Saturday's Critters

Summer is ending. The critters behaviour changes. Our birds are migrating. I've still seen the House Wren. It's too quick for a photo!

I've seen quite a number of Monarch flying south. Both here, and on the highway drive for a hair cut. We do lose a number on the highway. This is the generation that migrates south. They eat lots of pollen and make the journey.

The woodpecker likes the Common Mullein seeds. 

I found our big toad in the garden. 

Tufted Milkweed caterpillars are eating their way to adulthood. I wonder if Toady has been eating them?!

I don't know what the fox was up to. I wonder if we have more than one?

   

 Oh, Fred. They will go down soon. They don't like the cool weather. 

   

 Butch doesn't hibernate. They tend to slow down, then sleep when it gets to be -10 or so. 

   

 And there is skunk!

   

 The twin fawns will lose their spots. Not quite yet, though.

 

It's a long weekend. The Perth Fair is on. Great excitement. Too much for me, I think. The traffic last night in the dark was loud. I hope they had safe fun!

For more critters: Saturday's Critters # 664 

Free Trade Barriers

 I was listening to a podcast in the wee hours. Sleep wasn't coming. This didn't settle me down, but I listened to it twice. 

Jayne Poisson is the host. The guest is Vass Bednar. Bednar is the managing director of the Canadian Shield Institute.

What does the US want? (transcript)

When trade talks between Canada and the U.S. broke down last week, one of the issues that reportedly came up was Canadian streaming rules that require platforms like Netflix to make Canadian and French-language content easier to find in Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada would not compromise on protecting French culture. But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said language was never the issue – rather "past discriminatory laws that target U.S. streaming companies." 

Canada needs to establish sovereignty over our digital data. In the EU, some governments are stopping using Microsoft, in order to protect data. I'll bet in our trade negotiations with the US notes are being made using this software. We've had at least 150 Canadians impacted by ICE activities. We respect First Nations, culture, and laud our differences.

Judge Kimberley Prost 🇨🇦, who sits on the International Criminal Court, was investigating Israeli and American war crimes. The US State Department sanctioned her and two other judges. It is shocking. She was put into digital jail. Judge Prost could not send an email, or book a flight. Her Alexa wasn't working when she arrived home. This is the power we are fighting. Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, are all in cahoots with the US administration.

Tumber Ridge, in B.C., was one of the worst incidents involving AI. A perfect example of how Digital Security does not protect Canadians, in fact, they overlook us. This is part of why trade talks broke down.

In a horrific event, this person used OpenAI to plan an attack. The company knew about it, but did not report it to Canadian authorities from headquarters in California. Nine dead and 27 injured. 

Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, killed two family members at her home in the northern B.C. community on Feb. 10, then travelled to the school where six others were shot dead before she killed herself. 

30🇨🇦 Families are suing OpenAI

 This kind of thing is why our government backed off of the talks. This is ridiculous.

September is shoulder season!

  We made it! Kids back in school, tourists back to the city. Garbage day Monday was fun. 

Joe Brian went down to collect the garbage can. The recycling was still there, as well as some extra things. I was royally pissed off. The last time this happened coyotes got into it. It was a mess. JB removed the oil can and the pole, which they wouldn't take. 

Just to vent, once more, this person passed a white delivery van as well as us at the same time. I hope it was important. It gives us some anxiety. Which I don't think we need or deserve.

Summer continues to finish up, and fold up the picnic blanket. We went out for a summery early dinner.

The phlox is coming along. 

There are fewer days left to sit out back. I sat and did a drawing.

People are out and about! I noticed a low flying plane.

Trip to Kingston

Jordan visited Ottawa. We had dinner with the whole family, then we brought Jordan back to our house. Tuesday morning we drove to Kingston, took Jordan home after grocery shopping, and went out for lunch. 

Usually the grandies sleep in the basement. It was a 1-night sleepover, and Jordan took the guest room. Cinnamon thought he'd like this bed. 

We sent Jordan home with 5 extra toothbrushes. (A mistake I made one Christmas, over ordered.) We had an extra hair clipper he took back with him, leftover scones from breakfast, and a bunch of our old CDs.

A selfie for Momma to let her know we were on our way from Perth to Kingston.

We went to Jordan's local grocery store, he shopped, showed his student card for a 10% discount. We paid for the order, just to get him a good start to the week. His room mate shows up Friday with her mom. Next week the university school year begins. 

Kingston is the home of The Tragically Hip. They were celebrating their last concert Aug. 20, 2016. Gord Downey, the vocalist, died of a brain tumour the next year. 

We took Jordan to Chez Piggy, a great restaurant in Kingston. The trio behind Joe Brian were arguing loudly over an app on one of their phones. The couple to the left of Joe's shoulder asked to move tables and ended up sitting behind me. I just figured out why! Too loud an argument. JB took out his hearing aids, as they amplify the trio and he couldn't hear us. Ain't old age grand?! 

From there we were headed to this cool shop Jordan thought we would like! Martello Alley has lots of funky art. 

From there we went walkies. Musikki has concert. 

My stomach was still a bit iffy, but the other two had sorbet! 

It is a great city, and a fabulous tourist town.

Walking down to the waterfront, we met some feathered friends.

I found out about this tug boat. It is the Radium Yellowknife, a 1948 tugboat! 

I drove there, Grampa drove home. He loathes traffic circles. Probably not as much as truckers. This one doesn't seem wide enough for trucks. It isn't complete, and single lane right now.

And, finally, signs of Autumn! 

This photo shows the corn in the near ground, the trees in the background!