clean, launder, and just generally take care of the household and family no matter how you feel…shall I go on?

Wilson: Hmm, when you put it like that, I guess I see your point. But if it makes you feel better, I ate my whole breakfast this morning. It feels good to be back eating again. I live for food.

Elsa: Which is exactly why I decided to not eat. It’ll make Mom crazy, cuz that’s just the way I roll. Gotta keep her on her toes and repay her for grooming me. Next she’ll want to bathe me. Blech but  I’ll see if she manages to bring out some extra special food to coax me back to eating my meals. Heh, heh. Who’s a clever ninja girl?

Wilson: Mum’s been through a lot this week, so let’s go easy on her, ok?

Elsa: Easy, schmeasy. Let’s just get this show on the road. So before seeing the vet, Mom took you on a special trip to her favorite neighborhood place, Sloan’s Lake. What’d you think of the place?

Wilson: It was interesting to say the least. Lots and lots of ducks and geese. Like the good boy I am, I paid no attention to them. Besides, there was way too much other stuff to focus on. Since it was very spring-like at the beginning of the week, there were lots of people walking dogs, pushing car-sized strollers with little people, bicyclists, skaters and runners everywhere. I was a bit overwhelmed but Mum assured me we’ll go again so I can better acclimate and she assured me eventually I won’t mind at all. I sure hope I get used to it. It’s exhausting always being on high alert all the time. Goodness, you just never know when a noisy garbage truck will scare the wits out of a chap!

Elsa: Hey, you didn’t tell me there was a duck convention going on. Look at all those birds!

Wilson: Right, it does look like there was a major convergence. They were talking among themselves, and because I’m not bilingual in English and duck I had no clue as to what they were saying so I didn’t eavesdrop.

Elsa: You fool…you could have become a hero to us dogs who always wondered what their saying. But I’m not bilingual in duck either so I’ll give you a pass.

Wilson: Why thank you, little sister…

Elsa: {interrupting} Don’t get all mushy on me. As far as I’m concerned you let us good dogs down. I’ll leave it at that.

Wilson: {somewhat miffed} Well, I shall keep a stiff upper lip. But I did find something that Mum was excited about. Mum has been monitoring my sniffing on walks which is becoming more frequent (she says that’s a good sign I’m integrating into a routine and becoming less stressed) and I found the coolest thing. A “pee grove” of stumps! I could have stayed there for hours ‘reading’ all the messages and posts.

Elsa: Oh jeez…you need to get a life, dude!

Wilson: Well I found it fascinating. Clearly there’s lots going on in the area and it was a moment where I was able to become involved, olfactorily speaking. Anyway, Mum was pleased. And I have noticed the more I’m sniffing, the more relaxed I am on walks and she says that’s a good thing.

Elsa: Whatever cranks your handle new guy. Moving along. There were more slices of spring starting to emerge. Mom waits all year long for a neighbor’s Magnolia tree to send out buds and it looks like this might be a banner year. Plus the lilacs are also starting to bud up nicely She got all giddy checking them out. It’s still early for them to bloom but barring any sudden deep freeze, it should be quite a beautiful show.

Lilacs
Magnolia

Wilson: While the tulips may just be coming up, they haven’t started to bud yet; but we’ve noticed that poppies are beginning to emerge, ready to show off their pretty paper-like petals soon. Surely that seems like a good sign Spring is really going to arrive despite today’s snowstorm.

Elsa: Well I don’t know about you but I’m going to go back napping and suggest you do the same since we’re gonna be robbed of an hour this weekend We hope everyone has a good Friday and an even better weekend. Don’t forget to “Spring Forward” with the second stupidest day of the year. And for goodness sake, make sure you look for signs of Nature in your neighborhood.

Wilson: Roger that, sister. On my way.

Live, love, bark!  🐾

Nature Friday ~ February 23, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 74 Comments

Hey there sports fans…welcome to this week’s edition of Yippee-Ki-Yay, Mother Nature…

ELSA!!!!

Elsa: What?!

The Mom: Today is Nature Friday and you well know it.

Elsa: Umm, erm…sorry. {Spoken in a dull monotone voice} Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where my little Pony of a brother and I share slices of nature and join our friends from over at Adventures of the LLB Gang. Click on the highlighted link to see what other posts were shared. There, you happy now?

The Mom: That’s better. Now get on with it and stop with going off the reservation. This is a G-rated blog.

Elsa: But Mom…I was just adding a bit of color commentary to start the post off…no harm, no foul.

The Mom: I said, there will not be colorful language like that before and I meant it!

Elsa: Ok, I get it. Why are you so grumpy today, I thought you were feeling better after last week’s reaction to the shingles vaccine.

The Mom: I feel fine, thank you very much. Boy that was some kind of reaction, wasn’t it? {Sarcastically} Can’t wait for the second round.  I’m just glad you guys nursed me back to health. Anyway, like I’ve said before, this is a family friendly blog and you can’t talk like that here. You wanna talk like that, go to Twitter.

Elsa: Yo, Mom, it’s “X” not Twitter.

The Mom:  Nonetheless…this blog is off limits to colloquialisms like that. Got it?

