Category: Standard Poodles

Nature Friday ~ July 12, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 50 Comments

Stone heart DBGHappy Friday peeps and welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join our pals Rosy and Sunny from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Elsa here and Imma ready to dish the latest from the summer of hell. It’s not that it’s been bad mind you, but for the love of all that’s holy, could it get any hotter? For the record, that’s just a rhetorical question. Of course it can be hotter. Just remember this Ninja life observation, House Pony…”things are never so bad, they can’t get worse.”

Wilson: Oy, don’t tell me that. I was hoping we could maybe  catch a break on the relentless hot temps that have played out from sea to shining sea.

Elsa: Sorry dude, I just report the news/weather, I don’t create it. But yeah-no…nature decided she was going to pay us a few days visit with gifts. As in recording breaking triple digits. You know what that feels like on a black dog?!

Wilson: You have my sympathies, little sister. But I’m sure our readers are sick of hearing us whine about the heat. We’re all over it. Mum keeps checking a special calendar she has every day and told me we’re ‘just’ 71 days from the official arrival of autumn. She actually cheers now with each passing day as the number is getting smaller. I’m a dog; I live in the present so it kind of passes over me.

Elsa: Yeah, me too…I’m a big proponent of living in the here and now but think I might be tempted as that number gets a lot smaller. Still it kind of dovetails with what’s going on in the urban garden right now. We seem to be in a bit of a transition. All the pretty late spring/early summer blooms are now history and, at least in our garden, not a whole lot is very pretty or blooming much although I will note the Plumbago is starting to set it’s pretty little blue flowers and Mom even found a couple of leaves that were turning mahogany. She thought it was a few weeks early and couldn’t help wondering if that’s a sign that we’ll have an early autumn. This is after all, a La Niña year. Oh sure, the coreopsis, yarrow and the last remains of the Bachelor Buttons are blooming and the Russian Sage is making a colorful splash throughout the neighborhood but our garden is in a bit of transition now.

Wilson: What the bloody devil is a La Niña year? Is this related to El Niño?

Elsa: Well, I’m glad you asked. A La Niña year is when winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the South and cooler than normal in the North. La Niña can also lead to a more severe hurricane season, as evidenced by Hurricane Beryl that pounded Texas earlier this week and still has a million people without power.

Wilson: Gosh, sounds so ominous. I know Mum has been worried about her daughter who lives in the Houston area and who’s been without power all week long. As of last night, the hope was that the power will be restored by midnight tonight. So what’s the difference between La Niña and El Niño?

Elsa:  El Niño is the opposite of La Niña. According to NOAA, during La Niña events, “trade winds are even stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia. Off the west coast of the Americas, with seawater levels increasing, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the South and cooler than normal in the North. La Niña can also lead to a more severe hurricane season. These cold waters in the Pacific push the jet stream northward. This tends to lead to drought in the southern U.S. and heavy rains and flooding in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

La Niña graphic

Wilson: Fascinating. Thanks for the meteorology lesson.

Elsa: Hey, that’s what I’m here for. So let’s share the pics Mom took this week. I’m giving her a pass on the few photos because of the heat. I’m not completely heartless.

Wilson: Quite sporting of you, mate. So she and I walk past this corner garden every day. The garden itself is somewhat nondescript as gardens go, it’s a bit wild and jungle-y. And now that the allium have finished blooming the gardener had a brilliant idea to bring some color and attention to that corner space. Mum watercolored it for today’s header. Here’s what it looks like for real.

Allium

Elsa: Whoa…that is pretty clever! I see what you mean about the jungle but I do like that ceramic piglet on the bench. And I see there is an Oregon grape (holly-leaved barberry) plant there too, along with some other plants.

Allium

Wilson: You know I’ve never noticed that pig statute before. I’m always more interested in the tree rats that live there. Mum always grips my leash tightly as we walked past.

Elsa: Well gosh, I wonder why? Could it be that her shoulders are shot and she’s tired of becoming a human kite?

Wilson: {blushing} Sorry, I just can’t help myself. I am beginning to focus a bit more on the numerous bunnies that have populated our neighborhood. Boy, are they ever fast! And wily too. They deke so much better than squirrels. Even the babies. They could make a kite run much more interesting…er I mean a side hunt.

Elsa: {eyes rolling} Are you trying to kill our Mom?

Wilson: Certainly not. I’m just a victim of canine instincts. But I have to protect my Mum.

Elsa: Protect is one thing…your homicidal critter chasing is something else. You gotta remember you’re a herder, not a hunting dog!

Wilson: I know, I know…but I can’t help it if they jump out in front of me and startle us both, can I?

Elsa: Just focus on sheep, pal, okay and leave the squirrels and rabbits to the hunting dogs. Or better yet, just learn to ignore them. Does that work for ya?

