Ditch diving, wood duck nest boxes,

That was a project! Ditch diving for Earth Day on Wednesday and Thursday. I finished up a bit sore. I had a volunteer gig in the afternoon, I thought I'd get it off the To Do List. One more bag and I was done.

I had cleaning out the Wood Duck nest box on my To Do list. Too late. Some one has moved in, or at least renovated and created a nest-shaped bowl in the wood shavings. I put the baffles on it after I did ditch diving. Mistake. I was too tired and forget to take a water bottle. Joe was there helping me, and he went up to the house to 'fetch a pail of water.' Just kidding. A water bottle was appreciated. I lay down on the ground for a bit until the dizziness passed. 

The baffles are a bit short. They don't meet around the tree trunks. It is important, since this year a duck has been in the box and created a round shape in the shavings. 

This was May 25, 2019. A neighbour watched a fisher go in her nest boxes and eat the eggs. It is a tough world.

 

I ran out of sheet metal to protect the nest boxes. Both raccoons and weasels like to raid the boxes. 

Then there was the year (2023) the Momma bear ripped apart my nest box 📹. It was 9 p.m., June 3. The batteries died, and I missed the action.

 

This was the 'BEFORE!' then the AFTER, I opened it up, and checked carefully. 

Peeking in, there were no eggs in there. 

 

Ironically we have had a warning about local bears from the OPP on Facebook: 

 OPP warn of bear activity after encounter near Port Elmsley 

Someone reported a Momma and cubs 4.7 km away. This isn't the real panic time. It's when they begin mating in May, Momma and the male bears are getting frisky. Both sexes chase away the two year olds and the young 'uns take off to look for a new habitat. 

I sent Joe Brian in to fetch me some supplies. I need for sheeting and new downspouts. He came back since town was crazy. Perth Festival of the Maples!

This is where I fainted. I left the wagon and ladder.  Back we went the next day, after Joe went into town.

That was as high as I could manage. It's not a pretty job, but the best I could do. 

The daffodil garden is now in bloom. 

Joe rested on his laurel afterwards, having tea in the sunshine.

Have a great week!

Crumbly Acres in bloom

We've had some cool mornings! It's more like August. 

Blue Cardinal flower! They have seeded themselves and come back every year. The hummingbirds like them. I've put my hummingbird feeders away. There are lots of blooms out there. 

My first tiger lily bloom!

I have spent hours clearing out and pruning. 

We've one big green frog in the goldfish pond. He's getting along with the gold fish. 

There is a very green frog in the frog pond down in the forest. There were several, but I'm still working on managing my new camcorder.

One trumpet flower! They have reseeded themselves.

This popped up in my memories section! That was my blue year, 2017! 

I went off for a pedicure. I thought I'd perk up my hair. It's a spray-on thing, that washes out quickly. I just needed a lift.

It was very relaxing, and she pulled out a sliver, likely a thorn, from under one toe! 

Near and far...

 It's a bit buggy to visit the frog pond, but I made it. The muskrat(s) have cleared out the foliage. Sadly, the invasive frogbit moved in. 

This happens every few years. I appreciate their work, as it is great having a frog pond in the forest.

A man and his cat! Nutmeg has taken to going back to bed after a morning snack. Normally, she sleeps here in the evening, on his side of the bed. She doesn't like the murder mysteries we watch. In the afternoons, Joe has to nap on my side of the bed. Until this past week. 

This is unusual. She's decided to sleep on my side. 

🕷Ticks

Since May, we've had 15 ticks. I've had 13, and Joe 2 ticks. It's a really bad year for them. Last year we had 17 between March and November. We're getting there. 

I've been getting a lot of gardening done. It's been wild. The more I clear it out, the fewer bugs we'll have. I plucked another tick off my neck! Can you see it? A little black thing near my ear. I could feel it crawling and batted at it absentmindedly. I took a photo to see if I was imagining it. Nope. Off I went to the bathroom and the tick jar. Take that, you blood sucking thing!

The monarch butterflies have begun laying eggs on the milkweed plants!  Here is the first one I've seen. I've a lovely crop of milkweed this year. 

A/C had a question, What do I do with the deerfly on the sticky patches? 

I peel the patch off my cap, wrap it around a stick, and put it in the goldfish pond. The fishies pluck them off and eat them. It is that circle of life! This was from 2022, before Percy perished. 

We've a big green frog, happily eating bugs in the goldfish pond. 

Downtown Ottawa. This is a great pano the kids took on date night last week.

Speaking of kids, my SIL Jean-Luc is off on a ski trip in Santiago, Chile  – with a buddy. 

This is his view out his hotel window!

From his ride on the tram car.

Aster has been doing her online course. Caitlin and Jordan have been working on getting Jo ready for residence in September. He's booked his room at Queen's. They had ice cream at Ikea! 

Joe and I toodled around Perth at the music festival. More on that when I curate my photos. That is the extent of our travels. 

More froggies...

 Things have cooled off here. It was fairly sudden. And, yes, it is football season for Joe!

🐸Moving the froggies <= up to 16 this year. (Nothing like the 144 last year.)

I am still trying to capture Jeremiah bullfrog. It is time. The kids were here last weekend and caught him. I should have let them move him. It seems too late now. I haven't seen him for several days. Me bad.

In the meantime, there are several leopard and green frogs who need to be moved. The freeze/thaw of Climate Change means the goldfish pond is too shallow for them. 

Down at the frog pond, there are some red leaves.

It is so bright and green in the frog pond. For now!

Cinnamon came 'walkies' with me. We had a mission.

He helped nudge them into the pond for me. I left and he sat here until I returned with another frog.

My pumpkins are out. Things unfold as they should.

We are being careful with respiratory issues on the rise. Hospital visits are up in our health unit. I'm sure it is a familiar story.

Stay safe, warm, dry and be careful out there!