An End of Summer Feeling

A tiny feather floated down zig-zag fashion

and landed on my Gaillardia flower.

It made me think of autumn leaves falling.

This summer has been particularly hot

and we have experienced heat-wave after heat-wave

with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius.

It has been uncomfortable

and I prefer the cooler seasons of autumn and spring.

Luckily the lake is not too far away and I can reach the water

in fifty minutes on foot

or take the metro for fifteen minutes if I prefer.

Which way is the wind blowing?

The weather vane tells me that it's coming from the south-west.

Steam boat rides are always part of summer!

My grandson loves to look at the workings of the boat!

We have a summer tradition of going on a steam boat when he stays with me!

Chrysanthemums are already planted in my window-boxes

I love these striped ones

and the centre of the yellow ones too.

The early morning sunshine streams into my home

and I just love witnessing this peaceful moment.

My coloured marbles love the sunshine too!

The clouds formations remind us that a change of weather is coming

Sunset

and sunrise

The light is changing

an end of summer feeling

storms are on the way.

This is the essence of my summer.

Cardinal Flower

Our Most Beautiful Wildflower

Cardinal Flower

Naming our most beautiful wildflower would be a tough call because we have so many beautiful ones.  In my opinion, however, the Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is the most beautiful.  For me it earns this award because of its gorgeous deep cardinal red.  Some call it scarlet but it is really deeper than that and cardinal red is the perfect descriptor.  It is too bad that many have not seen this flower.

Cardinal Flower

The Cardinal Flower grows along streams and damp meadows in late summer.  It prefers calcareous soils so is found mostly in the southwestern part of the province.  We found this plant recently in the Spednic Lake Protected Nature Area while participating in the Biota sponsored in that area by the New Brunswick Museum.  I have seen this plant rarely before so delighted in its presence and its beauty. 

Cardinal Flower

The Cardinal Flower shows many flowers in an elongated cluster.  Each flower is about 3.8 cm or 1.5" long.  The flower is irregular looking, having 2 partly-fused petals on top and 3 fused petals below.  The stamens are fused, making a long tube which  extends beyond the petals.  The style (female part) is within the tube formed by the fused stamens.  The pollen shows white at the end of the tube, giving a lovely contrast to the brilliant red petals.  Below the flowers on the stem are many bracts.  Below them are the leaves which are 2.5 to 9 cm long (1-3.5").  When these flowers are found along a stream bed, contrasted by the many greens and pale yellows of grasses and sedges and also contrasted by the black rocks of stream beds, it is wonderful sight, as shown below.

Cardinal Flower

Cardinal Flowers belong to the Campanulaceae family.  They are poisonous because they contain lobeline, a piperidine alkaloid.  So, these plants are best left right where they are growing.  Admire them from a distance or enjoy them from a photograph.  

An interesting feature of this flower is that they cannot be fertilized (or not easily) by insects.  The stamens being fused in a long tube make it difficult for insects to reach the style to fertilize the flowers.  So, guess what fertilizes them?  Hummingbirds!  Here in NB they are fertilized by Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.  What an interesting relationship between them.  No wonder our hummingbirds like red!  They are evolutionarily programmed to seek out red and thus fertilize the Cardinal Flowers.  How interesting nature is!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Female

The above photo shows a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird who is responsible for fertilizing the Cardinal Flowers.

The Colour of August

There is no single colour that represents the month of August

but I get an overall impression of bright and joyful colours

which enchant me wherever I go.

Gorgeous sunflowers like this one above

growing in the grounds of the local Farmer's Market

The details in the flower centre are a sheer work of art!

On my daily walks in and around my neighbourhood

I discovered these beautiful Morning Glory blooms

generously providing lots of pollen for the visiting bees.

These flowers last but one single day

but there are always new buds in preparation.

The lovely cascading petals of this beautiful dahlia

captured by leaning over the fence into someone's garden.

Cone Flowers looking pretty in a nearby park.

Blanket Flowers

(Gaillardia aristata)

Growing for the first time on my balcony

and simply adored by the bees.

One can see the attraction to this gorgeous pollen-filled centre

I will definitely be growing these flowers on my balcony next year

I love bee and butterfly friendly plants!

The Gerbera Daisies

enhance a window box just next to my kitchen

Golden Tutsan flowers

This is a larger flowered variety of Hypericum or St. John's Wort

One thing I notice is that August's palette shows a lot

of yellow, pink, orange and red

but  I found a little blue Chicory flower on one of my morning walks

just to ring the change of all these warm colours!

