A sunny day!

Temperatures have been up and down. We finally had a sunny day and decided to do a dump run. We've stuff that needed throwing out. An old metal garbage can of my dad's that had rusted through, pond equipment I can't use, old pots, etc. 

The wet fields, with all the rain we've had.

Around the bend, we had our car weighed first.

This is the pile of metal.

We drove up the hill, where we to dump our stuff.

Back to the weigh scale. 

It was an adventure! I think we went right at the top of the hill instead of left. We will know next time. The guy came out a vaguely sent us up the hill, but I suspect...

 This is sped up 4 x's, just for fun.

To the dump from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I noticed a memorial. Research tells me it was an 18-year-old in a head on collision. I always wish there were follow-up reports. What did the OPP learn? Who was at fault? How could it be prevented?

We passed a vernal swamp. It disappears in the heat of summer. 

On the way home, I asked Joseph Brian to take me to the quarry. The chorus frogs were singing for love! 

We did some chorus frog surveys over the years. They put the research on hold for some reason. 

chorus frogs 3 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

More research, this place is for sale just up the road. It's on an acre, only $679,900! I think there are chorus frogs there in the pond from one of our frog surveys.

RIP Percy

I'll deal with the bad news first. R. I. P. Percy 🐟

Percy wasn't happy in the cold. There was nothing to be done, though. I went out to check on him Monday, and he is definitely dead. I am so sad. His white friend is dead, as well. There is a smaller orange goldfish still alive. I have to think about what to do. 

It was just too cold for him, I guess. I feel awful. He hadn't moved and I didn't want to disturb him. But he was gone. He's been out there since March 29th, but succumbed to the cold. I think he was 6 years old, and we got him in Brockville.

I am still trying to figure out how to remove the old caulk from his leaky aquarium and re-caulk it. I can't reach the bottom, even standing on a chair. I don't even know how I managed to get the aquarium up on the stand. I guess I was 10 years younger!

The sunset was very pretty!

 

I went for a walkabout between storms. 

The daffodils are coming along. 

I finally remembered to check on the forsythia. Thanks to everyone who has been featuring theirs. 

You may think me silly, forgetting, but I planted it when we had a view through here. The evergreens have grown! I cannot see it from here, right on the other side of these two evergreens. 

 
The Lenten Rose is in bloom. I was trimming old dead leaves, and apparently the flowers grow on new stalks. You have to be careful with some bushes as blossoms grow on old growth in some cases.

April showers bring May flowers

 With the nice weather, I thought I'd get a pedicure for spring. The relaxation was much-needed. I didn't realize how cold it would be! We've had cold, splatty rain for days. The action has been with the squirrel caught mid-flight!

I ordered myself a new shirt. I was pleased with it. Even dug out my capri pants. I put on my face, and my old capri pants.

 🏠Vacant land on Gore St.  

On the way home, I stopped to grab photos of the new build in town. I've been snapping photos, just for posterity. They'll rent for $2300/month. Not the affordable and rent-to-income places we need. Apparently, our premier only want to help his rich builder friends with single family homes well beyond the income of many on hourly wages. 

What does one do on yet another rainy day? It's been raining for SIX days. 

Thankfully we have power. There were thousands without power in southern Ontario. Those danged winds.

🥌Curling is an option. It is strictly a spectator sport for us. Our backs and knees would never hold out for that. 

Cinnamon rests until we can go walkies!

I had a conversation with Jesse, in Vancouver. Skiing is done. He's promised to upload the rest of his winter photos. He said that all three of my kids will be together at his cottage near Lindell, in B.C. It is lovely when families can all get together. The Vancouver kids came to visit us in July 2022. I am estranged from my youngest. It is great that they will have a good visit. There are swimming pools, and a beach nearby. I am happy for them. Summer is coming together.

Garbage is out. The new week begins. I hope you have a good one!

Flying gray squirrel!

I wrote about Fred's burrows yesterday. They are epic! I have to assure @Karen that there was a very sturdy base with two concrete pads. Sand and large gravel chunks, which Fred managed to move, probably went down with the house. I'm glad we're in the country. 

You can see the work he did. (We're going with 'him' for now, AC. ) It was very heavy to try throw back into the hole. I laughed, honestly. It's still solid. 

Friday, the first daffodils were tipsy in the rain. Percy, and his two pals (one died last week, sadly), have been frigid.

Down by the driveway, actual daffies on Saturday! I ventured out in the rain. This is with my cell phone, in the rain and cold.

These came around to bloom on Saturday, in the rain.

🦝 I haven't noticed many raccoons this year. This one was on the trailcam, but alone. We'll see if they show up. They often do turn up with kits in tow. They slumber over winter, and maybe their systems are out of whack with the warm/cold temperatures we've had.

Butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The trailcams themselves have been fairly quiet. Not many coyotes. I guess food is more easily available.

coyote April 6 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We had a couple of turkey hens go by in the forest, but Archie hasn't been around. 

Instead, just a lone hen in the yard in the rain.

2 turkeys from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I caught it twice on camera, jumping from the bird bath to the feeder. Hubby has seen it jumping from the horse chestnut tree behind the feeder onto the feeder. April 13. It is a very strong gray squirrel. 

FLying squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.