July Photos

 It's the end of the month and I realized that I have some pictures that I haven't posted. As this is my diary I like to include most events.

Rick and I took Spellbound out for a spin

Sail number 21 means that it was the 21st boat of that kind, Mirage25, to be built (in the early 1980s)

Its not easy to see my place from the water.

The fishing tug seemed to be heading straight for us

but he turned and we followed him in.

This Eagle flew back and forth a few times, while I was sitting in the sunroom, seeming to be begging me to take his photo.

So I rushed outside, got this shot, and then he flew away.

Another poser

on his own private sun deck.

When he realized it wasn't as private as he thought....."who are you looking at!"

A golden full moon

The lettuce has been pulled out (I ate a lot and then it went to seed) as has the Kale (it was being eaten by something other than me.) Peas and beans are now prolific (The peas don't even make it inside but I have eaten the beans for dinners and frozen some too.)

Rick and I had breakfast at Hoover's Marina in Nanticoke. Partly to eat an excellent omelette and partly to research the depth of the entrance. Unfortunately it sounds as if it is about 6inches too shallow to sail Spellbound in.

Bruce Trail - Map 17, 7th line to Hwy 9

 A good nights sleep and a rather pathetic hotel breakfast but we were ready for another hike. Because I had such trouble with the hills the previous day, and it was still hot and humid, we just did a short one.

We parked and started walking at the same parking stop as the previous day

but in this direction the trail went around an old quarry that had been planted with native plants and grasses.

Mourning Cloak Butterfly

Range: Mourning Cloaks are found across Canada and as far north as the tundra. They are one of the few species of butterfly whose range extends into Europe and Asia.

Habitat: Mourning Cloaks can be found in a number of habitats including shorelines, forests and woodlands, fields, gardens and parks.

Diet: Adults – While Mourning Cloak butterflies do forage on flowers for nectar, they generally prefer tree sap, such as maple, poplar, oak and birch. They are a species of butterfly that ‘mudpuddles’, which means they get minerals from damp sand, manure, compost as well as rotting fruit and other moist organic matter.

Caterpillars - Mourning Cloak larvae feed on a variety of trees such as elms, many willows, hackberries, Paper Birch and trees in the Populus genus such as Trembling Aspen and cottonwoods. From Canadian Wildlife Federation website.

 

A little further along was the view from Humber Heights

over the Humber River valley. Still hot and hazy.

Red Trillium in seed according Nic's wildflower app.

 

White Coral Mushrooms

Home to many.

I know I said that there should be more benches but I don't envy whoever carried this cement one in.

Around a meadow, past a pond,

and over a creek.

A quick look on the internet and

I wasn't able to identify these.

Up a hill and a quick scurry across a very busy Hwy 9 and we were done.

Just under 4km took us a couple of hours. Because we stayed in Orangeville, we started a little earlier than usual and I was able to drive home and make it to sailing that evening.

Bruce Trail - Map 18, 7th line to 5th line.

With restrictions easing up Nicola and I booked a hotel in Orangeville and started on the Hockley Valley part of the Bruce Trail.

This area is very well organized with well marked, off road parking lots and good signage.

 

There were also a number of plaques to people who had donated land to the Trail. Personally I think there should be more benches

especially with the lovely views.

This was a trail with a variety of topography.

It was 30degrees plus the added effects of high humidity

and, in spite of drinking lots of water, I found I was struggling going up hills, sometimes lying down to get my heart rate back down.

Through an extensive Sugar Maple forest with the collection hoses like a web strung between the trees.

Lying down got me close to the creatures (maybe an Eight Spotted Forester Moth Caterpillar)

and fungi (this may be a Vermillion Waxcap,  mushroom identification on the internet is a bit vague)

We hiked to the highest point of the Bruce, in this area, with me stopping frequently on the up hills and Nicola going carefully on the down hills (sore ankle).

Very relieved to see this sign for the steep downhill trail to the car (good for me, bad for Nic)

Into Nic's car, picked up mine, icecap from Tims and a hot bath at the hotel revitalized us enough for dinner on Boston Pizza's patio.

Hiked from 10am to 2pm, 10km. Longest one we had done in a while.

Berries and babies

This is a busy time for freezing fruit. The strawberry season was short lived, due to rain, and although I didn't find the time to pick, I did get some from the local farm and freeze them. Next came cherries;

The ladder was very sturdy which was a good job

 

because the best cherries were up at the top of the tree.

The  picking was so easy that I ended up with 6 quarts and no way to pit them. So they didn't get frozen, I gave away some and ate the rest.

My regular blueberry picking spot has been sold and the bushes all pulled up (I am still grieving) so this year it was Powells Blueberry Patch and this was the welcoming committee.

Lots of fruit. I was there on the first day of public picking.

One container was $20 but 2 were $30. I had no trouble picking 2.

And the goodbye committee.

I found out about the local "Cherry Factory" where I picked the sweet cherries. Machines are used to shake the trees and collect the sour cherries. They are then cooled (to make them easier to pit), pitted and packaged in large buckets. I bought a 14lb bucket and Nicola and I shared and froze them into containers. Aside from making and freezing apple sauce in the fall I have finished my fruit freezing for the year.

Young tree swallow.

While getting the photo of the Swallow I heard a terrible ruckus and realized that it was a very angry Red Squirrel chattering away and swishing his tail at Rasta, who was standing in the doorway, also looking angry and swishing HIS tail. Not sure what the fight was about but it went on for about 20 minutes.

All of that and fighting with his fish is exhausting, but the fish also makes a pretty good pillow. Photo by Nicola.

Chris, Jason and Cigi arrived on Saturday along with Kristen, Noah and Leo. It was a lovely day so swimming was on the agenda.

So much paraphernalia for two babies.

Even with all the gear, Cigi got a sunburn.

For Christmas I gave Chris and Jason 2 nights glamping at EcoAdventures with me babysitting. I bought in reinforcements; Nicola and Dave. Even with 3 of us it was tiring, but fun.

Dave held "sitting unassisted" boot camp.

And some "standing" training.

Of course lots of baby pictures

Part of our daily routine, watching the birds. Photo by Nicola.