Wilson: Umm, I’ll try. But can’t make any promises.

Elsa: Well, If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, I say. What else you got, House Pony?

Wilson: Well, you know how Mum has been battling the nasty wasps that keep hanging around our solar fountain. Well it’s been good practice because she’s trained her eyes to find bees on milkweed as well as that beautiful globe thistle that’s currently blooming.

Milkweed

Globe Thistle

Wilson: I’ve been trying to catch bees as well but Mum has managed to deter my laser like moves here as well. Sometimes, she takes the fun out of our walks.

Elsa: Oh lord. You’re gonna get stung and then maybe you’ll learn to leave them alone. They’re the kind of pollinators we like in the garden…like those pretty Swallowtail butterflies.

Wilson: You mean they bite? Crikey…maybe I should rethink biting them.

Elsa: What else you got, dude? Something I hope that doesn’t involve turning Mom into a kite or provides you with a tiny snack.

Wilson: Oooh, did you say snack? Mum’s potted cherry tomatoes are beginning to ripen. She told me under no circumstances was I to go near them. Luckily they don’t really appeal to me so I’ve been good not trying to nosh on them.

Cherry tomato

Elsa: Mom was so excited to see that little spot of reddish goodness. I think she even drooled a little. She babies her potted tomato plants and works hard to keep the neighborhood critters who shall remain nameless away from them. I think she said they cost about $20 a pound after it’s all said and done. Still, she enjoys them saying there’s nothing half as tasty at the grocery store.

Wilson: Well that’s everything I have for this week, Ninja. I guess we’re gonna be spending a lot of time in the cool comfort of the house which means lots of naps. I don’t know about you, but I’m okay with that.

Wilson & Elsa

Elsa: Naps? Oh yeah, put me down for lots of naps in air conditioned bliss. Whatever you do for the weekend, we hope you stay hydrated and enjoy catching slices of Mother Nature early before she gets a head of hot steam going. Have a great weekend!

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ June 28, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 78 Comments

Wilson & ElsaWelcome to the last Friday of the month. Gosh, it is just me or did this month fly by? Elsa here and I’m joined by Wilson, the House Pony  with today’s edition of Nature Friday where we join our pals from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what other posts were shared. Today is the first installment from Mom’s recent trip to the Denver Botanical Gardens where she saw the latest outdoor exhibit called Spirit Guides in addition to gorgeous beautiful trees and blooming flowers. So what’s this special exhibit all about? It’s full of fantastical, large animal sculptures that remind us of the connection between inhabitants of the natural and cosmological world. So who exactly are these artists? Jacobo and María Ángeles are a married artistic team based in Oaxaca, Mexico. These brightly colored sculptures are made from fiberglass and acrylic paint and are distinctly patterned, combining contemporary art practices with folk art traditions. The workshop where they created these sculptures doubles as an art school, allowing its attendees a way to advance and develop their artistic skills. These creations have been exhibited in museums throughout the world depicting imaginary hybrid animals that act as spirit guides. So come along and let’s check a few of them out.

Wilson: Near the entrance to the gardens, this guy greeted everyone. Can you say colorful?!

Spirit Guide

Spirit Guides

Elsa: WHAT…I CAN’T HEAR YOU…THAT SCULPTURE IS TOO LOUD!

Wilson: Now, now, little sister. Be nice. I rather think it’s quite fetching. There were some remarkable creatures and I was quite pleased there were no squirrel-like creatures in the lot.

Elsa: You and your obsession with squirrels. Let it go, dude.

Wilson: Ahem, let see another one of those colorful ‘spirit guides.’ This one was near the exit. Just look at the whimsicalness.

Monkey sculpture

Elsa: You call that whimsical? He seems a bit scary even if the colors were amazing. You weren’t afraid of him?

Wilson: What? Oh heavens, no. He just put on a brave face no doubt because of all the visitors to the gardens. It was a pretty packed place with several large groups of kids visiting the gardens. I think he was just trying to brave the crowds and put on that serious face because of the heat. It was another toasty day in the Mile High after reaching triple digits earlier in the week.

Elsa: Seems plausible. It has been hot. Got any photos that aren’t quite as serious looking?

Wilson: Well, how about this one? I thought he was pretty silly looking in a whimsical sort of way. Can you believe all that detailed work on the tail feathers? Almost makes you dizzy, doesn’t it? You really needed to walk all around these sculptures and check it out from every angle to truly appreciate how amazing they were.

Peacock sculpture

Peacock Spirit Guide

Elsa: You got that right…peacocks should never be taken seriously. They’re silly birds.

Wilson:  I’m not sure about the silly part. I mean, look at the close up of his face. He’s the first peacock I’ve ever seen. So what do you think this is supposed to be?

