Chores, Butch, ducklings, and crow

Yesterday, after fighting the fairy lights and the gypsy moths, then recognising poor JB's allergies, I turned to him and asked if maybe we should just find ourselves a nice bug-free condo somewhere... Thing is, it seems as if EVERYONE, even in the city, are noticing a LOT of mosquitos. 

I've 5/6 fairy lights working. I used rubbing alcohol to clean the contacts. It worked for one, but not the other. Perhaps, I should give up!

These gypsy moth caterpillars are a losing battle. I think they are slowing down.

Supplies

Home Hardware won't let me order the stuff I needed for the water softener online. They have an option, email the store. I did an email order at our local hardware store. They emailed back to say it was fulfilled. I printed off the email, and JB went in for me. The poor man. There was some fooferaw. HE told me he was glad I didn't go in what with protocols and lineups. Everybody is so tense. 

This is my task. We need to repaint the door frames. I am fighting, trying to summon the will, the energy, to do it.  I so lack motivation. I've been thinking about this task for a year! I'm not sure whether to sand it, or scrape it, or use paint remover to start fresh. The frame has to be about 35 years old.

Happy news, I thought the robins were gone. Apparently, they've been out in the forest to make whoopie! She is on the nest. I felt badly, thinking I'd scared them until she returned. One egg yesterday. I'll bet the cowbird contributes. They've been hanging around.

The milkweed are growing! We'll see if we get monarch this year.

Another chore: there is a little opening after the raccoons attacked the bird feeder last year. I saw a large wasp go in. Not good. I have to grab the ladder and reattach it. I haven't quite figured it out. Maybe a screw?

I was feeding the ducks down at the pond, as I was hoping for wood duck nesting box candidates. (I have three and only one was used.) I sent JB for another bag of cracked corn before I realized they'd flown. 

They have to go from the shallow frogpond, which will dry out this summer, into the deep parts of the wetland. They took the long way around. 

I heard something in the back garden. I was wearing my workout gear (short yoga pants and t-shirt) and ran outside with the video camera. This garden has some hibiscus (which the deer LOVE), and I've wrapped them up in chicken wire. When I arrived I saw Cinnamon there. Not good.

One little duckling was stuck in the garden, while its two siblings were taking off into the gully. I know they follow the momma's sound. They cheeped all the way along. I set it down in the wetland, where they were headed off following the siblings. Down there, I could hear one coming along from the left. It saw me and headed up the hill, rather than into the wetland. Getting behind it, I escorted it in the right direction. I hustled back up to the house, where Cinnamon was resting in the heat.  Farewell wood ducklings !

I've been using up the rest of the cracked corn. Soon it'll be gone and that'll be that. Butch has been busy at the dock. I noticed two hanging out together, but they don't get along at all! Butch food fight  

 

This one was alone, but it fell in! I have to admit, I laughed! They swim all the time, so it was funny. Butch fell in  

 

 The crow is intimidated by Butch. Butch and crow  

   

There's my tail. Things are hopping, cheeping, and buzzing.

What a day! Birds, bugs, blooms and forest walkies!

No, not today. Today we were otherwise occupied.  

I spotted a wee duck yesterday, herding 4 or 5 ducklings. I believe it is a black duck. I grabbed my camera, and followed.

This little duck was left behind. I watched it peep, run, trying to get up the steep slope, falling until it managed to get a leg up. 

duckling

Mommy ran like stink with the others, down the hill towards the meadow, and the swamp. It's important not to interfere with nature. This wee one saw me coming and hunkered down. I walked past. I went down to the meadow and couldn't find Mom anywhere. I decided I best leave them all alone.
I prefer to believe that all went well. The cycle of life is a harsh one.

Sleepy in the sun

We went down to the frog pond

Can you see the mosquitoes?!

Happy on a log

Tired and hot. It was a good run!

Frog pond is evaporating.
This vernal pond will soon be gone.

Spotted this puppy in the parking lot!

A bug on a gooseberry bush
predator, not prey!