Elsa: Yes, I got it. Sheesh…

Wilson: Hey sorry, I’m late. I was eating breakfast. What did I miss?

Elsa: Mom is having a meltdown about my opening sentence. FYI, we have to dull it down for her tender sensibilities.

Wilson: Hmmm, ok…don’t see why that’s a problem but I’m the new guy so what do I know…don’t answer that.

Elsa: Oh never mind…let’s just get on with it. I got stuff to do today.

Wilson: Stuff? What are you doing later? Can I come, huh, can I?

Elsa: Ugh…little…or in your case, gigantic brothers…are such a pain.

The Mom: Be nice, Elsa. Wils is trying to fit in and you’re making it tough with an attitude like that. Why not show us what we saw this week, without the editorializing, okay?

Elsa: {Sigh} Fine. Now that she’s feeling better, Mom had to make a quick trip to visit my Grandpa’s. She says she never tires of the early morning sunrises. I myself am a bit fonder of sleeping in but whatever floats your boat, right?

Wilson: I didn’t mind, one whit. I mean, the early morning may appeal to humans visually but there are lots of wonderful sniffs a bloke can enjoy while they’re oohing and ahhing at the sunrise. I mean, who doesn’t love a bunny scent??

Elsa: Dude, you need to get a life. Bunny smells at Grandpa’s house is old news.

Wilson: Well it’s still interesting to me. The early morning dew brings out some great smells. Remember, I’m still learning about the flora and fauna in Colorado which is quite different from Missouri.

Elsa: We’re not holding the Missouri thing against you. But after you’ve visited as often as I have, you’ll get used to bunny smells. Maybe even the donkeys that live across the street from Grandpa’s house?

Wilson: Meh…those guys didn’t impress me…I am after all, used to seeing hoofed livestock. We had horses so seeing those guys was no big deal. The traffic however, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.

Elsa: You’re getting better. Just remember to stay next to Mom and she’ll protect you.

Wilson: I’ll try, but blimey, the traffic is so noisy. I get frightened by vehicles.

Elsa: Stick with me kid, you’ll get used to them.

Wilson: I sure hope so.

Elsa: Trust me, you’ll be fine, it just may take a while. But I can promise you this with 100% certainty. Mom will never let anything hurt you. Got it?

Wilson: Thanks, that’s somewhat reassuring. I’ll try to remember that.

Elsa: You got this. The other sight that Mom never gets tired of seeing is the back side of Pikes Peak, particularly when it’s covered in snow on a clear day. You can find out more about this iconic Colorado view here.

Wilson: I’ve begun to notice small signs that Spring is impending. Looks like yellow is the color of the day. I think both of these yellow beauties are varieties of crocuses which are now beginning to bloom.

Elsa: Yeah, you’ll want to not get too close to this tree cholla cactus. It bites back. It’s starting to bloom as well. Mom thought this variety was Cylindropuntia imbricata ssp. imbricata.

Wilson: Stay away…right, got it.

Elsa: Well so much for the flora this week, but we do have a couple of pics of fauna. Mom attended the annual Rocky Mountain Old English Sheepdog Rescue board meeting and saw these guys at the placement director’s home. The rescue is getting closer to being certified with the state. Hurrah! Finally, something that’s your size.

Wilson: I know I’m supposed to do something around those guys but not sure just what exactly that is. Someone said something about herding. I just hope that involves food.

Elsa: Oh for heaven’s sake. Dip into your genetic pool, dude. Yes, you’re a herder (well technically you’re a drover but herding’s close enough). Jeez, do I have to teach you EVERYTHING?

Wilson: Well I’ve led a rather sheltered life but promise I’ll get up to speed soon. {gulp} I hope.

Elsa: Egad, you’re such a mental light-weight. Well, that’s it for this week. Got anything exciting going on? Mom said something about working on taxes but I’m not sure what means and frankly, Scarlet, I don’t really care.

Wilson: Umm, for the record my name is Wilson.

Elsa: I can see this socialization thing is gonna take time. Anyway, whatever you do, we hope you enjoy getting outside and checking out what Nature shares. Have a great weekend!

Wilson: Yes, right-o…a good weekend.

Elsa: Argh…there appears to be an echo these days around the Ranch. It may or may not get amusing. I wonder just how far I can push the envelope.

The Mom: Elsa…be nice.

Elsa: Drat…she wasn’t supposed to hear that last part. Anyway, we sincerely hope the last weekend of February is downright wagnificent! Come on down, Spring…we’re waiting with bated breath on your arrival.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ January 19, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 74 Comments

Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where only three words dominated the landscape. Cold, white and mats. Elsa here joining our favorite Nature Friday ambassadors, Rosy and Sunny, from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Be sure to click on the link to see what others have shared.