Elsa: Is that a rhetorical question? Those are Airbnb condos for pollinators who need a place to stay while passing through town. Mom said the gardens revamped that condo area by adding various kinds of wood and sticks as well as woolen baskets, boxes and fabric. The baskets are umm…creative. But I’m glad to see all the interest in helping pollinators out a bit. They need as much help as they can get these days, what with climate change and other environmental conditions.

Pollinator hotels

Wilson: Blimey…look at all those fabric bits. A bloke could have a ball shredding/chewing all those bits.

Elsa: Ssshhh…don’t let Mom hear you say that…she’ll blame you for everything that mysteriously finds itself shredded/chewed. Hmmm, that gives me an idea…I think I just found a terrific foil for conducting special Ninja business.

Wilson: What’s that you say…I’m not sure I heard you right.

Elsa: Oh nothing {changing the subject}. Got any other photos  you care to share?

Wilson: Well…while we’re on the topic of pollinators, Mum said there were loads of Swallowtail butterflies and dragonflies flitting around. She followed a few of the Swallowtails but the dragonflies never landed long enough to photograph. Way too quick I guess, but they were apparently great entertainment. I’m sure I could have captured one or two of them.

Swallowtail butterfly

Elsa: {eyes rolling} Oh right. You haven’t even been able to capture a single miller moth yet.

Wilson: Well they taste like crap so why in the world would I even want to try?

Elsa: Uh-huh. Whatever gets you through the night, Big Guy. Okay, let’s save some pics for next week, shall we? So what’s on your agenda this weekend?

Wilson:  Mum says I’m to going to have a second evaluation for doing pet therapy visits at the hospital. I hear there may be treats involved so I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior.

Elsa:  Oh for heaven’s sake…do you ever think of anything other than food?

Wilson: What else is there when it comes to securing a good dog’s attention? Apart from plotting against squirrels, that is.

Elsa: Oh jeez. Well whatever you do, we hope you stay as cool  as possible. Enjoy your weekend.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark!  🐾

Nature Friday ~ June 21, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 77 Comments

Elsa on sofaWelcome to this week’s Nature Friday edition where we join our friends, Rosy and Sunny. Be sure to click on the link to see what else has been shared around Blogville.

Elsa here and I’m practically melting right off the sofa it’s so bloody hot. Just like most of the country, but in the good news category at least we don’t have obnoxiously high humidity to go make the hot temps even more uncomfortable. Unfortunately, what we have had of late is high ozone levels but Mom remains vigilant about walking out in it. High ozone can make all of us cough so we’ve been going out at the crack of dawn before traffic and pollution get bad.

Today is the first full day of Summer and with each passing day, there will be about a minute less of sunlight. Fine by me-the sooner we get through this season, the happier I’ll be. And for anyone who is interested, there are 92 days until the official start of autumn. According to Space.com, were you aware the first day of summer actually changes from year to year, arriving on June 20, 21 or 22 because the earth’s astronomical year is actually 365.25 days long. The arrival of summer also coincides with the moon being at its fullest this year.

Because of the relentless heat, Mom’s photo-taking has been dramatically curtailed. Last weekend we all loaded up the pup mobile and went to spend a few days with Mom’s Dad. I totally love traveling to see my Grandpa but with all our foodables and stuff to keep us safe and happy, it can make the car a bit crowded. If only the House Pony didn’t take up so much real estate, I could totally stretch out and snooze through the 120 mile ride. That is until we got close to Colorado Springs, where there always seems to be an accident that causes I-25 to turn into a parking lot. It happened down both ways this time. On the way home, a small aircraft crashed and had all the northbound lanes completely at a standstill for miles. What normally takes about an hour and half ended up taking just shy of four hours.

Wilson: Tell me about it. While the windows are tinted, because I’m in the cargo area, I usually receive the bulk of the sun. At least you have the AC vent pointed at your face in the backseat.

Elsa: Yeah, well I have black fur and it ain’t enough, ok dude.

Wilson: Umm good point, still whenever we’d stop (which was nearly every 28 seconds), I thought that meant we’d get out and go for a walk.

Elsa: Haha, funny. It just means we’re 7 inches closer to home. That was the worst trip going home we’ve ever encountered. Mom checked with the state transportation department to see if there was an alternate route we could take. This was their solution.

DetourWilson: Hmm, not much help, was it?

Elsa: Nope, Mom said she was surprised they didn’t reroute traffic through Salt Lake City. {growl}

Wilson: While I’m not sure if that would have helped much, let’s share the few pics we do have. Mum has been captivated by these stunning trees called Kentucky Yellowwood since she first saw them blooming. The white flowers are so fragrant, and look a lot like Wisteria-like racemes that can be as long as 11 inches long. They have a narrow range of distribution in the Eastern U.S. but are hardy to Zone 4 which is no doubt why she found a couple of specimens here. They are quite stunning when in bloom and make a beautiful ornamental addition to any garden landscape.

