Near and far...

 It's a bit buggy to visit the frog pond, but I made it. The muskrat(s) have cleared out the foliage. Sadly, the invasive frogbit moved in. 

This happens every few years. I appreciate their work, as it is great having a frog pond in the forest.

A man and his cat! Nutmeg has taken to going back to bed after a morning snack. Normally, she sleeps here in the evening, on his side of the bed. She doesn't like the murder mysteries we watch. In the afternoons, Joe has to nap on my side of the bed. Until this past week. 

This is unusual. She's decided to sleep on my side. 

🕷Ticks

Since May, we've had 15 ticks. I've had 13, and Joe 2 ticks. It's a really bad year for them. Last year we had 17 between March and November. We're getting there. 

I've been getting a lot of gardening done. It's been wild. The more I clear it out, the fewer bugs we'll have. I plucked another tick off my neck! Can you see it? A little black thing near my ear. I could feel it crawling and batted at it absentmindedly. I took a photo to see if I was imagining it. Nope. Off I went to the bathroom and the tick jar. Take that, you blood sucking thing!

The monarch butterflies have begun laying eggs on the milkweed plants!  Here is the first one I've seen. I've a lovely crop of milkweed this year. 

A/C had a question, What do I do with the deerfly on the sticky patches? 

I peel the patch off my cap, wrap it around a stick, and put it in the goldfish pond. The fishies pluck them off and eat them. It is that circle of life! This was from 2022, before Percy perished. 

We've a big green frog, happily eating bugs in the goldfish pond. 

Downtown Ottawa. This is a great pano the kids took on date night last week.

Speaking of kids, my SIL Jean-Luc is off on a ski trip in Santiago, Chile  – with a buddy. 

This is his view out his hotel window!

From his ride on the tram car.

Aster has been doing her online course. Caitlin and Jordan have been working on getting Jo ready for residence in September. He's booked his room at Queen's. They had ice cream at Ikea! 

Joe and I toodled around Perth at the music festival. More on that when I curate my photos. That is the extent of our travels. 

A dark day for many of us

Oh, USA, what have you done? 

We watched, in horror, the assault on US traditions in this moment. The billionaires were seated in front of the incoming cabinet. Apparently the push-up bra got their attention, especially Zuckerberg. This is Bezo's girlfriend. All people with a lot of money, but little sense. At the end of your life you don't determine you success by your bank account. It is about how you treat those who are your neighbours. 

He didn't put his hand on the bible. 

It is a dumpster fire. He's threatening tariffs on us, Canada, for Feb. 1st. The Quebec sells 2/3 of the aluminum the US buys. We have to hope that the state governors get this. 

So many people are going to be victims. The rich are going after the most vulnerable as the gap widens between front line workers and CEOs. His list of Executive Orders is shocking to many. I wonder how many regret voting for him?

He's ordered binary gender, labeled according to your assigned gender at birth. Our trans family and friends just shudder. Bruce Caitlyn Jenner didn't realize what they are in for. Gender dysphoria is a huge issue, one many of us are realizing affects our young people.

This video has shocked the world. In Germany, you can be arrested for using this Nazi sign. Australia has laws, as well.

There is a White Supremacy signal you can see in some photos. Racists are getting more bold. I post this as a warning. 

I shouldn't be surprised. Where does all that hate go when you've won? tRump supporters are pretty quiet. Here in Canada, with our PM stepping down, so-called freedom fighters are still going after everyone. They hate people who are different, fear people of colour, the poor, those with mental health issues, the LGBTQ+ community.

Some days you have to hope for the worst after you've seen the worst.

Rant over. It helps to vent.

🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦

I have to focus on the critters for a moment. It is soothing. Cardinal, downy woodpecker, mourning doves, they are busy keeping warm and fed.

In the early morning, Nutmeg heard a sound. I was up early to put garbage out. Later, I found out that Cinnamon was sitting in the closet. I imagine looking for mice friends. She always has to watch him, he bears watching! It's a season for warm beds, blankets and the sheepskin blanket. 

In the afternoon the cats made their own fun up. I heard a thump in the dining room. Suddenly, Cinnamon went after his sister, who was carrying a deermouse downstairs. It ran under a foot stool, where Cinn glared at it excitedly. They played around for a bit, while I was fixing dinner. I don't know what happened next! They are ubiquitous.

I don't blame them for coming into the warmth! I just wish I could warn them about the cats! 

This morning it is -17℃ out on the back deck. I wish we could house, feed, and give a basic income to those who lack them. People should be looking after one another. 

October has been busy

🍂 Fall Chores

There is lots to do outside. I'm just taking my time. Someone put his back out and he's still looking after it.

• Tuesday I did the leaves, mulching them and the pine needles, and did some lawn. 
• Switched out the bird bath for the heated bird bath. (Thanks again, AC!) 
• Tried to put the bird feeder stand up. Crooked. Gotta try again. It started raining after I rested. Pfftt.
• I caught another little frog. Almost. No luck. I missed. Twice. Jeremiah sleeps for the winter.

The water fountain is covered, and ready for winter. The pagan lights need some help. A couple of strands are not working. Nothing lasts these days. You have to be really careful in matching the plugs. (Non-mental note!)

 I had wrapped up the bench swing, then the winds blew! I started again and secured it a little more effectively! I don't mind doing a job once.. 😏

Back to it. THIS is secure!

The sun has disappeared for a few days. No precipitation to speak of, but there is a chill in the air. The sun warms me up enough to manage outside, but it's been hiding. I played with these two images. I could not decide which I prefer.

Dark skies! I mulched the leaves again. It is terribly satisfying.

Joe has been watching football on his TV. Nutmeg likes to keep him company. It's not cold enough to put a fire on, but that day is approaching.

Just for fun, a brief power outage. All the clocks had to be reset! 

The good news is that the biting bugs are slowly going to sleep. We've ticks. Nutmeg brought Joe one, and Cinnamon shared another with me. Since they invented the anti-tick goop for cats, things have improved. This year is about the same as last year.

A new week begins...

 I begin with vicarious fun! Josephine had a leadership camp at school. Two nights, beginning Friday after afternoon. She attended last year, as well. Imagine her joy when she was able to hold a snake. She adores reptiles.

Now this was my thrill: another shed antler. Right under the big pine tree. A little one, with an interesting groove in the end.

 

Out front, the Dratted Red Squirrels (DRS) are out and about. They are hilarious, roaring after one another in spring glee.

I managed to clean the goldfish tank. Percy is growing fat, methinks. You can tell by the fins that he is a male. Isabelle looked it up when she was here. 

Nutmeg has become interested in him, and sits beside the counter. Percy thought she might feed him 😜 and pressed his mouth to the glass. She leaned over to him, curious, and JB thought it looked as if they were kissing! 

JB was finishing off his curling watching the basement TV. I found a murder mystery on TV: Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major (2023). As I watched the opening, I saw it was based on a book by Alexia Gordon. The star is a lovely young woman, her foil is a ghost, but the setting (Ireland) is amazing, with castles and ruins. It was lovely to watch.

Filmed at: Hollywood Cillín Chaoimhín Knockroe, Black Castle ruin, Corporation Lands, Black Castle ruin, S Quay, Corporation Lands, (Co. Wicklow); Gormanston Castle, Gormanston (Co. Meath), Ireland.

 

This weather is so strange. It was -14 ℃. yesterday morning. This morning it was 1, no, it's up to 2 ℃ with snow on the way. The skating canal had to close after only being open a couple of days.

The wind has been quite strong.

I have to get dressed and put garbage out. I hope it is just snow, not rain! 

In the mornings, the deer gather when I open the garage door thinking I'll feed them.