Crumbly Acres Critters

Canada is so very angry. There have been some benefits to the crises we face. Canada has become much more united. It was easy to trade products with the US, but it means small producers have always fought to get their products on major grocery store chain shelves. This has changed. 

This Election Is the Firewall Between Canada and Collapse 

The Convoy people (most weren't truckers) began using the 🇨🇦 Canadian flag (usually upside down) as a symbol of discontent. We've taken the flag back. It's being flown everywhere again, with pride.

Mark Carney (despite the new F* Carney flags) has inspired people. The polls have changed. While they are just a snapshot, it is a trend. We don't elect a PM, we elect a party locally, while they have already elected their leader. 

Once Carney was declared PM, the red line began rising over and above the Conservatives. 

Mark Carney is well-known around the world. He is an economist, his wife also has a Ph.D. The Reader's Digest did a piece on him. He met his wife (Diana Fox Carney) while they were studying at Oxford. They have 4 children. The far right is attacking his trans child, of course, who uses they/them pronouns. As a gramma to two who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, this is excellent news. 

🏘 We've had upsy downsy temperatures here at Crumbly Acres. When the sun comes out it is lovely. Nutmeg rolled around on the grass. She looked so happy!

   

 Cinnamon sat in the sun, watching for mice friends. I was out rehanging the Bluebird nest box, and took this from atop the step ladder! 

The deer ran off when Joe came home from his doctor's appointment. You can see the nest box. I should have sanded it and refinished it. At least I brought it in for winter. Mind you, it took me two days to figure out where I'd put it. Not in the shed, or the basement, it was in the garage! (But I'm not failing!)

When he came in, he tried watching the fishies. Nutmeg doesn't deign to do that. You can see her on the floor.

After I took out the garbage Monday morning, I shovelled the sidewalk! Hopefully for the last time this season. 

We had a fox visit in the night. This is an archive photo. We met *this* fox on a rural drive. It has a rodent in its mouth! 

Our fox came by the house, again. 

I was out walking around the house, looking for Fred digging another burrow. Can you see Labbit? It is from a video, but I was so cold, shaking, and the sun was in my eyes. She's just beyond the fence, under the leaning limb. Their camouflage is amazing.

Fred Groundhog has gone to ground, again. It's too cold. He tried to dig under the shed. I moved a couple of pieces of wood to block him. His burrow under the deck is flooded with melt water. The one under the flag pole is good. 

Rain or snow, or ice rain on the way, they have predicted. We'll see what happens.

Fall chores

 🍁Fall chores <= there be a few!

Aquarium Repairs 🐠

It took me a couple of months to repair the tank. I am pretty confident it isn't leaking anymore.

First, I partly filled the tank. It is cold well water, and takes time to warm up to room temperature. Over the next couple of days, the water has to balance itself out and the cloudiness disappears. Next, the goldfish pond needs to be drained, and the three (I hope) goldfish have to be netted and brought in. Finally, I hope for a rain to refill the pond from the water barrel and the eaves. 

The gutter was overflowing during the 24 mm (1") of rain. I hauled my big butt up the ladder (in between clouds), and onto the roof. Oh my! Three or four leaves were blocking it. It was a sweet sound when it drained. Gutter Guards don't work with the heavy downpours we get. I've tried a brush-like insert, but it blocks at the end. 

Somebody was in the frog pond. I'm not sure if the muskrat came back. Maybe Butch Raccoon?

Sept. 6th – This home is coming along. <= watch their progress. I am silently cheering them on.

Sept. 8th, a poor hummingbird was trying to feed on the roses, but the wind was blowing them so hard! It was a moving target.

More chores. The trailcam was cloudy with condensation. Not good.

I had to take it apart to let it dry out. The other one, the same brand, sits on a tree. It isn't as prone to water dumps! 

Garbage is out. The sun is rising. We're going to go up from 9 to 20℃ today. I'd best plant or plan for my new plants! More on those tomorrow. 

Phoebe, cherry tomatoes, Fred, et al

 Joe Brian looked at my images of the bombers from Canada Day. His uncle flew a Lancaster in WW II. He did not come back from the war. Aster took some great photos!

Happy July 4th to my American friends. 

Phoebe's 2nd brood hatched July 2nd. This is from a brood in the shed in another year. 

I watered the garden, as it is pretty dry. Watering the hanging planters is a daily task. Look at the cherry tomatoes!

The milkweed plants are so tall. It is a good year for them. I ordered some seeds online, but they haven't come yet. I'll have to wait for next year to sow those. 

Fred is looking tubby. They have a reproductive system like the deer. They are impregnated, but the fertilized eggs don't implant right away. They've a one-month gestation, so you'd think you'd notice teats by now. Babies are born hairless, and spend 44 days depending upon momma, but begin eating greens at three weeks. Maybe my research is moot! 

I've been hearing the rose-breasted grosbeak. It landed where the feeder used to be out the front window. This proof of life I snapped from my easy chair, while watching tennis. Thankfully, I've arched photos!

Wed., July 3rd

It began cloudy, but it cleared up. It was the day to test my aquarium fix. Removing most of the gravel, I realized that I should remove it all!  As I rotated the tank, a counter clockwise turn each time, it stuck in the newly laid caulk. I yelled for help from JB. He held the caulking gun each time I'd rotate. It really helped. 

I pulled the hose up from the middle deck, and a gray tree frog popped out of the middle. Filling it half full, we went to the TV to watch Canadians playing tennis. 

  

I left it for an undetermined amount of time, and there was a slow drip out the side that had the original leak. What's with this?! I'm not back to square one, at least the other corners are watertight. I'll need to do some more thinking. 

Crumbly Acres Maintenance

 There are things to do for spring!

The snow has really melted. The winds have picked up. An oak leaf was crab-crawling down the driveway. It looked animated! 

I was rinsing out cat litter buckets for reuse. The spigot is cracked. Why didn't I bring it in? I cannot reach the indoor shutoff valve. Sad thing. 

I may have jinxed it, but the snowblower is in the shed, away for the season. 

I don't know why, but we brought this back from Bala. It belonged to my parents. It has had its day. We'll have to take it apart and find space for the pots and stuff in the garage.

Indoors, the orchid is happy.

I have had a disaster with my fish tank. It is leaking in the one side's corner. The light stopped working in February:  Percy's new aquarium light! It was a floor model and on sale, and it has served me well. All the lovely green I had (fake plants) have had the biscuit. Just fell apart. I've gone through 3 tank pumps.

I put on Gorilla Tape, I thought it was Flex Tape, but I was wrong. It kept leaking. We bought this one since it fit so nicely into the corner!

Percy and his pals have been popped into the goldfish pond outside. The tank was drained, with JB's help.

Can you see the skiff of ice on the goldfish pond?!

The next morning I checked on him and he looked quiet. I gave him some food, and left. When I came back the food was gone. Good sign!

I have time to do some research and figure out what to do. They don't make this shape any more. Most of them are a rectangle.

I had this tank in Bala, Muskoka, in 2007.

It fit so nicely into the corner. I found an interesting one, 150 lbs., thick walls (1/2"), and requires 'freight shipping' whatever that is (big $$$?). I shall pass on this one! 

The curtain was soaked where the tank leaked on it. I spread it out over the railing to dry. 

From British Columbia, here is Bernie, Jesse's Vancouver cat in his outdoor front porch cattery at their cottage.  They call him Bernie Houdini!