Look to the skies

 Things have been cooling off. The skies continue to impress.

Things have been pretty quiet. I anxiously await a replacement camera. 

 

It'll be awhile, since 📪 Canada Post workers are on strike. At first the online prediction was 'today by end of day' and then that changed to 'tomorrow by end of day.' I am not holding my breath. 

 

Parcels are a huge market niche. Canada Post has been outsourcing large package deliveries on weekends to poorly paid 'independent contractors.' The big companies like UPS, don't have collective agreements. Canada Post does. Private contractors have bosses that require long hours, and make promises to customers of next day delivery. Cheap labor. This is a first world problem, I know, but as always solved on the backs of workers. There are too many people forced to do part time work. They miss out on benefits and fair wages. Can you tell I was a union member?! 

I shall be patient.

Here is spider visiting before the camera's demise.

 

 The cottontail has been visiting the bird feeder.

 

🐸 Moving the Froggies: I'm up to 154. There were two more I caught Nov. 19th. It keeps me off the street. In the cold they are slow, slimy and dark. 

Our family in Vancouver, B.C. and friends have a Bomb Cyclone! Winds and rain...

Things are busy in the skies.

I sat out on the front deck in the sunshine, reading a book. I was bundled up and under a blanket. This is book 2 of three. The setting in B.C.!

"From the former Chief Justice of Canada and #1 bestselling author of Full Disclosure comes a taut new thriller starring tough-as-nails defense attorney Jilly Truitt in a murder case that makes her question her own truths."

This plane went overhead while I was outside. Look at its call sign: CGZAG. It did zig zag!

🎥TV Movies ← my master list.

My entertainment director continues to look for evening movies. We watched ICE (2011) which was rather ridiculous whilst being creepy. I've done yard duty in -20 ℃ temperatures. 

"Environmental scientist exposes oil company's drilling causing Greenland ice melt."

Then, there is this one: In Cold Water: The Shelter Bay Murder (2024) wow. Creepy true Canadian story/documentary, with action in New Zealand.  Another movie best watched from under a warm blanket. 

OK, that's all I have for today. It is sunrise and coffee time.

The owl tree & deer scrapes

Sunday was busy, after finishing the wood Saturday. I cleaned the goldfish tank, did some floors, and played outside. (The latter was the best part! I know that all of you will agree.)

I walked back to the 'owl tree', you can see the white mute under it. One more pellet. 

I'd seen a buck out back Friday morning, his frozen hoof print in the path. 

Deer scrapes

First they scrape out a clear spot with their hooves, then they urinate on their tarsal and metatarsal glands to put their scent on the scrape. They also nudge the branches above to put scent there from their preorbital and nasal glands. From October to December they aggressively scrape as testosterone levels are high. Charlie Alsheimer has written a piece about this. He says there are three placements of scrapes: boundary, primary and random scrapes. This scrape is a primary one, I think, on a major trail all the critters use. 

This is last year's video by the frog pond. There was a scrape back there. I think that means we have 5 scrapes on the property. I hope we have little fawns come spring.

The squirrel is up to its old tricks. It didn't figure this out until later in the bird feeder year. Can you see it on the tray feeder?

This is from last spring. It remembered the whole deal. What can I do?! Squirrel won.

I wrapped the rose bush. It made a difference in terms of blooms last year. I wrapped my new plants in the daffodil garden. 

While the deer are on the move, cottontail continues to hang about. I was reminded of the cat we had around the house. (Not ours!) I borrowed a trap and tried to capture it. It didn't dissuade bunny. She is back this year. I never did see the cat. 

March 23, 2024

I've been puttering around the yard. Remembrance Day symbols have been put away. Seasonal symbols are out. I think the drain spout is a nice touch beside it!

 

Joe's 75th birthday

 Joe's birthday was Friday. It began with a lovely morning.  

Sunrise Friday, I tried a panoramic image. 

Jesse, Cluny and Bryony created a birthday video before Jess went to work in Vancouver. How sweet!

The morning continued with me finishing up the wood pile. (See yesterday's post!) After I stacked another portion of wood, out we went to Merrickville for a birthday lunch. I'd coloured my hair prior to visiting my client, and he thought we ought to go out. It's just a spray-in, and lasts only a day or so.  But, since I was glammed up...

It's a lovely drive in the day time. There were birds flocking in the water. What is it about the water that looks so peaceful?

It's a lovely town. We took a staycation trip to Merrickville in 2017 in winter, in Baldachin Inn in the bridal suite! Just for fun!

Anyway, our birthday lunch. It is a lovely setting.

We sat by the window, happy to get out and about in the world. Little did he know that I'd brought something hidden in my bag.

I love this statue of the dolphin and the maiden. I told Joe to pose beside her.

The sunshine was lovely and warm. 

After lunch, we went shopping at the Wick Witch. It is amazing.

More walking and shopping. 

The Joy of Olives, infused olive oils.

By then, I was feeling my muscles. Home we went.

We'd saved room for dessert. Joe's bought himself a mini apple pie.

Our Ottawa kids did a birthday chat after dinner, with birthday wishes. 

The cats konked out. They don't celebrate birthdays.

Apparently, the cats ordered Joe some books, and he ordered a new blanket for himself.

The moon was amazing. This was the best I could do that night!

 

The saga of the wood

I've stacked some new wood. This is what I have stacked so far. I moved most of the smaller stuff.

This was a bit much. It needed to be split. My newest wood pile was waiting to be stacked. A friend offered to help, but Joe was worried the two of us couldn't handle it. The logs were big.

The Aussie came and split it for me on Thursday, Nov. 14th. They'd moved it to the shed Nov. 13. 

I'm whittling away at it... 😏 This I stacked while he was splitting it.

This was Thursday afternoon.

A beautiful day to be outdoors. 

I went back at it Friday morning, but took breaks, and photos. But first I found the heavy metal wheelbarrow wobbly. 

Note To Self: check your equipment. The tire was flat. Hah!

Joe was out walking, and brought me some water. He cannot lift the wood. I'm happier if he doesn't. He has terrible back issues. He certainly helped my dad stack wood back in the day in Muskoka.

The dead elms were hosts to termites. This is amazing. 

We had termites in Muskoka. They are creepy little things, and strong!

After some time I realized I should brought me a chair from the house.  Then I really looked around... DUH! It is both decorative and useful.

I kept at it. Progress Friday afternoon! We decided to go out to Merrickville for lunch. It was Joe's birthday. (More on that later!) I needed the break. 

 

The moon rose over the wood pile. I couldn't manage a decent photo. I couldn't remember the settings, nor find them. You get the picture, though. We bloggers are nothing if not imaginative!

Another look at bug patterns. Very interesting. (Joe said to take breaks!)

Saturday I kept at it, and we are done!