August critters!

Cinnamon was on the fence about it. 

This is the funniest toy. Nutmeg loves it. A scratch pad, bed, and chair, apparently.

The pool is drained, empty and cleaned. My pool toy deflated. This is where Fred Grounhog was staying. I thought having Fred under the deck isn't a good thing, but I think he was just using it for safety. I haven't seen him on the trailcam under the wood pile, yet. He had two tunnels under the stacked wood.

Having set up the trailcam in front of the wood pile, I only captured Cinnamon.

I spotted Fred Sunday afternoon! We hadn't seen him for a few days.

Fred groundhog Aug. 28 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Then, there are our neighbours!

neighbours from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Speaking of neighbours, we've been hearing a tree frog in our bathroom. I looked everywhere for it. The odd time it bursts into song, as have the ones in the forest, around the frogpond. Hoping to hear its location, I tried playing the video of it singing, but it didn't bite. I turned the lights off, and so far nothing. They are sneaky little devils!

We had a coyote friend overnight. Or maybe two. There were two plops of poop on the driveway.  Behind the tree house, it looks like it was digging.

I captured it going across the meadow up to the house. 

coyote on the meadow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This is another of the fawn, part 3, from the same visitation. 

fawn Aug 21.3 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Clouds and rainfall

When we drove the girls home from our adventure to Mill of Kintail and dinner out last week, there were crepuscular clouds! 

It was so lovely to have rain. July was quite dry. Monday, Aug. 29th, it darkened, and there were suddenly thunderboomers all around us. 

Here is August rainfall totals. 

The House Wrens are gone!

🐣HOUSE WRENS

This is the egg left in the first nesting in May/June. 
So teeny weeny!

The wrens have fledged for the second time, and I cleaned out the boxes. They must have left on Friday, Aug. 19th, when we were away for lunch. You would have laughed! The boxes sit on a bracket, you can see it in the screen images below. It was the only way I could think of mounting them. 

Goodbye little wrens! Fly safely!

August 20th

I put the ladder up. Grabbing the cordless drill, I actually tested it. Dead battery. I switched them out and I climbed up. I couldn't get access to the screws underneath, as the top ladder wrung was blocking it. Back down the ladder, lower it one step, and back UP the ladder. I managed to remove two of the three screws, but the third was stubborn. Back down the ladder for a screwdriver. Back up the ladder and I removed the third screw, and climbed down with the drill, and nesting box in either hand.

It is impressive, isn't it? They are teeny birds, and really stuff it in order to prevent other birds from entering. The only way of cleaning the boxes is to remove the bottom.

It's rather cool that they butted the nest up against the back wall. It was so delightful to hear them chittering for food. If they heard me, they shut right up.

I washed the inside of the box, and left it to dry. I know I'd seen them taking sticks into the red and white box, so after the green box dried, and I rehung it, I worked on that one. Washed the box off, debris removed, back up the ladder with the box in one hand, the drill in my other. This time there was a ledge beside my ladder. Despite that, I dropped a screw. I set the nest box on the top rung of the ladder to better hold the drill, and it fell off hitting me in the face and collar bone. Just to add injury to insult! 

Ta da! Ready for next year! That said, I'm still peeking out of the kitchen window looking for them. 

Gramma Camp – the finale!

 Friday was the hostage exchange, and who knows when we will see them again. They have next week off, and then go to school September 6th. Gr. 7 and Gr. 10. Then things get busy!

It poured rain Friday morning, which was fine. We relaxed and read, and just took it easy.

We enjoyed the last few days of summer with them. It was an on and off rainy week, but we got some work done. 

Jos had breakfast on the back deck, which is a tradition, even when it is raining!!! I popped outside, then popped back inside to snag the camera. Nutmeg was peeking out the Muskoka Room door at her. She was in for the day after her morning jaunt. She moved when I returned with the camera. You'll have to imagine her little face there in the background.

