Not Quite The Weekend Update

I have had a busy month, which is why no posts. Winter is ending – long overdue – and spring briefly exploded to form an early summer, before settling back into more seasonal temperatures. There was frost last night, so I’m glad I didn’t rush out to plant annuals as yet.

The church’s annual yard sale/bake sale took place last weekend, which meant I had to do some baking, though not as much as in some years past: no buns (no time), just four or five batches of cookies. The sale was a success anyway, so I don’t think they were missed much (I did get told that my baked beans must be available at our fall sale, Lord willing).

We brought home the old VHS player from the cottage so I could try an experiment: transferring old VHS stuff to DVD. It seems to work; we have a DVD recorder that we used to used in our pre-PVR days, that has just been gathering dust. I hooked everything together and VOILA!: the old super8 movies that I had transferred to VHS (about 20 years ago) are now ready to burn to DVD. It isn’t a lot of film – only about 20-30 minutes worth – but it has some precious images from the 1970’s.

This is a still I found between scenes: it’s blurry (there were only two frames to take it from) but I know it is my Mom at the kitchen sink, probably drying a dish. Strange to find it wedged in there; I didn’t even know it existed until I was editing the raw VRO file. Probably I turned on my camera for a second by mistake, and that’s how it ended up on the film, but I’d never seen it before this, it being there and gone too quickly for the eye to see.

It’s too bad there is no sound on those old films. When I see my Dad, and Dodie’s first husband Terry, and my Aunt Bea, how I’d love to hear their voices again!

We’re gearing up for the long weekend, and then summer is truly here. Cottage time again, and I can’t wait!

Water, Anyone?

Not the nicest weather at the lake, but it was an interesting trip, if only for the sight of the swimming pool Mother Nature has installed in our side yard.

I’ve never seen flooding like this. Iain’s remark when looking at the road that runs between the two lakes was that it seemed to be just one lake, now.

The creek was running very high – the culverts could hardly handle all the water.
Today was beautiful and bright, and the waters had gone down a few inches, so it seems things will be alright.

On our way home, we saw a Northern Harrier and took a few pictures. This wasn’t our only bird sighting, just the coolest. The Song Sparrows are back at the lake, and seemed to be building a nest; and I saw a gorgeous Great Blue Heron just outside Renfrew.

A Short Visit

Port Hope is a nice place to visit, especially when you get to spend time with great people like Carl and Irene.  Five of us made the trip down for the weekend: Dodie, Myles, Jo, Iain and me, ostensibly to watch the “Float Your Fanny” fun, but really to just talk and eat, which is what we do best.



His name is Dibbley, and he is C&I's neighbour. Isn't he adorable?


The day was clear and a bit chilly, and we were happy to be on the sidelines watching, and not be participants in the race!

Really did need the hood.

The race ran very slowly this year, probably as a result of the lower-than-usual water levels.  We didn’t see anywhere near all of the entries. After watching for a while we headed home, stopping along the way to check out the fish ladder at the dam, where no salmon were jumping. Oh well.

These guys are getting their craft out of the river to portage around the dam.

Port Hope is full of lovely old buildings and structures.

This mill is near the dam.

The railway trestle is marked as being built in 1913! I wonder does anyone remember that this is their centennial?

Just snapped it while we were driving by.

Downtown Port Hope. Home of Ken Bell's store - awesome costume jewelry.

Lots of very impressive churches in Port Hope.

The view from the edge of Lake Ontario always humbles me: it could be an ocean, it looks so vast.


The water looks inviting.

Silly Mourning Doves

I saw them out the back door window, and at first they were just cuddling together. Then, they began to do this:

No, they aren’t sick or injured; just enjoying lying about in the sun.

Weekend at the cottage

Another wintery weekend, with family. Six of us staying there meant one couple sleeping on the floor (we MUST get a fold-out couch), but it was fun and cozy.

Mom always thinks a deer should come down to the lake, and this time two did (one pictured). They crossed to the island and then left again shortly.

Quite a snow-squall on Friday, just when some were skiing. Looks beautiful, though.

Iain made a paella, using monkfish instead of lobster to avoid me having an allergic reaction.  With chicken and scallops and mussels, it was amazing!

Living on the cheap

This paystub is from 1981! I found it with some other stuff I should have thrown out years ago.
I’m not sure what my job title was at that time. Possibly I was in the materials testing lab (which seems to me, in retrospect, to be one of the dumbest things they could have paid me to do; we were making JEANS for heaven’s sake, not airplane parts!).  I spent my days ripping fabric and splitting zippers, all in the name of high quality Wrangler jeans.



Since I worked a 40 hour week, my hourly pay would have been  $6.50. Things were cheaper then, though: my first apartment rented for $200 per month, and I furnished it with my parents’ stuff that they were willing to let me have, like my own bed and an ancient black and white television.  One of the first purchases I made was a colour tv, and a sweet stereo: both Electrohome, both from Cuff’s in Renfrew.

Birdfeeder action

The addition of a niger feeder has made our backyard more attractive to the birds, almost overnight.  For some reason they weren't interested in the mixed seed we had in the two main feeders, and we thought it was just our backyard they didn't like, but once we added the niger feeder, in they fluttered.

