Purple flowers and tree frogs

Echinacea, Joe Pye Weed, and
Culver's Root

This is a trio of three plants, Echinacea, Joe Pye Weed, and Culver's Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)! Veronica hasn't even bloomed yet!
It is a rare native in Manitoba and Ontario.

I'd forgotten I'd planted her. I'm just not that kind of gardener...

I counted four little baby tree frogs on the grouping, as well as a Katydid! I'm not sure what Katy is eating, perhaps small bugs, or the buds. Hard to say.

I love their mating scritchy calls, rubbing their legs together. They are looking for love!

"Katydids eat mostly leaves and grass, but they've been known to eat fruit and a few tiny insects, such as aphids, as well. "





Then there is the phlox. It smells divine! When I open the front window, it wafts in. The Swallowtail has been a frequent flyer!

swallowtail from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Shop locavore!

After I visited with my client, I popped into the local farm, Miller's Bay, for supplies.  I coated the pork in flour, cooked it first, removed it, and then did the veggies, an onion first! I threw in some spices, then put it on top of some leftover brown rice. Yummy!

I don't think I could make it again, as I'm not sure what I put in for spices, soya sauce, Worcestershire, flour, extra liquid, a spoonful of spice dry mix for Guacamole. Taste as you go...

Microsoft called!

good old days

Hubby's aunt told us that she had the Microsoft phone call scam. She is 87 and doesn't have a computer. She kept the guy on the line, pretending she did. I thought of her, right away!
It was a day of scamming. Yet another!

I was at my client's house and the phone rang. She couldn't understand what the caller was saying. I took the phone. He had a heavy East Indian accent. He told me he was with Microsoft and that my computer was broken.

I said, "It is?"
He said, "Yes."
I asked, "Are you going to help me with it?"
"Yes,"  he said.
"Oh, good!"
"Go over to your computer. Are you there?"
"Yes, I'm in front of my computer." (I'm giggling broadly at my client.)
"OK, can you find the key that says C-T-R-L, which means Control?"
"Yes. I found the control key on my computer."
"OK, What key is beside that key?"
"An apple." (I have a Mac! I don't have a CTRL key, it clearly says control. He paused.)
"OK, press the control key with your finger."
"What? With my finger? I can't use my nose?" My client laughed.
At that point, I was giggling harder, looking over at my nonegenarian client, who has never used a computer. Did he ever pick the wrong family!

We felt somewhat empowered.

Then, there are phone scams!

phone scam from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've had four of these, two on one day.

I'm getting $2.5 million!

Federal Bureau Of Investigation
Headquarters Washington Dc.
Building 935 Pennsylvania Ave.
NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001
E-Mail: fbi.gov0012@usa.com

                                                 NOTICE OF ONGOING INVESTIGATION

Attn Recipient:

This is agent Josh, we were sent by the Acting Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation (Andrew G. McCabe), and we are currently in Africa as an FBI / United States delegate that have been delegated to investigate foreign transactions going on in Africa.
Be informed that during our investigations we found out that there is a total amount of $2.5 Million dollars that has been assigned in your name as the beneficiary but the office who are in position to remit your fund seized it for their own selfish interest, they are fraudsters who’s interest is to extort money from you in the name of the transfer, We have to inform you that we have arrested some men in respect of this delayed overdue fund. We have limited time to stay here so we advise your urgent response
Do not disclose this development to anyone to avoid jeopardizing with our investigation because we want to arrest most of these fraudsters and bring them to law.

I will be expecting your swift respond as we have instructed the bank where your fund was deposited to issue a certified check once we reconfirm your full details to them; you are to reply back with below details.
Full Name:
Address:
Country:
State:
Zip code:
Cell Phone:
Age:
Occupation:
In future if you receive any email/text massage or if you are already in communication with any person in regard to this kindly forward their details to us for proper investigation.

In case if found this message in spam folder, it could be due to your Internet Service Provider, ISP. So kindly move to your inbox before replying.

Regards,
Jackson Josh
International Banking Unit
862 955-2836

Book Review: Old Bones

Old Bones

It was a fluke. We decided to go to the North Gower Farmers Market July 22nd, since we were close by after replacing our DVD player - that's a long story. I used to live in North Gower, it's familiar territory for me. As always, I keep a few copies of my books in the car. I saw Brian Lindsay there, and asked if he'd like to trade books.

Thankfully, he did! I signed mine, and he signed his.

I love the book. It's a terrific murder-mystery.
It incorporated a lot of places here in eastern Ontario, mainly Westport. He also incorporates cooking! For foodies, it's a fun book. He's a chef, now a writer, and has reproduced his recipes online.

We've spent a lot of time shopping and visiting Westport! It is a delightful town.

You can buy the book in many places. I think I will pick up book #2! 
The author refers to these businesses in the book:

 Terra Foods , Ottawa 
Kudrinko’s Grocery, Westport
The Cottage Coffee House, Westport  
Cormier Pottery, Leta and Don Cormier, North Gower
Mrs. McGarrigal’s Fine Mustard…Fine Food, Merrickville

Time to move some wood

It's an annual thing for many of us rural residents. This year, I decided I ought to move last year's leftovers to the back of the house and stack the 'new' stuff in the shed. Sadly, I realized I had gotten down to the old stuff from 2015. I only figured out last year that I could use a fat marker to date a pile.

