A Kitchen Emergency

It's my favourite time of the year. Never was a fan of heat and humidity. 

I've been busy clipping back weed trees. Particularly Black Locust and Manitoba Maples. I sleep so much better at night if I've had a good dose of outside work. Not just muscles but lungs and heart benefit as well. Of course, I keep a folding lawn chair, water and snacks handy for many, many breaks.

Self seeding and glorious morning glories.

Was surprised to see this iris blooming now ...

... since it has already bloomed in the Spring.

 

 

This is the time of year that mice find their way into the house with a view to a winter's digs with central heating.

I have mouse traps set in the basement and in the storage room (where Ellie Mae cannot patrol).  A couple of days ago, I placed a trap-killed mouse out on the lawn. Usually, bluejays make off with them almost immediately but this time, they didn't notice it in the grass. Imagine my surprise when a turkey vulture swooped in and nabbed it. I didn't think they would come so close to the house.

 

It looks like one vulture is describing the 'one that got away'.

Flickers are still here and probing through the lawn.

A rose-breasted grosbeak having a soak.

A robin also having a soak, but in my resin bath.

 

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One evening this summer I had an unexpected bit of excitement. 

It was just before bedtime when I decided to wash the dishes. Don't own or even want a dishwasher. The old hand washing method is my preference. I half fill one side of the double sink with warm soapy water and the other side with cold water for rinsing. Then the cleaned dishes are stacked on the drain board tray to air dry. 

So I finished up, released the basket drain plugs on both basins and walked away. That's strange, I thought, I feel like I'm walking across a lake!! And I heard water splashing under my slippers. Turned on the ceiling light and there was indeed a lake of water streaming across the kitchen floor! Immediately switched from feeling sleepy and ready for bed to full emergency response mode. I grabbed up towels and sopped and wrung like a super woman! After the floor had been dealt with, I checked under the sink. Both of the ancient sink drains had corroded and dropped away, spilling buckets of dish water onto the floor.

The old kitchen sink drain decided to collapse mid job. 

The next day, within an hour of my call, the plumber arrived and replaced the sink baskets and installed new drain pipes. It took him only about twenty minutes. I was very impressed with his efficiency. Being an older man, no doubt he has performed this operation many, many times. 

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I'm still enjoying my new found hobby of knitting. So relaxing and satisfying. After finishing seven pairs of winter and two pairs of summer socks, I'm now eyeing new projects. 

My sister gave me a book on winter knitting. In it, some wrist warmers took my fancy. I'll enjoy learning how to knit cable designs.

 

Intended to knit this yarn in the winter ...

... but jumped the gun and finished these socks already!

My current project. The 100% Merino wool is lovely and soft.

One of Ellie Mae's favourite shady hangouts.

No wonder she is not particularly hungry these days.

A Very Cute Family

Earlier this month, I was surprised and delighted to spot a little family of skunks doing a kind of congo line shuffle across my back yard.  

With five babies to feed, no wonder the mother was so hungry and the reason I previously saw her foraging for grubs well into daylight hours. At first, the youngsters kept very close to each other and to their mom in her search for food. But within a few days, the five young skunks were all over the place, no longer sticking with the group.

Like their mom, they seldom looked up from foraging and digging in the grass.

  

And at dusk one evening I looked out the window to see a mother raccoon with three kits in tow. No doubt they were headed for the nearby ditch to search for frogs and other edibles.

 

Masks on but hardly disguised.

Keeping close to Mom while exploring along the way.

 

 

More backyard pictures taken this month:

 

A Gray Catbird wading in for a dip.

A male Baltimore Oriole having a turn.

Panting on a hot July day.

A Robin sun bathing to help dislodge mites.

Caterpillars destined for Robin babies ...

... also honeysuckle bush berries ...

... and grasshoppers ...

... and good old, regular fare earthworms.

A hummingbird clearwing moth nectaring on phlox.

 

This year I went a bit overboard with my sweet pea planting. I filled seven large containers with them. Lots of feeding and watering and staking and support twine involved. So blossoms I had, aplenty! Sweet scented in a nice variety of colours. My assortment of flower vases is getting quite a workout.

 

The first picture was meant to show the bouquets on my window sill. I didn't notice the hummingbird until after I downloaded the snaps. The orange tabby cat ornament in the corner spotted it though.

 

Finally, I sometimes see a young tabby who, I think, drops in to say 'Hi' to Ellie Mae. He looks healthy and well fed. Since my grounds are quite jungle-like, I can understand his liking to visit.