Happy Hallowe'en!

Cinnamon was happy to get warm on top of Percy's fish tank. We had snow Monday morning, it was chilly, damp and cold.

I had to get dressed and put out the garbage Monday morning in the snow. 

🎃 Having spent many years in education, and having had 3 kids, I've done my time doing Hallowe'en. Being rural, we don't have any little kids around us, anyway. Frosty's Great Pumpkin costume is worn out and faded, but I have photos!

 

We have modest decorations. Bear is doing well with his orange toque and ...

I live vicariously through the kids. Caitlin created a fabulous costume! You have to know Ottawa to understand it. They replaced the Percy St. bridge, and highway #417 was closed for days. It crosses the city and people had to detour. 

Pumpkin carving was on tap on the weekend. They put down newspapers to protect the new kitchen! I have to harvest some pumpkins seeds. Maybe when it warms up. It is -4 C. this morning.

On the way to school and work.

In the meantime, our Vancouver family had a celebration!

I created a Hallowe'en puzzle. You can visit it here.

We cleaned the eaves!

Yes, 'WE!' I did have helpers, a chilly day, Sat. Oc t. 28th. I forgot the little red cleaning tool. JB brought me the broom, as well. 

 

cleaning the eaves from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Cinnamon came to check it all out. 

This is one path down to the wetland. I chopped down several dead sumacs, with great regret. I'd mulched the leaves, as well. 

JB was walking down the path, and found an antler. It's been sitting in sodium peroxide to clean it.

The moss on the roof was horrible. Well, it was pretty, and growing very well. If I was smart I'd have harvested it, but I was wiped out!

Ta da! 

As I was up top, I could hear the neighbour target shooting. It was awful, especially after the recents shooting in the US. Barb wrote about it. I need not reprise it. We could see the massive response to the tragedy.

shots Oct. 28 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

On a walkabout, I checked out Maggie Magnolia. She has borne fruit!

I've been eyeing this little sumac. We are losing sumacs. I think, during periods of drought, they simply aren't getting enough water as they sit in rocky outcrops. That said, out the bathroom window I spotted a beautiful little sumac tree. I had to take off the screen to get a better photo. 

Here we are Monday morn. I have to get the garbage out. It snowed overnight. It begins.

Daffodils are in the ground!

 It is 3 C. this morning. A bit of a shock. Maybe rain or snow tonight. It will switch over as the warm front moves in. Yes. We will stick with that thought!

Friday vs. Sunday morn!

Friday was a lovely day, after a morning of rain. I managed to plant about half the 100 bulbs. As I dug, I realized the 'soil' is sandy, crappy stuff. It is just awful. When they built the house, they seem to have simply plowed it flat. When I planted the bulbs, I should have amended the soil.

Saturday afternoon, another double-digit day, I finished the job. For the second 50, I put some top soil in with them. Good thing. 

🐸 Moving the froggies

After I was done that, I went back to frogging. I couldn't believe it! 

Oct. 27    moved   19 + 7      =  124 

I think, with the warmer temperatures, they've been congregating where they smell water. I am encouraging them to go to a more reliable winter habitat. 

Someone asked if I think they are coming back, but I do not think so. The new ones aren't as spooked by me, and come up for air after about 30 seconds. That is when I nab them! 

 

releasing frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

After a break, I collected another    +13 =     137!

Can you spot the one leopard frog?! They like the wet grass all summer. I was gleeful when I caught it. It was sitting on a rock on the edge of the pond, and as soon as I opened the front door to come outside, it jumped. It's been there a few days eluding me.

The wetland is wet. You can see the invasive frogbit growing, while all the leaves are done.

Cinnamon still isn't doing walkies with me. I promised I'd protect him from the fisher (on the trailcam on yesterday's post), but Cinn sat on the lower deck waiting for me as I walked to the back 40. Moral support. Smart kitty.

Indoors, Joseph Brian has been cleaning out his office. Do you know how many pens, markers, highlighters and pencils we have? I haven't told him about the drawer in my office in the basement! 

 

Saturday's Critters

 Here we are again! What a strange week for temperatures. The tree frogs have begun singing from the trees, again. Soon they will nestle into the leaves. Friday it was 21 C. but tonight it is going down to 2 C. 

We haven't seen many deer in ages. This one thought she'd emulate the coyotes at the other camera!

 

doe from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Can you see it? It was tricky. I think it is the yellow-bellied.

yellow bellied sapsucker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They were around a lot in spring, when you could hear them banging on the metal tower.

I have a ton of photos of them: Dratted Red Squirrels (DRS)!

Last week I had about 50 trailcam clips of DRS. They are busy preparing for winter. It was just bad camera placement, except it is on a path the critter use frequently. I put together some clips of it burying food for winter. Cleverly, I turned the camera around to see if I could find some other critters. 

It found the camera!

 

DRS from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They whip through the forest!

quick coyote from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We have to celebrate Butch, too!

Butch from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Finally, the wee fisher came by!

 

fisher from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Visit more critters here: Saturday's Critters # 515. Thanks to Eileen for hosting!