And still the leaves fly!

 We've still a few leaves. I think I spotted my last snake, Oct. 20,  when I blew the leaves prior to our rainstorm. We are getting down to single digits overnight. They get close to their wintering spots in preparation. The prairies was hard hit with snow. I am not quite ready for that, but neither were Albertans, I'll bet. 

Today we are going to be warm, though, with a high of 19 C. Plus rain. You never know who or what will be out and about! More frogs, I am sure. I moved another yesterday, and counted at least 10 more. 

The catalpa tree leaves are massive. Amazing trees. They are the last to come out in spring and the last to fall off in the fall.

JB out doing walkies.

It was unusual, but Oct. 23rd, I looked out the kitchen window and saw 4 deer. We haven't seen deer other than on the trailcams all summer. JB had walked right by them, concentrating on his feet on the slippery leaves. They watched him intently. I called his attention to them!

Can you see the trailcam beside the deer on the right? This is what I captured!

deer friends from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

While JB was out getting groceries, I did some yard work. I moved all the logs behind the fence, ones too big to fit into our wood stove insert.

I ran the lawn tractor and blew leaves off, again, know rain was on the way. The tractor won't hold a charge, I had to plug it in, again.

 

Finishing my chores, I drove the tractor into the shed. Look who was watching me! They like the shed.

 

deer mouse from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Another storm, here and there!

My volunteer hospice gig was cancelled. I tootled around the house. I made a cabbage salad from a cabbage JB brought me from down the road. The flavours are 'getting acquainted, ' to quote my late mom. I used to get calls from the church ladies for a cabbage salad and pie. I'd have to phone my mother every time for her recipe. Now, I research it and/or make it up as I go!

The day before there was a buccaneer plane cruising around. They are interesting planes. 

Sadly, a Cessna crashed near Ottawa, in Alexandria yesterday. We had a Cessna buzzing the lake last month.

buccaneer plane from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo. 

🌳 My poor old catalpa hasn't given up the ghost yet. It was burned during a too-warm winter or two, damaging the cambium layer. Shoots have been coming up. The first photo is from 2020, after the tree died, I trimmed it up, with help from the grandies. The grape vine has successfully climbed up to give us more green. 

Here is the catalpa from the other side. You can see the wild grape ivy up at the top. (It was both smoky and hazy with humidity.)

That was a heckuva storm! I watched it approach, wondering if I should fill the bathtub. It avoided us, but reigned terror in southwestern Ontario, as well as in the US. These are screen captures of the impending storms. We are on well water and if the power goes, we have to use the water barrels to flush. There were 14,000 in Ontario without power after the storm. Most are back up today.

storm July 26-7 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Happily, we just had lots of rain, no lightning. It was A LOT, 40 mm (1.5")! 

 

🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘 🚘

The Fearsome Foursome Flyers have hunkered down in the winter weather in New Zealand for a tour. 

It was pouring in Auckland! There is nothing like rain on the roof.

New Zealand rain from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They have rented a car, and are currently in Hahei. 

Lawnmowers Son Art Gallery

Summertime berries and bugs

We've needed some rain. We had a bit yesterday: 3.6 mm all in one quick dump of rain.

June precipitation totals are not looking good, perhaps foreshadowing a hot, dry summer.
We have a heat warning, and I'm managing a cold. I was coughing much of the night. Happily JB sleeps through that. It's fun, too, sitting outside in the humidity, quietly reading, refraining from chores, then taking a quick dip in the kiddie pool!

That said, the berries are amazing! We're on box #3.

These are from a farm just 6 km down the highway, shop locavore! We had some BBQd ribs, also from down the highway. Ironically, someone wants me to review a book on eating vegan. I declined. It's difficult enough not cooking with dairy, yeast or eggs!

The evergreen out front is a bit droopy.


The catalpa tree is in full blossom. It hosts so many bugs.



Then, there is the clematis. Originally, there was a small, fake well beside it, but it hid the clematis from the sunshine. It was removed, when we had to replace the well intake line one winter. The clematis has thrived.


I have a newish rose plant.

bug on the bird bath water

The ants knew rain was coming.