Back yard, open skies, walkies

Summer is half over. Everything is growing well. We are enjoying the back deck. The breezes blow, and we can read. Tree frog sings from time-to-time. Sound up, as I cannot find him! 

tree frog on deck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The hops vine, July 24 vs. Aug. 1st! 

We've been entertained by the catbird. 

catbird from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I took Cinnamon walkies in the forest. There must be a sparrow's nest. They like to warn him to stay away. He's a happy lad, and too chubby to bother with the birds. He knows he cannot catch them! 

sparrows 2 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I took Cinnamon walkies in the back 40. The bugs have seriously lessened. The wild carrot, AKA Daucus carota, bird's nest, Bishop's lace, Queen Anne's lace, all in the family Apiaceae, which I've left to grow. The birds and the bees love it!

All these lovely clouds and only 0.25 mm rain! (Maybe some serious rain today?)

The aspen grove is coming along. The previous owners used to mow all this, but I've let it grow. I love the way the aspens quiver in the wind. It has taken years, as the deer are quite fond of the wee saplings. Of course, last year the LDD moths decimated them. They have come back.

Cinnamon is a happy lad. He didn't notice the mouse hole right behind him! There are quite a few, we've a decent rodent population.

I know this is August, but I looked up and saw some leaves turning. 

He had some interest in the shed, but nothing exciting was going on. I like the non-exciting days!

The caterpillar on the back deck continues to grow. I cannot find the other one. I am sure there are more. We'll go with that – and be optimistic.

 It's a cat's life! They had a big day roaring around chasing one another. They ignored the cat bed on the other end of the couch.

We shall see what August brings. I am hopeful for rain today. This is what they predict for 9 a.m. I shall try to not snort in derision, but fervently hope for the best! 

Rainfall varies over the years. My early rain gauges weren't as accurate as this one. I found the Stratus in 2015. Weather watchers swear by them. That said, this is my data!

The 2015 Stratus is much more accurate that these others. The one in the middle photo is very inaccurate, although artsy! 

  

New pond pump

 Things are motoring on this summer. We are half done. The weeds are merciless. It's hot and dry. I've been watering gardens, which I don't like to do with the well water. I need some rain to refill the goldsifh pond, which is fed by the water barrels. 

The goldfish pond pump broke. What a pain. I know, in the grand scheme of things it is trite, but the fishies should have some oxygen. Percy swims like a piranha around the pond. 

I found myself a pump online, at 28% off. I don't like Amazon. You never know where the product is coming from. I usually try to go to a local store after I find what I want, if I can. This isn't true of pond or goldfish supplies. They are hard to find here. 

 I was pretty dumb, though. They seldom have the exact specs for these things. I should have learned to inspect the photos more closely. This is a 1/2" outflow. Of course, they are primarily in Imperial measurements. The important part was the speed and power of the pump. This one said 335 gallons per hour (GPH), which I thought adequate. The pond must have about 300 gallons.

As I ordered it, they suggest this nozzle kit. You know, 'buy it with ____ product.' It seemed it would fit. Except if you look above at the outflow, it is threaded. Below, the smallest connector would be right, except it is not threaded. The instructions said they would fit. While it is not threaded, you wedge it on. 

In hindsight, this set looks OK, but even so, the 1/2" threading = 1.2 cm. I just didn't know.

This what I ended up with. It was a puzzle. It was so hot, I was sitting on the step sweating buckets trying to assemble it. 

The whole thing sits in this cage. It protects it, and ensure it sits upright.

I tried a different nozzle, and this was the result. I went back to the other nozzle. You should have seen me on my stomach, on a rock on far side of the pond, trying to reach it.

The problem is it clogs up with debris and I have to haul it out and rinse it off every couple of days, if not daily. Wait a minute. I'm retired. What else do I have to do? Weed? Yes. This is what I went with. After a couple of days, the height of the spray is cut in half. I have to haul it out and clean it with the hose.

new pond pump from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I cut some Tiger Lilies, for the back deck. You'll have to imagine, again, the female hummingbird who slipped between the railing, and slid behind the vase to feed. I dared not move! I've lots of photos of them. I just listened to her lovely wingbeat in awe of nature. 

Out front: my rose finally bloomed again.

Pond Pump Update:

I had a dumb issue with the pump. I lost the top after I'd cleaned it. I figured it would just run on its own. 

pond pump from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I have tales and stories

Firstly, we need rain. More evidence of Climate Change abounds around the world: fires and floods. Finally our eaves is finally done to satisfaction, barring another storm, which will prove it one way or the other. 

Before, during, and after:

I think they are as irritated with this job as we are. They turned up, didn't ring the doorbell. They worked. They left. No face-to-face contact at all. We'll need a storm to let us know if it works. I am glad they came back. It's been such a trial. My gut has been in knots, but I was better Sunday now that, I think, it is done.

I have stories! I hope you giggle. I need a giggle.

These are my lilies. We will see if Clover, the doe, comes for them! I had to take a photo of the buds for posterity. The chicken wire won't keep her out, but the hostas are denuded and she hasn't been hanging about so much. I need fencing!

We have twin bar fridges. It was something to do with the counter space, done by the previous owners who went back home to the UK. The girls like to spell the family names in my magnetic scrabble letters.

 We are used to them after these 12 years here! On Friday morning, I noticed some water under this one. I mopped and then washed it up. Turns out the thawing shrimp tray was tipsy, and dropped water all down the inside, which leaked out. I didn't plan on cleaning the fridge on this fine summer morning, but I did!

Maple, the tree frog, seems to like to sit here during the day. They are nocturnal, coming out to eat in the dark. She keeps me company as I sit here on the deck, bird watch,  and play with my photos. If there is too much action, she reverses back into her cave. I've heard another one on the deck, singing. It's beyond mating season, but they try out their vocal chords often during a weather change.

🦉As we were both sitting here on the deck, I noticed what I thought was a turkey in the back. It flew from a nearby tree, and landed just behind the blue fake heron. Turkeys prefer walking to flying. 

I realized it was our barred owl. Can you imagine it? From there it flew towards the back right, having secured a mouse, I bet. It was such a quick event. While it is said they are nocturnal, I've seen them too many times in the day, like in this archived photo, to believe that.

Lots of garden chores these days. I inspected these two milkweed plants. They are springing up out between the deck boards. I thought about removing them, but checked them first.

Sure enough, a teeny hole which the teeny caterpillar ate upon hatching. And a teeny tiny larvae. Yippee! I think we have three, which is not to be sneezed at.

🌍 The weary world travelers arrived home late on Thursday, after three weeks of travel. 

Josee found me a Great Blue heron!

Caitlin posted a lovely piece on culture. I found it interesting!

Before they left, brother Jesse stayed with Caitlin. Caitlin and Company left for the airport, and then Jesse and family came over here. The grandies were welcomed by the cast of Fraggle Rock!

We loved watching Fraggle as a family, and I kept finding Fraggle toys and puppets for Caitlin for fun gifts.  

I hope you had a smile. We all need one.