Sunday Sketches

FINALLY, I was motivated to actually paint! First, I sketched out a plan on the canvas, then I sat on the back deck to do some painting. I sat down with it, again, when the first layer was dry. Finally, I added some detail with markers.

 It's a poor photo, with the videocamera, but you get the drift! It was relaxing, and used a different part of my brain.

SUNDAY SKETCHES

 

Canada geese

It's that time of year: the goslings are fighting for survival. The parents are vigilant. These are archival photos, from when we lived in Bala, Muskoka, on the lake. I just had a hankering to see some of them again.

Our favourites were Eddie and Eva, they were amazing parents. 

  

FINALLY, the videos

The fox who treed Daisy!


Solicitation call
Momma owl from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It's been a busy few days

Daisy had 9 tick nymphs on her in the morning.  You can see the difference in size between the adults and the nymphs. All were removed with tweezers. I plunk Daisy on a towel, hubby holds the jar. Easy peasey.

I'm growing sprouts in my new system. It was a fundraiser from Vesey's, at the kids' school, and a Mother's Day gift from Caitlin. I love sprouts on sandwiches, which is what I usually have for breakfast!

By the evening we were at 95.9%!

In the morning, I woke at 5:30, I went out to see if the owl chick had branched. Momma was using her solicitation call. No chicks in sight. I've followed this nesting site for two years, now.


I'm having trouble uploading the video. I have video of Daisy being treed by a fox, as well as the owl momma. We have limits on our bandwidth and it slows me down when I'm doing my stuff. Also, we were close to our maximum  last night, in the monthly billing. Rural internet!

Meantime, on the road

The road is still being paved. It's a long, noisy day from 6:30 a.m. when they rev up, 'beep-beep-beep' as they back up, and park, and line up. Recent photos: Lanark County Construction 2017. The noise grates on me. To add to this, it's OPP Recertification training day. In the back 500.

Phoebe is still on the nest!

Our DVD Player

We're still working on getting a $90 replacement DVD player under warranty. You can read updates...LG Customer Relations are horrible. Worse customer service than Bell, and that takes a lot of effort. We're after The Source (formerly known as Radio Shack) now. We shall see.

Osprey

On our way into Ottawa, I spotted an osprey. It was about to rain, momma was on the nest, poppa in the tree. Hubby happily turned around for me!

The funeral

We left on our way into the city for a funeral at 10:30, early lunch at Swan on the Rideau. It was a very well attended funeral. He was a favourite teacher, and was well-loved. He taught music to all three of my kids. The church was FULL (about 450 people), with standing room only. I took a photo of the inside of the church to show my son. This was prior to the service. They spent many an hour with 'Sir', as they called him. Staff sat us in the overflow (about 150), in the basement, with a screen showing the sanctuary. It was beautiful. We didn't get home until 4:00. One of the great things Sir did, was the Manotick Arts Camp, they did a flashmob in 2011.



Also, I accidentally posted my series on the Almonte Hydro Dam. What the heck.

Flycatcher, mallards, barred owl

More birds. This was a Great Crested Flycatcher I found in the forest. When I went back to the house, there was one on the branch out the front window!


 

The insect-eating birds are back. I've spotted red-eyed vireo, scarlet tanager, as well as American redstart (witchety-witchety-witchety)! These are file photos, as our trees don't have this many leaves, yet. The bugs are merciless, as well. Mosquitoes and blackflies.

There are about 4 male mallards hanging about on the frog pond, while momma wood duck sits on the nest.


In the meantime, I was on the back deck, doing some painting. I first heard a chick complain, then I heard the female 'solicitation call.' It's just a communication technique they use. I find to uses it to reassure her chicks. I haven't seen the male at all. I'm so disappointed.

Can you see her?!
She had an itch, then hesitated to see if she spied something or not. Then, back to itching.
She's been on the branch, just outside the nest when I was out at 5:45 this morning, calling to the chicks to, 'For pete's sake leave the nest!' I think...


In the front yard, Maggie Magnolia just bloomed! FINALLY!