Happy Hallowe'en!

It's nearly over, just the Trick or Treating! We don't get any kids. We are too remote. That's OK. I put my time in over 25 years teaching, as well as the three kids.

I grew pumpkins when we lived in North Gower!

We played dress up all the time. When I was a kid, we had a dress-up trunk. I continued that tradition when the kids were small. I'm in the bridal veil! My brother in front. 

This is our warning! It's going to be a wet few days.



On our way into Carleton Place for a dental appointment, I did some drive-bys.
Sleepy cows, all except one! She didn't get the memo.



First, I noticed two trucks go by, filled with pumpkins!



Then, a minion on a swing with a pumpkin!


The trees are so lovely. Farewell, leaves!



Sure! A stuffed arm.



The homes are just wonderful, they invite Hallowe'en decor with the big front porches.

Carleton Place Park

We were in Carleton Place for errands and stopped for lunch. (Oct. 23 off to Carleton Place)
I've held onto these photos until I could research the park. Now that our leaves are done, I can savour the colours. I grabbed a photo of the red hydrant and the red leaves.


It's a bit chilly these days. There are chess boards built into the foundation. Hubby stayed in the car.


Isn't this idyllic?

The Ballygiblin Riots – 1824

I'd not heard of this riot. Basically, a Scottish Protestant and Irish Catholic conflict, as was always so. The area was 'settled' by Protestant white colonists from Scotland. Land grants motivated them, since Britain was anxious to keep control of the region. Later, many Irish fled to Canada for a better life. These Irish settled in Lanark County, around the Mississippi River, also Perth, Innisville, Morphys Falls (now Carleton Place) and Shipmans Mills (now Almonte). There was fighting. Of course.

 The Scots did well, establishing mills and the towns grew. As is the way, the government was supporting the Irish refugees, and the established Scots resented this.



Apparently, this signage was stolen in 2002. In 2017 town council talked about paying to replace it.

Almost all the leaves are gone.


It's a lovely dedication to a loved one on this fountain.
"In memory of Jean Love Galloway" (1917 – 2002) She was a mover and shaker, back in the days when women like this were unusual.

The Countdown Public Art Legacy Project is a series of pebble mosaics that honour sexual assault survivors across Ontario. The first of its kind in Canada, the project launched in 2016 after the Women’s Sexual Assault Centre of Renfrew County invited Red Dress Productions to bring its vision into being.

The pebble mosaic I've not seen before. It's such a lovely idea. It was done in May 2019, honouring survivors of sexual violence. There are eight of them across the province.



There is much construction these days, prior to freeze up! Highway #7 is a busy one. There have been quite a few incidents. People in a hurry. Using it as a Nascar track!



It's a complicated task.


The clouds are amazing in the fall. Often, they are anticrepuscular clouds. This is when the rays are streaming down. When the sun is lower, and the rays rise up, it's called crepuscular!


Today's forecast is for a LOT of rain in the next few days. JB is having the snow tires put on the car this morning, too. Just in case. I know they've had snow in Timmins, further north.

Forest tails

We were so excited to see our 4 release raccoons on the trailcam. It was an ucky rainy night, but they were keeners. FREEDOM!!!!!

Bless their little hearts. It'll take some time to find their territory. A month, I read. There are lots of nooks and crannies for them. Many trees for them to climb for safety.

4 raccoons from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The night before... keep counting!

  4 bears from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

My plants are indoors for the winter. Hooper has rediscovered my terrarium. I've finally found the watering regimen and it is growing nicely.

grailcam & reports

Now, my trailcam SD cards are my holy grail. I mistakenly typed grail, but thought it serendipitous.
We've had a few issues around here. Our wifi died. We replaced it. It's been pouring rain (48 mm –1.5") and Internet speed is horrid.
Hubby's computer died, we took it in. His browser, Chrome, was corrupted. Safari isn't much better. I'm not sure how to fix it.

Joe's also been cleaning out the cold storage room. We've had mice in there. Droppings are everywhere. He has been tireless in taking things out. The shredding: old papers, are gone. Everything has been put into new boxes. We'll have a dump run, at some point.

I was looking at the cement and insulation in the cold storage. I saw that newspapers had been used for some purpose. I wondered if I could see a date.

Can you read it? It's the anniversary of my birthday, Dec. 26, 1985. I guess now we know about when the house was built! My youngest was born in 1985!

The basement ceiling still needs repairs. 

Yes, cataracts are driving me nuts. Now I'm fighting a cold. Ah well. I know many are a lot worse off. I continue to blog every morning. It is my ritual. My routine. I like reflecting back on my days. It makes them much more exciting to reflect. As always, I really appreciate reader support and interaction. My days are always less traumatic when I reflect and I try to find self-deprecating humour in it. When I visit my client twice a week, three hours each, I embellish my stories to take her mind off her ills and her sick adult children. A daughter and husband are both in hospital. It's been awfully stressful.

Forest walkies

The dew on the fallen leaves was pretty. This is just my video camera, which doesn't do it justice. I hope you get the picture, though.



Hooper came with me on this day. I was so happy to have him there. I don't know what was in the foliage, as he sat on the end of the dock. There is about 4" of water on the pond now. It couldn't be mice friends! He stayed there quite awhile, then came back up to the house and sat in his little house for hours.

I've been trying to get him to go out in the day. He helped me garden the other day. It's safer, I think, what with our fisher, coyotes, et al. He doesn't bother with the birds in the day time.



The nice clean birdbath is getting visitors. We have had a small flock of grackles. It's hunting season, you can hear that in the video. Ducks now, and deer this week, I think.



Now, when I move the trailcams, which I like to do, I tend to either lose them or forget my routines. Here is evidence...

 

I know I've shown 'Butch' before, but this one actually wags its tail! I'm not sure what it was looking at. Likely another raccoon. Then, it starts to rain.