Larimer County Driving Tour

Mid-day isn't the best time for birding but it will do when it's your day off, you wanted to sleep in, and you only have a few more days in a wonderful state.  I started with a quick stop at Dixon Reservoir to scan for ducks.  Easily picking up Cackling and Canada Geese and Common Goldeneye.

Next was a pull-off at Horsetooth Reservoir with a few more additions in American Kestrel and Red-tailed Hawk flyovers.

I love Bellevue and drove by for one more look as I headed up Rist Canyon.

The finale of the evening would be a easy drive down Poudre River Canyon.

The sun was out and the frozen river was melting.  It was such a beautiful day and a gift from Colorado before I fly to New York.

The dogs even got a little walk around Picnic Rock which they enjoyed more than you can tell from this funny photo.  Daisy never understands why I have to take photos when all she wants to do is get to some unseen destination.

It was the perfect day to drive about Larimer County.  I picked up two lifers, enjoyed the sunshine, and had some quality time with my pups.  I'm going to miss this place.

Prince Puppy

Meet Prince, the cutest Chihuahua in the West.

Prince is from Mexico and was surrendered in Colorado when his family realized he was an escape artist that was soon to be run over in a yard with no fence.  Within the week he was home with me and my own pups.

Needless to say, little Prince has found a perfect (temporary) fit with us.

Baba Ghanoush and him are best friends and it's hard to imagine Prince not staying with us. In just a short week little man will be flying to South Carolina to live in his permanent home with my mom.  Until then, Prince, we will cherish you and that cute little face.

Stress Relief = Dogs & Rivers

Wednesday is the bump of the week, I hope this funny photo of two silly dogs helps see you through the madness of work and life.  My first homework assignment for graduate school is due today and in that honor, I want to send good positive vibes out into the universe.  What's your happy place when life gets stressful?

The Yard Showdown

Name: Baba Ghanoush

Alias: Noushy, Nukey, Baba

Age: 1 year old

Interests: Yard sprinting, Daisy, playing, snow, leaf jumping, snuggling, the outdoors

Hates: Fireworks, gunshots

Name: Daisy

Alias: Douzel, Daisy-mae, Daze

Age: 8 years old

Interests: Eating, chasing squirrels, eating, napping, eating, going to the office, eating, travel

Hates: Squirrels

Name: Yard Squirrel

Alias: Evil thing, Squirrel!, Devil

Age: Unknown

Interests: Bird feeders, tail-flicking, berries & seeds, taunting dogs

Hates: Dogs (or is it love?)

Date: Almost Everyday

Show: Dogs versus Squirrel(s)

Winner: Squirrel - Every.Single.Time.

Cache la Poudre

The Cache La Poudre is a beautiful sight and luckily we live even closer to it now.  On Saturday we took an afternoon swim at Picnic Rock and on Sunday we drove down the canyon and made a brief stop at the Ouzel Picnic area to walk the pups by the banks.  

Emily walked up on a snake by the bank, while I scanned the rocks for a Dipper.  We didn't stay long but our brief stay was made better for the calming sounds and smells of a mountain river.

As we walked the little public trail by the parking lot we came upon a makeshift memorial.  After a little inspection we realized it was made for the two young people that died this spring in the river.  We were coming back from the Western Slope this Memorial Day when we saw the steady stream of emergency vehicles.  A young boy fell in the river while fishing and his young uncle jumped in after to save him but neither made it.  The river gives and it takes. 

We were certainly given many gifts this weekend by the Cache La Poudre. I miss the ocean, the steady waves, the salt air, the breeze but a walk by the Poudre is close to recreating this experience.  I love the chill in the air, the crispness, the sounds of the river, and of course the beauty that abounds all around the banks.  

Baba Ghanoush: Wild Dog

Baba Ghanoush is turning into the sweetest  pup when playing with her sister Daisy, let's just say Noushy runs the roost.  They play and romp in the backyard but it's always the smallest dog that comes up the victor.

Baba Ghanoush bites Daisy on the ears, lips, tail, legs, and more importantly, those teeth are razor sharp.  Look at Daisy's face, it's one pleading for help.

I guess it's the maternal instincts of our sweet bulldog that prevents her from biting back or even giving a growl.  Instead she stands and endures the bites or more often, she runs to us with those pleading eyes and hopes we will notice and tell Noushy to lay off.

Needless to say, adding a new puppy to the home has certainly mixed things up and provided new entertainment.  And when Daisy isn't being harassed by the new pup, they are curled up like two bugs in a rug on the couch or providing each other company during the day while we're away.

Teller Park, Boulder

Teller Park is located in East Boulder and gives a nice view of the mountain range.  ELark and I went in search of a recent seen Golden-crowned Sparrow.  The day was windy and other than a lone Red-winged Blackbird, not a bird was seen.

With the lack of birds and our desired Golden-crowned, we took a short walk to the lake and back.  The pups enjoyed the sights and sounds.  Even with the occasional squeak of a Prairie Dog, the dogs didn't seem to notice and instead focused on marking territory.  It was a great start to the day!  Next up, Lookout Mountain views.

The New Pup

Baba Ghanoush is getting into the rhythms of the Lark House.  She's on the train to being potty-trained and she is definitely proving to be a very sweet, lovable pup.  Her older sister Daisy is her favorite companion and often her shadow, following her wherever she goes.