Since Iain isn't working right now, he's got a bit more time to check out what's happening in the yard during the day.  When he saw the reaction the new feeder was getting, he emptied the other feeders and we got black sunflower seed for them.  Now, all of the feeders seem to be popular.

The Goldfinches and Redpolls are our main customers.

We don't have huge flocks - usually not more than 10-15 Redpolls, and fewer Goldfinches.

This feeder was a gift at Christmas time from Craig and Karen.

There are usually a few Juncos around as well, but they feed on the ground.  We're happy to see the birds, and will continue to feed them until the spring, at least.

Cottage in Winter

Staying at our cottage in winter is a lot easier than it used to be. Years ago, we stayed at the little cottage that my grandfather built and my dad renovated. Despite the oil stove and wood range, it was a chilly place: after three days, the first foot of air above the floor would finally begin to warm up. We had a lot of good times there anyway, but it was much nicer, when I arrived with Dodie and Myles on Friday late-afternoon, to come into a cozy place!  The tile is bone-chilling cold, however, and I somewhat regret not putting in the heated pad when we were building, when I step onto it in sock feet.

We DO have water indoors, however!  Not to all of the taps, of course: that will have to wait for spring; but pails are easily filled from the well, right in the utility room. The water was mud-brown when Iain first ran it, but cleared up after a few hours: typical for a well left alone for several months, especially one so new.

While he was waiting for us to arrive, Iain puttered about the place and at one point needed a tool, which led him to search in the shed.  He didn't find the allan key he wanted, but he did find where the squirrel had stored his winter supply of acorns.

It was a fruitful year for the oak trees, and the squirrels took full advantage of it.

We had a chance to visit our friend Judy, who is blessed to be able to live in her cabin all year round.  She treats a herd of deer (her babies) with alfalfa, and we dropped in to visit with her and see them come for a snack.

These two are fairly tame.  One had a broken leg earlier this year, but has healed and can use it now.

Judy has a variety of wildlife around.  While we were waiting for more deer to arrive, Dodie spotted an ermine outside. I was lucky enough to get a shot of it grabbing a mouse from under the snow and carrying it back to its nest.

These guys are fast!

More deer came in. She often has about 19.

She also has regular visits from a Gray Jay. I think this is the first time I have ever seen one; certainly the first time for one at such close range!

He doesn't look very big in this picture, but Gray Jays are as large as a Blue Jay, or perhaps a bit bigger.

An update from cat central…

Living with four cats could be a lot worse.  They are mostly laid-back and don’t drive us nuts (except first thing in the morning, and when I’m making lunches, and when dinner is cooking, and when they want supper).

So cute, curled up in her chair.  Actually, it's MY computer chair, but she only shares it when I insist.

Stitches has turned into a funny little thing.  Her favourite game for the last few months has been “chase the shadows on the floor”.  I’ll be sitting on the couch and will reach for a pen or something, and she’ll start skittering across the floor, trying to grab the shadow of my hand or whatever I’m holding.

The other night we caught her staring intently at the gas fire.  Iain wonders if her sight is going, or perhaps she is just bored.

 

Moving the cat tree to the basement appears to have rekindled some interest in it; here are Onyx and Snaps having a little slap-fight.

Onyx much prefers the higher-level view.

Another year ends, a new one begins.

A break at the cottage, especially when it's a visit with Irene and Carl, is always fun!  We were there for four days, which gives you some idea of what excellent (and patient) hosts they are.

Irene and Carl; taken on a walk over to our cottage.

Tim and Clio were there for a few days, so we got to enjoy time with them as well.  Clio has calmed down a bit (only a bit) since her puppy days, but still needed to be taken skijouring to get tired out.

She really is the cutest dog! Like a big stuffed toy.

Much of our time was spent in puzzles, games, eating and drinking.

Serious work!

The full moon on Sunday morning was still quite high around 7:00 a.m.  Iain braved the cold to get a picture.

 

Dodie and Myles joined us on Sunday, and we had even MORE fun!  Sorry, no pics.  On New Year's Day we headed home.  I took the picture below on our way out the road.  The way the snow was making balls on everything just kept catching my eye.

And now, after a long hiatus...

I'm finally blogging a bit. I don't really have any reason to not have been blogging for the last month, but I also don't really have any reason FOR blogging at any time, so, well, there it is.

Christmas turned out to be pretty relaxing this year, after much concern as to how we'd fit in adequate time with both families.  We weren't able to see as much of Craig and Karen as we'd have liked, but we made do, and had fun.

This is just before we sat down to the meal that Sheila's three sons prepared!  Well done, and we women were glad of it. 

This was one of the snowiest Christmases for a while.  The sun rising behind Mom's back yard was magical.

A few days at home gave us a chance to relax and spoil the pets a bit. 

What has caught Jezebel's eye, you ask?  She seems intent on something...

Aha!  Onyx playing in the paper!

Dodie and Myles hosted the Stevens family dinner, and I was so thankful to get to spend another Christmas day with my mom - that makes 58!

Mom giving me her most patient look.  I love you, Mom!

Lots more to blog about, but it's for another day!