Like most of the country, Denver was knee deep in a brutal Arctic blast. Outings were fairly limited due to the extreme windchill factors and Mom’s obsession with getting the new guy de-matted. Every day for a few hours, she’s been removing mats as it’s been increasingly difficult to find a professional groomer to take on this project. If he’d been a pocket sized dog, it wouldn’t have been as much of an issue but because this monster [Mom hollering from the other room…ELSA!] , erm…I mean, big boy…yeah, that’s the ticket…no one was willing to take on the project. Speaking of the bigger than life dude, Mom is fairly sure on a name other than ‘Not Sam’ but will wait until the beginning of the week to commit. I remember she took her sweet time picking my name too and she wants to make sure it reflects his personality. The only thing I can say about ‘he who shall remain nameless’ is that he’s humongous and sometimes thinks Mom is his personal toy and I need to be elsewhere. We still have the occasional and very brief dust up before Mom puts us in time out. WTD? I still don’t know how come I get blamed?

The Mom: Sometimes you both are guilty of a little too long of a look or you startle simultaneously.

Elsa: I can guarantee, HE’S the one who starts it, Mom…well after I thought I’d let him know I was the boss. Didn’t realize he was bigger and stronger than me and not intimidated one bit.

The Mom: You were quite surprised someone stood up to you, weren’t you? I realize you guys will need to work out the details on the pecking order but I think I’ve made it clear, there will be no dust ups over me.

Elsa: Don’t tell me…tell HIM.

The Mom: He’s starting to get the idea and seems to be doing better.

Elsa: Oh sure, he didn’t scare the crap out of you when we both came around the corner in the kitchen at the same time.

The Mom: Yeah, the timing was unfortunate but I really do think he’s getting the hang of things.

Elsa: {grumbling under her breath} Fine, you say puh–tey-toh, I say po-tah-toh.

The Mom: Aww, sweetie, you’ll always be my favorite princess and you need to know I will always protect you. We just need to be a little patient. Not Sam has been through quite a lot over the last 13 days. Remember how I was patient with you when you joined the Ranch?

Elsa: You’re right, I’ll try to be more understanding. You gotta feel badly that he lost his home, his mom and then travelled across 3 states to live in a busy noisy city after living on a quiet 13-acre country farm with his OES pals.

The Mom:  That’s the spirit, Ninja. You guys may never be BFF’s but you’re getting there.

Elsa: So…getting back to the nature part of this post, like I said before, it’s been cold and we had some snow but mostly the week has been about mats. When you took Not Sam for a bath (thank dog for that…man that boy reeked), you took him for a bit of a walk to wear him out before the Chinese water torture session before the bitter cold settled in and if I do say so myself, was a pretty brilliant strategy on your part. So what did he think about the Canadian Geese on the lake?

The Mom:  I think he was pretty overwhelmed with all the new sights, smells and sounds. He’s still startled by auto traffic but he’ll get there.

Elsa: Once it warms up, I’ll show him the ropes around those Canadians. They’re not so tough.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} Uh-huh…sure you will. Why do you think I keep you on short leash around those birds?

Elsa: It’s in your nature to be a helicopter mom?

The Mom: NO!! I’m just trying to protect you. You don’t want tangle with those guys. Trust me.

Elsa: If you say so. They’re cool to watch but I think there are more interesting sights around the lake. Like muskrats and…

The Mom: Umm, no to muskrats or other creepy rodents.

Elsa: Oh man, you’re no fun. Why do we always have to stay on the path and not really get to go exploring for critters when we’re out in nature?

The Mom: It’s for your (and their) safety. Nobody wants to get hurt. When it comes to nature, our motto is “live and let live.”

Elsa: Maybe YOU  think that way. I’m sure I can convince a certain someone that chasing squirrels and bunnies makes for fun times.

Elsa: {continuing} I see you’ve managed to get rid of 90% of his mats removed. After last night’s session where you took care of that left paw and chest, Not Sam is starting to look like a new sheepdog.

The Mom: Yup, he’s completely transformed although the removal of those mats make him look like he’s been chewed on by a pack of mice.

Elsa: Wait…you let him play with mice?

The Mom: No, he’s not allowed to play with mice, his coat however looks like it’s been chewed on by mice. I’m sure once I use the clippers and blending shears when he’s completely de-matted, he’ll look better but it’s been quite the process. I’ve filled several large trash cans with all that fur. And as long as it’s going to be cold, it’s a good way to bond while we’re staying warm on a long winter day.

Elsa: Good point…I’m just grateful you’re not “bonding” with me like that.

The Mom: Trust me, I’d never let you get that bad. I think I’ve removed enough fur to make a couple of sweaters.

Elsa: Umm, I’m rather partial to my fur so you can keep mitts to yourself, ok?

The Mom: {smiling} You got it, sweetie. Just don’t get jealous if I’m spending a few hours a day brushing him and removing the final mats this weekend.

Elsa: Trust me…not a chance. So is it ever going to warm up so that we don’t need to imitate Eskimos with coats and boots?

The Mom: I think we’ll get back into the 40’s starting this weekend and we’ll be able to take proper walks around the ‘Hood. We may even go the lake again to see how birds and other critters are holding up. The Stock Show ends this weekend so I’m sure it’ll start warming up and we can start counting down the days until Spring arrives.

Elsa: Well aren’t you Miss Pollyanna. You know there are bound to be some snowstorms over the next couple of months?

The Mom: Just trying to be optimistic. But yeah…I know, there’ll be snow. So long as there isn’t bitter cold temps, we’ll all be just fine. And I think we’ll start planning a trip to introduce the new guy to your Grandpa. What do you think of that?

