We had an adventure! Part 1

I am finally feeling a bit more like myself. I'm still having the odd pangs when I see a Daisy May photo in my archives. It really shook me for many complicated emotional reasons, betrayal, why she couldn't get along with her siblings. Knowing someone (JB's cousin) who knows her new mom helped. Everytime I pick up my laptop, I see where I had to repair the cord she liked to remove!  [A funny story about Sugru] It's a magnet, and she knew how to take it off.  The pain and grief lessen.

I just wanted to cocoon for a long time. I suggested an adventure on Friday, March 1st. A sunny day, it was lovely. I've been visiting my client twice weekly, and racking my brain to entertain her, and get her lifted up with funny self-deprecating stories. It's a tough slog some days. I've been resorting to reading the sales flyers, and talking about items on sale. We can't discuss news, for three hours, as I'm looking for uplifting topics. She knew I was troubled with Daisy May. She's been happier that I'm better. It's easy, when you're stuck in the house, to horriblize. My mom worried like this, anticipating the worst outcomes.

I bought my client this window feeder, but she doesn't have many birds now. Anyone have suggestions? This is where she sits and looks out the window. I hope that her bird situation changes in spring. Perhaps we just have to be patient. I spotted a blue jay there, once. This was prior to the snowfall.

I suggested we go to Westport for lunch. Off we went.



Cold work, outdoors!

Now, those are chains on the tires! I had JB turn around in order to grab a drive-by photo.


First stop: we headed for Narrows Lock, to check for birds.

Soon, the summer markets will open.


We've never popped in here, it's a perfect studio for an artist. Our walls are full. What can I do?!


There are many open fields, but in many places you can see the critters tracks, if you looks closely.

Yes, I have to get my camera cleaned. <sigh>


Lots of Ontario farms and barns.


Interesting decor! This photo was through the left side back passenger window. Not bad for a drive-by shooting.

Next stop: the swans at the locks!

Repairing the bird feeder

It has had its issues, but the bird feeder has survived weather, winds, and Junior bear! I reshingled it a few years ago.

2017

Bear bent the galvanized piping. There was nothing in the feeder in spring, as I knew better with bear coming around in his regular May search for new territory.


The mourning doves love this feeder.


I took the feeder down after the top section fell off. Aug. 1st:  A WASP story! Yes, bitten by a wasp. The August wind that liberated some shingles just flipped the feeder. It's just the nails that rusted, a bit of a flaw! Next, I hauled it over to fix it.


I cannot lift it all by myself. I took it away in two parts, then screwed it back together. It only had nails, and they have rusted. I really don't know how old it is (15 - 30 years?), but it has held up well, otherwise. I used some galvanized brackets. Here it is upside down on the wagon, under the shade of the trees, where I repaired it in the rain.

I prepared it beforehand. Removing the wind ornament for winter, I'll find another home for them in summer. Reinserting the frame base into the metal sheaths in the ground, it is quite crooked. 

I found a wee garter snake under the stone that was keeping it a bit more horizontal. Susie Snake was placed in some shelter, where it could find another stone. This was a really cold, single-digit day! Susie was a tad cold, too.

Traditional in cottage country: the kids help us put things away for winter. We put two chairs and the coffee table in the shed. 

 I had feline supervisors, too. This is from the trailcam!

The kids came for Thanksgiving. Young backs, you know. Grampa took photos from the back deck!

Voila! It's still crooked, and I need some more shingles to repair it, but the mourning doves love it. The birds returned that day.


Speaking of bird feeders... my respite client sits and gazes out the window at the birds who alight in the trees. After sitting there with her twice a week for 3 hours each, now in my third year, I had a thought. I took over a feeder to lend her, just to see if she liked the idea. She did!

Then, I looked and looked online, until I found one that had suction cups. The glass one (mine, above) is attached using a piece from a GPS dashboard system.

Google knew what I was looking for! I've been getting these ads all over! I will take it over to her today, and bring mine home.