Scotties curling tournament in Moose Jaw 2015

Hubby has been watching the Tournament of Hearts. They use the Page playoff system. It requires a cheat sheet! It's a good hobby what with our endless snow and - 20 C. (-4 F.) temperatures. Also, hubby's back has been bad. He'll pause the play, and get up and do a chore, and then sit back down!

Rachel Homan, who has been Team Canada's skip for two years (winning the year's qualifying Scotties Tournament), was playing Saskatchewan. She just wasn't on her game. She is the fave around here, since she leads an Ottawa team. A petite young lady, only 25, she is calm and controlled, but fires that sucker like stink when she needs to!

Rachel Homan losing "could be the end of curling as we know it", says Vic Rauter, the 'Voice of Curling' in Canada. What a nut!

Teams come and go. Skips come and go. Truly, they are all fabulous, dropping the rock as if placed.  Our new Team Canada is led by Jennifer Jones, Team Manitoba. It is Jones' 5th Scotties title.  Next: Calgary, Feb. 28, 2015 Tim Hortons Brier.

With the win, the Jones team not only will go looking for Canada’s first world women’s championship since Jones prevailed in 2008 at Vernon, B.C., she also will play at the 2015 Home Hardware Canada Cup in Grande Prairie, the 2016 World Financial Group Continental Cup in Las Vegas and return to the 2016 Scotties in Grande Prairie as Team Canada. 

The other commentators aren't so sensational. The Saskatchewan fans HAVE been sensational. Saskatchewan was playing Team Canada. The Saskatchewan fans applaud a great play, no matter who makes it!

Hubby's notes

upcycle a ledger!

The statistics make for good math, especially for a retired accountant!

Then there are the other stories. The mascots are a hoot! Scottie Softy, of course. I saved up Kleenex coupons and sent in for a Scottie hand puppet. I have used it with my students, and now grandkids, for years.

Little Scottie!

The story was that this dude so loved the mascot he had them go to his wedding.

The bride is player Lisa Weagle.

Sady and her daddy adore their curling! This is a photo from 2008!
Sometimes we watch while working out!

Sady, JB in Bala

Camera on the timer!

Lovely walkies on a cold, cold day

 I had broken my axe on a big stump, and we'd gone to buy a new axe. I explained my difficulty, and they suggested I buy a maul instead. Somehow, we always get wood somewhat too large for the fireplace insert. The maul works wonders. It's part sledgehammer and part axe! It's not for chumps, weighing 8 lbs.

Somebody at my house needs to cut up some more kindling, as well!
 

I relaxed by going into the forest. The big, old pines are amazing.


 Another very cold day, Monday, but feeling cooped up I decided to amble down the driveway (100m) to fetch the post. Instead, remembering the deer carcass along the highway, I decided to go for a walk first. It was a brisk -20 C. or so, but I had on my long, down-filled yard duty coat, warm hoodie and mittens.

The hawk is way up in the furthest tree, beyond the pine. You really can't see it, but that's where it was. The carcass is under the snow (5"), with lots of coyote tracks going back and forth from the forest.

Red-tailed hawk by the side of the road

Redtailed hawk from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
I went for a walk along the highway. I knew there was a carcass, likely roadkill, along the way. As I walked, a hawk flew along beside me, and up into a tree. There was a lot of snowfall, about 5", on top of the carcass since I last saw it. The hawk flew off. There is a piece of deer hide up in the tree. It's the cycle of life!

Cats to the vet...with limited success

Dorah's first visit to the vet!
She can't do this in 2015!

The two carriers, intended for Queen Sady and Dame Dorah, were brought upstairs. Lady Annabelle saw them, and ran full-tilt boogie, losing traction on the hardwood floor, but made it to the basement. She didn't want to go back to the vet!

First up, Sady, who loathes being picked up and will fight it with tooth and claw. Literally.

Sady Attempt #1

I sat beside her, usually, if she is hungry, she will sidle up like a normal cat, if I use only one hand. Two hands means that there is a risk she'll be picked up, and she'll run away. She didn't bite, so to speak.
Next, after she kept eyeing me, eyeing JB, who was ready with the carrier, she was deeply suspicious.
I gave up.

