Blue bird

Today he was back. This time Deb got a much better look at him AND she has had time to go through our bird books. We now believe this is an Indigo Bunting. Whatever he is, he sure is pretty and seems to be enjoying the niger seed tossed aside by our hungry little glodfinches. we are hopeful that he will be around all summer adding color to the yard. so far he is very skitish and flies when we come out but he did show up while Deb and Dusty were outside and he didn't seem to notice them.

HELLO family and friends

PLEASE send those emails out to my sympatico address so that I can add you back into my address book. Thank you to those who have already done that..Linda and Dustin. I also managed to remember a few others but maybe not you so please send anything at all. THANKS!!!

New visitor in backyard

This awesome little bird showed up to eat some seeds off the ground today. Deb had seen him before but today we all saw him and managed to get a few quick pictures. Click to get a better look at him. We think he is a Grosbeak.

Help

Please send me email!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a MAJOR problem with the computor and decided to buy a new one. Long story made short...I could not back up my files and could not access my Outlook Express to catch my address book before it was lost. Please help me get you back into the address book where you belong by sending a quick email so I can get your address again.


THANKS!!!!!

Hummers are back too!

You will have to click and enlarge to even find the little hummingbird centered at the base of feeder here. They are back but they are very small! We have at least one male and one female. They may be scouts checking out the food supplies as they are very small but at least they are here and eating fine. I have put up this feeder in backyard and one of the window feeders out front. When we see more flying around the other feeders will be filled and added to our growing feed zone.

Orioles are back

Click on any picture for a close up view of our beautiful Orioles. I was corrected on my prior comment here. all these pistures are males. The females are much less colorful and where the males show black the females are rather mottled in greys and bits of yellow/brown. we do have them around but I haven't caught them on camera yet. We(and the neighbors) are very happy to have them visiting our feeder many times each day agin this year. They have a wonderful, loud, distinctive song which lets us know they are closeby. I clean and refill the feeder every couple of days to ensure they have healthy nectar to feed on.

Dead or Alive????

Maybe you can decide....I he sleeping or dead? We couldn't figure it out but sure was strange when we found this raccoon hanging on this tree alongside a road on Sunday afternoon.

Neighbors

I had intended to post this picture awhile ago but somehow I seemed to have missed doing that. This is one of our next door neighbors sitting atop his home. Diane says the rent must be cheap as they seem to have no vacancies.

Springwater Conservation Area

The family took a trip to Springwater Conservation area yesterday. They're having fish derby and we thought Chris would enjoy trying to catch a tagged fish for a prize. While he was fishing off a fishing platform Deb and I took Dusty for a walk along the lake through the woods. We saw these turtles sunning on a fallen log. Note the wee one closest to us on the log. Click on the picture for a closer view.
On our return we found our fisherman hard at work here(center on platform). He claims to have caught and released a sunfish and two bass. It was a great afternoon for all of us but I'm sure I will pay tommorrow for having walked too much today!

Walk in the woods

These are a few pictures I took yesterday while Deb and I were out walking in the woods. Lots of beautiful red trillium there.
Even more of the common white trillium
These pretty little yellow things(maybe buttercups?) were growing along a stream
I was pleasantly surprised to find these just starting to emerge. We used to call them Jack-in-the-pulpit but I don't know if that is a proper name or not.
I'm so glad to have the sunny, dry weather back which allows me to get out on the trails again. Last week we managed to squeeze in a short hike at Fingal. No wildlife on that tour as there was a large group of kids biking on the grounds while we were there.

Relay for Life

Rosilee just sent me this picture from the cancer relay 2005. It is fast approaching time for this year's cancer relay fundraiser. If you would like to sponsor Opal's Red Angels team follow this link for the Canadian Cancer Relay for life website . It is a secure weblink and donations are tax deductable.

An end in sight????

It looks like MAYBE Chris will finally have an end to his tooth pain. As a refresher for those of you who can't keep up to what he's been through thus far....

Our family dentist Dr. Kayshap noted just over a year ago that Chris' molar needed "attention" soon. She did not feel capable of doing the work as Chris is too freaked by the thought of needles and whatever his brain thinks the dental procedures will be. After repeated requests by me to please set up something soon with someone somewhere, I finally gave up and made appointment with another local dentist. He took one look and said Chris needed a root canal due to major absess protruding through top of his molar and he made an appointment for him at dental clinic located in children's hospital in London. The doctor(intern) there confirmed that he needs root canal but it is complicated by being an open ended tooth(still growing). We were then sent to root canal specialist Dr. Carr. He wasn't too sure about proper treatment but noted that Chris will need treatment with use on general anesthetic and he is only licensed to do that on adults. We were then sent for consult with pediatric ortho/ ?? dental specialist, Dr. Weinberger. This doctor says Chris would be better served with extraction of that tooth as there is another molar yet to emerge and coming on an angle such that it will likely fill the space left by extraction. GREAT!! Only problem is that this doctor has an office policy which requires a full dental workup before any remedial work is done. That includes a dental imprsseion being done as well as various Xrays. All this could have been done this week at cost of $480 and the tooth could be pulled at next appointment this wek at latest. They refused to tell me how much more would be charged for actual extraction. I refused to make second appointment. His $95 opinion(consultation) was enough for me thanks! Back at home I called the local dentist to see if he would do the extraction. No dice...he knows Chris and his behaviour. He did say he would make referral to an extraction clinic in London where they use laughing gas. That would entail another consultaion then treatment. While waiting on them to call for appointment I happened o think of re-trying hospital clinic. YES!!! Chris has an appointment on May 31st at 8 am to have extraction done AND if a spot comes available before that they will call and fit him in . It seems the receptionist felt we should have never been sent away from there whatever Chris' problem was. Thank you, thank you!!! No more consultations, no more being sent all over for nothing.....best of all this will end his anxiety over the thoughts of having needles or whatever. The hospital uses laughing gas but also has general ansethetic as an option if needed.

Party pictures

party pictures

Click on picture to enlarge

Gram's 70th birthday party

April 25 my mom turned 70. To honor the event we threw a birthday party for her. About 50 friends and family attended. These are the pictures I took. Remember you can click on any picture to enlarge and zoom in. For anyone who had seen mom a few weeks ago.....you can see that she is looking MUCH better now!