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.

Summer Road-trip: South Dakota

With a long weekend ahead we packed up the car and hit to the road north to South Dakota. We traveled the winding hills of green prairie for 5 hours and then we were at camp.  At first light we drove the 5 minutes up to Mount Rushmore.  Surprisingly, we enjoyed the Presidents and the sculptor did a wonderful job of using the natural rock design in creating this one of a kind memorial.

After that we hit the road to explore the Black Hills.  Our only life bird of the trip came next after breakfast where we were given 2 beautiful Red Crossbills.  Then we kept on driving the scenic highways that flow in and out of Custer State Park.

Little Baba Ghanoush had her first experience swimming - the water was frightfully cold but she did well.

The Needles Highways proved to be everything it was hyped up to be.  We went through single lane tunnels, switchbacked by beautiful pinnacles, and enjoyed the scenery.

Some of the tunnels were exceptionally tight but that just added to the mystery.  After a fun day of hiking, driving, and sightseeing we went back to camp and enjoyed a relaxing evening by Grizzly Creek.

Notable birds of Grizzly Creek Campground: Black-headed Grosbeak, Pine Siskins, Violet-green Swallows, Western Tanager, Common Nighthawk, and an Empid flycatcher that gave me quite a show.  I believe it's a Western Wood-Pewee after inspection, please let me know in the comments if you think my little one may be of another variety. 

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.

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.