Back to school!

 Well, school began in our grandies part of the world, OCDSB, Friday, Sept. 18th. It was pretty late in September. The kids set the girls up in their dining room. 

Our girls are doing online schooling, Gr. 5 and 8. The kids took a month to create routines and best practices. Both adult are working from home. We have the girls for a week, and we'll see how it works out. We've added to the internet tower[New antenna in rural Ontario], upped our coverage, and will hope we can manage two Zoom events at the same time. If not, back they'll have to go. 😭

Saturday morning, they all arrived for an overnighter. We planned to figure out where the girls would work. Grampa isn't using his office, except for exercises. There was also the guest room.

Saturday, the kids arrived. 

We visited, they went walkies after they helped with some heavy chores. JL made dinner, spaghetti with garlic bread. Yum. They brought all the ingredients, as well! What a treat. 

Isabelle helped me set up the Christmas tree.

Tree climbing

Cat mushies

We were watching the PVR, JB had taped the horse race, when I felt something crawling. I yelled for someone to fetch some tape. All Caitlin could find was electrical tape, but it worked. There was a tick. My SIL checked the girls, and all was well. Whew!

More outdoor play on Sunday.

Isabelle was fixing up her costume, painting blood on her zombie shirt. They will wear them on Friday during school.

It was a lovely sleepover. We watched some old Border Security shows. Momma and Papa went home in the morning. We read, played in the trees again. Jos and I played two Skip-Bo games. She won both. 

During the weekend, we watched a young buck stroll up the driveway. It went down the path to the meadow, not choosing to show off where all could see him! Instead, he made selfies down in the forest.

young buck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Mill Pond Conservation Area

Friday afternoon drive, continued! Here is part 1. A wonderful 23 C. day. Today, there is snow in central Ontario. We've just rain.

As we came to a stop sign, I told JB to hang a right. It was a dead end, along Briton-Houghton Rd., AKA CR #38, and we circled back to the Mill Pond Conservation Area.

It's labelled as a 'canoe launch,' but we navigated the slippery hill, through the sand and into the water.

Lots of cottages along the way.

We saw this hill, and contemplated it. The roots were quite evident, and gave good footholds.

The other side of the hill was too slippery with leaves. Back we went.

Isn't that lovely?

It's sad that people would hurt the tree like this.

It's a neat spot, with many little brooks sending water into Mill Pond. 

Sumac

It hopped out of the way, a good-sized leopard frog.

It's a lovely spot, and we shall return sometime. It was a good hike.

Friday afternoon drive

  I did my chores: mulched the leaves, cleaned the fish tank, had my shower and got myself organized. JB suggested a drive. I said we couldn't. All my summer clothes were put away! It was a balmy 23 C.

We took Old Kingston Rd., and the traffic was awful. Big trucks, following us very closely. 

The route we took, Old Kingston Rd., connects Rideau Ferry to highway #15. All the little 'R' roads coming off this road, go down to cottages. Instead of following it to highway #15, we hung a right on CR 38, AKA Briton-Houghton Bay Rd. It didn't say it was dead end, but it was! 

We were being followed by a tricycle, which JB let pass! The speed limit is 60 km/hr, but no one seems to do that. 

No winter parking, apparently.

The homes aren't cheap, the ones on the water, especially! One at 24 R8 sells for $1,380,000! 

I think this is a fishing resort. Closed for the season, now.

For sale: $798,000 on Old Kingston Rd. There are 50 acres, and it is on the water.

The view from the Rideau Ferry bridge.

The osprey nest, done for the season, is sprouting greenery. The osprey have left. Last year, the nest was blown off by a storm. They had to being again.

I've always admired the maple trees lining the driveway.

Topiary! I love it.