Nothing to see here!

 Funny story. There were two tweets I followed Feb. 15th. What seems to be the case is that the media believes other news stories, and doesn't fact check. The New York Times confused the old Canadian War Measures Act (1970) with the more recent Emergency Act (1988). The NY Times listened to Rosemary Barton, a CBC TV anchor political specialist. She dissed them totally. The NY Times listened to a well-respected CBC political specialist. 

It is chaos in Ottawa. The hot tub was back, and so was the honking. The other situations (Coutts, Windsor, Emerson, Sarnia) are resolved. The sheer numbers of anarchists, holed up in trucks, supported by two separate camps outside the city, outnumber the cops. The local police (OPS), have had RCMP and OPP to ramp up their numbers, and hopefully something will be done today. Quebec has sent police, as well, which is unusual. Police have been handing out warning flyers, occupiers are huddling to plan, and Child Services have been on the move.  It was really cold, and EMT was called for a protesting mother and infant who was suffering from frostbite. They are warning people who have brought pets that they would be taken away for 8 days.

Both the mayor of Ottawa, and premier were negotiating with these anarchists. Yet, the only two people who have resigned are two black men, the OPS Chief of Police, and a black member of the Police Board. The mayor replaced two women on council yesterday. IMHO: The mayor is the one who should resign! 

The MyPillow guy (Trump supporter), from the US, tried to cross the border with 10,000 pillows and a TV crew. They were turned back, as they aren't vaccinated. They are not rocket scientists! 

These are not educated people, nor do they understand law, society or politics, and are being influenced by some anarchist wack jobs who want power and attention. One of the ring leaders appears to be headed to the east coast. Watch out. 

☔⛄⛈☔⛄⛈☔⛄⛈☔⛄⛈☔⛄⛈

Huge winds Wednesday night. We seem OK, although the lights flickered. There were 12,000+ without power last night. It was a bit warmer, that was good, and this morning only 7000 are waiting repairs. We are in for some weather today, rain or snow, we don't know!

🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕

King Henry has lost both antlers, on Feb. 16th. I went out again on Wednesday, for over an hour. Nada. First to the backyard to briefly check things out. From there down the hill to the wetland. 

The photos below, the left is the neighbour's forest. next, the coyote tracks headed for our back 40.

The coyotes come and go, walking on top of the frozen snow. More rain is falling as we speak, with more to follow. Or snow, or something. I thought I'd best get out while the getting was good.

It was good, hard exercise, but disappointing not to find any antlers. 

On the weekend, somebody went downstairs to watch his football. I made him a fire, and the cats were happy. I had some unremarkable movies to watch. JB took photos of his buddies. They really like football! 

Winter is entrenched

 Winter carries on. It was a balmy -14 C. this morning. Cinnamon continues to sleep at my feet. Several times a night, he likes to come over to me in the dark and pluck the ear buds out of my ears and drag my radio or iPod onto the floor. He's a character!

Nutmeg sleeps alone in the guest room on her wool bed.

First thing, the cats go out to check for mice friends. Jan. 23.  cats on deck 

I went out in my snowshoes, again. It's good, hard, physical therapy.

Our great excitement is the action across the street. They are purportedly building a retirement house. The sumac were cut down. A parking spot was created. As I emerged from the meadow and my snowshoeing, there was lots of action. Hubby spoke to the owner and he was assured that this guy would be the best neighbour ever. I've never spoken to them, although they have been working here a lot.

The noise, the beep beep, when they back up is disconcerting. Also, a porcupine was living in the rocks. I hope s/he has moved on.

Cinnamon came outdoors, but didn't venture far. He did 'bear' again. I'm not sure what he heard, but he is vigilant. That's how he survives outdoors!

I've been playing around with the trailcams. We finally saw Henry on the forest trailcam. That was comforting, as we hadn't seen him around the house for a few days. The placement of trailcams is the big challenge for all of us using them. This one was fruitless until now. 

If you watch, you'll see her walking along the sidewalk. That was my own fault as I sprinkled some sunflower seeds for traction on the ice. She recalls that! sidewalk doe:  

deer feeder:  

There are lots of deer in the yard. If you watch to the latter portion of the video, you can see the deer munching on yummy dead, dried weeds at the back of the yard.  

