Circle of Influence

As everyone knows, the news is terrible. The 'right fight' AKA not so peaceful protests, is taking a toll on many. "They don't want to be heard – they want to be obeyed," to quote our Prime Minister. I am deliberately avoiding news saturation. I support the civilians who are the victims here, and those all around the world.  

I am trying to stick to my lane, celebrating life here in Lanark. Sometimes, you just have to acknowledge what is going on, without getting sucked into the vortex of hate, anger, rage farming, and finger pointing. 

I've been looking to the skies, near and far. The US is busy watching over Gaza. We do not know what countries are doing behind the scenes, but I am sure our civil servants are doing what they can.

The local flight club has been out and about. Oct. 27th.

Nov. 4th the flying club members have been busy.

Nov. 5th

This one was really noisy, but brief – it went so fast, Nov. 2nd. International Test Pilots School:

Nov. 7th, there was an emergency, as the crew went from Smiths Falls Hospital (which has been overburdened) to Kingston Hospital. 

It came back from Kingston, right over my head in the afternoon!

It has been gradually getting colder, as is the way of the season! It was double-digits on Tuesday, and I realized I have 8 little froggies on their own. I hope there is enough muck in the pond to protect them.

one little one

one under a leaf

three little froggies

three more – I didn't see 2 of them until I processed the image

I think I am about ready for winter. I did the Pagan Lights yesterday, but they need some work! Some strands are quite past their prime. 

Froggies

 I spotted 14 frogs in the goldfish pond.  😍

I couldn't help myself. I had to see if I could catch them. These are new ones, for the most part, aside from the skittish ones that dive when they see me on the doorstep! With the warm temperatures, they are sitting on the side of the pond, the air being warmer than the water. Water has temperature inertia, and doesn't warm up as the day does.

I managed to pick out more. It was a balmy 16 C. and raining.  

Oct. 11  a.m.  –  7 frogs moved

Oct. 11 p.m.   –  7

Oct. 12 p.m.   – 13

Oct. 13 p.m.   –   5             = 32

Oct. 14 p.m.   –   3     

Oct. 18 p.m.   –   5       

Oct. 19 p.m.   –   3             = 43

Oct. 21 a.m.   –  10

Oct. 21 p.m.   –  12            = 65

Oct. 23 p.m.   –     1  

Oct. 25  a.m.  –   12           =  78   

Oct. 25  p.m.  –     8              =   86

Today is to be as warm. Currently it is 15 C. which is bizarre. I'll bet I can snag some more. In the meantime, bird watching! The hairy woodpecker bullies the blue jay away!

Bird feeder, frogging

That was a bit of rain on Friday. We had 14 mm. We have had about the same as last year in October, although we've about a week and a half to go for the month. It reminds me that I must do the eaves. 

Oct. 29, 2022, the bird bath froze. I'll have to put the heater in. It was 5 C. this morning.

Birding from the front window

The mourning doves:

The Blue Jays!

🐸 Moving Froggies <= Frog Count

There are quite a few Wood Frogs about. They are forest dwellers and spend winter under leaves.

We appear to have a whole new batch of frogs in the goldfish pond. I was outside, in the rain, checking on things and couldn't resist trying to catch more. They were a lot less spooked, and I counted 20+. I captured  22 yesterday, and chucked them into the wetland.

Somebody went shopping and found me a new fishing frogging net. I managed to capture two in the net at once. I was so pleased! 😲

The leopard frog was the strongest jumper, and thought he'd resist the move.

 

Moving the frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Overhead, a skein of geese. Not too bad in the rain with the iPhone camera!

The wet wetland welcomed them:

 In 2021 I moved a grand total 64! Only one dead frog in April 2022. I cannot find any count for 2022.  

For the most part, these are leopard frogs and green frogs. 

Oct. 11  a.m.  –  7 frogs moved

Oct. 11 p.m.   –  7 frogs

Oct. 12 p.m.   – 13 frogs

Oct. 13 p.m.   –   5             = 32

Oct. 14 p.m.   –   3     

Oct. 18 p.m.   –   5       

Oct. 19 p.m.   –   3              = 43

Oct. 21 a.m.   –  10

Oct. 21 p.m.   –  12              =  65

Bird watching!

😷 It is Autumn, and while it is flu season, our COVID numbers for the vulnerable are significant in our small health unit. We are being careful. Below is last week compared to this week. Two more deaths.

 

🦻 In other health news, JB's hearing aids seem to be working well. It is a miracle. Since he is a senior, we get $1000 back from the government. Bonus. He was reading in the living room, I was preparing dinner, and he could hear me crinkling a package as I opened it. It makes TV watching much easier. For weeks we've been putting oil into his right ear. There is a ball of wax. That is loosening up, but it is really close to the eardrum. They couldn't remove it. No wonder he couldn't hear me, sitting on his right in the TV room.

It is a learning curve, but we're getting the hang of it. Taking off glasses requires a bit of care,  as does putting on and taking off masks. as you wrote, A/C. We only use N95s, which is less of an issue. The man at the hearing centre said that he had the same number of people losing hearing aids during the pandemic as he did in the previous 10 years. Duly noted! 

🛩 I watched this plane go overhead and looked it up.

I'm getting a little better at filming them!

air plane from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

🐦 Closer to the ground, bird watching has been enjoyable. I've the zoom lens on the tripod looking out the front window. 

They've all mated and nested, and I can't tell adults and babies apart. A blue jay and a white-breasted nuthatch. 

I sent Joseph Brian in to the feed store for cracked corn. I love the mourning doves, who like the corn. 

Mr. Cardinal has that cute little tilt to the head! Poor froggie, with a bird on his head.

I have seen the female, but she is a less frequent flyer, and the blue jays are bullies. They have to be careful.

Something the citizen science bird watching sites tell us to watch for are bird-bird interactions. The mourning dove and cardinal will feed side by each. 

Incoming! 

🐸  I relented. I could see several and they challenged me. (It's good to have a purpose in life!) I moved 5 more. The few days I took off helped. We've rain on the way and I am tempted to drain the pond some and get a few more. The water barrel and eaves system will refill it to protect the water lilies. 

I think I am down to a handful. 

Oct. 11  a.m.  –  7 frogs moved

Oct. 11 p.m.   –  7 frogs

Oct. 12 p.m.   – 13 frogs

Oct. 13 p.m.   –   5     

Oct. 14 p.m.   –   3     

Oct. 18 p.m.   –   5       = 40