Lilac season is so short!

Our daughter was married on May 28th, and she wanted lilacs at the wedding. The florist couldn't promise them, so since me and my brother were in charge of decorating the reception hall, we ran around Nepean looking for neighbours with lilacs. We put them on the tables as table centres, and I was so pleased.

Caitlin's wedding, May 2005, was the last time my mom ever traveled, and my brother drove her from Bala to Ottawa for the trip. She died in 2006. It was difficult, as she'd been in treatment for cancer for several years. She was weak, but did her best. She waited at our house while we did our decorating. Caitlin's father-in-law was in charge of beverages. Her mother-in-law in charge of decorating the church. Her father and step-mom managed the cake, and all those details.

Here are this year's lilacs, in celebration! First, the hummingbird moth, then a big bumblebee. The Swallowtail butterfly is most impressive, however.

Boating incidents & Safe, Quiet Lakes

These incidents are so preventable. Education, awareness and respect for humanity.  I suppose I 'preach to the choir' Neighbourly Cottage Visitors -Dos of cottage life/boating, yet the message must get out there. We must educate our 'adult' children.

One cannot help but think that these are unnecessary and a terrible drain on emergency crews time and energy, as well as taxpayers dollars. These watercraft are going too quickly, and there is no need for this kind of speed, which kills.

Of course,  while the incidents do not always involve death, they do involve injuries and fines.

Net Newsledger

Jet-Ski and Sea-Doo collide in Georgian Bay

www.muskokaregion.com/-May 25, 2016

GEORGIAN BAY – A Jet-Ski and a Sea-Doo collided on the long weekend and it resulted in charges for both operators.

Boating deaths in Ontario up compared to 2015

Police urge safety on Ontario waterways amid increase in boating deaths. (Is it any wonder?)

• There have been 8 separate incidents so far in 2016.
• By this point in 2015, there were only 2 incidents.
• Ages: 7 out of 8 victims were ages 21 - 28.
• None were wearing a flotation device.
• Alcohol was involved in 5/6 incidents.
• Most of these incidents involved canoes or kayaks.
• Two incidents involved an overloaded outboard boat that swamped.
• One incident: a PWC in which the operator fell off.

The child in red/pink on the boat, was on the gunnel beside the kids with the life jacket, just before I snapped this photo. 
It's illegal for the child to drive a personal watercraft (PWC), and against marine laws to have them sitting in front.

I'm glad my kids weren't out there!

These were new owners of a cottage.
Intent on using the lake as a Nascar track.
He's too young to drive,
at the time he was often on the jetski alone.
I phoned the OPP marine division,
they made a visit,
and they were given fines.

SAFE QUIET LAKES AND OPP LAUNCH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE SAFE BOATING AND REDUCE EXCESSIVE NOISE ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES

Annual Safe Quiet Lakes campaign gets underway on Victoria Day weekend May 20, 2016 – Regional advocacy group Safe Quiet Lakes is launching its annual awareness and safety campaign in cooperation and with support from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

In addition to critical reminders about respect, safety and the risks on the water, the campaign is also highlighting the growing issue of excessive noise created by some powerboats, including those that boaters can choose to operate with their muffler system disengaged.

This guy drove around doing donuts until the kid in the back fell off.


Then there is the amount of traffic on a small lake, as well as the speed of the machines.
 

Do you know who has the right-of-way?

Be water smart and check out @csbc_bt_tips for more safe boating information https://t.co/2655xtWcCH

— OPP East (@OPP_ER) May 25, 2016

What you need to know about children’s lifejackets: https://t.co/bwgU8DNK7K #OPP #SafeBoating pic.twitter.com/wgc01637QH

— Ontario Prov Police (@OPP_News) May 26, 2016

Check out this OPP Video on PFD & Boating Safety https://t.co/H63A1BDFnJ pic.twitter.com/rA9jxcewqe

— Ontario Prov Police (@OPP_News) May 25, 2016

Still have babies in the nests!

