We hope all the moms out there had a lovely Mother’s Day and were sufficiently pampered by their families. Mother’s Day is thought to be that magic time when the threat of frost has passed and it’s safe to plant annuals. Around the Ranch, I now wait until after Mother’s Day, as snow has arrived in May a number of times over a number of past years in the Mile High city. This year on Mother’s Day, we were lucky with only rain all day (yay…color me happy). Lovely, soft rain which will boost awakening perennials and is so much better than the planned supplemental watering that was scheduled.
Today’s musing from the Carroll County Vet Clinic signage vault, reminded me of the quandary gardeners face all the time in the Rocky Mountain region.
We hope you and your plants are happy and this week holds loads of promise in the garden. Happy Monday.
Four months ago today, a certain House Pony arrived at the Ranch by way of a foster agreement with the Red River Old English Sheepdog Rescue. That Pony, now known as Wilson, was later officially adopted and has become a larger than life Ranch hand. He continues to adapt to city life. One thing for certain though, he is decidedly not a fan of the Sciuridae family of rodents, otherwise known as squirrels. It only seems appropriate that we share today’s ‘public service announcement’ from the National Park Service while smiling. Squirrels vex Wils. His strong commitment to ridding the world of these vexing critters is front and center as he continues to adapt to city life, coincides with his ability to turn me into a kite. Yet his efforts to combat their judgy ways remains thwarted.
Happy last Monday of April, 2024. We’ve returned to gorgeous Spring weather and are looking forward to spending the next few days with out-of-state family who are visiting Colorado. Nice weather on the patio will make the get together that much more fun.
But first before we hit the road, we need to take a moment to share today’s smile. Since Elsa’s last surgery, her nose woke up dramatically so when I saw this cartoon, it made me think of how she’s seems to have become more of a Bloodhound than a Spoo on the walks. Before finding this epiphany, she was an all business kind of girl, finding the absolute right spot (which often took at least 90 seconds of walking in a circle to find the exact perfect spot) before she would potty. I always get a kick out of how male dogs and female dogs differ in this regard. I often think Wilson could pee anywhere, whereas the location is critical to Elsa’s way of thinking, er sniffing. For her it now takes several minutes checking out all the ‘messages’ left, scanning the landscape for ripe spots, determining who replied, what and how they communicated their presence and goodness only knows what else. It does however brighten my day knowing she’s exploring her environment through sniffing and I welcome it. Most people rush their good dog’s walk, but they really should embrace it. It quiets dog’s minds and makes it more enjoyable for everyone on the trail.
Whatever you do today, we hope you take time to, at least metaphorically, smell the roses and let your dog do likewise (though I doubt it’ll be roses they’re sniffing). Happy Monday.
Happy Earth Day. Let’s begin today’s nod to Earth Day with a compilation of numerous videos from CBS’s Walter Conkrite on the first Earth Day from around the country, which contained a reference to Denver’s smoggy skies in the first segment. Going to school in a small southern Colorado community, I was somewhat sheltered from Denver’s air quality notoriety at the time and found was surprised the state capitol was specifically singled out. It speaks volumes of how important the issue was and continues to be featured in the news, especially with the extreme weather patterns we are experiencing across the globe.
The original idea of bringing attention to the environment came from Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wyoming following a 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Sen. Nelson who enlisted the help of a young activist, Denis Hayes, had growing concerns for the environment following Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring which was gaining attention among environmental groups and wanted a unified cause to provide a way for disparate groups find a way to join together and bring information and education to people on the impact of pesticides were on farm workers and the environment.
The first Earth Day saw approximately 20 million people participate, many using the day to clean up streets in their neighborhoods. New York’s Earth Day parade shut down Fifth Ave. Later that year, The Environmental Protection Agency was created by then president, Richard Nixon. A condensed timeline can be found at the EPA’s website. Earth Day went global in 1990 and is now recognized around the world.
As you begin this week, I hope you take some time to look at your immediate environment and do something to improve it even if it’s just picking up trash or something a bit more lasting like not using plastic bags. January 2024 saw Colorado ban plastic bags from large retail stores as well as prohibiting restaurants and retail food establishments from using Styrofoam takeout containers.
Although today’s post is of a serious nature, we still want to end it with a small smile and hope it prompts you to do whatever you can to help this growing problem. Semper Fido.
In case you somehow missed it, today is the deadline to file your income taxes in the U.S. While you may file an extension, you still need to include any payment of any taxes owed with the extension. Can anyone explain the point of doing that?
Luckily, the Ranch Hands filed theirs last month, quickly received a refund and then immediately signed it over to the vet {grimace}.
While I’d have loved to file this form with our return, I’m not sure Uncle Sam would have found it as humorous as I did. No offense, but I often have wondered if having no sense of humor was a hard requirement for all employees who work for the IRS. With the 2017 revision of the tax code, itemization seems to have become a relic of the past.
Despite today’s deadline, we still hope you are able to tackle today…lo the entire week, with loads of humor and grace. It’s a gorgeous spring day here in the 303-we hope you are able to make it yours wherever you are. Happy Monday.
Happy Monday, peeps. Hard to believe it’s been 3 months since a certain sheepdog joined our Bunk House. Wilson’s personality continues to unfold, much like the springtime flowers here. He’s still a work in progress but hasn’t started remodeling the house. Yet. Although I’m sure if it crossed his imagination, he’d have a treat and food dispenser installed that would be activated by a well-placed, gigantic paw doling out snacks.
Welcome to Easter Monday, which also happens to be April Fool’s Day. Before we share today’s musing, I want to wish my baby sister an extra special and Happy Birthday. That’s no joke either. Now, on to today’s smile.
It never fails…if there’s something on the stove, he take up position here. If something is needed from the fridge, he’s parked in front of the freezer. It’s no wonder I’m not an especially good cook. There’s clearly a ‘slight’ design flaw to working with a sous chef in a galley kitchen. And in my case, the sous chef is called Wilson. No wonder things are either over or under cooked. Maybe I should just go with boxed cereal for meals like I did in college?
May all your recipes be Top Chef quality today and all season long. Hopefully he won’t lay in front of the pantry so I can grab the spices needed for that pot of chili simmering on the stove top. Happy Monday.
Well this here little ‘sunbeam’ just shoveled 6 inches of snow off the sidewalks-yay spring. A spot of ‘motivation’ right now will be most welcomed and appreciated. Happy Monday.
After nearly a foot of white stuff fell a few days ago, it’s quite remarkable so much has already melted. What a feeling when you see beautiful emerald green grass emerging from all that white. Spring storms are simply fabulous for the urban landscape.
Wishing you a week filled with loads of sunbeam therapy. Happy Monday.
It’s that time of the year where (1) everyone is Irish and (2) there’s hope that I will be successful in capturing a couple of ‘Irish themed’ pics with the Ranch Hands . Wilson is pretty chill about being dressed up…whereas Elsa took one look at my box of hats and flatly said, “NOT A CHANCE IN THIS LIFETIME.” Sigh. Luckily I found this cartoon for a seasonal smile and will see if there’s anything that might change her mind between now and March 17th. Wish me luck. Wishing you a terrific Monday and week.