Elsa: That’d be great, just so long as he understands he’s MY grandpa!

The Mom: {eyes rolling} Just so long as you remember the phrase…”Be Nice!”

Elsa: Tell him that. So…you guys got any groovy winter plans for this weekend? Whatever you are able to do, just make sure you take in some of the beauty nature offers. Have a grand weekend!

The Mom: I think ‘somebody’ started theirs.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ December 29, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 52 Comments

Welcome to the last Friday of 2023. In many ways, we’re glad to see the end of the year, in other ways, it’s impact firmly holds in place by some of the sadder moments we endured. Either way, 2024 is ready to enter the scene with a fresh clean slate for us, ready or not. As always we’re joining our pals, Rosy and Sunny for their Nature Friday blog. Click on the link to see what other have shared.

Elsa: Well Mom, I don’t know about you, but I’m still tuckered out after Santa Paws managed to drop by despite what Nature delivered. She sure was in a bad mood this past week. But we made it to the end of the year so I guess there’s that. Guess we showed her, huh?

Elsa: {continuing} What began as a forecasted blizzard on Christmas Eve was nothing compared to the one you experienced back in 1982, was it, Mom?

The Mom: Exactly, it didn’t snow as much as back then, but the 50-65 mph winds that came with this storm didn’t exactly make me want to try to drive in it after spending the holiday  with my Dad and family in southeastern Colorado. We stayed a few days longer until the system moved out of the state. After checking the forecast and seeing the mess out there with traffic around Monument Hill (that so called ‘mountain’ pass between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs, elevation 7,352 feet (2,241 m), I decided my cargo, (i.e. you) was just way too precious to risk getting into an accident. Besides, just sitting in traffic with hundreds of other cars didn’t seem like a great way to spend the day after all the warm fuzzies and fun we enjoyed over Christmas with the family. Here’s a traffic cam image we found showing the northbound lane backed up on I-25 after an accident. Miles and miles of cars, just sitting there once the storm began to clear out.

Elsa: Yeah, it was hard enough just going outside to sniff and potty, between the windy conditions and cold, I kept losing track of what I was supposed to do. Hey, did you realize that snow enhances bunny trail scents? That part was awesome but kind of distracted me somewhat.

The Mom: Yeah, don’t remind me about your 4:30 AM wakeup call to go outside on Christmas Eve in the dark and then you deciding it would be a good idea to sniff around a while for heaven only knows what.

Elsa: Heh, heh…so you weren’t too appreciative of my Goldilocks imitation? {in a sing songy voice} “This spot is too hard, this spot is too soft, this spot is…”)

The Mom: {interrupting} Please. don’t. remind. me. I was hoping you’d quickly do your thing so we could get back inside since I hadn’t put my gloves on and was rather surprised you dallied so long sniffing around thereby forgetting what you were supposed to do.

Elsa: Maybe that’ll teach you for trimming my furs…still you should know by now, pottying is a serious endeavor for me. It has to be just the right place in order for me to move ahead and get straight down to business.

The Mom: I’m keenly aware of how you…ahem…shall we just say, are a bit ‘discerning’ as to where you ‘go.’

Elsa: Just because where you go may not be as important; it is for us dogs, since ours had lots of info for everyone who follows and read our pawprints. So if you’d be so kind as to lighten up, I’d be grateful.

The Mom: Umm, remember that you’re a poodle, not a Bloodhound and your name is NOT Sherlock Bones.

Elsa: Pfft, as if that matters. And for the record, my nose is as good as ANY hound, blood or otherwise.

The Mom: I see we’re going to wrap up the end of the year once again with agreeing to disagree. Which, when you think about it, is like every year I suppose.

Elsa: Yeah…well, it’s not a problem for me-so you’d might want  to adopt a similar approach, it might help lower your blood pressure…just chill out, Mom. Besides, you only took one nature photo this week to share, although it was an ok one, all things considered. I do like how the sunrise pointed to Rudolph on the flag.

The Mom: Just so everyone knows, you weren’t all that keen on wanting to wander around outside while the wind was blowing snow sideways. It sure beat the images we found off the ‘Net regarding the storm {shiver}. Besides, Pikes Peak and all the other nearby landmarks were completely covered in thick cloud cover, and walks searching for critters or wide open landscapes were out of the question, what with the windchill and all. I think everyone, uprights and wildlife alike,  hunkered down where they lived. Even the donkeys were huddled together in their barn and I could barely see them anyway. Check out these videos showing coverage from a Denver news station as well as one from a Colorado Springs station (with apologies for the ads, sheesh do news stations ever post anything these days without ads that seem to last longer than their stories?). The reporter from the Springs station might be looking for a TV series because he goes on for a long time reading updates from viewers, going on for about 10 minutes yet the ice was real.

https://www.9news.com/embeds/video/responsive/73-c1806c76-2711-456a-8c2b-ca6314002eb1/iframe

Elsa: Mmm…you got me there. Let’s end this year with lots of gratitude for all our readers and wishing them a pawsome New Year. We hope 2024 will be bright, prosperous and filled with much happiness.

