Tuesday 28 February 2023

My newest drawing, goldfish update, and Cinnamon

This was an Amazon video screensaver. It inspired me, so I saved it.


 🎨 The tree looks a little tipsy, but there you go! I used my coloured pencils, as well as the charcoal pencil for the house. It colours over the coloured pencil, which pleased me! 


🎥 While someone was watching 🥌 curling (beside a fire I built for him, as well as two cats), I was watching Shotgun Wedding upstairs. The movie was cute. 


I accomplished a lot Sunday. I roused myself to do some vacuuming, Cinnamon didn't budge from his perch. Nutmeg tore out of the room, though. My other big chore was my end-of-month fish tank cleaning. I really have to get a couple more goldfish this summer. This one (below), along with another small one, have disappeared. The styrofoam protection wedge has been duct-taped on. Cinnamon is so curious about the fish, I think he is to blame.

 

I removed the plants, and the little clay pot with the gravel and fake foliage (first photo, below, back left). Percy empties it everytime, looking for food. He is a bottom grazer. It will give him more room! The water takes time to settle after a cleaning. 


Percy is a large boy! The remaining five look as if they will last until I can throw them in the goldfish pond in the spring.

It is tricky work and takes me over an hour. I have to remove ~10% of the water, clean the filter system, replace the floss filter, water the plants with the rich fish water, and refill the tank with fresh water. This is the time Cinnamon likes to hop up top and stick his face into the tank. We have to be vigilant. 


Monday morning I put the garbage out in -13 degrees C. Afterwards, I snuggled down with my laptop, cat, and coffee. I had trouble getting going later, though! You can see why. JB left to go walking at the arena. Cinnamon heard the door close, but decided it wasn't anything to investigate.


I've set the older trailcam on the front deck. It means I don't have to trudge through snow to get the videos! Two black squirrels, 8 red squirrels.

squirrels crazies from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.


Tuesday, I have a hospice client at 8:45. It's going to be tough that early for me! I'm not usually fit for company at that hour. I may have to shovel out, as well. A big storm. At least there isn't any rain. Today it is only -6˚ !  They changed up the radar from yesterday to this morning. I might just wait until after my gig, and the snow all falls. Never do today...


Busses are cancelled, except in Ottawa. Our girls usually walk to school, as they've a lot of school work to do, better done there than in the comfort and distractions of home. They are great students.

Monday 27 February 2023

Snowshoe and skiing adventures


 It was a cold – but sunny day. The blue sky makes such a difference, even in the wetland.

I went down to the point, where I spotted snowshoe hare tracks.

I've gotten snowshoe hares on trailcams, this in 2015. I once spotted one snowshoeing on the wetland, but they are so fast, I didn't have time for a photo!

The quiet meadow! Summer and winter...
See her ?


A deer bed on lot #2. This is our lot beside the highway. You can see a passing car in the background.

We've lots of old trees... the white pine is finally done.

Frog pond... summer, spring, winter

More fun from the kids out west. Cluny and Bryony are getting bigger! They have so much fun. They will be 5 and 8 this year.


Jesse is part of the ski club at Whistler Olympic Park, and volunteer teaches some littles once a week in British Columbia. The girls also have lessons. It is a great program. 


Jess wrote:
"Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club and the Payak Loppet. Cluny is nearing the end of her second year in the club and just yesterday did her 2nd Mini Payak at 5 km. Hollyburn is such a great program and the Payak is a great challenge for young legs."

 And while you can laud the little kids skiing, here is Jess taking cell phone videos alongside Bryony, Feb. 12! He's a tad slow to upload his many images!

Cluny skiing from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Garbage is out, birds fed, the week begins anew.

Sunday 26 February 2023

🇺🇦 All eyes on Ukraine

 Crimea; Many Canadians of Ukranian Descent <= I wrote this, after Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. Canada has a lot of people of Ukrainian descent (1.3 million) as well as 132,000 refugees. I'm sure pundits knew it would get worse. Give dictators an inch...  I have been watching the ✈ Air Traffic near Ukraine, specifically over the Black Sea. Many countries are involved in keeping eyes in the skies.

