I did it!

I have scraped and cleaned the aquarium. The caulking is now done. My able assistant held the caulking gun for good for me as I rotated the thing to be able to reach each corner. Then did two more corners. It'll have to cure. It is special aquarium caulk and won't harm the fish. Next step is to fill it and see if it holds. 🤞 Fingers crossed! 

My personal assistant is slowly improving. He has a 4-week appointment to check on his progress. He may have his 4-week dose of Doxycycline extended to 6-weeks. I think they are finally getting a handle on this bacterium. 

We found a bug on the back deck when I was working on the aquarium.  It is a Sawyer Beetle. It looks prehistoric. Yes, JB's t-shirt is on inside out. That way the tags don't scratch the back of his neck!

 

That was a lovely, sunny day! We deserve them. The Eastern Question Mark butterfly egg has hatched. I can't find it, but it is there. If someone hasn't eaten it!

I did some macro photos. It is tricky. 

My rose!

 

Trumpet vine

Evening Primrose! It has spread.

I risked life and limb going down to the frog pond. I had on long pants, and a sweatshirt. Even so, I brought a tick back. When I arrived a duckling took off into the native phragmites. Surveying the pond, it looks as if something was after it. I'd say a coyote. 

frog pond from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Critters!

There are so many critters about! First, the photos.
Finally, they've settled on a location. Four more little phoebe eggs.

I thought I'd love a photo of the eggs. It's tricky. She wasn't there when I was filling the fountain. 

I secured a sun visor mirror to a long-handled paint roller. With my left hand I snagged a photo with the videocamera!

The allium are in bloom. I took a photo of the bumble bee. Can you see who photobombed it?

The tent caterpillars have arisen. It was a bad year with huge numbers last year. We'll see how it goes this year. There is usually a cycle.


Gardening, I had someone roll on through while I was working. Can you see her?

Then, reading on the back deck, a notable sawyer visited. They seem so prehistoric!

My rain gauge has a bouncer. If it doesn't like you, you're dinner! I've left it, as there are a few bugs getting into it!


We haven't seen Fred gopher in a long time. He likes milkweed, apparently.
Fred from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

After we arrived home from our trip, we found a doe filling her face.
Deer June 16 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Trailcam tails 

This is a composite video. First, I spotted another quick mink, I copied and put it on slow motion, as it was so quick. Next the porcupine, and then the two turkeys we've been seeing daily.




trailcam from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch, searching for bugs. I love seeing the little thing dig, with those little opposable thumbs.

Butch from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

In the backyard...


Now, this is from a Twitter post. I know our deer have given birth, but haven't seen any. I shall keep watching. Do you know what a fawn sounds like??!! I've never heard one. I can imagine, it would ensure the bond between mother and offspring.

This is what a wee fawn sounds like❤️
Toronto, ON 🇨🇦
📹 toanimalservicespic.twitter.com/zM0C0XxbtW

— Kelly Canuck🍁 (@KellyCanuckTO) June 20, 2019

For more critters:

Saturday's Critters #288

How much wood can a wood chuck chuck?

Well, it's pretty much me, not wood chucks helping. Although, I've seen Fred, and I think Buster got in a scarp with the feisty thing.

We had 2 cords delivered Thursday. It's darn good exercise. My mom and dad used to get 7 cords at a time.
I've been taking it easy, doing an hour at a time, then doing other yard work. This middle-aged body isn't what it used to be! I had to stop and plug the hole in the back of the shed. It had been plugged up with what I think is 4-year-old punky wood, leaning a little crazily.

With our shallow soil, even after 32mm of rain on Wednesday, our man could deliver and dump it right in front of the shed with little damage to the grass. For joy!

Daisy been a great little helper. I've parsed out the work. I realized that while I'd been on the roof doing the eavestrough, I hadn't ever done the shed eaves. Daisy, my forever helper and shadow, came up with me. She's a trooper. She was pretty tired after that, and required a rest in the shade and a wash up.

I spotted the ivy, growing rather askew, and used the step ladder to fix it. A tree frog jumped and landed, splat, on the ivy. That required a photo. Then, a dragonfly (Common whitetail - female) repeatedly kept perching on the wood. Finally, I took her photo, too.

When I wrapped up my work, removing gloves, and ball cap, I swatted a horse fly.  Also, I found a Notable sawyer, a very ancient-looking beetle.

Daisy makes a great stupidvisor. Up on the ledge, batting at bugs. One wasp was busy in there in  a hole in the wood. I plugged the hole, having been stung last month. She is the only cat I've ever had who back down a tree or post. She is a clever girl, if wee. She is almost a year old (11 months) and such a wee thing, still. Her bigger twin sister, Dorah, is much bigger.