It's beginning to look a lot like winter!

 ❄️ This was our lovely snowfall on Sunday. It snowed last night, Tuesday, and we're back to square one!

This is what it looked like in the dark last night! 

It's warmed up here. In Mayo, Yukon, where my kids father was born, not so much! The CBC Climate Dashboard shows an oncoming storm. We've supplies in, and the snowblower is ready.

🐈 Do you know Larry the Cat at 10 Downing St? 

He has a BlueSky account. Larry has been singing the 12 Days of Christmas. 

Joseph Brian and I were were reflecting on our aging issues. I keep telling our kids that once you hit 40 it's all downhill! (All three of them are in their 40s!) My parents found it difficult accepting their decreasing physical abilities. Joseph Brian cannot operate the snow blower these days. I've slowed down. 

 

Joe was searching for a former colleague who'd made the news, and Googled himself!  His last week of work before retirement he'd testified in front of the Senate Transportation Committee. Both of us are having difficulties retrieving nouns. He was incredibly articulate during these hearings, as the transcript shows! 

One forgets one's knowledge and skills we required, and our contributions to society. He was articulate, and knew the operations of the airline. Whether we worked (in and/or outside the house), raised kids, volunteered, or looked after family, we all made contributions.

I used AI, just on a whim. AI offered to summarize my findings for me and made JB into 'Senator Racine!' He wasn't a senator... he was a Government Relations Manager. DON'T TRUST AI!

🎂 Jordan, at Queen's U, turned 18 on Tuesday. Apparently his extended family sent stuff! Parental unit, maternal grandparents, paternal grandparents, in both Canada and the US! 

What a hoot. Each box has a cookie with his name on it. 

Jordan posted the photo (above) and I tried to have a Facetime chat, but my hair dresser took me in early! We did Facetime last night, after I returned from my haircut, and after dinner. He's doing really well.  

Jordan and his friends group went to a friend's concert. They have lots of clubs at Queen's. There are more than 300 clubs, that have diversity and inclusion at their core.  The future is bright, with these young people. They don't make the news. 

One friend plays in the orchestra club. They played show tunes! Jordan is thriving! These young people, studying astrophysics, have many talents and skills.

I haven't heard much from Jesse, my second born. I texted him, and have proof of life! They have bought a new house in Vancouver and are preparing to move Dec. 20th! Cluny and Bryony are in a Vancouver Panto. Things are hopping. 

Crumbly Acres critters

💉 That was a day. Firstly, Joe had his quarterly Lupron injection. He buys it at the pharmacy and takes it to the nurse at our GPs office. Our government subsidizes the cost for seniors. Healthcare visits are free in Canada.

She pokes him in the intramuscular hip area. It hurt this time. It doesn't usually, he tells me. From there he bravely went shopping. We had to stock up for the storm.

Knowing there was a storm coming, the cats bought me flowers! 

The paperwhites had about 6 bulbs, but only one plant blossomed. 

It looks pretty in the dark. The camera gets triggered by snow. I'll have to shovel it later. 🚌 School busses are cancelled here and in Ottawa. 

I do enjoy birding. 

This beautiful starling has been around all winter. I love the markings. 

This is a photo from Feb. 23, 2003. In March we can expect some migratory birds to return, hopeful for spring.

Feb. 3, 2003

🇨🇦 Flag day in Canada is Feb. 15th, Saturday. All things considered, we're celebrating Canada. I put on my snowshoes to access the arbor. Two Canada flags designed by the late This beautiful flag was designed by the late Curtis "Mulidzas" Wilson (1980-2019), who lived in Campbell River, B.C. He died of a heart attack. 

Canadian flag sales are soaring with this Economic Terrorism from our neighbours. This is good, as people were turned off with the Truck Convoy. 

The Facebook ads are landing with a resounding thud. Many are cancelling plans to go south to the US. You'll notice they limited comments, knowing how we feel. 

Since I already had my snowshoes on, I checked on the bunny. I think Labbit is in another of Fred's burrows. She's moving around.

Most burrows have two entry/exits. The one hole looks open, but unused. 

I expect she'll be hunkered down, waiting for clover in the spring. 

Here is the main entrance, under the tree. The evidence is evident!

We have a good snow base. It protects flora and fauna. I wonder how deep it will get today?!

🦌I don't expect to see our cottontail, or any other mammals, other than Dratted Red Squirrels (DRS) today. OK, probably a deer or two! I haven't seen a male deer in weeks. Since rutting season. They hang our by gender.

Turkeys are trotting. I forgot about them. We still have four males hanging about.

It's birding season!

2024 Rideau Ferry Bird Count Dec. 14th

I've participated in our local bird count for several years! Dec. 14th, there were 35 people out in the field looking for birds. Also, 21 people (like myself) watching feeders. The final total was 51 birds species, and 7133 birds were spotted.

There aren't that many Northern Shrikes spotted. Keep this in mind!

The bird feeders attract all sorts of birds. Well, not all sorts, it attracts our winter birds! Many birds fly south, as the insects disappear under the snow, in the cold. 

The feeders attract predators, as well. Last month it was a hawk. This week, a Northern Shrike! They catch small birds and mice, and spear them on branches for later consumption. Cool little predators.

 The bird bath has not been used as a bird bath since the starling visited on Jan. 3rd. It came back.  Most of them seem to fly south. Except for this one!

In 2012, I snapped a photo of a juvenile starling! 

Originally, they were an invasive species:

•  All the European Starlings in NA descended from 100 birds released in New York's Central Park in the 1890s. 
• It was a group who wanted America to have all the birds that Shakespeare mentioned. (REALLY...?)
• An estimated 200 million European Starlings now range from Alaska to Mexico. 😱

It was bath time for our lone starling!

   

Feed the birds...

 It has been a tad chilly. Yesterday morning it was -35˚ C., this morning we're up to a balmy -12˚ C., and it is expected to go to 2˚! Above zero!

JB took a drive into town to fetch our renewed prescriptions, and to give the car a bit of a run. We have a garage, but at these temperatures, you are wise to run it somewhere.

What did I do? I thought about going for a walk down to the trailcams, but avoided the urge once I refilled feeders. Instead, bird watching has been fun through the front window. We have the usual visitors, like the cardinals. They are buddies with the American tree sparrows.  

The mourning doves get along with the sparrows, as well. 

I looked out, at one point, and saw some dark, speckled birds. Zooming in, I realize they were starlings. It is a tad chilly for them. Some years we have robins over winter, but not this year. Apparently we have starlings over winter some years, as well.

They hung out with the mourning doves in the sun, on the tree branches. The doves didn't really care.

The blue jays are bullies, and won't share at all! This one was all puffed up for insulation.

Blue Jay from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

feeder sharing from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I have to watch this, again! This was from 2016. Have the girls ever grown! They are young ladies, now.

 

Hot water & steam from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.