Cottage life

People wonder why the big mansions in cottage country are called 'cottages.' I think it is about location, rather than size or costs!

My friend, Nancy Tapley, features in this piece about cottage life in Muskoka. I wonder if it hits home with you? I didn't like the changes in behaviour to people visiting. Cottage life has changed. Fireworks, jetskis, snow machines, bonfires, loud music on the lake...

  

There are so many complaints about the noise, the disrespect for nature and the environment. There are many trying to protect it. Safe Quiet Lakes and many lake organisations have been standing up for shoreline preservation.  People treat the lakes as a Nascar track in both winter and summer. 

📅  Town has been crazy. Kids here go back to school Tuesday, Sept. 1st. Ottawa's public school board (OCDSB), as well. The reason for this is that according to the Education Act, schools must be in session 194 days, with 9 PD days. Some school boards have chosen Sept. 1st as a start date but others will begin Sept. 7th, ending well in the last week of June. OCDSB's last day of school is June 25th. 

There is no question the season is slowly coming to an end. They are warm days, but cold nights (11 ℃). Cinnamon had breakfast and went back to bed!

Our days haven't changed much, we still enjoy time on the back deck. We've both been reading Regime Change. It's enough to make your blood boil, which keeps us warm! 

Joe Brian has long sleeves. He was writing some poems. More on that later!

I have a sheep fleece, from Topsy Farms, and I put it on my Muskoka chair! Soft and cosy.

 

Another sign, our 2nd monarch chrysallis turned dark green, ready to eclose! 

I kept my eye on it. 

Joe found a dead one on the highway, near our mailbox. They fly low across highways, and are very susceptible to vehicles.

I popped the macro lens onto my phone and tried some photos. You can see it is a male, by the black dot they have.

I leave you with this... 

Saturday's Critters

Change is in the air. The last of the August bloomers are in bloom. I find it tough to enjoy each moment, planning the garden clean up I will have to do. Thankfully, Fred is helping!

I heard, and have seen, a frequent flyer is the House Wren. They haven't nested here in a few years. One is hanging about, though. Eating all those bugs in the garden.

The ribbon snake has been out and about, also eating insects. Soon they will enter their hibernaculum. They spend winter underground.

The doe wanders in the forest.

   

 Fred is entertaining all of us. Cinnamon can't understand why he goes down in the hole! Cinnamon is fascinated with Fred. He's such a gentle cat. 

   

 There is one turkey ambling through the habitat. 

   

 Coyote have such beautiful colours! 

 

Saturday's Critters # 663 <= visit more critter posts.

Crumbly Acres action

That was a day of rain. On and off. A day of frustration. We wrestled with Canada Revenue the other day. This multifactor stuff protect us, by my goodness, when you are locked out and lose access it drives one up the wall. 

 My Poison ivy – again boil is getting better. My ointment is doing its job. No more itchies.

Joe Brian had an issue with a rash under his armpit. It was where he had the rash the last time he got Lyme Disease. [Joe Brian is under the weather! June, 2024] The doctor was going to try fit him in, but left the office prior to staff phoning to let Joe know. Next option was to go into the pharmacist. Ontario changed the Scope of Practice for pharmacists. There is a list of things they can identify and prescribe for. It is so much easier. He took a Doxycycline pill and we will watch him to see how he is.

Ticks have slowed down, but they are out there. 

The trailcams continue to amuse me. It's been a week between this and that.

Butch is on food hunts.

   

 The quick red fox has been a regular. I think we are just on his regular trail! 

   

 Soon Fred will go down for the winter. In the meantime, I admire his balancing act on the fencing. 

 

Crumbly Acres walkies

Cinnamon and I took a walk.

 

People have been noticing lots of fungi. 

Fungi, along with the remnants of a pine cone. Some squirrel has been sitting and munching.

I tried with this one. It didn't go well.

I cam back to the house yesterday with what I knew was a boil from poison ivy. SIGH. Thankfully, I still have a container of meds for this. I just didn't notice it, wandering around the forest in flip flops.

Most of the problem is keeping the ointment on the boils. This is a great bandage!

I found a cicada exoskeleton Aug. 8th. When I put the garbage out, 6 a.m., I found a very cold one on the driveway. I sat it up on the gate post. 

It must have warmed up and moved off. Cold nights and warm days.

Stormy weather and critters vids

It's been an interesting few days. I no sooner get on the back deck than it rains. I want to soak up the last bits of summer. Instead, I pop out and visit the froggies. We've two in the goldfish pond outside the office window. 

#1 a green frog here since spring.

#2 this usurper just showed up in the last week or so. A honking big bull frog.

We are awaiting one monarch to eclose, and I spotted another on the front. Or course, one hatched a few days ago: Flora and fauna. Gone south, I suppose. 

Then there is the underwing, Tiger Moth. It has been hanging around the back of the house. Cobwebs and all!

These days archive photos are my best bet! These underwings can be huge. 

The critters are busy at night! They keep triggering the camera...

Aug. 10 storm

   

 August brings changes, despite still being a summer month. We've had cooler nights. One critter I miss are the moths! 

   

 The skunks like insects and the leopard frogs in the lawn. They will hibernate at the appropriate time. If you look carefully, you can see eyes reflecting the light from the top of the lilac tree. I have no idea what it is! 

 

   

 I hesitate to post this, but Joe Brian wants to see it. People sure have issues with snakes. Skip this if you do. I just picked it up by the tail and settled it in the plants. We have a bazillion crickets out there, the snakes take care of that. It is the circle of life.

   

 OK, palate cleanser, the Pileated Woodpeckers have been busy. This was a lovely foggy morning.

 

Happy Anniversary!

 Saturday was our 24th wedding anniversary. We went out for dinner.!

Here are a few photos as a reminder. We were married on the front lawn of the cottage. 

Back to the present!

We were going to sit outside, but the music was too loud, and it was hot. Why not sit inside in the peace and quiet?!

A beautiful card! My gift was my replacement video camera! Local flowers from the market.

We stopped in Stewart Park as Joe wanted an ice cream after dinner. 

Stewart Park is a great location for wedding photos and weddings! 

July 2012: A wedding in Stewart Park in Perth

July, 2022.

Clouds wafting across the skies, we headed home.