Grandie tales

Ontario is easing up on COVID–19 restrictions. We into Stage 2, with bubble of 10 people. This is good.

The kids are here for the week, and alternate weeks for the summer.  They were here during the first lockdown, and we've kept this up. It's our family bubble. The adult kids have been very careful, both working from home. It really is comforting having them here. It distracts us. We are both a bit shaky with it all, as I'm sure everyone is. 

I was rubbing my eyes. Josephine asked, "Are you alright, Gramma?"

"Yes, thank you, Jos. They itch with the excess tears from the cataracts. "

"Poor Gramma," said Isabelle, "I really wish the hospitals would open up so you could have your surgery!" Isn't she a sweetie?!

"Me, too, Izzy!"

"They're focusing on COVID right now, " supplied Jos. (Good pun!)

We've been having good meals. I love Izzy's iPad screensaver! 

We have to get schoolwork done, although it is slowing down as teachers are writing report cards, while juggling school work, and their kids at home!

I asked Izzy if she missed her friends. I said, "It's not the same being with us."

"Gramma and Grampa you're not the same, but still awesome!"

I asked Isabelle if she wanted to play Uno! She asked, "What's that?" 

"The card game, YOU KNOW."

"Oh, Uno! Gramma, it's not You Know, it's like the Spanish word for One!"

 We laughed so hard we cried. Her French is excellent. Getting my pronunciation corrected in yet another language!

We looked through family photos. The white one is the kids wedding album. They celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary last month. The other album are baby photos. Wee cooed at those. Cute little babies.

Both were working on their computers. Jos has a nice chart her teachers made to cover the week. 

     From Izzy, "I really feel as if I don't do enough work!" (She's in gr. 4.)

     Jos said, "Maybe you don't have enough work to do!" (She's gr. 7.)

We are fortunate to have extra computers. What we don't have is a good enough of a high speed network. Home schooling in a time of COVID–19 isn't easy in rural Ontario. One kid was trying to download a PDF file, the other a Zoom, and Math lesson. We're pretty lucky. Lots of kids have connection issues, some forget to set an alarm for an 11 a.m. meeting, issues with audio. SIGH.

Sleepies in the basement.

Nutmeg brought the chipmunks home twice yesterday, then she took them down in the yard. This time, she brought home a garter snake. Josephine loves them. The girls asked where Jos should release it, and I pointed her to the back 40. 

Then, on the front porch. A dock spider.  I bet it is the one I released. It didn't go far.

And on the back deck. A Notable Sawyer.

The mason bee house seem to actually have bees. I've mostly had wasps in them. There is lots for the girls to look at!

Jos and I went down to fetch trailcam videos.

Yes, we're coping well, actually. It is wonderful having the girls here. We can focus on other than our health issues, and keeping the household running. I feel badly for Jean, who is in hospital for tests. 

Then, there is Yam with her caregiving. 

Docktails and forest tales

I had some fun critters, finally. I did a screen capture of the raccoon and the bat. I bet it wasn't the one we had in the house last week! 

The video also shows a young raccoon, as well as our doe.

Also, the turkeys. If you wish a musical forest walk, listen!

Cinnamon and I went forest walkies. JB's been taking him to the climbing tree. He was clearly familiar with it!

He looks up, as if contemplating the height. 

Next stop, the dock. These phragmites are eating up the pond.

We were standing on the dock when a bird flew over. Once I zoomed in with the camera, I could see it was our barred owl. 

No matter the poor sighting, I've some great barred owl photos! I cannot be greedy. This from 2013.

When we were done searching for the owl, Cin roared up behind me. 

As an aside, I had been hearing a bird in the canopy. I was determined to try to find it. I donned the long-sleeved hoodie, sprayed bug spray on my back, and on the back of my hands. It's tricky watching where I am walking, and yet looking up in the trees. I could hear something behind me, Cinnamon! I was really lucky to grab a photo. Big help! 

Resorting to Twitter, @TheIneptBirder gave me two suggestions, according to the audio.  Red-eyed vireo or this one. We've lots of vireo. There are two of these. One in the backyard forest, and another down in the meadow.

I went off to All About Birds, and matched it up. 

Eastern Wood-Pewee from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Garden flowers and 3 bucks

Oh, good grief! We are a week away from summer! Normal temps are lows of 14 C.

I've whinged about my cataracts a lot. I am sorry. It helps to vent. They do explain why I am not reading well, or easily. The laptop helps, as I can enlarge the text. In terms of photography, what I did was put on the zoom lens to photograph the flowers. That, and autofocus, stood me in good stead. 

Poppies

The hosta are doing well! Soon the deer will chomp it. What the heck!

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Giant allium and clematis

My hosta are coming along... for now!

My planter box is filling out. 

The weigela bush is lovely! The lilacs are done, but other flowers are popping up.  

Saturday morning, 7 a.m., speak of the devil! Three bucks! 

This is who I saw first. I grabbed the camera. Ran back to the deck door and slowly, quietly opened it. They were bothered by me, but the cats slipped out behind me. The bucks watched them closely.

Eastern Phoebe

Poor phoebe. It warmed up yesterday, but another polar vortex moved in.

I've avoided the nest, leaving them to it. According to other nests I've watched they ought to be about this size. This is a 2013 photo of them about a week old.

Don't you love them? That little cheep and a bob. Our pair sit on the extension cord that runs to the water fountain. They are quite wary of us, but they nested here last year. They sit and watch and watch. 

The water fountain was a bit loud in the video (below). It attracts a lot of birds! This was a Swainson's Thrush.

Back to the phoebes. I just adore them. 

phoebes from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I just wish them luck! There is a raptor that frequents the tree canopy. As Red says, I'm pretty shaky with the camera. It's still a good hobby! I just can't focus well with the cataracts. 

hawk from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

For more: 

Saturday's Critters #339

Goat's beard and garden

Paint Party Friday, too!

I love all the green. There are a lot of weeds that flower in my garden, it's sort of eclectic. Also, the milkweed is thriving.

JB doing his twice daily walkies. You can see the path lined with Devil's Paintbrush, as he walks into the Aspen grove!

Milkweed has a frollicking pair. 

I managed to move the table to the middle deck. The previous homeowner made it, I think. I bought the umbrella at a garage sale ($20)!

JB's been faithfully watering his fountain and the blueweed.

I have to remind myself, the flag has come off the bottom fastener in our big winds. (Non-mental note! Those seem to dissappear in my scattered head!)

Finally, some critter video. It was lovely to see a raccoon mama and three kits. I really grossed my grandkid out with a video showing a raccoon pulling up a huge worm! "Eeeeewwww!"

I went down to the frog pond and could see a brown colour in the middle of the green phragmites. Thankfully, my videocamera is much like binoculars for me.