SHORT SUMMER STUFF

 Summer officially arrived this week with all kinds of movement going on. People are back hanging out everywhere, like these red-suited ones 1800 feet up. Pride is in town with hundreds of thousands --- can they all fit into this little rainbow? And there's gotta be a good punchline here ----"what do you call five hundred GoodLawyers on a boat"?

Time, even summer time, waits for no  man. One evening is the last sunset of spring. Then things move. Then there's the first sunrise of summer ---- 120 miles away.

At the pond a bear has knocked over the compost bin. And there is (literally) a snake in the grass. This frog meeting might want to find an escape room. 

Even if you spell our name wrong, we're still bloomin' good here. More moves to come??

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Happy Father's Day --- we all had one, right? In my case it's deja vu. My dad built and fixed things, and so do I. And he did the dishes after dinner ---- and so do I!  Walter Wyszynski, you're still here and loved...

Earlier this week in the city there was another reminder of too much plastic. But there's also a new park being installed-----"Love Park". Can you see the heart-shaped pond?

Up the hill, the yard is in max green and growth. There's always something bloomin'.

Bird news this week? In the city we spotted two different Orioles. Back at home, the latest rescue was a newly-fledged grackle's learning it can't fly through glass...

The sunrise will be at its furthest north this week --- happy summer?? But Ontario also had some brutal wind and hail storms. You could see it coming.

Like my dad, I'm about to make another big move. Not nearly as massive as his move across an ocean and into a new language (on his own, at 17!). But he always came out lookin' good ---- like father, like son?

A SHORT STORY

Seems like the early doldrums, even though there's still a week of spring left. In the city the jet skiers go in circles. But the raiding cormorants (those are not geese) head straight to their roosts on the Spit after their morning gorge of lake fish. Sometimes they fly low, sometimes high.

Back up the hill, the local foxes do their daily patrol. Sometimes pretty close.

A very special day for the Gardener. Oh, she can try to hide behind a willow tree but eventually she gets caught planting and nurturing.

Good to see colours wherever you can find them. Can you see a happy face in these pink clouds? A kaleidoscope  in the frying pan? And bursts of Poppy Orange ---- one of the original colours on a '65 Mustang!

That's about it. Pouring rain this morning. Heat and big changes forecast for midweek...

JUBILEE BEAR!

We join the huge outpouring of affection and celebration of Queen Elizabeth's 70 years on the throne. A remarkable achievement compared to today's so-called leaders and short attention span. She symbolizes dedication and honour. Plus her sense of humour and whimsy ---- appearing at tea with Paddington Bear! 

So naturally we went to a car party. Lots of colour and crowds just like in London? Surprisingly, Pat chose this '48 customized Chevy Coupe as her Best  In Show. I was impressed with the interior of this '70's T-Bird but ultimately I had to go with a red convertible --- '63 Lincoln.

Emergency at the pond! A break in the system drained almost all the water, leaving frog eggs high-and-dry and causing panic in the Pond Keepers. Gross yuck appeared but P made lemonade out of lemons by cleaning up what is usually unreachable.

Back on dry land, it was time to add some thyme. The bat toilet got a sweep. And a raccoon did a backflip over those yummy sunflower seeds.

New beauties arriving this week include a blooming spiraea bush, memories of my childhood home in Windsor. Plus columbine in the shade. And a newbie-on-the-wing: a Great Crested Flycatcher resting en route.

The bear is back after an absence of weeks. Yesterday it smashed the feeder (again) and calmly lapped up every seed in sight and smell. Don't-mess-with-me claws! And then a casual drink from the birdbath. 

Then this morning it was back for leftovers. Not much there at dawn. So a nonchalant stroll on the deck and off into the woods. In honour of the Queen, that bear is now dubbed---- Paddington!