Category: The Ninja

Nature Friday ~ December 22, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 57 Comments

ElsaWelcome to the first full day of Winter following yesterday’s Solstice. While the days are short, and in this season, it’s easy to get your tinsel in a tangle, but it’s also a magical time of year with ‘Santa Paws’ arriving in just a few days. As always we’re joining Rosy and Sunny at Adventures of the LLB Gang. This week I’m actually going to share real life nature photos. Elsa here and just so you know, I made an important editorial decision today. No more stupid inflatables or weird Santa skeletons for the rest of the year. You’re welcome. For the past couple of weeks, the Ranch had been going to the dogs naturewise, showing some ridiculous pics. Today I’m going to show you how to really go to the dogs…wolves that is. In exciting news this week, the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife (CPW) released the first group of wolves in accordance with a 2020 voter mandated reintroduction in Colorado now that all the legal challenges were resolved by a federal court last week. So let’s get started, shall we?

Elsa: On Monday, the CPW seemed to take pity on me by sharing this video showing the release of the 5 grey wolves (3 males and two females). They were released in an undisclosed area on public lands in Grand County. There had been multiple legal challenges filed by various Western Slope groups, including The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and the Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association who had lost their final court challenge on December 16th. Judge Regina Rodriguez said that while ranchers’ concerns were understandable, their complaints were insufficient “for this court to grant the extraordinary relief they seek.” She added that pausing the reintroduction process would be against public interest since a majority of voters (albeit a slim one) passed Proposition 114 back in 2020, requiring the reintroduction. On Monday, the wolves were released with a pleased governor and about 45 guests watching as they ran to a nearby forested area. There is no audio to this video (but at least there aren’t any annoying ads either). I heard that one of the wolves looked back at the peeps before high-tailing it into the trees. Aren’t they just magnificent?

The Mom: Umm yeah, I realize I haven’t been my best lately when it comes to sharing Nature pics so I’m glad you took initiative with this week’s Nature Friday edition, although the truth of the matter regarding the timing was simply coincidental. In reality, this hot-button issue had been mandated by the voters when Proposition 114 was passed in 2020, with rural communities staunchly opposed to the reintroduction plan, complaining it wasn’t fair to them since Front Range cities carried the proposal over the rural Western Slope residents’ criticisms. Their complaint was they would be impacted more by the presence of this top-tier predator than city slickers. Between 30-50 wolves will be sourced from multiple northern Rocky Mountain states, then reintroduced over a 3-5 year period with CPW partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department according to their plan for reintroduction. Monday’s wolves had been captured, health checked and fitted with radio colors only a few days before they were released in Colorado.

Wolves
Wolf stock image, courtesy of David Parsons

Elsa: Whoa…talk about impressive. I heard the largest was 108 lbs…so what’s their usual habitat range?

The Mom: Scientists suggest on average that it’s around 50 miles but it can range anywhere from 22 to 140 miles, so they won’t be released within 60 miles of the state border. The wolves were released in an undisclosed area that has a large deer and elk population. Officials are hoping they won’t be a risk to livestock, thus hopefully alleviating rancher concerns.

Elsa: Hmm, I seriously doubt that ranchers will still be fuming. Wolves have been villainized forever. Didn’t wolves use to live in Colorado before?

The Mom: Yes, they did but it was a long time ago. Wolves were extirpated decades ago by ranchers and hunters although a few have migrated from Wyoming over the years but CPW basically thinks that effectively there haven’t been any since the 1940’s. There’s always been such a fear of wolves so this reintroduction was heavily debated. To assuage rancher concerns, according to the CPW’s website…

All released wolves will be monitored using satellite GPS collars, which will inform managers on survival and dispersal, as well as future release protocols. As packs establish, effort will be made to collar at least one member of each pack with emphasis on breeding adults. The desired standard will be to have two collars in each pack; whether this is achievable for every pack in the state will be determined following reintroduction (emphasis added).

Elsa: Sounds like the CPW is going to keep a close eye on them. Say, didn’t your daughter visit a wolf sanctuary several years ago in a private photography session that allowed her to be right in their enclosures with them?

The Mom: Indeed she did. It was a surprise birthday gift from her husband and one of the most amazing experiences she’s ever had. Just check out some of their images from their gallery of these magnificent creatures.

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Elsa:  Wow, how cool that she could go inside the enclosures and be among those amazing creatures! Now this, is what I call nature, Mom.

The Mom: It sure is and she was thrilled beyond words to be able to spend an entire day taking it all in. She’s always had a spiritual connection to wolves.

Elsa: Pretty doggone cool, Mom. So what’s shakin’ for Santa Paws’ arrival? Are we going to spend the holiday with my Grandpa?

The Mom: We sure are, should be another wonderful get-together with several family members. Christmas was Mom’s birthday so we’ll all be thinking of her and raising a glass to toast her memory.

Elsa: So dear readers, what are your plans for Christmas. I’ve been good being a relative term good so I’m sure ‘Santa Paws’ will leave me some nice gifts. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

The Mom: However you spend the holiday, Elsa and I wish you a day filled with magic, peace and joy and we hope you are able to enjoy slices of Nature’s beauty this next week. Can you believe it, 2024 is just around the corner?

Elsa: Good heavens…now that IS rather unbelievable. Best wishes from me and Mom. We ‘woof’ you a very Merry Christmas.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ December 15, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 45 Comments

ElsaWell, well, well…sports fans…another Friday is here so now we’re just 10 days from Santa Paws’ arrival. Elsa here ready to share a few (and by a few, I do mean few…my editorial staff photographer has been busy with Christmas preparations and hasn’t taken too many pics lately-I dunno know…seems like a lame excuse to me). And those she did take should probably be taken with a grain of salt as “nature” shots. Her idea of nature and mine are clearly different. Anyway for the record Santa, in case you’re listening…I’ve been good. Oh alright, let’s get real here, I tried real hard-that’s gotta count, right? But I can guarantee I was stellar during this year’s Christmas photo shoot as you can see above. Lots of different hats were plunked on my head and I grimaced grinned with a whole lotta grace, if I do say so myself. Course the tasty treats were a nice incentive-thanks Mom. As always we’re joining our pals, Rosy and Sunny. Click on their link to see what others have shared.

