Crumbly Acres and Crumble

I am hoping our days are warming. It's been too cool to sit out back for long. The odd time the sun comes out, I move the plants around. It keeps me off the street! 

Look to the skies. We like to watch the Canadian show, Mayday, which depicts the efforts of our Transportation Safety Board (TSB) to determine causes of incidents and prevent them in the future. You can check out the information on Wiki, as well. There you can access links to the official TSB reports. 

Yes, it's been cold and rainy lately. Indoor play. There is only so much housework one can do. 😏There have been several incidents at our local small airport. May 17th, June, 2024, and Nov. 2024: 🛩 'Controlled flight into terrain'. Much research, amazing scientists who research the problems and correct them.

As I look skyward, I wonder what they are up to. It's the small airplanes that cause some concern. I figure if I film them there will at least be a record if something happens! These two were only up at 1100' (335 m) and 1675' (510m).  

Joe Brian went down to Miller's Bay Farm and fetched us freshly picked rhubarb and asparagus. I made a rhubarb/canned pineapple/frozen strawberry crumble. The strawberries won't be ready here until June. 

Lovely having the oven on for warmth!

It's the nights that have worried me. I bring my hanging planters in overnight. We had one evening when I did not, and Butch Raccoon knocked it over! I could hear something happening out there! Lesson learned. (MAYBE!)

Butch has been curious. They knocked the pond pump over. Froggy wasn't amused. 

Joe Brian had bought me a sturdy fish net for the goldfish pond. I picked it up and spotted an ant on my hand. And another ant, and another one. The handle comes apart, and tapping it on the rock I found hundreds of ants and eggs. No chore is simple! Some of our critters are more welcome than others. 😉

We've teeny flowers, as well as the larger ones, to please the eye. Lily of the Valley everywhere!

What my mother always called forget-me-don'ts! Caitlin gifted me some from her lawn. I've tried seeds and nothing seemed to take. SUCCESS!

🦫I have a report on Barry Beaver. He took down trees, one was blocking the path, about 5 are widow makers, but three have (thankfully) fallen. 

 He worked on it two nights and made progress. Aspens and Willows are their preference. We have Aspen!

BEFORE:

Progress AFTER TWO DAYS:

Good work, Barry. 

It's 6:30 a.m., and garbage is out, the plants are out in the rain. I've several new chores with Spring. The good news is I've shed 1 kg. with my Spring Chores. More to come! I wish I were as efficient as Barry.

Fred, and a Lady Slipper

What is with this cold? 

I've a new photo of Fred and her newest 3 kits. I wish them well.

From what I have noticed, miniFred is still hanging around. Last year a coyote brought a caught kit towards the house, from lot 3 to 2. I wondered. I figured out that miniFred's siblings went that way. She was a little more shy and hung out in our yard. 

Since then, I have found her on the trailcam on the driveway. 

 

And on the trailcam. They can climb trees, but her siblings may have missed the memo.

I took an afternoon walk to see if I could spot a burrow. 

Possible hole in the rock?

The bonus of visiting the 3rd lot, is to check out the Lady Slippers. We have only one blooming this year, but two other plants. It is the only spot on our 16 acres where I have found them. On the edge of the wetland, sheltered under trees, but with dappled sunshine. 

Saturday's Critters

It's been critter central here.

I heard the Barred Owls talking to one another in the forest. I was awake early. It is the promise of the future as they raise broods. I found an owl pellet, and dissected it. They cannot digest the fur and bones, and it is regurgitated in a pellet. It tells us what they are eating. The rest they poop out in a white blob. That is the sign to look for the pellets.

2016

Mid-May a lone coyote:

 

Porcupine has been around, May 12th. Down at the pond it marks a plant. Also a 2nd clip of it on the driveway.

   

 I haven't had time to go down to the pond. This was mid-May, as well. The odd time I go down and there are ducks there. They flee as soon as they see me. I don't think we are having Wood Ducks in the nest box again. Good thing, as the weasel or mink have taken the eggs in the past. It is sad.

