Saturday's Critters

 I do love watching them! She can't quite reach.

Not a lot of critters about except for the furry deer. 

They feel safe on the driveway. Wish they'd help with the snow! 

   

 Deer

   

 I wrote a piece on tracking mammals for our local association. It is one of the delights of winter.

 

Labbit is quick as a bunny!

 

Saturday's Critters # 633 <= visit Eileen here.

Don't tell #75!

 I like the change in seasons. Autumn rolls on by, glorious colours paint our world. Once that is done I look forward to the snow. At this point, we've high snow banks. Guinevere is up to her neck in snow!

Don't tell #75, but the snow bank is high enough that he could jump onto the bird feeders!

 

 at Riverside Park in fall

Mice friends have been on the deck. 

Blowing snow, and more tracks.

Speaking of tracks! My personal assistant fetched supplies from town.  I did clean up on aisle #1. It is a great tool. I sent him out for it last week. 

 

Then he rested with Cinnamon.

It's been a cold one. 

Stay warm out there!

Grandie Update

 The grandies, and presumably their parents, have been busy! I'll begin out west. Jesse has taken his kids to another ski tournament. I tried to make a video of his videos but I couldn't put them into iMovie. 

Stills will have to suffice. Cluny and Bryony, happy winter bunnies.

In Ottawa, Aster is doing well during gr. 10 exams, I've been told. Joe and I were watching an episode of MasterChef Australia and one participant made choux. I recalled that Aster and I tried to make choux. It was during Gramma Camp Week 19 during COVID. A Zoom project for her Girl Guides group. 

We laughed so hard. It didn't look that difficult! We missed a step or something.

Jordan attended the Canadian Space Conference, as I mentioned. He was in Ottawa Friday, Saturday and Sunday, making back on the train to Queen's U just before they stopped said train due to blowing snow. 

I found the Research Astronaut's Code very interesting.  

Research Astronaut's Code

Community. Excellence. Leadership. Experience. Service. Teamwork. Integrity. Science. Discovery.

• I go in the name of science and discovery.
• I will conduct myself with the utmost professionalism at all times.
• I will set the standard for excellence, and raise the bar for what it means to be an explorer.
• No problem is insurmountable. Together with my team, we will work the problem.
• Adversity will not get me down.
• When challenges arise, I will deploy every resource and skill at my disposal to overcome.
• My crew can rely on me, and I can rely on them – we have each other's backs.
• The order of operations will always be: safety, science, outreach, fun. Always.\Mission success starts and ends with us.
• We will blaze trails and forge new pathways for those who come after us.
• We go in the name of humanity.

What have I been doing?! Trying to move snow off the driveway. It was twirly snow, any time I'd switch the direction of the auger hood, the wind would switch and it'd get me in the face! The joys of winter. 

 

Cat TV, snowy days

 Cinnamon was sitting at the window, as he is wont to do. There are birds, squirrels, deer, who visit his yard. You'll have to look carefully, but #75 (gray squirrel, black morph), stands out in the white snow. Can you see him? Just to the right of the snowy bird bath and baby bear.

I tried to photograph him, but he is so quick. 

Then the real excitement, as he scurried across the front deck. 

Off he went, but Cinnamon was vigilant!

It is calm and peaceful during the storm.

 

Another session on the driveway. There was 20 cm at the end of the drive from blowing snow. It was slushy where it took some work. It clogs up the auger and requires some effort. BUT I did it!

What a great machine. 

I transplanted these two small evergreens years ago. They are doing well.

Legally one is required to shovel off one's vehicle. I've seen some funny memes around that. There are fines for carrying an 'unsafe load,' which includes snow on your car. This is a funny memory from Parry Sound in 2009. 

The Ontario Highway Traffic Act fines: 

• No clear view to front or sides — $110 each (ice or snow-covered windows). 
• Insecure load — $160 (snow or ice flying off). 
• Deposit ice or snow on roadway — $110 (from your vehicle or other property). 
• Careless driving — $490 (knowingly operating a vehicle without being able to see or having the snow cause a collision directly or indirectly). 

After my work was done, I had a shower and made us each a mug of tea. I was cold, and settled in under my warmest blanket (it was a gift!), and read my novel. I'm reading them all in order. The mug was a lovely birthday gift.

I like to find a series, go back to the beginning and read them in order. This set is the prequel to the Prime Suspect books. 

Snowy critters

When I get up in the morning, it is usually dark. (I took the photo later!) There is a definite accumulation of snow on the window sill. This tells me we had a fair bit of snow. I brush my teeth, and get ready for the day.

Here we go again!

 We throw #75 (our released, rehabbed squirrel) peanuts, usually under the bird feeder. We feel responsible for him. Never mind that we have at least 3 black ones! He buried one in the garden in the snow. They'd rather hide them away than risk someone else getting them.   

The wind was blowing the snow over the roof. A little overhang.

I counted 27 Mourning Doves Monday morning. 

I think a hawk came by, as 27 mourning doves, plus chickadees, blue jays and all, scattered. It's not unusual. This is from Jan. 2, 2021.

We had 16 deer hoping for breakfast. I am relieved that all we had was snow. Further south, many in the US got freezing rain and ice rain. Snow I can deal with.

It was a heckuva storm. Toronto City Centre had 56 cm, which is a lot for a city property. We had 18 cm on the back deck, 16 on the driveway.