Saturday 10 August 2019

Hoppity boppity around the yard!

I accomplished a lot, yesterday. I knew rain was coming, as well as our 19-year-old tennis player was on TV around 2:30. Our young people are doing so well in the Roger's Cup tournament. I wanted to cross a few chores off of my list. 

My professional photographer friends advise me that my camera sensor needs to be cleaned. Ya think?! Maybe when I have my eye surgery. I'd be two weeks without it, I bet.
Red thinks is looks like a hurricane! I have to agree.



In actuality, it was a most welcome storm, with a few mm of rain. Not much, but most welcomed.

The mourning cloaks and eastern comma are all over the hops vine.

Susie Snake was back. I was about to clean the pond pump and she realized she'd best skedaddle. A lot of these chores required bug spray, so I did my morning workout and went to it. (I've lost 4 kg since May, BTW. It feels good.)


I've a mystery plant. I don't remember planting it, but I must have. It's quite thorny. Anyone have a clue for me?!



One of my chores, removing the wild parsnip. (I got a lot done!) This one was twice as tall. There were several and I removed them with gloves, popping them into a garbage bag, especially the seeds. Take that, you miserable plants! If you get the oils on your skin, and the sun gets to it, you get large boils. I just look at poison ivy and get that, so I sprayed some of those plants.


These little mud pots are funny. Potter or mud dauber wasps, methinks, on the back of the milkweed.

I cannot get enough of the caterpillars.
Hey, come here often?


I ambled about the forest, having protected myself with bug spray, knowing I had stuff to do. Bear evidence.


The trailcams have been less than successful. As my daughter said, there is lots of food in the forest. They need not bother humans. The serviceberry and the honeysuckle shrubs are bounteous.



The wrens and sparrows have been frequent flyers.
I have cleaned out the wren house. Sadly, we're going to have to replace it. Christmas is coming!


Then, through the front window.


Our fox ran by. Lots of flying things, since the insects are plentiful. It could be a bat that flits by twice. Other than Hooper, this is about all. I moved the trailcam down in the mosquitoey forest.
fox from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
For more critters:

Saturday's Critters #295

13 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

How do you clean your camera sensor? Great captures of the caterpillar and snake. I have never seen the mud pots, they are interesting. Love the hummer and fox videos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, wishing you a happy weekend! PS, thank you for the visit and comment.

Jenn Jilks said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Always love your 'critter day' posts, Jenn! As for the mystery plant - looks very much like a spiny sowthistle (Sochus...) to me; which means you didn't plant it! YAM xx

DUTA said...

Congratulations on your weightloss! That's wonderful!When you reach your optimal bodyweight you'll become aware of the fact that it solves you all kinds of health issues and you'll highly appreciate that.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I love the cedar waxwing...it's such an elegant bird! Neat to see all the 'bugs' on the plants too! Enjoy your weekend!

Christine said...

We are also enjoying the tennis, great that everyone comes to our part of the world for Rogers Cup.

Jenn Jilks said...

I might be able to do it myself, Eileen, although I busted a camera doing it once. sigh.

Thanks, Duta, but I really doubt I'll get to any ideal weight. Most diets fail, but I'm trying to change habits, rather than diet.

Nancy J said...

Sensor cleaning can be a DIY, but if you pay and they cause damage, they pay .Not sure about the yellow prickly flower but it is pretty.

Cloudia said...

congrats to the young folk! I enjoy your pics, J

Anvilcloud said...

Don’t you have a fixed lens camera? If you’re not taking lenses off and on, I am not sure why it got so dirty.

William Kendall said...

That first shot is quite dramatic.

Karen said...

Only a few caterpillars here now. No more leaves to munch. :( We are on the lookout for chrysalis. There is one on the metal wheel frame of our John Deere tractor. Good camouflage!

Linda said...

We had the rain storm too, along with some thunder and it cooled things down lovely. Open windows for the last couple of days. Hm-m- lens cleaning, let us know how it goes.