The Mom: You’re most welcome, Ninja. I can attest that you were pretty patient while I snapped a bunch of various shots. I was quite shocked that you were as good as you were and for so long. Well done, Elsa.

Elsa: Hey, I’m a professional…I don’t do bad work. Now, let’s get to sharing some of your teensy slices of nature this week, shall we?

The Mom: I know, I know…not enough photos in your opinion. In my defense, I’ve been baking up a storm and making tasty goodies for family and friends. The kitchen resembles a FEMA disaster area and yet I noticed you didn’t mind the hours of preparation of the jerky I made for your Grandpa when you were offered a little slice of meat when I was cutting it up.

Elsa: Yeah, that stuff was the bomb Mom, before you began marinating it and sticking it in the dehydrator. How come you don’t make some of that for me?

The Mom: Au contraire little one…I’ve made you some jerky a number of times. Marinated meat just isn’t good for your system but sweet potatoes are. Did you forget about?

Sweet Potato jerky

Elsa: Oh yeah…oops. Moving along…so what have you got that says nature, eh?

The Mom: It’s been pretty chilly this week with a bit of snow almost every day but there was one morning when it was clear. I found these ‘critters’ on our walk and I noticed you were kind of inquisitive but then lost interest fairly quickly when a squirrel boogied in front of us.

Inflatibles

Elsa: Umm, hate to break it to you but those are not real critters.

The Mom: Technically speaking you’re right, but I still thought they were interesting in the city landscape.

Elsa: Yeah if you’re into inflatables. I prefer real live critters. This is not very ‘nature-y’ by the way.

The Mom: Ok, how about these guys…are they nature-y enough for you?

Canadian Geese

Elsa: Now we’re talking. But did you notice they just were laying around…looking for handouts. What a bunch of lazy bums.

The Mom: Hey now, that’s not very much in keeping with the Christmas spirit. You can’t fault them for trying to keep warm and have a little rest, now can you? Besides, everyone can use nap after flying around the city while foraging for some food.

Elsa: Erm…I suppose you’re right {looking around to see if Santa was watching}. Sorry ’bout that. I guess I do the same thing when you’re cooking…lay in the middle of the kitchen near you hoping you’ll share a morsel or two. You’ve commented more than once on my “please sir, can I have another,” look.

The Mom: Oh Elsa, you crack me up. Yes, you do a very right pitiful look from the movie, “Oliver!”

Elsa: I guess you have a couple more non-nature-y pics you expect me to share.

The Mom: {sigh} Yes, I do as a matter of fact. It was busy and I only got out for short jaunts to the grocery store. There wasn’t much nature to check out but people are being creative with their holiday decor, you’ve got to admit.

Skellie

Elsa:  Again with the lazy…why couldn’t these people just take their skellie down and pack it away until next year?

The Mom: I dunno…it seemed clever to me. If I had to schlep a 12 ft. skeleton out and set it up, I’d want to make the most of decorating it beyond Halloween too. It’s called maximination of their efforts.

Elsa: Man, you uprights are too weird. And then what’s the deal with this ‘sculpture’ that’s around the corner from us that’s been plastered onto the porch foundation?

Sculpture

The Mom: I’ve scratched my head on that one since I moved here. It’s a weird sculpture but this year they stuck a Santa hat over the extremely bizzare face and called the outside decorations done.

Elsa: First time I saw that, it creeped me out. So odd. But I guess they’re trying to get in the festive mood so props for being creative.

The Mom: That’s very generous of you. What did you think of this gingerbread guy?

Gingerbread guy

Elsa: Meh…I prefer it when the kids are playing in the tree house.

The Mom: It seemed original to me decor-wise…but I can see where one might not make the connection to nature. Well that’s all I got for you.

Elsa: Probably just as well. I’m gonna go with this final thought and leave it to my readers. Nature

The Mom: Good way to close, Ninja. We hope you have a great weekend and be sure to “question Nature…she’ll provide whatever answers you’re looking for.’ Have a terrific weekend and stay warm.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ December 8, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments

🎵 Humming to the tune of “Silver Bells” 🎶… and then suddenly barking in verse at the top of her lungs, “it’s Christmas time in the city…fa la la la la, la la la la! Elsa here…

The Mom: Umm, you know you’re combining songs, right?

Elsa: Yeah, what of it? Christmas is the time to get your Irving Berlin on, I say.

The Mom:  Still, you’re mixing your tunes together. Singing Christmas songs isn’t like mixing up a cup of hot chocolate.

Elsa: {Gasp} Mom…you know perfectly well I can’t have chocolate!

The Mom: {Shaking her head} Dear, dear, Elsa…I was just making a metaphor.

Elsa: Well whatever, doesn’t matter, I was just loosening up my vocal chords anyway. Come on…we’re over 100 hundred words and we haven’t even started our post. Move, it, Mom!

The Mom: {Speaking softly under her breath} Oy…why do I feel like I’m losing a battle of wits?

Elsa: What’s that you say? Seriously, you actually think you’re going to win an argument with me? Bwahahaha. Silly Mom…I love you, but {bwahahahaha} I. can’t. even. begin. to. respond, it’s so absurd. You crack me up, Mom, you seriously crack me up.

The Mom: {trying desperately to change the subject and get back on track} um, er…let’s focus on this week’s latest episode of Nature Friday. We can split hairs later.

Elsa: Split hairs? Don’t even begin to think about trimming any of my hairs, thank you very much!

The Mom: I was just…oh never mind.

Elsa: See…you can’t begin to win a discussion with me. My blog, my rules. {puffing out her chest} Lo-di-do-do. Or as they say in the big leagues…Spoo for the win!