The apples are looking good already

and I can't wait to eat my first apple of the season!

Seed-pods are starting to develop everywhere.

This month of August

has been very hot and even since July we've had

heat-wave after heat-wave with a few days of respite between each

with storms and a little rain to bring the temperatures down, provisionally.

I have often sought out the shade of leafy trees and early morning walks

before the heat builds up.

Sunsets have been beautiful

even here in town

where I manage to zoom between buildings to frame them

with tall trees which remind me of the countryside.

I can hear many people around me

wanting the summer months to last much longer

as they feel that winter lasts for far too long!

As much as I have enjoyed the profusion of flowers

and wonderful colours during this summer

I just love the arrival of autumn

and the wonderful lighting.

My favourite seasons are spring and autumn.

I love living in a country that experiences all four seasons

and I shall be relieved when the extreme heat

of this summer has dwindled into autumn breezes.

Squiggy's Bucket List

Our dear Squiggy was rescued in 2013 by our Humane Investigations team. Shortly thereafter, she soon found a loving home. But recently, Squiggy’s owner could no longer care for her and she came back to us.

Soon after she returned we found several masses on her head and neck. They were mast cell tumors. Our Medical team didn’t miss a beat and scheduled her surgery to successfully remove the tumors.

But Squiggy’s cancer has returned – leaving her Animal Friends’ family devastated. This time, we’ve chosen not to operate further with the best interest of Squiggy’s well-being. So we are even more determined to find her a loving home where she can happily live out the rest of her days.

As Squiggy continues to impatiently wait for her family to come along, we want to make her time with us a much fun as possible. So, her Animal Friends' family is helping her check a few things off her bucket list ...

Squiggy's Bucket List

• Get pampered.
• Become a star. 
• Go for ice cream.
• Ride in a fancy car.
• Walk at North Park.
• Order food at a drive-thru.
• Glamour photo shoot.
• Cuddles. Every. Single. Day.
• Gourmet meal.
• Watch an eclipse.
• Make pupsicles.
• See a pet psychic.
• Host a radio show.
• Get a doggy massage.
• Comfort a hospice or hospital patient.
• Go on a picnic.
• Do doggy yoga.
• Throw an un-birthday party.
• Meet a celebrity.
• Become an artist.
• Become a mascot (even just for a day).
• #1: find a loving home

How a Microchip Can Keep Your Pet Safe this Summer

Warm weather is upon us and people and their pets are spending time outdoors enjoying the summer. With all of this outdoor fun, it’s important for pet owners to keep their furry family members safe, especially in the unfortunate event of a lost pet.

What is microchipping?

A microchip is a tiny device–about the size of a grain of rice–that is implanted beneath your pet’s skin, typically in the shoulder blade. The procedure is simple and virtually painless for the patient. The small chip contains a unique identification number and can be scanned in the event that the pet is found and brought to a veterinarian, clinic or shelter.

Why is this important for my pet?

Approximately one in three pets will get lost in its lifetime. Even pets whose owners have taken extra precautions can become separated from their families, whether curiosity leads them under a fence or a startling noise causes them to dart out an open door or window. Having a microchip significantly increases the likelihood of a pet and owner being reunited.

According to Found Animals Registry, shelters report that microchipped dogs are 2.4 times more likely to be reunited with their families while microchipped cats are reunited 21.4 times more often! When a microchipped pet is found, most veterinarians, shelters, animal control agencies and police departments can read the chip for easy access to the pet owner’s information. If a pet is found and does not have a microchip, locating the owner becomes a much more difficult task, especially if the animal’s collar and identification tags have been removed or have fallen off.

How can I get my pet microchipped?

Animal Friends offers low-cost vaccine and microchipping clinics during the year where pet owners can easily access the services they need while receiving information from educated animal care professionals. Here, a microchip will be implanted by a licensed veterinarian and the pet owner’s contact information will be uploaded to a national registry. Microchips are low risk, with less than .01 percent of animals implanted experiencing any negative reactions as a result.

 

What next?

Once your pet is microchipped, you will be given all of the information about the chip including how to access your personal information and make necessary updates such as your family’s veterinary, emergency contact information and even a current photograph of your pet.

A microchip is not a GPS tracking device; it is a permanent form of identification. It is important to remember that while a microchip significantly increases your pet’s chances of being safely returned, every possible precaution should be taken to keep them safe at home this summer.

To learn more about how Animal Friends can help you keep your pet happy, healthy and safe this summer, and to print a money-saving coupon to use toward your pet’s microchip, visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.

