Bye-bye, Birdie.

Spoke too soon.  Saw the bird, but then yesterday saw the nest had fallen -- too much wind?  An attack from the magpies... abandoned because of too much (of our) attention?

I picked up the nest and put it back.  No eggs inside or around on the ground.  I tell James the bird might come back if we leave it alone. 

Back in my head I flash back to that day I managed to catch a baby-ish robin.  I was maybe seven?  It's leg had been tangled in some monkshood flower stalks and it didn't seem able to fly.  I was so excited I brought it inside the house.  Mom and Dad were not happy about it, but gave me a shoe box to put it in. 

At some point later in the day they convinced me it needed its parents and that we should set it free.  My dad gently tossed the bird into the crook of a tree branch before I headed off to school.  When I got home I didn't see the bird there and asked about it.  Was I crying?  Dad said he saw a mommy and daddy bird come pick it up and wing-in-wing they flew away.  I think it comforted me.  Though  I realise now of course how crazy a sight that would be.  The bird likely didn't make it. 

James calls every robin his pet "Cushion" -- and strangely refers to their colouring as "yellow".  This makes me think about Chinese royal robes: yellows and oranges were considered part of the "brown" family of colours.  Maybe not so strange after all.  I wonder if other cultures combine those together too...

It's a jungle out there.

Look!  A flower!  One of the dollar store daffodil bulbs bloomed!

I've had so little luck with daffodils; this one I planted last year and ignored seemed like a long shot -- but woot!  Like last time, 1 out of 5, another little yellow one (under 30 cm tall).  Hopefully it comes back (last year's didn't).

Look, it even attracted a bee!

Um... oh.

That's a little bee, and a little white spider eating it.  I showed it to James.  He's fascinated (possibly the same white spider we saw on the porch the other day?).

It's a bug eat bug world, I know, but I'm still a little disgusted.

I generally try to stop James from killing bugs*.  But today I saw a red lily beetle and immediately plucked it up and stomped on it.  James looked at me questioningly: Ladybug?  "Nope, this one eats Mama's flowers, so we don't like it.  We like ladybugs."  I wonder if he's confused.  I feel slightly hypocritical...

* Mosquitoes, though, definitely get them before they get you.













A couple of days later: the bloom's faded, but the spider's still there.

2019-06-12 - Update: After looking at a bunch of spider photos (Why?!  Why did I do that?!), I think this one is possibly a small female goldenrod crab spider.  Shivers.

Knock on Wood / I'm the Fool

Those dead branches on the Mountain Ash are doing some good: they're attracting more wildlife.

Today: "Dit-dit-didi-dit-dit..."

Followed by massive giggles for the bird that hits his head against the tree (AKA: Woodpecker, Downy?), and the Mama who tries to imitate the sound (though sounding more like Morse code).

Paul was momentarily fooled today by the announcement of the UTP (Toronto and Texas) merger.

Not so much fun for me.  Year End sucks the potential April Fools fun out of everything.  Olivia did try a morning opening gambit, declaring to me and Lorena, "There's no work to do today."  (May have been more effective if it was Lorena who said it to us, if cruel :P).  Though, it's probably best not to playing jokes at work. 

But, I guess I am still the fool: I believed James when said he would be "good" if I let him walk home...  And that that slide was would be the last slide...

And that he wouldn't stick something else from the ground into this mouth.  Ew. 

(I finally did strap him back in.) 

Great Crepes! Earth Day

Chris, who's this who got married in 2017?  And, who's the kid?  :P

So, we managed to honour the Earth in one way today: we took a walk outside!

But not before having a nice big breakfast brunch.

James and I were spoiled with freshly whipped up crepes (Chris, Claudia, and Steph slaving at the hobs).  Though truth be told - James and I were pretty happy with just eating all those delicious fillings.

(Below:
1. Crepe Pig
2. Cucumbers are hard
3. Chocolate sauce? Yes.)

