Category: Mother Nature

Nature Friday ~ November 6, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 6 Comments
Pumpkin - skellie
Dog skellie imitating squirrel behavior

Happy first Friday of November. There are now 48 days left until Christmas arrives which means there are 55 days left in the year. We don’t know if you’ve recovered from this week’s mid-term election but one thing is certain, we can presume not one person in the U.S. is missing the constant barrage of political ads. The energy in the country seems almost peaceful, though we know there will be strife as each side tries to foist its power base on everyone. Hang on to your knickers but savor this pause in the process. We can only hope that both sides calm down and ease up on the rhetoric so that the country may begin the process of healing to create goodwill toward all and make peace the center of those efforts. We don’t know about you, but we’re exhausted at all the vitriol that has become the norm.

Wilson here. Enough about politics now. Let’s see what kind of scenes from Mother Nature we found this week. The weather has been exquisite. Perfect autumn days have been the norm with comfortable temps during the day and crisp temps at night have combined to make conditions absolutely splendid. We’re looking forward to the next week of clear blue skies and golden light as leaves are dropping at a rapid pace. As always we’re joining those pups from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Make sure you check out what others have shared by clicking on the link.

Wilson: We had an unexpected visitor a couple of days ago. If you’re easily creeped out, you might want to skip this portion. Mum was busy doing mum kind of things when she looked outside and saw a dark grey critter laying on the sidewalk. What the devil is THAT, she asked?  I was more than happy to check it out but she was adamant that I not get anywhere near it. We don’t know what happened to it and she didn’t want to risk my well being. Dawning latex gloves and keeping a paper towel shroud close, she went to investigate it up close. She couldn’t see any obvious signs of injury and could only speculate. Mum kindly gave this poor baby a dignified funeral behind our house. I named him Harold and reverently bowed my head while she was disposing it. We have owls in the neighborhood and it could have been a victim who fell from a death gripe. The owls in our neighborhood are notoriously elusive and probably not inclined to circle around and pick it back up. Then again, it just may have been its time. At any rate, Mum did the kind and respectful thing. The circle of life can be hard on nature lovers.

Norway rat
Rest in peace, Harold

The Mum: It was quite strange to find ‘Harold’ mid-morning. I have a good view of the front garden area where he was and saw nothing that might explain what happened to him but first saw it when I took out some recyclables to the garage. Then a few minutes later the neighbor kids were huddled around it. At first glance, I thought it could have been a muskrat from the canal but Sherlock Google said it was more likely a a common Norway rat. With the influx of new homeowners settling into our neighborhood, we suspect we may see more displaced critters like this. At any rate, we’ll keep our eyes open for burrowing in the mulch and other obvious signs.

Wilson: Never fear, Mum, I’ll be on high alert. I’m already getting quite adept on the bunny watch thing. Those little buggers are becoming quite plentiful. I see them nearly every night on my especially on the last evening airing. I keep thinking they’re squirrels but then realize they’re ‘just’ bunnies and for me not to get overly excited. They never stick around long enough for me to properly introduce myself and let them know I’m completely harmless but I guess they don’t want to risk any encounters. I’ll keep trying though.

The Mum: I’m sure you will. Hopefully you’ll get less interested in trying to arrange those up-close encounters. So what else did you find this week?

Wilson: Well, just take a gander at this cottonwood tree that lives behind our house. The early morning light highlighted how beautiful autumn is this time of year.The sky was ablaze with bright oranges and pinks. Everything seems to glow at this time of year.Sunrise

Sunrisew

The Mum: It truly was a spectacular sunrise this morning. While you were busy noshing on breakfast, I took a quick walk around and was in awe of the beautiful sunrise. What a great way to start the day!

Wilson: Well that’s it from us. We hope you have a wonderful weekend and are able to get outside and experience this beautiful time of year, first hand. Any special plans?

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 30, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 56 Comments

Wilson - HalloweenWelcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join the pups from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Be sure to click on the link to see what others have shared. Wilson here. I gave Mum the day off-she’s been extra busy lately so I told her I’d take care of this. Anywho…today is Halloween Eve. I sure hope no goblins or ghosts try to frighten me.