Burrowing Owl

Rare Owl Visits NB

Burrowing Owl

 A Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) was sighted on Grand Manan about 2 weeks ago by a local birder.  I saw it on August 3.  It was perched on the rock breakwall at Castalia Marsh.  It has been there now for about 2 weeks.

The Burrowing Owl is very rare here.  Only one has been recorded in the past, being seen at Fort Beausejour on 21 and 26 June 1978 and later confirmed from feathers found at the site.  The normal range of this species is the grasslands of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, western United States and its wintering grounds in southwestern US and Mexico.  There is also a permanent population in central and southern Florida.

So why/how is this bird here?  There are two subspecies of this owl.  The western subspecies is hypugaea and the Florida subspecies is floridana.  The subspecies have a slight difference in appearance and the one here is the western subspecies (hypugaea).  The western subspecies is lighter in colour with buffy-coloured spots and the Florida subspecies is darker with white spots.  The western population is larger so the probability of a bird arriving from the west is greater than one arriving from Florida.  Vagrants do sometimes appear in spring and fall in southern Ontario, southern Quebec, Maine and North Carolina.  So, having one arrive here is rare indeed.  Whether this bird actually flew here or arrived on a boat or a truck is up for speculation.

Burrowing Owl

The Burrowing Owl likes open areas where it perches on conspicuous dirt or rock piles, or posts.  It normally nests in ground squirrel burrows.  It is mostly nocturnal and preys on small mammals, insects and birds.  It is a beautiful little owl, 24 cm (9.5") tall.  It is different from our owls with its long yellow legs.  Its spotted appearance is immediately obvious.  It has deep yellow eyes and beak and its legs are a lighter yellow.  It was mostly sleeping when I saw it but if disturbed it will bob its head to get a better perspective on an intruder's distance away.  The fact that the female is smaller than the male makes it unique among owls.

The population numbers of this species is greatly reduced in the north mainly due to the extermination of its prime prey, prairie dogs.  It is also suseptible to pesticide use and habitat loss.  Declines continue due to the conversion of prairie to intensive agriculture.

Home to Home Adoption Program: Baby

Baby is a sweet and loving 8-year-old Black Lab/Retriever mix who found her way to her current home a little over a year ago after her owner passed away. She is typically a well-behaved and mild-mannered girl and gets along well with her Siberian Husky housemate. Outside the home, Baby can be selective when interacting with other dogs, typically when she is outside of her own yard on walks or at the dog park.

This beautiful girl loves to be pet and will stay right by your side as a constant companion. She would probably do best as the only pet in a family that is looking for a loyal canine friend. Baby spent most of her life with her former owner and is looking for a loving home where she can settle in and relax with her new family. Sharing a home with a canine sibling, Baby hasn't been getting the one-on-one attention she is used to, so her current family wants to find her the perfect home where she can get all the love she deserves.

If you're interested in meeting Baby, please contact Kim at spookyscully@gmail.com or 412.385.2198.

The Open Window - Scene & Story - July 2017

When I see this open window in the old stone house,

it reminds me of the importance of remaining open.

To open myself to new ideas,

to see things from another point of view

and to let the fresh air into my way of being and thinking.

Sometimes,

we need to reflect on how our life journey is unfolding.

Going out walking always helps me see things more objectively.

Every morning when I get up and a new day greets me,

I open the windows in my home

to feel the peace of the early morning and go on my balcony

to look up at the sky.

In the warm season,

I say good morning to all my flowers.

I say to myself

that whatever this day brings,

I will do my best to accept the events as they come to me,

not fighting the unexpectedness of how life happens,

but looking at things with new eyes 

and adapting to how they actually are

and not how I had imagined them to be.

An open window allows me to connect to life around me

and to live each new day with open-heartedness and acceptance.

***

Joining Sarah at Paisley Rainboots and Lee at Sea Blue Lens

for the monthly Scene and Story.

Whale Watching in Newfoundland

Whales Up Close

Humpback Whales

Whale watching from St. Vincent's on the southern tip of the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland is a unique experience.  The whales are very close as you stand on the shore of beautiful St. Vincent's beach.  The bottom is obviously very deep immediately off the beach so that they can come right up to the beach.  We were there last week and the capelin were rollin in so the whales were feeding heavily.  It was a unique experience to have the whales 25 metres (75 ft) away from my camera lens and not be in a boat.  We were so close we could hear them breathing and smell their breath!

