Icy Niagara

 A quick, socially distanced, porch visit, to Mum and Dad and delivery of half a Key Lime Pie (I ate the other half) included a trip to Niagara Falls. Spooky, Clifton Hill was absolutely deserted, not a car, not a person, all the businesses, of course, shuttered. We drove past the falls and the same thing, nobody. So we parked the car (not where the sign still said $10 for 30 minutes) and walked along the river and falls.

We had parked at the top of the hill and walked down behind the Hydro station which was undergoing repairs. Checking it on the internet, it is going to be opened for tours next summer.

Close to the outlet for the generating station we watched a female Hooded Merganser, fishing.

Freezing temperatures and mist from the Falls results in ice on everything downwind.

Trees

and man made

structures

alike.

The ice buildup was beautiful

and I wish we had had a sunny day for the photos.

We walked down to just opposite the American Falls

where you will be able to buy tickets for the zipline into the gorge when the restrictions lift (you couldn't pay me enough to do that)

The whole time we were walking we saw fewer than a dozen people

about half of them were masked even though they were walking outside.

Usually you can't get close to this section, right at the edge of the Falls, but we were able to lean on the, entirely ice encrusted, wrought iron railing and peer down at the green water pouring over the rim.

This would have been a glistening mass in sunshine!

We drove back up beside the Niagara River

Stopping every now and then to take pictures of the masses of ducks.

At one point a line of Canvas Backs and Redheads

stretched for about a 1/4 of a mile, gently paddling up stream.

Now its back to our "same old" walks:

Coots Paradise, skaters and an ice sailboat, taken by Rick with his phone.

Touch of Spring. When I planted my huge box of Daffodils, in the fall, I potted some up and put them in the garage. I am bringing in one pot a month, these are the ones I bought in in January (the December ones haven't flowered yet ???)

Walking Hadrians Wall

In and effort to motivate me to walk, I signed up for a virtual challenge through Conqueror. I am virtually walking Hadrian's Wall:

After I walk, I enter the information into the app on my phone

 

and it shows me on a map how far I have gone. England is 90 miles across at this point and I have given myself 2 months to complete it.

On the map I can see that there are others walking and periodically a postcard is sent to my email with a description of the area and it's history.

 

It is working, I am walking unless it is really brutal outside.

Walk towards Port Dover and I found that the people who live in the Dover Coast development (beside the golf course)

have a patio they can use in front of David's restaurant.

In the other direction, this old beauty. Old license plate is from North Dakota

Rick did some research and found that it is a 1958 Chev. (nearly as old as me)

On the way to walk Long Point Beach, ducks, swans and geese

on both sides of the Big Creek bridge.

Ice starting to form on the shore

A variety

of ice

formations

and a lonely Mallard standing on the tiniest ice flow.

After a Lynn Valley Trail walk with Si, Dan and Ruby

I walked on Port Dover pier. There were 2 Bald Eagles fishing just beyond the lighthouse but I didn't get my phone out in time.

Along with the usual Mallards

there were a couple of other species (Merganser?, no idea about the black and white one)

Unlike the Mallards

they were camera shy.

Cold nights and no wind

lets ice start to build up on the bay

but the wind today broke it all up.

The bank down to the water is prime hunting ground and the hawks glide on the updrafts or perch in the trees.

This Downy Woodpecker stunned herself on my front window but didn't take long to recover and fly away. I will have to put stickers on those windows too.

I have been getting daily baby pictures from Chris.

There will be baby pictures

The nursery renovation is not complete, so, rather than take a baby into a house full of drywall dust, Chris, Jason and CiGi (or Cassandra George or Cassy or Charlie Golf) are staying at my place for 5 days. 

Luckily at 5 1/2 pounds I have no back problems when carrying her around.

The "baby yoda" look, she just needs large pointy ears.

One change table downstairs where they are sleeping and one on the kitchen counter.

There is a "Pack n Play" for her to sleep in, in the basement and the crib is in may bedroom, so we can share the feeding times (I do midnight and 9am)

Not always sweet and quiet.

Chris has a post epidural headache so is wearing sunglasses to try and decrease the intensity.

CiGi wont recognize her when they are gone.

Really not impressed

with the sponge bath in the sink.

I took a day off on Thursday (grandparent prerogative)

Got a massage and

 a walk in Backus Woods

with Rick.

Sugar shack being prepared for spring.

When Jason popped home to check on the renovations, CiGi had got her first delivery.

First porch visitors - Daniele

and Fiona.

The nursery is to be grey and blue, with a nautical theme, and I painted some contributions to the decor.

I had forgotten how much stuff a baby needs, how much time they take up, how much laundry has to be done (a load of baby clothes, receiving blankets, swaddling blankets and spit up cloths, every night), how long the burping process takes, how often meals are disturbed, how many times coffee is microwaved and how demanding and mesmerizing they are.