You may remember I mentioned we actually received some rain at the beginning of the week. Like a lot…close to .three fourths of an inches of wet stuff. Mum was over the moon about it…I on the other hand was far less pleased. But if it makes her happy, who am I to deny her. But I’m glad this week has since been dry but heard our weekend forecast is calling for snow for the mountains and most likely rain at the lower elevations. I just hope it isn’t too bad. Besides not being a favorite of mine, all that moisture will dramatically impact the remaining leaves that are just barely hanging on after months of heat turning most of them in our neighborhood into crunchy facsimiles of their usual selves. The slightest breeze makes them fall onto the ground. It all seems rather sad to see it go. But the weirdest part of the rain was we experienced a major fog that moved in when the rain stopped. Fog is not something we see very often so I had to ask myself, “yo mate, what is this thing called fog.” Fog is basically a cloud that resembles stratus clouds and is shaped by nearby bodies of water, topography, and wind conditions. So fog is simply a low-laying cloud that’s made of tiny water droplets that are suspended near the earth that reduces visibility.

But I needed to know more about fog. I mean, just how does this mysterious cloud form? Fog can form when the surrounding air cools to the temperature where the air becomes completely saturated with water vapor dew. Suffice to say fog is strange and often forms on clear, calm, cool nights when heat escapes the ground and chills the air right above the ground’s surface. I had gone out around 1:30 AM and it was barely sprinkling when we got up at 5:30 AM. Once the rain stopped, fog began to form. I don’t know if it was the rain or the fog that made everything smell amazing. Gosh…if I’d known how wonderful everything was going to smell I might not have been so reluctant to check it out. My walk was an olfactory bonanza,

Fog

It took a while before the fog burned off but it sure was interesting along the creek trail.

Fog

The fog was naturally the thickest along the creek and the air was heavy with moisture, almost like a mist. All I could think of was the famous Carl Sandburg poem, “Fog.” I know cats are very quiet on their feet and that poem compares the quiet arrival and departure of fog to a cat’s movements. 

Fog

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Cats notwithstanding, the air was heavy with moisture and almost felt like a mist. Is there a difference between fog and mist? Both have suspended water droplets, but fog has limited horizontal visibility, whereas mist allows for greater visibility.
Fog
It was somewhat surreal but timely, considering this is Halloween week. And speaking of Halloween week, Mum was recently out running errands and decided to swing by our old neighborhood to see if the gigantic skeletons were displayed. She was pretty happy to see they were and chuckled at the red carpet movie premiere scene.
Halloween skellies
I’m hoping Mum doesn’t get any crazy ideas about dressing me up in some bizarre costume. Are you dressing up? Mum told me people dress up and go trick or treating. Hmmm, maybe I should rethink this costume thing if treats are involved. Whatever you do, we hope you have a lovely Halloween weekend and are able to get outside to see all the beauty nature shares with us this time of year.
Nature
Live, love, bark! 🐾

Monday Musings ~ October 26, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 61 Comments

Well, well, well…welcome to the last week of October. Goodness gracious…I blinked and first September and now October, have flashed by in a heartbeat. We’re finally receiving some long awaited rain (it’s been raining since 1 AM this morning). Southwest Colorado has been flooding for the past three days but we only received cooler temps. Yesterday’s low was 36F (2.2C) with a high of the mid-50’sF (13.3C). It feels good entering sweater weather finally. Poor Wilson looked at me when we walked outside for the early morning bathroom break like I was insane. He immediately dropped down to a prone position once outside but think the umbrella intimidated him more than the threat of being wet. Even his favorite potty spot didn’t speed up his process. He just stood there with his head hanging low, looking pitiful. I was finally able to encourage him enough to start his day and then he happily raced back to the house for the comfort of his dry bed where he’s now snoozing after enjoying a tasty breakfast. Our morning walk should be ‘interesting.’ Wish us luck.

Anyway, let’s start this week with a little smile. We found another sign from our friend, Vince The Sign Guy and hope you enjoy it.

Monday smile

Have a great Monday and an even better Halloween week.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 23, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 64 Comments

June's Tea PartyHappy Friday. Today is a special day, I’m penning a two-for-one post! First, as we typically do, we are joining the Adventures of the LLB Gang. But following our regular nature post, I’m galloping over to June’s Tea Party of the century at Zoolatry. We hope you’ll join us over there once you’ve strolled through our autumn photos. Click on the links to check out all the fun.

Looks like autumn has finally arrived with trees beginning to show some color change. Yesterday on our walk, we finally found some leaves actually changing color. Some are still green, some are yellow and brown but others are finally changing to red/orange. We’re still getting used to the area on this side of town so every day as the landscape changes is an adventure as to what is going on visually.

Autumn leaves
What…I can’t hear you…that tree is too loud.

With a few trees showing some bona fide autumn color and not just the yellow from all the cottonwoods near our house, you can see the creek is barely running now. Trees along this stretch are mostly yellow (and/or brown) since we still haven’t received much rain. It’s ironic as southwest Colorado (Pagosa Springs, in particular) are experiencing some serious flooding the past couple of days. Nature sure is cranky. Maybe when I go to June’s Tea Party, I’ll offer her a cuppa so she can calm down.