Kentucky Yellowwood

Elsa: Mom sure likes them. We had to stand there for a jillion years while she sniffed all the white flowers. Then she suddenly realized we’d been patient and says “Hurry up, let’s go” {eyes rolling}.

Wilson: I’ve notice uprights tend to do that. Rather ironic, I say.

Elsa: You got that right. Humans are soooo weird. I mean just look at how the human who lived at this garden near our house decorated their front entrance flower pot…what the dog?!

Decorated flower pot

Wilson: Blimey…I don’t know what to say other than, “it’s quite colorful.”

Elsa: ‘Colorful’ is rather diplomatic way of putting it.

Wilson: Well, I’m nothing if not a rather proper chap.

Elsa: Not me, I call ’em like I see them. That is just too weird.

Wilson: Perhaps, but then I saw this when we visited Grandpa. What in the bloody world was that galloping critter? Mum said she’d never seen them as close to the road as this one and once he took one look at me, he couldn’t run away fast enough. I stopped dead in my tracks. I couldn’t figure out what it was; I just knew it wasn’t one of those horrid tree rats that make me lose my mind.

Pronghorn antelope

Elsa: Bingo, buddy. You’re so right, that is NOT a squirrel. Rather that’s the North American Pronghorn antelope. They have that distinct white fur on the rumps, sides, bellies and across their throats. The males weighs anywhere from 40–65 kg (88–143 lb) while the females are the same height as males, only weigh around 34–48 kg (75–106 lb). Pronghorns are the fastest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere and can run 56 km/h (35 mph) for up to 1.5 km (1 mi). Although slower than the African cheetah, it can sustain top speeds longer than cheetahs can.With their large windpipe, heart, and lungs physiology that allow them to take in large amounts of air when running, they can often outrun most of their predators. With two long, cushioned, pointed toes to help absorb shock when running at high speeds, their extremely light bone structure and hollow hair; they are literally built for speed. Pronghorns have very large eyes with a wide field of vision that are set high on their skull. Both males and females have horns that are shed and grown annually although the females have smaller horns that are straight and rarely pronged. When a Pronghorn sees something that alarms it, the white hair on its rump flairs open and exposes two very odoriferous glands that releases a compound that smells somewhat like “buttered popcorn” which alerts nearby Pronghorns by both sight and smell that danger is present and can be seen as far away as 20 to 30 meters downwind from alarmed animals. Mum found this closeup of a male Pronghorn face which is not really apparent in the photo she took on her cell phone from the road.

Antelope

Wilson: Well I thought they were pretty amazing and to watch them gallup…well that was something else. It almost made me want to join them.

Elsa: Trust me, they’d have left you in the dust, dude. So what’s on the weekend for you? Our neighborhood has a huge festival kicking off summer where thousands of peeps will attend all day Saturday which we will avoid like the plague. Then there’s the Farmer’s Market Sunday morning so there’ll be loads of peeps and pooches walking past the house. Let’s just hang out  with Mom inside and stay cool instead, eh House Pony?

Wilson: Count me in.

Wilson

{from the other room} Wilson, get off the bed!

Wilson: Oh dear, looks like I got busted. In that case, I’ll get down and wish you a brilliant weekend. Stay as cool as you can and of course keep yourself and your good pet well hydrated.

Elsa: What he said.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ May 24, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 51 Comments

Nature FridayHowdy and welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join those cute fur kids, Rosy and Sunny from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to see what others have shared from around .

Elsa here to share some interesting  flora and fauna photos this week. It’s been a lovely spring  week with mild temps and even one day with a nice rain shower. Everything has turned green, especially the weeds which seemed to pop up overnight. This been a good year for dandelions and the much loathed bindweed, much to Mom’s chagrin. But enough fussing over that, let’s see what the House Pony has curated for us, shall we?

Wilson: Thanks, Ninja and hello mates…have we got some lovelies for you this week. The Peonies have started blooming and boy are they something else. Mum especially likes this red one and I noticed that even you took time to stop and smell them.

Peonies Peonies

Elsa: Well you’re always yammering on about how great it is to sniff flowers and I will concede these peonies are pretty fragrant. Plus they’re just so doggone pretty.

Wilson: You’re right about that. Peonies and irises this week have been quite something to behold. These two I’m happy to report are from our own garden. Mum really is fond of dark irises and said the first image didn’t bloom last year that she could recall so when she saw it, she was more than chuffed.

