Spring is a keener this year!
We seem to be about a month ahead of schedule! 2021-2022-2022 in Mid April we still had ice!
Don’t get me wrong, I am always happy to welcome Spring, lilies are sprouting in the garden, it’s just when it goes BACK to Winter it can be a blow! I was surprised to see Pussy Willows along the road, maybe they know better than we do! The beavers have been busy filling the big culvert along the road, we pulled out a few logs and gunk but the end that is blocked is underwater…and that water is freezing, almost freezing anyway! It is still draining, albeit slowly, as long as it doesn’t start to go over the road!
Speaking of Beavers….I have named our local tree chewer Bubbles, do you know they possess ice breaker capabilities? I watched fascinated yesterday afternoon as he/she proceeded to use it’s paws/feet, body weight to clear a path through the thinning ice to get to this side of the lake. His/her lodge is on the far side, to the right of the pines in swampy area. Absolutely amazing watching what unfolded before my eyes late in the day.
I am not sure if this beaver had multiple lodges, as there is one to our left in the swamp as well, or if it is a neighbour? According to Beaver Solutions:
The beaver (Castor Canadensis) is North America’s largest rodent. Adult beavers typically weigh 45 to 60 pounds, but have been known to grow to 100 pounds. Native Americans greatly respected beavers, calling them “Little People”. Beavers and humans are alike in their ability to greatly alter their habitats to suit their own needs.
To obtain food and building materials, beavers are well known for their ability to topple large trees using nothing but their specially adapted incisor teeth and powerful lower jaw muscles. Beaver teeth never stop growing, so they do not become too worn despite years of chewing hardwoods. Their four front teeth (incisors) are self-sharpening due to hard orange enamel on the front of the tooth and a softer dentin on the back. Therefore as beavers chew wood the softer backside of the tooth wears faster, creating a chisel-like cutting surface.
Very interesting animals! Now if they could leave the road culvert alone!
There is a steady stream of geese, swans and sandhill crane flocks flying overhead! All those different honks and squawks! Looks like they are all headed North…and these are contrails kids…not chemtrails in the photo. I had to take a photo down from a page on Facebook that was hijacked by chem/cam trail conspiracy whackadoodles…Humans…sigh…
Along with the flocks of geese have come the steady squawks of the Red-winged Blackbirds and of course, the Grackles! Robins are picking through the dirt on the lawn and territorial squabbles are breaking out among the rest of the winged warriors!
But NO one messes with the Red-Bellied Woodpecker, even Count Gracula!
These guys are just so pretty, and loud, and bossy, even the jays avoid them!
I’m taking my feeders down at night or the racoons use them as swings, dangling from them, shaking out the seed. My critter cam’s night vision died so no shots but the they or a skunk have been cleaning up what is on the ground as well. I could have sworn the white tailed deer was looking at the budding lilacs licking it’s lips…time to get some chicken wire to protect them! They chomp them back as soon as they start to grow…not this year! No sign of Spitz sadly…:(
Did I mention the chipmunks? Groot can’t stay outside long enough, while Rocket says he just wants to chew on my clean shoes…these guys! Kinky cats! Ha! It’s leash time again for Gamora. Mike had to chase after her down to our neighbours, up their laneway and down the road back to the hill and trailer while she trilled her tail and stayed at least 10′ ahead of him the whole way as she romped! Spring Fever:) I wondered if our vecinos caught it on their garage camera…it would have proved to be entertaining!
Spring, only 6 days away…I’m still waiting for third Winter, in my bones I know this is too good to be true, but in the meantime, we are going to enjoy the sun and everything that arrives, even if it is too soon…and those reflections! I could make out Bubbles doing his nightly cruise past the cottage last night under a dramatic sky reflected in the lake! Hasta Pronto amigos, hopefully not snow storms next! ha!
