Happy birthday Joe!

I've preset this post to go live Sunday morning. I hope it works. We expect a power outage for the installation of new hydro posts. 

In the meantime, it was Joe's birthday on Saturday. For some reason our dentist sent me his happy birthday email!

I made the bed (usually Joe's mission) and set out some presents. It was dark in the bedroom, with curtains closed. I asked him if he'd made the bed yet, after some time when he didn't venture in there!

SURPRISE! 🎉 🎊 🎉

He picked this out at the wool shop, during our trip to Carleton Place. I'd forgotten about it! Thankfully, I have a place for presents and there is was. I guess a man newly turned 76 can choose to do up his new sweater anyway he wants! He is allergic to wool, and the kind folks helped us look to see if if there was wool in it.

I'd made banana bread. We thought we could put a candle in it! We've had small pieces since I made it on Wednesday. It wasn't my best bread, but I learned something. 

We had a good day, watching the approaching storm. Indoor, dry, with a fire going! The clouds rolled in.

Saturday's Critters

We've critters in the night! Labbit hopped on by.

 

I do like catching them on two cameras!

 I am most excited to see the action at the deer scrape. The doe, and the younger buck wandered by. 

The videocam ran out of juice, the buck was there, but also here on the driveway!

🦌It is rutting season. It's also deer hunting season, so the deer are a bit antsy. Hormones and fight or flight. 

The bucks make a 'scrape' and urinate on their glands to put out their boy smells. They nudge a tree branch above them, to spread out more scent. I don't know if it is meant to make the females happy or the other males jealous! I saw a pair copulate in the backyard one year. Of course I videotaped it! (Not for the squeamish!) 

Here is our big buck doing his thing at the scrape. They are spreading their scent. 

 

 The raccoons were quiet after it snowed and got cold. This is prior to the storm.

 

This is what we expect Sunday morning↓. A power outage. Hopefully we'll get back up by lunch-time! 

Visit more critters here: Saturday's Critters # 622.

More snow photos!

This is how it began! If you watch to the end, you'll see Fred Grounhog's burrow, she's sound asleep.

Nutmeg didn't last long!

 

It was a lovely snowfall. Until it warmed up! A lot of it has melted.

As it snowed, the weight of the snow sent the branches to touch the ground. I shook them off, and they rose up. It's a miracle!

Before bedtime, I went out on the back deck. I actually remembered to look for the aurora borealis.  The iPhone caught the colours. I was surprised! We don't usually see the Northern Lights. 

It all came together!

1) I had to remember it was there.

2) No clouds

3) Phone was charged. `

            = success!

Snow day(s)

We knew a storm was coming. I was counselled to bring the shovels up from the shed, while I was bringing the snowblower up to the garage. MEMORY FAILED! I didn't think of it until there was 10 cm on the ground in the afternoon. You may think that 4 shovels is excessive, but I keep on on the front deck, another on the back deck. The third and fourth in the garage. (The blue one died a horrible death last year. The handle kept detaching from the shovel.)

 

It began slowly...

It was -4 ℃ and the goldfish pond was frozen, with snow beginning to accumulate on top.

The garbage was put out at 7 a.m., the roads weren't great.

There was a lovely layer of slush under the snow. 

One deer track across the driveway. 

The birds were slow to start.

I went back out to use the snowblower. It only took 3 tries to start it. Not so bad after sitting in the shed all summer. It managed the slushy snow pretty well. I was worried. 

Of course, it is all melting, since we're above zero, again. We had rain yesterday.  Maybe again today. 

Deer mating season has begun!

I wrote this a few days ago, but since then we've had snow. I'm anxious to go down and see if they've uncovered it. 

This buck scrape is being monitored. Three scrapes in a row!

I put the trailcam on it. 

There is another scrape, at a bush with branches hanging down. (Non-mental note!) 

It was a nice walk. 

Last flower for awhile!

Here he is: football, curling, control over the TV clicker, a cat, and a warm fire! What else could a man want?! 

Nutmeg (AKA Killer) watching her more passive brother hunting for mice. 

I came across this photo from 2013. That teeny evergreen! 

↑2013, and now↓ look at that tree!

The branches are burdened by snow.

I created a puzzle, now that the snow covers all the lovely leaves.