Nature Friday - Camera Shy

This was the only deer we caught in the trail cam over the winter. The pictures made Lady laugh. 

 Thanks to Rosy for hosting Nature Friday. 

Thankful Thursday - Escape From The Tub

 I am very thankful that Man was not feeling well on the weekend so when my feet were really dirty after a walk in the woods with Lady, I didn't have to go in the tub. Lady can't lift me in by herself, and deemed me clean enough to not need to go in the shower.

Wordless Wednesday - Precious Edition

 

Professor Lee - Optimum Couch Use

 Dear pals,

Today's lesson is about positioning yourself in the perfect location of any settee, love seat, or couch.

The trick is to get yourself in the middle so there is not quite enough space on either side for a human. Then you need to look extra cute so the human will not want to ask you to move. This should allow you to have a wonderful, undisturbed snooze. 

Try it and let me know how it goes! 

Mischief Monday - This and That

Last week we mentioned Lady was going to have to be dealing with checkpoints. Well they lasted one day. Turns out it is more dangerous to leave people trapped in their cars on a bridge for hours, especially when many are medical staff (like ICU nurses) and there is a pandemic, and they show up for work hours late and only 31 of 100 000 cars were asked to turn around. There will be spot checks. So that was only a disaster one day. It would not have been sustainable for Lady.

Phod had a sore shoulder for a few days. Rest and pain meds helped, and the pain meds upset his stomach.

It was super icy on Thursday and Lady had her most dangerous drive in all winter. They didn't have the salt trucks out. 

Man was able to get an AstraZeneca jab and had enough side effects the next day to spend it in bed.

The day he got his vaccine, our peeps went out for dinner. By out we mean they drove the 30 minutes to the take out pizza place, then found a nice place near the water to sit and eat in the car. For some reason they didn't trust you and the garbage was left like this:

Oh and because one can't get into a vet here, using text, Lee has been diagnosed with a skin tag.

So really just a normal week here in Paradise! 

Nature Friday - Turkey!

 Thanks to Rosy for hosting this hop.

Lady was highly distracted last week during a virtual meeting because his gentleman was strutting his stuff outside the office.

Earlier in the week we had seen 2 male turkeys fighting over some lovely ladies. We hope this stud finds some friends soon.

In other news, the white pheasant has not been heard or seen and we fear the worst. Nature is not always nice. 

Thankful Thursday - Thankful For Our Neighbour

 We are thankful for our neighbour Callie and her peeps. It is nice to have someone to play with and talk to several times per week!

Wordless Wednesday - Lady Grew Something

 

Trouble On A Tuesday - by Phod

 Dear Pals,

I was minding my own business on Saturday, guarding the Lady as she rested after her vaccine when Man came in, closed the door and cleaned my ears.

My ears have been very sore and I have been doing a lot of itching and head shaking, however, I still feel this treatment is unnecessary and it completely ruined my nap.

Mischief Monday - The Pandemic

Lady is so astonished to see so many of our plans living 'normal lives' on social media. It is a reminder to us about how bad things are here. We have are having record number of cases. ICUs are at capacity. Children's Hospitals are treating adults. Vaccine roll out is slow. The only silver lining, if there is one, is less people are dying, but the life long injury to some who have live isn't understood yet. Lady read about there first double lung transplant to a Covid survivor recently. The possible long term damage for survivors is just not known.

In the province we live in, Quebec, things are 'ok'. Schools are closed. Stores have rules. We wear masks. We have a curfew. Things in the province across the river where Lady works, Ontario, are scarier.  They have a much stricter lockdown starting today. Schools are closed, more stores are closed, outdoor spaces are limited. If you are reading this first thing Monday morning, it is possible Lady is trying to pass through the first checkpoint of her life. The provincial boarders are closed to anyone who is not essential, so Lady, armed with her letter, hopes to make it across to work. While she can do much of her work online, there are times she needs to be on the ground with her clients. 

In happier news, Lady was able to receive her first dose of vaccine, Moderna, on the weekend. While she had some mild side effects, she said it is the price she is willing to pay to get back to 'normal'. She got to go because she is a health care worker. It is hoped our Man will get his by the end of June. As someone who can easily work at home and has no underlying health conditions he we will be the last group to go.  Most of Canada is doing doses 4 months apart so it will be early August before Lady has her second. 

