Winter Birds

Christmas is literally around the corner, two days from today - where has the year gone. Its just flown past like a bird in flight. Speaking of birds we have many still here, which is surprising as we don't usually see so many when its this cold, although we are in a mild spell. Here are our birds. 

Bratty Cats

I've posted pictures of our new kitty, he's a cuddly lovable brat! The other day his bratiness reached new levels literally - he climbed on top of our china hutch where my mother and I have a mixed batch of dried flowers.

My mother’s flowers are the carnations and mine are the dried roses, I wasn't mad upon seeing the downed vase - I was glad that it wasn't broken but the sight drew inspiration. the first thing I did instead of scolding the cat and cleaning it up... I grabbed my camera. They turned out good and I love them.

Here are the flowers when they were upright on the shelf untouched / undiscovered by curious kitties.

Here they are knocked down, but look at the grace of how they fell - very little mess, vase intact, flowers still holding meaning... its perfect.

Heres an up-close picture. They look great considering how old they really are! 

Fall has Fallen!

Looking outside today made me realise what time of year it is and opening the door to let my dogs out, feeling the unmistakable bite in the air. Its that time of year again. 

Frisky

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to tell you a story.

The story begins with this squirrel appearing in our bird feeder a few times, then my dad decided it was hungry and started leaving nuts out for it. She started to regularly come back, for three meals a day sometimes four we see her.

Today. Her name is Frisky. She is very pregnant and she gets regular meals because every second night my dad puts out food for her.

This morning. I heard the dogs barking and ran up the stairs with my camera. I got her. I got great pictures of her.

Meet Skiddy

So today I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our family "Skiddy". He is a various breed cat with a mostly stray mom living in our area. He loves cuddles, love and loves to be held.

My Fuzzy Family

My fuzzy family in the order we got them, starting with Anya and ending with Jewel.

Aug 26th

Not today unfortunately because we are short on clouds today, but the other day the clouds were spectacular and the way that they filtered the sun into a few gaping holes was awesome. 

Aug 18th

Let me start by saying that "I HATE SPIDERS!!!!" they scare the ever loving heck out of me, but I have been trying to make peace with my fears and they are one of them.

So in an effort to make peace, I took this the other morning after a girly scream and a few minutes to calm down.

Aug 16th

Woke up this morning to feel boxed in. We had less then ten acres of visibility this morning, thanks to the weather we had yesterday evening. We had insane rain and almost five minutes of hail to go with it. Heres the fog...

August 4th

I am sorry that its been so long, I got busy with life as it always happens. I got some really good shots today and I really wanted to share them with you. 

I was outside with the camera and I saw a bird, now birds are difficult subjects for me because they are as scared of me as I am of them. But this one was flying overhead, I am really lucky that I didn't get pooped on. 

July 15th

So you know how everything's got a unique side... Well i found an unusual one today, but it brought such a smile to my face that I am making a single post dedicated to a single picture :) I told my mother who went and came back with a smile too. 

This is my picture of the week. Heres my smile of the week, a flower (weed) in an unlikely place.  

July 13th

Yesterday the clouds although bringing unneeded rain, were soft, fluffy and perfect. They were the type of clouds that a dreamer would like to curl up and sleep in, or maybe read a good book :) Saying this makes me think of the Care Bears and how the one slept in clouds... Grumpy Bear I believe. 

Anyways the clouds are always changing, always new and a source of dreams. Do you think that maybe if I am looking at one set of clouds, that maybe family in Ottawa / Toronto sees the same ones? or maybe from Edmonton area?

I thought the blue peeking through might've been good news but nope. The clouds and it rained anyways.

I'd like to point out that I was stopped and the vehicle was in park for this one. Grey in ever direction except for that smudge of blue.

Our Robins - Full Life Cycle

Life is really something! So for the past month and few weeks... my father has been beaming. Hes a grandfather again... not in the somebody had a baby sense (well not a human anyways). My dad has this tractor that he parked near his shop, and Mama Robin Redbreast saw it as a good place to nest. 

My dad is absolutely in love with those little babies and has to check on them every couple of days. Now they've hatched and its truly amazing watching them grow and watching him watch them grow!

I was thinking about our new nephew and how fast he seemed to be growing, I can only imagine how much he's achieved at this point and it made me think of these sweeties. 

