Trip to Newboro

 Monday afternoon, we had a mission. One last Christmas present. It was a last-minute decision to go there, not made until after lunch. Off we went. We took our masks, and water bottles. 

This is a lovely store, Kilborn's. We popped on our masks. I was really stressed out, and found it difficult to breath. They have no clothes, including winter boots, that fit me. Sad to say. I've wide feet. We fetched a basket, and made our planned purchases. There was lots of sparkle!

We ate at the Stagecoach Inn in the past, but we'd had lunch before we left the house. That is safer these days.

The sun shone. I could see lots of birds on Big Rideau Lake. The problem is where to access the lake view. The Portland Bay Conservation Area wasn't great for that.  

We passed this house in Portland with two suspicious flags. I snapped them on the way home.

I'd seen them before. One can find them online. 

From there, we headed to Smiths Falls for the shoe store, for winter boots for me. They are closed on Mondays, which is the way around here in tourist country. Ah well. It was a nice drive. Back home it was.

I found more decorations. This was a lovely scene. It'd be lovely in the dark, but we don't tend to go out at night.

 We have the same bears, the dark brown pair on the left↓! 

On the way by Rideau Ferry I'd seen ducks as we drove over the bridge. We stopped on the way back for a look. Walking out on one dock, they were not amused. Off they went.

Just as I snapped it, the duck on the upper right rose up and flapped its wings and I missed a lovely shot. You'll have to use your imagination.

This was our view in summer, when we'd eat on CC's patio. They are closed on Mondays, and it was REALLY cold.

Lovely to see them before they fly south!

Forest Walkies, now snow

Off I went to fetch trailcam videos.

Cinnamon and I went walkies another day. I had frogs to dump in the wetland. 

🐸  Moving the froggies

Nov. 19th a.m.    –   moved  3        = 144

I remembered to drain the water barrel, again.

Sunday night, Joseph Brian and two cats watched the games. I'd made them a nice fire, while I watched Christmas movies.

Two cats snuggle in the sunshine.

In the dark, I'm working on our lights. I noticed the moon! 

From the inside, the lights warm my heart.

Tuesday morning we had storm warnings. November is always risky for freezing rain. Tuesday morning was cold, at -9 C. and a storm was on the way. The sky was pink at 6:30.

Outdoors, having refilled the bird feeders, I thought I'd harvest some pumpkin seeds prior to a possible snow storm. Do you know what pumpkins are like having been in -8 C. temperatures overnight? Rock hard! I took out my axe! That worked.

The 5 or so silly frogs are still under the ice in the goldfish pond. I cut it a hole.

We had a storm. There was about 2 cm snow on Tuesday. Joseph Brian gathered flashlights, just in case. Wednesday morning, it switched to rain. We got ready for freezing rain, but it was snow, thankfully.

Yay, winter.

A young buck visited!

There is so much happening in the world. This family, closer to home, had a house fire in January. They are still working on it. It hurts my heart all the issues around the world, and near to home.

The birds aren't bathing much, and my heater looks a bit the worse for wear. It took me forever to find a replacement screw with a nut. That said, it's away in the cupboard. The plug pulled out of the extension cord, and I cannot trust it. 

I switched out the bird bath fountain with a heated bowl. Thank you, A/C!  It is so much easier to clean during the cold winter.

We had a visitor on Sunday. A young buck, likely a fawn from this year. He was hanging around the front yard in the afternoon. I suspect he's lost his Mama. We'll watch out for him.

young buck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

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COVID numbers are up in Ottawa. Poor 😷Isabelle got it last week. Thankfully, she's well vaccinated, and only had sniffles, a sore throat, and headache. She was able to make cookies on Thursday, and she stayed home from school on Friday. She is on the mend, however. 

Ontario is only tracking long-term care and congregate settings. Almonte, Prescott and Kemptville have cases.

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In an aside, my mystery bug (seen laying eggs) seems to be an Arthropod of some sort:

New updates in the last 24 hours from iNaturalist Canada

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