Irises

Irises

Elsa: Mom definitely loves her irises. She mentioned that she’s planning on a visit to the Iris Farm this weekend and will likely take at least a thousand photos of them one last time as this is the last year the Iris Farm will be open. After 35 years, owner ‘Iris Bob’ will be retiring. We’ve shared this video before, but are sharing it again for your viewing pleasure. These gorgeous three acres have been such a wonderful place to walk through and the most remarkable aspect of it has been seeing such a large private space near the heart of the city.

Wilson: Mum told me all of her irises came from the Iris Farm except the one she brought from her old house over 22 years ago.

Elsa: Yeah, it’ll probably be somewhat emotional for her since she has visited the farm so many times over the years. But enough of the gooey nostalgia, how’s about you share what else we’ve saw on our separate walks.

Wilson: Right-o. We’ve noted it’s been an exceptional year for allium bulbs. Mum found a gigantic one in bloom and even captured a bee noshing on it. She wouldn’t let me get near it because I tend to try to catch bees. Mark my words, I’m ‘this’ close to catching one.

Allium

Elsa: You bonehead…I told you last week you do not want to play Venus Flytrap with these guys. They will mess you up but good and your nose is already big enough. Jeez, what is wrong with you?

Wilson: Oops, I forgot your sage advice you told me last week. I’ll try to do better, but with their buzzing noise, I just can’t help myself.

Elsa: {shaking her head} Well, don’t come yelping to me when you get stung and your face swells up like a balloon. Trust me…you ain’t gonna like it one bit. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

Wilson: I’ll try to be better. We probably ought to move along on this week’s garden tour. Mum noticed this striking Heuchera plant with its yellow-green leaves and striking dark red veining. Also known as Coral Bells or Alumroot, this beauty looked amazing in a shaded garden we pass on our daily walks. Its many species are all native to North America (except for Heuchera Sichotensis, which is native to the Russian Far East). This low-growing, evergreen comes in multiple colors, and is fairly easy to grow and do well in semi-sunny or shady conditions. Deadheading them promotes subsequent blooming. Another bonus to planting this lovely perennial is it’s deer resistant.

Heuchera

Elsa: That’s so different from the green ones we have in our garden but I’ll give it to you for finding it. Those red veins are really something else. You’re developing into quite the plant discoverer of interesting, if I do say so myself.

Wilson: Why thank you, Ninja. I appreciate that. I’m growing more and more comfortable with the city and can concentrate better on sniffing out things. Speaking of interesting plants, check out this plant called Iris Pseudacorus (sometimes called yellow iris flag, or water flag) when mom wandered over to Sloan’s Lake. It’s often considered an invasive, aquatic plant where it’s not native. Mum had never seen them at the lake before and only saw 3 or 4 plants before she looked them up to see what they were.

Yellow iris

Elsa: That pop of yellow must have surprised Mom since the water was kinda murky looking. But the biggest surprise she saw were these American White Pelicans, who apparently are tourists moving through as they make their way from various parts of North America southward to California and Mexico. You think they have valid fishing licenses which are required to fish the lake? Still they were very cool to watch and despite being fairly good-sized birds, they were quite graceful after one of them decided that Mom was getting just a bit too close for comfort and took flight. They rest of them took their cue from the leader and left shortly thereafter. Those black tipped wings must be exceptional on both take-offs and landings. Did you know a group of pelicans is called a pod?

Pelicans

Pelicans

Wilson: Wow, that’s a fascinating fact-I did not know that. Golly, I wish I could have seen them. I’m starting to be aware of birds around the neighborhood and keep hoping I can become friends with them.

Elsa: Oh sure, just like you want to be friends with squirrels? Umm, I’m gonna say that’s probably a hard no in the bird world. It’s quite likely squirrels have been besmirching your name to get even with you trying to catch the little hoodlums.

Wilson: Harumph…I’m not a bad sort; I’m actually quite friendly, much like this last plant whose blooms look like loads of smiles.

Panseys

Elsa: {giggling} Smiles indeed with squinty little eyes. Hahaha. I gotta admit, Pony…you’ve outdone yourself this week.

Wilson: Thanks Ninja. I’m starting to get this nature thing down. Well that’s it from us. We all hope you have a smashing good holiday weekend. Stay safe and don’t forget to stop and smell the peonies.

Elsa: You got it big guy. Have a pawsome weekend.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ May 3, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 35 Comments

Wilson & ElsaWelcome to the first Friday of May where we join those sweet pups from the Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to click on the highlighted link to see what other posts were shared. After a laughter-filled good visit with Mom’s Dad and sister, and just like Arnold Schwarzenegger, we’re ‘baacck.’ It was a bit early as spring on the prairie was just beginning to wake up but with temperatures warming up this week, it’s bound to go into overdrive. Crystal blue skies greeted us every day along with breezy conditions, but it was a lovely visit. Let’s start our tour, shall we?

