Deer shed hunt

 I haven't been lucky since 2015. I wasn't confident. I am grateful for 2015, when a crew of 5 bucks left me antlers. The largest weighs 457 grams. Isabelle said that it must be like a loose tooth, since they shake off, as if it is irritating them.

Richard skips by the trailcam.

Richard Deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

His antlers are most beautiful.

Richard deer Jan 14 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

With great excitement, JB noticed that Richard Deer didn't have his antlers Tuesday morning, Jan. 24th. With a storm on the way (20 cm?), I knew I had limited time to find it.

With his antlers gone, the way we can tell it is him by his behaviour (bossy), and the scar of his hurt shoulder, which seems to have healed somewhat.

With a storm coming Wednesday, I knew I'd best get out and get going. 

I followed the deer tracks along the edge of the wetland. You can see it has melted at the edges. Not a good sign.

I found lots of places where the critters sheltered under snow-laden branches.

Circling around the shoreline, I approached the point. Can you see Clover, the doe (below, left)? They are greatly camouflaged in the forest. She is the dark spot, sitting in her deer bed. She and her fawn bedded there. I like finding deer beds, and tracking the critters. 

Ofttimes they dig the beds out some, you can see where their hind legs create an impression in the snow.

It's pretty wet on the wetland, as you can see. They sink into the slush.

Here, the coyotes scraped away the moss for some reason. Their tracks are everywhere.

In years past I'd be walking out here on our property. It just isn't frozen enough for safe passage. We get a break on our property taxes for keeping the wetland property as is, since it is provincially significant wetland, and for lot #3 we pay about $100 in taxes. It is such a beautiful habitat, how could we not protect it?

I kept on following the deer paths, looking for fresh ones from today. The deer tracks lead me here. I had to go around, as the branches blocked me. The deer just slip under and I have to be careful. Hooray for bright orange fungus, a wee spot of colour.

Finally, some evidence of blood. I found nothing else in an hour and a half. It came from a track that leads across the wetland to our island. There is no way I can trust the deer path. I led hubby astray in the spring one year, March, 2012! We both had soakers. The wetland isn't that deep, but who needs a soaker?! Last week, a 69-year-old drowned snowmobiling on Six Mile Lake near Georgian Bay. 

I kept going, and found nothing more. Clover and her fawn were the most excitement for the 90-minute trek. 

Home again, Cinnamon's tracks!

Twas good exercise!

showshoeing from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I haven't gone snowshoeing in awhile. The wetland is too wet. The deer paths are lovely to follow. My massage therapist posted an opening due to a cancellation, and I took advantage. 

I rested that night. I really enjoyed the 3-part Stonehouse series that evening. It is based on a true story, and we were first horrified at the plot, but laughed and laughed. I was pretty sore, and not from laughing. The Brits sure can put on a show!

I have some shoveling to do today. I'll need some coffee, a hearty breakfast, and my snowblower! And it is still snowing. 

Ms Fixit & coyote

A large storm is on its way. I have to remember to go get snowblower gas. They suggest we'll get 15 cm. 

 The mourning dove took advantage of the snow, landing on the feeder cover. The squirrel is happy for the scattered seeds.

By the time I finished the driveway Monday, the sun came out briefly, only to cloud over again.

What is the weight of a snowflake? A lot of them broke the tray feeder cover. I had to fix the cover, held in place by two hooks that screw together. The plastic sleeve that holds the piece inside cracked. I came up with a solution. Screwing a hole in the tin lid, it holds it back in place. The mourning doves loves this tray feeder.

It was lovely seeing the blue sky and the sun. It was wet when the snow fell, and it sticks to everything.

Since JB's sore arm precludes using the snowblower, he picks up the slack indoors. Can you see him, doing dishes?! We are a good team.

While I put the garbage out, I noticed tracks on the driveway. It was a coyote. Their tracks are 8 cm. These are good, healthy coyotes. They avoid people in the daytime.

At the trailcam, I found out the direction from whence the coyotes had came. Lots of coyotes skirt around the camera trap. 

First they come across the wetland towards the frogpond. A very clear track.

Then, just below the camera... 

