Another storm!

 That was a storm. Joe Brian and I were sitting on the back deck reading. I was butterfly and bird watching, and then getting back to my novel: by Ruth Ware: Zero Days. Note to others, don't read the dust jacket for the plot summary, just dive into it. 

I found another caterpillar. It is an Orgyia definita, or Definite-marked Tussock Moth!

Leaf hopper!

The clouds rolled in. To the west storm clouds, to the east blue sky, which slowly clouded over.

The Phoebe nest is right under the deck. Cinnamon likes to watch them from above. He is so funny. 

Eventually, he gets tired. He can't reach the nest, but it's like watching TV through slats.

It began to rain, but Cinnamon headed down onto Fred's deck. Then, it really rained. And hailed! Now, see the plants on the bench ↑? This is where Cinnamon ran to during the storm. He was howling, as the rain was pouring off the eaves. I had to go out and bring him in. Then I had to change out of my wet dress.

I recaulked the aquarium. It seemed better just to add more caulking on the one corner. Here it is in the rain. And Hail.

We ended up with 38mm (about 1.5") and it was a lot. Nothing like the sound of a good rain. Hail is a different story. I had to pull the camera over and under the eaves. 

 

July 6 storm from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The poor Catalpa tree's leaves don't look too happy. The Brown-eyed Susans gave up and bent with the rain.

The other Catalpa tree looks fine.

Back in to watch Wimbledon Tennis. There are 18 courts, and it is impressive. What an infrastructure. Unfortunately, tennis is limited by the heavy rainfall, like ours! 

Look at all the courts they had to cover. Only courts 1 and 2 have a roof. 

After we visit the bank to sort out more of the bank account fraud issues, I'll have to do the lawn. I could have yesterday afternoon but resisted the urge! It looks like Beryl will bring us some rain.

Market Day!

 Saturday is market day in Perth, as well as many other towns. In Muskoka's cottage country each little town had its own day. Usually, Joe Brian goes on his own. He is still recovering and so I drove him in. I threw on a dress, simple decision about what to wear. We went in around 8:30. 

We began inside the Crystal Palace. This is an older shot. That's the famous fake cheese in the shed. 

The Crystal Palace holds a lot of events. They have a new roof, as we are all aging.

In we went to find Jiny's Kimchee in order to get some dinner. Her Korean food is terrific! 

JB tells me there are lots of dogs at the market. They walk them, and then walk to the market. He was rewarding the barking by giving the dog treats. 

I had to leave as the barking triggers me. JB suggested I get out. And I did.

saturday market from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Outside I went, and took a photo of the new fountain. 

I love these hand washing stations.

Jo and Aster are too old for Gramma Camp. I don't know where the years went! I am happy they are growing up healthy and happy. That is the plan. I miss crafts, Lego, cooking, writing stories, and printing books. This popped up on Facebook, July 6, 2016. I made this dress for her. 

Caitlin took them to the beach, followed by ice cream!

Jo and Aster went to Bluesfest to see a group called 'Mother Mother!' Now, they aren't a blues band, but Bluesfest has changed over the years. Just sayin'! 

Basil and bugs!

 JB continues to improve and took a walk. This is a good thing. Unfortunately, a deerfly nailed him right in the temple. Three times. It dove under his cap. sigh. The anti-itch goop works well.

I had wine bottles to take to the beer store, which recycles them. The thing is, the clerks I meet tend to be abrasive, and tell me reorganize the bottles and group them. With my social anxiety I just walk away. I've often just given them to the person in line in behind me. 

During COVID I'd put them in the recycle box, but the township sent a memo out that residents should stop doing this. I wasn't the only one! Usually, JB does this for me. I've had to step up, put on my big girl pants, and go. This I couldn't do last week. I set them out at the end of the driveway, and they were gone within 24 hours. Problem solved.

My beautiful Basil, out front in the basket, has been attacked. This is an overhead view! The petunias are coming along.

I put some insecticidal soap on it and will hope for the best. 

I had fun trying to get a photo of it. It scootches under the leaf. It is a green colour, but looked beige in the sun on Friday. Saturday was a cloudy day and it photographed better.

I should point the Orchid Spider in the Basil plant's direction! 

The Question Mark butterfly has been laying eggs like mad. They have several Instars, first as an egg, then when they molt (at least 3 times), and grow another size. They get into that 'J' shape after several days. 

I've been watching the Eastern Question Mark butterflies, but they are flighty. I cannot confirm if they are that species or the Eastern Commas. Can you see the difference?

When their wings unfold, they are so brightly coloured, otherwise the underwings look like a dead leaf.

Comma left, Question Mark right↓.

He she is on the Hops Vine laying eggs.

Eastern Comma butterfly from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday's Critters

Bug season hasn't let up. The deerflies are horrid. I use these sticky patches on my hats.

Our resident doe, a frequent visitor, she's covered in deerflies!

doe a deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Even Fred is annoyed by the deerflies. The durn bugs like the heat, and have terribly painful bites.

Fred July 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've a young coyote. It visited twice and peed in the same spot. Or two coyotes ran through. hard to say. Booboo bear pooped here. It's a popular travel corridor following the edge of the wetland.

 

Coyote July from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I haven't captured a fisher on the trailcam in a long time.

 

Fisher July 3 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Yesterday, the latest antics of our two bears. Neither seen near the house, at least in the daytime. They are good bears.  Booboo was back, as well.

 

Booboo Bear from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday's Critters # 551 <= visit Eileen's meme here for more critters.

Moths and bears!

 We are caught up in tennis. It's been fun having a distraction. JB is still tired, but improving every day. 

This large moth is an antheraea polyphemus, a North American moth. They are as large as butterflies, which would have been a better title: Butterflies and bears, but there you go.

This is an Imperial moth found on the front deck in June 2012.

I am still wondering what these are. Imperial Moths or bats? I did some research. 

The Imperial Moth has a particular relationship with its environment. It only lives a week. It doesn't eat, either. I haven't seen the caterpillars, I don't think. Female moths lay eggs on the foliage of host plants, where caterpillars feed on leaves from  Maple, Oaks, and Pine trees. 

I could sit out there and try to video them, but I'd need to stay up late and put on bug spray or a fur coat!

 

bugs or bats? from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I popped down to the trailcams (long sleeves, bug spray), and found the camera askew. I got all excited! We haven't seen them around the house, they follow the shore of the wetland around us. They are smart bears and wary of humans. The former gun range in behind this island in the wetland. The bears don't like tromping in the wetland water. I've tracked them around it.

Papa Bear came by June 26th. That fur coat must protect him from the bugs!

 

Papa Bear from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

June 29th Booboo Bear came by. First he mauls the camera, scares himself, and then poops in front of it. Seriously!

 

June 29 Booboo from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch Racoon is giving McGregor Muskrat a hard time. Both Booboo and Butch. 

Butch & muskrat from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.