Then and now

I was processing some old photos. Specifically ones from September, 2010, when we moved here. We had a fence put in by Scott Dobson. The trees have grown, as well.

 

I planted this serviceberry a couple of years after we moved in.

Here is the catalpa tree, and the old fake well overtop the actual well head. They took off the fake well when they replaced the well pipe one February in an expensive emergency plumbing fix. 

The garden has evolved and grown.

The trees sure have grown! Views from the front deck in 2010 compared to 2023.

This is what we could see of the road in 2010, it is virtually hidden now.

All of these trees have grown so much! I've trimmed the evergreens in order to be able to mow under them. You can't see the house from the same spot!

Do you remember the catalpa that was in full bloom the other day? This is how it looked in 2010 (below, left). It is as tall as the maple, now. 

 

🥚🐣The House Wrens have since fledged, but here is my last peek. The snake scope is tricky, I cannot tell which end is up!

 

house wrens from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Another hot day. School is out for our grandkids, both the girls in Ottawa and the girls in Vancouver. We've Gramma Camp next week. Last one, they tell me. They have so many friends they want to hang out with.

Air quality June 29th

Air quality around us: Kingston to the south, and Ottawa to the north east. There isn't on nearer to us. 

Yesterday's view of wildfires flaring up in Quebec.

These fires are partly to blame for the horrible air quality across eastern North America. pic.twitter.com/3ILidUuPDh

— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) June 29, 2023

 Air quality

Ontario Gov't fire map

Air Quality around the world

 

Summertime!

My new header is a throwback to the days on the lake. I forgot to mention it! That is Caitlin on the dock, Isabelle in her carrier, and Josephine walking on the dock. Hard to believe our grandies are ages 13 and 15 now! Thanks, Red, for mentioning it! 

The roses! 

This rose bush has blossomed, as well.

The basil is growing well. It is nestled in with the petunias, lobelia and marigold. 

I had trouble doing a photo, but in the basil was a virginia ctenucha moth. I hatched one, once: New hatchling: Virginia Ctenucha. Can you see it hiding from me?!

We've had a bit of rain over the past week. The pansies Emily holds are soaked. There is no drainage hole. I decided to give her a bridal veil. 

I tried photos of the lilies. It is amazing how the iPhone can grab me two distinct photos.

Joseph Brian stopped on the driveway on his way home. There was a turkey hen with some poults.

They move through irregularly. I saw them out back, but didn't see any chicks. I guess they were lost in the grass. They are wonderful visitors, as they eat bugs, including ticks.

They know enough not to frequent the same areas on a regular basis, that would make them vulnerable. These are photos JB took with his little camera, he roared in the house all excited! They came around to the backyard.

I ran out back with the camera. About 24 seconds in, she gave Fred what for. I think I counted 6 poults.

turkey hen meets Fred from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It's going to be another smokey day. I hope everyone manages! 

Beasts on Crumbly Acres

I cannot do another post without acknowledging Olivia Chow as the mayor-elect of my hometown Toronto. She was polling in first place. There were 102 running for this position. The election was a result of the previous mayor being reelected since 2014, and then admitting to fooling around with a young staffer in an extra-marital affair, meant Toronto had an by-election. It's been quiet with John Tory until now. The mayor prior to that was Rob Ford. 😖

She is an amazing woman. A Toronto City Councillor for 13 years, an MP for 8 years. Also, a community activist for ever. Spouse to the late Jack Layton. They were a power couple, but she is amazing in her own right. 

OK, back to Crumbly Acres. JB's feeling a bit better after his fall. His one knee is bruised, and the other swollen. He is taking it easy.

The was a heckuva storm. Two men were struck by lightning, and are still in hospital. The general manager of the gold club performed CPR on and the two men, and she is in shock, I am sure.

I tracked the lightning strikes, as it gives me good information on what is on its way. 

 

storm June 26 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

 Sitting on the back deck, Blonde Butch came by. This is taken with the iPhone, all I had on hand!

Flipping the phone to horizontal, I processed it in iMovie. I was filming between and through the plexiglass, but it wasn't a bad job!

Blonde Butch from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Normally you cannot tell the raccoons apart, aside from the number of kits they have. This Butch raccoon is distinct, with her lighter, blonder coat. At the very end, a bat or a moth flew into frame.

lactating butch from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It is the season of the deerfly patch. They are amazing. Deerflies land on the back of one's head, and get stuck! Problem is, I tend to get it caught on the tree leaves!

 

Of course, I know you want to know how Fred is doing. Fred is out back, looking more like a drowned rat, or a muskrat, in the drenched grass. It must be hot under the deck, but they are happy munching. I walked by and caught myself on the video.

Fred & Jenn from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Today is supposed to be another smokey day. Indoor play is a must. Another storm moved through this morning. I was rudely awakened at 2 a.m. with what sounded like a cat fight. If it was Pepper, our 'visiting' cat, he jumped off the end of the Muskoka Room onto the ground. I stood on the back deck in the rain and he didn't come my way.

We had a turkey through, with poults. More on that later! 

Blonde Butch on Crumbly Acres

We had a nice afternoon sitting out on the weekend. Yesterday, there were two turkey hens, the robins, cedar waxwings, Fred, Blonde Butch! 

The robins are on their second brood. She's sitting on three lovely blue eggs, now. The phoebes have 4 eggs, again, no cowbird this time! They remind me of a dad, pacing the hospital halls waiting for the birth. They go in and out, back and forth, landing here and there, keeping track of action around the nest.

It was a crow argument of some sort! I've seen crows fly by with an egg in their beak, trailed by an angry red-winged blackbird. It's a busy yard.

Crows in flight from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I like bird watching from the deck!

 

robins at the serviceberry from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Nutmeg found herself a vole. There are a lot of them. They tend to bring their prey home. I know the crows and the vultures like to clean up roadkill and such.

 

Nutmeg Vole from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

🛩 On Friday, this plane↓ was doing circles over the area. It is a commercial plane, based at Toronto Island airport. It belongs to Cameron Air. I wonder what they were up to, up only 1000' high. Turns out, they were ferrying guests to the lake. Because the lake is so shallow, the pilot was worried about landing, and weeds, and sussed out the situation. Usually, they only circle twice, to be safe. 

I tracked C-FXWH on radar, it kept coming back. Round and round it went. 

plane from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

There are regs for that, which have suggested minimums, unless they are landing or taking off.

Anyway, I now have an explanation from the chief pilot who phoned me on Monday. Also, the offer of a flight around the Island Airport!

⛈ Monday was quite the storm. Lots of thunder and lightning, 10 mm rain. Two people are suffering 'serious life threatening injuries', golfing in Kanata. There were warnings online and on Ottawa phones.

Lots were without power across the province, with only about 4000 people out this morning.

 

Our Ottawa family has begun their kitchen renovations. It was delayed a couple of times, but on the weekend they loaded up their storage bin, cleaned out the kitchen, laid the appliances out in the living room area, and so it begins. 

Monday, the demolition took place and they are down to wall frames. It is going to be a journey!

They posted a panoramic photo!