The deer cross the pond. I think it is pretty solid, except there was slush on top. Our temperatures have been iffy. Coyote circled across and around towards the highway. 

I love how he posed at the end!

coyote from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

They are fascinating creatures in the wild. This was Jan. 13th, before the snow. Watch as they roar towards the camera! It was way too cold to reset the time after changing batteries.

coyotes from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

BTW Richard Deer lost his antlers. I went out snowshoeing for 90 minutes Tuesday to search for them. That is a story for another day. 

Indoor plays vs. outdoor play

Indoor play

The second 🥀amaryllis bulb is in flower. I couldn't pick just one photo. They were begun in December. Which do photo you prefer?! My clever photography peeps could make it perfect. I read up on it, and snipped the dead flowers off of the other bulb, and popped it in the fridge. It's supposed to be there 8 - 12 weeks. I wrote it on the calendar!

The polar bear has been outside for the holiday season, beginning in November. 🧸Snuggle bears welcomed him back in. They've been hibernating, but decided to see what was what.

Outdoor play

More snow. I'd put out the garbage, and realized that the slush at the end of the driveway could pile up, freeze, and be a mess. Later Monday I was out bright and early to do the driveway. We had 5 cm, and it wasn't much, but if it warmed up we'd have a nice skating rink as it cooled overnight. 

Down I went. Just after I snapped this photo, a driver in a compact red car slowed down. I should have been suspicious, they scream by at great speeds. I kept on going, however, made it to the end of the driveway, and saw that the person in the red car had stopped and was coming out of the driveway up the street. I know neighbours have had issues with people dumping their garbage here. I'll bet that is what happened. 

I kept on going!

I threw down a turkey carcass for the critters. The crows had a ball:

crows from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've a trio of young 'uns. I think triplets. One has lost one antler, the others have not! It's just a matter of time.

young bucks from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I often feature Richard Deer, but we need to watch for doe, a deer, as well! 

sleepy doe from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

TV shows, critters, grandies

The days have been a tad chilly.  In the evenings we snuggle in. Clever people go out at night and photograph the moon, but I'd rather not!  Sunday morning it was spitting rain. Sunday night, several cm snow. I have to go out soon, shovel the walk and take the garbage down the driveway. 

📺 Karen Pirie is a 3-part series we watched last week. It is a heart-warming and excellent story about a cold case (2022). It is a good tale.

The show is written based on the novel The Distant Echo of the Inspector Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid.^[1] [2]

📺  We found The Long Call, a 4-episode British series (2021). There are rumours of a season 2, as well.

The Long Call is a British crime drama television series developed by Kelly Jones and Silverprint Pictures based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Ann Cleeves. Set in Devon.

The critters have been busy. Primarily in the dark of the night. 

I set up the trailcam to capture mice friends. Every morning the cats go out on the deck to check them out. Then they come in for breakfast.

cats on deck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

One black squirrel, tree sparrows, a red squirrel. I figured out if I put the trailcam on the deck, I could film some friends. I did!

front deck action from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It is the Year of the Rabbit, and I am doing my part. 

Poor thing, in the snow. She saw me and froze. Figured out I wasn't a threat. You can see her chewing on a lilac branch. Hubby headed out for errands, and she fled to under the tree. They are crepuscular, appearing dusk and dawn, although she is getting out earlier in the evening and staying out later in the morning. Jan. 19.

Labbit from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I spotted a hawk in a tree off the driveway. See it? No, you cannot. I went outside to film it and it disappeared. 

Then it landed on Labbit's lilac tree. I was so excited!

kestrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The hawks like the bird feeder. We've had a sharp-shinned hawk, as well. These are from 2015.

I like to multitask, and while we were watching taped tennis games, I sorted through the camera footage. It is our barred owl! She is looking for mice friends under the bird feeders.

midnight owl from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Finally, I leave you with our grandies. The first photo, below, was from a week ago when we celebrated Christmas.

Where does the time go?! They are gr. 7 & 10 now. They both had haircuts! They've had long hair for years, but they are changing it up.

This stool we had made when Josephine was small, 2009. 'Two-cut Kent' made it for us in Bala. She still fits! 

Josephine's haircut is called a Wolf Cut!