Wed., Jan. 2nd
We had a last minute grandies visit. Papa had to work. I'd suggested they bring their skates. Josee didn't have any, she'd outgrown hers, so they popped into the 2nd hand skate shop on their way here. The skating was wonderful. I don't have skates, so I slid around. We'd had rain, thawing and freezing, and it was fairly smooth.
The ice was fairly thick, although where it drains into the wetland, on the other side of the trail, it was wet on the edge where the sun shines. The ice freezes from the outside in and thaws from the outside in, as well. It's clear under the dock and looks to be about 8 cm (3") thick, or so.
There they are!
As we skated, we noticed cracks. The water is draining underneath, the ice cracks and we could hear the noise. It didn't affect our skating, though. Caitlin told me the ice is better than the famous Ottawa canal! What a bonus! It was just a fluke of rain and melt and freeze (Frogpond Photos) and subzero temperatures this week.
I have a new hat. My late father followed the Maple Leafs. It's quite cozy!
There was an isabella caterpillar frozen into the ice. It must have awoken in the thaw, and fallen in the water. I'd found another caterpillar, which I'd rescued Dec. 29th, also fallen in.
I finally seem to have a handle on the new trailcam settings. Here we are, in the meadow, making our way back up to the house.
Grampa wrote a poem about dessert. What a nutbar! He's wearing his new hat, which I'd ordered online for him. It's perfect, isn't it?!
After dinner, Josee made a pretend box. It's a game to see if the cats will sit in it.
BTW – We're keeping *Daisy in the kennel for another two weeks. We'll see if she is suitably daunted when she returns home. I've worked through the grieving process, and weep internally each time I see a photo of her in my files. Hooper is getting braver. I've heard that kennel life can modify a cat's temperament. Fingers crossed. Besides, the laneway into the kennel is 200m of all ice, so there we go.
Isn't this fun?!
Thursday, Jan. 3rd
It snowed overnight. We have six female turkeys hanging about, although Caitlin counted seven the other day.
Note the time stamps, the deer were wandering about before and during our 2nd skate.
I was up at the house, hoping the maintenance people will call. Our 'new' 2017 toilet is leaking, again. Sigh. New toilet, old floor.
Caitlin posted some photos from down below, on the frogpond. They wanted a skate before they headed home. Laughter ensued.
Apparently, they didn't have to shovel the 7 cm of snow. It was light snow and an easy skate!
