Moon over Crumbly Acres

 Monday morning garbage day: 

I fed the deer.

The moon was lovely. It was way too cold to fetch the tripod and do it properly. The iPhone did fine.

Robot at the olympics

Are you a fan of the Olympics? We have a Canadian sports journalist there who posts on Bluesky. 

Robots are roaming around the Main Media Centre here in Milan. Organizers continue to finish construction — and program the robots — ahead of the throng of media expected throughout the Olympics.

[image or embed]

— Devin Heroux (@devinheroux.bsky.social) February 1, 2026 at 6:46 AM

February Frolics: Groundhog Day

🐀 Fred Groundhog

I'm sure most of you know the this silly tradition of Ground Hog Day in North America. There is a list of Groundhog Day Forecaster! Here is another site:    GROUNDHOG-DAY.com . Theory goes, if they see their shadow, they get scared and hunker back into their burrow. Then, 6 more weeks until spring. Some Groundhog forecasters are not even groundhogs! 

It wasn't until we met our dear Fred Groundhog that I realized that they aren't even awake here on Feb. 2nd! Fred, AKA Whistle Pig (her whistles are epic), sleeps from September until March-ish. They are true hibernators. I found this uncredited image on Bluesky. It wasn't their image, after a search.

Fred The First seems to winter under the highway. Her offspring, Fred 2, hunkered down under the shed Sept. 12th and is buried under the snow in the burrow. 

Here were the 4 kits. The coyotes nailed 3 of them. She whistled for about 6 hours when they were being hounded by Coyote. It was like herding cats, though.

In April she was slim. 

It's hot work! 

 I think this was a yawn you can see those lovely teeth. 

May, 2025

I love their furry coats. They eat all Spring and Summer to bulk up for their hibernation. 

It's been an early winter. January had 93 cm snow. I don't think it is ending anytime soon. Last February we had a ton of snow, 71 cm. We shall see.  

Deer beds!

I went to the forest, wearing my snowshoes, \ to fetch the memory cards. I found deer beds. 

They wander over the frozen wetland, looking for weeds and saplings to fill their bellies.

Another bed, tucked in beside the tree.

The hole in the tree intrigued me. Nothing was in there.

I peeked out back, and spotted two deer in deer beds under the white pine tree. By the time I grabbed my camera, Momma was headed for the deer feeders. The fawn just sat and waited. 

And waited,

And still waited.

The adults were anxious. They need more fuel than the little one.

Dawn had come, the fawn roared over.

After breakfast they wander back into the forest. I enjoy seeing them in winter. The scatter in the forest is spring and summer. 

Saturday's Critters

 I do love watching them! She can't quite reach.

Not a lot of critters about except for the furry deer. 

They feel safe on the driveway. Wish they'd help with the snow! 

   

 Deer

   

 I wrote a piece on tracking mammals for our local association. It is one of the delights of winter.

 

Labbit is quick as a bunny!

 

Saturday's Critters # 633 <= visit Eileen here.

Don't tell #75!

 I like the change in seasons. Autumn rolls on by, glorious colours paint our world. Once that is done I look forward to the snow. At this point, we've high snow banks. Guinevere is up to her neck in snow!

Don't tell #75, but the snow bank is high enough that he could jump onto the bird feeders!

 

 at Riverside Park in fall

Mice friends have been on the deck. 

Blowing snow, and more tracks.

Speaking of tracks! My personal assistant fetched supplies from town.  I did clean up on aisle #1. It is a great tool. I sent him out for it last week. 

 

Then he rested with Cinnamon.

It's been a cold one. 

Stay warm out there!

Grandie Update

 The grandies, and presumably their parents, have been busy! I'll begin out west. Jesse has taken his kids to another ski tournament. I tried to make a video of his videos but I couldn't put them into iMovie. 

Stills will have to suffice. Cluny and Bryony, happy winter bunnies.

In Ottawa, Aster is doing well during gr. 10 exams, I've been told. Joe and I were watching an episode of MasterChef Australia and one participant made choux. I recalled that Aster and I tried to make choux. It was during Gramma Camp Week 19 during COVID. A Zoom project for her Girl Guides group. 

We laughed so hard. It didn't look that difficult! We missed a step or something.

Jordan attended the Canadian Space Conference, as I mentioned. He was in Ottawa Friday, Saturday and Sunday, making back on the train to Queen's U just before they stopped said train due to blowing snow. 

I found the Research Astronaut's Code very interesting.  

Research Astronaut's Code

Community. Excellence. Leadership. Experience. Service. Teamwork. Integrity. Science. Discovery.

• I go in the name of science and discovery.
• I will conduct myself with the utmost professionalism at all times.
• I will set the standard for excellence, and raise the bar for what it means to be an explorer.
• No problem is insurmountable. Together with my team, we will work the problem.
• Adversity will not get me down.
• When challenges arise, I will deploy every resource and skill at my disposal to overcome.
• My crew can rely on me, and I can rely on them – we have each other's backs.
• The order of operations will always be: safety, science, outreach, fun. Always.\Mission success starts and ends with us.
• We will blaze trails and forge new pathways for those who come after us.
• We go in the name of humanity.

What have I been doing?! Trying to move snow off the driveway. It was twirly snow, any time I'd switch the direction of the auger hood, the wind would switch and it'd get me in the face! The joys of winter.