We had rain!

Former hurricane Beryl rolled in and we all hunkered down in the house. Fortunately, I'd ventured down to the frog pond the day before. Look who was on the camera! I didn't see any footage of the Muskrat. I don't know if we have babies or not! I am wondering if they abandoned their shelter.

The clouds rolled in! 

I wondered about all the critters on the Hops Vine as the rain came down. 

My rain gauge is cracked, but it filled up to 0.95" on the scale. Twice! We had 50mm that day. More rain the next, but not too much.

The TV conked out. I had to resort to washing the kitchen and bathroom floors while Joe Brian had a morning and afternoon nap, as well as a headache. I hope this is a temporary issue, related to the storm. He was better yesterday. This is good.

I watched the lightning map carefully to see if we were getting any of that. Happily, no winds. We kept our power on.

july 10 lightning from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've been watching Wimbledon, and they have had a number of postponed matches due to rain. We fit right in! 

The cats were supportive of the napping situation.

I took before and after photos of the goldfish pond. The gutter drains into the water barrel, where the overflow drains and fills up the pond. Theoretically, I have three goldfish left in there, somewhere.

The rain was so heavy it overflowed. Or I need to get up on the ladder and check out the eavestrough. Non-mental note. I need to trim back the branches on this side of the house.

It was so misty, but the flowers are happy. We were saturated.

I am hoping for a sunny day today. I hope the day brings you health and happiness. I'll leave you with our dear buddy, Fred. He's a thoughtful critter.

Fred July 6 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Rain, snow, and walkies

 💉 JB had his cancer treatment Tuesday, his Lupron injection, at our local GP's office. We are good for another 3 months. I drove home from my client's house in a snow fall on Tuesday. It kept on snowing! 

🌡 This is really messing with my head, the upsy downsies. We had a massive melt and then a deep freeze, again.   It was 10° C. Tuesday, Wednesday it was -13° C. this morning it is -15°, and snow covered, again. We expect a snowstorm tonight, too.

This was from Feb. 10th. I'd climbed the ladder to try fix the drips. There was a bit of debris, which I removed with my metre stick.

 

It's melting from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I went walkies, as the icy snow crust had finally melted. 

The frog pond was melty. frogpond Feb 11 

  

The moss was green. In February!

I told Cinnamon it was cold and snowy, and he didn't have to come along. He didn't come any farther, and went back up to the house. I am quite certain he had an encounter with the fisher, and he's really careful.

Cinnamon walkies from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Feb. 12th vs. Feb. 14!

 

Feb. 8, when JB opens the garage door, prepared to throw out some deer food, all eyes focus on him. Even Archie, the turkey.

 

deer friends from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Poor buck is hanging in.

Duke Feb 9 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Gardening

 The garden thrives in the rain, heat, and humidity. People are wilting, however. People in and near Ottawa had a brief tornado warning on Friday. There was a lot of thunder and lightning. There was hail and strong winds in Ottawa. It toppled trees and knocked out power. Saturday was chillier, with rain and a cooler front moving in.

Some storm damage from today’s thunder and hail storm along Riverside Dr. Near Mooney’s Bay. #ottawa #ottnews @ctvottawa pic.twitter.com/1XD0zwuuS1

— Dani-Elle Dubé (@danidmedia) July 28, 2023

We used to live in Pineglen!

For those curious at heart, this was the overall path of this afternoon's storms rolling through #Ottawa. Rotation was detected several times in its journey through town. This was for the first group of cells that passed through around 3pm. pic.twitter.com/rrIQeu8lo7

— Kyle Smith (@KylesWeather) July 29, 2023

It did not cross our path, fortunately. We've moved from that horrid heat with overnight temperatures of 20 C., into a cold front. This morning it was 11 C. and the nocturnal tree frogs have moved down into the ivy. 

Emily enjoys the garden. Down in front of her is a petunia that seeded itself from last year! I love the pinks and purples!

This is a plant I got from a plant sale. (We drove to Playfairville!) It has spread and is a native plant. A double bonus.

The frog pond has benefitted from the rains. It was fairly dry.

frogpond from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The frogpond had been drying up. July has been wetter than June. The pond has served its purpose. Tadpoles have morphed to frogs. Mosquitoes have relaunched their attacks.

I've no idea where this plant came from! iPhotos has a feature to identify it. This is what it came up with.

The angel's trumpet is setting blossoms, having dropped seeds from my planter last year.

July, 2022

 

The balloon flowers are thriving.

The forest is damp and humid. We've lots of mushrooms. I believe that Butch raccoon has been murdering mushrooms in the forest! There are a whole bunch of them knocked over. Maybe they want some butter and sauteing?

This is such a pretty rose. It begins more orangey-yellow, then changes to bright pink.

Monday was a glorious day!

 It's been a time, after Ice Storm '23!  The tree crew is going to have to come back and clean up the huge pines. It'll cost double that over last time, since they'll have to do more climbing. We lost the tops of a couple of the great White Pines, and there are several hangers up in the trees, which is unsafe. As I told my first accountant husband, "It's only money."

The garage I swept out for the umpteenth time since the fall. The oak and some maple leaves hang on, then fall in Spring. [♪♫♩Isn't it ironic?!] The storm and winds are sending them flying. 

🐣 I've checked nesting boxes, and the one we moved to the back 40 has had a visitor. The other two by the frog pond – not yet. I did startle ducks there one day, so they are back! 

The frog pond is virtually clear. 

 

Now that the snow melted, I found a wee antler that was buried under the snow. Our snow is pretty much gone. I guess I fooled you with my week-old videos. Sorry, YAM! 

I think our weather has turned. The back deck was 19˚ C. at noon; up to 21˚ by 3:30!

Some of the trees have recovered, others just dropped their branches.

before and after from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I'd meant to ask the kids to help put the snowblower into the shed. Usually I run it around the to the far right of the yard, avoiding down and uphill. My route is clogged by branches. You saw from the previous video↑. 

Then, 💡brilliant idea, I just plugged in the electric starter and motored it on over to the shed. It was tricky getting past the debris, but I did it! 

Down at the pond, the wood duck nest boxes await a guest.

I noticed the mosquito larvae are twitching in the water. 

Up at the house, the first crocus!

I saw an eagle doing loops up above the house. They are majestic.

I heard spring peepers last night, and coming back from a hospice volunteer gig I heard chorus frogs! I'd forgotten about them. I guess there isn't a survey this year.