The Mom: Nicely put, Ninja. May your New Year be a wondrous adventure shared with friends and family and especially filled with loads of snuggles, cuddles or purrs with your fur baby(ies).

Elsa: Happy New Year. Don’t forget to check out what Nature offers-you just never know when you’ll see something nicely highlighted. Stay warm.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ December 22, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 57 Comments

Welcome to the first full day of Winter following yesterday’s Solstice. While the days are short, and in this season, it’s easy to get your tinsel in a tangle, but it’s also a magical time of year with ‘Santa Paws’ arriving in just a few days. As always we’re joining Rosy and Sunny at Adventures of the LLB Gang. This week I’m actually going to share real life nature photos. Elsa here and just so you know, I made an important editorial decision today. No more stupid inflatables or weird Santa skeletons for the rest of the year. You’re welcome. For the past couple of weeks, the Ranch had been going to the dogs naturewise, showing some ridiculous pics. Today I’m going to show you how to really go to the dogs…wolves that is. In exciting news this week, the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife (CPW) released the first group of wolves in accordance with a 2020 voter mandated reintroduction in Colorado now that all the legal challenges were resolved by a federal court last week. So let’s get started, shall we?

Elsa: On Monday, the CPW seemed to take pity on me by sharing this video showing the release of the 5 grey wolves (3 males and two females). They were released in an undisclosed area on public lands in Grand County. There had been multiple legal challenges filed by various Western Slope groups, including The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and the Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association who had lost their final court challenge on December 16th. Judge Regina Rodriguez said that while ranchers’ concerns were understandable, their complaints were insufficient “for this court to grant the extraordinary relief they seek.” She added that pausing the reintroduction process would be against public interest since a majority of voters (albeit a slim one) passed Proposition 114 back in 2020, requiring the reintroduction. On Monday, the wolves were released with a pleased governor and about 45 guests watching as they ran to a nearby forested area. There is no audio to this video (but at least there aren’t any annoying ads either). I heard that one of the wolves looked back at the peeps before high-tailing it into the trees. Aren’t they just magnificent?

The Mom: Umm yeah, I realize I haven’t been my best lately when it comes to sharing Nature pics so I’m glad you took initiative with this week’s Nature Friday edition, although the truth of the matter regarding the timing was simply coincidental. In reality, this hot-button issue had been mandated by the voters when Proposition 114 was passed in 2020, with rural communities staunchly opposed to the reintroduction plan, complaining it wasn’t fair to them since Front Range cities carried the proposal over the rural Western Slope residents’ criticisms. Their complaint was they would be impacted more by the presence of this top-tier predator than city slickers. Between 30-50 wolves will be sourced from multiple northern Rocky Mountain states, then reintroduced over a 3-5 year period with CPW partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department according to their plan for reintroduction. Monday’s wolves had been captured, health checked and fitted with radio colors only a few days before they were released in Colorado.

Wolf stock image, courtesy of David Parsons

Elsa: Whoa…talk about impressive. I heard the largest was 108 lbs…so what’s their usual habitat range?

The Mom: Scientists suggest on average that it’s around 50 miles but it can range anywhere from 22 to 140 miles, so they won’t be released within 60 miles of the state border. The wolves were released in an undisclosed area that has a large deer and elk population. Officials are hoping they won’t be a risk to livestock, thus hopefully alleviating rancher concerns.

Elsa: Hmm, I seriously doubt that ranchers will still be fuming. Wolves have been villainized forever. Didn’t wolves use to live in Colorado before?

The Mom: Yes, they did but it was a long time ago. Wolves were extirpated decades ago by ranchers and hunters although a few have migrated from Wyoming over the years but CPW basically thinks that effectively there haven’t been any since the 1940’s. There’s always been such a fear of wolves so this reintroduction was heavily debated. To assuage rancher concerns, according to the CPW’s website…

All released wolves will be monitored using satellite GPS collars, which will inform managers on survival and dispersal, as well as future release protocols. As packs establish, effort will be made to collar at least one member of each pack with emphasis on breeding adults. The desired standard will be to have two collars in each pack; whether this is achievable for every pack in the state will be determined following reintroduction (emphasis added).

Elsa: Sounds like the CPW is going to keep a close eye on them. Say, didn’t your daughter visit a wolf sanctuary several years ago in a private photography session that allowed her to be right in their enclosures with them?

The Mom: Indeed she did. It was a surprise birthday gift from her husband and one of the most amazing experiences she’s ever had. Just check out some of their images from their gallery of these magnificent creatures.

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Elsa:  Wow, how cool that she could go inside the enclosures and be among those amazing creatures! Now this, is what I call nature, Mom.

The Mom: It sure is and she was thrilled beyond words to be able to spend an entire day taking it all in. She’s always had a spiritual connection to wolves.

Elsa: Pretty doggone cool, Mom. So what’s shakin’ for Santa Paws’ arrival? Are we going to spend the holiday with my Grandpa?

The Mom: We sure are, should be another wonderful get-together with several family members. Christmas was Mom’s birthday so we’ll all be thinking of her and raising a glass to toast her memory.

