Monday 31 October 2016

October 2016 weather

Oct. 29 – Rain!

Oct.28 – 4.5 cm snow

Oct. 26 - It's a cold one: 2 C.! 

Something is on the way!

Oct. 21 – 45 mm over two days!

Oct. 20 rain, rain, rain!


Oct. 19


Oct. 17th

While full restoration efforts are underway, there are 22,900 customers without power in central Ontario from the thunderstorm.

Oct. 16th – Thunder and lightning and pouring rain!


Oct. 14th – That was a cold night!


Oct. 13th - a gentle rain falls here! Only 1 mm (0.04")



Sadly, hurricane Nicole is up to no good. Haiti and the Canadian maritimes are still digging out. Now, issues out west! 

Oct. 12th


Oct. 11th - Hurricane Matthew, now a cyclone, ravaged the Maritimes!



Oct. 8th


Matthew, the hurricane, has been devastating. Today, Sunday, it has reduced in power. Hundreds dead in Haiti, millions of people evacuated in Florida.


Storm surges (water pushed by the hurricane –NHC, think of the water in a bathtub as you move about), are the next danger. The high tides are horrible. 

After making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in South Carolina on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said Matthew was no longer a hurricane early Sunday and is now considered a post-tropical cyclone. Maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) -- the same as a Category 1 hurricane, forecasters said. (CNN)
NY Times:
Hurricane Matthew left a tableau of devastation across southern Haiti, destroying houses, leaving villages under several feet of water and killing more than 800 people, according to a count by Reuters. 
CNN tracked the storm.  These are satellite images from screen captures.

Oct. 7th



Oct. 6th Fascinating watching the continent. Snow out west. 


Oct. 5th - still following Matthew 


Oct. 4th – they battle hurricane Matthew to the south

The US National Hurricane Center has amazing information. Sadly, they are talking about a metre of rain falling in these vulnerable areas, much flooding and displaced humans.

Oct. 1st - Rain! 

Pumpkins everywhere!

Here we are. Hallowe'en. It's somewhat underwhelming when you don't have little kids about!
I've bought some pumpkins, to roast some pumpkin seeds, and to feed the deer! Down the road, they'd made a snowman to go with the pumpkins!


Bambi continues to look for food. Hunting season has begun. The gunfire in the dark is unsettling.

Sunday 30 October 2016

What's going on outdoors?

Our snow has melted, here's a look see.
The trail cam showed our 8-point buck. He's a lovely creature. I've moved the trailcam to beside the house.



Busy skies! I just look up and tell them, 'don't fall on my house!'



This was the beginning of the now-melted snow. Tis peculiar, with leaves still on the trees.
It's snowing! from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I fill the feeders in the morning, so that by night they are fairly empty.
 
Bambi in the yard from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday 29 October 2016

Putting the water barrel to bed

It was time. There was ice on the goldfish pond, this is
Daisy
significant.

The water barrel was frozen, and it needed to be drained. Yes, I had a helper. I had to talk her down from the warmth of the aquarium light. Can you spot her?! She came in, cold from her morning hunting, and wanted to get warm.
Once I did my workout, I thought I'd get her to help me.
She did!



First step: empty the rest of the water. Normally, the excess water drains into the goldfish pond. I have a hose, with a brick on the end. I chucked it into the trees, where it merrily drained.


Next, take it apart. Yup, ice in the bottom. I store it beside the air conditioner. Daisy had to inspect it!


We did well! After this we went walkies. Then the snow fell! Last night and this morning, Saturday, it rained. We still have some snow.



Daisy leaves from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Friday 28 October 2016

Winter approaches...

We're keeping the bird feeder filled! Suddenly, we had a purple finch, as well as numerous juncos.



The cold nights made the catalpa just dump their leaves. Daisy and I had projects: putting away lawn ornaments and emptying the water barrel. Next, she took off while I used the lawn tractor to mulch the leaves. Daisy disappeared.

That done, off for walkies and some owl hunting.
Down in the meadow, I spotted something in the tree. Turns out, only a piece of branch. I got so excited, I thought it was an owl.


As I walked the snow began to fall. I found another tree: a birch growing up into the middle of the cedars.


This is my favourite part of our forest: the cedars line a path.


And the snow began! They say it won't last, but we shall see...