Fall is in the air

 We had manager Jamie in from Aussie Tree Care for a quote on taking down our dead elms in the upper meadow (Dutch Elm disease 😑). They are still seeding themselves, but not surviving too long. In the meantime, I worked on trimming this Maple (on the right) on the driveway. The propane delivery people back up the driveway, and I want to make it easier to see. 

I'm not sure one can see a difference! Maybe that is a good thing. I used the reciprocating saw on the branches. It takes ages, since it doesn't hold a charge too long, even with my spare battery. OK, I must be honest, I don't last too long either, with saw dust blowing in my eyes, and holding the heavy tool. 

I threw the branches onto the vacant lot. I am hoping to encourage the sumacs to come back. They are suffering from various periods of drought, on shallow soil. Let's see if this helps. 

Jeremiah seems to be keeping the smaller leopard and green frogs away. Happy dance. I will have to figure out when to move him to the frog pond for winter. 

He is an asset. He'll need time to bury himself in the mud for winter.

It is time for Autumn decor, as many are doing inside and outside their homes. I like the changes in seasons, and changing things up. Maybe it is just that after doing bulletin boards and display cases in school for 25 years, it's in my blood! 

I'm at the point where I forget where I've put things, and find them in a different season. I may run with that some time, just to keep everyone on their toes! 😆 

I took out the Fall flag, and found life imitating art. 

🕷Can you see it?! 

The horse chestnut tree is providing much food for the Dratted Red Squirrel (DRS). They have a little collection under the tree. I've never seen both the black squirrel and red squirrel eating them like they have been this year. 

I've moved Peter to the deck. Last year I put pine cones in his wheelbarrow. 

I thought he could carry the chestnuts in his wheelbarrow until winter, when the critters are desperate. Apparently, they are desperate now! 

All that was left in the wheelbarrow was one chestnut, and a cluster of rose hips. Apparently, they were good eating! Ain't nature grand?!

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

Here it is Thanksgiving Weekend in Ontario. We will be on our own, as Josephine is nearly better, but still taking it easy with COVID. She is mending! 

Thank goodness for our acreage on which to wander. 

The day began with a sighting.  JB was looking out the bathroom window and spotted a grouse! You can sort of see it through the screen...sort of!

 

They are beautiful birds. This one (below) hit the front window Nov. 2014. I think it was being chased by the hawk. It hit with a loud thud, moving quickly. I felt so badly. The colours are lovely to see.

 

I was booked to have my Spikevax last Thursday, the one that has both COVID and OMICRON fighting capabilities. JB had his two weeks prior. I was booked, but I was throwing up (anxiety?) and wisely cancelled until this week! Off we went to Smiths Falls. 

It was 10 minutes. My arm was not sore. I had zero symptoms. What a relief! When I had booster #1, I was in bed 4 days and lost 8 kg., sick as a dog.

It's a mass of colour. We will enjoy it while we can.

Soon the locks and the Rideau Canal will close for the season. Tourists will go home, boats will get on their coats.

It's a pretty drive, with homes, farms, and a variety of people.

I was asked if I ate the horse chestnuts I gathered, but I do not. Thing is, not even the raccoons like them – and they will eat anything! (Except chestnuts!) There was a chestnut explosion:

I love the colour and texture of them. The raccoons did the same thing in October, 2021.

 

Somebody went out and bought himself a new fall jacket! The weird thing – there was a cigarette butt in the pocket. 

I put up a feeder, as the chickadees were searching for it. 

The lady beetles are looking for shelter!

I've gotten out my pooter. You can suck on the short end, and place the long hose beside the unwanted bug. There is a mesh over the one end and you suck the bug into the jar, where it remains until you put it back outdoors!

While I was trying to capture the goldfish, the lady beetles were buzzing, and they were biting. Needless to say I did not sit out and read that afternoon.

lady beetles from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday's critters

 Thank you to those who tell me they enjoy my videos and my critters. I'm needing a little love this week, as do many. 

Cottontail has been a hoot. 

They know the feeder has a bounty underneath. cottontail front yard  

It's a popular spot. Posting the photo to our family photostream, I asked for feedback, commenting on the spots. Josephine suggested we name it Tres, Spanish for 3, as it has three spots on its back.

cottontail Feb 9  

We cannot ignore the brazen red squirrels. They give me a chuckle, with their little paws clutched together in front of them.

I could sit outside and try for a new photo of squirrels, but as I wrote this there was horizontal snow flying, with rain falling in the late afternoon. It is 2˚ C., and tonight we expect a quick freeze down to -22˚ C. with a cold front moving in.

One climbed the chestnut tree, another followed closely behind, and chased it. Squirrel #1 ran to the end of the branch and launched itself onto the next tree.

I chucked out some of the chestnuts I'd saved from the fall. They weren't interested then, but now that food is a little more scarce, red squirrel is interested.

This squirrel demonstrates the tunnel system they have made. It is so cute. There is lots of fallen birdseed to clean up. Everyone can share. Bunnies in the night, squirrels and birds in the day. red squirrel  

For more critters, visit Eileen's Saturday's Critters # 426!

Birds, no bees

 Just when I don't know what to post... stuff happens that I have to tell my peeps about. The goldfinches are wearing their winter couture. I managed a nice close-up of the pair on the tray feeder, grabbing the zoom lens, but they were blurry. Not so lovely! They moved to the other feeder. That I managed.

Speaking of blurry photos, this is a photo fail. The branch is right across her face! She was stomping at Cinnamon who was rolling around on the sidewalk.

Fall chores

I managed to stack three loads of wood. That was enough. Exercise is good for lots of things that ail us. It takes your mind off things, at the very least. We've been struggling this week with our health. We are being kind to one another. 

While I was in the wood shed, I managed to move a partial row. I'll do more another day. I want to move as much as I can before the snow flies. Then, I have to haul the wood with the sled. 

I found evidence of Fred the groundhog or gopher, or whatever the heck he is, in the shed. Smack dab in the middle of the photo you can see a tunnel under the wood. To the left of it, a nice pile of dirt. I haven't seen Fred in ages (archive photo)!

I saw another toe biter. As I was looking at it, I spotted another frog or two. The crazy frogs just don't know what is best for them. I guess they have water, and find this a good place to be after the normal drought in August. They have no idea that it is a bad place for them in during freeze thaws in the winter!

 There were three here, one just dove for the depths, all you can see is the rings on the water. I caught one, and sent JB to the frogpond with it. As I looked, there were two more on the side of the goldfish pond. My body said to stop and give up for the day. Moving the froggies <= That mean we've moved 38, with at least 4 left. 

JB finished his walk and offered to go with me down to the store for lawn tractor gas and a beer run. He's on meds and cannot drive. He offered to grab me a frozen pizza, as well. I took him up on his offer. I am so achy! 

I am still collecting chestnuts! I have no idea how to roast them, and I've no energy to try. They sure are pretty.

 🐻SNUGGLE Bears – Grampa was creative. I found the castle behind the couch. We used to play with it so much.