Fires and fire bans

We're down precipitation by 25 - 50%, depending where you are in southern Ontario. I know this is not a new tale for many countries. I try to prepare for it. 

The was a fire on the nearby lake, lit by renters setting off fireworks. Finally, our township has a partial, Level 2, fire ban. Not enough, to my mind.  One can still make small fires. No higher than 30". Seriously. 

The smoke from Canadian wildfires has been awful. You can see the unusual colour of the sunrise. 

I remember being in Muskoka, on the lake, and renters would set off fireworks for 2 weeks every night. 

The other problem was bonfires. July, 2010, Bala, there was a fire ban, but I snapped a photo of this bonfire in Bala Bay. The property owner asked me to remove the photo from my blogpost. He knew he'd been stupid. 

Then, on our little lake, loud parties with 6' bonfires. They'd drive around in the wee hours, drunk, on their ATVs on our little road. 

I had an interesting read the other day: "Short term renters are messing up cottage country"

After reading that, we really believe that if you cannot afford a $6000/month mortgage, maybe it's a risk you shouldn't take. One guy charges $1500 PER NIGHT, for a cottage that sleeps 16. What else will people do but party? 

"In Simcoe County, Muskoka, Kawartha Lakes and beyond, town councils, residents and hosts are clashing over how to regulate short-term rentals and how to enforce the rules."

These are guests who don't understand septic systems, do not respect the water, and people who don't respect neighbours.  

Short term renters

 

The deer don't like the traffic noise. We've a doe who wanders around munching. You can see her running, as a loud vehicle motors on by.

  

Living in a town established in 1816, the roads were created in the horse and buggy era. Trucks have to cross the line.

I got the zoomies: On the lawn tractor!

 

  e-scooters in town, they scare me. Zipping in and out of traffic. It is nerve wracking, to say the least, for drivers.

 

Saturday's Critters

The preparation for the meeting wore me out (see yesterday's post). I relaxed Friday by watching the Public Hearings on the federal government's  actions during the occupation of Ottawa. Seriously! I haven't been in a room packed with people in years, but it had to be done. 

The trailcams are getting busy. I'm down to two working ones. The penultimate one was a dud. I bought it from Cabela's, and it doesn't get good reviews. I returned the first one, it worked for awhile, then it konked out. I didn't have the energy to focus and should have been on top of it. I even reviewed it! Don't buy one. The electronics seem a tad complicated, although it seemed a good idea at the time. 

SPYPOINT® SOLAR-DARK

This video camera is really poor quality. You win, you lose. I am discouraged with the quality of some I've had over the years. It is still joyful seeing the critters in motion. 

Browning® Dark Ops

 

fisher from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch is getting fatter to tide her over the winter. They don't truly hibernate, but do sleep in depths of the cold, cold winter. Food is scarce. 

 

Butch from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I haven't seen a skunk in ages!

 

skunk from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

  
The fawn did a little bit of crazy weird! I don't know if it is hormones or just sensing the changes in season. Tigger used to bop around like that. He was a character.

 

fawn part 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

He kept on going!

 

Fawn part 2 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Thanks to Eileen for hosting:

Saturday's Critters # 461