Book Review: The Lady With Balls

This woman is a pistol! She began a business back in the 70s, when women were still fighting for acceptance in the workplace. She went all out and became an entrepreneur.

I really admire her. In a male-dominated business world, she fought hard and long and smart.

After a period of time on food stamps, as a newly divorced mom, she created a business, Vulcan Wire, selling bailing wire.
Seriously!

Now, you may wonder how interesting such a memoire could be, but she really has balls! Guts and determination. I couldn't believe what she did, and how she made it through these awful glass ceilings in this male world.

I ran out of library books, and I was quite eager to finish. It's a great read!

Vulcan Wire: Baling Wire Supplier & Strapping Products

www.ladywithballs.com

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@Barrie Summy

World Wetlands Day!

Yep. It was. In winter. When it is dark, and cold and monochromatic.

First, through the forest to the wetland. The pileated woodpecker has been busy. I saw him again. He's been in this part of the forest a lot. I love the trees. If I had a more artistic eye, I could create a beautiful photo. With the cataracts, I haven't a chance.



This (below) requires some sleuthing.



Staring out the kitchen window at them, I recalled my post from Feb., 2015: they were sleeping in a huddle.

Below is the wetland, in the background, the highway.



Fungus!



I went snowshoeing, finally, in honour of World Wetland Day on Sunday. It's quite frozen over.

World wetland Day from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I'm going to have to take down this dead tree trunk. It rather defeats the purpose of the critter baffle, keeping the predators out of the wood duck box! I have a couple of months to remember to take my axe and reciprocal saw down there. I wonder when I will remember to take it down?!



Home sweet home



I looked down and wondered what it was. It sort of looked icky. I know the bears are asleep.



My lost mitten!

Barter Board

I like this part of Facebook. I've done several 'for free' or bartered items.

One woman was looking for princess and insect fabric. I had some insect fabric leftover from these dresses. They don't do princesses anymore! Jos doesn't do dresses much, either.

I asked, and Heather Lee was going to make card holders for her kids for card games. She picked it up Saturday, Feb. 1st, and seemed quite pleased with it!

I sewed them dresses in 2015

Orchid cactus

The next barter, I've pruned the orchid cactus.
It was a gift from Nancey in Muskoka. I have given cuttings to my client's caregiver, she's rooted it. She has a major green thumb.

It has grown some. Here it was a few years ago, and then yesterday.

Here are the cuttings... I've 4 new owners lined up.


It has such massive blossoms.

It's a busy forest!

I finally wore snowshoes down to get the trailcam memory cards. It was awful walking, even so. We had snow overnight.

I've set the thumbnail to the best image, although I know JB watches every one. You can hear the poor critters on the snow. The coyote and fisher are light enough to stay on top of the snow.

Jan. 29 

Jan. 30 

fox & fisher jan 30 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

doe a deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Jan. 31 

The turkeys are showing mating behaviours. It seems early.

Out the kitchen window! That's where hubby eats his breakfast, to watch them.

buck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

coyote from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I was on Twitter, and someone else, who posts fine trailcam videos, showed this.

Here's a very sleepy fisher on the vet exam table. Did you know that fishers have 3 blazes, in individually unique patterns? #Carnivores pic.twitter.com/A0TRX8W9o9

— Jason Ransom (@wildequids) January 22, 2020

Mine spend so much time mushing the boxes, laying down scent, that you would never see it!
The fisher marked the spot. I was quite eager to see if I had him on the trailcam. He keeps marking the spot where the box still sits under the snow.

fox and fisher from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Feb. 1st 

deer 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

🐱Kitten report Tuesday antics 🐯

Annabelle cat, AKA Queen B,  is being boarded, but Feb. 3rd she is going to a new home for a trial period. We'll hope she behaves. Everyone is breathing more deeply. JB is still coughing as he breathes, but he is breathing! We are trying to be kind to all the rest of us.

