Long Point- Spring gardening

Spring chores here include taking down the snow fence and solid fences, putting up the privacy fence and lots and lots of sand shovelling as the bulldozer can't get right up close to the cottage. That is nearly completed but time was ticking away, so the vegetable beds had to be prepared (dug over and compost dug in) and planted. Victoria Day weekend.

This year it is pole beans, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, kale, garlic, bush beans, beets, lettuce, basil and oregano.

Also English Daisies and Pansies in the pots by the steps

and of course Pansies on the porch posts.

After a hard day of gardening I broke my "no drinking alone" rule and had a glass of wine while surveying the fruits of my labours. I like to have my morning coffee on the deck overlooking the lake and sometimes relax with a book, in the afternoon, on that deck too, but I like to sit on the "back" deck in the evening sun. From here I can also watch the birds at the feeders.

There's always red winged blackbirds, they eat me out of house and home (along with a chipmunk who also has a voracious appetite)

Blue Jays, Sparrows, Finches

Cardinals, Nuthatches, Grackles, Cowbirds, Mourning Doves

Hummingbirds

and a Downy Woodpecker who likes some nectar for dessert after the suet. The Orioles are, so far, too shy to get their pictures taken but they can drink the feeder dry in a couple of days.

A very entertaining end to the day.

A day at the Edmonton Zoo

I have been sick with Avery's cold since I got back from Edmonton, so this post is a week and a half late.
We took Avery and Maya to the Edmonton Zoo. Actually, they are really too young to appreciate it, we took ourselves to the Zoo and the kids came along for the ride.

Aimee only recently learned that Edmonton had a zoo, and they have lived there for years.

Just inside the gates and you can see the otters from beneath the water

and above.

There were attendants out and about with the animals so we could get up close and ask questions.

Looking at this you might think that Avery wanted to get closer to check out the turtle. You would be wrong, he just wanted to pick up the grass and throw it in the air, his current obsession.

He was happy to be able to run around, pick up stones and grass and ,every now and then ,be carried, by Dad, to the next exhibit.

One of my favorites.

And another, love those floppy ears.

I hadn't realized that Mike also has an addiction to information boards, but he was happy to read them and pass it all on to Aimee and I (natural habitat, chance of extinction, number of species etc etc). Makes me laugh because on family outings it was always me reading those things out loud to Chris and Mike.

The zoo has a fabulous collection of Birds of Prey.

I think I just got winked at.

While his partner is nodding off.

The baby mountain goat was finding the climbing a bit tough.

The elephant was out for a walk. Its not until you can get up close and there's no fence or moat between you, that you realize how huge ( and intimidating) they are.

We also saw monkeys, reptiles, nocturnal animals. Its a lovely small zoo, perfect for young children. The animals have lots of space but they are close enough to see and the walk around only takes an hour or two. I have never seen as many animals out of their cages, on leashes or being watched by their keepers, where you can get really close and have an expert at hand. It was very interactive. I look forward to taking the kids when they are older and can get more involved with the experience.

One final wild animal ready to pounce from his lair.

More Avery and Maya

Days start early and end late here but in between there's lots of activity: changing, feeding, rocking etc etc.
Maya has a very expressive little face both awake and asleep.

A little more decorum when she is all dressed up ready to go out.

We have made a couple of trips to the local park. I forgot my camera the first time but I don't think I would have had time for pictures anyway as Avery just runs from one piece of equipment to the next, with me in hot pursuit.

.

His first love is the swing

and his second is picking up dead grass and throwing it.

On the way home, past the lake, a little birding.

After a suggestion from Brit, I looked at images of Mergansers on the internet and think he is a Red Breasted.

Messy toddler food pairing - BBQ short ribs and cantaloupe.

Avery can show you where his nose is though

sometimes it takes 2 fingers to find it.

Checking out the menu at Brewsters, where Daddy works.

Avery's selection included some nachos with hot artichoke and crab dip, fries (both ordinary and sweet potato), chicken, fish, coleslaw and

he did taste test the red crayon.

Aimee and I tried the Sample Tray. I don't usually like beer but the River City Raspberry Ale was quite lovely. Aimee preferred the 52nd St Peach Ale. Avery liked the orange slice.

Avery and Maya - Spring 2016

I had promised Christine lots and lots of baby pictures but when I arrived in Edmonton Maya, Aimee and Avery were all sick with horrible coughs (Maya had actually been hospitalized for a few days because of the high fever). In addition Avery is teething and therefor pretty cranky. All in all a lot of cuddling and rocking and not much picture taking, but here's a few.

Maya and Mike, both crashed.

Maya has wild hair, dark, fine, long and out of control after a bath.

Beautiful sunny weather here but a little cool, so; all bundled up in the buggy.

O

About a block away is a lake to walk around and then cut through a residential area to a Starbucks reward!

Course they don't feed Avery enough, he has to eat stones.

"Would you like one Nana? They're lovely."

"I'm not sure about all this picture taking Nana"

Supper of pasta and sauce was a bit messy, dessert of melon was delicious but really the high point is the Cheerios.

After supper we went to a small local Carnival. The only ride Avery could go one was a slide but he was fascinated by all the colours, lights and sounds.

A little worried as they walked to the top.

Aimee's looking hardcore but Avery is still not sure.

No doubt he enjoyed it!

No qualms at all about the second ride.

Right into it now "What can I do next?"

Only thing left to do is; Pick a Duck

and win a Zombie Smasher.

Now we hope everyone is so exhausted that we will all sleep well.