Mailbox

Elsa: A new neighbor has slowly been getting settled in. They put up this adorable mailbox-one of the nicest in all of Pueblo West. Mom was captivated by it. Wilson thought the post needed to be baptized and I kept thinking, “Ugh…who are these weirdos?” Egad I just hope nobody saw me with them.

Wilson: What?! There was a small message in the gravel that the post was setting on that I needed to respond to…what’s wrong with that?

Elsa: I can’t even begin to respond to those ‘needs.’

Wilson: Well I noticed you left a message along our walks.

Elsa: Yup, I did. It said DON’T PEE HERE, YOU BOZO. Or do you need a translator?

Wilson: {miffed} Well I never…

Elsa: If only that were true. Moving along…the trees were just beginning to leaf out. This is one of a few deciduous trees that my Grandpa has that serves as resting spots for the prairie birds and shades the patio. Mom said the meadowlarks were back with fewer doves this time. The doves have taken over the past couple of years, much to the chagrin of the uprights but everyone seemed happy to hear the meadowlarks chirping their lovely songs. We couldn’t get close enough to take a pic but had to be content with their song. Mom starts to swoon whenever she hears their distinctive trilling. Here’s what they sound like.

Wilson: My heavens, what a charming and delightful sound. I can see why Mum enjoys their calls. She said the Western Meadowlark’s most common call is a “low, bell-like pluk or chupp which they use when disturbed and during courtship and territorial displays” according to the All About Birds website with the males giving “a hurried, excited “flight song” of short-spaced whistles and warbles.” If it makes Mum happy, who are we to interrupt?

Elsa: I know that…it just cracks me up when she goes into “bird frenzy.” More than once while they were all chatting on the patio, she interrupted the conversation excitingly telling the others “ooh, ooh, check out the Meadowlark call” {eyes rolling}. Her sister looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

Wilson: Well I didn’t notice her sister seem to mind since she never stopped rubbing my ears. Boy was I glad I got to meet her.

Elsa: You are simply shameless. One day you’ll meet someone who isn’t seduced by your oafish large self.

Wilson: I doubt it but until then, I’ll enjoy the attention. I notice you were hanging out near her a lot of the time too.

Elsa: {clearing her throat} Ahem, she was my aunt before she ever became yours. And one of the sweetest dog lovers in the world. I love being around her and her husband and think I filled a vital role since I know they both were missing their dog back in Texas.

Wilson: It’s a good thing we always answer the call to quickly go to service, right mate?

Elsa: Oh jeez…get over yourself, House Pony. Anywho…what else you got today?

Wilson: Mum told me the rabbit brush is beginning to flower  but I was somewhat disappointed there didn’t seem to be any rabbits at home whenever we walked by.

Rabbit brush

Elsa: I suspect its pollen was what made Grandpa and Mom’s sister all stuffed up although there could have been other culprits, like maybe this wild Verbena that was beginning to sprout here and there. It’s a pretty little flower that stays low to the ground and provides a nice pop of color in a tawney landscape.

Wild Verbena

Wilson: How did I miss that one? I surely would have left a message.

Elsa: Ha…color Mom happy about that!

Irish

Wilson: Speaking of color…Mum mentioned that this untraditional iris was something her Mum planted many years ago. It’s quite striking and with the anniversary of her passing this past week, gave everyone a smile between their tears as they remembered her and how she lovingly created her garden over the years. I wish I could have met her, I’m sure I’d have loved her as much as everyone else.

Elsa: Yeah, she was the best, and I’m sure she’d actually have enjoyed you plonking your big fat head in her lap. She was especially fond of Sam who tended her when she went into hospice.

Wilson:  She must have been a very special human. And for the record…I don’t plonk. I gently rest my head in the lap of uprights who seem to appreciate and need my company. That’s why Mum thinks I might be a good candidate for pet therapy. So what was all that falderal about that flying thing? I couldn’t tell what all the excitement was but it sure seemed to entertain everyone.

Elsa: Oh that thing? That was the first Swallowtail of the season. It’s one of the largest of all butterflies and quite distinctive.

Wilson: Mum was very excited and tried to follow it around the patio area. She wasn’t able to get too close before it would flit around and move to another tree so her photo isn’t the greatest and is pretty grainy. But it’s not for lack of trying.

Swallowtail

Elsa: You’ll learn soon enough that Mom isn’t the best photographer anyway but especially with her cell phone. She considers it a victory if she gets a shot that resembles what it is she’s trying to share.

Wilson: Well in all fairness, sometimes a cell phone is all one happens to have at the moment and the only way to document something.

Elsa: Yeah, you’re probably right, but still…some of that documentation is so lame. Like this one, as we were heading back to Denver. You can tell the species, but you couldn’t tell what kind it was. Mom thought it might be a rattlesnake but she wasn’t about to get out of the car to get closer. She cropped it hoping it’d be more clear but alas…another fail. The full size pic looked more like a rope was across the road. She worried that if this guy sunned himself for too long, some big truck would likely run over him. She’s not a fan of snakes, I mean who IS right, but she didn’t wish him any harm. He was pretty long and blended in well to the landscape.