Tuesday morning

The kittens are doing rather well. They are relaxing. Funny story. JB went out to the library in the morning. I looked and looked for Nutmeggie, and couldn't find her. I vacuumed in the bedroom, hoping she was under the bed, but she didn't come out.

I arrived home after 16:00 hours, and asked about Meggie. JB says she turned up around 13:00 hours, on the back porch. OUTSIDE! We assume she went out when one of us were on the back deck. What a hoot. They usually sleep late morning, after breakfast and a playtime. (See below!) She must have found a spot to sleep all that time.

Having left and returned, I spent my 3 hours with my respite client (13:00 – 16:00 hours). I've loaned her my large clock from the auction, which looks rather nice on her wall! She was concerned about the time. I don't wear a watch, so it helps me, too. Both clocks were a total of $5, plus 10% buyer's tax and 13% HST. It's still a deal!

Wednesday morning playtime

The red squirrel figured it out.

This is the prime location, where sleeping and bird and squirrel watching occurs.  It's cozy on top of my gramma's handmade quilt. She didn't have a sewing machine.

Meggie doesn't like having her photo taken.



No, young lady, it's -10 C. and you are NOT going out!



Cinnamon has a fondness for 'snake,' dragging it in and out of the room three times. Snake is a metre of fake fur, attached to a plastic stick, with some feathers on the end. This is the 2nd time he did this. I picked up the camera.



The 3rd time I grabbed the videocamera.



Clip0 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

For more critters: 

Saturday's Critters #320

Paint Party Friday!

I finally did one!

I was in clean-up mode, too. I Marie Kondo'd three shelves in the foyer closet. Approximations of the behaviour. I had a helper.



OK, it's far less the diva recommends, which scarf I wear depends upon the season, the weather, and what else I am wearing. That's the thing, I have the space. Bungalow life is interesting. We downsized quite a bit. Our Ottawa home was a split level, sort of two stories.
JB already did the cold storage room!

Next, we are going to work on the car. I'm thinking we should wait until it is a bit warmer...

Forest friends: foxes, coyotes, deer

Things are hopping around the house, and IN the house! We're still coughing, but it will pass. Our defenses are down, as we make our way through this emotional feline situation. I get to grandie sit for two days in Ottawa next week, as the teachers continue to fight for a fair wage increase and to lower class sizes.

It's a tad chilly, though. I don't mind. It's the horrid forest conditions that phase me. That said, I'm grateful to be in Canada. I love the change in seasons.

This horrid nCoV virus is having a huge impact. Canada has 3 cases, but we are prepared after SARS. That was JB's portfolio, back when he was working. He's really glad to be retired.  This corona virus is far less communicable than SARS.  That's called the R0 (R–zero) factor.
What totally ridiculous are the horrid racist comments people are making. It's just like AIDS. Bias, ignorance, and outright stupidity flying around cyberspace by dumb trolls. I am so sorry for anyone Asian. Canada is finally preparing a plane to retrieve our citizens. Some are hunkering down. A family they interviewed said they made it through SARS in Huwan, they will make it through this. It's the poor and sick that move me. They are helpless.

My paperwhites seem to have a bud forming. I'm quite pleased. One is better than none. Stay tuned!

The kittens are doing well. We had a doe visit the bird feeder, Cinnamon was quite excited about it. You can hear him as I filmed this from the front window!

Clip0 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

After about a week of very few critters captured on the trailcam, it was a busy forest.
There were markings in the snow. I was hopeful on the way down. It was horrid walking, with a thick layer of frozen snow after freeze and thaws. Poopies and deer fur!

We had a pair of playful red-tailed foxes! They are quite playful and affectionate. It was fun to see.

red-tailed foxes from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

S/he was around for quite a time.

coyote 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

coyote 2
coyote 2 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I think the coyotes caused the turkeys to fly up into the trees, again.

coyote 3 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

turkeys and deer
turkeys and deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.