Chris (still planning out hosting Sunday Brunches) got us to brainstorming about other food ideas.  Crepes were certainly scalable, but I'm partial to a pancake.  Both, seemed to be similar, but not quite as awesome as his favourite Sri Lankan street food: hoppers (a version here).  Though I suspect (like crepes) it's almost all down to the delicious fillings.

(Below: Stare down!)

Eating in Sri Lanka takes us into stories about being the only white person in the whole room.  I've not experienced it.  I half wonder if it's the other side of the coin of how I felt when I was in Hong Kong...

(Right: See it's a chair and a drum!)

Chris had laughed at me when I bundled James (and myself) up for the walk in "the woods".  But see there (below): icebergs!  Vindicated!

 (Below: BASH, BASH!)

(Above Left: Nothing happier than a boy with a stick.  / Above Right: Anyone home?) 

(Below: Our beautiful hosts)

And since we were in the neighbourhood, we drop in on Celina and Theresa.  They were studying and cleaning up, and definitely up for a giggle break.

(Above: The sleepy Shaolin monk that I think looks a lot like *someone*)

I drop off James for his nap and head home for my own cleaning session.

Life can be really nice.

James and (Someone Elses') Garden

He slept and we played inside.

Outside it was overcast, but it's full-on summer.

Was so glad to get outside to look at flowers and such (even if they're mostly not mine).

 Right: No clue what this is, but it does have some interesting pale blue berries.

 Left and Below: Bees!

 Above and Below: Those onions (how many years ago?) have come back and bloomed!

 Left and Below: Caught-in-between expressions

Butterfly and Bee

So, after and 3 years (and another hour*.  I now have Asterlea butterfly wing earrings from Sabrina butterfly!  (Thanks, Jackie.)

* Since it always takes me forever to make a decision, and there was a lot of choice. 

It was such a nice outing.  James charmed the sales girl at Sabrina -- buying me more time to flip through the cards of earrings, and text Erica to help me decide (everyday or something with with dramatic impact...?).

And, putting hte stroller in par, I had a chance to check out the front garden. 

It has gone wild: and it's probably better for it.  The chives are in bud (left); my haskap (honeyberry) has berried (right)!  The kale left from last year decided to come back, and its riot of yellow flowers attracted bees (below).  Life and time goes on even though I'm a bit on hold...

My good mood, unfortunately, ended at night: James was unhappy and refused to drink out of the bottle.  Such a relief when he finally stopped crying and fell asleep (through no help of mine). 

My hair is falling out now.  Bleh.  So many strands, every time I run my fingers through it, releasing it from the ponytail... but thankfully, not in clumps.

J'Accuse!

The pine cone bird feeder is gone!

Lament, lament.

I know it was you "mister" squirrel.

(Right: Yesterday's snow, only a slight dusting left in this morning).  

(Below: Hey, where's lunch?)

Late Night Treat

"What is that crazy Libran doing now?"  Prab yelled out from the upstairs window.

It's the Northern Lights!  Of course I'm going to try and take pictures!

Um... but without support / just freehand, they looked like this:

Hardly identifiable as the incredible flares of green and peach that got me clamouring (maybe a little too quickly) over the icy sidewalk to knock on Erica and Prabhdeep's door.  It was after 11 p.m.!  I scared Erica "out of [her] brain".  Though, I think the Lights show redeemed me.

The two of us stood outside watching it shimmy and shimmer above Tim's and Jamie and Claude's. It faded and burst forth again. Erica was surprised at how bright they were given the city's bright lights.  It was certainly the most vivid I'd ever seen. 

Eventually, it was just a pale green wisp.  I thanked Erica for sticking around with me (Prabhdeep had long turned back to his computer) and headed back home... 

.. to find another patch had developed over "The Olivers'"! 

Click, click, click.  Maybe I should have taken video? But with the help of the deck, these weren't so bad.

In the quiet I could hear far away people cheering -- as if watching fireworks. 

I thought, it's good to stay out late.  (Even if I'm tired, cranky, and worried about Kevin.)  You never know what you might find. 

I thought, it's good to have people to share this with.

Too bad Paul, who's actually subscribed to Aurora Watch, wasn't here to see it.