Frogs, ducks, Cinnamon

Spring unfolds! We had a major dump of rain. Everything is green and dewy. Cinnamon is happy to sit on the front deck bird watching. He doesn't go after the birds, he knows he can't catch them. He's on the lookout for squirrels! Nutmeg cat is a different story. She is restricted, even though she is smaller. 

I took Cinnamon down to the pond. Apparently, this is a spot worth nestling into.

If you view the video, you can see him making dough! Happy cat.

 

I came back up to the house, he went to visit the ducks. 

Frogs on frog pond.

I found some Trillium.

This is the view from Fred's Shed to the house, with his errant hole. So far he hasn't managed to remove the log I inserted.

 Pine Warbler? I spotted a wee gray bird, gathering soft stuff for a nest. I think it might be this species. Merlin confuses warbler songs! 

Out front, the doe was about. I have gotten my deer fence out, ready to put up. She still looks pregnant.

 

Cinnamon had the zoomies!

 

Crumbly Acres & Fred

First, world issues... Since you must stand up to a bully, things are hopping in Moscow, where Putin is having his military parade. (Sound familiar, USA?) he wants a cease fire. Hah! 

 Talk about bullies! Our PM had an interesting meeting in the USA. We were fascinated. In the 34 minute meeting the president spoke for 30 of them, PM Carney spoke for 4 minutes! 

It's going to be domestic political pressure that will move US policy, as store shelves empty, job losses. the automotive industry shuts down, and the US is starved for our steel and aluminum. The heads of Target and Walmart met with the president to give him warnings. This won't bring manufacturing back to the US, where cheap good and cheap labour can produce cheap goods. Maura Healey (Gov Mass) says that 35 states have Canada as their largest trading partner. Especially the north east states.

Canada is working at sourcing goods and reducing trade barriers between provinces and territories. (It is We are talking to the EU to find new sources. Small Canadian producers are ramping up production, as well. The big box stores haven't bothered with these producers before. It's time for that to change.

Everything is turning green! The leaves are bursting, the critters, too. We had 16mm (0.62") rain and an amazing thunderstorm at bedtime. I should mow, but it is soaking wet. 

Oh, Fred! I have always called him 'him.' It's sorta like determining a fetus's sex, if you don't see a penis...! Aw, gender can be a continuum. What do you think?

A busy critter. Apparently, even with acres of grass, he's in my front garden.

It's quite the hole.

This is the shed: the lawn tractor is sheltered in here, I back it out when I do the lawn. Fred lives under the wood shed at the side. He's lived under here since, I think, 2022. I've tracked him over the years, since 2019.  I think. The only way to ID them is to watch their behaviour. They won't wear name tags.

"In the wild, groundhogs can live up to six years with two or three being the average life expectancy. In captivity, groundhogs reportedly live up to 14 years."

May, 2023
We had trees down from a storm, and deer visiting.

The wood shed seems to be his place of choice. 

I've switched around trailcams. Fred bears watching!

I have rethought this burrow exit – directly in front of the shed. If you give him an inch, he'll take a mile and move a mountain. 

I was sitting on the back deck, and he inspected his former exit. I could imagine thought bubbles above his head. They included swearing!

There was a secondary exit under the wood pile. He began excavating there. The wood is piled on one of those industrial wooden flats. This is where the other tunnel exited. I am going to encourage him to excavate here. We don't use the wood shed in summer. 

Green Crumbly Acres

Our PM is meeting the US president today. PM Carney landed and was good to go. 

Andrews Air Base

This after war was declared on the film industry, here in 'Hollywood North.

' Now, you know I relax watching 🎥.TV Movies. I track where they are filmed. I found 316/567 were filmed in Canadian locations. There are many reasons for this. Many based on budgets, location, and film tax credits. It's Win-Win. They say foreign films present a 'national security threat.' The US president said we've 'stolen the film industry!'  OMG! According to the ED of ACTRA Toronto about 239,000 Canadians work in the film industry. About 50% are foreign films. 

Films are an $11 BILLION industry in Canada.

What it boils down to is cost. This is why North America outsources manufacturing in many industries. It is discouraging. 

OK, back to nature.

I'd forgotten I'd taken a photo of Batty, a brown bat I found sleeping in the window. This is just as it was set on the railing. It flew off. They are pretty little things. At risk with habitat loss and disease, like White Nose Syndrome.  

No kidlets to play in our pool anymore. If this doesn't work, it's off to the dump.

My Lenten Lily.

My cement bird bath has a bit of a tilt to it. That's a job for another day!

I heard bullfrogs croaking on the frog pond.

Everything has suddenly popped green. We had 7 mm rain last night, and it is a beautiful pop of colour after the brown, and snowy white winter.

Hooray Spring!

Crumbly Acres

 While our election is over, there are signs that things aren't going to settle out anytime soon. This is the problem with those who run on egos, not principles. We thought we'd gotten rid of PP, the Leader of the Opposition, but he's asked to have a new election, in a safe riding in Alberta. We don't elect a Prime Minister, but a party majority. 

An MP has resigned his seat to leader the CPC leader. This means that Albertans are going to lack an MP, as PP is never in his riding, or going to debates, or showing up for citizens other than the convoy people. He never showed up to a debate in his former Carleton riding. We think some Conservatives in this riding know this. Let's hope...

Some are angry. They have wild ideas. We welcome immigrants, most of us. We purport to be a tapestry of humans not a melting pot. We embrace diversity. We need workers and newcomers. Our society is richer for it.

This dude ↑ seems to be inspiring other idiots. 

Robert Fife says Prime Minister Mark Carney's 🇨🇦 first speech was the best Prime Minister speech in over a decade. "He's not here for his ego, he's here to build this country."

Last year, and for many years, Phoebe has nested on this repurposed shelf. The nest was very old, and I removed it. They are rebuilding. 

last year↑

They have begun nesting! First, a small circle of moss, then it got larger.

April 30th

I checked May 2nd, and it is now a little nest, with a lovely bowl shape.

May 2nd

In our major clean up, I had to throw out an old spinner. I've painted and repainted it, but it had its day.  We've a dump run to do when we have the energy. The parts are falling apart! We've a dump run planned after I clean out the shed.

 

My first tulips are blooming I want you to compare the first photo (2024), with the second (2025).

April 28, 2024

Where did the orange come from?!  I'm sure there are genetics involved. Or the faeries.

May 3, 2025

This home and cinder block garage are now gone. I wonder what will go up here. Joe drove by one day and saw them bulldozing.

It's a wonderful time of year for birding. They are all calling for mates, or to announce their territory. 

 

I stepped out onto the back deck around 6 a.m. Merlin could ID the Bittern, their sounds are amazing! They have a strange call, in order to call in dense wetland.

I spotted one on the road once upon a time! (May 6th, 2013)

I don't think this is good for the screen, but I'm not sure I have the heart to take it off!