The Mom: {eyes rolling} Fine…let’s just get on with it.

Elsa: Yeah, if only you’d taken some pictures. But for the record because I’m such a rule follower, we’re joining our New Mexico friends Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard to check out Nature around the ‘Hood. As I noted earlier, you didn’t take any new pics, what’s up with that?

The Mom: {flush with embarrassment} Umm, it was a busy week. And I kinda got wrapped up enjoying the absolute springtime temperatures and trying to mail out Christmas cards and December birthday gifts. And truth be told, there hasn’t been a lot to photograph on outings that we haven’t photographed before.

Elsa: That’s never stopped you before. I mean, why did you dash back into the house early yesterday morning raving about the incredible sunrise? I mean, gawd knows you take a jillion sunrise pics all the time.

The Mom: For the exact reason that you’ll complain about “yet another sunrise” picture.

Elsa: Mom, hate to break it to you but the blogging world doesn’t need yet another sunrise photo. Just saying.

The Mom: See, I kinda rest my case. Anyway yesterday’s was exceptionally vivid….by the time I ran back into the house to grab my phone, it had faded out to ‘merely pretty.’ Not sensational like it was when I took you outside.

Elsa: Ahh, I get it, blame the dog. Fine. So you got anything to share, anything at all? Buehler?

The Mom: Ahem…one of the Christmas cactuses has been blooming…does that count?

Cactus

Elsa: I’ve been wondering when you’d get around to highlighting them. This one is pretty in pink as the saying goes but didn’t you say there’s a good chance that it’s actually a Thanksgiving cactus since it’s been blooming for the past couple of weeks.

The Mom: You’re right, I think that one is from the genus Schlumbergera, and is one of the two groups within the cultivar Truncata which displays stem segments with pointed teeth. Their flowers are held more or less horizontally, and their upper side is shaped differently from the lower side. This one has been a part of my indoor garden for well over 20 years and is actually considered a tropical plant rather than what we normally think of as cactuses and comes from Brazil. These plants typically require more water and humidity than traditional cactuses, but they’re easy to maintain. Just water deeply whenever the top inch or so of soil is dry, and repot if the soil gets compacted (note to self, since this one has never been repotted, it’s likely more than time to do that). They should only be fertilized when actively growing or blooming. Just make sure to use a well-draining potting soil mix. It likes bright but indirect light for the best blooming conditions and avoid cold, drafty spots or locations close to a heat source like a radiator. Pinching back stem ends aftering blooming helps make for a bushier plant.

Elsa: Don’t you have another one in a different color?

The Mom: Yes, it’s orangey and far less impressive. It’s always been much less prolific than the pink one.

Christmas cactus

Elsa: You were kind of pleasantly surprised it bloomed since it was a starter from a segment you had knocked off.

The Mom: I was. That plant has had a long history of less than stellar blooming. My son left it with me when he moved to Hawaii over 10 years ago. He told me it rarely bloomed for him, at most 1 or 2 blossoms when he had it, which is likely why he didn’t want it back when he moved back to Denver three years ago.

Elsa: I find that hard to believe. Kevin KNOWS how to grow plants. Maybe that genus is a bit like us Standard Poodles, you know…needing to have a certain agenda that maybe, just perhaps doesn’t coincide with you uprights’ idea of how things should be? {snicker}

The Mom: Thanks for the reminder, as if I needed an acknowledgement about poodle agendas.

Elsa: Just trying to keep you grounded, Mom, that’s all. Well that’s it as far as I’m concerned. I hope we have more photos to share next time. I’ll try to persuade you when we’re out on our walks this next week. So what’s on tap for your weekend? I think it’s time to get out Norman’s chef’s hat-I’ve hear that we may be starting our holiday baking. Sure hope that means there will be some fresh, home baked pup treats over the next couple of days. {paws crossed}

Elsa

Whatever you do, make sure you stop to enjoy Nature’s gifts, however small they may be. Stay warm.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday

Nature Friday ~ December 1, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 57 Comments

Elsa🎵 Oh give me a home…where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play…🎶…oh, hi,ya remember me? Elsa here and after a long time away, I’m back from the Thanksgiving Day break visiting Mom’s Dad in Southern Colorado. It wasn’t intended to be  extended but Mom was  kinda stranded with poor cell phone coverage and no Wi-Fi. I don’t know what Wi-Fi is but it spun my Mom into a real tizzy. She’s not a techno-wizard type and really had a hard time dealing with all the behind-the-scenes machinations of getting everything back to normal and restoring the network so to say she was stressed out was an understatement, but I came to her rescue providing just the kind of Ninja support she needed…but no I didn’t chew anything up. After working 87 hours and a few days on getting the network up and running with lots of crossed paws…we think everything is ok. We’ll be talking with Grandpa later this morning to make sure nothing fell through the cracks.

So here we are, the first Friday of December and that means we’re going to some views of Mother Nature from the past week or so. As always, we’re joining our friends, Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard to share photos from Nature this week from time spent in southeast Colorado over the holiday. You ready for this?

Before Mom went to PW, she saw a rare sight in late November-a butterfly on a walk before the weather turned cold. It startled her when it popped up but true to its nature, stayed fairly low to the ground and hung out on the fallen leaves. They’re super skittish and didn’t linger long before flying away.

Autumn butterfly
Mostly likely an Orange Sulphur Butterfly

A rare November snow storm hit Pueblo West on Thanksgiving while the extended family gnawed on turkey, ham and all the trimmings. Mom’s sister and her family drove up from Texas and her grandkids enjoyed the little snow that Nature kindly provided. The adults weren’t quite as enamoured as the kids were, but everyone enjoyed being together, eating, laughing, playing games, watching football and yes eating again. Talk about a food coma!

