Norman took offense to this cartoon but did admit he might be a bit of a herder. Have a Happy Easter Week.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Category: OES
Monday Musings ~
Cuz we’re just not quite ready for it.
The Ranch’s presence this week may be somewhat spotty and limited. A project in the studio has gone badly (no thanks to IKEA) and may restrict the ability to be online. I was lucky to find the laptop in the chaos.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Top ‘O the Morning To Ye
The Leprechaun Ranch Hand sends his best Irish wishes to you. ☘️ Erin go bragh! ☘️
Meanwhile the Celtic Sluagh…aka The Ninja, seems to be [once again] preparing to hunt down my soul. If there’s anything to that adage, ‘luck of the Irish,’ now would be a good time for it. Then again, she could just as easily be channeling the Celtic goddess of evil magic, “Carman” who, as a destructive witch, roamed around with her three evil sons: Dub (“darkness” in Irish), Dother (“evil”) and Dain (“violence”), destroying anything or anyone in their path.
It was thought that Carman was responsible for cursing Ireland’s crops until the Tuatha De Danann (peoples of the goddess Danu) used their magic to fight and defeat her.
May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go. Happy St. Patrick’s Day from everyone at the Ranch. Slainte!
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Monday Musings ~ March 14, 2022
haiku pi-ku for you. Celebrated on March 14, Pi Day is the recognition of that mathematical constant known as the Greek letter ‘π,’ you know…that transcendental number where 3.14 are the first digits (but which go on indefinitely). March 14 marks Pi Day because of the numerical date and because it happens to be the same birthdate as theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein, who discovered the theory of relativity.
A ‘Slice of Pi’ ~ History/Background
Founded back in 1988 by San Franciscan based physicist, curator and artist, Larry Shaw, March 14 was chosen because the numerical date (3.14) coincides with the first three digits of Pi. Today is also Albert Einstein’s birthday. The official U.S. designation of Pi Day began in 2009 while UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) officially proclaimed March 14 as International Day of Mathematics in 2019.
Back in high school, we all learned that Pi is the calculation of the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. But did you know that Pi has been around since ancient times? Egyptians and Babylonians knew about Pi with the first known calculation made by Archimedes in 250 B.C. The earliest known use of the Greek letter ‘π’ to represent the ratio was made by Welsh mathematician, William Jones in 1706, and is thought to be some form of shorthand for the word “periphery.”
As noted, today also marks the birthdate of Albert Einstein, the theoretical physicist. So for those who may prefer a different kind of tasty treat for a birthday bash (and we think Einstein just might be one of them), how about we serve up a yummy celebratory treat with this formula? Happy Birthday, Mr. Einstein.
Delicious coincidence? I think not.
Two additional, but all important questions for today then are: (1) cherry or apple and (2) with or without ice cream?
We hope your Monday is extra tasty with loads of smiles.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Exciting News
Last week we promised to share some exciting news about the goings on around the Ranch and today is that day. Normally we don’t post on Thursdays so today seemed like the perfect opportunity to share the news.
As you probably know, Norman was rescued from the Old English Sheepdog Rescue of Colorado two years ago. Since bringing this sweet boy home, I’ve become more and more involved as a volunteer with the rescue. They are a great group of folks whose sole mission is totally dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of unwanted, abandoned and neglected Old English Sheepdogs. Like most rescue groups, we’re constantly trying to stretch limited financial resources to best fulfill our mission.
We recently became aware of an amazing opportunity which will further our efforts. I am pleased to announce, Old English Sheepdogs of Colorado has been chosen by Canine Colorado Magazine for its latest fundraiser. The magazine features a two page spread of each dog from the recipient rescue and we’re very excited at the fundraising potential. Ranch Hand Norman is one of the dogs who makes an appearance in the magazine. Here’s a brief video look behind the scenes at last week’s modeling session (Elsa also had professional photos taken of her by DelaFoto Portraits, photographer for Canine Colorado Magazine but will not appear in the magazine- sorry Ninja…only Sheepies for this spread). The session latest about 45 minutes and the big guy was a total professional.
I may be slightly biased, but think he’s every bit as handsome as David Beckham’s days on the runway. Guess there’s more pressure than ever for him to sign an agent now with his new job as a SuperModel.
Once the final magazine is published, I’ll share more of this new newest modeling phenome. So far fame hasn’t gone to his head (yet) and he continues to be the same easy going ‘grounded’ pup as always.
In other news, we are no longer able to post images to Instagram. The “MetaVerse” has been less than responsive in resolving an issue despite multiple requests. Sadly we cannot even log in to see others’ feeds. On the plus side, it’s one less black hole to be dragged into go down {insert snarky snicker}. I’ve wasted enough energy and brain power trying to resolve this issue. I’m done. {mic drop}
See you guys tomorrow for our regular Nature Friday post. I hope to not post any more snow images though Nature isn’t quite cooperating and may need to dig into the old archives to avoid playing into Mother Nature’s cold, cruel hands. Happy ‘Fursday!’
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Monday Musings ~ February 21, 2022
Today marks a national federal holiday (Presidents’ Day) in the U.S., originally implemented by Congress in 1879 to honor George Washington, the first president and ‘father’ of the country on his birthday, February 22 but subsequently switched to the third Monday in February on January 1, 1971 by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, honoring both Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays. Both Ranch Hands will tip their hats to the office of the presidency today so we may be somewhat late in responding to comments or reading your posts as Norman be visiting nurses and patients this week. As usual, I am merely the designated driver.