Autumn leaves

Autumn leaves

If you look way in the background, you can see a couple of trees that read the memo about changing colors. Mum and I walked over one of the bridges at the golf course to see if there was anything colorful toward the west. The sky was cloudy and threatening all day but we only received about 15 drops of rain. Nature continues to tease us.

We found a lovely out-of-the way spot along the trail near the tap house so naturally Mum had to stop and made me pose for her. Give that woman a camera and she’s all up in your grill. Notice my furs were stolen this week? It hasn’t been cold yet for me to shiver, it’s just nice and crisp for our morning saunters.

Wilson - autumn

Well that’s it from me. Time for me to sashay over the Tea Party and serve some cake to the guests. I’m going to volunteer to clean up any crumbs left on the grounds. We hope to see you there. Both Mum and I wish you a great weekend and hope you’ll be able to get out and walk about in crunchy leaves and enjoy the sights and sniffs autumn provides.

Nature

Live, love, bark~ 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 16, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 80 Comments

Wilson Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join the Adventures of the LLB gang. Wilson here. After setting records for 10 of the first 11 days of October, autumn finally arrived this week and with the cooldown, we also received close to an inch of rain. The super El Niño we’ve been tantalized with by Nature actually provided a nice long rain shower over Tuesday and Wednesday. What a joy to be able to finally be able to measure moisture in inches instead of drops. And snow has hit the high country in the season’s first storm. Woohoo.

Wilson: Zzzz…mlem…oh hello. {Sleepily} Good morning. It’s still pretty dark outside and I’m feeling rather comfy here…yawn…while waiting for things to warm up. It’s currently 36F (2.2C) outside so this spot on the sofa is cozy and warm. We’re currently under a freeze warning until later this morning.

The Mum: Good Friday morning, House Pony…you plan on getting up any time soon?

Wilson: Only if there’s breakfast. It’s quite toasty here and I’m rather enjoying it.

The Mum: Well, I just made up your dish and it’s ready for…

Wilson: Bouncing up and racing into the kitchen. You don’t have to ask me twice.

The Mum: {snickering} I kinda thought you might be interested in food. I’ve never seen you turn any down. So what have you got for us this week?

Wilson: {nom, nom, nom} Umm, hang on a second {inhaling his breakfast}.

The Mum: Why don’t I get us started while you eat breakfast. A few days ago we were walking along the creek trail when I noticed a couple of coyote pups in the wilderness habitat  meadow area. They split up, one ran south, deep into the trees and the other one ran north across the trail. This pup stopped and turned to watch us. Isn’t he gorgeous? He looks nice and healthy. After a few seconds, he moved into the deep undergrowth.

Coyote pup

Wilson: Here’s the meadow he ran through. I wasn’t sure what to think. I think he felt the same way about me, Mum. Meadow in autumn The Mum: I love seeing them in person. I’d heard them earlier yipping just before dawn but hadn’t seen them along the trail for a while so this chance encounter was quite serendipitous.

Wilson: We had another encounter with a critter a couple of days later. Because it’s been so dry and warm, the canal has all but dried up. Not sure where the beaver went, but the raccoon was checking out his summer home. That little pile of sticks to the entrance of his little den can be seen in the lower right hand side.

Raccoon

The Mum: We’re finally seeing some leaves changing colors finally but it seems fairly apparent, this is not going to be a vibrant year for color]. So whenever I see a spot of color, I have to grab a shot of it. Wouldn’t you know it, I’m pretty sure it’s poison ivy. Well, we won’t be walking through that spot but will admire the color from the safety of the path.

Autumn

Wilson: Poison Ivy?? Yikes, Mum. Yeah, no, I won’t go sniffing for great smells there, rest assured.

The Mum: You got that right. There is a lot of wild things that we need to avoid but we sure feel lucky to be able to see stuff like wild animals and amazing flora right off the path.

Wilson: I know I can count on you to protect me, Mum. Well that’s it from us. We hope you have a marvelous weekend. Have any special plans? Whatever you do, we hope you are able to enjoy a beautiful autumn weekend.

The Mum: We are on baby watch, getting ready to welcome the second great grandbaby. Little Halia will be joined by a new brother. I’m beyond excited for my sweet granddaughter and the whole family. Just received word that they left for the hospital a little bit ago this morning. Squeals!

