Welcome home to our travelers!

 I usually finish off with our Fearsome Foursome Flyers, but they arrived home safely Friday night. Today I can welcome them home. They'd like to do laundry, but the stairs to their basement were being done on Saturday. Groceries are done, and they can sleep in their own beds. 

airplane wheels from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They toured around Boston, after arriving from London, and Singapore before that. Quite the journey. You can get there from here, but it was epic. 

Boston Harbour

Things are growing nicely here, in the rain and sunshine. Except for the one hosta! I'm glad I kept my fence up... The one in front, outside the fence, was trimmed. The one inside – protected.

The first is out front, the second nipped hosta out back! Such is life, living in a wetland.

They didn't get my lilies! 

The roma tomatoes are doing well, but slowing down. 

The nights are getting cooler, and we are heading to the other end of summer. I have been behaving, and staying off my sore ankle. I did wander down to the trailcams Saturday. I wore my foot brace, shoes and socks. The only thing that hurts is going down a set of stairs. 

I'll leave you with a beautiful caterpillar.

caterpillar from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Caterpillars, hail, hops vine, Fearsome

  The hops vine provides lots of entertainment. Froggies still inhabit it, plus, caterpillars. And eggs! I don't know what they are. We'll have to be patient. 

The ivy is growing up and making a nice arbour. It is a host for many, many critters!

Yesterday's storm was epic in Ottawa, with flooding downtown and hail. They had 75 - 100 mm of rain in 6 hours. We had only 20 cm rain. 

Ottawa. Early pm. That was intense..#ottnews #ONStorm #ottweather #ONwx pic.twitter.com/nI9sJWtLP7

— Ian Black (@BlacksWeather) August 10, 2023

🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬

Our Fearsome Foursome Flyers went from Singapore to London, then London to Boston, on Thursday, Aug. 10 over 35 hours. They arrived in Boston last night. This afternoon they return 🏡 home.  

From being 14,000 km away they are now only 500km away! 

I watched them as the plane flew over the Black Sea, south of Ukraine. 

There was lots of action by the RCAF and their CHAOS aircraft, as well as USAF's FORTE11.

Also, FORTE11, a USAF military 
Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk 

This is JL's summary of the penultimate leg of the trip on the family blog. He is a foodie and provides interesting commentary!

Here is their landing in Boston! 

Rough-legged Hawk – part 2

I had confirmation from Gilligallou birder Bob, that this is a rough-legged hawk, a young one. I know I've heard it whining begging for food out the back. 

In the morning, Aug. 8th, a rough-legged hawk was sitting atop the satellite tower [We had visitors!]. I heard it before I spotted it. Turns out, there were a pair, and they hung around. Going into the house, to rest my foot, again, there it was on the tree out the front window.

They were around an hour. First, 10 a.m., then 11:30 photos.

rough-legged hawk from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Later on, 4:30 that afternoon, I got worried about Fred. It was back. I didn't worry too much, since hawk dropped its frog, or whatever, in the evergreen. 

Now, Fred is too big for them, but it is worrisome when a raptor, a bird of prey, sits atop the post and glares down at you.

6:30 p.m., they were back! I looked on the ground and saw something. I was worried that it was Fred. Hobbling out, I found out it was just the 2nd hornet's nest, abandoned last fall. Whew!

🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫 🛫

Our Fearless Foursome Flyers spent hours in the Melbourne airport after checking out and having to stay somewhere. They were going back in time on Wednesday, Thursday in Australia, from there to Singapore, back to Wednesday. I just keep asking Siri the time wherever they are! 

The next leg of their trip is from Melbourne to Singapore, and 35 hours of travel from there to London.

With my foot up, it entertained me to watch their take-off, while I wondered why it was aborted. What, me worry?! 

Cats, doe a deer, and New Zealand

I have dug up a new header from archives. I know we've got fawns about. A contractor saw triplets not too far away. I figured I'd celebrate them as I know they are out there. 

Sunday afternoon, a doe came by for a visit.  I'd considered taking the fence down, as Clover hadn't been around. I am happy I ignored that idea.

🌧 We've had a few days of rain!  I was happy for the rain, as I have to keep resting my foot and I am strict orders to take it easy! The ankle is coming along. A little better, but I am still hobbling. It was 23 mm, nearly an inch of rain. 

The cats play hard, then rest well. Cinnamon loves his toy basket. He was trying to dig out the right toy!

 

Second Day in Wellington  The kids have returned their rental car, and were toodling around New Zealand. They found Precious! You have to be aware, if not a fan, of Lord of the Rings being filmed in New Zealand! 

The fun continued at the airport. They travelled from Wellington, New Zealand, to Melbourne, Australia over the past 24 hours.