Rain, lightning, NOAA

Puttering along through the last of winter. We expected 25mm rain, but that didn't materialize Saturday. It's pouring Sunday morning. 

Aster, Jordan, and Papa went to a local parking lot to view the blood worm moon! They took a mattress and blankets. Mama is working her buns off these days both at work, and home, and took a pass. Sleep is pretty important. 

I woke at 2 a.m. coughing, looked out all our windows, and couldn't see the moon. It's not visible until later in the wee hours. I didn't want to risk cats getting out, plus it was chilly. 

I sat outside and read in the sunshine on Friday. It was lovely. My spider is back, however!

Information, data, knowledge 

AI research is problematic! I mentioned this to Joe. This was an interesting study that compared various platform AI results. I feel badly for teachers. We work so hard for kids to critically reflect on things they read. 

Measles in Canada over the years after vaccines:

Our snow is nearly gone, but the rain will do it in. The sun warms the tree and the deer have been happy in the sun. 

With all the firings at NOAA, fired employees are telling their stories. One, a meteorologist for 10 years, warns that there will be hell to pay. We know that investing in information people rely on for safety and prevention of deaths will be a dark price to pay. All these skills and techniques, institutional knowledge, will be lost. 

NOAA

This is a lightning map. It is shocking, the number of lightning strikes. Over 5000 in one grid.

Dozens have been killed (our CBC had a good article) in the tornados. It is gruesome.

They don't know what they don't know, these people. The oligarchs want to make money, but this is costing regular folks dearly. That is their bottom line.

"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast." - Oscar Wilde 

Joe fed 16 deer on Friday and Saturday mornings.

 

 

Houston, we have a problem

Saturday morning, I was about to sit down in my comfy chair and do my blogging. Something was hanging down from the soffit. It was a board from the roof. There were three more on the ground. 

 Twas a bit of a mess. I cannot imagine that Butch could do this, but I guess they could. It's my own fault for leaving the feeder up. It was the small bird feeder, the globe feeder, the blue jays are too big for it. The handle was bent. 

It must have been a sight as the poor thing fell to the ground. The boards just pulled out of the roof as the nails were pulled. Lovely holes into the attic. The sun was in my eyes, and the camera lens. It looks pretty artsy!

The boards are nailed into the beams, fitting into one another in a tongue and groove manner. I can't tell you how anxious it made me. I was trying to figure out what to do. Just panic. I know there are many serious things going on in the world. It's amazing how such a small thing made me so upset. I apologize to JB. He's been so good to me. I couldn't see properly to do this. 

We phoned a handyman, advertised in our paper, who couldn't come until the next day. I didn't think it could last overnight. Everyone would be seeking shelter!

Posting this on Facebook, I had a hero. I fetched the ladder, the drill, several screws. Scott Dobson and his buddy came and reattached the boards. What a relief. I could imagine all sorts of critters getting in there and into the attic. I gave them both all the cash we had. All Scotty wanted was gas money, but that ain't cutting it for people who rescued us on a Saturday morning! I insisted.

It took me hours to unwind. Poor JB! 

It was quite a day, with a thunderstorm in the afternoon. It didn't look like much on the radar, but there were thunderboomers! 

During the storm, I went onto the deck to move the Muskoka chair under the eaves. I found a friend. I yelled at JB, who brought me the bug catcher. A HUGE dock spider. The bug catcher is 8 cm (3") wide.

In the meantime, another mystery. I suspect it's a small coyote. The tail looks a bit small. Maybe it got wet in the rains! I combined the two trailcam videos to track it.

If you recall, the wood ducks have fledged. There were two eggs unhatched. I put them down in front of the trailcam, far from the nesting box. Butch picked them up and moved them. I assume they ate them at some point.

We have Junior Bear #2 in the forest.  The first photo is Bear #1, the second bear #2. I haven't seen Booboo bear since May 22. 

We had a momma go through in November, with triplets. These could be them, looking for food or territory.

Here he is in all his glory!

Junior Bear from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Gramma camp 2.1

Yes, Gramma Camp 2.0! They toddled off nicely Tuesday night, and slept in until 6 a.m.!

Wednesday, 6:30 a.m. – cartoons

They are almost recovered from jet lag. Grampa came out of the bathroom and two girls were reading on the couch. Cartoons, Grampa!
We had coffee, the girls vegged out.
Hooper was missing. Grampa went out to look. The girls made toast. Breakfast on the back deck.

