Sunday, 28 October 2018

Ignorant drivers

Poor hubby. He often comes home with stories of ignorant drivers. Selfish drivers, who don't like to be predictable. THis one was a doozy. It's a difficult street to get out onto, Wilson St.


In motion, it looks like this. The dim wit.

Saturday, 27 October 2018

Birds, and Wile E. Coyote # and #3

I was off at my client's house, hubby noticed four evening grosbeaks on the bird feeder. The bonus was, he realized how dirty the window was, and cleaned it!



I love the grosbeaks. We have both evening grosbeaks and rose-breasted grosbeaks. The 3rd photo, below, is a male juvenile, in transition to adulthood.



Back down to the forest...
It is, with great excitement, that I present my second and third videos of coyotes! They are handsome critters. If you watch carefully, you will see Butch raccoon quickly climbing a tree upon hearing Wile approach! That cycle of life... This was 8-ish in the morning, just prior to hubby's walk that day. I see them on my walks the odd time, but not very often. They know to fear humans.



I'd love to use the video feature on the trailcam, but it takes too much battery power. Two appeared at once. They are getting accustomed to the light.



Saturday's Critters #254


Friday, 26 October 2018

Hydro work & sumacs

I have enjoyed the colours. I'm glad I took these photos... it's come to an end.


JB went outside to begin his morning walk, and spotted Hydro crews, arborists, removing the sumacs. They are clearing under hydro wires all around our area.


Trees account for more than 30 % of power outages in Ontario. Our team plays a vital role in protecting power lines and equipment from vegetation. This work helps ensure our customers and employees are safe and that electricity is there for you when you need it.


And the leaves are down!



Hopefully, we won't have too much of this...

Thursday, 25 October 2018

Recycling: Yellow boxes

Well, big changes to our wee county. We just had a municipal election, and the incumbents were re-elected. In the meantime, staff just keeps on keeping on!

I don't think taxpayers in big cities understand life in rural Ontario. We're on well water, we don't have sidewalks, and our recycling isn't as robust as bigger towns and cities. We cannot compost, either, not with Junior Bear. JB washes all of our recycling, and only puts it out on the morning of pick-up. The bears, ravens, and coyotes are prone to getting into garbage. Tourists dump their garbage at the side of the road days before pick-up.



The county is responsible for the roads. JB spotted some garbage at the Park 'N Ride, too much for him, with arthritis in his back, to pick up. The municipality told the county, and they picked up some of it.

Hubby went to the municipal offices, and picked up some free bags. We are only permitted to put out two bags for free. Otherwise, we have to put a sticker on it. Ironically, Tim Hortons donates bags for this purpose. They love him at the office, he walks regularly, and gets so upset with the garbage, he'll go out and pick it up. These yellow bags allow us to put it out for free. We are helping the township and the county.



In the meantime, this is a big change for us. Our tax dollars at work!


3900 YELLOW BOXES arrived this morning. We'll deliver one to every household in DNE next week: Oct 29 - Nov 2. Watch for your personal delivery.
This is like the good, old days, when we lived in Ottawa. Our neighbour used to set the tone for garbage pickup and snow clearing. Mary and her hubby were on top of it all the time. She knew if it was blue or black boxes, and we'd peek out the front door to see what she put on her driveway. Now, JB is the one who reads the flyers and knows when what is being picked up!

Wednesday, 24 October 2018

Bacon and crock pots

I like the change over to fall. The leaves shushing under your feet. I can trace the path of the wild turkeys, as they scrape away the leaves, searching for bugs. We're up to 30 ticks this month. The cats have had their treatments. I'm happy to see the turkeys doing their jobs.


People are preparing for Hallowe'en! JB paused his meal deliveries yesterday, to take a photo or two!


Hooper and Daisy. I think Hooper was looking for mice friends. Daisy was watching Hooper. I sent her off.


Bird feeders are filled. The water barrel is shut down for winter. Dahlias rescued from the cold and put to bed. Farewell!


Indoors, time to get some food and nutrition. I love the fall, when food simmers all day, filling your senses, and your soul, with a comforting meal at the end of a day. I had a recipe, a common one, something I converted to prepare in the crock pot. It was cabbage roll casserole. Basically, everything you put into a cabbage roll, but chopped up, and thrown into the pot, to get acquainted all day. The recipe began with sauteing the bacon, and then the onions. I decided to forego the bacon, and throw the rest into the pot, and hope for the best. It turned out well.
Crock pot meals... what is your favourite?


Bacon– here's the skinny!

So, the next day, I decided to cook up the bacon for lunches. There didn't seem to be much. I'd thought about it over the years. I often cook it all up. It lessens the clean-up! After my sandwich, there wasn't much left. I looked at the package: 375 gm = 0.8 lb.  There are 454 gm in a pound. Crikey. For the same price point...



Well, I figured it out. It began in 2014.

Bacon packages shrink as pork prices soar

2014–Packages of bacon at stores such as Cantor's Meats in Winnipeg have slimmed down from 500 grams to 375 grams in recent months, in an attempt to limit price sticker shock. 
It's not just bacon, either.

Of course, there are higher costs. That is life. The deceit is what shocks me. I want a full pound, as I want leftovers. 

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Critters

Life continues on here is the wetland. Autumn is settling in, with normal temperatures.
It's Tuesday, JB dispatches and delivers Meals on Wheels. I sit with my client, who fears thunderstorms. Of COURSE, it's going to rain!!!! Up north, they have snow, and I cannot complain.

Hooper is enjoying his new heated home. I'm using the Christmas lights timer, and the heater goes on at dusk, and goes off at dawn. This is fine, as the sun warms him in the day when he seeks shelter there. He likes to be out at night. He came in, and Daisy went out, at 4:00 a.m.



This is really fun. Coyote was playing with a stick down in the forest.



Daisy and I went down, and she sure gave the area a sniff!



Then, we had a trio in the backyard, who also appeared on the trailcam.