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 9, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments

Welcome to Nature Friday where we join those lovable pups from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what others have shared. Wilson here. We have a few odds and ends of nature from around our barn. Mum’s had a busy week, but I convinced her to take a few photos in between. Nature is still doing the slow roll to changes leaves but we managed to see some sumac trees surrounding one of the anti-flood retention ponds that were beginning to turn to bright orange.

Sumac tree Sumac tree

While striking in color, Mum is not a fan of this shrub. It tends to be invasive but in a landscape with not a lot of autumnal color yet, it’s fairly attractive.

Wilson: It was actually an accident that Mum found those trees. She’s still learning the neighborhood and was on an errand and encountered one of the scariest Halloween decorations she’s ever seen. She had not walked along this street before and this caught her by surprised. She scurried around the first corner to get away from it as fast as she could and found those trees which helped her get over the heebie jeebies that thing gave her.

Scary clown

The Mum: Creepy, right? Now you know why I couldn’t get away quick enough from it. That shock of orange sufficiently distracted me while I caught my breath.

Wilson: Catch your breath or begin to breathe again?

The Mum: Umm, most likely the later. Clowns are scary on general principles but this one…nope, nada, not going there again any time soon.

Wilson: I don’t blame you, Mum. Halloween decorations are beginning to pop up, and truth be told, are appearing a bit more than the changing leaves. With all the cottonwood trees along the creek trail we walk every day, I know you were expecting a whole lot more of those bright, golden heart-shaped leaves but with the ongoing drought, I think their appearance has been delayed.

The Mum: Mostly likely. I’m not sure there’ll be a great show this year because of the drought. Many of the leaves are starting to fall and they’re frequently brown and the trees only have small little patches of yellow. There doesn’t seem to be as many maples and ash trees in the neighborhood like our old one. It’s been an adjustment for sure, much like the Halloween decor. I miss the gigantic skeletons that were posed in different scenes. I may have to swing by the old neighborhood just to see them. Luckily most of the decorations in our neighborhood (other than that terrifying clown) are far more benign. I saw our friend, Giddy Goose just down the street dressed up as a cute ghost…something more in line with my sensitivities. Pretty cute, huh?

Wilson: I dunno, Mum…color me dubious. That goose seems a bit sketchy to me.

The Mum: Don’t be ridiculous. Giddy Goose is friendly and just because a slight breeze kicked up its sheet, it would never hurt you.

Wilson: I’m still skeptical and plant to stay way clear of it. I’d rather focus on some of the pumpkins that are showing up although I’m not sure I’m very  inclined to taste test that middle one…it seems to have a few barnacles on its skin.PumpkinsThe Mum: You’re too funny…always thinking of your stomach. That’s an ornamental pumpkin, not one you’d want to eat. Rabbits might, but you definitely shouldn’t.

Wilson: For the record Mum, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to make sure that anything that crosses my lips is healthy and tasty. I have discriminating tastes and won’t just eat anything.

The Mum: Ha…that’ll be the day! You have the appetite of a starving refugee which is why I have to watch you like a hawk so you don’t ingest something that isn’t good for you.

Wilson: {gasp} You cut me to the quick, Mum. Being a growing boy, I’ll admit I’m a bit hungry most of the time.

The Mum: A bit? Hahahahaha. I think your legs are hollow. And you’re not a growing boy. You’re fully formed. You slay me sometimes. What else have you got.

Wilson: I’m slighted by that observation, Mum but I’m not going to stoop so low as to respond. Instead I’m going to share this sunrise from the other morning. Early mornings the sun is late appearing and it delays our walks. It’s probably just as well-we can let the wildlife sleep in a few extra minutes before we hit the trail although I’m sure we’ll be adjusting our schedule to go later after the temps aren’t quite as crisp and we’ll wait until the sun comes up a bit to warm things up. Although I must say I’m enjoying these crisp mornings. It leaves me quite frisky.

Sunrise

The Mum: It was a pretty sunrise and it did make for a lovely early morning walk. The weather has been quite pleasant although it’s been unseasonably warm. Warm enough to see multiple heat records this week but I heard a rumor that maybe by next weekend, we may have our first frost with a bit of white stuff. We’ll see though…the forecasts for the Super El Niño have not panned out the way they’ve been telling us they would.

Wilson: Yeah, I’ll believe it when it happens. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy what Nature is dishing out. That’s it from us. We hope you have a terrific weekend enjoying autumn and preparing for Halloween. Have any special plans? Whatever you do, we hope you are able to enjoy a fabulous weekend.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ September 25, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 61 Comments

Pink spotted hawkWelcome to the last Friday of September and the first Friday of autumn. Hallelujah…our favorite season is here. Woof, woof. Today is notable in that there are a couple of other celebrations.  Blogville’s very own Mum to Teddy and Angel Sammy from Two Spoiled Cats is celebrating a birthday today and today is also Dolly Parton Day (9 to 5-get it…9/25). We’re jointly honoring the legendary entertainer and philanthropist and well as Teddy’s Mum. As we do on Friday’s, we are joining our pals from the Adventures of the LLB Gang. Be sure to click on the link to see what slices of nature other have shared as well as leave birthday wishes for Teddy’s Mum.