Elsa: So dear readers, what are your plans for Christmas. I’ve been good being a relative term good so I’m sure ‘Santa Paws’ will leave me some nice gifts. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

The Mom: However you spend the holiday, Elsa and I wish you a day filled with magic, peace and joy and we hope you are able to enjoy slices of Nature’s beauty this next week. Can you believe it, 2024 is just around the corner?

Elsa: Good heavens…now that IS rather unbelievable. Best wishes from me and Mom. We ‘woof’ you a very Merry Christmas.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ December 15, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 45 Comments

Well, well, well…sports fans…another Friday is here so now we’re just 10 days from Santa Paws’ arrival. Elsa here ready to share a few (and by a few, I do mean few…my editorial staff photographer has been busy with Christmas preparations and hasn’t taken too many pics lately-I dunno know…seems like a lame excuse to me). And those she did take should probably be taken with a grain of salt as “nature” shots. Her idea of nature and mine are clearly different. Anyway for the record Santa, in case you’re listening…I’ve been good. Oh alright, let’s get real here, I tried real hard-that’s gotta count, right? But I can guarantee I was stellar during this year’s Christmas photo shoot as you can see above. Lots of different hats were plunked on my head and I grimaced grinned with a whole lotta grace, if I do say so myself. Course the tasty treats were a nice incentive-thanks Mom. As always we’re joining our pals, Rosy and Sunny. Click on their link to see what others have shared.

The Mom: You’re most welcome, Ninja. I can attest that you were pretty patient while I snapped a bunch of various shots. I was quite shocked that you were as good as you were and for so long. Well done, Elsa.

Elsa: Hey, I’m a professional…I don’t do bad work. Now, let’s get to sharing some of your teensy slices of nature this week, shall we?

The Mom: I know, I know…not enough photos in your opinion. In my defense, I’ve been baking up a storm and making tasty goodies for family and friends. The kitchen resembles a FEMA disaster area and yet I noticed you didn’t mind the hours of preparation of the jerky I made for your Grandpa when you were offered a little slice of meat when I was cutting it up.

Elsa: Yeah, that stuff was the bomb Mom, before you began marinating it and sticking it in the dehydrator. How come you don’t make some of that for me?

The Mom: Au contraire little one…I’ve made you some jerky a number of times. Marinated meat just isn’t good for your system but sweet potatoes are. Did you forget about?

Elsa: Oh yeah…oops. Moving along…so what have you got that says nature, eh?

The Mom: It’s been pretty chilly this week with a bit of snow almost every day but there was one morning when it was clear. I found these ‘critters’ on our walk and I noticed you were kind of inquisitive but then lost interest fairly quickly when a squirrel boogied in front of us.

Elsa: Umm, hate to break it to you but those are not real critters.

The Mom: Technically speaking you’re right, but I still thought they were interesting in the city landscape.

Elsa: Yeah if you’re into inflatables. I prefer real live critters. This is not very ‘nature-y’ by the way.

The Mom: Ok, how about these guys…are they nature-y enough for you?

Elsa: Now we’re talking. But did you notice they just were laying around…looking for handouts. What a bunch of lazy bums.

The Mom: Hey now, that’s not very much in keeping with the Christmas spirit. You can’t fault them for trying to keep warm and have a little rest, now can you? Besides, everyone can use nap after flying around the city while foraging for some food.

Elsa: Erm…I suppose you’re right {looking around to see if Santa was watching}. Sorry ’bout that. I guess I do the same thing when you’re cooking…lay in the middle of the kitchen near you hoping you’ll share a morsel or two. You’ve commented more than once on my “please sir, can I have another,” look.

The Mom: Oh Elsa, you crack me up. Yes, you do a very right pitiful look from the movie, “Oliver!”

Elsa: I guess you have a couple more non-nature-y pics you expect me to share.

The Mom: {sigh} Yes, I do as a matter of fact. It was busy and I only got out for short jaunts to the grocery store. There wasn’t much nature to check out but people are being creative with their holiday decor, you’ve got to admit.

Elsa:  Again with the lazy…why couldn’t these people just take their skellie down and pack it away until next year?

The Mom: I dunno…it seemed clever to me. If I had to schlep a 12 ft. skeleton out and set it up, I’d want to make the most of decorating it beyond Halloween too. It’s called maximination of their efforts.

Elsa: Man, you uprights are too weird. And then what’s the deal with this ‘sculpture’ that’s around the corner from us that’s been plastered onto the porch foundation?

The Mom: I’ve scratched my head on that one since I moved here. It’s a weird sculpture but this year they stuck a Santa hat over the extremely bizzare face and called the outside decorations done.

Elsa: First time I saw that, it creeped me out. So odd. But I guess they’re trying to get in the festive mood so props for being creative.

The Mom: That’s very generous of you. What did you think of this gingerbread guy?

Elsa: Meh…I prefer it when the kids are playing in the tree house.

The Mom: It seemed original to me decor-wise…but I can see where one might not make the connection to nature. Well that’s all I got for you.

Elsa: Probably just as well. I’m gonna go with this final thought and leave it to my readers.

