Monday began with frost

 That was a shock: frost. The poor daffodils! When I put garbage out at 7:30, they were droopy!

I went back out for a walk after things warmed up. Look at them holding up their little heads!

They are so droopy! Poor little tulips.

The peony were falling over! Later in the day they perked up. Whew! 

Grecian Windflower

The Lenten Rose is tricky to photograph. I used the iPhone. If you could picture me bending over, trying to get them in focus! You can see my blue sleeve in the top left corner of the first photo below.

I tried again on Monday... We've rain on the way, I was happy to see the sun.

Grape hyacinth

We had deer visit. They are happy grazing.

There was a trio of bucks. 

We'll see what today brings!

Cats and birds

 There was a bit of a fight on the railing. Cinnamon chose to walk away. He's a good cat!

I noticed our turkey hen again.

I looked out a 7:30 in the morning the other day, and spotted a doe.

I am back to bird watching from the front window. Soon I'll have to put the feeder away. 

The flicker was happily finding food.

Five years ago the Flickers nested in the dead elm.

Flicker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Apparently it is a popular tree. The European starlings appear to have taken it over this year.

 

dead elm from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I took the garbage out this morning. I bundled up! It was -4 ℃. I am afraid for my daffies, even the peony stems are falling over. We shall see!

Topsy Farms

One of the nicest places to go birding has been Amherst Island. The snowy owls are amazing. I like to visit Topsy Farm. We've bought a few presents there.

 

I've even ordered felting kits from them.

It is an amazing sheep farm, which used to be a co-operative, AKA Hippie Commune, in the 70s. 

Sally contracted long Lyme Disease years ago. She continues to live a good life. Husband Ian had a heart attack, and now is managing prostate cancer, which is palliative.  He is doing MAiD in the next week.

My Ian has less than 8 days to live.
How do I live, afterwards? pic.twitter.com/d9SXBUDk1t

— Topsy Farms (@TopsyFarms) April 18, 2024

In the meantime, they are doing a fundraiser to pay off the mortgage before he dies. This is his one regret, that it isn't paid off.  

 

Saturday's Critters

It's been busy with spring critters. I am itching to get back into the garden, but it has been wet, cold, damp and rainy. I can hear the twitch grass growing into the garden, but don't have the energy to pull it out. The bugs are back, with many song birds returning to mate. The forsythia along the highway is very cheerful.

The mating season is upon is. I noticed a pair of flickers bopping around the arbour. They seem to be nesting in the dead elm, again. They were one of the first birds I noticed here. These photos from May, 2011.  The photo after is from our visit to Batchawana Bay in 2009.

 

Flicker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've small, medium and large critters! The spider web on the camera lens – doesn't help the image.

 

2 raccoons Apr 14 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The cottontail is so fast. Which is a good thing. I haven't seen them since the weather turned wet and cold.

 

critters from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The coyotes did their thing!

 

coyotes Apr 17 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The pond is greening up! We've two pair of mallards and lots of mosquito larvae!

 

mallards on the pond apr 18 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It is the second time I've seen a lone muskrat. It is very difficult to spot. It swam over to the dock and then went under it. 

 

muskrat Apr 18 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday's Critters # 540 <= visit more critters here!

Conspiracy theories, scams and cat's breakfast

Our former MPP is still on the warpath. They are having meetings to spread conspiracy theories.

 I am having fun reading weirdo conspiracy theories. OK, not FUN per se, but you do want to know what they are promoting. These guys (Jim and Eddie, below) are perfect examples. It is BS, of course. I've had two clients use MAiD, end-of-life was close. They were eased to the end with the knowledge that they were ready to go. They don't allow children to be part of this program. But you want to know what they are saying in order rebut.

I imagine that since these conspiracy theorists will twist the truth, they believe that our government staff and elected politicians will lie, as well. They profess FREEDOM, but apparently that doesn't include the rest of us!

The government has provided reports and data, as well as the actual protocols that must be followed. This chart shows that the deaths in Canada by MAiD in 2022 was 13,241. Another chart shows that only people over age 18 have used MAiD. These are the eligibility requirements for using MAiD:

💸 💰 🤑 💸 💰 🤑 💸 💰 🤑 💸 💰 🤑

💰The good guys won! You really have to be on your toes. They arrested 14 people in Montreal (read: 'The Mob'), who have scammed grandparents out of $739,000 (it has been upped to $2.2 million). 

This is a perfect example of a scam. I had a text that was bogus. You really do have to think about this. Canada Post, as JB pointed out, would include both official languages. I did have a couple of parcels coming, but all of them have my proper address. 

🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌙

I found a photo with a strange orb! This was from April 8th, 2 p.m., the day of the eclipse. 

🐾This was a moment in household feline history. Cinnamon is a gentle cat. Nutmeg is the boss, AKA Killer. (She is a wicked hunter!) 

 I put food out, and noticed him eating from Nutmeg's bowl. This is highly unusual! There was food in both bowls. I had to take a photo.

If I put crunchies down in the single bowl, he'll wait until she finishes. His wet food bowl is on the left, and hers just below the giraffe. She came around the corner!

cat breakfast from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It's been quite the week. I put 110 km on the car volunteering. My dear hubby went into town to the cafe and ordered me a quiche. He brought that home with a kale caesar salad. He cannot have dairy or yeast, so this was all for me. It was a lovely thing to do. 

More rain on the way. Outdoor chores are still going to have to wait. The poor fountain sits waiting for me!

Have a great weekend.