Wilson: Good morning, mates. Welcome. Will you take a look at that gigantic pink-spotted hawk moth. That’s a large but gentle sphinx moth, also known as the sweet potato hornworm. Those moths range in size from 9.5 to 12 cm (3.7 to 4.7 inches) and feature a grayish-brown body with wavy dark lines on the forewings with some pink bands on the sides of the abdomen and at the base of the hind wings, which are usually hidden when the moth is resting. We almost missed it on the trail pathway and Mum took me back to check it out closely on our way back home from our morning walk a few days ago. Sure, I wanted to taste him but you can imagine that didn’t exactly fly with Mum’s agenda. Sheesh, sometimes, she treats me like a toddler as if I’m going to put everything in my mouth. Oh wait, I probably would, given half a chance. My bad. Moving along.

The Mum: Yes, I have to watch you like a hawk so make sure you don’t eat critters and plants that aren’t good for you. You act like you’re starving all the time and I don’t want you eating something that’s not good for you.

Wilson: Oh Mum…you get so carried away sometimes. My soft tongue would have gently caressed that moth…initially.

The Mum: I’m sure he wouldn’t have enjoyed a bath from you. While the pink-spotted hornworm moths are not poisonous to dogs, there’s no reason for you to lick one to death.

Wilson: Sometimes you take all the joy out of life, Mum. I thought I’d pose at the butterfly mural in its honor. Mum didn’t quite get the angle lined up on the wings but I think I make a nice looking and colorful butterfly.

Wilson

The Mum: Yeah, I misjudged photographing you but needed to quickly snap a photo before a bicyclist came around the corner. Didn’t want you to be startled.

Wilson: It’s ok, Mum. I’m mostly grateful you were once again closely hovering over me looking out for my best interests. You do know I’m pretty good with a sit-stay pose, right? Just a reminder for you. So can I share some good news here?’

The Mum: Of course. What would you like to share?

Wilson: Well as everyone knows, Colorado has been suffering from a severe drought and our neighborhood in particular has been repeatedly  shortchanged by Mother Nature on the moisture front. We were able to measure the rain in inches instead of droplets. Well, Wednesday we received a lovely shower that last for over 30 minutes and likely received over three fourth’s of an inch. It was fantastic. We can still use more but that made for a lovely evening. Just check out how much water remained in one of the water retention ponds in the neighborhood the next morning. We sure hope that tree didn’t mind being in the standing water and hope it doesn’t negatively impact it.

Retention pond

The Mum: It was so welcomed, I kept think it was going to end and went out on the porch several times to check it out and was thrilled it lasted for a long time.

Wilson: Finally, we noticed a volunteer cherry tomato plant popped up in a planter box. We hadn’t given it much thought but I know you smiled when you first spotted it a couple of weeks ago. This week, you saw that it was flowering. Thinking it probably wouldn’t have enough time to produce any tomatoes, imagine our surprise when we found little baby tomatoes on it! With warm days and cool night, it just might make a couple tasty ‘maters before the first frost.

Tomato

The Mum: It really did bring a smile to my face and was the last thing I expected in a planter that was planted with lettuce. The lettuce sprouted from seeds that were planted in the spring which was a good thing too with all the news about Cyclospora of bagged lettuce. While I wasn’t overly excited about that variety of leaf lettuce, the two volunteer tomato plants made me almost giddy. We’ll see what happens. But I’m always excited when volunteers sprout. Those little cherry tomatoes are always so tasty. Those seedlings came from a tomato plant from our old house last year so it just seemed like quite a miracle.

Wilson: Glad it brought you some joy, Mum. It’s not been an overly great year with our potted veggies but this kind of makes up for it.Well that’s it from us this week. We hope everyone has a terrific autumn weekend. Are the trees in your neighborhood turning yet. Things have been a bit slow here but Mum noticed they are slowly starting around our house. Enjoy the weekend!

