Skies, leaves, and forest walk

 Bathroom reno update Oct. 2

The pieces have arrived for the new sink. All we need is the counter to be delivered. And an installer. Installers are hard to find, especially in October, hunting season. We could be waiting months. Meantime, the hot water tap still leaks.

🚴 I featured Josephine yesterday. Now it is Isabelle's turn! She had a weekend camp with her Pathfinder's group, and they did archery. She texted me to say she enjoyed it so much she was going to take lessons. 

Izzy posted a wonderful video of herself riding on her bike to school, with her cup of tea in the new cup holder her momma bought for her. It made me giggle. I hope it makes you giggle, too!

Izzy's bike ride from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

☔ In anticipation of the upcoming storm, I blew leaves off the driveway with my lawn tractor. The sunrise told me I was glad I did. I've been reading about people NOT mulching and raking leaves off gardens. I certainly leave them on the garden, as there are quite a few critters that shelter under the leaves over winter. I try to mulch the driveway, however, before the critters begin to hibernate. 

We still have dragonflies as of Thursday!

"Ribbonsnakes hibernate underground in animal burrows or rock outcroppings." They are a species of 'special concern,' due to wetland habitat loss. Thankfully, 9 of our 16 acres is wetland. They must be heading for their winter burrows, and staying nearby. Apparently experts on iNaturalist say it is a northern ribbon snake, not eastern as I thought. 

That is 3 I've seen last week. Can you spot it?

Leaves were blown off the driveway, no snakes were harmed. The leaves are so slippery on the driveway when wet, and impossible to remove.

While I was doing the leaves, I tried to capture a drive-by shooting. There were two bees on the wild aster. You'll have to trust me!

The storm wasn't what they'd predicted, 30 mm or so they'd warned. Our total over the two days was 13 mm. We cooled down Saturday night. Percy seems relatively happy in the tank. I assured him it was going to get cold. They warned of snow in Northern Ontario. We shall see!

Percy gets excited when he sees us. He wags his tail, hoping for food. I have to clean the tank. After thanksgiving, which this weekend!

Percy & Joseph from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

More colour

It is football season! Joseph Brian was prepared, and wearing his colours. 

Out and about, I spotted two snakes. A ribbon snake hunting for ants on the driveway, and a dead eastern milksnake. Sadly, I found the ribbon snake dead yesterday. The driveway isn't a good place for snakes. I feel so badly. We had several deliveries. It was about 60 cm/ 24" long, and a fine specimen.

Always a sight to behold, the ivy usually shows amazing colour.

🍁Autumn Chores

I accomplished some Autumn Chores in the lovely weather. All the hops vine is cleaned up. The jute I run from the railing to soffat, I've taken down. The hops regrows each year and the leaves were done for the season. 

The moths and butterflies have all laid eggs and used the hops as habitat. One year I was removing the vine, and found an IO moth caterpillar. That was most exciting, as I'd photographed it as an adult.

I took the vinegar JB had used to clean the coffee pot, and cleaned the outside windows. I had to wait until the afternoon, when the sun streams in, to see how I did. I guess I should have cleaned the INSIDE of the windows before bringing in the plants. Sigh. 

I had an email message, and a parcel was left at the gate. I hustled down there, enjoying the leaves, and the sunshine. 

Summer weather!

 Tuesday, it felt like summer, not spring! Wednesday it poured rain. I had to take a photo for evidence!

😷COVID-19 

Things have been creeping up in Ontario. Ontario has a new COVID variant of the BA.2 variety. There is now a BA.4 and BA.5. Many workplaces are having issues getting staff. Teachers, in particular, are not allowed to tell their students they are away with COVID. This is just wrong.

In an interview with Mark Fisher, trustee at Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), he said the following. In the 6th wave: OCDSB voted to reinstate masking for all – 8 in favour, 1 opposed, 3 abstensions. They have the authority according to the Education Act, and Occupational Health & Safety Act. 

• 75000 students in OCDSB,
• Ottawa health officer supportive of a temp mask mandate in schools,
• lots of people are still wearing masks,
• levels in wastewater is high,
• need a safe working and learning environment
• CHEO had over 100 staff absent Tuesday from COVID-related issues,
• Fisher's daughter's classroom closed twice last week.
• Supported by ETFO, and OSSTF.

🍃seeds grow

I put the squash, pumpkin, and zucchini outdoors. The sun moved quickly, and I had to switch the container to the front deck. Bob V guarded them.

The warmth and sunshine brought out the snakes. Cinnamon found a 60 cm Northern Ribbon Snake. Nutmeg had to inspect it, too. I grabbed him, and put him inside the house. We were in and out so often, that the cats slipped out the door as we went through.  Dang.

Nutmeg found another snake, same species, about an hour later. I couldn't catch her, but I moved the snake elsewhere. They are a lovely colour, with a rust coloured band that distinguishes it from a garter snake with more yellow.

Joseph Brian and I went down to the frogpond to check out the trailcam. We saw our turkey friends, we're at 6 hens and 3 toms, still. A couple of them flew away, seeing us as risky threats!

I've decided to go with non-renewable batteries in the trailcam for the duck season. The rechargeables I have are taking less time to recharge, and last a shorter period of time. With the energy it takes, going up and down the hill, back down to readjust it, I just want to save energy.

I took two photos of the frog pond, and spliced them together, just for fun. It was raining yesterday, and it was an enjoyable effort.

The wood frogs are amazing. Masses of wood frogs. I am sad to see the pond covered in natural phragmites. It won't be a problem with the frogs, but I'm not sure about the wood ducks. The last time this happened, the muskrats took over, and cleared out the clutter. I'm not sure we've enough water in it for them to raise a brood. The spring peepers were quite quiet, until the evening. 

We have had at least one duck in the nesting box. They have made a nice round nest shape in it. I peeked in and felt around. The nesting box is on the right, the other one just off the video frame on the left. You can see the baffle we reinstalled Saturday.

The video is a practice one. I continually have to readjust it to find the sweet spot. You can only see the shadow of the duck on the left side of the video, but you can hear it.

 

ducks from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The wood frogs are quite loud, despite about a 10 C. temperature yesterday. Western Chorus frogging is out for today, as it is raining.

 

wood frog chorus from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Hello pseudo-Springtime: bugs, frogs and snakes!

Daisy had three more ticks, I squish them in between the backs of my thumbnails if I am outdoors. Dratted things. That's 94 this year.

Daisy and I had another project, Thursday, putting the green frogs into the larger frog pond, taking them out of the goldfish pond that freezes. Unfortunately, by the end of another warm day, Friday, I counted 13 more! I gave up!



We moved 8 frogs together on Thursday, Nov. 5th. They see me coming, now. Daisy is helpful, too. Not much, seriously. They see HER coming and dive deep!


Daisy catch & release from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This golden rod had several critters. VERY late in our season.
 

 Then, walking across the backyard Friday, I found a Northern Ribbon snake. You can ID them from the white crescent in front of their eyes. Not great photos, as I took them with my video camera, but a lovely moment with a sweet critter.


I love watching their tongues!

Northern ribbon snake from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
How extraordinary to see it on Nov. 6th!

Then, Saturday morning, I was surprised that a doe and her twins were cleaning up under the bird feeder. We had frost that night, but the sun was out and it warmed up! Then, momma left, twin #1 followed right away, #2 took its time but ran over as they dipped down behind the shed, toward the wetland.