St. Vincent's Beach

St. Vincent's beach is a beautiful scene.  As you can see in the photo above, it was foggy when we were there.  I suspect that is a common occurrence.  It did not matter because the birds and whales were so close we could see very well.  There were about 30 people there watching along with us.  The birds were excitedly flying over the whales, grabbing whatever fish they missed as they lunged up, filling their gaping mouths; Black-legged Kittiwakes, Herring Gulls, Great Shearwaters.

Humpback Whales

There are three Humpback Whales in the photo above.  On the left you can see the blowholes of two. On the right the dorsal fin of another if visible.  There were only Humpback whales seen while we were there.  It was difficult to tell how many.  My guess is there were 6 or 8.

Because the capelin were there in large schools, it made easy feeding.  They appeared to dive deep and then come up with mouth open, their throats hugely swollen with water and fish.  At or above the surface I could see them closing their mouths around the fish and beginning to squeeze the water out through their baleen.  Awesome sight!

The Humpback Whale is a fin whale (member of the family Balaenopteridae) along with the Finback Whale, the Blue Whale, the Sei Whale and the Minke Whale.  These whales are characterized by a fin on the back, longitudinal grooves on the throat and chest, and long tapering pectoral flippers.  The Humpback in particular is characterized by its scalloped pectoral flippers, knobby protuberances on its head and lower jaws and its broad serrated flukes.  

The Humpback Whale is about 12 to 22 metres long (35 to 60 ft) and it weighs 25 to 45 tons.  Its pectoral flippers are 4-6 metres  (11-17 ft) long.  Its fluke (tail) is 5-8 metres (15-21 ft) wide.  They feed mainly close to shore on krill, small fish and squid.  Mating in the North Atlantic takes place in April.  They are very amorous and indulge in such antics as caressing one another with their flippers and rubbing one another with the knobby protuberances on their heads, jaws and flippers.  Gestation is about 10 months in the North Atlantic.  The young are born during the winter and measure 3 to 6 metres long (9-17 ft).  They weigh a whopping  1,100 to 1,800 Kg (2,500 to 4,000 pounds).  The mother suckles the baby for 5 to 10 months.  Females produce young every other year.  

Humpbacks are fun to watch because they are active at the surface.  They frequently 'lob-tail' (slap the surface with their flippers and tail).  They sometimes swim on their backs showing their white bellies.  And, of course, we all want to see them breach.  When doing this they jump straight up, completely out of the water and fall back usually on their side with a huge splash.  When out of the water the back is bent (or humped) hence its name.  

In the period up to the twentieth century the Humpback whales were hunted nearly to extinction.  For example, during the 1952-3 season the world catch was 3,322.  I am thankful we now have laws to prevent that!

Humpback Whales Feeding

Adopting Two Cats is Twice as Nice!

Shelters face tough times during the spring and summer … it’s the dreaded kitten season. This is when the weather gets warm and cats give birth. Shelters struggle to accommodate the overwhelming influx of kittens that come through their doors each year. And, Animal Friends  is certainly feeling the effects of kitten season.

We have more than 50 homeless kittens waiting to find loving families. So we need your help! Right now is the perfect time to adopt a sweet kitten … or two! At Animal Friends we know it’s twice as nice to adopt two kittens at once.

Not to mention, when you adopt two animals from Animal Friends, you get twice the amount of love for one adoption donation!

There are many benefits to adding two kittens to your family at once ...

• They will always have a playmate to chase, wrestle and keep them active, well-exercised and healthy.
• Many cats are social creatures and will love having a sibling to groom and cuddle with during naptime.
• Often times, destructive behavior in pets is traced to boredom. Having a companion will keep them out of trouble!
• You can experience the joy of having a friendly greeting when you return home without feeling guilty about leaving your pet home alone.
• Two cats means double the love, an extra dose of fun and twice as much snuggling!
• Most importantly, adopting two cats actually saves four lives – the two you’re adopting and the two that will take their spots on the adoption floor at Animal Friends!

So, come to Animal Friends or visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/Cats to meet our adoptable kittens today!

Between Sunrise and Sunset

The fisherman chooses the best spot to witness the sunrise

I love this moment full of suspense and waiting when the colours

start to fill the sky and create gorgeous reflections in the lake.

Here comes the sun

Spreading a golden glow everywhere.

Pulling back to see the lovely clouds in the sky.

After the sunrise, the lakeside flowers come into their own

Rejoicing all who pass them by.

Another Hibiscus

in more delicate tones

Rudbeckia

Sunshine flowers

A cloudy sunset 

The swan family makes its way home

The water's surface takes on new colours and patterns

and little boats return to port.