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ September 18, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 54 Comments

Wilson

{slightly off key humming} 🎶 Doh, dee, doh…🎶  Um…good morning, Wilson here. Let me welcome you all to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we’re joining our hosts, Rosy and Sunny from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget  to click on the link to see what other folks have shared.  As of today, there are officially 4 days until the official arrival of the autumn equinox but we’ve been enjoying much more mellow temps . Color Mum and me elated. We’re happy to be in the home stretch toward moving into our favorite season. Nothing says autumn like the changing temperatures we’ve been experiencing this week. And the few sprinkles of rain we received have been a bit of a bonus. Although not nearly enough moisture, we’ll take whatever Mother Nature is willing to gift us.

The Mum: Good morning, House Pony, how are you doing this fine day?

Wilson: I’m doing great Mum. The morning walk was lovely and quite enjoyable walking in the upper 50’s every morning now. I’m just loving this time of year. The leaves aren’t changing quite as much as I expected in this new neighborhood but nearby mountain roadway s are starting to turn a brilliant gold which means there are lots of leaf peepers out on the roads.

The Mum:  Guanella Pass (located about 50 miles to the west of the metro area is ablaze with golden aspens. If gas wasn’t so expensive right now we might have taken a drive out there yesterday. But for the high the cost of gas as well as crowded roads, we could have gone out to check in person. I still recall last year’s outing and don’t want to have to deal with that cluster again any time soon. You can read about that outing here. Oh well. We still have a few pics from the recent outing to Finding Nectar Farms that we wanted to share today. In case you missed our post from that outing, you can see it here.

Golden Laced Polish chicken

Wilson: That chicken was quite a capture, Mum. What kind is it?

The Mum: I think that’s a Golden Laced Polish chicken named after the Polish army’s feathered caps because that plumage on it’s head resembles that feathered crest. They are pretty docile but pretty skittish but very even tempered but because of their limited eyesight due to the that crest limiting their eyesight, they are vulnerable to predators. This one was very apprehensive and wouldn’t stand still, instead nervously moving around the coop.

Wilson: Seems weird looking to me but whatever. I never have understood chickens anyway. I see you have found another chicken while you were there.

Sussex chicken

The Mum: Yes, I think this one is a Sussex chicken, a heritage breed from England, originally developed as a dual-purpose bird for both meat and eggs. They are fairly friendly and a consistent egg layer and relatively each to maintain. Their origin goes back several hundred years, but they became fairly widespread in the 1800s. She watched me like a hawk.

Wilson: Maybe she was just making sure you didn’t bother her Polish buddy.

The Mum: You may be right about that. She did seem fairly protective of that guy.

Wilson: I see you couldn’t refuse posting another goat photo.

Goats

The Mum: Yeah, I’d admit it-I’m a sucker for goats.

Wilson: They are fascinating as they bounce around and play, I’ll give you that and they seem fairly jovial.

The Mum: They really are. I just love them.

Wilson: And pray tell what is this thing? I noticed it because there are usually bunnies at this house that I’m always seeing.

Mushroom

The Mum: That’s a mushroom that had been turned upside down. I noticed it yesterday. It’s a fairly large one, proving once again even a little bit of moisture can sprout mushroom spores around here.

Wilson: Do they taste good?

The Mum: Ha! Leave it to you to inquire about how something tastes. I don’t know, I don’t trust eating wild mushrooms since I don’t know enough about them but these popped up practically overnight which is surprising since our so-called showers can be measured in drops rather than inches.

Wilson: Well if you ever need a taste taster, just let me know. Well that’s it for us this week. Google sent us a warning that we’re close to exceeding our space limit. Anyone know how to minimize the size of photos? Mum’s gonna have to figure out how to minimize her ever growing library of photos.

The Mum: We hope you have a terrific weekend and get out there to enjoy the last days of official summer but more importantly, we encourage you to enjoy all the beauty Mother Nature provides this time of year.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

 

Nature Friday ~ September 11, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 62 Comments

BeeWelcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join the pups from the Adventures of the LLB Gang. To see what others have shared, just click on the highlighted link. Today is the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. We hope you’ll be taking a quiet moment to honor and salute the 2977 victims, as well as 441 first responders who perished, not to mention the thousands of rescue workers, survivors, and area residents who have since died from 9/11-related cancers and respiratory diseases.

{Bowing his head respectfully for a moment} Wilson here. It’s quite remarkable that even after 25 years, the planners of the attack have still not been tried. It seems unfathomable that the survivors still have no closure regarding that horrible day.

Today we are visiting a new place that’s not that far from our house. Let’s take a look at the “Finding Nectar Nursery” and farm. Finding Nectar Nursery is a small, pesticide-free garden center and farm in Arvada, Colorado that grows native flowering plants that are not only lovely to look at, but also provide pollinators with much needed pollen. Let’s take a gander around the farm, shall we?