Snake

Wilson: Snake? Umm, I’d have passed as well…

Elsa: {interrupting} That’s rich, I know perfectly well you’d have investigated. You’d have either peed on it or tried to eat it.

Wilson: Well what else can you do with something like that in the middle of the road? I mean, come on…

Elsa: Well they are useful out on the prairie, keeping the mice population down and other small critters.

Wilson: I think this guy might have been napping a bit too much. He missed one in a planter near the front door that Mum and her sister were getting ready for plants.

Field mouse

Elsa: I heard the commotion. Auntie wasn’t nearly as thrilled as Mom was seeing that cute little thing. Mom thought it fell in and couldn’t climb out. It seemed pretty exhausted so she took it out and gently let it escape into the underbrush of a mugo pine. Look at all those hairs standing up!

Mouse

Wilson: I thought I smelled something but didn’t see it.

Elsa: That’s probably why Mom brought out the scissors and clippers when we got home. I heard ‘something’ about you getting a trim later today.

Wilson bath

Wilson: Ugh…yesterday’s bath was bad enough. While I’m  mostly a good boy when it comes to grooming, I’d rather be out walking and checking out Nature, frankly.

Elsa: Well you needed a bath and you might as well get used to it. Mom gets worked up if we get mats or begin to ‘heaven forbid,’ smell like dogs and then runs around collecting all her grooming gear.

Wilson: Oh dear. I didn’t sign up for that.

Elsa: Un-lax, Pony…there are lots of treats involved. And this new self-dog wash Mom found is run by a really nice lady who will make you feel quite special at her adorable shop and dog wash.

Wilson: Yes, but, but..water. I mean…are there enough treats for water?

Elsa: There are, after it’s all over. Trust me. I don’t like baths either but when I smell good, Mom really loves on me. Well, I’m outa here…time for my mid-morning nap. I’ll let you wrap it up, Pony.

Wilson: Roger that, Ninja. We hope you have a fabulous weekend and are able to check out all the posh sights Nature brings us everyday. Cheerio, mates!

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ April 26, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 48 Comments

Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we share bits of urban nature. Well another week of Spring is in the books but like always, we are joining those cuties from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what other posts were shared.

Wilson

Elsa: Yo…yo, House Pony, wake up…it’s time to dish up a few images of spring from around the neighborhood.

Wilson:  {soft snoring} Huh…wha….Oh good morning. The crisp morning air left me wanting to stay in bed a bit longer but now that I’m awake, let’s get rolling!

Elsa: My goodness…aren’t you the eager beaver. So what’s on today’s hit parade?

Wilson: Not sure about any parade but with all the miles we’ve put on this week sniffing around, Mum said Spring is in full display The tulips in particular have been quite posh this Spring though they always disappoint me since they have no fragrance-trust me-I’ve checked. Mum’s red tulips are finally blooming. And notice the volunteer grape hyacinths in the background? Mum has been trying to corral them and even dug som to give to a friend who came by to take some irises and perennials for her garden. Talk about prolific!

Tulips

Elsa: Yeah, I’ve noticed those little scamps popping up in the oddest spots. There’s a whole patch in the garden where they’ve spread like weeds. I’m surprised Mom hasn’t gone on a terror yanking them up.

Wilson: She told me she didn’t mind them naturalizing but then said they were beginning to start acting like the lupines so she may need to start some remediation so they don’t go crazy. I haven’t seen the lupines but Mum told me there likely won’t be many this year. With all her talk about them, I was rather hoping I’d get to experience them. You can see past photos here.

Elsa: Yeah, she took zillions of photos, first with Sam and me and then Norman and me. I dreaded seeing them because it always meant we’d have to pose for 87 hours in the middle of them. Everyone who walked by would wax on about how beautiful they were. They had no idea how us dogs had to put up with photo sessions. I mean, it was almost animal cruelty!

Wilson: Oh gosh, sorry you had to endure that, Ninja. Must have been awful.

Elsa: You have no idea. It was like Christmas pictures. Hours and hours of “sit-stay” poses with all manner of Christmas decorations. The only good thing about it was Mom doled out lots of treats.

Wilson: Treats? Sign me up! I’ll stand on my head if there are treats involved.

Elsa: You say that now, but trust me, you’ll change your tune come later this year when we do our annual Christmas photos.

Wilson: Well I’m up for the challenge. I know Mum has some very high value treats she dispenses when she wants me to do something. I’ll humor her.

Elsa: Jeez, what a brown nose!

Wilson: {correcting} No-no…I have a very black nose. It’s one of those standout features about us Old English Sheepdogs.

