Masking in spring

How do N95 masks work? Yes, they do work, if you wear one. 

That said, our big Ontario March 9th announcement is that March 21st, face masks are no longer mandatory in most settings, including schools. This is ridiculous. March Break is from March 12 => March 20. Kids who travel have to wear masks when they return, according to federal rules and regulations. Why couldn't they just delay this two weeks? A lot of families travel, like our Ottawa kids.

Our numbers, according to waste water tests, are rising. Since we have a provincial election on June 2nd, the government (seeking re-election) has stopped most testing, except in hospitals. 

Parents across the country are fighting with provincial governments (whose responsibility is healthcare), trying to lobby for masks in schools, at least for two weeks after March Break. One school board, Hamilton-Wentworth, is the only one keeping mask requirements. They are brave. Local health units are able to designate mask requirements, but they won't stand up to the province. 

This is a superb video! My SIL found it online. My massage therapist (designated as a healthcare setting) requires us to wear either a surgical mask or an N95.

OK, enough of that. We continue to monitor all that goes on in the world, with great dismay. We are privileged, here in Canada, that we can worry about COVID–19, rather than bombs. 

We had two days of rain, but snow still remains. 

The primrose look pretty happy with that. 

More signs of spring...  I've set up my zoom lens and put the camera on the tripod in the front window. 

SPRING: the grackle appeared on the horse chestnut tree branch on Sunday. The grackle has flown in in all its finery! It sat on the branch and looked back and forth

The cute, happy little chickadees!

I heard the song sparrow singing as I put garbage out this morning. So pretty!

This is from July, 2020:

song sparrow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

For a few days, SPRING!

 Just for a few days. We're back into subzero temperatures today. Yesterday, as I was curating photos, I spotted a pair of red-winged blackbirds. This is a sure sign of spring!

Also, the first vulture, Mar. 12, 2021. They're back. Spring is coming!

I spotted a grackle, as well. They are so lovely!

Here is the river at the end of the driveway. Daisy used to like to play in it! It'll drain soon.

The spring-like weather has been amazing last week. 

There was a lot of snow on the roof. I knew it was going to warm up. 

The south-facing roof melts the fastest. I've checked all the downspouts. They are good to go!

I decided to hook up the eavestrough to the water barrel, just to put some fresh water into the goldfish pond. I don't know if you can see it, but there is a rock in the rear of the pond. On top of that, on top of the snow, was deer poop.

Overnight, the water filled up the pond. When we returned home from our trip to Ottawa, we let the cats out. Cinnamon remembered his froggie friends, and did a serious search for them. Can you spot the deer poop on the rock, now in the foreground?! 

Remember that rock? The snow has gone down this much and the deer poop is on the rock.

It's warm under the trees, I put up the bluebird nesting box on the flag pole. I don't know if it will work this year, or not. They didn't come by in 2020. I found it filled with wasps! [Staining the decks, bluebird nesting box]

I shall open the spigot on the water barrel, as we are headed into subzero weather overnight. I don't want the water to freeze and ruin my water barrel.

The raccoons woke up March 9th, Tuesday.  

 This is likely the last of the deep snow. It's been terrible walking. You can see how the doe stamps her foot down. I do that! Stepping in the mushy snow jars the back somewhat.

  The raccoons came up to the house. Hopefully, they'll clean up the bird seed for me!

For more critters: visit Eileen's 

Saturday Critters # 378

September sights and animal tails

The last of my hibiscus.


I managed laundry, after two tries. I thought hubby had taken his out of the washing machine. I didn't even look. Coming upstairs, he said thank for putting his laundry in the dryer. Smacking my head, I realized I had a double load. I had to re-rinse his, and restart mine. Yes, you may giggle!


Annabelle and I went down to fetch the trailcam SD cards. She was enthusiastic.

JB called me to the back window. There was a buck. Daisy was sitting under the tree, unconcerned.  Four raccoons, and a buck on the trailcams.


Then, in the back 400, evidence of a guest. I haven't seen Junior Bear since July!

Feeder action

The frog pond is all grown over with water parsnip and other foliage.


The sparrows were finding bugs, still on the frog pond.

The feeders are gone, the hanging baskets are out!

Rose-breasted grosbeak

I've kept the feeders going, while the birds are nesting. They will, eventually, disappear. traveling to other places. In the meantime, it's fun watching them.

You never really know how many there are, until they appear at the same time!

They battle amongst themselves for a spot, and the grackle has suddenly appeared. The blue jays are such bullies!




Bye-bye feeders. The bear is here, as I reported yesterday! I will miss my feathered friends. I put up hanging baskets. The first I planted myself, it needs to grow some. The lovely lobelia planter, I bought on Mother's Day. The red hanging basket was planted with pine all winter. I bought some plants two weeks ago, and hopefully it will be lovely in a month in the sun and warmth. There are red and white petunias, as well as geranium.

In the meantime, the birds are so sad. No sign of bear last night. So far. They seldom come back, ar, at least, destroy anything, once the feeders are gone.


Bumble bee!


FOUR in one shot!
Rose-breasted grosbeaks from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The cats sit on the deck and watch the birds up above. I made Annie two collars, as she is so camouflaged with her colouring, sitting on the brown ground in the leaves.

Daisy was up to no good. With the feeders gone, the birds were on the ground at the pile of old seed. Fortunately, they are fast! Soon the birds will be gone.

A chickadee was gathering cat fur for a nest. It was under the tree.

chickadee from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.