Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join our New Mexico hosts, Rosy, Sunny and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard on their blog hop. Be sure to click on the link to see what others have shared.
Hard to believe little February’s last Friday of the month is here. Where has this month gone? The cold and snow repeatedly shared over this month seems much like a listening to a record with a deep scratch, repeating the chorus over and over in the short month. But time marches forward so we continue wait for Spring’s pending arrival.
Don’t know if you guys are as tired or snow scenes as I am, but I’ve grown weary of them. Don’t misunderstand, I’m happy about the moisture, especially since February is one of the driest months of the year here, but I need a change of ‘mise en scène.’ So for today’s post, let’s check out some critters from around the ‘Hood.
I’ve noticed traffic has picked up after a bit of melting with the congestion remaining front and center.
From a recent walk during a lull in the white stuff, a friendly nose greeted me. This big girl always comes charging toward the fence but then seems to realize, “Oh yeah, you’re that lady with the magic pocket of treats” who then turns into a tail-wagging ‘pussy cat.’

No matter what the weather is like, Sloan’s Lake Canadian Geese never seem to mind. While somewhat threatening when the dogs are close, when I’m alone I can get closer to watch their slow paddling about in the water. It’s calming on the mind and allows me time to take in other slices of nature that I might normally miss just walking around the lake when I’m more focused on keeping the dogs in line. Reminder to self: walk this park more often, it’s good for your spirit.
The cabin fever that’s rather consumed the Ranch Hand brains has also tugged on my psyche, so with a friend from the Old English Sheepdog Rescue of Colorado, we took a cheese-making class at a nearby urban farm. The owner used to be a neighbor who moved 5 miles away to the farm which is located on a conservation easement in Wheat Ridge. She has a thriving egg business along with a small herd of La Mancha goats and offers cheese-making classes once a month. Previously she raised Nubian goats but switched to the La Manchas whose milk produces a less ‘goaty’ taste to the milk, are hardy but prolific milk producers with high butterfat content in their milk. Amanda’s goats are docile and will follow you around much like a pet dog. Not only did we all have a great visit away from all the recent, intense work of the rescue, we were also able to make a nice mozzarella, as well go home with a bonus of some ricotta made from the leftover whey. It was soooo tasty on a slice of breakfast toast this morning.

The resident pooch is a real favorite, greeting all visitors. After a good ear and belly rub, sweet “Ava Perón” a friendly Bull Terrier, spent time enjoying a nice sun puddle while we swooned over the relatively simple cheese-making process.
Well, that’s it for a slightly different look at nature around the Ranch. We hope it inspires you to seek something similar this weekend. Whatever you do, we hope the last weekend in February is extra ‘pawsome!’
Live, love, bark! 🐾