CANADIAN REGION - What are you doing August 2015

Welcome back.

FRED58 wrote:
*It's not really camping in a popup trailer, but ut will have to do for now

Anytime you don't have access to a shower, it's camping. Even at the Ritz Carlton or in the Emperor's Palace or in the Starship Enterprise.

Marc Iverson wrote:

trolleydriver wrote:We have had herons feeding on the goldfish in the pond.

Heheh, same with us!  They seem to favor the brightest ones, or maybe see them most easily, so the only survivors are the muddy browns.

What used to make me mad about herons where I use to live is they would spear the biggest trophy bullfrogs in the head, killing them, but of course, the frogs were too big for them to swallow, so there they lay.....dead and on the banks of the pond.

Welcome back, Fred58, we have missed you and you certainly have a very good explanation for your absence.

It's when you are still working and have to leave your garden, but one day you will be retired like many of us here and you will really enjoy yourself again.

Critical Path!  have not heard that expression for many years now.  My husband once explained it simply to me as  "You can't put the roof on until you have built the walls".

Scorpio Rising wrote:
What used to make me mad about herons where I use to live is they would spear the biggest trophy bullfrogs in the head, killing them, but of course, the frogs were too big for them to swallow, so there they lay.....dead and on the banks of the pond.

I'm glad we don't get that around here. We just have the little climbing tree frogs.

Otherwise, the dogs would get at 'em in whatever state of yuckiness they were in, and I would not want piles of assorted guts or dog puke all about the place.

Marc Iverson wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:
What used to make me mad about herons where I use to live is they would spear the biggest trophy bullfrogs in the head, killing them, but of course, the frogs were too big for them to swallow, so there they lay.....dead and on the banks of the pond.

I'm glad we don't get that around here.  We just have the little climbing tree frogs.  

Otherwise, the dogs would get at 'em in whatever state of yuckiness they were in, and I would not want piles of assorted guts or dog puke all about the place.

Isn't that what some humans do?  Kill the biggest and the best that need to pass on their genes to the next generations?

What was I writing about when I said I thought I had the last of the apples.  They keep coming down, a bagful a day, and I am still processing them as they are the best apples. Still have the pears to process, checking them daily and have done a few jars. Someone gave me seven pounds of wonderful pickling cukes so right this moment I have  preparing the garlic to go in the jars.

Best of all, after about two weeks, I can now see our Mount Sentinel across the Columbia River and distinguish the trees on it and the outline of the mountain and the blue sky.  In addition the sun is  shining and it makes me feel so much more cheerful.

Our Downtown this Saturday morning was deserted.  I went in the Library, the Pharmacy, Mother Natures Pantry to get some Dill for my dill pickles, then the Farmers' Market that only had about three stalls there.  But all around was grey due to the smoke.  By the time I had finished chatting to the few people there and had a coffee, the sun was breaking through and more people had turned up.  We still have some local smoke but it is more like a light fog. I do hope the improvement is due to the fires south of us in Washington State are being dealt with.  We have had many fires in our area but I have not seen any as I have stayed at home.  Talking to people it seems many are complaining of headaches and sore eyes etc. I am lucky to have the optio of staying indoors.

Update on our weather in B.C.  Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is in a mess with windstorms blowing down many trees and blacking out about 400,000 electricity customers probably all night. Damaged houses and cars but so far no injuries.  But major flooding is forecast in places.

So far here in The Southern Interior we are forecast win gusts up to 54kph.  I am personally thankful that I no long have the old birch trees around.  I have been thankful several times since then.

On a selfish note; why is it with all these trees blown down and  the sounds of wood-chipping going on, I can never get wood chips?

I enjoyed your updates. If Vancouver WA had rain, maybe the fire areas will also get some rain and help control them.

Kelejan wrote:

Marc Iverson wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:
What used to make me mad about herons where I use to live is they would spear the biggest trophy bullfrogs in the head, killing them, but of course, the frogs were too big for them to swallow, so there they lay.....dead and on the banks of the pond.

I'm glad we don't get that around here.  We just have the little climbing tree frogs.  

Otherwise, the dogs would get at 'em in whatever state of yuckiness they were in, and I would not want piles of assorted guts or dog puke all about the place.

Isn't that what some humans do?  Kill the biggest and the best that need to pass on their genes to the next generations?

Probably true, Kelejan! Take care in the crazy weather and smoke!

Momma bear and two cubs visited this evening.  I really will have to reduce the apple tree so that I can reach every apple before the bears do.  One of the cubs climbed up into the branches.  He/she was sp quick.  Now I know why one should never try to climb a tree to get away from a bear.

We have had rain today for the first time in a long while.  On and off.  Fairly steady at times but I bet it has not gone deeper than a quarter of an inch.  Rain forecast for the rest of the week,  and the smoke has nearly disappeared for now.

Still lots of green tomatoes; I doubt they will ripen outdoors now so I should start bringing them in. Discovered a couple of patti pan squash.  I had lots of green leaves and thought they had not produced squash. There are some small ones coming along as well. Must find out how to cook them.  Steam?

A bag of red plums given me today. About four pounds. Still processing apples and pears and there are the seven pounds of pickling cukes to see to.  So far the only money I have spent on food is $20 for twenty pounds of peaches; the rest have been homegrown or given to me.  Main outlay was for the pressure cooker/canner, canning jars etc.  I am very happy with my first year's canning effort, but it has been non-stop work for several weeks now.  I hope I can get it all finished by the time I need to collect the fall leaves.

KJ, Looks like you have had a great year for fresh food, plus a little ursine excitement. Rain forecast and the smoke is nearly gone.

Grizzly or Black Bear? It can be hard to tell the difference.

(That's a set up for an awful pun; play along).

I would day a grizzly has a hump on its back.