Nectar Farm

Wilson: You can’t dispute the cuteness factor of many of the animals at this little farm which began in 2021. Alpacas, La Mancha and Nigerian Dwarf goats were enjoying breakfast while Mum was there. Sadly I was refused entry. Can you believe it…they have a ‘no pet’ policy?! That’s just not fair, I’m a sheepdog for crying out loud…keeping everybody in line in my life’s work.

The Mum: Now, now, it’s always good to obey the rules and there was no need for you to disturb the animals as they enjoyed their breakfast…some a bit more than others. I mean, just look at this character-he really got into munching of the hay, literally. Several of the goats burrowed into the hay bin to get up close and personal with their meal.

GoatsWilson: Well I’m just telling you, I would have maintained decorum around the hay feeder. There wouldn’t be any of that kind of tunneling on my watch.

The Mum: Which is no doubt another reason for the ‘no dogs’ rule. Although I’m sure you’d have been quite effective, there is no point unsettling everyone around the hay feeder, right?

Wilson: {eyes rolling} I’m just saying, Mum. And I definitely know I would have helped this overly enthusiastic guy out of his predicament.

LaMancha goat
Umm…a little help here. I think I’ve been captured by my breakfast. 

The Mum: I laughed when some of the goats climbed into the feeder and while it might look like this little guy is stuck, he jumped in and out repeatedly. It was like a game with him.

Wilson: Harumph…and I suppose this guy was the mayor of the entire herd? He looks a bit bossy while trying to appear like he’s is big cheese around the farm making sure everyone stayed in line.

Nigerian dwarf goat

The Mum: He watched me like a hawk from the barn but came over to the fence to get petted. He’s a Nigerian Dwarf goat. They are an American dairy goat, but originated from western African stock. Originally bred as show goats and later as companions, they are smallish (approximately 35 kg (75 lb), quite docile, thus making them wonderful companions. They are an excellent choice for small dairy farms.

Wilson: I’m not sure I approve of that watchful eye. What if he’d attacked you?

The Mum: Don’t be silly. Like I said, they are vey docile and their milk is high in butterfat and protein content which makes it suitable for making cheese and butter.

Wilson: Well I’m just not 100% sure of their intentions. You should be careful who you hang out with, Mum.

The Mum: Oh for heaven’s sake…why do I think ‘someone’ is a bit jealous. Would you have preferred me hanging out with the alpacas instead?

Alpacas
Nom, nom, nom
Alpaca baby
It would be hard to beat cuteness like this fella
Baby alpaca
I’m smiling for the camera, so hurry up and take my picture, lady.
Baby Alpaca
Yum…this wire is remarkably tasty.

Wilson: Well, at least they don’t seem too threatening. Besides, they seem more content to eating than competing for attention.

The Mum: You’re being ridiculous. Stop acting like a baby. It was fun  watching them. They are such fascinating creatures.

Wilson:  If you say so. The farm seems to be very much about educating the public on the importance of protecting pollinators of all kinds.

Pollinator sign

The Mum: Yes, they had a number of informative signs to show people how best to help bees and other pollinators. Their mission is to promote and keep them safe. Did I mention they are a pesticide free farm?

Wilson: Yes, you did mention that earlier. This weekend they will begin to open the pumpkin patch where peeps can wander around choosing from bins of carving pumpkins, pie pumpkins, heirloom and jumbo varieties, gourds and corn stalks. It sounds like they might even have some honey tastings. They are big in having bee keeping supplies on hand. Too bad you won’t be able to go this weekend since you’ll be busy helping out the rescue with the big Longs Peak Highland Celtic Festival in Estes Park. I’m sure you’ll take lots of pictures so you can share with us next time. This festival has been around  now for over 50 years so it should be very interesting. Perhaps in a week or two you can check out the pumpkin patch and maybe you’ll ride around in this truck.

Pickup truck

The Mum: Isn’t that a classic? The rust was particularly photogenic and I loved the teal color.

Wilson: Well that’s it from us this week. We hope you enjoyed touring the Finding Nectar farm. Have a wonderful weekend and please make sure you get outside to enjoy this beautiful time of year where the days are warm, the mornings are cool and the light has that special golden glow. Today might be our last 90F degree (32.2C) day this summer. Yay.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ September 4, 2026

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 68 Comments

Wilson snootHappy first Friday of September, campers. How you like my snooter today? I was trying to get Mum to pet me while she was working on typing this post. She said she’d give me her undivided attention in a bit. Meanwhile I’m cranking my neck and she’s not taking the bait. Harumph. I got gypped.

