Sunday 1 August 2021

One week, two visits

 I'm not certain where this week went but the time certainly flew by  The first few days were not particularly memorable.  A little shopping, housework, yard work, and several walks - one with the camera in hand.  Oh, and lots of Olympic games watching.  Maybe I do know where the time went. :) 

On Friday, I had a visit with a former co-worker who continues to be a good friend.  She was coming to the city to spend the weekend with her daughter M, and since M had to work, D came to my house to visit for a few hours before they met up.  It was wonderful and strange all at the same time.  We've had pretty regular phone calls over the past couple of years, but this was the first face-to-face meeting with a friend in my home for many months.  Since we've both been fully vaccinated we decided it was safe to do so, and we even hugged!  We talked, we laughed, and shared stories of when we were working, about our grandkids, and life as we've known it since retirement.  I cannot explain how much those few hours meant to me.  She's invited me to drive up to visit her and I may just decide to do that one day. 

Back to the normal, here are a few of the photos from my walk earlier this week.


You likely won't recall but I mentioned sometime ago that there was a family of Hungarian partridges living in the nearby park.  This is one of the parents, the little ones were far too speedy for me to capture them with the camera.  

Sadly, the water level in the creek has dropped again. There were only a few ducks on the creek, and I didn't see the killdeer nor any blackbirds either.

These next two photos make me laugh.  There is a path that leads from the creek to a yard where I assume the family are providing feed for the ducks.  I spotted this duck trotting along the path heading back to the creek.  The grass is a fair height so all I could initially see was the single duck.



But she wasn't alone at all.  As they came out of the grass and crossed the path into next portion of grass on the side of the creek, I enjoyed the march of the ducklings.  


The city was busy planting more trees in the park.  There were three or four news ones already in the ground and the water truck was giving them a good soaking in.  I hope they make it through this heat. Two years ago, they planted a number of evergreens, most of which have since died.

Over at the pond there were many ducks, several geese and two pelicans.  Okay, don't laugh, but my eyesight isn't the best so I wasn't sure what I was looking at. If you've ever wondered what a pelican looked like from the rear...this is it.

Speaking of rears, this photo was another that made me laugh. Those little white butts look so darn cute!

This next series of the second pelican illustrate it's feeding technique.  It looked to me as it crouched low in the water to be listening for somthing.


When it finds it's prey, it quickly spears the water with that long beak.

Then the head came and the bird swallowed what it had captured. I assuming it would be a frog or something similar as there are no fish in the pond that I know of.  


I've walked in the evening a few times this week, without the camera.  The rabbits/hares have been out in the force at that time of day.  I've counted twenty or more in the large open areas of the park.  There is clover growing there and it must be very tasty.

On Saturday morning, I headed out for a short visit with D and Eli.  She had her telephone appointment with her doctor earlier in the week; he ordered a medication change for her and I picked up the order on Friday.  Had I mailed them she wouldn't have received them until mid-next week due to the long weekend.  I haven't been there for a month so I was quite happy to make the drive.  However, there is no a/c in their house so one night's stay is plenty in the continuing heat.  (It been around the 30C/86F range for what seems like weeks now.)

After a bit of housecleaning and laundry was accomplished or underway, we headed over to the park.  One of Eli's pre-K friends was there and he had a great time playing in the water with W and one of his little cousins. 
He and I returned to the park after lunch.  He didn't want to play in the water, but rather wanted G'ma to push him higher and higher on the swing. 

Back at home we puttered around in the yard.  D mowed the back lawn, while I deadheaded and watered her containers.  I had a bit of water left in the watering can so I poured it over Eli.  He thought that was a great game. Then he pulled his plastic sled from the garage and insisted G'ma pull him around the yard on it.  Three times around the yard was the best I could do.  He was kind enough to let me sit and read a book while he played for a bit, then he brought his tablet out and sat quietly in a chair playing his games.

I planned to leave early this morning to avoid the heat but stuck around until D had mowed the side yard.  I did a little weeding, while Eli played. He requested and I agreed to three more times around the yard with the sled by which time I was worn out. He's heavy and pulling a sled on the grass is not nearly as easy as on the snow. I'm looking forward to their next visit in mid-August.  I don't own a sled. (Yes, he has his sunglasses upside down - he prefers to wear them this way.)

And here we are, at the start of August. The heat is forecast to continue, at least until mid-month.  Even so, the nights will get cooler and summer will start to wind down.  I noticed this morning my tomatoes are beginning to ripen on the vine.  I've got one small green pepper and a half dozen red peppers (still green) growing quickly.  The petunias are starting to look leggy so they'll need a haircut soon. The yard work won't end for some time yet.  Nor does the housework, which reminds me....

Have a good week everyone!




  

13 comments:

  1. Another fun, busy week for you!

    I do remember your mention of the Hungarian partridges, it's nice to see a pic of this one. And the momma duck and babies! Love the shot of her head above the grass. LOL. The pelican pics are my favs, though. I'm always so taken with your photos because I've never seen one in real life (maybe at a zoo????).

    BTW, it's nice to see trees actually being planted for a change. I hope they survive!

    Take care and have a great week, enjoy the coverage of the Olympics. (I'm watching some, not as much as in previous games.)

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  2. P.S You don't need to explain how much that visit with your friend meant, and those hugs! I completely understand, it was such a joy for me to have those few hours with friends last weekend. :-)

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  3. I enjoyed the visit here. I'm still smiling. Well, I will tell you I laughed aloud at Eli and you! From pouring the water on him, to getting talked into pulling the sled with him on it, around the yard. BOY. Now that's a grandma. I am too, so I know what you mean. And of course, all boys know that you see far better with the sunglasses upside down. Everyone knows that! You know, I loved seeing the Hungarian Partridge and I do remember your mentioning them. Kea and I are your best pupils. :-) I sure have seen Pelicans. They let loose on our car when we lived just below Cape Canaveral in Florida for so long. Right on the ocean, and they fly into and over town and when they gotta got they gotta go. That reek of fish is deadly. Ad your car is in sad reeking shape until you can find a place to hose it off and then wash it.

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  4. Two visits! That sounds like an excellent week. Your grandson is a cutie no matter how he chooses to wear those sunglasses.

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  5. That duck photo is so cute and Eli is a doll!

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  6. I don't know which picture I like better. The duck with the ducklings or the seriously cool kid with his sunglasses upside down! Love it!

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  7. That duck series was priceless. So cute and surprising. You are a grandma hero pulling Eli around on a sled in grass. Yikes. Hope you start to cool off. We are having a wonderful week at least. Delightful break.

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  8. So cute the way Eli wears his sunglasses! Have a good week.

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  9. I am always amazed by all the wildlife you see on your walks. Love the duck family, and Eli looks quite dashing wearing his sunglasses that way.

    Isn't it hot!!! Our farmers here have started combining already. The crops are so short I wonder how they are going to manage.

    God bless.

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  10. You're lucky to see so many animals. I don't even have stray cats coming by any more. I laughed at the pictures of the ducks. The little ones just trust to mum knowing where she's going - and follow the one in front of them.

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  11. Those duck photos (little ones hidden in the grass) are HILARIOUS!!!!! Thanks for the chuckle.

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  12. Love the photos!
    The white butts of the geese and ducks always make me laugh. Are they saying 'butt' out? haha
    Cute the way the ducks walk through the long grass, that was a nice surprise to see the family following!
    Glad you had a nice visit with your friend and of course, Eli and D. :)

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  13. I do recall that Hungarian Partridge. Those ducklings in a line are SUCH a good image!

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