After a weekend filled with grooming, baths and more dog hair than I could have imagined, Norman is all fluffed and spic and span clean to mark Presidents’ Day at the same time Winter decided to reappear with a vengeance with snow and bitter cold temperatures for most of the week. Tomorrow’s HIGH is only expected to be in the single digits which makes today’s smile seem all too appropriate. Guess I’d better re-locate the extra warm gloves.
However you mark today’s holiday, we hope you’ll stay warm and snuggly. Here’s to a super Monday. And remember there’ll be no postal deliveries and bank’s will be closed.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Monday Musings ~ January 24, 2022
Welcome to Monday, where we salute the week with a smile. Today is also Norman’s ‘Gotcha Week’ because everyone deserves to be treated extra special for [at least] a week (his actual Gotcha Day was yesterday). Can’t believe this adorable hunka-fur has been with me two years now. The time has flown by and with each day I count my lucky stars this boy came into my life. He brings such joy to all he encounters, In fact, he’ll do so later today and tomorrow when he’s visiting folks at the hospital.
Happy Gotcha Day, sweet boy.
Now for today’s secondary smile. We can thank Vince, the Sign Guy of Indian Hills. Given the latest turn of weather, it seemed rather perfect. Stay safe, warm and keep smiling.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Nature Friday ~ January 14, 2022
Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join our pals Rosy, Sunny and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard. This week’s gander at Nature is a hodgepodge of pics from our recent visit to my Dad’s home in southern Colorado.
No view is more emblematic of the region than Pikes Peak, this view being inspiration for a song. Katherine Lee Bates, a young English professor from Wellesley College, was so taken by the wide open vistas on her trip to Colorado Springs, she wrote a poem based on her travels in the late 1890’s. Samuel A. Ward, an organist and choir director for Grace Church, Newark, New Jersey, was equally inspired by the poem and composed a tune for an old hymn (“O Mother Dear, Jerusalem,” retitling the work “Materna”). Ward’s music combined with Bates’ poem were first published together in 1910 as the song we now know as “America the Beautiful.”
The view from the area surrounding my Dad’s house always makes me stop to take in those “…beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain” landscapes but I can’t help but noticing just how extremely dry everything looks. Even Pikes Peak only had a tiny dusting of snow. While a storm is forecast to arrive later, not much accumulation is expected. It may however build into a monster for other regions east of us. Sigh.
Even while walking along our regular route, the tawny colored grass was as crunchy and dry as I’ve seen it. Norman kept scanning the landscape for bunnies but there were none to be seen.
Still there was colors other than brown to be found at sunrise when Nature pulls back the curtains on the unfolding day with this gorgeous view from the front door.
Do you have any big plans for the weekend? Here in Denver, the National Western Stock Show is slated to open today. With the rise in COVID cases, the annual parade of longhorns strolling down Seventeenth Street was cancelled and I won’t be attending the show, but it may be interesting to watch local news coverage from the show. Mutton Bustin’ is one of the more popular events during the rodeo performances and always seems to be a visitor favorite. Nothing like watching a 5-7 year old weighing less than 55 pounds trying to hang on to a wily mutton, bound and determined to rid itself of the hanger-on. While entertaining to many, it seems rather barbaric to me.
Whatever you do, we hope you remain safe and enjoy Nature’s symphony of beautiful ‘music’ much like Katherine Lee Bates did.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Nature Friday ~ January 7, 2022
Welcome to the first Friday of 2022. We’ve hooked up with our mates, Rosy, Sunny and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard for this latest edition of Nature Friday. Norman here to share a couple of photos with you from what I’ve been seeing in Nature this week while visiting my Grandpa in Southern Colorado.
Winter early mornings and early evenings are colorful and with open landscapes at Grandpa’s. Just look at this morning’s early morning sunrise. The colors were so intense on a chilly morning.
There’s something about the wide open spaces here that really provides some amazing sunsets as well. The evening we arrived, the sky was a study in blues and oranges. Mum had to pull over to savor the quiet beauty.
It was bitter cold yesterday but today should be a perfect day for walking about the countryside. Yesterday’s walk was all about staying warm after a skiff of snow fell with single digits. Mum says I’ve adapted nicely to being a good house dog since I really prefer spending time lounging about and always within ear-scratching distance from my Grandpa. I wasn’t even interested in sniffing out bunny or other critter trails too much on the walk-I just wanted to get back and see Grandpa.
With 2022 being almost a week old, it’s been fun experiencing new adventures at Grandpa’s house. What’s your first week of the year been like? Have you been able to check out what Nature’s been serving up? We sure hope you’ve made time to see what’s going on outside. Got any plans for the first weekend? Whatever you do, we hope you’re safe, cozy and are enjoying these winter days.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Happy ‘Howlidays’ from the Ranch Hands
While it may be Wordless Wednesday, we’re using this opportunity for sending out our ‘howliday’ greeting with apologies for its lateness. Thank you to everyone who has sent us their greetings; we loved them all. Both Norman and Elsa wish you a season that is merry and bright.
Feliz Navidog from all of us at the Ranch.
Live, love, bark! 🐾