Tiny snowman
A super tiny and rarely sighted snowman on the prairie in November

Mom can’t stop gawping on and on about the view of Pikes Peak, the prairie and sunrises. She never gets tired of seeing one of Colorado’s most famous peaks. On the other hand, I’m happy to sniff for bunnies when I’m there, but it’s more like I can take it or leave it. Mom says I’m missing out on all the teeming wildlife. I keep telling her unless she’s actually letting me chase a bunny or two or better, prairie dogs instead of watching sunrises and wide open spaces, I’m more…meh.

Pikes Peak
Snow on Pikes Peak before storm hit the plains
Sunrise
Early morning sunrise
Pikes Peak sunrise
Sunrise on Pikes Peak
Sunrise
Pink sunrise to the east

Mom says she could watch the sunrise every morning and always takes a jillion pics as it goes from intense colors to pale as the sun rises. She raves about those pink and orange skies. I, on the other hand, am more interest in seeing prairie dogs, bunnies, deer and antelope. Talk about curious creatures. Those prairie dogs stay well away from the ‘jaws of death’ and as soon as they see me, they scurry their chunky bodies down into their burrows. I’m surprised they can fit. Those were the chubbiest prairie dogs Mom’s ever seen. Guess with the rain this summer, the grass was in abundance. I told Mom it wasn’t fair they’ve been celebrating Thanksgiving for months if their  little chubby tummies were any indication. This guy is hard to see as he was pretty far away and Mom only had her cell phone with which to capture him so sorry for the crummy pic. They don’t pose for long before diving into those light tan burrow mounds.

Prairie dog

Even deer avoid getting close, preferring to stay far enough away from humans and dogs. That said, sometimes they come close to the road in evening hours and end up paying for it. Nature is nothing, if not cruel.

Deer
White-tailed deer in distancer
Deer skeleton
White-tailed deer skeleton next to the road

Still don’t know why she wouldn’t let me have that antler. I could have chewed on that puppy for ages.

On a morning walk before the snowstorm, Mom captured the Spanish peaks far to the south. Usually they’re pretty pale bumps from Grandpa’s house since they are over 102 miles way to the south of Pueblo West even though they range in height from 13,623 feet (4,152 m), to 12,708 feet (3,873 m).

Spanish Peaks
Spanish Peaks with Greenhorn Mountain on the right

We’re waiting for a couple of new fronts this weekend that will likely include a flurry or two. Seems like a good time to stay inside and may pull out some holiday decorations. This is the time of year where the house is filled with the scent of hot cocoa and evergreen boughs. Whatever you do, we hope you have a lovely weekend and spot some scenes from Nature. Stay safe and warm.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

 

Epilepsy Awareness Month ~ 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 40 Comments

Epilepsy awarenessHello, Elsa here. We normally don’t post on Thursday’s but because today is the last day of November, we are focusing attention on epilepsy  (especially after the recent return to Standard time which always winds up my Mom as she tries to phase in the meds to keep my anti-seizure medication as level as possible so I don’t seize). Mom hates having to figure out when to integrate those incremental shifts in time to keep things on an even keel since my meds must be administered every 12 hours at 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.  Sometimes she’s better at it but it gives her heartburn nonetheless and she always worries it might trigger a seizure. Luckily we got through it unscathed again but it’s always a colossal hassle. Can anyone tell me why we still do this stupid “spring forward/fall back” nonsense?

Originally we had hoped to have had this post prepared during the Thanksgiving holiday week rather than on the last day of the month but we were hampered with poor cell phone coverage and no Wi-Fi while visiting Mom’s Dad and we only just returned yesterday afternoon. As a blogger, this is as troublesome as trying to deal with the whole WordPress block editor garbage, and ranks right up there with Daylight Savings Time in dumb things you shouldn’t have to deal with. Between you and me, Mom’s bandwidth to deal with such junk is pretty slim so I knew we’d have to publish today.

When you’re a dog like me, you become pretty used to taking your meds. Mom has become quite creative in wrapping my pills in a very tasty treat so it’s not like she has to hog-tie me and pop a pill in the back of my throat. Having that happen would be weird, not to mention rude.

I began having seizures shortly after Mom rescued me over seven years ago (you can read about it in the highlighted link) and she’s been educating herself ever since.

My diagnosis came two weeks after I was rescued. There I was, a completely feral dog started having seizures getting used to being around people. I was fortunate to have Sam and Norman as my brothers-they taught me how to be a dog. I mean, I didn’t even know how to accept food from my Mom’s hand I was that shut down. Grand mal seizures started at first and following a short stay at the emergency vet clinic, I was treated and diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy which meant the vet wasn’t sure what the cause was. A likely factor was believed to be most likely was genetic (all the dogs seized after the owner of the puppy mill passed away had various conditions and he didn’t keep health records of any of us). Initially it was challenging determining what the right dosage of anti-seizure medication should be. I was placed on the least potent dose of Phenobarbital as well as given CBD oil but the dosage proved to be inadequate. The Phenobarb had to be adjust several times and for the most part I’m happy to report that Mom has been pretty good keeping me seizure free since late May {knock on wood}. Having a dog like me who has seizures can be a terrifying thing to witness.  Even with treatment, seizures are no picnic in the park and there are always challenges. Despite a few hiccups along the way like determining what the right dosage would be for my situation, Mom and my vet have seemed to hit the sweet spot and manage to keep the seizures mostly at bay. Even when I do have one, Mom has learned various techniques which make them fairly minor compared to when I first experienced them. I even went over a year without a single one. 

Mom says she’s lucky to have been part of an amazing blogging community who are far smarter and more knowledgeable than her when it comes to epilepsy and is particularly grateful for loads of advice from our friends over at Knotty Toys for Good Dogs and The Five Sibes who have shared amazing and informative resources and tips that have helped me. Remember that epilepsy is not a death sentence by any means and it is super important to get accurate information when treating epilepsy. There are also various epilepsy websites including Canine-Epilepsy as well as generalized info found at the Epilepsy Foundation and The Wally Foundation for educating oneself if it ever happens to you or your pet. I’ve certainly learned a lot since that first seizure and hope, with proper nutrition and the right balance of medication, I will live a long and happy life. If chewing on various items like reading glasses is any indication of happiness, Mom thinks I’m in hog heaven.

Did you know one in every 100 dogs is affected by epilepsy? Idiopathic epilepsy (the most common cause of seizures in dogs), is an inherited disorder, yet its exact cause is unknown. Other causes may include liver disease, kidney failure, brain tumors, brain trauma, or toxins. Onset in dogs usually beginning sometime between 2-6 years. As I mentioned, my onset episodes were quite severe, life threatening in fact and required emergency vet intervention but are now mostly  managed. I live a good life and enjoy things considered normal for dogs now and when the epi-monster hits, Mom knows how to treat me and get me through it easily. Do you know  anyone who is epileptic?

Again, many thanks to Knotty Toys and the Five Sibes for their counsel and support along this journey. With their help and info they share, Mom hopes to have me around chewing on her things for a good long time.

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are making ready for Santa Paws.

Elsa💜 Live, love, bark! 🐾 💜

Nature Friday ~ November 17, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments

ElsaHey yo…sports fans…it’s me…Elsa. How the heck are you? Mom and I have been visiting my Grandpa in southern Colorado this week and well…life kinda took a bad turn but we think things are under control now. Whew! We weren’t able to do much in the photographic department but Mom took a few scenes of autumn on the prairie that I wanted to share.

The Mom: So little miss…what do you have this week?

Elsa: Well I wanted to show everyone what autumn looks like on the prairie. It was breezy but the wind behaves differently in southern Colorado.

The Mom: Well it does tend to ‘move things’ around like leaves, tumbleweeds, but because it’s so wide open at Dad’s house, raking is a lot different than in the city.

Elsa: You got that right! The wind messes with my Sherlock Holmes nose and I had mega problems picking up bunny scents. I did manage to find all the presents that the neighbor’s horse left on the ground.

The Mom: {interrupting} ahem…and yes, we don’t need to get into how you tried to enjoy snacking on them, either.

Elsa: Yeah, I was disappointed. When I managed to almost, so-close nosh on one, I wasn’t keen on you’re quick yank on my leash, dragging me back on the road.

The Mom: No need to tempt the gods with an upset digestive system, yanno.

Elsa: Aww, man, you are always harshing on my fun.

The Mom: Just trying to keep you save, sweetie.

Elsa:  More like being a control freak. But I digress.

The Mom: So what caught your eye on this trip?

Elsa: Well I’m gonna tell you, this wheel thing sure had me do a double take. You uprights…you throw the weirdest things in your gardens.

Wagon wheel

The Mom: Well, I thought it was kinda cool if you’re into sort of thing. Nothing like an old wagon wheel-axle to bring the West to a garden.

Elsa: Umm…weird, Mom, just weird. This ain’t the O.K. Corral, okay!

The Mom: Art is in the eye of the beholder, toots.

Elsa: {head shaking} Guess I guess we just have to agree to disagree. Anyway, we probably should move on. One thing about the prairie that I like is how wide open the vista is. As far as the eye can see, there’s stuff to check out along the horizon. I noticed you neglected to include Pikes Peak (which was off to the far right) in your photo.

Prairie horizon

The Mom: I thought I had it but clearly not. Too bad, too. There was a touch of snow on the back side that people who drive south on I-25 never get to see. But at least that ancient piñon tree stands out.

Elsa: That it does. I was disappointed we didn’t see any antelope. Talk about weird. They stand out on the plains and just blink and stare. Why won’t they come closer like the donkeys do?

The Mom: Well they’re just being cautious around potential predators.

Elsa: {beaming with pride} Huh…so I’m considered a potential predator, eh? Well, color me proud!

The Mom: Umm, that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Elsa: It is when you’re a Ninja. People respect you.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} One thing about life on the prairie is the sunrises are pretty spectacular. The orange light can wake a person up from a sound sleep.

Sunrise

Elsa: It was pretty bright. But very cool…it allowed me to look for bunnies first thing in the morning in the early morning light.

The Mom: Yeah, all that sniffing for bunnies in the ‘crisp’ early morning light isn’t really taking care of the business at hand, if you know what I mean.

Elsa:  Hey, a girl’s gotta explore. You said it yourself…us dogs process our world through our noses and if I go a little bit off the reservation, that’s called enrichment.

The Mom: Enrichment, eh? Guess I need to make a note to myself to be bundled up while you’re enriching yourself.

Elsa: Well duh, Mom! Sheesh, that goes without saying. Think of it like the Boy Scouts do. Be prepared.

The Mom: O-kay. Got it. {eyes rolling again}

Elsa: Hey! I see you rolling your eyes…again. That’s kinda rude, Mom.

The Mom: Umm, er…sorry.  So what else do you have?

Elsa: Clever deflection, Mom. At times, you actually think like me. Well, we always walk past this neighbor’s house when we visit my Grandpa and this was the first time I actually got to investigate the rabbit brush. I could tell lots of bunnies hide out in it. But where the heck were they when we walked by? I mean, you know I’m a good hunter and I saw bupkis. That’s no bueno, Mom.

Rabbit brush

The Mom: I’m sure you’ll see them again soon. We are headed down to see Grandpa again for Thanksgiving.

Elsa: {excitedly} Ooh, can’t wait. Maybe I’ll even see a bunny in the yucca plants. The flowers have gone to seed and I’ll bet they eat those black seeds.

Yucca

The Mom: Maybe. I’ve never have seen one close by. No doubt those stiff spines tend to protect them. I’m sure the birds are more interested than the rabbits.

Elsa:  One thing about the prairie this time of year, it’s sure full of various shades of brown at first look. But when you’re ace hunter with a killer nose like me, you notice all the tawny shades. You uprights would do well to notice nuances like that. Too bad you don’t have excellent sniffers.

Prairie in autumn

The Mom: That’s true, we tend to be more visual. But there are lots of shades in the brown family on the prairie right now. This snakeweed for instance was gloriously orangey with tones of brown. It was everywhere and the spent flowers stuck to your legs and my socks like Velcro.

Elsa: Yeah, I had to ‘evacuate’ those pesky stickery things with my teeth. Next time maybe I’ll let you brush me after our walk.

The Mom: Wait…what? You’d actually let me brush you without a fight? I know you’re not all that keen on brushing.

Elsa: Well I know you at least have my best interests at heart. How about we take a “let’s wait and see” approach?

The Mom: Uh-huh…that’s what I thought. Just remember it’s for your own good.

Elsa: Yeah, you keep telling me that. Well that’s all I got this week. I know you got stuff to take care of this morning so how about we tell folks to have a good weekend and be sure to get outside and enjoy autumn…wherever they are.

The Mom: Sounds like a plan. I agree with Elsa…be sure to enjoy the weekend and enjoy the beauty of Nature in autumn, wherever you are.

Elsa: Hey, I’m supposed to have the last word. Have a ‘wagnificent’ weekend. And don’t forget to click on the link to see what everyone else shared about Nature on the website of the LLB gang. And say hi to Rosy and Sunny from me.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ November 3, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 58 Comments

Welcome to the first Friday of November. My goodness, any idea as to how in the dog did we got to November already? As always we’re joining our friends from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Make sure you click on the link to see what else was shared.

The Mom: Yoo-hoo, oh Elsa…time to share pics from this week for Nature Friday.

Elsa

Elsa: Nope, not coming out. I’m still recovering from the humiliation I suffered from wearing that ridiculous Halloween outfit.

The Mom: Aww come on, everyone thought you were cute.

Elsa: Cute?? Baby ducks are cute! I am a Ninja.

The Mom: Ahh sweetie, I’m sorry if you’re feeling bad about your Halloween photo. I was super proud of you for posing so nicely. You did well, Ninja.

Elsa: Of course I did well. Remember, I’m a total professional.

The Mom: And professionals don’t pout. They lift their head, put their big girl pants on and get back to doing what they are extra good at.

Elsa: Nope, I told you already…I’m not doing it.

The Mom: {begging while pulling out the extra high value treats from the cupboard} Please? For me? {crinkling the package}

Elsa: Oh man, you don’t play fair, do you? You know I can’t resist those dehydrated fish skins. They are so addictive and I absolutely love them. Ok, but you better keep ’em flowing if you expect me to share this week’s nature looks from around the ‘Hood. Got it, Kemosabe?

The Mom: Deal! So other than Halloween, what have you been up to this week?

Elsa: Well, there was that 6 inches of white stuff that hit us over the weekend. That was kind of an adventure. And then there was the cold that followed. But I gotta admit, I’ve been having a blast eating my weight in snow on our walks.

Elsa eating snow

The Mom: Yeah, you have been obsessed with chewing snow along our walks. What’s up with that?

Elsa: IMy new job-I’m on water quality control recognisance. Denver Water contacted me to check it out for dogs everywhere in the metro area.

The Mom: Uh-huh…sure. I don’t think that’s a real job.

Elsa: It is for me. I can’t let snow that’s built up next to sidewalks go un-tasted. Plus, I’m keeping hydrated-very important for us canine ninjas.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} Maybe we ought to move along. So what would you like to feature this week?

Elsa: Well, let’s go with the obvious. Like I said, it snowed about 6 inches of white stuff but then it also added about 87 inches of green stuff.

The Mom: Don’t remind me. The Silver Maple and the Catalpa trees didn’t appreciate the weather and kinda went crazy shedding leaves.

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Elsa: Thanks for raking them up from the sidewalk…you know how much I despise walking on them…although I noticed they aren’t crunchy, but they are gross and mushy. Still…no bueno in my books.

The Mom: I agree, they stick to my shoes and your paws and we both end up dragging them into the house. Definitely no bueno. Vacuuming every 12 minutes is not my idea of fun and games.

Elsa: You’ll get no argument from me on vacuuming. That noisy beast scares me.

The Mom: And then as if on cue, the wind came up and dropped another ton. I need to figure out what to do with them in the interim since it’ll be next week before the city will collect leaves for the compost project. Sigh.

Elsa: Ugh. Don’t tell me things like that. I’ll worry my pretty little head off.

The Mom: Oh no, don’t do that. It’s just that it is that time of year where leaves fall; we just have to accept this part of Mother Nature.

Elsa: {boo…hiss} I vote no.

The Mom: Sadly, it won’t make a difference on that kind of vote.

Elsa: Harumph…so much for democracy.

The Mom: {shaking her head} Oh sweetie…what else you got?

Elsa: Well I was thinking we should share pics of those funky critters we encountered. I still can’t believe why some uprights put this kind of stuff in their gardens!

The Mom: The first one really cracked me up. Everyone around here has jumped on the Colorado Buffaloes bandwagon and their notorious Coach Prime…aka Deion Sanders. Lo and behold when I walked over to the Post Office, I came across this new sculpture. It took me a second to realize it’s a buffalo! Interesting metal work, don’t you think?

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Elsa: Hmm, not sure I get it but this just goes to show art is in the eyes of the beholder. I was pleased to see you were brave enough to walk up the stairs to photograph that giraffe but glad you captured it quickly. That guard dog was none too pleased with us scoping out his giraffe. Speaking of giraffe, isn’t that the one we saw through the trees back in August? You can see that post here.

The Mom: Good memory, Ninja. Yes, it was obscured through all the brush but I decided to get closer now that most of the leaves have fallen. I really do like that piece. So unusual.

Elsa: Well as long as I don’t have to give that guard dog a piece of my mind, I guess it’s ok. Sheesh, not very hospitable was he? You should have let me teach him some manners.

The Mom: Umm, no..that’s fine. Besides, he was just protecting his giraffe. That’s his job and you wouldn’t want to deprive him of his job, now would you?

Elsa: {pondering for a moment} Yeah, you’re probably right but I was ready to go Rocky on his butt. Nobody talks to my Mom like that and gets away with it.

The Mom: Aww, aren’t you sweet? So I went back to Sloan’s Lake a couple of days ago to see how things looked after last week. All the gold and reddish colored trees have dropped their leaves but the cattails were kind of interesting. I also noticed the squirrels and birds should get nice & chonky this month with pumpkins and fruit setting on trees.

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Elsa: Mt. Evans in the distant with the snow was kinda cool. Too bad you couldn’t get a better angle from the hill. It was much prettier than this pic lets on.

The Mom: Sometimes you just gotta go with what you can get. Still, it was a pretty morning looking west from the lake instead of toward downtown.

Elsa: Well that’s it from me. So…got anything cooking for the weekend? I think we’re just gonna chill (though it will be nice around here for a few days). Whatever you do, we hope you get outside and check out what Nature’s got going on. We realize it’s that time of year where things get busy as folks gear up for the holidays, but trust me…it’d be good to look around and see the beauty out there. Have a ‘wagnificent’ weekend.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Howl-oween 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 64 Comments

Elsa - Halloween

Elsa: You are so going to pay for this humiliation, Mother!

The Mom: Egad…you know you’re in trouble when you’re called Mother.

Elsa: Happy Howl-oween, peeps. We both hope it’s safe, fun but sans dumb costumes. Please stay away from Mothers who encourage you with high value treats in their pockets-it’s a complete ruse to humiliate you and is far worse than seeing any ghosts. And while you’re being careful, please stay away from chocolate-it’s not good for us four-leggers.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ October 13, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 52 Comments

Tra, la, la, la, la…doh, dum, de, do….Greetings, peeps, Elsa here to share this week’s Hodge-Podge Friday scenes from around the Ranch.

The Mom: Umm, sweetie…it’s “Nature Friday” not Hodge-Podge Friday. Would you like to correct that so we can get started  as we join our pals, Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard.

Elsa: Nope, not happening. I’m calling it Hodge-Podge Friday because none of the photos you took have any real theme. I looked up hodge-podge in the online Oxford Dictionary and it specifically defines it as, and I quote, a confused mixture. So nope, it stays Hodge-Podge Friday.

The Mom: Ahem…well ex-cuussse me. Jeez, you’re pretty scrappy today. What’s got your backside all up in arms?

Elsa: Nothing special. My blog, my post. Now can we get on with it? I got things to do.

The Mom: Bwahahaha, what do you have to do today?

Elsa: I’m a dog, there’s always something to do. We are always busy, even if you don’t think so.

Sleeping Elsa

The Mom: I see…so is that what you consider as ‘so busy?’

Elsa: Erm…I’m thinking…this blogging thing is harder than it looks. Now can I get on with it?

The Mom: Fine by me. What ‘cha got?

Elsa: Well I know you went to another Dragon Boat Race last weekend, this one in Broomfield. You must really like those races. Not sure I’m on board with all that water activity but whatever floats your boat. I will give you the fact that it was a pretty autumn day. Are we through the hot temps…finally?

Broomfield park

The Mom: Well you know Colorado. I’m sure there’ll be a day or two in the 80’sºF over the next couple of weeks, but it’s probably safe to say, most likely.

Elsa: You sure know how to slice the hair in half. Is this from all the years you worked in the legal field, quibbling over terms like ‘may’ as opposed to just stating a fact?

The Mom: Ahem…I don’t quibble. But I am just trying to express the possibilities that may or may not happen.

Elsa: See, you did it again!! What the dog, Mom!

The Mom: Oops, I guess I do tend to equivocate sometimes. Sorry.

Elsa: Whatever. Just wanted you to be aware that I’m keenly aware of how you do that. So I noticed one dog at least tried to compete with the boat racers. What was up with that knucklehead?

Dog in Water

The Mom: Whaddu mean? He was just enjoying a simply swim and there weren’t any Canadian geese to race against the boats.

Elsa: Swim and enjoyment are mutually exclusive in my books.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} To each her own, right? Remember we talked about this thing called tolerance, Elsa.

Elsa: Ugh…I just want people to know how dumb it seems for dogs to actually jump in water and swim. You wouldn’t catch me doing that…not for all the bones in Denver.

The Mom: But some dogs DO enjoy it so let them have their fun.

Elsa: Sheesh…so where’s an actual picture of a race? I know this was not nearly as large an event but let me see for myself.

Dragon Boat Race

The Mom: You’re correct, it was a smaller venue but I mean…Dragon Boats! It was fun watching folks compete and it looked like they all had a good time. I especially enjoyed the entertainment from a couple of dance groups from the Asian Pacific community. Such colorful costumes on kids as young as 10 years old dancing for the small crowd.

Elsa: You think it was small because they’ve only been doing it for the past 3 years at that park? Seems a shame considering how many thousands experienced the one at Sloan’s Lake back in July.

The Mom: Could be, but I’m sure more folks will start attending. It wasn’t even close to hot which was a huge plus. The drawback was I couldn’t walk to the venue and it seemed like so far though it was only about 20 miles away. I just rarely drive that far.

Dragon Boat Race

Dragon Boat Race

Dragon Boat Race

Elsa: Ooh, I’d love to chase those twirling skirts and I’m sure that littlest girl would love to have me lay my head in her lap. Maybe next time, I’ll go.

The Mom: Umm, hate to break it to you, even though dogs are welcome to the event, they aren’t allowed on stage. So, no…that ain’t gonna happen.

Elsa: {ruckus…rats…%$&#} You just never let me have any fun!

The Mom: I’m sure if you learned to dance, they’d allow you on stage, but I don’t make the rules.

Elsa: I notice our neighbors are getting into the Halloween spirit full bore. I heard you tell the lady you’re making them Instagram stars.

