Water fountain repairs

Keeping up on Crumbly Acres has its challenges. 

This was fountain a gift for Joe Brian many years ago.

Eventually the second tier from the top wasn't sitting right. The cement was worn away. I stopped using it.

 

Getting at it is tricky. 

 This is the debris I found in the water fountain screen. Clever me 😏 I took off the screen, hoping the pump would send it through. Nope. I've turned the fountain off until the sun shines and I can do some water play again. (3rd time this month!) Apparently we've a warm, sunny day. I tackled it Thursday.

The pump nestles in the inner section. I cannot lift the bottom tier off, but can slide it to the side.

I moved the bird bath pump to the water fountain, just to keep the water moving. Otherwise the mosquitoes lay eggs in it.

I tackled it, soaked the pump in vinegar and water, still no success. I cannot open up the pump, as I have in the past. I ordered a new one. It arrived and was installed. We are working again.

As is the bird bath. 

I've much gardening to do. I putter at it. The weeds are getting the best of me. It is discouraging.

My jack-in-the-pulpit are doing well. 

We ended up watching tennis. I fell asleep watching Felix in the afternoon! I keep waking at dawn, and I have to convince my brain that I shouldn't. That time change is really ridiculous in this day and age. 

We have friends at night. This is a red fox. 

Fred continues her antics.

Gun range update

The Proposed New Gun Range – an update... it's been a journey, since Sept. 2022! 

I was asked about the status of the defunct gun range. They have been remediating the site (getting rid of the heavy metals), although there is no information to local residents about this process. 

Things have been quiet after our township council voted to reject the rezoning required for this new project. That said, the land owner is looking for people to verify the history of the former OPP Recertification Range. There is no one to vouch for this, because it did not exist prior to the OPP and Mel (the land owner, and my hospice client, now deceased) created it in 1986. 

I think he is appealing this ruling to the Ontario Supreme Court. It's his last resort. All of us believe he's not got a leg to stand on. 

It was written, on my private Facebook page, suggested he is trying to rewrite history!  She is the person who looked at historical satellite photos that shows it did not exist prior to the 80's. 

Alternative Facts!

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September brings wonderful sights and smells. The caterpillars are heading for hibernation. 

This is what the Jack-in-the-pulpit plant looked like in spring. They are doing well. I'd bought them in May 2015. They've all died down. Their missions accomplished for 2024.

The jack-in-the-pulpit gave me some seeds. I tossed them under the tree in the front garden. (Hope I don't forget!) 

A rainy day, I guess it is indoor play today! 

Bank Fraud, fungus and flowers

 OK, bank fraud. I wrote about that. We've lost $1550. The bank's manager figured it out and explained it to me after we made an appointment to see her. The person who phoned saying they were from the bank was not. No one was trying to use my credit card in Vancouver. It was the thief. I should have hung up and phoned the bank myself. Lesson learned. They weren't after my credit card, in hindsight, and how did they get the number of my bank account?

We've new debit cards. Our old accounts are locked down, deposit only. We've a new account and I'll have to change a ton of information. It'll be a long week. I am losing sleep. 

Lesson learned. Well, it's only money. I'm getting email messages from various businesses where my payments have bounced. I email back and tell them the card was compromised. It'll take 4 - 10 days to get a new credit card. I'm still so angry humans can do this to one another for a trivial amount of money to them. 

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 After a massive storm rolled through (20mm rain), I am happy to look at the previous days' photos.

Little teeny caterpillars!

The jack-in-the-pulpit is in bloom! The iris, as well, which sits in front of it. 

Solomon's Seal:

I took this photo last week. The sun shining on the fungus.

I went back, and realized that the tree had broken and is leaning on another. I'll have to set it down, as it is dangerous in the winds. I didn't even notice there was a crack in the base. It is totally detached.

This planter is doing well. Butch raccoon wasn't attracted to that one.

Funny thing. I went to look at this planter. The white petunia, on the left, was pulled out and left on its side. I had to replant it. 

I had to tuck in the Angel's Trumpet seedlings, as well. Fresh dirt means a possible food source to squirrels. Raccoons, as well. 

The culprit? Two possibilities. our new hare or Butch! 

Butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch May 23 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The pair of cottontails we had seem to have disappeared. This is a new critter.

hare from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Garden flowers and 3 bucks

Oh, good grief! We are a week away from summer! Normal temps are lows of 14 C.

I've whinged about my cataracts a lot. I am sorry. It helps to vent. They do explain why I am not reading well, or easily. The laptop helps, as I can enlarge the text. In terms of photography, what I did was put on the zoom lens to photograph the flowers. That, and autofocus, stood me in good stead. 

Poppies

The hosta are doing well! Soon the deer will chomp it. What the heck!

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Giant allium and clematis

My hosta are coming along... for now!

My planter box is filling out. 

The weigela bush is lovely! The lilacs are done, but other flowers are popping up.  

Saturday morning, 7 a.m., speak of the devil! Three bucks! 

This is who I saw first. I grabbed the camera. Ran back to the deck door and slowly, quietly opened it. They were bothered by me, but the cats slipped out behind me. The bucks watched them closely.