Mall Walking

Ottawa hosts a lot of races over the summer. I've never participated in any - but, a few weeks ago, my grandkids and their parents did a 1K walk in support of the local children's hospital. 

I'm interested in another walking competition as well - not because I plan to participate or because I know any of the participants - but because a local man who just turned 100 will be competing for the first time. In fact, they had to create a new age category for him!

Like me (and my mother before me), he is an avid mall walker.

To me, that's exciting! Not saying that mall walking is a sport - or that it's as healthy as walking in the great outdoors...

(Though it might be!) 

But it definitely keeps you active and in shape... in case you decide to walk in a 5K race, even if you're 100!

Beautiful Back Roads

We were recently in Toronto for a few days. We hadn't been there since last October.

En route home, we took the "backroads" from Kingston to Prescott.

Tourist season hadn't begun yet, but there were boats in the water.

Then we had an experience we've never had before... Suddenly a large bird, flying low, flew towards the top left corner of our windshield. Terry and I were both shocked - it happened so quickly and unexpectedly!

I waited for the familiar thud of a bird hitting a window. We hear it at least once a summer as birds fly straight into our windows at home.

Would our windshield crack?!

But no! No thud, no crack. It slid over the roof of the car. The vehicle behind us swerved so as not to hit it.

All I can say is - I hope it survived.

Tiny New Neighbour

We have a new neighbour!

Did I hear correctly?! One and a half pounds? Hard to believe!

She's so perfect - and so small!

Looking forward to watching her grow!

Flowers in Bloom

Yellow flowers predominate in our yard at this time in spring...

I wish the tidy bunches of euphorbia flowers (like those above) were most prominent...

But (alas!) dandelions fill lawns and college fields in our community - in spite of our best efforts to control them.

One bright spot in our front yard is this patch of white anemones.They are among my favourite summer flowers. 

I also noticed a little red iris - near where I planted a lilac bush a few weeks ago.

Some lilacs are in bloom - on the old bush we've had for years.

Lily of the valley are beginning to bloom.

Also these pink and blue flowers...  (Sweet Williams?). I remember planting them years ago from seeds.

I also noticed a few fancy tulips in the back yard - almost hidden by the gout weed, which has been growing tall with all our rain.

Like the dandelions, the gout weed is almost impossible to get rid of!

Little Elf ❤️

My grandson's fascination with Christmas elves started when he was four - and has continued for two and a half years.

His Christmas elves have "flown to the North Pole" - but they aren't forgotten. Often when he hangs out with me, he asks me to crochet him another elf.

"They don't have to be red or green, he said when I told him I'd have to see if I have any red yarn.

He proceeded to pick out this turquoise yarn, and we both worked on it. I did the crochet and he drew on the face.

Don't they look happy together...??

(Each time I make one, I wonder if it will be the last...)

Ants, Lemons, Squirrels and Tulips

I'm trying to make some connections...

We often have a large ant hill in our front yard. It's noticeable mid-summer when the soil is dry... Then a dusty mound emerges in the grass...

How to get rid of ants without chemicals, I remember googling...

Somewhere I came across an answer: Ants hate lemon peel...

Hmmm. I often buy lemons. Why not toss the peel into my flower beds and see what happens. 

So I did - all last summer and last winter - mainly into the large front flower bed... where NO tulip flowers were snapped off by squirrels this year... 

But in a smaller bed, where I had tossed NO LEMONS, two out of four tulip flowers were missing.

Is there a connection?! Does lemon peel deter squirrels?! 

I guess I'll keep tossing my lemon peels into flower beds - at least wherever I have tulips.

I have yet to discover if lemon deters ants!

Interesting Tree

One neighbour - in my son's neighbourhood - has been working on this large tree in his front yard.

Last year, the branches were trimmed - and it looks like they carved birds and animals into the wood.

(Or did they just attach them?!)

Now... I wonder if new leaves will sprout on the branches, shading these lovely carvings?!

Will more animals and birds be added??

An interesting work in progress!