50 SHADES OF RED

It's midsummer and the sunrises are scarlet balls of fire ---then the horizon becomes pink like cotton candy.

We were a little red under the collar when our landline went dead. It took 3 separate service calls from Bell to get a solution, and even then 4 house jacks were left cut off. All cell, here we come??

One of us got a bit red embarrassed when the oats started flying. The other was red in the face from smashing rock with sledge hammer.

The red-on-the-throat painted turtle is now at home in the pond. This ruby-throated hummingbird was the latest bird to glance off a window. Pat's towel rescue has worked many times --- the hummer flew off after a few minutes of recovery.

We enjoyed a little theatre play about 4 women playing golf --- or were they playing each other? Then over to a car cruise where most of the beauties were, you guessed it, red. Which of these 3 is the Ford, the Chev, the Plymouth?

I became green with envy as the new owner of the Z3 drove off. But no worries, there's still red-on-red up the hill.

Today is an annual reunion, featuring a famous family recipe for butter tarts. Pat made a batch and I can tell you --- they're reddy! Or is that "ready"?

WE'RE BACK IN THE HOOD AND SO IS HE!

It's peak fruit in the garden with the Picker reaching high and low. A bumper crop of cherries but no cedar waxwings swarming them ---- too much on the menu this year? Raspberries also bountiful --- the darker ones are wild, the redder ones domestic. The little bluies are haskaps. Tasty mouth bombs for breakfast!

Some of the growth gets a Not Welcome spray. But in town the annual bottling party is pretty nifty.

We went to Toronto under false pretenses --- we thought the Beach Jazz Fest was this week, but we're a week early. No matter, it's great to explore another neighbourhood. This time the A B&B condo was  a cozy loft in King Street West. Dozens of new highrises (find Pat?). The streets are funky with murals, parks, and summer scenes. Driving around becomes a funhouse mirror.

Our favourite city 'hood is still The Beach. The ritual pedicure colour choice this time is "Live, Love, Carnival"! Also a ritual is Chinese Combo #6 at The Goof with Stephie. But we had to eat the takeout at the park in the car when the rain poured. Didn't stop this jogger. Local streets flooded for the umpteenth time this year.

The flooding from the spring still hasn't subsided on the beach. Lots of erosion, less sand area, more seagull ponds! On the western shores, swans paddle in storm debris and uprooted trees.

Back at the home 'hood, the action is in the pond. The next gen frogs are tiny copies of mom. And remember that turtle that we deported last week? It would have had to return to the bay shore, clamber across a busy road, climb up 200 feet of steep bushy hill, crawl over gravel, and plop into the same pond. Wonder-of-wonders, it's back!

PAINT IN THE BAY

The World's Biggest Rubber Ducky was the Biggest Hit in town but has flocked off to Sault Ste. Marie. The supporting funstuff included an old caboose (not hers!), lumberjack show, and tall girls. The finale was a parade of the heritage tugboats going north past our window.

So, back to normal with trims in the pond, parts for the car, and classic car spotting on the road. (It's a '39 Ford, if you're wondering...)

All those tadpoles of two weeks ago are now tiny frogettes, some still with tails. Pat's efforts at attracting butterflies and other pollinators are attracting new visitors. But there has been so much rain that the sunflower seeds are sprouting in the feeder. This goldfinch can choose between protein and fibre!

Those frogettes mentioned above were a buffet for the wandering painted turtle that took up residence in the pond. It finally got netted, escorted down the hill, and fascinated a 7-year old local. How old were you when you saw your first turtle up close? Eventually the Paint got wet in bigger water. Good advice for all of us ---- on to new horizons!