(Just as a note for those worried, I know that normally Mama birdies will abandon their babes when in contact with humans. Shes very invested in them and she chose a high traffic spot so she is very used to us and our visits). 

Keep a watch out, I will update this post with more pictures as they get bigger. 

Meet Mama or Papa... It sure watched me while I was watching it. It looks so proud. I love it. 

Taken June 28th, 2016  @ 3:33 pm  - Dad came in the house bragging about the nest in his tractor. So I came out and took this picture. Mama Robin's four eggs. 

Taken July 8th, 2016 @ 9:05 pm - the babies recently hatched and are little fluff balls. They were itty bitty and adorable :)

Taken July 12th, 2016 @ 5:37pm - They are growing fast and big. Momma wasn't all to pleased about having visitors tonight but with all the visits we learned that she's invested in these babies. My dad is super excited about how big they've gotten. 

Taken July 15th, 2016 @ 10:02 am - I poked my head in while Mama and Papa were out gathering food this morning. These little sweeties are growing fast :) I can't believe how big they've gotten. My mother says that birds grow fast so they can fly away in time, I guess it makes sense (I've never really thought about it). They are almost all feathered, but don't have their eyes open yet.

Taken July 19th, 2016 @ 11:11 am - These birdies are going to be ready to leave home soon. They're feathered, eyes are open and they were certainly watching me. They must have a hard working Mama.

Taken July 21st, 2016 @ 2:51pm - The birdies are huge and curious but weary.

Taken July 22nd, 2016 @ 12:18 pm - One weary baby left. It makes me sad to think of them all leaving but I get why. I will miss them.

Taken July 22nd, 2016 @ 3:53 pm - Empty Nest. What a sad sight!!! But we still see them flying around the yard.

July 8th Part 2

I went home from work fully prepared to nose dive into some chores... until I saw my dogs and thought about the wonderful day outside. I have four animals (two cats and two dogs) and by far my dogs are easy to take pictures of (provided you have treats). I got them to agree to go outside with my camera and I. 

July 8th

I've recently learned that I have a green thumb. So with how humid my work office is, I grow plants in my office... Sounds weird but its been awesome. Today I am reduced on the number of plants in my office but I will show them to you with some of my plants from outside :)

This is my Catnip. Hes a big boy at nearly twenty four inches tall and he's this tall after I trimmed him (he was bigger). I have been trying to get him to bush out instead of getting lanky. But... I have some happy kitties :)

This is Fred. Fred is a Mimosa Pudica (sensitive plant). If you touch him, blow on him or shake him, his leaves close and he shuts down. Jory says that if I don't want him to get touched that I shouldn't have a plant with emotions; lol. I love Fred and hes doing mighty fine considering the first plant of his type got eaten by my cat :(

These ones are Purple Wandering Jews. I am not making that up, those are really what this plant is named. I have three here and one in the house :) in a spot where the kitties can't get it, even though they have managed.

These are my Hens and Chicks and as you can see they are flowering :) so happy about that! So I have a few kinds here: Purple ones, those are the large mass and the flowering ones. The cobweb ones and Green ones. They are all Succulents and I love em, always have and always will!

This is one of my pumpkins. This is a casper pumpkin, its good for pies :). Anyways the fruit on this pumpkin will be white instead of the normal orange. I can't wait to see them!!!!

This is an Adeline or Adelaide Rose (I can't remember which). We brought it home from my grandmothers when she moved last year. It did well during its first year but this year its covered in flowers. Its been a real treat but I wish I could see my grandmother! Shes living in another province with my Aunt and her family. 

June 15th to 18th

We went on a trip to Toronto to greet a new family member.

Us leaving Winnipeg, we didn't get much because the plane was curving but its a stunning sight. 

This is the clouds from the air. I love the way they spread in the sky.

Incoming to Toronto, look at all the sprawling buildings and land.

Leaving the airport in Toronto. A welcoming sunset with awesome clouds. 

Uncle Jory getting some quality time with Jack. Jack is the new family member that I mentioned up above and hes a very cute reason to travel several thousand miles.

  

Baba and Pepe Stu. Pepe Stu was offering a second perspective with his phone. He was taking a picture and I saw my opportunity :)

The storm clouds rolling in... looked like a whopper and it was. Not surprised though, it was a good one.

Welcome to Winnipeg! We returned home a day early, but were happy to be on familiar grounds. We rushed home to our pets!