Elsa: I was talking figuratively, New Guy. We’re gonna have to work on the meaning of ‘figuratively’ and ‘literally.’ You just don’t seem to understand the difference.

Wilson: I just go by what you tell me. I’m not a mind reading dog, I’m a herding dog. There’s a difference.

Elsa: Whatever. What else have you got?

Wilson: The lilacs are in full bloom and Mum is quite surprised since it’s early in the season. Now, those things DO smell great. Especially on a pretty blue sky day.

Lilacs

Elsa: Be careful where you stick that honker, bees like those flowers for their nectar.

Wilson: I’m not afraid of bees but I think wasps like this one might make me reconsider. Yesterday he was drinking from the solar fountain, buzzing around. I started to take a snap at him but Mum said that would be a very bad idea.

Wasp

Elsa: Trust me, dude. Stay away from those nasty things-they’ll make your tongue swell up if you try to eat one of those things. And then you won’t be able to taste the treats Mom gives you.

Wilson: Egad!! Thanks for that advice. I’ll try hard to avoid them. You can believe I want to be able to taste all the tasty treats Mum gives me.

Elsa: {head shaking} My gawd, you’re like a canine garbage disposal, aren’t you?

Wilson: Mum never gives me garbage.

Elsa: I can’t. I just can’t even begin to school you on the difference of stuff like that.

Wilson: What? I don’t understand…

Elsa: {interrupting} Precisely and I don’t have the time nor the patience to teach you. Let’s move along, House Pony, shall we? Beside that wasp, I think there was another encounter with some urban wildlife, though in all my years at the Ranch, I’ve never seen one of those.

Wilson: I have no idea what the bloody hell that thing was doing sashaying across this yard. I did have a feeling Mum did me a solid but not letting me try to herd it.

Turkey

Elsa: Darn straight she did. You don’t want to mess with those birds. They’ll mess you up but good. Probably came from someone’s city chicken coop.

Wilson: I could sense there was danger in that turkey by how tightly Mum held my leash and kept reinforcing the “leave it!” command with her clicker. Naturally I was a good boy and complied.

Elsa: {hysterical laughter} Complied? Right…I’ve seen how you handle the command to “Leave it!” when there’s a squirrel anywhere around {more raucous laughter}.

Wilson: If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were being quite cheeky with me.

Elsa: Umm, that’s one way of putting it. Good catch. Maybe you’ll figure things out eventually yet. Hope springs eternal.

Wilson:  I’m just going to ignore you and show you some other images we encountered yesterday afternoon. Mum tells me this plant is the state flower.

Columbine

Elsa: Well technically it’s the blue one that’s the state flower but like many of the perennials in the city, it’s blooming early.

Wilson: It’s quite striking, I say. But nothing compared to this purple flower. Mum said she’s never seen these blooming in April.

Iris

Elsa: Yeah, I’d agree. It was quite a shock seeing that pop up in a pile of weeds. Mother Nature seems to be teasing us.

Wilson: Right you are. When Mum and I walked back from the library, we came across this field of yellow flowers. I had to stop and admire them.

Dandelions

Elsa:  I hope Mom told you those yellow flowers are weeds and the bane of gardeners everywhere. With the moisture we’ve received this Spring, they have been a bumper crop of them everywhere. But they are kinda pretty.

Wilson: I should say so…they are quite cheerful. Well, that’s all I have today. I heard we’re going to visit our Grandpa this weekend and I will get to meet Mum’s youngest sister who’s coming from Texas for a short visit. I’m excited to meet more of the family and promise I’ll be on my best behavior.

Elsa: Uh, huh…best, eh? Not sure what you mean by ‘best’ but it should be a nice visit for a few days. What are your plans for the weekend? You doing anything exciting for this last weekend of April? We’re still amazed that May is upon us and just around the corner. Where is this year going?

Wilson: Not sure but it does seem to be moving along quickly. Whatever you do, we hope you’re able to see loads of Nature’s finest. Just avoid the turkeys and wasps.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

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?

Teaser Badge

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.

Flowering 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?

Mushrooms

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?

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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.Bleeding HeartsWilson: 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.

Bird

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
Baby Halia – one week old

Nature Friday

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 on sofaElsa 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!

Sloan's Lake

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.

Tree stumps

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.

Poppies

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.

Wilson

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark!  🐾

Nature Friday ~ February 23, 2024

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 74 Comments

Nature Friday

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?

Sunrise

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.

Pikes Peak

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.

Spring bulbs

Spring bulbs

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.

Goats

Goats

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

Sleeping Elsa

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.

Wilson & Elsa

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?

Lake & geese

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.

Highlands Ranch

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?

Walking on the path

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.

Not Sam

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.

Not Sam - OES

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday