In the immortal words of fellow Brit, John Oliver, Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Tis I, the House Pony joining the pups from Adventures of the LLB Gang’s blog hop and boy do they have a good one today which I definitely could identify with. Be sure to click on the link to see what I’m talking about.

Well let’s see, ah yes, it’s the last Friday of September and we’re already longing nostalgically about this handsome month, knowing that in just 4 days, we’ll be entering the last quarter of 2025. On the one hand, it’s hard to believe there are just 96 days left this year (and only 90 days until Christmas in case you need some perspective, but more importantly, only 11 days until hockey begins). Well let’s start with the big news of the weerk.

This week we were blessed with an entire 24 hours of beautiful rain. Although not a fan of getting wet, Mum kept waxing on about how fabulous it was and so good for the garden. I reminded her the only thing fabulous around here is me, but she was over the moon and even my cuteness couldn’t deter her glee. She couldn’t take a photo since she doesn’t have enough thumbs to hold the leash and an umbrella to keep me dry. Even picking up after me practically required an act of God so she grumbled not being able to document me in the wetness. Just as well, you all know me as a cheerful, happy Floof. Trust me, I was less than cheerful or happy. Frankly I couldn’t finish the walk fast enough. But I did have to chuckle that she got a lot wetter than me because the umbrella (and my raincoat) kept me fairly dry except for my paddle feet and she was diligent about keeping the umbrella over me more than her. Serves her right.

The Mum. Well that wasn’t very kind, talk about ‘no good deed goes unpunished’ when it comes to trying to keep you dry.

Wilson: I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but you know how I feel about wet. I don’t like. it. one. whit.

The Mum: Well, I think you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Or umbrella. But let’s put that behind us and share what we encountered this week, naturewise.

Wilson: {eye blinking in abject dis-interest} Well then, if you can’t commiserate about me having to walk in the rain, let’s get to it.

The Mum: Aren’t those pink seed capsules absolutely adorable? Euonymus europaeus, known as spindle, European spindle, or common spindle, is native to much of Europe, where it is found on the edges of forests, hedges or gentle slopes, none of which exist in my garden so I have no idea from where it came. When I looked it up, I learned that birds are attracted to the fruit and most likely spread the seeds so much so that now it’s considered weedy and invasive in some areas. Like in our garden.

Wilson: Looks like teeny, tiny pink pumpkins to me.

The Mum:  Precisely.

Wilson: Judging from the photos you took this week, I can tell you’re really into the reds as September winds down and starts to yield to October ‘s version of autumn where maple trees will showcase their red and orange hues once the leaves really start changing. But then I noticed this little fella just lying in the grass. We didn’t see any maple trees nearby from where it might have come but I guess it just means they’re being coy and shy. Right now 99% of any trees changing colors are leaning toward bright gold.

The Mum: The reds and oranges aren’t as prevalent in our area so when they show up, they are pretty spectacular like that maple leaf as well as this Horse Chestnut tree we came across yesterday morning.

Wilson: As a dog I’m not supposed to be able to see colors as well as you uprights, but I can tell these are pretty colorful. What do you know about the Horse Chestnut tree, Mum?

The Mum: What I learned is it’s a medium growing, shade tree, that’s not really a chestnut tree. Its fruit is inedible and the nuts are somewhat toxic. The name comes from a mistaken, belief that it cured chest ailments in horses. Fact is, Horse Chestnuts are actually toxic to horses, but of course the urban garbage disposals, otherwise known as squirrels seem to be able to break down the toxins and safely eat the nuts. You can guess I won’t ever be planting any of those trees in my yard.

Wilson: Gee Mum, you’re no fun. It’d be a great way to attract my favorite nemesis. We’d both get loads of exercise, me chasing; they trying to avoid my jaws of death. Why in the world would you deny me that pleasure.

The Mum: Squirrels have already chewed through my kitchen window three times, I’m not a halfway house for neighborhood hoodlums.

Wilson: Gee Mum, you’re no fun. So tell me more about this sage.

The Mum: Sure, House Pony. That’s Salvia microphylla, commonly called baby sage. Native to Mexico and parts of the Southwest, it’s a hardy, sun loving, drought resistant perennial shrub. It’s a somewhat bushy evergreen shrub that is able to adapt to diverse conditions.

Wilson: Interesting. Well I rather liked this Malus, which includes both culinary apples as well as these crabapples in the genus. It’s especially pretty against a crystal blue sky after that rainy day earlier in the week. This one was lovely with beautiful blossoms back in the spring and now is showy producing all these tiny little apples in autumn. Crabapple trees are  mostly considered ornamental trees but I’ve heard crabapple jelly is mighty tasty. But I can’t imagine what a job it’d be picking and coring the little fruit. 

The Mum: Good point, not a job I’d take on. But like you said, they are a lovely ornamental tree that we can agree on, enjoying them in spring and autumn. Speaking of autumn, looks like the neighborhood is gearing up for Halloween with a bunch of skellies showing up. The house that I’ve featured many times for it’s overkill of inflatibles has started with a bunch of new decorations. Hopefully this means there won’t be all those hideous blow-ups cluttering the entire yard. I know they’ll eventually fill the entire lot since I saw a pickup with a trailer being unloaded with tons of boxes. They clearly have a storage unit where they store all this junk stuff. Sigh. But at least it’s not as tacky as usual. Yet, though it’s early days.

Wilson: I wasn’t sure if I needed to defend you or run away from that thing. I do believe those folks must be slightly odd but the lady there always enjoys seeing me.

The Mum: She does, but I think her husband is a lot like this ogre, he never replies when I say hello. Course if hauling all those things back and forth (note the gigantic boxes in the background on the porch), I guess I’d be unfriendly too.

Wilson: It’s never good not being friendly, Mum. And besides, who can easily refuse moi, a fabulous Floof? Huh? I rest my case.

The Mum: I can’t say but think it’s rather rude not reply to a friendly hello. Oh well. It’s a sign of the times. Well, that’s about it for us. I just heard it’s National Pancake Day so maybe I ought to fix us some pancakes, what do you say?

Wilson: Pancakes, Yes please! But before we go, please have yourself a gorgeous autumn weekend and be sure to get out and enjoy some of the beauty Nature is dishing out for our enjoyment. Cheers!

Live, love, bark!  🐾