Storm damage from July 1st & 2nd

 Not to bore you with all the photos, but I do want to record the damage. It helps me to process it, and figure out a plan of attack. We'll have to get someone in, and I need to figure out what I want done. 

I'm feeling a little better today. It's a bit of a shock, and to see those majestic poor white pines... The sun brings a new day. It was a nice view at 5:30!

Tree House White Pine Tree

We spotted the fallen pine tree branches from the house, the next day, July 2nd, another big fall. These beautiful old white pine trees are susceptible to the wind. This is the tree with the tree house. It whipped off the top in two spots.

Before and after...

Pine Tree at the Frogpond

We've lost the top of one beautiful old pine, in the forest just along the path to the pond. 

Down the hill to the meadow a small job.

Deal Elm out front

That is not all. I didn't explore here until the next day. Our rescue squirrel tree is down. The 3 squirrels have moved on and out, which is good. It was an old Elm, ravaged by Dutch Elm disease. It was a perfect spot for the squirrel nest box.

2012 – the sumacs have since died, shallow soil, climate change,
lack of moisture... the original owners mowed all of this. 
The integrity of the Sumac grove was compromised.

2026 the squirrel nest box

The path down to the meadow is blocked. Glad I mowed prior to the storm. 

No one was home. 

The Five Sisters

One trunk fell a number of years ago. When a tree falls in the forest – 2016. We are sort of down to 3 sisters, plus two half sisters.

Barry's Aspen Grove out back

Barry Beaver's Aspen trees are down. In the spring photo you can see all the older Aspen trees on the right, reflecting the sunshine. They are all down. 

All gone.

The path is quite blocked. 

I think we need to wait to see how much Barry eats and/or moves. In the fall we can call in our people to harvest the wood. Burning Aspen isn't as good as other hardwoods, the BTU is very low in comparison. This is why Barry prefers Aspen and Willow. 

Barry has continued to work on it... the doe did an inspection.

From there I went on down to the point. (Maybe that's where I got my tick, a nymph!) The edge of the wetland is chaotic.

What else in the neighbourhood?

We drove to the village to get gas for my lawn tractor. We passed this sweet little church. They lost a big Maple tree which appears on Google maps from Autumn.

Looks like lots of people to help. I heard chain saws for several days from a couple km away.

Crumbly Acres in the cold

First, we have to laugh. We must. The grifter was grifted! It'll cost a $ billion to retrofit it, and add the specs the plane would need.

☔ We've been having rain showers on and off. It doesn't make for good critter watching! It's the kind of day when you think, 'oh good, I'll get those indoor chores done!' I did cross sewing off my list. I had two things to repair. 

I managed to put the garbage out, but bundled up. Yikes. A cold front rolling in from the north. Last night I placed my unplanted plants in the garage for warmth.

With the fires in Manitoba, we are grateful for rain.

It cleared up. Thankfully! Toddling on down to the trailcam, I remembered to check out Lady Slippers. Glad I did! They are nearly done. There is only one spot on the property when we can find them. 

The first photo, below: May 17, 2025. The next, May 25, 2020. I should have known! It was an early Spring.

Before the storm, the goldfish pond was too low. I knew rain was coming. 

The leopard frogs are in the grass.

Our 'new' Aspen grove. The previous owners always mowed this section of the back yard. When the Aspens began to fill in, they had to first fight those Spongy Moths. Then the deer thought the new foliage excellent. I think I have won, though. There is something about the bright greens in Spring.

Between #75, our release squirrel, and Winifred, we are being entertained. The skies cleared May 16th in the afternoon. At first we only spotted one kit. Turns out there are two. I read up on them, and it says they have between 2 - 9 kits. Sure enough.

YAM suggested Minifred! It'll have to be Minifred 1 and 2!

She is working hard!

The deer fence was tipsy. That needed fixing. I suspect Fred. She's eating for three!

It is great stuff.

Much as we enjoy Fred, she eats everything. Sadly, she likes milkweed, which we need for the monarchs. She chopped off it's head. 

I went out in the cold to see what I could do. This might discourage her! Silly thing. 

The bird songs are fabulous. On the Crumbly Acres camera, both the loon and cardinal. How random is that?! We've a lake nearby, and the loons often do a flyover.

   

 #75 is doing well. He's still reluctant to leave his nest box.

 

Every morning Joe goes to the tree and leaves a cup of striped sunflower seeds, as per instructions from RVWS. #75 will watch him coming!

Have a good week, all.