Skellies

Skellies

The Mom: {snicker} Well I wouldn’t say Instagram stars but a lot of people sure seem to enjoy my posts and have contacted me to get the address so they can see them in person. The theme this week was ‘camping.’ I had to chuckle, though with the 2 dozen Skellies they must have, it must take an entire weekend to dress and set the props for the scene. It makes me smile whenever I go past that house.

Elsa: I saw that one dog who started barking at the big skellies, growling with raised hackles. What a rube!

The Mom: Now, now, Elsa…Halloween can be scary for some dogs. You used to bark your head off whenever Trick-er-treaters rang our doorbell in costume.

Elsa: Those were serial killers, I was only protecting the Ranch.

The Mom: {eyes rolling} Oh Elsa…you slay me sometimes.

Elsa: Glad I can be of comedic entertainment for you. Just don’t come crying to me when something bad happens. I take my security duties quite seriously. So is there anything else autumnal, this week?

The Mom: Well as a matter of fact, yes. Leaves are s-l-o-w-l-y beginning to change. A few here and there. This one was all aglow when we walked over to the library.

Changing leaves

Elsa: Pretty, yes, but the crunching leaves kind of bother my feet. The jury is still out on this whole autumn thing. But I do appreciate the cooler temps. And what the dog was this guy doing sashaying along the sidewalk this week?

The Mom: I know, right? There were 4 dogs in the nearby vicinity and he just waltzed past us. Blew me away. Usually they dash so fast I can’t get any kind of pic that close.

Fox

Elsa: Did you see my jaw drop open? I don’t know what he was thinking walking past us and the other dogs. I’m still flabbergasted.

The Mom: It was one of the more unusual encounters we’ve had. Seeing foxes always makes me smile.

Elsa: Me too. I think I could be a good friend if only they’d let me.

The Mom: Probably not, but it’s a nice thought. Well that’s it for this week. It wasn’t too bad, was it?

Elsa: Hodge-podge, Mom, definitely hodge-podge. So what’s on board for your weekend? Got anything going on? Whatever you do, we hope you get to see some of the pretty things Nature is serving up right now.

Nature Friday

Live, love, bark! 🐾

Nature Friday ~ September 29, 2023

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 38 Comments

ElsaWelcome to the last Friday of September and the latest edition of Nature Friday, where we join our pals, Rosy and Sunny from LLB in Our Backyard. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what else has been shared. Elsa here to share some glimpses of autumn. Not so’s you’d know it here in the Mile High…it’s been warm and dry although the mornings are delightfully crisp. Mom says I’m practically giddy ‘boinging’ along on our morning walks. But Mom’s prone to hyperbole, so I’m not sure we can trust her on that observation. I have no idea what she’s talking about…she’s so weird sometimes.

Our family got together for a wedding this past week in  beautiful Glenwood Springs in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado near Aspen. You couldn’t ask for a prettier setting at a prettier time of year for a wedding. Let the leaf peeping commence.

Aspen leaves

Crystal blue skies dominated the weekend and the aspen leaves were just beginning to start changing colors, being somewhat delayed by extended summer temps. But what has changed did not disappoint.

Glenwood Springs

So let’s look at the area historically speaking. Ute Indians originally occupied the region and were nomadic hunter-gatherers who seasonally used the natural hot springs lived in the area. Glenwood Springs, originally known as Defiance, was founded by Isaac Cooper in the late 1800’s. Established in 1883 as an encampment containing tents, saloons, and dare I say, ahem…brothels. Like so many other Wild West towns, gamblers, gunslingers, and prostitutes made it home.

Surrounded by red colored sandstone cliffs, Glenwood has been visited by some famous peeps over the years, including President Teddy Roosevelt. Doc Holliday of the O. K. Corral fame, spent the last months of his life there as well as the outlaw gunman, Kid Curry, who was part of the Butch Cassidy’s gang, are both buried in the Pioneer Cemetery.

Glenwood Springs

Did you know that Glenwood Springs was one of the first cities in the US to have installed electric lights. That says something, doesn’t it? Situated in and around narrow mountain valleys where the Colorado River and the Roaring Fork Rivers meet, the terrain is steep and has some well known geothermal activity (hot springs). Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs owns some of the oldest and senior water rights to the Colorado River and has implemented a good conservation plan, so it continues to sufficiently serve its residents. The town itself lies outside of the Colorado Mineral Belt, with no mineral, oil and gas resources near the town so the watershed is clean and pure. Glenwood Springs has none of the typical legacy of pollution like many mountain areas  that had mines did.

Glenwood Springs

People in the valley are avid fishermen (and women) and those lucky enough to live on or near the river are always prepared. Mom said you never know when a 20″ long trout will ‘greet’ you. Even if catch and release is the norm.

Fishing, Glenwood Springs

While walking down to the creek, Mom stumbled on this scrub oak leaf. She seemed pretty jazzed. I’m not sure what the big deal is but I guess it’s pretty. Sort of. Looks like leather to me. Say, isn’t leather good eating? Asking for a friend, mind you.

Leaves

On the drive home, Mom spied a waterfall on the side of I-70 near Vail. It was nice to see something pretty because traffic was heavy and moved at a snail’s pace. Guess leaf peepers gotta get home to go back to work. Mom wished they would have just stayed in the area and not clogged up the highway. Oops, was that my out loud voice? Sometimes you get lucky to see something beautiful and surprising. Way to go, Mother Nature.

Waterfall, Vail

One last slice of nature that caught Mom’s eye this week was the last Super moon for 2023.

Supermoon

Sometimes things in the city can be as beautiful as in the mountains.

And because I’m such a sentimental schloob, here’s a pic from the wedding of Mom’s nephew and his new bride. Nice setting, isn’t it?

Wedding

So, have you got any exciting plans for this weekend? Are the leaves changing in your neighborhood?

Live, love, bark!  🐾