Tuesday 31 March 2015

March Weather: in like a lamb

Not much snow in March!


March 26th

March 25th




We've had terribly cold days and nights. The sap producers are not getting the 10 C+ days they need. Some rain, but cold, cold days.

Friday, March 13th

They threatened freezing rain. The Great Lakes are mostly covered, but beginning soon, they will thaw! The blue is less than 1/10th ice coverage.
current ice cover

The government posts information about the Great Lakes Ice coverage.

First week

Lovely, warm 10+ C. and we lost 6" of snow in one day.

Lots of critters about

There are many signs of spring. The deer are able to much on some grass. I spotted a Brown creeper, very unusual as they are quick and flighty. They depend upon bugs, this means Spring is really here! This was Sunday, March 20th. By Monday morning we had snow again.




We had 17 deer Monday morning


Busy day for videos!


Brown creeper from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Bird watching with my buddy Buster. We found a rarely captured Creeper!


TrailCam #12 wild turkeys from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Next on the trailcam...they calmly walk by the camera. You can hear the Pileated woodpecker high up in the trees!

Trailcam #13 Coyote from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
It's been a challenge capturing critters. Finally, another coyote. (Or the same one!)

Trailcam #14 running deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
First they all go up the hill. Then they come down the hill! The Trailcam was in the edge of the wetland, beside the lower meadow. Up the top of the hill you can see our shed.

Monday 30 March 2015

Trip to Narrows Lock to go birdin'

We were there  Dec. 7th. This is what it looked like then. I know people like before and after photos!


Back we went last week, and you can see how the water freezes up.

Sunday 29 March 2015

To climb a tree: forest bathing with happy cats

We're all mourning someone, something or something dear to us. I mourned my work life, as a teacher, when I could do that no longer. I felt important, working with all of my special needs students, particularly. I still mourn that sense of purpose. It's difficult finding something meaningful to do.

While mourning Sady, it brings up all the mourning we have had in our hearts and souls. When Buster and his late brother, Felix, and I would go walkies in the forest they would launch themselves up a tree. They were such a pair. They weren't yet a year when Felix was hit by a car. Buster mourned as much as we did. When I would take him for a walk he was so slow on along the forest trail. He wasn't his free, happy, joyful kitten self. It broke my heart, as I couldn't explain what had happened, or I wasn't sure he understood.

It was a good lesson for our granddaughters: look both ways when you cross the street. I tried collars, but that didn't work. Buster, at least survived.

Here are my fave trees and antler shed
Over time, now that he is 3, he is a bit slower and less impulsive. We've done many walks since, and he lags behind, moewing. He's a big brother to Daisy, who adores him. We call her Buster II, as she not only shadows him, but does all the things he does. Daisy hangs with her brother more than her twin Dorah, who is more of a house cat.
They go on walks with me together. It makes me feel whole again.
This is what makes Daisy and Buster happy: the warmth of the trees, embracing the spring solstice, the promise of spring in the melted snow. The smell of spring is healing. What was knee-deep snow, is slowly disappearing.
This big, old cedar tree is a favourite of theirs. It's part of a magical lane, sheltering the deer in winter. This is where I found some deer beds one day, and my largest antler.




Tree climbing from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
The cats love forest bathing as much as I do. The much prefer getting up into the trees, though, where the bark keeps some of the warmth of the sun.