A storm rolled in!

UPDATE: The Proposed Gun Range <= the whole saga

The person who bought the former gun range property is re-appealing, although I don't think he has a leg to stand on. While I am on it, he has officially severed three properties. He has sold Property #1, having sold #3 in December. I presume the old farmhouse on lot #2 is still being renovated. It was in sad shape. There is an upper story apartment.  It is still for rent, for July 1st. 

• Dec. 9th – Property #3 sold Dec. 9th for $135,000 (lowered from $165,000 to $140,000). It is 1.9 acres.
• May 2024 – Property #1 has had its price reduced in December ( $185,000:  $144,000: $130,000).  It sold for $121,000. 

Anyway, back to my story. We'd planned to eat dinner by the water. That didn't happen, as a huge storm rolled in. I love the clouds.

I set up the videocamera:

I was sitting on the back deck, when the storm rolled in. The live map of lightning strikes did not bode well for sitting on a patio for dinner.

storm rolls in from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

After the clouds rolled in, there were 22 vultures flying!

 

22 soaring vultures from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

If you like a good storm rolling in, here is one! The thunder was lovely, the wind blew, and the clouds were amazing.

June 20 storm from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We drove to Rideau Ferry to meet a friend for dinner. There are a lot of signs up regarding a cycling tour. We had to stay off the roads Saturday! I still cannot understand how and why the "Say No to the Gun Range" signs weren't allowed on country roads, but this is acceptable. I tried to look up this event, but they are a bit vague! 

Off we went. This dude was merrily making his way, with cars veering over the centre line to avoid him. I'd be scared!

I didn't take photos of the afternoon, but we were forced to eat indoors. This usually only happens in winter! I prefer the outdoor patio, or the screened in annex, but they wouldn't let us sit there in the outdoor porch either. 

My other disappointment is the new menu. They do not serve pasta any more! It is my favourite. This was March, 2018. We often eat here.

We arrived at 4, and a table beside us was reserved beside. We were actually sitting in the alcove  (file photos!), behind where the server was standing. I'd asked for a quiet corner, but that was not to be. There was a woman in the group, with that female laugh, loud and obnoxious. I have a bad startle reflex with noise. I had to plug my ears. JB actually took out his hearing aids, it was so loud. That is the issue with hearing aids, it amplifies all the sound, not just the conversations at our table. Even the server had to being raising her voice with the noise from the group.

It was difficult for all three of us. We hurriedly asked for the bill and headed home. What a day! Saturday I cooked up a couple of hamburgers. It was peaceful as we watched Escape to the Country!

Saturday's Critters

 A tropical heat wave and then thunder storms and a cool down. Lotsa fun! The critters are busy.

I was quite excited to spot an Eastern Comma or Question Mark laying eggs on the Hops Vine. I'm working on taking macro photos of them. The Leaf Hopper was just a bonus!

It is tough telling apart the Question Mark and the Comma! They are so fast. We shall see what hatches...

I'm still not sure that we have a pregnant Fred or that we still have two of them. It seems late in the season. That said, s/he/they are fun to watch.

 

fred June 14 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Cinnamon and I went down to fetch trailcam cards and I could hear it. Finally I spotted it. Northern Flickers are beautiful birds! 

 

frog pond flicker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The Swallowtail has been drifting around the garden.

 

swallowtail from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Down in the forest, the porcupine is marking territory.

 

June 16 porcupine from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

After Booboo Bear rearranged Muskrat's home last week, Muskrat re-rearranged it!

 

June 17 muskrat from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday's Critters # 549 <= For more critters, visit Eileen.

Fred, Phoebe, Eastern Comma, froggies

Big storm on Thursday, more on that another day. It looks like another storm today. We shall see. It's not quite so hot. This is a good thing. 

 I captured an image of Fred. They popped their head out at 9:04, then ducked back in when the tractor went by. She looks pregnant, but may have fooled me. I just don't know! I was so hoping to see the little ones. 

June 18th Phoebe finished laying the latest brood. 

The Eastern Comma butterfly, laying eggs on the Hops Vine, best watch out! I was watching her, and managed a photo of the egg. This will take practice, the photos, I mean. 

Apparently, she's been laying eggs for awhile. I found this little caterpillar. It's the first one. Mind you, it could be an Easter Question Mark, they like the vine for egg laying, as well. I am having trouble taking her photo. 

 

The frog pond is thriving. The frogs are thriving. I could hear bull frogs in the middle of the pond. Also, there are a lot of leopard frogs in the grass. Eat those bugs, froggies!

It's a heat wave!

We wait all winter for spring and summer. That said, here it is June and 6 Canadian provinces have declared heat warnings. It is moving east, and wildfires continue in California. Climate Change deniers are insisting that this isn't unusual.  <SNORT>

Monday vs. Tuesday vs. this morning, we are having a hot week! This morning, at 6:30, it is 26℃!

Tuesday morning a beautiful cloud.

Our lawn tractor is back with a new battery. This rural life isn't cheap! I spent over an hour doing the lawn, the meadow, the back and front. I missed spots, but needed to clear it out. The bugs are horrid.

Here is the doe I spotted. You can see the sorry state of the lawn.

doe June14 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Ta da! Fred doesn't seem to mind my mowing down their food trough!

You can see Fred down there,

 I reviewed and curated 182 videos of the Hops Vine. It kept triggering the motion sensor. You just have to laugh! It is a common problem for many trailcammers.  

I realized I couldn't figure out what was growing in the planter. I didn't plant the green stuff, which Cinnamon is inspecting. It doesn't look like last year's plants (below, left). It is a mystery until it blooms.

I was right about phoebe. Four eggs as of Tuesday. If they do a second brood, they often only lay four eggs. 

Can you smell it? The milkweed is ready.

I've a funny story. JB came home from town, he spotted a turtle down the road. You can barely see it in the distance. He guarded it as it crossed the road, but it wasn't moving well. It's rear hind leg wasn't working, either. Too big for him to lift, and snapping at him, he came home for help. 

I donned a bra, and street clothes, and off we went. We couldn't find it anywhere, not in the ditch where he'd seen it heading. I hope someone rescued it. Our local vet takes in turtles. I phoned and they didn't have one brought in.  

Snapping turtles are endangered, as with most of our turtles. Habitat loss, road incidents, etc., but people are really good around here about rescuing them. It is heartwarming.

Birds in the yard!

This is a great place for birding, if you just want to listen to them. I've been puttering around here, putting up string for the Hops Vine. The Eastern Comma butterfly has been back, soon it'll be laying eggs on the plant and we'll have caterpillars. The heat is atrocious on this part of the continent.

Birding from the deck has been great. The waxwings are after the serviceberries out back and front. 

Song sparrows and goldfinches have been bathing.

Apparently they can share the water fountain. The goldfinch is on the extension cord, the sparrow on the middle tier.

These are the birds Merlin thinks it is hearing. The 'waterthrush' may be accurate, I've seen a thrush before. This from walkies in the forest. I have seen other thrushes. I'll have to compare the hermit thrush with this one.

The pileated woodpecker is quite busy in the forest, yelling at someone or broadcasting its territory.

Phoebe has been back eating bugs. I'm not sure if they'll have another brood. The Mourning Doves sure will. They are doing the cooing and flirting thing.