Crumbly Acres

Cinnamon is keeping track of his Freds. I watched him on the deck railing. He's a good uncle, as uncles tend to be.

For some reason, they are running up and down the driveway. Cinnamon likes to watch them, like tennis, back and forth. In this heat, that is probably the best move. 

Nutmeg got into the act! She peeked into one of the burrow exits. Fred was at another opening. 

Walkies demands a deerfly sticky. They are merciless. They tend to land on the back of your head, finding a place to land and take a chunk out of you. This stuff really works.

🐍This is really fun. I noticed a shed snake skin in the front garden. I could not tell what kind it is, but it is 105cm long. 

Later I noticed Cinnamon watching something in the garden. It was a beautiful Garter Snake. Our cat, Dorah, used to bring them up on the back deck. Cinn is a little gentler and just sat down beside the snake. I encouraged Cinn to come with me.

 

I have a lovely hollyhock, new to the garden this year. They aren't as yummy as the hostas, apparently!

 The Freds, especially as teenagers, are amazing climbers. Don't know why the are 'groundhogs,' when they spend much time on the fence, on top of wood piles, generally climbing.  

 

 He seems to like the fence by the deck. More milkweed trimming! 

 

Lots of Hydro workers spent Canada Day fixing up the lines. 

Just for fun, another storm through on Canada Day. We're going to need to find a roofer to replace shingles.

Canada US relations are touchy

 Canadians are really ticked off with the US Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra. This was an interesting interview. We aren't rolling over. We are not accepting US goods as we once were. 

 

 PM Carney stood up to a NYTimes reporter.

 

🇨🇦 Happy Canada Day!

 These are my friends, Andrew and Wendy Donaldson. We sang in LPCC Church Choir together in Toronto back in the day. I was in high school, my mom and dad were in the choir, Wendy and Andrew were in university. I attended their wedding in Timmons, Dec. 21st, 1974.

Both amazing musicians.

30 Jun 2025 TORONTO 

An ode to Canada's past, present, and future by Toronto composer Andrew Donaldson, written to mark Canada's 125th birthday in 1992. (Turn on "CC" to view the song lyrics in real time.) 

We had a big storm last night. Tornado warnings on media. Jordan, in Kingston, had one as well. We had 10 mm rain in the day, another 12 mm last night. That's about an inch! 

July 1 morning skies:

I put these bulbs in the basement cold cellar after winter. I ignored them, having brought them upstairs. Lo, and behold! This was taken before Butch came to visit and snapped off one bloom. I put it towards their curiosity, rather than malice. 

Last night, I put the tall one on top of the BBQ. Of course, Butch knocked the little one over. No damage, though.

 

Garden delights

The milkweed in the foreground has had its buds munched! (Guess who?)

In spite of that, I put some barriers in, and I actually have one zucchini! And milkweed.

Then there is my formerly beautiful, pink petunia planter. I moved it here, since Fred cannot climb the metal. So far.

They are growing back after Fred mowed them down. Fingers crossed!

Cinnamon was doing his part. The Freds bear watching...

 

Do you enjoy clouds? 

I had a pedicure. I match my garden art!

The Cedar Waxwings are amazing. I videotaped them, but used the zoom lens for photos, as well. They are so quick to move.

 I caught one on the Gardepro camera. BTW – Phoebe's eggs have hatched. You can see one flying about at the 7 second mark. Then the Cedar Waxwings do a fly by!

 

Fred is a tireless worker, until they are not! You can see dirt on its nose. Look at those claws! We've a heat wave and I didn't see much of them yesterday.

#75  (I think!)

Song Sparrow must have another brood.

Even the Pileated Woodpecker gave me some trouble. This is a screenshot of the video (below left). The 2nd image is from the archives.

Caitlin has travelled from YOW to YUL, to ZRH and on to HEL, Finland. She had a lovely ferry ride around some islands, then went by ferry to Tallinn, Estonia. 

This is the Russian Embassy in Tallinn!

Flowers, gardens, deer and Fred

This is such a wonderful time of year. Everything is growing, if not in bloom.

The Catalpa tree is in bloom. 

Sweet William and Day Lilies

Wandering out to the front yard, I wanted a photo of the milkweed plants! The field is full of them. Bring on the Monarch butterflies!

Just after I clicked the photo, a deer poked its head up, and took off. Can you see its rear end?! 

This is why they are called White Tail Deer!

Then I looked down, here was Nutmeg looking for mice. She couldn't have been more than a couple metres from the deer. I have her on a trailcam carrying her prey up to the house. 

This is Cinnamon showing off. 

Fred has been shifting the tarp that will go over the wood pile in winter. It's been doggy digging, and shuffling rocks with its nose. 

Now, they used the tarp to cover up their hole. I knew Momma Fred had done this in the wood shed, but now I have proof.

3 Freds were gallivanting on last year's wood. I think they spend much time on top of the wood pile as under the ground.