🐦Robins

We had a robin on Wednesday. It's not spring. It's just overwintering. I have a page where I track their nests over the spring and summer. I've been tracking its visits.

Snowshoe time!

Friday, vs. Saturday!  🌴Balmy!


I did a brief Facetime with Caitlin. No phone, you know. We're about to buy a new cell phone plan, I bounced some ideas off of her. (Josee and Papa were off downhill skiing.) Grampa hustled into town to get some groceries before the stores got busy and the snow had accumulated.

It was World Wetland Day: Saturday, Feb. 2nd. The wetland is pretty unfriendly right now! It's so pretty, and full of life, in summer. I can dream.

Knowing rain was on the way, I thought it best to get out on the land before conditions deteriorated. It was heavy going. There was a blizzard. I took my GPS, whose maps are out of date. It was a good trek: nearly an hour and a km. The bottom left squiggles are where I shoveled the sidewalk. The bottom right detour was where I went back for the trailcam SD card,

I fell once. Snowy head to toe. It was a soft landing... I met the turkeys on the return leg.
They were on trailcam #2. Me, too!

Here we go. They aren't too exciting, these photos, but it was quiet, the odd chickadee flew up into the trees. The critter tracks were major grooves in the snow, as they save energy using the same path.

Can you see the turkeys? I meet them all the time. I saw one fly away from me, and it smucked itself into a branch, the noise of their big wings swishing. I felt badly for it!

Monday

I was out snowshoeing, again, Monday. It was awful. I spotted some blood on the trail, which means a deer might have shed an antler. I hauled myself back up to the garage and put the snowshoes on.


Alas, nothing. A difficult walk, but good exercise. The top crunchy layer must be awful for the critters. It was an awful walk around the wetland. The top layer of frozen rain on the snow led to an ice crust, on top of knee-deep snow. The poor turkeys are up to their chests. The deer wander through knee-deep snow with a horrid crust.

We were really wise NOT to do the driveway. The back deck shows where I shoveled, and where the ice rain stuck. The crust makes it difficult walking.


This morning, Tuesday, we had rain overnight. I hope snowshoe season isn't over.

Snowshoeing on the wetland

The walking isn't as good as it could be in the wetland. Even snowshoes do not help out there. Mind you, it is a good workout!

I managed a great walk with Daisy yesterday, but I was exhausted. She just toodled across the top of the ice. She's a trooper.

I can see where the poor deer sink up to their knees. The wetland is wet, still! Even our lakes are not firm. Under the frozen layer of snow form the ice storm, there is a gap, and then some warm snow. You can see in the deer tracks, at the bottom, the dark wet snow. The Ontario Snowmobile Association warns folks not to go off of the prepared trail: see the trail map. Many are still closed.

It is far easier under the forest canopy, where the trees took up some of the ice rain. But out backyard, with its open spaces is treacherous for the deer, and for us, as we walk. It is very peaceful and beautiful, however!

Snowshoe on the bog from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
It's a terribly difficult walk. The critters must be facing challenges. You can see where they fall through the ice to the bog below. The lower part of the snow cover has melted in the recent warmth.

Snowshoe, walkies, deer

What a beautiful day in the neighbourhood!

Under the trees, the twin motherless yearlings came out for a bite.

They are watching for Buster,
who likes to herd them.

Back deck is done, too. A couple of hours of fun in the sun and good exercise.
AFter I shoveled, I went for a walk.
I love my snowshoes. It sure makes walking on the wetland a joy.

This is our 'island' in the wetland. A bit of outcrop, rising up in the midst of the marshy watery bog, it is shelter for one and all. Last winter I found a deer carcass, where the wolf had dragged its kill.

Bambi was taking it easy in our backyard!

 This time, I found where Bambi had rested for the night!

You can see the indentations where two deer had spent the night.
I love spotting the 'nests'! They paw out a patch, and nestle in. Their body heat melts the snow underneath them.

Nearly home, I spotted a pileated woodpecker, but didn't have the zoom lens.

doves nestle down on the feeder,
chickadees (right) grab a bite

Unfortunately, there were many incidents, including a 16-year-old who was struck by a hit-and-run truck, while crossing the road on his snowmobile.

They are everywhere.
Snowmobiles, and cars with no room to park on the streets!

Dorah

Arriving home, the cats and kittens weren't too thrilled with the weather. Buster chases Sady, Sady howls. The kittens watch in awe.