Crumbly Acres #75 & Maggie Magnolia

#75 was discharged to our care with a full page info sheet. It said to scatter the seeds at the base of the tree, @Linda in Kansas! We are following their directions. Tuesday morning, as I wrote, was really cold (3 ℃ ; 37 ℉). We watched all morning, then went for a dump run. When we came back, #75 was poking his head out again. Whew!

Barb had a good question about other black squirrels. Now, they won't wear name tags, but I have seen two black squirrels in the front yard at the same time. They aren't inclined to be friends. 

I think there is a black squirrel nesting in our saw-whet owl nest box. It is down the hill, in another part of the forest. A female, I think, who has her hands full. The trailcams don't film squirrels too well. At least, not my current ones. (First world problem, I know!)

The colder temps belie the season. The frogs come out once the sun is up and out. @Jim was asking about them. When it's colder they dive. The snakes must hide away somewhere under the leaves with the residual heat in the ground. 

I was reminded to check out Maggie Magnolia. I haven't been wandering about in the cold too much. She is doing so well!

Success!

The poor flower baskets! Traditionally, the May long weekend is our date for planting outside. I still have some plants in the garage. These are hanging in, the deck is south-facing, and tends to be a little microclimate! 

This is my traditional cherry tomato hanging planter. I pop several into a planter, and pick off the tomatoes as I go. 

White Bleeding Hearts, and my planter with Basil and Heliotrope.

Finally, the dock trailcam hasn't been too fruitful. Ducks and deer. I think my wood duck nest box has been abandoned. The weasel or mink got into the box one year, now they wisely go elsewhere.

We will bundle up, again today. The heat is on. I feel badly for the actual herons out there in their nests.

We cleaned the eaves!

Yes, 'WE!' I did have helpers, a chilly day, Sat. Oc t. 28th. I forgot the little red cleaning tool. JB brought me the broom, as well. 

 

cleaning the eaves from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Cinnamon came to check it all out. 

This is one path down to the wetland. I chopped down several dead sumacs, with great regret. I'd mulched the leaves, as well. 

JB was walking down the path, and found an antler. It's been sitting in sodium peroxide to clean it.

The moss on the roof was horrible. Well, it was pretty, and growing very well. If I was smart I'd have harvested it, but I was wiped out!

Ta da! 

As I was up top, I could hear the neighbour target shooting. It was awful, especially after the recents shooting in the US. Barb wrote about it. I need not reprise it. We could see the massive response to the tragedy.

shots Oct. 28 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

On a walkabout, I checked out Maggie Magnolia. She has borne fruit!

I've been eyeing this little sumac. We are losing sumacs. I think, during periods of drought, they simply aren't getting enough water as they sit in rocky outcrops. That said, out the bathroom window I spotted a beautiful little sumac tree. I had to take off the screen to get a better photo. 

Here we are Monday morn. I have to get the garbage out. It snowed overnight. It begins.

Black flies, Butch, Fred, Maggie, and other tails

I've been pacing myself with my tenosynovitis in my foot. It is a repetitive strain injury on my upper foot, first done in 2011. Ice, rest, and a foot brace help manage it. Plus, TLC from hubby! Sitting on the back deck has been lovely. Finally, the mosquitos aren't active there on the deck. The blackflies are another story. I've oozing welts on my arms. You don't feel them land, and they are horribly itchy. You don't even realize they are there. 

🐻 Hunting Seasons  🦃 

I did go to the back 40, to the duck nesting box Saturday morning, wrapped up with bug spray on. While there, I heard the neighbour hunting. Apparently, it is bear (May 1 - June 15) and turkey (Apr. 25 - May 31) season. I like to know, as it prepares me. There are turkey hunting requirements in Ontario: you can't bait them, or call them. They are required to have a licence, and report their kills. Our new neighbour was out hunting Saturday morning and I heard 3 shots. He proudly posted the photo, offering his outfitting services. I worry about Black bear hunting season, as I enjoyed seeing our black bear on the camera. 

The lilac bush is amazing for action. As I sat on the deck, the robins landed in the bush, as well as the phoebes and the hummingbirds.  Lately, I've noticed two female cardinals in the tree. One chased the robin awa. The robins are busy shoving food into hungry mouths. A female cardinal came by and chased them away.

I've done some work on the front garden. Funny story, I spray painted my garden fencing. It is a barrier to keep my lilies in the garden, as they fall over. I spray paint them just for fun. I leaned them up on the fence. Thing is, I had a brain fade and reached to move them, and sort of forgot that they were wet. I scrubbed with the brush, and had trouble getting it out. I had to throw the brush out! Baby oil worked to get it off me, and time! 

There is Fred, watching me. You can see the remaining bed frames leaning up on the fence, this is my repurposed fence strategy. Placing the two rails I'll put up some string later. 

May 18th, I realized the wood ducks have taken up a nest into the box we'd moved. I accidentally flushed her, thinking it still empty, and she took off into the wetland, landing and taking off to safety.

  

Wood ducking from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Having set up the trailcam, I realized she is too fast for this camera. I may just monitor the action. 

 

That said, I wonder if Bear will find it. Butch raccoon certainly did. May 25-26, The wood duck is sitting on eggs in here. Butch raccoon knows it, I'll bet. I realized I'd have to tip the camera up a tad. Hit and miss! The baffles baffled Butch. 

Butch is busy from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Finally, Maggie magnolia has bloomed. The chicken wire protects the blossoms, sometimes. This one I'll leave alone, as it will break if I touch it. (I learned that last week!)

We think we've bumble bees who have moved into Fred's burrow under the deck. More on THAT action later! Have a wonderful day.

Sprouts, rain, Lenton Rose

 🌱After such a stressful week, I thought some outdoor work was called for! I trimmed all of these tall grasses. I neglected an 'after' photo! It's been raining for two days, so I haven't ventured out. The new shoots are coming up. Indoors, my sprouts are sprouting!

 

After getting out and about, and trying to garden, I paid for it! My tenosynovitis kicked it. 😏 Foot brace is on, foot is up.

I finally remembered to check on my magnolia. Thank you, Ontario Wanderer, for reminding me! I have a memory, it is just selective! Maggie Magnolia only has buds right now (below, left). But soon!  She is growing, as you can see from my May 12, 2012 post on planting her (below right). She is almost as tall as the stick supporting the chicken wire.

 

This is what I await!

I have 180 videos of the spider web across the Crumbly Acres camera. 😏 It's the perfect place, with the light attracting bugs! You just gotta laugh.

 

☔While there was sun and clouds, as predicted, there were dumps of rain during out Kingston trip last Monday! We were headed to the pet store to supplement our goldfish stocks, as long as we were in the city. The weather was interesting!

We've a week of rain on the way. Percy is still managing all alone in his room (the outdoor goldfish pond), where he is supposed to be thinking about his behaviour, having eaten his siblings!

I noticed a robin's nest, about chest level. What could go wrong?!

The Lenten Rose has 7 or 8 blossoms! I am so happy to see it. The deer have been scarce, thankfully.

 

I had another go at it, with my iPhone...  It is tricky! I'm sure AC would fix it up, but I haven't the patience! 

Grecian Windflowers, along with the pale blue star flowers.

🐾 Nutmeg had the first tick of the season. Then, Cinnamon! We'll get some tick prevention meds Monday.

A little later than last year. JB and I had the most in 2022! 

It's the rainy season!

I read this on Elephant's Child's page: "the weather boffins predicted buckets of rain." It is rather fitting for us this week. Our arborists had to cancel. It's a mucky mess.