What a weekend!

Silly old Cinnamon. JB got up to powder his nose (or something), and Cinn moved in. 

Our leaves are still leaving. The catalpa has a few to go and then I'll climb the ladder and check the new eavestrough. It's been a lovely few days, with temperatures around 20 by the afternoon. Great for outside work. Poor peeps on the prairies have had 20 cm snow. We've three frogs in the goldfish pond.

I love snakes!  This one thought it might hide. It's a ribbon snake. Their colours are wonderful. I moved it out of my way.

Picture me, atop the shed roof. I cleaned out all the eavestrough. There were things growing in it, as well as bugs! It explains why the cardinal likes to hang here so much! I had to scrub my nails. 

I made my famous meatloaf last week. I poured the excess into a pop can and put it out on the back deck to solidify. Of course, I forgot about it. Some critter took the can down the upper deck steps, down the middle deck steps, and laid it beside the lower deck. There were no teeth marks. I am wondering if it was Oregano, our frequent visitor.  Butch would have ravaged it. Butch stole my SIL's beer and just crunched through the can when they were camping awhile back.

I forgot about the 2nd hornet nest. The first one I noticed is really falling apart.

We had such a nice day Sunday. JL made some lovely croissants for breakfast that morning. They buy the prepared dough from a place near his office, and let it rise overnight. I only had ONE egg left (JB cannot have them), and he brushed them with that. They were golden and lovely. 

We finished up the morning, they packed. Isabelle tool some photos while we chatted, saying our goodbyes.

Jean-Luc, our SIL, has been amazing helping us with one thing and another. He has lived experience with politics. I invited them over as we needed some parenting here during our conflict. When I emailed the kids, telling them about this gun range situation, JL wrote some comforting words:

You and Grampa are going good work and clearly are not alone. Remember to stay calm and if you feel something boiling up inside to let Brian know and go for a walk. And vice versa. 

Extremism feeds on extreme reactions. What pisses them off the most is relentless calm level headed persistence. It starves them of the energy they need and makes them look unhinged. 

Don’t give up. But stay in areas where you can move the cause forward, and avoid situations that make you blow up. 

Joseph Brian wanted to give his Grandfather's level to JL. Joe was very attached to his grandfather. He and his mom moved in with his grandparents on the farm when he was 2 years old. They lived on a farm in the 50s, that could have been set in the 40s. No hydro, no plumbing, a working farm with Belgium horses.

Jean-Luc has been incredibly supportive and a huge part of our family.  

JB estimates that this level is about 100 years old. It was a lovely moment. 

JL was amazing getting the new camera up.

What a weekend. I'm feeling better!