Dog Walk

Summer Time Walks

Out for a dog walk but this little guy gets too hot  and then he refuses to walk anymore. So I have to carry him. We went for a 1km walk around the neighbourhood today. It was too hot out for this little dog.  He was happy to return home to the air conditioning! 

Beat Up Moth

Critters

I found this moth on the ground and it looks like roadkill. I thought it had a pretty blue colour in the wings so I picked up and was surprised to find out that it was still alive. It grabbed on to my finger. I snapped a few photos and then released it onto some clover. I am not sure what his survival rate will be as I don’t know if he can still fly. 

Unhealthy Ways of Thinking

Self Care

I came across this list of unhealthy ways of thinking and I thought I would share it. I think it is a good resource and a good reminder. I know I find myself using some of these thinking styles at times.....

Bald Eagle

Madge Lake 2021

While out at Duck Mountain Provincial Park we spotted this eagle sitting in a tree. My uncle Bob snapped this great photo! You can see the strong beak and huge talons. 

14 loon chicks

Madge Lake 2021

Dad and I went out on a Loon survey. We spent 3 hours touring around Madge Lake to count loons. We found 43 adults and 14 baby chicks. This was promising as last summer we only found 3 baby chicks. So hopefully these 14 will make it to adulthood.  I snapped this photo of an adult Loon and 2 chicks. The chicks are fuzzy grey. If you look closely you can spot them. 

Little Red Truck

Antique Truck

My mom and dad's friends stopped by for a visit. They were out for a cruise in their antique truck. I got a chance to sit in the drivers seat and go for a spin. It was a beautiful red truck that is all restored. The engine was loud and it sounded like a motorcycle. We turned a few heads as we cruised around the streets of Saltcoats. 

Kayaking Adventures

July 2021

I went out kayaking with my Aunt Barb. We headed to Laurie Lake in the Duck Mountain Provincial Park.  We had a perfect afternoon with cloudy weather so we weren't too hot and very little boat traffic. We spent 2 hours paddling around. We watched the loons as there were 6 adults and it seemed that one was a pair and they were defending their territory and chasing the others away.  We didn't see any chicks though. They were calling and dancing and flapping their wings. It was interesting to watch. We also saw 3 baby terns that were just little grey fluff balls. Their parent's dive bombed our heads until we paddled away. We also saw the beaver as she swam right up to us and then smacked down her tail in warning! 

Farm Life

I was out visiting a friend's farm and I snapped a few photo of their horses. The horses heard us coming and they walked over to the fence to greet us. They were very curious to come see us and check out if we might have any snacks! 

Covid Update In Saskatchewan

 July 2021

There are no new cases in our area of Saskatchewan but it looks like they still have new cases around the province. I hear that the Delta Variant is spreading and there are several cases in the North of Saskatchewan. However, no one seems to be talking about it. It is like the news doesn't want to share stories about Covid any more because everyone is sick and tired of it. 

I found this newspaper article that says Delta variant cases have doubled this week:

https://regina.ctvnews.ca/sask-s-delta-variant-cases-double-in-past-week-1.5482847

"Saskatchewan is beginning to come out the other side of its third wave, which was largely fuelled by the alpha variant.

The province’s seven-day case average is at its lowest point since Oct. 31 of last year with five new cases per 100,000 people.

The provincial test positivity rate also dropped below two per cent at 1.77 for the first time this year."

A little shrew

I spotted this little guy walking across the driveway. He was moving really slow and stopping every now and then. I wondered if he had eaten some poison as his eyes were closed and he seemed bloated. He was really unsteady on his feet and I wondered if he was going to die. But he kept moving along at a slow pace and finally he disappeared in the plants. I was lucky to snap a few photos which I am sharing with you.

You looking at me?

Red Squirrel

You have to look up, way up! If only I would have made a video as the red squirrel in our yard was making a heck of racket. He was "chipping" away and I looked up and spotted him looking at me. I guess he was letting me know that I was in his territory.  I thought this was an interesting photo as you have to look a few times before you see the squirrel. He does blend in to the tree bark....

Monarch butterflies in the making

Summer 2021

An exciting find in the backyard! Monarch butterfly caterpillars.  There were only 2 of them and they were so tiny.... but they were working their way through the Milkweed leaves. They were eating holes into the leaves. We are hoping that they continue to grow and are able to turn into monarch butterflies in the fall. I will keep you posted....

