Bird action

Bird watching from the warmth of the living room is a pleasure! 

Then the ice storm hit last week. I cannot begrudge them the food. It's wet and cold outside.

I put the seed tray out back. 

The birds are really hungry.

This is a good sign. Tulips!

I was awake with the storm this morning, from 3 - 5 a.m.! We had 35mm rain (1.36"), and Cinnamon didn't like it. He snuggled on my arm, then a loud crackle of lightning, and he'd raise his head. Our snow isn't gone yet! We'll see what today brings.

AI; Makeovers: faces and Teslas!

Are you using AI for search for information. Don't trust it. This is how false information is spread in AI:

This CBC article is important

Typically, April Fool's Day is a day to check sources. These days we have to fact-check everything. Don't repost it, until you check it! 

There are many places to check information: 

1. FactCheck.org
2. Snopes.com
3. Politifact.com
4. disinfowatch.org

We need to understand: Harvard has a good page:

What's the difference between what a peer-reviewed journal offers and what a website like Wikipedia offers?

Speaking of fact checkers, CTV was prepared to offer a Friday piece, a former CTV reporter, who was covering our Canadian election. They bowed to right-wing pressure. This is a direct attack on journalism and pressure on the press.

Press Progress article by Luke LeBrun

Rachel posted a YouTube video explaining

Makeovers

That said, the Mar-a-Lago face. It's a thing. I had to look it up. Yes, I fact checked! 

Defined by "copious use of Botox, a Miami-bronze tan, puffy lips and silky-smooth skin" plastic surgeons told the Daily Mail the trend was "giving Trumpland an almost 'plastic' and 'Real Housewives' look".

Kristi Noem, wearing her $50,000 Rolex, has had work done. Those fat Botox lips are not to my taste.

BTW: Kristi Noem's crass photo-op using them as props violates the Geneva Convention's prohibition of ‘exposure to public curiosity’ of those captured.

Even Matt Gaetz has had his fore head wrinkles done.

After and before:

Even Tesla's are getting makeovers! You can buy stickers to put over the logos, or stickers that explain you bought your car prior to Musk flipping.

 

Fred on Crumbly Acres

Fred Groundhog has been a challenge. We adore him. These are last year's photos.

I caught him in the act, in 2023, eating the pansies Emily was holding. 

This is the camera on the wrong setting. He is so fast, running to the shed. 

Fred has a series of burrows. Some I have blocked, like #1 under the propane tanks. (What could go wrong?!) #3 is under the deck and has water due to snow melt. 

Last year Fred dug out under the shed (location #2). I've since stacked the wood we had cut up from dead fall.

Last year vs. this year!

 

He's been chewing on the pallet. 

There are 4 entrances and/or exits under the deck. (Location #3)

We've warnings of another ice storm Wednesday. It's stressing me out! Deep breath. Our trees have lifted as the snow and ice melted. What a relief.   

Ontario still has about 280,000 homes without hydro. Broken trees on the wires, and brought down by ice.

Midland, Ontario

In the meantime. The water barrels were full. Well, one was. Sadly, Ms. Maintenance forgot to close the valve at the base of the other one. With cold temperatures, below zero overnight, I emptied this one to drain it, and tipped it over. Breaking the hose. Argh! 

Icy Weekend!

That was another storm! This time we had the ice rain. The rain poured and stuck to everything.  The poor bird feeders. I could hear the birds wake up as dawn shone a light on everything. 

Note to self: next time shovel the back deck next time. All I did was the path to the rain gauge on Saturday. Sunday, the cylinder was coated in ice.

Sunday morning, I went at it. (There's the green tub that leaks!) 

I began shoveling the deck in order to make room, should I have to pull the BBQ out. You can see the top layer of ice. It's a little shelf.

I measured the ice accretion: 0.5 cm or 5mm. It is awful.

I was up early on Sunday, what me worry? 

   

Around Georgian Bay:

First job, check power outages. They spread across the province, creeping across the path of the ice rain. I've often complained that we are, as Joe says, 'the rock in the river' with precipitation going around us. I am happy for that this weekend. 

Central Ontario Hydro Outages

My friends in Muskoka, as well as the city of Peterborough, have massive downed trees and power lines. 

 This is the Gravenhurst Opera House. We've been many times. 

Gravenhurst, Muskoka

I like their website, as Kingston shows when repairs have been done.

Kingston Power Outages

It just kept on raining. The trees began drooping. This tree branch is our 'canary in the coal mine' as we know there is ice accretion when it touches the ground. We have had a terrible time with our white pine trees and snow or ice accumulation in past years. It has cost us thousands of dollars to have it all cleaned up.

Monday morning they predicted a Colorado Low bringing 15 ℃ temperatures and a grand melt. After that it gets colder. I'll have to remember to empty the water barrels or the water will freeze and split them.

This poor tree! This morning, the ice accretion has been melting, you can hear the drip drip, and crashing of ice chards.

By the afternoon, it was above zero: 1 ℃, and it kept raining on and off. The sidewalk, covered in 5mm ice, melted. The driveway drained away. All my preparations went well. 

My Bala friends tell me they might not have power for a few days. Schools will be closed in lots of districts. They won't get back up on the grid, my friend told us, until Wednesday! 😖

I woke at 5 mm, and heard the ice falling off the roof onto the back deck. I am so happy I knew what it was. We have had a lot of rain this month.

By bedtime last night, lots more without power. This morning that is down slightly.