The Mom: Good way to close, Ninja. We hope you have a great weekend and be sure to “question Nature…she’ll provide whatever answers you’re looking for.’ Have a terrific weekend and stay warm.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ December 1, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 57 Comments

🎵 Oh give me a home…where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play…🎶…oh, hi,ya remember me? Elsa here and after a long time away, I’m back from the Thanksgiving Day break visiting Mom’s Dad in Southern Colorado. It wasn’t intended to be  extended but Mom was  kinda stranded with poor cell phone coverage and no Wi-Fi. I don’t know what Wi-Fi is but it spun my Mom into a real tizzy. She’s not a techno-wizard type and really had a hard time dealing with all the behind-the-scenes machinations of getting everything back to normal and restoring the network so to say she was stressed out was an understatement, but I came to her rescue providing just the kind of Ninja support she needed…but no I didn’t chew anything up. After working 87 hours and a few days on getting the network up and running with lots of crossed paws…we think everything is ok. We’ll be talking with Grandpa later this morning to make sure nothing fell through the cracks.

So here we are, the first Friday of December and that means we’re going to some views of Mother Nature from the past week or so. As always, we’re joining our friends, Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard to share photos from Nature this week from time spent in southeast Colorado over the holiday. You ready for this?

Before Mom went to PW, she saw a rare sight in late November-a butterfly on a walk before the weather turned cold. It startled her when it popped up but true to its nature, stayed fairly low to the ground and hung out on the fallen leaves. They’re super skittish and didn’t linger long before flying away.

Mostly likely an Orange Sulphur Butterfly

A rare November snow storm hit Pueblo West on Thanksgiving while the extended family gnawed on turkey, ham and all the trimmings. Mom’s sister and her family drove up from Texas and her grandkids enjoyed the little snow that Nature kindly provided. The adults weren’t quite as enamoured as the kids were, but everyone enjoyed being together, eating, laughing, playing games, watching football and yes eating again. Talk about a food coma!

A super tiny and rarely sighted snowman on the prairie in November

Mom can’t stop gawping on and on about the view of Pikes Peak, the prairie and sunrises. She never gets tired of seeing one of Colorado’s most famous peaks. On the other hand, I’m happy to sniff for bunnies when I’m there, but it’s more like I can take it or leave it. Mom says I’m missing out on all the teeming wildlife. I keep telling her unless she’s actually letting me chase a bunny or two or better, prairie dogs instead of watching sunrises and wide open spaces, I’m more…meh.

Snow on Pikes Peak before storm hit the plains
Early morning sunrise
Sunrise on Pikes Peak
Pink sunrise to the east

Mom says she could watch the sunrise every morning and always takes a jillion pics as it goes from intense colors to pale as the sun rises. She raves about those pink and orange skies. I, on the other hand, am more interest in seeing prairie dogs, bunnies, deer and antelope. Talk about curious creatures. Those prairie dogs stay well away from the ‘jaws of death’ and as soon as they see me, they scurry their chunky bodies down into their burrows. I’m surprised they can fit. Those were the chubbiest prairie dogs Mom’s ever seen. Guess with the rain this summer, the grass was in abundance. I told Mom it wasn’t fair they’ve been celebrating Thanksgiving for months if their  little chubby tummies were any indication. This guy is hard to see as he was pretty far away and Mom only had her cell phone with which to capture him so sorry for the crummy pic. They don’t pose for long before diving into those light tan burrow mounds.

Even deer avoid getting close, preferring to stay far enough away from humans and dogs. That said, sometimes they come close to the road in evening hours and end up paying for it. Nature is nothing, if not cruel.

White-tailed deer in distancer
White-tailed deer skeleton next to the road

Still don’t know why she wouldn’t let me have that antler. I could have chewed on that puppy for ages.

On a morning walk before the snowstorm, Mom captured the Spanish peaks far to the south. Usually they’re pretty pale bumps from Grandpa’s house since they are over 102 miles way to the south of Pueblo West even though they range in height from 13,623 feet (4,152 m), to 12,708 feet (3,873 m).

Spanish Peaks with Greenhorn Mountain on the right

We’re waiting for a couple of new fronts this weekend that will likely include a flurry or two. Seems like a good time to stay inside and may pull out some holiday decorations. This is the time of year where the house is filled with the scent of hot cocoa and evergreen boughs. Whatever you do, we hope you have a lovely weekend and spot some scenes from Nature. Stay safe and warm.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

 

Nature Friday ~ November 17, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments

Hey yo…sports fans…it’s me…Elsa. How the heck are you? Mom and I have been visiting my Grandpa in southern Colorado this week and well…life kinda took a bad turn but we think things are under control now. Whew! We weren’t able to do much in the photographic department but Mom took a few scenes of autumn on the prairie that I wanted to share.

The Mom: So little miss…what do you have this week?

Elsa: Well I wanted to show everyone what autumn looks like on the prairie. It was breezy but the wind behaves differently in southern Colorado.

The Mom: Well it does tend to ‘move things’ around like leaves, tumbleweeds, but because it’s so wide open at Dad’s house, raking is a lot different than in the city.

Elsa: You got that right! The wind messes with my Sherlock Holmes nose and I had mega problems picking up bunny scents. I did manage to find all the presents that the neighbor’s horse left on the ground.

