Saturday's Critters

I went outside to check the trailcams and spotted a little garter snake! So cute...

JB went walkies with the girls at Stewart Park in town. They spotted a snapping turtle.

On the trailcam, I found Chad coyote. (The grandies named them Chad!) They really don't like the trailcam light in the dark, and are wary. chad coyote  

  

I was down in the forest Wednesday, and it was really hot and humid. I could hear several birds up in the canopy. The poor videocamera fogged up, since it was inside in the air conditioning.

  

great crested flycatcher 

I wasn't sure the species, as I couldn't see them through the foggy lens. Coming back to the house, I sat down with the video and the BirdNET app, and it identified them for me. Of course. 

The humidity is incredible. You can see it on the video.

goldfish pond 

I've counted 7 frogs in it this week. As the wetland dries up they look for new habitat.

I've let the weeds grow in the backyard. The thistle is coming along. A lot of critters like it. bugs on thistle  

Then, of course, the monarchs on the thistle  . They feed on lots of different flowers, but only lay their eggs on milkweed. 

For more critters, visit: Saturday's Critters # 400. Eileen has hosted 400 now. 

Gramma Camp – Week 31

 Wednesday dawned. Grampa did an early walk, 6:45, to beat the heat. I worked on my blog post, and at 7 a.m. I went down the hall to open curtains. Isabelle wasn't in bed. She was in the bathroom. Happily, she didn't scare me as I have a low startle reflex! Downstairs, I opened the curtains, and Jos sort of sat up. She didn't quite wake up, so I had to go back down! 

The day unfolded. I take joy in the garden. Here is a huge spider, I think with an egg sack! I didn't want to bother her too much.

I figured I should take photos of the lilies our You Two deer beheaded, just for a reference point. There were 5 she took out. I didn't seen her all day Tuesday, so maybe my chicken wire and flags alerted her. (See my header!) JB spotted her this morning on the other side of the wire. 

The poppies popped. In the second photo you can see the bee.

The goat's beard has spittle bugs. I'm sure there are Latin names for them, but this will suffice. It's an interesting strategy.

I so miss these colours in winter. 

Lymantria caterpillars (LDD) 

There is devastation in the forest, with great white pine trees dropping needles like mad. It is LDD, and it is terribly discouraging. This is a video of this tree, and the damage.

My rose bush... one was destroying a rose bud, and it was promptly dumped in the soapy water I keep by me.

My poor rhododendron... I pop out several times a day to pluck off the caterpillars with my tweezers.

The spruce tree is heavily infested. It is discouraging. I think we'll have them for a few years. I'm still wrapping my head around all this. Nearby people had hired a company to spray their forests by helicopters. They use Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) which kills them in a week. There is no more Btk to be had around here, though.

It's a three-year process, they tell me. The folks nearby are in their third year, and they have migrated over here to our forest. We had a couple of them last year. I am not hopeful. Biologists are saying the trees can stand 3 years of this, and will come back.

Gramma Camp

We had an interesting day. At 12:15, JB and I left for our 2nd COVID_19 injections. All went well. We are now fully vaxxed. Jos is next week.

When we returned home, an hour later, the Internet had been wonky. Isabelle had texted Momma and told her. I checked in with Caitlin, and she couldn't find any information on Xplornet. I had a hard time on my phone. I finally phoned the company, and they said that the 'Jupiter' satellite was down, and internet could be  gone or wonky. The girls finally gave up at 1:30. The girls hung out together and relaxed.

Jos and I played Skip-Bo!

We had fun watching America's Got Talent. The girls liked the magician. They don't have satellite TV at home, and this is just fun. After a stressful day, we were happy to sit and relax.

The Internet came back up while we were watching TV, and Jos began to work on stuff due that day. (Caitlin had emailed their teachers explaining the problem.) At 8:00 p.m., Isabelle told Josephine it wasn't a good idea to work on the computer so late near to bedtime. I've been talking to them about sleep hygiene, and I'm glad the message got through!

They were tucked in, and the day was done.

Birds, bugs, babies!

Common Yellowthroat

Everything is growing and hatching...Common Yellowthroat, a new one for me.
The Osprey are doing well.
The Herons are getting huge!
Goldfinch, and Waxwings are busy.
Butterflies and raspberries, too!

Bonus of the dead elm trees
easy to take a photo!

Goldenrod crab spider, bees, flowers, bugs, blooms, beetle

There are a couple of reasons that I patrol the garden with my macro lens. Stress relief, for the most part.
Firstly, I have contracted a terrible bought of contact dermatitis. I am not sure if it is from the Wild parsnip, which I keep coming across in my garden, or the Poison ivy plot down by the meadow. Even if you burn these plants, the oils go into the air and it comes into contact with you. I'm not complaining, I should have known. I'm really taking strong meds, though. Prednisone. The patch on my skin is about the size of my hand. I was into emergency, out in 90 min. with a Rx. Hooray for small town ERs!

Secondly, hubby, determined to get in top shape while confronting his cancer, has been revisiting the physiotherapist to tighten up his exercises for his physical issues. Also, he's been losing weight, and working out regularly. He is now confronting his stomach issues, and is doing a cleansing diet under the supervision of Dr. Jen, our delightful naturopath.

Our local store, Foodsmiths, is fabulous for all sorts of locavore, and organic foods, as well as food supplements. It's been a challenge to create some new dishes, including foods he doesn't like, nor knows how to cook. Quinoa, Couscous, are on the diet plan, and I've been helping him make some new dishes like Sweet potato salad. He's to cut out sulphites, and all sorts of chemicals, rampant in our processed foods, while awaiting the results of his food intolerance testing.  It's quite the plan, but I'm proud of him for learning how to eat and cook new things. I've been helping him out as he masters the fine art of the Organic smoothie, and cooking things like Quinoa porridge!

So, here I play with my camera. Checking out the minutia in my garden and fields. Thank you, dear readers, for your visitations and your comments! I need this distraction and entertainment!


The moths are happily dancing in my petunias.

Goldenrod Crab Spider or Flower Spider (Misumena vatia)

These are wicked little spiders! As I was taking its photo, a bumble bee came by. It ran at the bee, you can see the bee's bum as it flew away. (I'm not really quick enough.) 

Caitlin and I both bought Sputnik plants.
They are natives, and we had them at the lakeshore
of our Bala home.

Just for more fun, we had a massive Dock spider on the patio door. It was up at the top. This little one was down below nearer the ground. I guess they had an agreement!

Love those critters of summer

Her poor face, covered in deerflies!

Saturday's Critters # 32