Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Our summer is fading out

The grackles are gathering in flocks. I had a hard time nailing the collective noun, ornithologists haven't picked one. Some are quite negative: plague, embarrassment, quarrel, or murder!

I was watching them in the back 40. Flitting here and there. Later I found out they'd been captured on the trailcam.



I'll go with a colony of grackles.

 

 The House Wren will fly south soon. Such a cutie. 

 

MiniFred is a character. He is highly vigilant all the time. For good reason. We will miss him when he hibernates.

   

 We had a momma skunk raise kits in a groundhog burrow one year. They seem to be nocturnal, at least near the house. I know they aren't, but they seem to know to be wary of humans.


We released 4 in 2017 📹. It was a good laugh. FREEDOM! FOREST! 
Skunks eat a variety of things, but do snooze some in winter. They are always digging in the grass for bugs. Bless their little hearts!

 

I took Tuesday morning off. Joe Brian was having lunch in the city, and I put my feet up, then began watching this series. It is based on Barbara Taylor Bradford's book of the same name. (Which I read!) We've enjoyed Brenda Blethyn in VERA. It covers six decades, 1900s to 1970s. 

I didn't realize, but it sure illustrates the attitudes towards servants, and the lower classes, and how this is reflected in modern day. With industrialisation, the rich paid workers as little as possible, while currently CEO salaries are in the millions of dollars. Money, power, control, with the upper classes loathing and escaping taxes as best they can. Familiar story?! 

Britbox Series

I did clear up the garden somewhat, once it warmed up. Canadian workers, the poor, sick, and fragile are trying to cope. People are angry and confused. Small business owners, as well as large ones like Bombardier, are hanging on. Bombardier employs tens of thousands of Americans. The airplane manufacturing industry is as integrated as the automotive sector. 

Look out, people.

 "The Americans don't buy anything from Canada that they don't need." 

                             – Jean Charest, Sept. 2026 

9 comments:

Jeanie said...

Don't you just love the irridescent heads of the grackles? When the light hits right -- wow. Woman of Substance is on my watchlist. I've been reading about Bombadier in the substack from the guy from Australia (who ADORES Canada and Carney and seems to have his facts pretty well in order. Language is not, shall we say, suitable for children or the prurient but he nails it!

tz_garden said...

I'm glad to hear you took a morning off and put your feet up! We all need a break now & again.

Anvilcloud said...

I don't recall the bird or the exact destination, but one little bird just flew non-stop from Alaska (maybe, I think) to Australia (possibly). The thing is that they somehow know form the banding that it flew nonstop over oceans and whatever else it crossed.

RedPat said...

I have been seeing lots of Monarch butterflies over the last week. I hope that it is a good sign.

Mary Kirkland said...

So many critters. I'll be happy when it cools down here but we almost never get snow where I live so it's not so bad.

Lorrie said...

Autumn is definitely creeping in, even here on the west coast. The ravens are more prominent now and spend time sitting in tall trees making a lovely variety of noises. Wish I understood raven-talk!
The talk from south of our border is appalling. I don't know how the Americans can stand to have that man in office. We must all pull together during these days.

Red said...

Grackles went through here about 10 days ago.

Val Ewing said...

As an American I am stumped by the ideocracy of what we are doing. WTH? Right?
For now, I just try to find something each day to be grateful for.

DeniseinVA said...

I shall tune into that series you mentioned. Thanks for the head's up. I haven't seen a Grackle in a very long time. More delightful critters in your post that keep me going frankly. As for your last statement, hang in there, this will all be in the rearview mirror, and we'll be breathing a collective sigh of relief, on a wing and a prayer.