The Mom: {interrupting} ahem…and yes, we don’t need to get into how you tried to enjoy snacking on them, either.

Elsa: Yeah, I was disappointed. When I managed to almost, so-close nosh on one, I wasn’t keen on you’re quick yank on my leash, dragging me back on the road.

The Mom: No need to tempt the gods with an upset digestive system, yanno.

Elsa: Aww, man, you are always harshing on my fun.

The Mom: Just trying to keep you save, sweetie.

Elsa:  More like being a control freak. But I digress.

The Mom: So what caught your eye on this trip?

Elsa: Well I’m gonna tell you, this wheel thing sure had me do a double take. You uprights…you throw the weirdest things in your gardens.

The Mom: Well, I thought it was kinda cool if you’re into sort of thing. Nothing like an old wagon wheel-axle to bring the West to a garden.

Elsa: Umm…weird, Mom, just weird. This ain’t the O.K. Corral, okay!

The Mom: Art is in the eye of the beholder, toots.

Elsa: {head shaking} Guess I guess we just have to agree to disagree. Anyway, we probably should move on. One thing about the prairie that I like is how wide open the vista is. As far as the eye can see, there’s stuff to check out along the horizon. I noticed you neglected to include Pikes Peak (which was off to the far right) in your photo.

The Mom: I thought I had it but clearly not. Too bad, too. There was a touch of snow on the back side that people who drive south on I-25 never get to see. But at least that ancient piñon tree stands out.

Elsa: That it does. I was disappointed we didn’t see any antelope. Talk about weird. They stand out on the plains and just blink and stare. Why won’t they come closer like the donkeys do?

The Mom: Well they’re just being cautious around potential predators.

Elsa: {beaming with pride} Huh…so I’m considered a potential predator, eh? Well, color me proud!

The Mom: Umm, that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Elsa: It is when you’re a Ninja. People respect you.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} One thing about life on the prairie is the sunrises are pretty spectacular. The orange light can wake a person up from a sound sleep.

Elsa: It was pretty bright. But very cool…it allowed me to look for bunnies first thing in the morning in the early morning light.

The Mom: Yeah, all that sniffing for bunnies in the ‘crisp’ early morning light isn’t really taking care of the business at hand, if you know what I mean.

Elsa:  Hey, a girl’s gotta explore. You said it yourself…us dogs process our world through our noses and if I go a little bit off the reservation, that’s called enrichment.

The Mom: Enrichment, eh? Guess I need to make a note to myself to be bundled up while you’re enriching yourself.

Elsa: Well duh, Mom! Sheesh, that goes without saying. Think of it like the Boy Scouts do. Be prepared.

The Mom: O-kay. Got it. {eyes rolling again}

Elsa: Hey! I see you rolling your eyes…again. That’s kinda rude, Mom.

The Mom: Umm, er…sorry.  So what else do you have?

Elsa: Clever deflection, Mom. At times, you actually think like me. Well, we always walk past this neighbor’s house when we visit my Grandpa and this was the first time I actually got to investigate the rabbit brush. I could tell lots of bunnies hide out in it. But where the heck were they when we walked by? I mean, you know I’m a good hunter and I saw bupkis. That’s no bueno, Mom.

The Mom: I’m sure you’ll see them again soon. We are headed down to see Grandpa again for Thanksgiving.

Elsa: {excitedly} Ooh, can’t wait. Maybe I’ll even see a bunny in the yucca plants. The flowers have gone to seed and I’ll bet they eat those black seeds.

The Mom: Maybe. I’ve never have seen one close by. No doubt those stiff spines tend to protect them. I’m sure the birds are more interested than the rabbits.

Elsa:  One thing about the prairie this time of year, it’s sure full of various shades of brown at first look. But when you’re ace hunter with a killer nose like me, you notice all the tawny shades. You uprights would do well to notice nuances like that. Too bad you don’t have excellent sniffers.

The Mom: That’s true, we tend to be more visual. But there are lots of shades in the brown family on the prairie right now. This snakeweed for instance was gloriously orangey with tones of brown. It was everywhere and the spent flowers stuck to your legs and my socks like Velcro.

Elsa: Yeah, I had to ‘evacuate’ those pesky stickery things with my teeth. Next time maybe I’ll let you brush me after our walk.

The Mom: Wait…what? You’d actually let me brush you without a fight? I know you’re not all that keen on brushing.

Elsa: Well I know you at least have my best interests at heart. How about we take a “let’s wait and see” approach?

The Mom: Uh-huh…that’s what I thought. Just remember it’s for your own good.

Elsa: Yeah, you keep telling me that. Well that’s all I got this week. I know you got stuff to take care of this morning so how about we tell folks to have a good weekend and be sure to get outside and enjoy autumn…wherever they are.

The Mom: Sounds like a plan. I agree with Elsa…be sure to enjoy the weekend and enjoy the beauty of Nature in autumn, wherever you are.

Elsa: Hey, I’m supposed to have the last word. Have a ‘wagnificent’ weekend. And don’t forget to click on the link to see what everyone else shared about Nature on the website of the LLB gang. And say hi to Rosy and Sunny from me.

Live, love, bark! 🐾