Baba Ghanoush, thanks for being a great puppy and a wonderful new addition to the family.  Even if you are sometimes a little rascal and bully your favorite Daisy dog or you weasel out of our arms when we are trying to scoop you up.

Chilly Evening Hike

Over the weekend Emily and I took the dogs out for a short hike at Pineridge Natural Area.  From the parking lot we spotted two Bald Eagles soaring over Horsetooth Reservoir.  The cold wind picked up and birds were rare so we headed back to the car.  We decided to drive up to the top of the reservoir for a few family photos since the birds were scarce.

2013 has been a crazy year full of big changes. We traveled to Costa Rica, moved to Colorado, we started new jobs, we bought a new car, we adopted Daisy our silly Bulldog mix, we traveled around Colorado, and on Christmas Eve we adopted a new puppy which we named Baba Ghanoush.  Overall, I'd say it was a busy year.  I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for the Lark Family!

Daisy, Eva & Baba Ghanoush at Horsetooth Reservoir

Snow Flyer

Daisy, our little French Bulldog/Boxer doesn't have much fur.  Her belly and chest is fairly bare so it's understandable that she hates the snow.  She hates the cold and never has more than three paws on the ground when outside.  She doesn't even want to go potty but there's one thing that can overcome all those feelings, a squirrel in the yard.

That's when the wimpy little bulldog becomes a snow flyer.  She leaps and bounds and soars around the yard.  She ignores the snow and the cold.  She only has eyes for the squirrel.

So our dog becomes a new beast, a snow flyer.  In the photo below you can see her bare little tummy turn pink and despite the cold she flies.  Reluctantly, I call her in, I can't have my snow flyer turning to snow.

Leaf Dog

Our little Bulldog loves her backyard and now that we have leaves, she is quite content.  On a sunny afternoon she can be found lazily loafing about in the leaf piles.  She's a sweet little rescue pup and I am so glad she came into our lives.

Wordless Wednesday: Bulldog Antics

Back when I was a daily blogger I remember doing these Wordless Wednesday posts...well I thought the photo above would be a good candidate to resurrect the WW posts.

Leaf Peeping the Poudre

One of the best parts about moving to Colorado is the change of seasons.  In Florida, there is summer and spring, and if we were lucky, we had a couple of weeks of "winter."  But here in Colorado, it's been a beautiful autumn full of cool nights, warm days, and leave a'changing!

Emily and I decided to check out the colors up the Poudre River Canyon a couple of weeks ago and we found it at peek yellow.  The riverbanks were golden and the rocky cliffs and evergreen trees provided a nice contrast.

This was right before the government shutdown ended so many of our favorite spots were closed but it didn't stop people from parking at the gates and walking in.  It was a great way to visit some spots that are usually over-crowded with campers. 

We encountered fishermen, families, and couples like ourselves with our pooches.  Unlike most, we kept Daisy on a leash to make sure she stayed out of trouble.  

Autumn so far is proving to be pretty magical in Colorado.  I can't wait to see what all the seasons have in store for me to experience.

When we got back into Fort Collins, the scenery continued to pop with yellows.  The city is full of trees and they are all turning right now.  The one little detail I haven't had to deal with in over a decade is what to do with all the leaves.  I have a yard full and I'm not quite sure where to put them all but they are beautiful.  Any experienced people out there, please tell a former South Florida resident how to dispose of those beautiful leaves after they have run the course.  I am not ashamed to admit I don't have much of a clue about leaves or snow or ice.  I guess that's what happens when you take a Southeastern beach girl and put her near the Rocky Mountains.

Daisy Dog

Daisy is a sweet name and we are so lucky to have such a sweet pup.  She has a little tick-tock tail, just a stub but it shows so much joy.  Her muscled body allows her to jump to fairly decent heights and she runs circles in the backyard like its her job.  On her morning walk by Troutman Park, she pulls me towards Horsetooth Mountain with vigor but with a firm call, she looks at my shyly and slows down.  Her favorite place to be is Grand Lake, where at the cabin she roams the flowery meadows, runs full-speed down the dirt loop road, and jumps in the nearby stream.  She's a handful at times, as most shelter pups can be but I can't imagine life without her now.  Daisy, you are the sweetest flower.

Horsetooth Mountain Birthday

For Daisy's 8th birthday, I took the day off of work and we hit the Horsetooth Mountain Falls Hike on a early Monday morning.  This little shelter pup was only adopted earlier this summer so I felt she needed a fun day to help celebrate.  The photo above may look like a complacent furball but she had a good hike, waded in the waterfall pool, and slept hard on the way home in the car.

Horsetooth Mountain Park trailhead has a couple of options, the Falls Trail or the Mountain trail.  We took the easier, more gentle one to the falls.  Round-trip it was 2-3 hours long.  The path went up and down and up and around the gentle foothills outside of Fort Collins.  After the first turn from the trailhead the rest of the trip was without human disturbances on the landscape.

There is a web of trails in Horsetooth Mountain Park and you can travel from this park to Lory State Park if you continue down the web.

After a pleasant morning on the trail, the sun broke free and it warmed up.  Daisy and I were pretty thirsty on our return and I was happy to find a water fountain that meets all needs: kids, adults, and dogs.  I'll be back to Horsetooth Mountain and maybe Daisy and I will make this an annual celebration!