  

The bombings continue: live UA Map

🇺🇦 Everyone knows it is the anniversary of the war begun on Ukraine. Just an awful situation. There was a ceremony in Toronto with our Prime Minister. Some dippy Convite thought he'd yell "Freedom" during Mr. Trudeau's speech. A woman told him to stop, and he made a racist remark. Then the PM came up with an excellent admonishment. You know, the stuff we think we should have said at the time. 

"Hey sir, I think Ukrainians could tell you a little bit about freedom and liberty, so why don't you settle down?" Yelling over a cheering crowd, he added, "This is a night for them, not for you. This is a night for Ukrainians, not for you."

It turns out this is the dude who heckled, thinking it his right to interrupt at a vigil.

Different countries are doing what they can. The Canadian Forces were in Ukraine training soldiers. Just 5 weeks, but it is training they sorely need. A group of Canadian firefighters gave Ukrainian doctors, paramedics, and First Responders training in combat first aid.  

Another project, led by Ukrainian students, is called Unissued Diplomas, is highlighting those Ukrainians who will never graduate. The "Unissued Diplomas" exhibition uncovers the stories of 36 Ukrainian students killed in the war. It began in 45+ universities worldwide on February 24, which marks the anniversary of the day all Ukraine woke up from explosions. The exhibition will last until March 11. It is a powerful project.

Here is one example of a student killed in this war:


They are raising money, of course, I donated:

Our goal is to raise USD 10,000 to buy medical supplies and three camera drones (DJI Mavic 3) for the intelligence needs of students fighting on the frontline.

 

Saturday 25 February 2023

Saturday's Critters

It has been cold, snowy, cloudy, sunny. Mostly we watch our deer friends. 

I have been bird watching at the feeder. (See yesterday's post for those!) It has been hit and miss for critters. The American Crows seldom come close to the house. This one came by, headed for the feeders. 



 

Let's us begin with some energy!

fawn zoomies from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They are called a 'fawn' until they are a year old. Their 2nd year, they are called yearlings.

That's the way to start the day! The herd moves a little more slowly.

deer herd from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

doe and squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The deer is as curious as it is concerned, stamping its hooves in warning. Sometimes they will do this to me, and I just stamp back! This must be a fawn!

This was during our recent snow storm. They are hardy critters! Thick fur, coarse coats!

deer in storm from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

deer friends from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They are headed for the bird feeder or the spring lilac shoots.

Thanks to Eileen for hosting! Saturday's Critters # 480



Friday 24 February 2023

⛄ Snow Day on Crumbly Acres 🌨

You can see how the Great Lakes moderates the temperatures, with ice rain. Here in Eastern Ontario, we had only snow. The red shows where the ice rain fell. Toronto, and the Golden Horseshoe, were a mess. There was 1" coatings of ice here and there.


You can see where the ice and ice rain impacted Southwestern Ontario. Some 29,000 without power. This morning, 13,000 remain awaiting their Hydro to come back. School busses were cancelled Thursday, but things were cleaned up for today.

Let's set the scene. Feb. 21st, all was readied. We had a bit of snow, 3 cm. All I did was the sidewalk, knowing the next day's snowstorm was coming.
 

This is how far the cats went Thursday morning, Feb. 23rd! Just on the front deck, just off the doormat, no further. It is cold, too. This morning it is -14 degrees C.


What does a retiree do on the morning after a storm? Bide her time. Watch the weather radar, figure out when it was done snowing, and get on with it. I took some indoor photos while I waited. Setting the zoom on the tripod we enjoyed the morn. JB is watching curling, while I did my thing.

An American tree sparrow and two chickadees!

At one point we had 4 male cardinals around the feeder. Yesterday, there were two pairs. 

I love the morning doves! Queen of the castle, for a moment!


This is an image that shows how the birds are paired up. The male in front, while the female was in the chestnut tree, just to the left of the male. I tried so hard to get them together!

I like action photos! 

One starling. 

The fuzzy fawn was hoping for bird seed!

This was a bit of a fight. I noticed them going after my candytuft plants. They remember they are there, and dug down in the snow to trim them! 

Ears back, the dominant one gives a warning, while the submissive one eases off. That's how they roll!





Look at its face!

Eventually I gathered myself up, shovelled the back deck, the sidewalk, and used the blower on the driveway. We had 8 cm, not too much, dispatched forthwith. Ta da!

Oregano visited prior to the storm!