Bug

As I was leaving the office yesterday, I saw something moving in my peripheral vision.


He was slowly crawling up the cabinet without a care in the world.  I made sure he wasn't like a spider and was going to jump directly at my face if I got too close.

I grabbed my Tims cup from the garbage, caught him, took him outside, and set him free.

A Very Sedentary Weekend

Saturday I was brain dead. Just so mentally exhausted from the last 2 weeks. We went out & did our groceries early in the morning and that took every ounce of energy I had. I laid down on our bed with Adam around 1pm and poof, that was it, I was gone.  I woke up at 5:30pm and just sat in front of the TV for the rest of the evening watching more Olympic coverage.

This morning I woke up early, took Crockett out and literally only got up from the couch to go to the loo or get myself a drink from the kitchen.

I'm really NOT looking forward to going to work tomorrow but oh well, nothing going on but the rent :)

I didn't take too many photos this morning, both Crockett and I were walking in slow motion and were very lethargic.

Bunny

Crockett and I were on our usual walk this morning in the park & this time, when it happened, I was ready and I was stealth.  I saw the bunny again.   Crockett is such an easy going dog that if I stand still, he stands still next to me.  He doesn't chase squirrels or birds. He's an observer.

Here are our photos from today.

  

 

  

It Buzzed

Crockett & I did our usual Saturday morning walk in the park.  It was beautiful in the shade and hot in the sun. A perfect summer day for outside activities.

When we entered the park, I heard all kinds of pitter patter scattering in the brush.   On my left, a Rat crossed our path.  It wasn't huge, but its tail was a long pinky grey. Gross. I don't mind Field Mice, they're cute, but Rats?  We weren't even anywhere near the creek.   Then on my right, I saw a Rabbit hopping across the grass and disappear into a bush.  I was not fast enough to catch either with my camera.

Crockett seemed happy to just stand in one place for a few minutes and enjoy his surroundings.

I've passed this tree a thousand times before and never noticed it had a portion that is hollow.  I put my camera up close and got lucky.  A Caterpillar/Butterfly chrysalis.

On our way out of the park, I heard a buzzing and saw this!  It was about an inch long. It was moving the dirt around with its back legs and it planted that long red thing coming out of its backside by its stinger into the ground & moved it around.  I tried to get as close as I could.  I will say when it spread its wings to fly away, I almost dropped my camera and I did let out a little scream.

Groundhog Weekend

With the weather being what it has been, my life almost feels like the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day.  I have Groundhog weekdays where I get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, get up.....

The Groundhog weekend version is get up, take Crockett for a walk, take pictures of Crockett and the birds, come home, putz around online to cool down, watch TV, eat, do chores, take Crockett for a walk, take pictures of Crockett and the birds, come home, putz around online to cool down, watch TV, eat, do chores........

As much as I enjoy taking Crockett out, we both suffer when we get back to cool down from the heat. He gets placed in the bathtub so I can douse him with tepid water.  I rip my clothes off & stand in front of the fan. 

I have loads of chores to do today.  Adam & I traded off.  I'll do the dishes, clean the kitchen, and mop the floors and he'll go up to Loblaws to fetch some groceries.  I'll turn my radio on to Toronto Classical Radio 96.3fm and get to it.

I started watching Wimbledon this morning but stopped to take Crockett out. I'm PVRing it and will watch it later when my chores are done. My hope is that Murray wins cause how great will that be for England!

So, here are my photos, pretty similar to the last bunch.

It looks as though there are 3 baby birds.  They are growing quickly and soon will be too big for the nest.  I wish they were in the tree by my window so I could watch them more often and without feeling like I'm interfering.

More About The Weather

I don’t like talking about the weather so much but this past few weeks have been worse than I can remember it ever being,  at least in my adult working life.

There were a few summers as a teenager and lifeguard where I remember some scorchers but all I had to do was jump in the pool to cool off.  I really miss those days. Good memories.

I grew up in the 70’s in a bungalow without air conditioning.  On really hot summer nights all I had to do was go downstairs to the basement & it was cooler. 

I’ve lived in apartments that have had central air conditioning and unless it was overly hot, I wouldn’t use it.  For me, there is nothing like a good nights’ sleep next to a wide open window.

This morning when the alarm went off I woke up right away and rather than hitting the snooze button a few times, I got up, got dressed & took Crockett out at 5:30am.  

It was cooler outside than it was in our apartment. 

 

Of course I took my camera with me.  I spent about 5 minutes taking photos of the Snails and when I turned around to check on Crockett, he was laying in the grass. I'm sure the dew felt nice on his belly.  Although in the last shot, he does look like he's giving me the stink eye.

Follow Up From Yesterday

I took Crockett back out today across the street to see the progress of the baby birds.  As we neared the small tree, I saw a butterfly. One I've never seen before.  Thankfully, it rested on a leaf close enough to get with the zoom lens.

The baby birds are more visible today, beaks open and peering over the side of the nest waiting for Mommy.

Then, as Crockett sniffed in the shade for some territory to mark, I saw another butterfly.

The sun is shining, there is a breeze, and it is a perfect day. I wish I had a back yard or a balcony. It is on days like these that I miss my youth life guarding at Ballantyne Pool.

The city is full today.  The Pride Parade about to kick off, College & Bathurst / Little Italy is filled with Spanish and Italian fans and no buzzing with activity.  I am also confident that mere minutes after the game ends there will be cars going up & down Yonge street past our window honking their horns, yelling, and waving their flags.

As for me, my dog is sitting in a cool corner on he floor, my husband is snoring behind me. Yes, it's 1:00pm and he sleeps.  He came to bed this morning after sunrise. He is a night hawk. I am going to give the place a quick once over tidy & plant myself on the couch with a pitcher of water w/orange slices and watch the Euro Cup final.  I don't care who wins, I just want to see a good game.

Ants

I was almost late to work today because I missed my regular Subway.  I have it timed perfectly so I can stop & get a coffee at Tim's at the station before I hop on my bus. My almost tardiness was totally worth it I think.

The reason; I saw Ants.  Lots of Ants. I'd say it was at least 16 inches square.  I had to take out my camera.
This was at a main intersection ( Yonge & Lawrence) in front of a subway station entrance so I got a few curious glances. Sadly, most people just walked by without noticing the Ants. Their loss.

Not Writer's Block But Brain Chaos

Seriously, I do not have writers block.  I have too much in my mind and it feels like chaos.  I can't organize my thoughts clearly enough.  I'm not keeping good notes.

I need to carry around a small notebook so that I can write down what I think when I think it.  Rather than coming home, sitting in front of a flashing cursor and being unable to type a sentence that makes sense.

So to clear my mind, try to quiet the chaos, and exercise the hound, monkey (aka Crockett) and I went for a walk this evening when I got home from work.

I decided to let Crockett lead the way. There weren't too many other dogs in the main part of the park so I dropped the leash.  He got all brave and went up the path into the trees instead of his usual route on the paved walkway. We were both exhausted and hungry when we got back. We were gone almost for an hour.

A new kind of flower planted in the park this season.

 

Walking with purpose.

 

Stairs!

 

Sniffing.

 

More walking.

 

He caught up to me.

 

This photo reminds me of the kid with his tongue stuck to 

the frozen pole in the movie A Christmas Story.

 

We were up there behind the Lawn Bowling court.

 

Really close to home I heard something.

Can you see him?

 

Can you see him now?

I love Chipmunks.