Jos and Gramma went looking in the forest. Nada. We walked through the forest to the far end of our 3rd lot. It was a long walk, hot, and fruitless. Grampa had already checked the road.


Grampa and Gramma went out into the backyard, and finally heard him 100m away in the back.
We all sat down and tried to breathe.


Grampa and Izzy were going in to shop. I was brushing Isabelle's hair, in prep for their trip into town, Grampa said, "Izzy you have nice hair!"
     "So do you, Grampa," piped up Josephine from the kitchen.
Grampa disappeared into his office, then returned looking like this.


Isabelle and Grampa were going shopping. Izzy put Beebee (her sleep toy) in the chair. I asked, "Will Beebee watch TV while you are gone?"
    "Yes, she has special eyes that can see the TV even when it isn't on!"


Out shopping, someone ran the shopping cart into Grampa's heel. He skipped his walk the next morning.
Josee did her art: melted crayon.


Afternoon PPV movie: Avenger's Infinity War
Grampa watched his tennis game at noon. Then gave the TV up.
Izzy (8) watched the gory stuff, covers her eyes with the mushy stuff. Josee (10) is just the opposite! Grampa was watching his tennis on his iPad and said, "I don't mind the violence, but that mushy stuff is awful!" and left to do an errand.

Josee took photos of Hooper.


Izzy took photos of Annabelle and Daisy. Daisy doesn't like having her photo taken.


Grampa brought in the mail. My Monarch butterfly tags arrived! It might be too late. They may have gone south. Our last two caterpillars have disappeared. Izzy was the scribe with the clipboard. Jos the catcher. We only saw ONE, and we missed.


I sent them to the back 40 to check the goldenrod. Isn't this cute?!



As we were working, checking back, middle and front yard flowers, we heard thunder and had to go indoors. Only 3 mm of rain, but two barn were leveled in Franktown. THese are from the lightning maps. We watched them. The power only went off once.


Dinner was chicken fajitahs. It went over well. We had our mug cakes, with a dob of ice cream, for dessert. Bed by 7:00!

Gramma & Grampa relaxed watching Shapovalov, feet up! I did run out to take sunset photos.

It's been an interesting few days!

I'd spent the afternoon with my client.

As we sat talking, I told her self-deprecating stories and made her laugh! It's difficult as your friends pass away, your siblings, as well are either sick, or gone. Her loving family just warms my heart. Yesterday would have been my late mother's birthday. My client is one year older. I get as much as I give.

She is sharp. She always asks what I plan for dinner. We had leftover ham from Easter, I told her.

As a homemaker, she always had big meals to prepare, with home made bread, and donuts that her kids loved. She had 7 kids and told me she was tired of spending so much time just watching food cook! She is so funny! But she is right!

Because my visits are sometimes emotionally draining, we'll often bring in Asian Fusion meals from our take-out place, as hubby also volunteers Tuesday mornings. I like cooking, though. The chopping, dicing, fresh smells, usually sipping wine, listening to the rush hour traffic reports with glee! (My last Ottawa teaching job required me to drive 5 km and go through 15 traffic lights to work! Some days it took a half hour! )

As we chatted, it came to me: I had a butter chicken recipe I'd adapted for hubby (who cannot have dairy, yeast or eggs) and I could integrate the ham into it. I had to substitute butter for olive oil, and coconut milk for cream.

Quick Butter Chicken from Marilyn Denis became Quick Ham Curry with linguine! The leftovers were great, too. Whew. Another successful meal.

My orchid cactus is doing so well, despite Hooper trying to eat it.

In the meantime, the other day JB spotted a vulture sitting on the top of the building they are deconstructing. You can read about the Darou Farmhouse here.

Then, there was our storm of the past two days. We had about an inch of precipitation (24 mm): rain, snow, sleet and hail. Not in that order. I collected and melted it.

There were wild, wild winds! Many had power go out, I collected a few images here. We were good. I kept the fire going. Hooper went out and played in the shed, looking for mice friends. He's a challenge!

By the afternoon, more snow, more wind. 
And more wind... at 6:00 p.m. 83,600 without power.

You could see the lightning, at Lightning Maps, which was incredible.

It was a mess from the US to Quebec, and it is headed further east.

 
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Weather Network US

✔@TheWeatherNetUS

The #severeweather threat is rising for Tuesday, especially in the #Ohio Valley. See what forecasters are watching, here | https://bit.ly/2ImuAOW  | #ohwx #kywx

11:13 AM - Apr 2, 2018

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