Narrows Locks birding

Narrow Lock Birding from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Still looking for Snowy Owls, we stood on Narrows Locks Rd., in the bitter -10˚ C. winds, watching the Mute Swans. It was terribly cold! The swans and geese were diving for food.

Rideau Ferry Dock Opening

Cottage Country has its own concerns
Here is Rideau Ferry, on the Rideau Canal

Yes, they've been working on it for some time and it is just opened. People have lobbied long and hard for public dock access.

I've watching its progress, the older construction photos are below. My concern: the foot traffic meeting the trucks, cars and boats on trailers in the parking lot. With the recent report of speed being a huge factor in traffic fatalities, I just hope people can slow down in this busy traffic area. They tend to be in a hurry, contractors grabbing a lunch, tourists on their way to the cottage, hunters on their way to hunting camps. They leave their engines running (have you heard of Climate Change?!), park in the middle of the lot, blocking traffic, and park willy nilly. Just sayin'!

Parking lot is packed, Sunday, June 29.

Lots of boats docked- hardly room for more

It doesn't look big enough for them all!

Wanna buy a boat?!

It's a busy spot

Jimmie's menu

Jimmie!

There are three businesses here: the Rideau Ferry General Store (groceries, sandwiches, ice cream, LCBO, ice, fuel, propane, bottle returns), Jimmie's Fast Food stand, and the high-end Shipwreck restaurant; and the post boxes for local residents. It is a lovely dock, and many people worked hard on its creation. I wish our store owners much success, they work hard, keep long store hours, providing services to residents and seasonal tourists, and this will raise their revenues. We've often trucked over to the store, to get last-minute groceries, etc.

The high-end restaurant is pricey for families, and young kids in bathing suits, who might simply want a hot dog! I'm not sure that I buy into the notion that this will, to quote the committee chair, "bring prosperity to Rideau Ferry!"

BBDE hard-working Firefighters!

Truthfully, it will give boaters access to more goods and services.
Around the corner of the bay is the Rideau Ferry Marina.

Here are the photos of the ceremony, with the hard-working committee, and ubiquitous politicians! You can see the post boxes, which means that locals can access their mail by boat.

A lot of people were employed building this dockside park. Here are some photos from the construction.

View from the bridge:
Shipwreck restaurant, Rideau Ferry General Store

 In April when the docks flooded!

October rainfall –what a storm!

What a storm rolling in. We spent the morning on the On Common Ground Studio Tour (20th anniversary). Much fun!

Rideau Lake –clouds roll in

It was a lovely 15 C., with some sun. Eventually, the clouds rolled in. A perfect day for a studio tour. We made it home to beat the rain. The radar shows 4:00 p.m., a heavy dump of rain, then the larger picture with more to follow. In total, it was 15mm.

 

Arriving home to grumpy cats who'd been in all morning and afternoon, I took them for a forest walk. No sooner did we get into the forest when the thunderboomers started.
Daisy looked in the direction of the noise, but wasn't too upset. Being so wee, she is quick to

Daisy

startle, and always on guard.

Buster and Daisy

Rideau Lakes signage– a lovely display

Buster, on the left, on the bench!
The catalpa tree leaves are turning.

I love the contrast of the light reflected on the leaves, with the dark sky.

We've had worse, and better!

Buster was happy to sit with me on the front porch. Dorah wanted no part of it and wanted in.
Daisy (AKA Buster Jr.) took off back down into the forest. It boomed, it got darker, lighter again, then dark. Clouds rolled by.
Nope, Dorah wanted indoors.
The rain started. Thick, heavy drops, smashing into the golden leaves remaining as if to say, 'get off with ye!'
Daisy showed up, and sat on under the bench. All of us took shelter indoors!

2013 Rainfall
OCT	mm

6-Oct	6
7-Oct	26
13-Oct	5
18-Oct	20
19-Oct	15
	72