Grampa and Isabelle went to gas station and got us some more gas. I filled the tank, and put the battery back in, having charged it for the morning. It started. I shut it off for some reason. It restarted. Barely. I had to keep it running. Grampa sent the girls out to me and we finished off.

The wood is piled. The shed is empty. Winter, bring it on! We'll have to order more wood next year.

We also managed to trim the second last branch of the catalpa tree. I've one branch to go. We ran out of battery juice. First I took down the deer fence. All my lily plants have flowered.

Before and after:

 What a team! Grampa took photos with his new camera.

On the last day of Gramma Camp this summer, Jos had a visit with froggies. There were two.

Jos and frog from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We packed up, gathered materials, and finished the movie Greenland – in the morning! This changes tradition. We only ever watch movies after dinner! 

After lunch it was departure time. We said our goodbyes. 

Saturday's Critters

Thanks to Eileen for hosting this fine Saturday tradition for lo these 454 times! 

Saturday's Critters # 454

Coyote pees! Again! 

As ever, you need not watch the video, but I do like seeing their actions. I have selected the best thumbnail to represent the video. 

The coyote is a frequent passerby!

Coyote in the rain from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The hummingbird moths are amazing!

hummingbird moth from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

August 24th the doe and fawn visited. This is video #2 of 3. She keeps trying to nurse, but mom doesn't have the patience!

 

fawn Aug 21.2 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch raccoon 3 kits from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

You can see the hummingbird just to the left of the temperature gauge. Chickadee chases it off. This was taken from my armchair, through the front window!

2 chickadees and a hummingbird from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I could see a bird circling and thought it might be an eagle, rather than the ubiquitous vultures.

eagle from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Gramma Camp – Week 37

Wednesday was the best day, in terms of weather, for eating on a patio. That was the basic plan. The girls emerged from the basement, had brekkie and eased into the day.

I thought we should finish the wood, but we were still out of gas. The girls helped me push it nearer the garage. We took out the battery for a recharge. Grampa cannot lift the gas tank, so Isabelle went off with him to the gas station. I plugged the dead battery in, and filled the gas tank upon their return. I tried it, and something happened. I cannot remember what, but I had to turn it off again. It wouldn't restart, I crossed my fingers. Finally it restarted, but I realized I couldn't turn it off.  It needed a good run to recharge.

I thought I ought to move the rest of the wood while we had the chance. Grampa fetched the girls, up until then still easing into the day, and we finished off the wood. Fred Groundhog has his tunnel here. He made a back door!

Grampa thought we could visit Mill of Kintail, and the R. Tait McKenzie and Dr. James Naismith Museum. It's one of The 7 Wonders of Lanark County. The nature reserve is open until 4:30, and it was an hour drive to get there.  We left at 2:30. 

We toddled along the path. Of course, Josephine found a leopard frog! She loves reptiles.

This didn't look like a friendly path!

Isabelle took a photo of a mushroom.

Look at the height of the two of them!

As we moved to the mill and the museum building, I noticed there was a tea going on. I have not seen a woman wearing white gloves in ages! There were a lot of seniors.

Along we went to the building. The doors were locked. The museum closes at 3:30 and it was 3:42.

It's a lovely walk by the creek.

 

It is a pretty forest.

There is a little cabin in the woods. I have no information on it, but it was an old one.

We continued on our way. 

The wee cloister-on-the-hill was intriguing. It was built in 1984.

We decided to take a break at the playground. I texted Momma the photo!

As promised, lunch on the patio. We were pretty tired from the adventure. Happy to sit, there was a chicken burger, hamburger, taco salad, and fish and chips, for lunch. Also, an Arnold Palmer, a white wine, and a Virgin Ceasar. We decided to do dessert. Grampa and Jos had sorbet. I had a brownie, Izzy a banana fried cheesecake. We shared!

Poor Isabelle had a sliver. Jos tried to remove it.

As we turned into the driveway, a turkey hen was ambling across the lane! 

We had much fun!

at the park from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.