 

Good news that Fred has 3 kits. She is vigilant as she grazes.

They are being weaned, nibbling for the first few days having grass. This is my zoom lens on the deck. They are quite wary, as they should be.

I hope you have a good weekend. Our long weekend was last weekend, and people have opened up cottages. We see more visitors, the traffic screams by. The lines in stores get longer. We hunker down at home, being hermits! Crowds aren't our thing. 

There is much fun in sharing a love of critters. We gather at Eileen's blog on Saturday's Critters # 649.

Flowers, Freds

 I took the day off from outdoor work. Having been a couch potato most of the winter, it takes a toll! I had a volunteer gig, and it was good to get out. 

I changed my header to show the greens! And the lilacs.

The weather has been crazy with temperatures fluctuating. We have lots of wind from the north.

The highs have exceeded expectations, but overnight they said it'd be cold, i.e. 4 ℃. It was. It has been, for 3 days. 

I keep moving the flowers to the sun shine, and then bring them in the house over night. Basil, cherry tomato plants, and my Mother's Day gift of gorgeous-smelling petunias, all brought in over night.

More cherry tomatos (don't ask!) and the hummingbird fuschia are happy to be indoors.

I covered this planter with a blanket. 

Dratted Red Squirrel, DRS and Cinnamon's favourite critter to watch,  is undeterred. It has fur!

He sat there in the shade. 

Phoebe's 5 eggs have hatched. Fledging should be June 2nd. Non-mental note!

 

Our big news is that Momma Fred has at least 2 kits. They are born without fur, and spend some time in the burrow before emerging. 

Yam  had a good question: "As for the Freds, I also wonder if Mini has her own brood... or is supposed to have gone off independent and formed her own? "

It seems as if MiniFred is trying to come back home. She's only a year old, they can have a brood this early, but she is trying to visit the place where she was born...  That is my thought, as she keeps coming and going.

I spotted her on the driveway the other day. It happens from time-to-time. I don't think she'd leave kits if she had them. Momma Fred doesn't go far from the burrow.

 

Groundhogs are solitary. The only time I saw two here was on the videocam (April, 2024) there was a fight, or they mated. I didn't ask.

Momma Fred is vigilant. Last year coyote took 2 or 3 kits. Circle of Life. I don't think we'll be over run with groundhogs. I think MiniFred has a burrow across the highway. (What could go wrong?) 

Birding and Freds

What a few days in terms of temperature. Hot days previously, with cold warnings overnight, hanging plants were brought indoors. I woke at 2 a.m. and it was 10 ℃. By 6 a.m. it was down to 5!

The lilacs are in bloom, see in my header. I walked outdoors and couldn't figure out what beautiful thing was blooming! 

🐦 Birding

It's been a great season for 🐦birding. I haven't gone far. OK, not anywhere else. May is the season to bird during mating season when they are calling. Also, when the leaves aren't out in full. My back deck needs work, but we are so happy overlooking the yard.

Merlin's App certainly helps. I knew I had to look for Great Crested Flycatchers. OK, not great from the back deck! I am not quick enough, and have to switch between looking out to find them and then sliding on my reading glasses for the camera focus! 

Dunno, 'Proof of Life?' You can almost see them. This is me on the back deck, aiming into the forest.

I decided to venture out in the bugs in the early morning. Sure enough, in the back 40, where Barry 🦫 is busy. The results weren't as good as I thought. This is a bad photo of the Black-and-White-Warbler. Maybe it's not worth it?! I can listen to them...

Archive photos of Flycatchers. 

Swainson's thrush

Ovenbird

Goldfinch!!!

Robin

Fred Groundhog

Yesterday I had to document the tree losses. It is Fred's Groundhog's turn for fame. 

MiniFred and Fred had a fight. Momma Fred came over and chased her.

Momma Fred has been clear about MiniFred being around. There have been 2 chases that I've seen.

 

This is why! Caitlin thought of it. There are at least 2 kits. I have evidence...

Fred has been working on my Hosta! We just have to laugh.