Attempt #2

JB tried. She ended up sitting on a chair, beside hubby's chair. He sat there, doing a bit of paperwork. ("Don't mind me!") He tried to grab her and missed, getting just a part of her. He hung on for dear life. I approached with the towel, ready to wrap her. She hissed, snarled, used claw not tooth, and Lady Annabelle of Ashton ran over to help us! She went after Sady trying to defend us, I think. It was quite a moment. We are still using gentle breathing trying to calm down our blood pressure. (It's high in both of us!)

We couldn't find Dorah, but grabbed Lord Buster and Princess Daisy, in two carriers, and hustled into the vet, having washed our scratches and applied 2 or 3 bandaids each.
Lady Annabelle, who we just took in from an Ashton barn last month, has just been fixed and poked and didn't need a visit.

Lord Buster was not amused. Princess Daisy fought and pulled at the carrier door so much she drew some blood on her nose. Lady Annabelle went over to the carrier, trying to help her. (They are becoming friends!) Daze was determined to get out, especially after the chaos of a few minutes ago.
Dame Dorah high-tailed it to under the bed.

Buster, I think, still has worms. He had a treatment, a little pill. Dr. Sarah opened his mouth, said, "Look up, waaaayyy up, to see Rusty." (I had to ask the reference-Friendly Giant!)  His weight, important in cats, was 13 lbs., which is up a pound from last year. Not so bad.
His broken tooth is looking fine, and doesn't need to be removed.

Daisy's weight has gone from 6+ lbs. to 7+, she is fine in terms of weight. She does have a tooth (upper right) that is disintegrating, and it might need to be pulled. They can contract aspiration pneumonia, as Mitzi did, from bad teeth. I have to watch her eat and signs of distress. This may be a challenge.
Back home with the two.

Appointment #2

Dorah like the high ground - this 2014!

The next appointment was for 11:00 a.m., and Dorah was still under the bed. We were still in shock from the big attack.
I grabbed a broom, and gently scootched her out. She sat in the doorway, saw me coming for her, and tore down to the furnace room. Closing doors behind me, I was able to snatch her.

Dorah has a weight problem. She's gone from 13 lbs. to 14 lbs. 10 oz. Not good. Normally we just leave crunchies out over night. We're going to have to lift it and go to 3 meals a day, not munching.

Sady's nose is still blocking up with muccous. There is nothing to do for her. Dr. Sarah suggested we watch her resting breathing and take a count. (I.e., count her breaths for 15 sec, multiply by 4). It should be less than about 30/minute. That done, she is fine. She's sneezing her face off many times a day.

Buster wasn't co-operative, and was reluctant to put all four paws on the scale at the same time. Amy won that round, though!
Back home, Annabelle was willing to go into the carrier, despite not needing to go.
 

February has been brutal for traffic

Brutal driving in blowing snow

Blowing snow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Trip to Appleton, wicked blowing snow

February 18th

The Weather Network ‏@weathernetwork  27m27 minutes ago

Be prepared for a messy commute this AM east of GTA: http://oak.ctx.ly/r/2i08w 

February 17th on highway #

February 14th

CTV Toronto ‏@CTVToronto  35s35 seconds ago

Highway 400 partially reopens after 40-vehicle pile-up http://ow.ly/J3Zij 

MTO Traffic Cameras

Feb. 17th

Truck incident from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
On highway #7 just east of Innisville, Sunday afternoon, February 15th. Cold OPP and tow truck operators out in the terrible wind.

Friday Foto Fun #1977

#1977 from 2013 turtles

 Visit Gaelyn's beautiful Foto Friday Fun blog!

1977 from 2014  - Tussock moth eggs

Birding in Appleton, Ontario

I follow a great number of serious birders. I am not so serious, just lucky.

LUCK = preparation meets opportunity!

Hubby has been seriously into the curling tournament. He's got cheat sheets and matrices of who plays whom, the results, and it is a wonderful time for him to watch a game he has never played!
I took off for a nice, Sunday afternoon drive.
I love watching the Goldeneye dive, except it is bitterly cold. We've had -20 C. temperatures for a couple of weeks.




Love watching them in action!

Appleton ducks from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
I think I need to clean my lens!

The reason I went to Appleton is because we had a reporting of Bohemian waxwings there. This would be a good spot for them! No birds about, though! Sweet berries, though.

Saturday's #62