Reflections from Crumbly Acres: first canada geese

Good news, Archie the turkey showed up Wed., Mar. 6th. Not that he wears a name tag, but we've had a single turkey for months. It has to be him, and the coyotes are still hungry, I bet. We have had a massive melt and the bugs are out. Archie can get to work on the ticks, as well. We had our first one Tuesday.

It is mating season for them, and the hormones change the colour of their heads.

First Robin sighting, March 4th, while taking out garbage Monday morning. In some places they over winter, but we didn't have any this year. I love their songs.

March 5th, I was out walking and found the first ribbon snake of the season. Cinnamon brought home the first tick, as well.

Joseph Brian brought home the tick meds for the cats. Funny story: I did Nutmeg first, a bit of liquid on the back of her neck, as she was hovered over the food dish. That didn't go over well. It comes in a foil pouch, inside a wee box. Cinnamon watched me undo the packaging for the second dose (his). Cinn recognized what it was and headed to the basement. As JB said, he is shrewd, and not just a happy-go-lucky boy! He was mad at me for hours, but I caught him.

I checked out the lilac trees I transplanted last fall and they look OK. Bambi hasn't trimmed them, either! (Yet!) We are in a dull brown season, the snow having gone. This is why I like the bright green ribbons for March.

The spots where I put daffodils in look good.

At the house, I uncovered the rhododendron. I found a lovely nest made from the burlap, right above a hole.

I kept the blue bird nest box in the garage all winter. It is a beauty, a little the worse for wear. The mice friends have filled it with seed shells. It's be a safe place to eat, as Cinnamon likes to go out there when he isn't allowed outside. While it is made for blue birds, the house wrens are the ones that took it over last year.