All of this has us a little down. Lady is working long hours as well, so as always we are desperately behind visiting. Lady made a rule early in the pandemic and one she has only broken 2 or 3 times in the past year, she will spend a minimum of 4 hours per day, awake, without a screen in her face. so this means many days, after she has spent 10 hours working, she needs to completely step away from screens (and visiting all of you). While she misses you all, she knows this, along with her exercise and chocolate habit are what is keeping her going. 

To a new week and one that is hopefully a day closer to the end of this (it is day 399 for us today!)

Nature Friday - Run A Foul

Thanks to Rosy for hosting this hop.

There was some excitement in the hills last week when this unidentified foul has spent about a week living between our house and the neighbours. It was posted on the missing animal site. Bird is our new neighbour.

 

Just Another Thursday

 

Boring week - all Lady does is work. 

Stay safe dear friends! 

Wordless Wednesday - Spring Is In The Air

 

Tasty Tuesday - Wings

 Dear Pals,

Now as you know recently someone, likely rogue trash pandas, got into the garbage and planted my body with chicken wing bones. Coincidently, I was a little sick. 

What you might not know is I am not a begger. I rarely sit at the table waiting for a tasty morsel. Lady and Man thought  this was very suspicious behaviour last week in wing night. 

What do you think? 

No Mischief On Monday - The Snow Is Gone - Winner!

Although on the weekend Facebook reminded up that 2 years ago and 3 years ago we had storms, we are thrilled to report the last of the snow is gone! 

For those who guessed later in the month, don't be sad. Previous years the snow has left between April 26-May 11. This is a very early spring.

This is the spot the last of the snow melted.

The last of the snow melted in the morning of April 11. That means this year's winners are Marv and the gang. Marv, please email us at leeandphodATbellDOTca (Lady will also try to reach out.)

Thanks to everyone who played! 

Nature Friday - Contest Update And A Surprise

 First, we join Blogville in wishing Marg a very happy birthday!

Here is our flower for Marg! Thanks Rosy for hosting this.

--------------------------------------

Now onto the When Will The Snow Be Gone Contest.

This weeks guessers, LLB Gang, Gemma's Person and Cecilia were so close but as of 5:30 last night . . .

the front yard is now officially snow free, 

but the side and backyard still have some snow.

Will the temperatures be warm enough to melt the snow on or before Susan's guess of April 10, or will Marv and friends have the closest guess without going over on April 19? 

Only time will tell! We are just excited that this is the earliest spring we have had recently!

Why Phod Ended Up In The Tub

We are very lucky that our neighbours, who own all the bush behind our house, allow us to use their trails. On the weekend we went for a hike. In places the trail was very muddy. In places it was frozen and snowy.   Turns out Phod really loves to walk in the mud so that is why he needed a tubby. 

On our walk we crossed a creek. 

We also walked by the neighbour's sugar bush. The blue cords are running the sap into the big blue barrels. They will take these back to their house and boil it. They will likely do this outside, we haven't asked. Next time we see Callie's people we will ask. Our province of Quebec produces 91% of Canada's maple syrup. Canada supplies the world with 75% of the world with maple syrup. 

It was a great walk but Lady said for now we can only do it when we have time for a bath!

Wordless Wednesday - Phod's Tubby Time

 

Shadows

Spring is in the air!

Phod and Emma

Mischief Monday - Easter Pictures

Dear pals,

We are extremely grateful that hat tax season (which runs Halloween until Easter) is done. During this year's Easter hat tax, we were not paid. This occurred the day after the garbage incident and apparently to make sure our systems were ok, we couldn't have treats. We grudging cooperated. 

Lady says the look on her face is like hers as we are in the 87 millionth lockdown. We are back to the 8pm-5am curfew. The Covid numbers are scary again. Our vaccine roll out is slow. Really other than not getting her hair done, it has 0 impact on Lady's life, but even she, one of the people least upset about all of this is ready to be done.

Happy Easter!

 Wishing all our pals who celebrate, a very happy Easter!

Nature Friday - Contest Update

 Hi pals,

Some of you were trying to remember when the snow left previous years, so Lady went back through the blog and found the following contest winning days: April 26, 2017, May 11, 2019 and May 3rd 2020. This year, it is looking like the snow may be gone the earliest it has in the past few years. An early spring would be extra appreciated as we face the 3rd wave of the pandemic.

Early spring does not mean an escape of the hat tax.

Let's recap the people's whose guesses are before the next Nature Friday.

LLB Gang – April 3

Gemma’s person – April 4

Cecilia – April 8

Here is pictures from the yard around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. It was very cold yesterday.

It is going but not gone. Will it be warm enough the next few days to melt it? Stay tuned!