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!

We are still alive!

Thank you all, again, for well wishes and suggestions. Yesterday I read two books, Donna Leon. Basically in my bed. When I wasn't reading, I could gaze out the window at the birds at the fountain through the Muskoka Room. I could barely function. I even had a nap, but its put my sleep cycles topsy turvy.

My physician was away from Thursday to Tuesday. That is unusual, he is usually quite quick at taking care of us. The receptionist suggested I go to the ER. I wasn't in favour of that. For others, and for my sake. I was so tired. 

Joe went into Carleton Place. I have more meds. I haven't had a cold in 4 years. When I do get a cold, it usually ends up with me getting bronchitis and or laryngitis. JB went into town and the pharmacist prescribed me a new Ventolin puffer. He couldn't give me a super duper Symbicort puffer, not his Scope of Practice. Happily, Joe Brian had two from his terrible cough he had for months. I used his.

He had careful guidelines, to have Joe Brian watch my rate of breathing, etc. I spoke to him on the phone but didn't have much of a voice. JB went in to see him. He is quite worried about me. 

JB has been amazing. And worried, too. He put water into the fountain, watered my potted plant, did litter, and dishes. He made me a bacon sandwich for lunch. He began sneezing and having a runny nose. I suggested he take a rapid COVID test. Guess what?

I took the day off blogging. This I had prepared but couldn't finish up, feeling wretched. Coughing until I feel I might throw up. The Paxlovid has terrible side effect, but I think it is making a difference.  

 Back to when I was mobile (just a few days ago) the further afield trailcams were pretty boring. Just some chubby old lady with spare batteries and a camera bag! I haven't been able to walk that far since.

The frog pond has been trimmed up by McGregor Muskrat. I haven't seen them on the cameras any more. I stood there, covered in bug spray. I thought I could see something nibbling at the native phragmites, as they shivered in the assault. I think they are still here.

This is the frog pond from the other side on June 11th. I love the vibrant greens.

Muskrat has stopped building on the top of the dock. I thought they'd gone. Nope. Still signs in the weeds, showing its trail.

The larger plant with the flower is frog-bit. Latin for frog bite. I don't know what the teeny plants are, or if they are teensy frog-bit.  

Sitting atop the deck, I noticed our doe, she was nibbling on my Hydrangea. Little twerp. She prefers the blossoms, peeled off the front where she can reach. Little twerp! I saw her bound across the yard.

 My kids are on their way to Vancouver. My three children, and 4 grandkids, will be together at Jesse's cottage in B.C. It is epic. I weep thinking about it. It hurts my heart, being estranged from my youngest son.