The Confederate Canuck: May 2010

The Boy

Here's a snapshot of a slightly irritated Shiloh being made to pose on the hearth.

The Shmarshmellow Roast

Here's a shot of Grampa enjoying being with the kids, Shiloh enjoying the food, and Ella enjoying EVERYTHING.

Wouldn't you know it. The very day that Julie and I put the last finishing touches on the freshly painted basement, our particular corner of rural Manitoba began to flood. I suppose it's all my fault -- if I hadn't had paint curing on the basement floor, this never would have happened.

Of course, some of us happily located a silver lining: PUDDLES.

The Basement

Those of you who were in Bobchi's basement (and I've just shrunk my audience to about three people) will recall the state it was in earlier this year. A little elbow grease and a fresh coat of paint changed all of that, and now it's a reasonably inviting space.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

We were startled around midnight last night to hear some very eerie screeches and cries coming from a thick knot of trees and branches out back of the garage. We later identified the sounds as the calls of a female fox. She was out hanging around by the barn this morning, too, and we're beginning to suspect that she might have kits in the area.

Of course, foxes aren't the only things running around at night. We recently found the steaming fresh calling card of a black bear by the garden, noticed a suspected beaver dam in the creek, discovered that the raccoons are apparently still inhabiting the chicken house attic, startled a falcon that was picking at something in the grass by the road, saw a flock of whooping cranes that have begun hanging out in a nearby cow pasture, and -- while the family was visiting -- spied a lone bald eagle sitting quietly in the middle of a field. Marty Stouffer hasn't shown up yet, but we're expecting him any day now. I guess I should get some fishing line ready, just in case.