Deer mating season has begun!

I wrote this a few days ago, but since then we've had snow. I'm anxious to go down and see if they've uncovered it. 

This buck scrape is being monitored. Three scrapes in a row!

I put the trailcam on it. 

There is another scrape, at a bush with branches hanging down. (Non-mental note!) 

It was a nice walk. 

Last flower for awhile!

Here he is: football, curling, control over the TV clicker, a cat, and a warm fire! What else could a man want?! 

Nutmeg (AKA Killer) watching her more passive brother hunting for mice. 

I came across this photo from 2013. That teeny evergreen! 

↑2013, and now↓ look at that tree!

The branches are burdened by snow.

I created a puzzle, now that the snow covers all the lovely leaves. 

Happy Hallowe'en!

Cinnamon was happy to get warm on top of Percy's fish tank. We had snow Monday morning, it was chilly, damp and cold.

I had to get dressed and put out the garbage Monday morning in the snow. 

🎃 Having spent many years in education, and having had 3 kids, I've done my time doing Hallowe'en. Being rural, we don't have any little kids around us, anyway. Frosty's Great Pumpkin costume is worn out and faded, but I have photos!

 

We have modest decorations. Bear is doing well with his orange toque and ...

I live vicariously through the kids. Caitlin created a fabulous costume! You have to know Ottawa to understand it. They replaced the Percy St. bridge, and highway #417 was closed for days. It crosses the city and people had to detour. 

Pumpkin carving was on tap on the weekend. They put down newspapers to protect the new kitchen! I have to harvest some pumpkins seeds. Maybe when it warms up. It is -4 C. this morning.

On the way to school and work.

In the meantime, our Vancouver family had a celebration!

I created a Hallowe'en puzzle. You can visit it here.

Home repairs: a new A/C & Gramma Camp

It's been a trial, in the heat wave, not having any A/C. Now, nothing like that which Rain is going through. They needed a new well dug. It's quite a read.  

I think our A/C was about 20 years old. We've been using it more often this year than many others. Every time I walked by it, I'd sort of pat it and say, "Good job!" 

Our installers were to arrive between 7:45 a.m. and 8:15. We're often up by 6, so not a problem. James and Simon arrived promptly at 7:45.  

They opened up the old one, and found a mouse nest, dead mouse, and the skeleton of several snakes. They must have holed up in there over the winter and froze to death. Normally, snakes find hibernacula in the ground, deep holes, where they snuggle up in winter. These young snakes made a fatal mistake. 

You'll note our pile of stuff for the dump. I have to work on the shed next.

I'd forgotten to wind up the hose. Here is the old A/C ready to be heaved.

Ta da! 

The cats appeared a half hour after our workers were done. In the shade.

Tuesday, we settled back in. The chimney cleaners were expected for 9 a.m., and Jos came up swiftly to work on her puzzle. Isabelle got dressed 30 seconds before the workers arrived. It was an expensive 'cleaning' as the damper needed replacing.

Cinnamon helped with the latest puzzle. The girls are doing pretty well, all things considered. I know they miss their friends, sleepover, playdates. We're doing our best. 

I covered up the BBQ, and a wee tree frog popped out. We sat and talked to it. 

Jos worked on her Pet Rock Kit, from the library.

I accidentally whacked a fritillary while setting up the pool. I felt so badly. I used it as a teachable moment.

The green frogs have moved into the goldfish pond. There are quite a few small ones (5), and one fairly fat one, that needed to be caught and talked to. I cleaned the pond pump.

We always take a photo for the last ceremonial piece! 

We'll see what adventures we can get into today. It's a bit chilly. The kiddie pool is cold. sigh. The overnight temperatures are lovely, though. 

Hot and no rain in sight

Despite the lack of rain, the trees are doing well. These are the chestnuts beginning to form.

My rose bush, hidden by an evergreen since removed, has flourished. 

Here is our last large Catalpa tree. It is in full bloom. (The other one has died.)

The milkweed are lovely and fragrant, just beside the front porch. We anxiously await the monarchs!

The petunias I managed to grab at our local nursery, although flowers were scarce, are looking great.

My Peace rose.

The hops vine is reaching higher!

Doe in the field. Grampa walks in town, almost every morning. He regularly sees a rabbit. This morning, he spotted out doe. 

Indoors, my orchid is throwing out some new buds, as well as a new leaf. I'm so happy I haven't killed it!

It's been terribly hot. The poor girls. We trot down to the trailcams and run back. The bugs are awful. You can see the fawn just shaking its head for the bugs.

 

Josephine and I watched some news, and we had some good discussions about Black Lives Matter, for example. Izzy was in the basement reading. 

To quote John Pavlovitch:

"If there is evidence of privilege, it's to feel so insulated from adversity, so inoculated from suffering, so immune from struggle, so unaffected by reality—that you could simply turn off the news, because the act feels inconsequential to your existence."

New Canadian COVID–19 cases are slowing down.

Ontario: new cases

Each day shows new cases reported since the previous day ·
Updated less than 40 mins ago·

Source:Wikipedia

·

About this data

The USA is having 50,000 new cases each day. We aren't opening up our border anytime soon. The problem is, citizens who are unemployed cannot get tested. It costs them $199. Our Canadian truckers are saying that people are walking away from being tested for that reason. 

I brought out a 500-piece puzzle, which was a hit! We worked on it over several periods during the day. I think we'll finish today.

JB and I sat on the back deck while the girls watched their afternoon video. As we sat there, Fred gopher appeared.

I grilled hamburgers for dinner. Then, dessert!

Still working! I brought out the card table for a place to sort the pieces! They have unusual shapes, which makes it a good challenge.