Saturday's Critters

 Things are relatively quiet around here. 

We had a coyote visit us. They like the driveway as a traffic route as much as we do.

Here is one of our coyotes in summer on the trailcam.

The cats don't spend much time outside. Cinnamon likes the garage. He's caught a couple mice there. They really don't go after the birds. The birds have figured them out. Besides, tabby cats are easy to spot on the white snow.

Daisy and Dorah liked walkies.

Daisy liked hunting in the snow, having dug this vole out. She was rehomed as she was bullying another cat. She became an apartment cat and did very well there, last I heard.

Nutmeg could hear a mouse under the snow. It was awfully funny. 

 

 The deer in the snow!

   

 Our lone male turkey hangs out. We've had flocks in previous years.

The deer stare at him as he comes up the hill. They tolerate him.

   

 I've seen dog zoomies videos, here are the deer, in the snow and cold.

 

Visit Eileen's Saturday's Critters # 580!

Phenology

I contribute to iNaturalist. You record flora and fauna sightings for your area. It is Citizen Science, and I enjoy it. I haven't contributed many plants to the reporting, and there aren't many plants growing outside today!  

They had a Webinar. Happily, they posted a recording of it online. After Virtual School during COVID lockdowns, non-personal video chats give me the heebee jeebees! We are so happy to chat with the grandies out west. 

"Plant phenology – the timing of plant life-cycle events such as leafing out, flowering, and fruiting"

Of course, things are pretty quiet around here, in terms of both flora and fauna. That said, I did have a fisher return Jan. 12th. Happily in the dark of the night. We were sleeping.

Nutmeg likes sitting in the sun. This is where the squirrels run by. Good exercise for her!

Cinnamon is a bad boy! He's been fishing... 

I had a concept of a plan. Maybe I'll vaccuum.

I had to wait, though, because the guy with the bad back had an afternoon nap. I couldn't disturb that! 

He's using Dr. Ho, Advil, and trying to relax. The 2nd day was worse, but he treated his back gingerly. 

It looks like we are in for a provincial election Feb. 27th, to be called next week. My American friends can empathise. Rumour has it he is calling an election before the release of RCMP reports of nefarious doings around the Greenbelt development he's managed to decimate for his rich friends. There was bribery and corruption. 

Deer on the hoof

Not a great day. 

Joe put his back out. Refilling the dishwasher! No good deed goes unpunished. I finished up for him. He made it in to his foot care appointment. Gingerly. A long afternoon nap, and we'll hope for the best today. 

💻 I was doing my blogging, and saw a furry body go by! 

I would say, 5 out front. 

I looked out the back. There were three sitting under the white pine tree out back.

Two at the feeder.

Eventually, I thought I'd wake him up to feed them. Otherwise, they'll be ringing the doorbell!

We had five at the feeders! Three later on. 

Lots of people feed them around here. Most have ulterior motives! Joe just like the smell of the deer food. It's a rich, Ministry of Natural Resources recipe. 

That was the highlight of my day! 

Consumer warning!

 OK, a consumer warning. I use Word and Excel. Microsoft365 Personal is what I have had all this time.  I've had an annual licence for years. I paid $79/year since 2020. They sent me a message saying that since they've had extra costs, in terms of developing AI, extra storage costs, and 'new innovations,' they are raising the price to $115/year. I don't need 1 TB of secure cloud storage! 

Apparently, it is not just me!

I've used Apple products at home since the 1990s. It took them years to develop Word for Macs. I always used Clarisworks, which was more user friendly. Here are the two of us on the laptop. 

Jo and I in 2009!

I went online to see if there was a less expensive plan, and couldn't find one. The webpage provides a live chat option, which I took. Someone named Queen, said there is a Microsoft365 Classic plan for the price I've been paying. She said I'd lose all this new stuff, and I had to explain that I am retired! 

Who knew? It's not up to them to let me know unless I ask. 

Lesson learned. 

Playing on his iPad,
while waiting to do a Zoom visit with his Ottawa specialist.

In March, 2002, during student-led
parent conferences in my portable.

There is no new normal in our relationship with the US. I am comforted by the fact that last time he was elected, a lot of his Executive orders were taken to court and rescinded. 

We are in a weird situation. Parliament is prorogued (sort of suspended) and they will come back March 24th, presumably for the opposition parties to call for an election.

Then, there is Musk. He is interfering in our upcoming election. Mark Carney is one of the people running for leadership of the Liberal Party. 

Out back this morning, there were 3 deer sleeping under the white pine tree. There is one sitting behind the one that just stood up. The one on the right had its head down, tucked in.

It was a bit of a shock looking at the temperature. It was -20℃ this morning. 

We'll see what we get up to today. I refilled bird feeders yesterday, but it was really cold. Joe fetched groceries for us, and gave the car a run. You can't let it sit in the garage. The cold is really bad for batteries! 

A dark day for many of us

Oh, USA, what have you done? 

We watched, in horror, the assault on US traditions in this moment. The billionaires were seated in front of the incoming cabinet. Apparently the push-up bra got their attention, especially Zuckerberg. This is Bezo's girlfriend. All people with a lot of money, but little sense. At the end of your life you don't determine you success by your bank account. It is about how you treat those who are your neighbours. 

He didn't put his hand on the bible. 

It is a dumpster fire. He's threatening tariffs on us, Canada, for Feb. 1st. The Quebec sells 2/3 of the aluminum the US buys. We have to hope that the state governors get this. 

So many people are going to be victims. The rich are going after the most vulnerable as the gap widens between front line workers and CEOs. His list of Executive Orders is shocking to many. I wonder how many regret voting for him?

He's ordered binary gender, labeled according to your assigned gender at birth. Our trans family and friends just shudder. Bruce Caitlyn Jenner didn't realize what they are in for. Gender dysphoria is a huge issue, one many of us are realizing affects our young people.

This video has shocked the world. In Germany, you can be arrested for using this Nazi sign. Australia has laws, as well.

There is a White Supremacy signal you can see in some photos. Racists are getting more bold. I post this as a warning. 

I shouldn't be surprised. Where does all that hate go when you've won? tRump supporters are pretty quiet. Here in Canada, with our PM stepping down, so-called freedom fighters are still going after everyone. They hate people who are different, fear people of colour, the poor, those with mental health issues, the LGBTQ+ community.

Some days you have to hope for the worst after you've seen the worst.

Rant over. It helps to vent.

🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦

I have to focus on the critters for a moment. It is soothing. Cardinal, downy woodpecker, mourning doves, they are busy keeping warm and fed.

In the early morning, Nutmeg heard a sound. I was up early to put garbage out. Later, I found out that Cinnamon was sitting in the closet. I imagine looking for mice friends. She always has to watch him, he bears watching! It's a season for warm beds, blankets and the sheepskin blanket. 

In the afternoon the cats made their own fun up. I heard a thump in the dining room. Suddenly, Cinnamon went after his sister, who was carrying a deermouse downstairs. It ran under a foot stool, where Cinn glared at it excitedly. They played around for a bit, while I was fixing dinner. I don't know what happened next! They are ubiquitous.

I don't blame them for coming into the warmth! I just wish I could warn them about the cats! 

This morning it is -17℃ out on the back deck. I wish we could house, feed, and give a basic income to those who lack them. People should be looking after one another.