Wednesday 4 January 2023

I'm whittling away at it!

We must look ahead. The fact that we made it to 2023 is achievement enough. The news is horrid, as ever. Ukraine weighs heavily on my mind. I feel we must witness it, and acknowledge it. There is little one can do. Climate Change. The economy. Food Bank usage is up. 

I look forward to spring. It's been quite a melt. Phil commented about our lack of snow, and thought the UK news exaggerated it. My friends in Muskoka would beg to differ. Several feet in a couple of days. We had a good foot of snow cover a couple of weeks ago. Ironically, we were in Ice Storm '98 25 years ago today. It was awful. Ten days without power.

Candytuft

The candytuft is bright green, ready for spring. I hate to break it to the wee plants, we are a bit of a ways away. This is a winter favourite for the deer. It is often green under the snow cover, they dig away at it to expose it. They nibble at it uncovering it from the snow.

 

This is what it will look like in spring! 

Vegetation Management Crew

I've still tree branches to tidy in the wet meadow. Jan. 1st there is more snow down in the meadow than up top.


I have been doing a little each day. Our tree man isn't available. 

Jan. 2nd – who knew what lay beneath the branches...?!

Snow, apparently.



There has to be a strategy of some sort. I haven't figured it out yet. My reciprocal saw lasts nearly an hour, between the two batteries. I have separated the piles, there are big branches I cannot cut. I could use the kindling, but it is a tiresome task and I have a short attention span! 


Mind you, the smell of that sap is amazing! I wore gloves the next day. The dirt on the branches stuck to my hand.

Jan. 3 – I took another crack at it. I have a strategy, now. I think I will leave the top branches and let the needles fall off here.


While I was working, I could hear a gun firing coming from the direction of the gun range. I am not amused.

gunfire Jan 3, 2023 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Bunny Labbit

In the backyard, I still see evidence of bunny rabbit! I was worried about it. It was muddy the day before. By now the water has drained some, pawprints have been created. 

On the trailcam: proof. I accidentally switched the camera to photos. A video would have been better. By the way, the pumpkins are nearly gone!


I checked the spycam, and there it was! Run, labbit, run! (I forget which girl called them 'labbits!') There are predators about! There was a brief video showing a coyote. They are frequent flyers. 

bunny rabbit from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Oh, yes. Butch raccoon is awake, now that it is a tad warmer. 

We are being warned about freezing rain. We shall prepare, just in case. 

14 comments:

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
It's a crazy ol' climate; there is no denying it... YAM xx

David M. Gascoigne, said...

The kind of weather we have been dealing with recently is discouraging. Give me a nice cold, crisp winter any day over the up and down temperatures we get these days, with precipitation being rain as often as snow. Bah humbug!

Jeanie said...

Love this post -- yes, it's the oddest weather. I rather like no snow but I also find it rather alarming from a climate perspective. The whole world seems wrapped up in weird weather. We didn't have nearly as much snow as you, but it was significant and now -- all gone. And the days are dark and gloomy, so much rain and if it's not raining, it looks like it should be! What a year already -- but at least we made it.

RedPat said...

It almost looks like spring at your place. It won't last I'm sure.

Barbara Rogers said...

Sorry to hear more weather boomerangs. I am not out on the land as much as you are...I haven't left my apartment for a couple of days. Good to see bunny still hopping around. And what a fat little coon you have!

William Kendall said...

The real winter will be back soon.

KarenW said...

What an adventure the ice storm was. I still have the certificate that someone, I think the Citizen sent out ot subscribers.

Elephant's Child said...

You have been/are very busy. Thank you for sharing some of the work involved - and huge thanks for the critters which are better to watch than any news program.

Tom said...

...white pine is a wonderful tree, but its branches are so brittle.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Cute bunny! We have had a few White pines just fall over, out of the blue.
They are messy to clean up! Not much snow here, it is mild today.
Take care, enjoy your day!

Divers and Sundry said...

The weather has been odd here, too. The candytuft is pretty. I had some of that once and enjoyed it. I'm sorry about the gunfire. I had thought that was on hold for now.

Lowcarb team member said...

I do think the weather worldwide is a little strange at the moment.
Here in my part of the UK we have had quite a lot of rain, but whatever the weather brings we just have to get on with things the best we can.

Take care, sending my good wishes.

All the best Jan

Red said...

Surprised how much of your snow has disappeared.

Gill - That British Woman said...

I just can't get over how warm it is for us. We have barely any snow left here in Barrie which is unheard of in January. Still it won't be long before we are complaining about how much snow we have when it comes back again!