Summer Views

Canola Fields

I was out for a drive with my dad to spot blue birds or meadowlarks and we went past these old grain bins. They are falling down and won't last much longer but I thought it made for a nice photo with the yellow canola field in the background. We didn't see any blue birds but we did hear 1 meadowlark calling. We spotted 20 hawks, more than normal. We wondered if they had started their migration south as we normally only spot 3-5 hawks in the countryside. 

Lazy Summer Days

July 2021 - Saskatchewan

We are enjoying the view from the deck as we bbq our dinner. It is a lazy summer day. It was +30c today but with the hazy sky it didn’t feel that warm. There is no wind at the moment and a perfect opportunity to go for a kayak. 

Smoke-filled Skies

July 2021 - Forest Fires

If you look closely at the photo you can see the setting sun. It is a bright red circle, just above the tree line. Due to all the smoke in the air the sky is hazy. This creates this layer over the sun making it look red. I am reminded of Hong Kong as due to poor air quality this would happen very often. The sun would appear red. I think there are some forest fires burning in Alberta and this is causing the hazy sky and red sun.  

Cool drinks on a hot day

Hot Summer Days

It is +33c today. A perfect day for an iced coffee and a relaxing spot on the deck with a view of the lake. 

Showy Milkweed

Looking for Monarch Butterflies

We have lovely Showy Milkweed plants in the backyard and we finally have flowers. In the evening you can smell them and it has also brought monarch butterflies to the yard. We are hoping they will lay eggs on the leaves! 

Sunset Paddle

Anderson Lake

Out for a kayak on Anderson Lake at Saltcoats. It was a perfect summer evening. The lake was like glass and it was warm out. I spotted a beaver and 5 little baby ducks. 

Evening Bike Ride

Dad and I biked around the Leflay Trail after supper. It was a beautiful night. There were a few mosquitoes out as we biked through the woods so we could stop long to enjoy the sunset. I snapped a few photos to share with you. 

Murder mystery

I just finished reading this book! It was great. I was guessing right till the end “who done it”. A story set in the UK in the 1920’s. 

Sometimes Tuesday feels like Monday

This is a little cactus that is planted in our yard. It amazes me that it grows again after being buried in the snow all winter. But it has perked up during this hot weather! I would hate to step on this plant by mistake as there are some pretty good spikes. 

Today was a noisy day as we had the house re-shingled. There was a big work crew of guys stomping around on the rooftop all day. But they were hard working and the job is done! So my Tuesday was a bit of a crazy day and it felt like a Monday. 

30 Days of Photos

For the month of July I am going to attempt a personal challenge to post once a day. It might just be a photo and not much of a story but I decided that it would work like a photo journal. Documenting what happens each day. Or a snapshot into my daily life. So enjoy and watch for more frequent updates. My goal is to make the blog relevant with updates content. 

Turkey Vulture

During my walk around the lake I walk past this old farmhouse. I spotted a Turkey Vulture on the chimney. I was surprised to see the vulture but it was a lucky sighting. 

Covid Update for July 2021

 July 4, 2021

A look at what is happening in Saskatchewan with the covid numbers. A total of 396 NEW cases on July 4, 2021.  We are lucky that things are somewhat quiet and I think we are managing at the moment. But of course due to the variants this could always change....

Dog Walks

Out for a walk around the lake. I try to walk the lake loop everyday. It is a 6km walk around and it gives me about 9,000 steps. Today was a beautiful day with fluffy white clouds. I often take our little dog with me although he often has to be carried as he doesn't always have the energy for a 6km walk.....

Sharing the Love

I try to go walking around the lake each day. I have joined a step challenge to log 300,000 steps in a month. I have not been successful in May or June on reaching this goal but perhaps I will be able to get moving in July.  I always look for heart shaped rocks when I walk and the other day I found this huge rock shaped like a heart. I thought I would share it with you. Sharing the Love! 

Noteworthy Gin

Enjoying a few gin and tonic cocktails and a chance to share Stevely’s Noteworthy gin with friends and family. 

Sunset Paddle

With the warmer weather I have been going out for a sunset paddle as the lake is often calm in the evenings. I am the only one out on the lake and it is so peaceful floating along.  I love watching the colourful sunsets and the wildlife. Sometimes I see deer along the edge of the lake or birds or ducks or even a beaver swimming along. 

Summertime sunsets

The days are finally longer and I have been enjoying getting out for a sun set paddle on the lake. Here is a beautiful view from the other day. The orange/pink glow lasted for such a long time. I am enjoying these summer days when the sunsets at 9pm.