The phoebe has finally chosen a nest site. As I garden, he sits atop the tree, defending his territory. The smell of the lilacs continue to waft past.

Woodpecker Nest

The Blue Jays continue to harass the woodpeckers in their nest. I checked on them last night, and can see them popping up in the hole, jumping up to see me. I began to wonder how the woodpeckers learn to fly. There are no branches.

The first photo is momma fending off the Jays. The second, one of the young 'uns on the lookout for mom!

Barred Owl

I hope not to bore you with my owls, but something new happens every few days. She was out on a nearby branch a few days ago. Tuesday, May 24th, she was out early in the morning. This morning, May 26th, poor little chickie is still howling for food. I woke around 5:30 and decided I ought to go out and check. It was only 10 C., and the mosquitoes hadn't gotten going much, yet.

This is from Cornell U., and refers to Great Horned Owls. I imagine the timelines are about the same for the Barred Owl. These are the only predators of the Barred, and a bit larger.

How old are the owls when they fledge?

Barred owl feather

Young owls move onto nearby branches when they are six weeks old. At seven weeks they are capable of three or four short flights of diminishing distance as they tire easily.

Day 40: The young are able to climb well, at which time they may leave the nest and clamber out along a tree branch. This stage is known as branching.

Day 45-49: The young are fully feathered and capable of flight.

At seven weeks the owls are capable of three to four short flights of diminishing distance as they tire easily.

Momma is a little farther away from the nest, as if trying to encourage the chick to get going! I'm anxious to watch for it branching. She is, of course, exceptionally vigilant, glaring in the direction of some raucous crows.
Momma Owl, who stared at me for a moment, sensing I am not a threat. Their eyes are amazing.

You can see in the last two photos how camouflaged she is, even with the leaves out!

 

You can watch videos of chicks on the livecams on Cornell's YouTube channel.

Momma owl from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Momma owl was a little farther away from the nest. The was much whining from the chick inside the nest!

Chickadee nest update

In mid-April, I spotted a pair of chickadees building a nest in the dead sumac.

I measured the depth of the cavity (20cm/8"), as they seemed to have abandoned it. They'd begun putting in cat fur I'd left on a tree outside my front door. The dark fur is Buster fur. Sadly, it seems that something has broken off the tree. I would suspect Butch, hard to say. They are voracious.

Summer gardens and gardening!

May 21st
First, I borrowed the kids' red rototiller, and I did this work on Saturday and Sunday. It was such a mess, and very neglected. I was totally defeated by bugs two years ago. It was good, honest work. What is delightful is that I could smell the lilac, which has just bloomed. And the Swallowtail has begun to visit!




May 23rd
On Monday, we were the first to arrive at Hillside Gardens! It was 8:00 a.m., I took hubby (AKA arm candy) as it was his job to manage the cart. By the time we left, there were a couple of husbands fulfilling similar roles!


Back at home, Daisy was helping. I planted two hanging baskets and some planters.


I planted kale, pumpkins, zuccini, lettuce, tomatoes, and watermelon plants, and snow pea seeds. I watered using a sprinkler I haven't used in 8 years,  cut the lawn with the lawn tractor, then had to shower to go to my client's house. It was good to chat and laugh and take a break indoors!
The joke at their house is that 'gramma' was given hanging baskets, geraniums, a couple of rose bushes, from her kids (they are all age 60+), but her caregiver (one of her kids), has to plant them all! Thankfully, she loves her mom's gardens and gardening. We had a good chuckle over that one!




I arrived home after 4 p.m., and had to secure the fence. Hubby nuked an M & M dinner for us at 7 p.m.! I AM SO SORE!


Wed., May 25th Butch thought there were some seeds in my front yard planter. I saw him at 4 a.m., when I was up listening to the Barred owl sing. Sigh. The bird feeders go away today!
I'm afraid to go check out the veggie garden, although it might take them some time to find it!