Anyway, September is a big month for our family because there are lots of birthdays this month including Mum’s Dad who turned 96 on September first. She’s hoping he passed the longevity gene to her since she’s getting to be a bit long in the tooth. As she typically does on his birthday, she made him a batch of beef jerky that turned out pretty nicely. Three days after giving him his gift (Mum delivered it in person last Friday when she went to visit him), he told her on Monday that it was halfway gone. Sounds like he liked it. Mum was shocked at the price of beef and wonders how people can afford it. She’s a vegetarian and prices her groceries are expensive enough these days but beef…well that’s definitely out of her league. Wilson here. As always, we’re joining the pups from Adventures of the LLB gang. Don’t forget to check out other posts by clicking on the link.

Wilson: So last weekend, Mum went to visit her great granddaughter at her house. Her grandma from Hawaii was visiting and we had a nice visit. Every week when Mum sees Halia, she’s blown away by how much she changes. She’s been on a talking tear lately and enjoys conversations that this little 2 year old has with adults. She’s totally hilarious.

The Mum: Yes, she really is hilarious. We had a spirited conversation about one of her cats, Terrance. ‘Terry’ was the shy kitty of the two that Halia’s Mum rescued from her vet clinic last summer. The other one, Phillip was always more outgoing. Whenever I’m there visiting, I almost never see Terry but last weekend, it was the exact opposite. Terry was all over me and was super intrigued with my backpack. He kept rubbing all over it and then he’d come over to me and rub all over me. Not sure what he was trying to communicate but it was such a delightful surprise despite the fact that I’m fairly allergic to cats but he was so sweet, I simply couldn’t resist him. By the time I left, I was completely plugged up but at least my eyes weren’t swollen shut. It’s important to be grateful for small miracles, right? Terry is a gorgeous grey tabby whereas his brother is not. Phil is a beauty in a different way. I don’t even know how to describe his coat but it’s super soft and he’s quite the cutie. It resembles a wild animal but also is very soft.

Cat - Terrance
Terrance – aka Terry
Cat - Phillip
Phillip – aka Phil & his brother Terry

Wilson: Do you think they’d be willing to play with me? They don’t seem to mind the dogs in the house.

The Mum: No telling but you tend to frighten kitties so I don’t take you with me when I go visit the baby.

Wilson: It’s not fair, Mum. I’m a good boy and people love me.

The Mum: I know House Pony. But you come across as a bit intimidating.

Wilson: {Gasp!} What? Mum, you cut me to the quick. I’m a lovable guy, really I am.

The Mum: You know that, I know that, but small kitties might not see that. Maybe some day. {changing the topic so as to deflect Wilson’s sadness} You know this weekend starts football season. As in American football; folks here call football, soccer. It looks like our neighbor, Giddy Goose is all set for the season.

Giddy Goose

Wilson: He’s even dressed in the local team’s colors. That’s one outfit we’ve not seen before.

The Mum: Well you know I love sports, but my favorite sport is hockey so I’m gonna go on a quest to see if they have my favorite hockey teams jersey. Now that would be fun!

Wilson: Well, how do you think the Broncos will do this year? They were kind of less than impressive in pre-season.

The Mum: Well, it’s hard to say. They have broken the hearts of local fans for 67 years if you count the years they were in the AFL before the merger between the AFL and the NFL in 1970. I won’t get my hopes up too high and will patiently wait until the NHL starts it’s season at the end of the month before I get really worked up. I know a lot of people are celebrating the start of college football but we’ve got time to get involved in that though I wish I’d have seen the CU game. What a shocker to block the field goal in the final seconds to eek out a win. Congrats to the Buffs.

Wilson: That game sure did sound like a stunner. But enough sports, I still have one last pic from the flora from around the neighborhood. The red yucca is in bloom and boy is it impressive. I love walking past those plants along the hell strip. They sure are interesting to look at and they have some fascinating scents visiting around the plants. Sorry about the blur-the camera went off the reservation on focusing.Yucca

The Mum: Yeah, not sure what happened there but those pods steal the focus anyway. It’ll be interesting to see how they continue to change. Well that’s it from us. Sorry we don’t have a lot of photos this week. Our new neighborhood doesn’t have a lot of diversity like the old one had and thankfully we haven’t seen any Halloween inflatables. Yet. We hope that remains but we’ll see. This is our first autumn here so we aren’t sure what generally shows up. I suspect folks here are less inclined on that sort of thing. But we’ll see. Anyway, we send our best wishes for a terrific weekend. Have you got any special plans for this Labor Day weekend? We plan to just take it easy but hope we can get out for a few nice walks. Don’t forget to get outside and enjoy Nature in the last unofficial weekend of summer.

Nature

Live, love, bark! 🐾