Happy Anniversary!

May 28th – 20 years ago! We were so much younger then. 

Son Jesse, Joe, Me, Caitlin, JL, my youngest son, my late mom, and my brother.

 Caitlin and JL are celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in Portugal. They are foodies, and began their first day by doing a food tour. The other gramma is in Ottawa with Jordan and Aster this week. We visit next week.

This is a funny story. I began this eleven years ago, for the kids' 10th wedding anniversary. I am having a hard time finishing it. I keep looking at the mistakes, making errors, miscounting. I was making progress knowing their 20th anniversary approached. It's a rainy day, maybe I can work on it some more!

 Here at home, things are a little quieter!

Goldfish pond - I'm not quite ready to put them outdoors!

FRED

That was the last straw, apparently. Me mowing and a strange groundhog travelling on by. 

Fred moved her kits to another burrow. Joe and I watched the spectacle unfold. She had them in burrow #2 under the shed. She still runs under the lower deck (#3). She ran, leading them across the yard to burrow #4, which has more foliage around it. 

I saw her eating in the daffodil garden late that afternoon. Joe took a walkabout and Fred squealed at him. Cinnamon spent the afternoon watching them in the bracken. Fred and Cinnamon have an agreement.

I did notice a coyote going by the trailcam with something in its mouth. Maybe that's what scared her. There is no burrow where that other visiting groundhog took off to.

 

Sunshine, then snow!

Look at the sunshine! 

I've been looking for signs of pregnancy. This doe seem to have a lovely round belly! 

This is their favourite spot to sit, on the hill, in the sunshine. There are two here. This faces south, and warms up.

My embroidery is coming along. It is no longer a surprise for Caitlin, and I share it here! We've been watching tennis while I work on it. 

To feature our Ottawa grandies today (we live vicariously), the fabulous Isabelle (Gr. 7) had a concert, a Kiwanis competition. She plays clarinet in her gr. 7/8 band. This took me back in time. All three kids played in the band! While I used to play the autoharp, piano, and guitar, I only ever did vocal music in school.  

On the weekend, Josephine went to a leadership camp at her high school, the same high school her mother and uncles attended, and the same camp her mother attended. (I don't remember if my sons attended it!) The parental unit took turns volunteering at the school over the Friday/Saturday/Sunday. The kids sleep over at the school. 

Whilst Caitlin volunteered, JL took Isabelle to his alma mater, Carleton University, for a tour. He took her to the pub. They had a great father/daughter bonding time! After that, JL went in and spent come supervision time. Isn't that fun! 

 

There seems to be an upswing in COVID in our Health Unit. There was a huge jump in the middle of the month. There are now six outbreaks reported, all in congregate care facilities, accounting for 138 cases. 

We had more snow Wednesday. Compare that to the photos above, and spring is still struggling to break through. They were huge snowflakes.

First there were winds, and our power flickered, but came back on. I had a frozen lasagna in the over, and crossed my fingers. 

It could have been rain or snow, it began with rain (2 mm), then flipped over to snow (3 cm). You should have seen me out there with my rain gauge, flipping out the containers as the change occurred!

 

It was a cold morning! High of 2. 

I had walkies down in the forest. More on that tomorrow, barring actual exciting events! That's Canada, mostly we talk about the weather! 😜

Inside and outside

Inside

Mar. 8th was my youngest's 38th 🎂birthday, but we are estranged and I cannot wish him a happy birthday😢. He is gainfully employed, and has a purpose in life. That is all that matters. That gives me peace.

Beginning the morning with my puzzles, I am having fun with this one: Free SexagintaQuattuordle ~ words unsolved: 3. You can see the three Xs. It is tricky, and fun to try with my morning coffee. 

Then there is Canuckle and Wordle! 

I gave up embroidering for a long time. I've been trying to sit and craft. It's tough at night, and I have to count stitches like stink. Also, since the last show we began (Bäckström) has Swedish subtitles, I cannot do both. We've watched 4 episodes, and we're fascinated. You can truly compare Hollywood murder mysteries and contrast it with a different police culture. It's pretty intense. 

This is the embroidery I began for the kids' 10th wedding anniversary, in 2015 or so. I think I may have to aim for their 20th! Isn't that funny?! It's picky work, and I haven't had clients until lately. It was my activity when chatting.

My orchid is setting THREE bud branches. I tried to take a photo, but it did not work well. The placemat behind it helped out. There is one bud, but more on the way. 

I was sitting writing, when Nutmeg stared out the window and began growling. This is highly unusual behaviour. Annabelle used to growl at thunder, JB reminded me. Turns out it was the propane truck backing up the driveway! What a cat. 

Outside

DRS is still pregnant! We've 8 red squirrels, as I've written, but we live on 16 acres, and they will spread out back into the forest, once I take the feeders down when the other mammals are more active. (Bears!)

Anyway, this one has been having a feed. Eating for 3 - 5, the research tells me. They, like deer, are only fertile for 24 hours. Most squirrels are pregnant for 5 - 8 weeks, depending upon the specific species. 

Look at the little baby bump! It moves around – it's little sac. 

 

pregnant red squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We had a storm. It was something cleaning it out, but the deer didn't wait!

 

sidewalk deer 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Once I cleared the sidewalk, they were happier.

 

sidewalk deer 2.mp4 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Next job was the driveway. I wear ear plugs. They help.

 

snowblower March from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The next day, there were many tails.The cats went out for a run, then came back in. It is still chilly.

 

morning tails from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Things are getting a little testy out there! They are hungry, grumpy, and are waiting for spring. This is how they fight. On their hind legs, whacking with their hooves, ears back!

Embroidery: What happens at gramma's...

I finally finished it!

We babysat the kids for a week, last year. We had such fun.

I found this little piece in the store. I'm making progress.

May 12th

May 10th

May 5th

I've been busy with stacking wood and rebuilding the goldfish pond. I sat down, again, and did some work.

April 23 - after a big trip to the city

April 21

Apr. 18

April 11th

Apr. 1st

My cross stitch - framed

Framed!

I have been working on this furever! Many helpers, indeed. My late mother (Joan) had started it, but she died in 2006, leaving it unfinished. I don't have any idea when she started it. It's been a cross to bear for me, but a challenge in discipline. I've had to put it down when I've gotten frustrated. It's counted cross stitch, and much more complex that anything I've done before.

 It's been washed, and I've taken it to be framed.
 In the meantime, I feel a burden lifted.

Mom made these in 2004 or so!

2015

 April 4th was my mother's birthday. I'm sure she is happy that I finally finished it! She did a lot of this type of work, including some Christmas ornaments, which she made for a church bazaar, and which I bought!

I truly believe in celebrating the day loved ones were born, not mourning the place or the date they died.  My mom died on Mother's Day weekend, you see. It's a crazy thing, and I just put it out of my mind. I prefer to remember her on her birthday.

2011

The white and black fur on it doesn't help! March 2014

The hoop helps, I maketh progress!
March, 2014

 Happy birthday, mom. It was a life well-lived, choir member for 60 years. She worked hard inside and outside the home, from age 15 to 66, when she finally retired. She was a perfectionist, and her home was always meticulous, until her final year of life. That's when I knew how ill she was.

Never bear more than one trouble at a time. Some people bear three kinds 

-- all they have had, all they have now, and all they expect to have. 

-Edward Everett Hale, author (3 Apr 1822-1909)