Sunday, 27 August 2017

Trailcam

Butch raccoon, moths, and Tigger our buck!
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Saturday, 26 August 2017

Book Review: Fire Walkers


This was a startling book. Hubby picked it up for me, from the new book section of the library (2016). It is timely, in that we've had thousands of Haitian asylum seekers streaming into Montreal, Canada, from the US, where they are afraid.

The author, Bethlehem Terrefe Gebreyohannes, escaped with her family in 1974 from a totalitarian and brutal regime in Ethiopia. It's horrific, shocking, sad, yet joyful and hopeful. I know, from writing a memoir, that it is a cathartic experience. Her family arrived in Canada in 1981, the year we moved from Toronto to Ottawa with a two-year old.

Ethiopia's revolution, led by the Derg (1974 - 1991), led to many fleeing for their lives and it illuminates the horror many face in their desperation to flee, whether it be economic migration, or living in a war zone.

This family fled by taxi, then had to walk across a desert. Fire Walkers educates us about Ethiopia, from our safe and comfortable homes. In the light of day, as 45th of the USA gives a pardon to a Sheriff who illegally detained and abused economic migrants from Mexico, I can be proud that Canada is taking in those who fear the orange man's regime.

 The screen captures of the maps give us a vague idea of her journey, and may not be the exact track, but you get the idea. Thankfully, we know Bethlehem survived to write the book, ending up in Lethbridge, Alberta. I cannot imagine the culture shock. She, and her family, have achieved much, despite their trials and tribulations.

This was her journey: June 29, 1980 - Nov. 24, 1981

Addis Ababa
Dikhil
Djibouti City - refugee papers
Lethbridge, Alberta

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Friday, 25 August 2017

Daisy and the coyote

That was a bit of a scare. Daisy used up another life today. Last time it was a fox.
It was 7:45, Dorah was looking intently out the back door. JB looked out: a coyote stalking something, in front of the shed. "I bet it's Daisy!"
"No, she's usually sleeping."
He looked out the kitchen window: Daisy, oblivious to the coyote sneaking up to her, silent on the dewy grass. Daisy was this side of the tree house, coyote was on the other side. JB opened the garage door,  I went out onto the deck, and it slunk back into the forest!
That scared it off. Daisy went up the tree, and stayed up an hour. I looked down into the forest, where it had gone, and we spoke loudly. It disappeared.

I had the camera in hand, but fumbled. Too silly.

Last night, she chose to stay indoors all night! Whew. It's pretty cool, suddenly. She's snuggled into the dog cat bed.
 

When I rescued the trailcam I found that there was a deer streaking by, then a pair of coyotes, and then the turkeys. We imagine the turkeys, hanging around the yard all day, are drawing the coyotes.
Trailcam: Aug. 24 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Daisy was just chased up a tree. I didn't get a video, but there was one coyote in the back yard stalking her. They are around all the time, usually quite silent and avoid our yard.

Coyotes can't take down a healthy deer, least of all the bucks, but the fawns are vulnerable. They can pick off the turkeys, especially wandering wee ones. The cats can just run up a tree. Daisy is usually quite aware.
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Thursday, 24 August 2017

More turkeys!

Turkeys in the front yard, in the side yard, in the back yard. I think there are a baker's dozen!
By the time hubby came home from volunteering at horse riding on Monday, they were back in the front and pretty much ignored him.
They were down in the meadow, as well, but I won't bother posting that one. So cute! Eating up bugs, too!
Here are the photos I took, for those who haven't time for videos, they are such characters!


turkeys side yard from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
turkeys backyard from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
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Wednesday, 23 August 2017

Happy anniversary to us!



Hubby brought me some Close Eyes on Monday. It was a surprise! Our anniversary was Tuesday, be we had stuff to do.

We 'celebrated' by going into a 6-mos. regular appointment to check out the progress of his prostate cancer.

I don't know where the time went!

Happy anniversary to us, 
Saturday, Aug. 22nd, 2002!
Off we went, into the city. First we had lunch with Caitlin. Then, off we went for appointment #63, this one with the urologist.

A storm was brewing!

We made it into the hospital by 1:09 p.m., for a 1:15 appointment. The waiting room moved well. There were 3 or 4 specialists working. We went into the room at 1:23.

This is the bag my dear friend, Jean, made for my 60th birthday! It hold the iPad and my sketching materials. I did a silly sketch whilst waiting.


While the bone scan showed his cancer hasn't metastasized into his bones, the CT Scan did show that his lymph nodes are enlarged. He's going to start hormone therapy in September. This treatment could give us another ten years. This is good news. We're going to go with intermittent hormone therapy, monitoring the PSA, and when the injections lower the PSA count, we'll stop for about 18 - 24 months. Eventually, these injections won't keep the PSA cancer cells at bay. They figure a way around that. In the meantime, we'll be having injections in the city every 3 months. There will be some side effects, but not too onerous.

Also, we had the opportunity to participate in one of two studies. There is one that will examine lifestyle (exercise, nutrition, etc.) and how well the injections work. 
We know how well these basic lifestyle measures work for all of us: watching our weight, exercising, eating properly, sleep hygiene, limit stress, watch your blood pressure, sleep, laugh, socialize, think, and enjoy life. It'll be interesting to see what happens. It's a questionnaire filled in each time we visit for the hormone therapy

Finishing with the doctor, we arrived back in the parking lot, ready for the trip home.

We skedaddled out of the city, done all by Back in, through highway #43, slow going with road work!

Off to the drug store to drop off the prescription of the doc. Perth had some rain! The parking lot was flooded.
 
Dinner in town!
 

Home to quietly watch TV!
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Tuesday, 22 August 2017

Trailcam tails, et al

Butch Raccoon, and then Daisy at 34 seconds in. What a cat. Another raccoons was under the leaves for some reason.

Trailcam tails from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Whilst watching the eclipse, Annie found a tree frog. I don't know what it was doing sitting on the chair, but it did get away.


Then, the cupboard, outdoors, which holds my goldfish pond equipment. Apparently, someone tried to move in. Sadly, there is a wasp nest in the opposite corner, so I couldn't manage too well. I think mousie is gone, I'll deal with the wasps later!

The katydid was atop a new plant. I think it is Veronica. It has yet to flower.

This plane has been coming and going, it says 'survey' on it, so I hope that's what it is doing! Back and forth, back and forth!
survey plane from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
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Monday, 21 August 2017

Partial eclipse

That was harder than it looked! I used Josee's House for a Mouse box. I hope she forgives me! I tested it first, and a tripod was essential. I tried a shoe box, as well as a colander. THAT was interesting! I even had a faithful assistant, as a feline supervisor. Well, she was moral support. 

I'm going to have to apologise to Red. This is a two-post day, but it was epic!

 
Eclipse from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.



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