Alrighty, now we've got fruit flies!

Our composter

Yes, I mistakenly left the lid of the composter container askew. It's a lovely pot, created by a Muskoka artistan. It's easy to fill and empty, but you do have to ensure that the lid in on straight, or those dratted fruit flies take full advantage of
them!

Obviously, there were a million fruit flies, as I took the composter out from under the shelf. They flew up in a mass, ticked off that I'd disturbed them.


It was early November, and it was chilly, with temperatures fluxuating above and below zero. I figured they'd be taken care of outside. Outside it went, until I could deal with it.

I cleaned the pot, after emptying it in the outdoor composter. Then, what to do with the kazillion fruit flies in the house? They were everywhere! Bathroom, on the mirror (admiring themselves?), and the cats were no help.

Firstly, I covered the bananas with a tea towel. Then I realized just how many there were! It was the beginning of the month, and we regularly clean out out kettle and coffee drip with vinegar. When the kettle was lifted, they all flew up. They like vinegar! Aha, an innocuous bait for a trap. I searched and searched for the wasp trap. This works when the bugs fly up and in, but cannot figure out how to go down and back out. It was no where to be found.
Plan B: the fly catcher strips. They worked. VERY well! I placed it beside the bread box, and we captured most of the flies.

Fly paper, bread box

Can you see them all?!

I'd found the wasp trap when putting out garbage,
 since I'd found some more flies.
We'll see if this works!

Daisy and I went skating on the frog pond!

It's one of those iconic rural stories, skating on the pond.

Now, my skates are really rusty, but I thought I'd try it. I spotted the turkeys in the back yard, and thought it would be good to get outdoors.

What the heck. Thing is, the flat frog pond wasn't so flat after a night of cold, cold temperatures. There are lots of deer tracks in the forest, and a wolf ambled by, too.

Not much blood, a few drops
- dunno where from.

I found deer tracks every where. Including a spot of blood on the snow in our backyard, on the Honourary Rick Wilson Grassy Knoll. Rather ironic. A potential kill, not quite killed.
The dratted turkeys had been walking across the pond. The deer, as well.

I pulled on my old skates and tried to skate. My feet hurt, but the cold, fresh air was bracing. It was terrible skating, though. Very bumpy.

Daisy is such a great moral support! Buster was sleeping. She thought she'd take a walk on the wild side!

She checked the perimeter of the pond for me!

The pond seems frozen over!
A critter breathing hole?!

But the wetland is NOT frozen. Beware those who travel on it.

I should have gotten a soaker,
but I was quick!

Time to go, Daisy. My feet hurt!
She lags behind (bottom, center), eager to explore.
She's a weird little girl! Follows me like a dog.

She hunkers down in my tracks,
then runs on ahead!
It's all a game.

Back up at the house, I was trying to adjust the tree lights. I'd done a really bad job, but then the winds blew over the star. Guess who was my helper?!

Up there, Mummy?

She's a cutie!

Linking to:
Our World Tuesday

Daisy on frozen pond (video)

Daisy whacks the heron from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Daisy and I thought we'd go skating. I'd forgotten to take the heron out of the pond. She kind of lists, as it is. Good old Daisers gave her a whack and she bounced in consternation.

Cat walkies in the forest in the snow

Snow flying around, he carries on

What a trio they are! First up is Daisy. She usually sticks closer to me than the others. Lastly, Buster bringing up the rear, snow flying off of padded paws. Dorah is less enthusiastic, in the middle. In the 2nd photo you can see how Daisy kicked up the snow. They all hop from my boot print to the next boot print. I should have worn my snowshoes, as they prefer a tamped down track in the winter. I spotted a mouse or chipmunk hole, cleared out, but no tracks leading to or fro. Even the chippies are hunkering down.

Finally, Daisy and I ended up skating on the frog pond. I really should get my skates sharpened. It looks quite flat. Buster and Dorah were too far behind, and by the time we'd had enough they met us along the trail. I tried to capture Daisy's little quick step: one step forward, shake that back paw, another step forward. It was cold, but they insisted on coming along!

I love Buster's brown highlights as he sits watching his sisters in the forest. He look black, but in the sunshine, he glistens with an under coat colour of almost chocolate.

Daisy had to stop and check out the large tree with the knot in it. Then Dorah ran along to path to catch up with me, leaving Daisy in the middle. Dorah's shadows are lovely in the afternoon's setting sun. The sun, about to set, provides lovely shadows, and a certain sense of the end of the day.

Didn't I do a good job on the 100m driveway? The snow melted it off nicely. It would almost have made the gold standard our former neighbour, Mary, used to manage. Their place, in the south-facing sun, looked as if they'd taken a blow dryer to it. I loved Mary and Raymond. Mary passed away after we moved away.

Our quartet made it back to the driveway. Daisy bopping up, leaping like a deer across the snowy path. Buster and Dorah came up through the forest, taking a short cut. Buster surprised Dorah, as she did a little "I'm a fierce cat!" dance, with raised hackles. What a girl!

Dorah and Buster playing in the snow (video)

Cat walkies in the snow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Off we went, into the forest for walkies. With 20 cm (8") of snow, Daisy was a trooper and kept up with me. Buster didn't like the whole deal, but had to come along. Dorah was somewhere in the middle, lagging behind with big brother. It was about -10 C. in the morning, up to -5 in the afternoon, but with the sun going down, it was a damp kind of cold!
Buster jumped on Dorah's head, just for fun! What a boy! She gives as good as she gets.

Deer kill in the forest: a crossbow

This is where she jumped the fence,
to cross the highway,
with an arrow in her side.
Blood dripping all along the path.

Yes, "Rideau Ferry", the neighbours hunt successfully. They shot one with a crossbow. She wandered all night in pain, with an arrow in her side. It seems inhumane to me. He told he he felt badly, and I can believe it, but I'd rather it was a quick kill if he needs to hunt. They shoot there all the time.

The deer tracks wandered across our property, then crossed the road. There was blood dripping with each step. It got heavier and heavier as she approached the end of her life. It breaks my heart to see this. I understand that it is a sport, but I'd don't understand the sport. Their hunting camp is visited by friends and family. I'm glad we had the property marked so that they knew where their ended and ours begins. Their main camp site is situated on the neighbour's corner of their 600 acres of land, though. I'm sure they aren't aware of this.

He came and told us to ask permission to cross our property to look for the body. It had crossed the highway, after wandering all night. Hubby wanted to check it out to make sure it wasn't our buddy "Tigger." We've watched Tigger grow up for three years. There is one yearling missing its mum. S/he is hanging out with the herd, for now.

The drivers have harvested several deer on the highway. One OPP officer had to shoot one to put it out of its misery. Someone driving by took the body home before it deteriorated, she helped him load it into his vehicle. At least it went to someone's use. Although, the coyotes and the wolf like them, too.

She finally succumbed

The tracks lead all through the forest

Blood drops everywhere she walked

He did track her, to ensure she was dead,
and to recover his arrow.

I cannot imagine bleeding to death

This was in our backyard
for some reason.