Round and Round She Goes

A few days ago, my Sharp TV conked out.

My first thought was, "Geez, Louise! That TV is only fours years old! Well, I'm not going to just rush out and replace it only to watch summer re-runs. I can watch stuff on my computer or better yet, do more reading and practicing my piano and ukulele. Also, the house needs cleaning and organizing. My grounds need mowing and landscaping. Things need repair. Brush needs cutting. I should take more walks!"

Minutes later, I imagined spending the summer without Judge Judy. Minutes after that, I'd picked out a different brand of TV and set sail for Best Buy in Barrhaven, a suburb of Ottawa.

A sunny, warm day. Perfect for a little driving. Keyed the address into my Garmin GPS (a 2009 present from my sister) and pointed my Yaris north.

Well, that GPS had me going on three or four roundabouts -- over and over and over again!!! It felt like running a barrel race with no home barrel, just an endless loop around the same three (or four) barrels.

ARgghhhh!!! Finally I just ignored the silliness, headed off in the direction of the tallest buildings and found the store by educated guess. With a record high of $2 Canadian a litre for gas, the extra air pollution and wear and tear on the vehicle -- not cool!! I know I need to upgrade the maps but the Garmin maps upgrade would cost more than a brand new device. So, the next time I head off to parts unknown, I'll print out a map with the route highlighted and use the GPS only as a rough guide.

Now I'm training my fingers to forget the old remote control and work a completely different and much more complex one. And Judge Judy continues to remind her litigates how smart she is.

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Of course I have to include a few shots of my current backyard fauna.

 

Hummers are back and slurping their feeder syrup.

Oreoles also back and slurping their grape jelly.

One of my many rabbits, helping mow the lawn.

A Cooper's hawk plucking what I think was a Mourning Dove.

A male house wren claims this box with twig deposits.

He prepares several nests to attract multiple mates.

She Won The Argument

Would that everyone had such simple problems as I.

In the past week I've tried my best to thwart a robin's plans to build a nest in my garage. The amount of robin poo splattered on my poor car was atrocious! But she insisted and rebuilt every time I tore down her nest. Her commitment to the site was stronger than my will to dispute. She won the argument and I'll simply park my car elsewhere.

The tulip bulbs I planted last Fall came up but will not produce the pink blooms I'd hoped for. A rabbit ate the shoots off to the ground. If the bulbs survive, I'll protect the plants with chicken wire next Spring. As I said, my problems are trivial.

This weekend a motorcyle protest calling themselves "Rolling Thunder Ottawa" is planned. Only months ago, our city was beseiged by a trucking protest called "Freedom Convoy" which got quite out of hand. Mayor Watson issued the following message for anyone planning to take part in the upcoming demonstration.

"Why waste all that money on gas, which is really expensive, to come here to drive around a couple of streets yelling 'Freedom’? Send the money to the Red Cross to help the real freedom fighters in Ukraine that are seeing their loved ones tortured and brutally killed. That, to my way of thinking, is a better way for these people to come and celebrate freedom, help the people of Ukraine when they need their freedom back."

My thoughts exactly, Major Watson! Well said. 

Winter is in the rear view mirror and once again I accomplished none of the projects I'd planned. My closets, cupboards and workshop remain unorganised. YouTube, my piano and comfortable old couch prevailed again! (sigh)

 

Mrs. Poos-A-Lot scarfs down yet another earthworm.

Her nest above my parking spot on a ledge put up for barn swallows.

This tree swallow couple have rented cottage number 2.

A Yellow-Shafted Flicker probes the lawn for ants.

This turkey vulture took advantage of food scraps I meant for ravens.

Smiley crocus faces in my lawn.

My hoya houseplant is at it's fragrant best now.

Hey there! Did you eat my tulips?!?!