This winter hangs heavily, when will it end?

those drops are horrible!

I'm finding the winter laying heavily on my psyche. I'm sure many can sympathise. Our sub-zero temperatures have ranged widely. Normally, for our wonderful syrup producers, March brings sub zero C. temps overnight and daytimes of 10+ C., which are the perfect conditions for sap rising in the day and lowering in the night.

'new' March 28th, 2012

The news is awful, with violence and horrible incidents. Not everyone is a terrorist, not all Muslims, either. Our Prime Minister advocating for us to shoot intruders... Warning us against women modestly wearing hijabs (head scarves). We have to remember that there are good people in the world, peacemakers, but they don't make the news. Rant over.

My eyes are changing, and reading has been difficult. I had my eyes examined, no point having my head examined! I felt really awful, as the drops exacerbated the changes in my eyes.

My distance vision is improving, after 58 years of it getting worse. From -8.5 it's gone to -6.5, but my near sightedness is worse. I ordered reading glasses, just for bed time reading. They have really helped. Old age sucks, but the alternative...

They've made such
improvements to them!

Thing is, I've noticed I'm uncomfortable on the computer, as well as watching TV. New glasses cost me big-time, what with graduated and extra-thin lenses to avoid coke bottles. Our vision is so important, however. Perhaps next month I'll order new ones. No disease, which is good.

Indoor repairs are nearly defeating me. I had to replace a phone jack. I should have put on my 'reding' glasses. It was corroded and every time I am in the basement working out (10 - 11:00!) the phone rings, but I cannot hear the caller. There was a certain amount of swearing as I dropped tools, and the wee screws, and needed yet another tool from the garage, then the molly didn't fit. I persevered, and it's not a pretty job, but the phone hangs off of the wall and it works.

Cats are feeling hard-done-by, after spring-like temps of 10 C., then a cold snap. They are grumpy and growly, Daisy whacked at both her sisters, hormones on legs, I think. I tried to trim Annabelle's claws, and it didn't go well. I tried again, plopping her on the footstool, and snuggling hard. She was not amused, but I did it.

The deer are hungry. They've decided to help with gardening. You can see how they trimmed the foliage for me.

My Trailcam has only revealed Wild turkeys crossing the path.

Trailcam turkeys from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Night after night, nothing on the camera! Just wild turkeys...

Daisy and I took a walk down to 'The Point', an outcropping of forest into the wetland, to harvest the overnight videos. Nada. And yet, there is coyote scat along the path. Clever little devils. I am so disappointed. The walking is treacherous, either you sink in the deep snow, or you could twist an ankle on the frozen ground. You can see the edge of the wetland where the ice has melted and refrozen.


Daisy managed to find some grass to eat. She fervently hopes for spring, too!



When we returned home, climbing up the hill from the meadow, Buster greeted us. He did not deign to go walkies. He was hard to spot, sitting between the fence posts.



We went to Carleton Place, where swans were rumoured to be, and none were there. A wild swan chase...
 

This morning, again, we have -10 C. and I have had to get a fire going. Hubby, again, dispatches Meals on Wheels, the third time this week. Afterwards, we plan on searching for Trumpeter swans who are reportedly in the locks towards the southeast of us. The water in the locks tends to flow rather quickly, which impedes its freezing. The migrating birds, anxious to get back north and get breeding, hold up in in the flowing water.