Monday Morning!

Monday morning: garbage day. They predicted -19 ℃ overnight. (It's the things that don't quite kill ya...!) I was thinking I could put it out the night before as the critters won't smell it, it'll be frozen. Too late. I was in my jammies. 

I ended up driving it out in the car, despite it only being -12 ℃. It is snowing, too!

Anyway, I had a great haircut. There wasn't too much traffic on a Sunday morn. My stylist is a sweetie. Thing is, stylists like to cut hair. The thing is that I don't like my hair feathered. It's easier to put a curling iron in it. Here is the before and after. 

Hard to tell which is which, but it's really cleaned up at the back. My last professional haircut was in the summer. My bangs get long and I got to it. 

I built Joseph a fire down in the basement, and he was cozy. Joe was up to his eye balls in football games. He's been running around doing groceries, which is good to keep the car going. We a headlight out, front left. I just thought of it. Non-mental note!

Sunday we decided to bring in pizza. We're too far out for deliveries. I volunteered. He knows I get stressed just driving into town. He was grateful. Crazy senior drivers. This incident involved entitled young people.

Something that bothers me is people laughing at me. They sat in the car and laughed. 

Trailcams don't always do well in winter. The cold is hard on batteries. The melt/thaw freezes them, too! I brought this one in to get warmed up and melt. I needed to replace the batteries, and I couldn't open it up. Frozen shut! I sat it on the placemat and it melted. I loathe the rain in winter. 

I am happy with some snow fall. The red fox crossed the highway, and came all the way up the driveway, and around the back of the house. The track is a little smaller than the coyote. 

 

This is a screen capture from my latest red fox video. It came onto the sidewalk. I've not see it in the day in ages. 

This is the exception. It looked like a young one. Dec., 2021, there was a fox trotting along. I grabbed the camera, and it just hunkered down and gave itself a wash up! Cinnamon was nearby, and I captured him gazing off along the wetland as fox took off. 

Crumbly Acres

 It's been quite cold. It is still cold. Saturday morning, the temperature was -12℃ at our house, with the high being -11 ℃! We were headed to an overnight low of -20℃!

Today, -19, with a high of -14 ℃.

I knew this cold spell was on its way. 

Its pretty and we finally saw some sun and blue sky.

Yes, I have first world problems. The news is distressing. One feel powerless. Let me tell you about my house work!

It's taken me three tries, an hour apiece, three days in a row. I had to put it down. I decided to try set up when it was inside, knowing the impending arctic freeze. I had my back up, the kids. My SIL (JL), is an Encryption Engineer, and my Go To guy for these things. He is amazing. Caitlin told me they were coming to visit on Dec. 26, but I really wanted to get this up and going. I needed a project. I like my hobbies.

It is motivating to have to get dressed to go outside to fetch trailcam SD cards. You just have to dress for the weather. 

Looking out at the sunshine, I figured this would be an opportune time, if only I could figure out the set up. I read and re-read the manual, went to the help section. I was doing something wrong, or not doing something right! 

Out with the old...

This is the old one, now busted.

In with the new!

This new one, a Black Friday sale, is a step up from the old. It's been sitting in a Canada Post warehouse for a month during the strike. It suddenly arrived.

One suggestion was to connect the camera to the router directly. That was the answer. Can you see me, chin in hand, pondering?! 

Finally, it recognized the new camera. I unplugged it from the router, and it was still working. YIPPPEEE!

I found it so frustrating. With my stomach issues, I'm not sure I was absorbing my antidepressants, and I was a mess. Sorry, hubby! 😱😳 He's very patient, and always asks 'have you taken your pills?' when I get grumpy.

I figured out how to attach it to the wall, once the cordless drill battery recharged. Sheesh. 

I researched the weather prediction and it told me that we were only going to get colder. I made Joe bundle up to come outside and help me! It's not pretty, but I drilled the hole, filed it out, attached the bracket, fed all the wires in. I told him I'd tweak it today. He was relieved of duties, and was happy to go back inside. He'd already done some grocery shopping, and brought home library books I'd picked out.

This camera is dual aspect, and the red stocking had to go to the other side of the deck. Much better. 

This one can grab the driveway and the feeder.

I went back at it on Saturday morning to tweak it, while Joe was taking the car for a good run into town. You can't let it sit in (even in the garage) without moving it in this cold!

See the opening under the arm? That's where the the power cord goes inside. I stuffed it was packing stuff, and then put some Flex tape over the hole. Otherwise we'll get bugs in there. Or mice friends!

The trick to working outdoors in this weather is to dress for it. I had on a t-shirt, hoodie, and my Belichicked jacket. He's the football coach, earning a fortune, who cuts the arms off his hoodie (<= photo).

It's a stylish look, is it not?! 😝

I think I've run into another problem! The Pride wind sock triggers it, I think. I'll have to change the setting, methinks. I can program the app to save certain sizes of critters that trigger the motion sensor. 

That does it!

Notice that Joe's Guinivere statue has convince the camera that it is a critter!

 I've a hair cut this morning at 9:45. A last-minute appointment. It should be quiet. Later, all 5 stylists are busy. Then they'll have the week off. 

I can rest on my laurels, now, and dive into my books.

Saturday's Critters

 I was worried I wouldn't have anything for today! Happily, I was wrong. 

It occurred to me that my multicultural students had fun with 🎶♬♫ The 12 Days of Christmas! They wrote the 12 Days of Hanukkah one year. All in good fun. I did a search, and found some free gifs, just for some variety.

female merganser

coyotes

You have to wait for it! 

   

  

turkeys

   

 

It'd be more poetic if there were 4 deer, which I think there are, but not at the same time!

 

 swans

raccoons

ducks a-swimmin'

 turkeys (trust me!), Mar., 2018

pigeons, Toronto, Aug., 2016

golden eyes

pipers piping?

OK, getting silly, but it was fun doing research. Just two more I couldn't resist.

19 turkeys, while we are at it!

22 deer, this was our highest ever, I think!

Saturday's Critters! # 575 <= critters on Eileen's weekly meme.

Rainbow Pride!

 My world has shrunk. It is a tad chilly out there, -11 ℃. (Now, ℃. and ℉ meet at -20!)

My entertainment director found us The Company You Keep, based on the Weathermen Underground (Wiki). It's a great story, with all sorts of big actors, Directed by Robert Redford. 

Below, the front deck, with cat supervisors. Unlike those who lecture, the cats don't sit and wait for the birds. They are smarter than that. They are concentrating on Dratted Red Squirrel (DRS). We had 4 or 5 around the feeders the other day. 

The birds are wary. The squirrels, as well. I keep track, and 85% of their prey this year was non-avian! Their total was 54 catches, and three releases. Primarily rodents. 

I like my windsock!

I'm still playing around with the camera! Look at the snowflakes! So pretty.

Karen asked about settings for this photo. I checked... I just kept twisting the dial until I found a setting!

Sunrise Thursday!

I bought this remnant, along with another piece. The smaller piece I will use. This large one, I've donated to our local Queer support group. I consider myself an ally to the LGBTQ community. With on grandie Gay, the other Trans, we have to model the behaviour we like to see in our neighbours.