Day 1 – Saturday

This is the old wood in the shed. Some from 2016 and the bottom layers from 2015.



 I found some catnip growing where I stack the wood. I gave each cat a whole plant. Annie was so silly, she rolled over, towards the others. I knew it would go wrong!


I gave the three cats a whole catnip plant each. You can see them growing joyously beside the wood pile. Daisy walked away from her plant to share Dorah's on the lower deck. She was able to share with Dorah, but she didn't like Annabelle coming on over!

As someone commented on Twitter, it's not so much catnip as cat slap!

 I gave the three cats a whole catnip plant each. Daisy was able to share with Dorah, but she didn't like Annabelle coming on over!
I gave the three cats a whole catnip plant each. Daisy was able to share with Dorah, but she didn't like Annabelle coming on over!

Hubby finished all his chores (kitchen, dishes!), then he did groceries, and errands. His back precludes lifting firewood, so that falls to me. He brought me some water, as I was getting dehydrated. He offered to bring dinner in, but I made a chicken/turkey meatloaf. All was good.

Day 2

Sunday, a bit achy in my arms and back, I planned ahead with camera, water, and a sleeveless shrit, once things warmed up. Daisy was a helper for awhile, until I revved up the lawn tractor!!!!
If anyone can teach me how to back up the tractor, with the trailer on it, I'd be grateful!
I managed to store the rest of the old stuff behind the house, ready to use. The new stuff will go into the shed.


Lots of 'helpers', like a leopard frog I nearly ran over. It jumped right into the spot where I was going to stack wood. Then there was a millipede or two, beetles, and a huge dock spider. I had to stop and smell the hibiscus, too!


Annabelle assisted during a water bottle refill!


It ended up in the trailer!

I did 50 minutes Saturday, took a break, then went back at it. I quit around 3 to have a wonderful shower! Phase one is done.

It was good prep for the two full cords I have ordered.

Healthcare visit #63: naturopath

We had another healthcare appointment with Dr. Jenn, hubby's naturopath. Not to bore you, but it helps me to write it down, and organize it, and understand it all.

The purpose of this meeting was an update on recent tests (Bone scan, CT Scan, PSA, ultrasound), and anti-androgen intermittent therapy.

JB handed Dr. Jenn all the reports we had, a hard copy is a good thing. I heartily recommend you do this. She was impressed with his organization!

Since his surgery to remove the cancer cells (Jan., 2014), we've been watching and waiting. This included going to a naturopath, with the understanding that they didn't get all of the cells she's been giving him immunity boosters. Also, he has immunity boosters, and supplements to help his food intolerances (dairy, yeast, eggs), which is why we went to her in the first place!

Anti-hormone therapy began last Wednesday (Aug. 23), with pills. In a couple of weeks we'll go to the doctor, taking the medication we pick up at the pharmacy, and they'll do the deed, the injection. This will happen every three months.

(His treatment for mitigating cancer is based on excellent research, by Canadian researchers, who determine the course of action. It would be different if his cancer had progressed, as it often does, to bone cancer. This isn't the case. His cancer cells are limited to his lymph nodes in his groin, near the prostate site.)

Dr. Jenn

We went back to Dr. Jenn, and handed over report after report, she stapled them, taking notes on her laptop. The good news is, his cholesterol is down, he's reduced his meds for that. While the tests showed he has a small gallstone, Dr. Jenn said that probably with crappy diet he'd have pain. He doesn't!

Side effects of Treatment
Fatigue, lethargy, bone loss, calcium, anemia, weight gain less common. Hot flashes. Won't preclude activities, fully expect doing these (therapeutic riding volunteer, Meals on Wheels).

His weight is down 10 kg. through hard work and self-discipline. She asked which margarine he used. With his food intolerances, he's on a Non-dairy, vegan diet, with meat, no yeast. She suggested we keep hormone exposure minimal by eating organic meat.

The drive in was quite the thing. This trucker passing several vehicles on highway #15. I tweeted the photo to the company. This is scary.

There was a little girl with her mom in the grocery store parking lot, who looked a lot like our grandie in Vancouver! We stopped for some of hubby's favourite fake cheese in Carleton Place!

I redid his daily chart, with tweaking from Dr. Jenn's advice during this visit. "Mushrooms" are a mushroom complex, made from reishi, shiitake, maitake mushrooms, which mitigate side effects of the anti-hormone treatments. "Trident" is an Omega 3 supplement. Probiotics are ultra antioxidants. This is over and above his healthcare visits, which we get through Canadian universal healthcare. The medications we must pay for. The anti-hormone injection kits cost $1100 per dose. As a senior over age 65, he only pays $20 for this (Ontario Drug Benefit Program). There is much controversy in the US, where the government does not control drug prices. 
"In the U.S, the cost of insulin has dramatically increased. Prices for Humalog, a rapid-acting insulin, has grown 700 per cent since 1996, The Washington Post reported."

Crappy photos in the waiting room from the iPad, upon which I take notes. It's in a exercise facility! They usually have a pithy saying!