On the way to Smiths Falls

First, Saturday morning... we were greeted with sunshine. Finally!
I startled the robin, fetching the tractor. You can see her coming out of the nest. Sadly, the eggs were cold on Sunday.



Next, I discovered a new nest in the horse chestnut tree. I think they have abandoned it. I put the eggs in the new nest in front, just in case. We shall see.


I began to mow the lawn on the lawn tractor. I must bring the batteries into the house next winter. I am having trouble keeping it charged.

Off I went, and near the big white pine, I spotted a baby chipmunk. It was so teeny! I turned off the engine, so it wouldn't have a heart attack, snapped a photo, and it took off into the shed. Safety! Back I went to the lawn tractor... it wouldn't start. I had to push it back to the house and plug it in.


The phoebes in the shed are gone. I'm not convinced they fledged, either. 😢There are a lot of predators about. Ones that can climb up the wood to the shed rafter.

This is a new phoebe nest. It's been quiet on the weekend, when we were out and about.


The house wrens are doing well. Their songs are amazingly lovely as he sits in the tree. She's a bit shy.
house wren from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.


Off we went to Smiths Falls... no bugs with the smell of sage wafting through the 250 m long island.
I wrote, yesterday, about the amazing pow wow on Saturday.

Spirit of the Drum Pow Wow – Smiths Falls

This is a horse paddock, on the way I spotted the foal, exhausted, lying in the sun! Can you see it?!


The show is on! We have a drive-in theatre nearby, not that we've gone. We've been working our way through the Swedish Wallander series. It's quite different than the BBC series. The subtitles make you really concentrate!


There are several osprey nests along the way.

The lakes and rivers are looking fine.


The summer tourist season is on.
summer traffic from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.


Then, there was this dude. He's a bit close as he passed. Pretty scary.
Motorcycle pass from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We caught up to him at the light. Radio loudly blaring. Dipstick.



Smiths Falls train museum

Also, my DIL made the CBC online news! They live in Vancouver. Before she had her children, she was a nanny. She created a Facebook group to help fellow actors find work as a nanny.

The fine art of survival: Acting like a nanny when you're trying to get by

And, tonight, the Raptors are playing! We've enjoyed the playoffs.

Owl hunting on Wolfe Isl.

Dec. 31st, 2014

Traditionally, birders only tell other birders (privately) where they find amazing birds. Everyone knows, however, that Wolfe Isl. has a lot of snowy owls (for some reason). So, I'm not giving anything away here, especially since we didn't see any! Not a one. I was so flummoxed.

We've been to Wolfe Isl. several times, only once seeing an owl.
Snowy owl #1 Dec. 31st, 2014 It's all very exciting, owl watching!
Snowy owl #2
Snowy owl photo-op #3 (Ottawa)!
Wolfe Island Trip 2016 Part 1: Sites and critters 


There wasn't much snow, and there was a lot of fudgey road. See my boots!
We had left home at 8:30 to catch the ferry across, and over we went. We rode the Wolfe Isl. Ferry

We tootled around a bit (26 min.; 19km), then hubby wanted to stop for a cookie. I suggested we just have lunch, since it was 11:30 and I had forgotten to have some before we left! Lunch in the W.I.P.P., to start the day. We took Muffin Muncher. He had a chat with a little boy just as we left!



We spotted three red-tailed hawks, a tree sparrow, pigeons, geese, a pair of deer, cows, crows, then a horse ,and foal napping! I was so disappointed. But, then, I DID see the Great Horned Owl on the way here. Great Gray Owl Sighting



We traveled 67 km, over 141 minutes, having driven over 100km to get there in the first place! Finally, at 2:30 we hopped back on the ferry to go to the hotel.