Playing Catch Up

So many things to tell you about...


First off I have to say a Happy Belated Canada Day to all of you!! Don't we just live in the best country ever?!

The last couple of weeks have brought a few things to tell you about. Forgive me while I back-track:

#1. We were visited by a pair of bluebirds in our backyard. Some of you are probably thinking, "Uh yeah, big deal!". To me this is HUGE. I love birds, was so excited when Christa and Kristen had birds last year when we didn't have any. Now all of a sudden we have a pair of bluebirds and I'm thrilled. They're so pretty, the blue of their wings just seems to light up in the sunlight and I really enjoy listening to them sing. Music to my ears. I'll have to thank my grandmother for this love of mine.

















#2. This probably should have been #1 because it seems the bluebirds arrived almost as soon as we finished putting up our fence in the backyard. Jamie spent a lot of time doing our own and helping the neighbour. I even helped him out a bit. I really enjoy doing "handyman" kinda stuff but I didn't get much time with the baby and all. It's great having a fence now with some privacy. We have only to put on the gate and it's complete! Next year I hope we have enough money to put in a deck. My favourite thing to add would be a POOL!!! I would die to have a pool, that would be fantastic!!















#3. We also completed some landscaping in our front yard. Richard (the bro-in-law) helped us lay out the brick work since he's done landscape work before. And then Jamie and I visited a garden center and with a lot of help from the lady who owns the place, since we didn't really have a clue, we got some nice plants - a hydrangea, a japanese yew, a dwarf alberta spruce, a couple of those globe-shaped little bush thingies (name?), and some geraniums and baby's breath to fill in. We also bought some solar lights to add to it - Looks nice when they light up at night. Still more to go but it's a start!


#4. I planted some veggies. I wasn't planning to do any this year because I got behind and thought it was probably too late. BUT, we went to Canadian Tire and they had their little seedlings on sale for $.25...who can beat that? So, since I love veggie gardens, always had one as a kid, I thought "What the heck?"...for 25 cents, doesn't matter much if it's too late in the season and they don't grow. With Ontario summers tho' we should be in alright shape. I have green peppers, cucumber, and red onion. Would be awesome if I got a little harvest out of it.


#5. Got to see Tara, Jacques and Noah on Sunday. They are visiting from New Brunswick and here to see Tara's family in Guelph and also to go to a wedding in Jacques family. Noah is getting so tall and Tara finally got to meet our wee one. Funny story - you know how I loathe "crocs" (per previous post a while back). Tara, knowing this, found BABY-SIZED CROCS! I just about died when I opened her gift and saw them. We all laughed so much at it since she totally did it on purpose...lol...but I have to say the eensy-weensy ones are pretty darn cute!! Thanks Tara for that and the other gifts as well, really appreciate that! Awesome to see ya again!!


And the most wonderful thing!!...because I'm a total sucker for animals AND babies...


#6. We rescued a baby RACCOON!!! Here's the story: last friday night we were on our way home from Brampton where Jamie has his usual softball game. When we got just outside of this little town called Glen Williams we suddenly saw a little creature in the middle of the road (nothing strange). Unfortunately we didn't have time to stop or swerve before we saw it. Jamie ran over it but luckily didn't hit it. I couldn't understand why it was just standing there in the middle of the road and not attempting to run. I said, "Jamie, that was a little raccoon and it was ALIVE, you have to turn back!". So we did and I got out and there was this little baby just sitting there in the middle of the road, perfectly alive, but obviously in a state of trauma. I could see it was holding up one little paw. So I took one of the baby blankets and scooped it up in my arms and brought it to the truck. Jamie's like totally looking at me like I'm a nut-job and says, "What are you going to do with that?" to which I stated very matter-of-factly, "Taking it home. I can't just leave it there for someone to run over!" Duh! So I brought it home and we put it in one of our big recycling bins with a towel, some cat food and water, and then went online to find out what to do. First thing the websites tell you is "DO NOT FEED!" lol...oops!! I guess some people try to feed the wrong thing or can give the baby food when it's not weened from it's mother yet. (found out later from the vet that I was okay because our cat food was a decent brand and the baby was old enough this time of year to be weened or it wouldn't have been out of the den yet...phew!) Then it said to make sure the animal was truly hurt and not just temporarily abandoned. If the baby is NOT INJURED here's what to do. When I went to check on the baby before bedtime, I noticed it also had a scrape on its head and its eye was yucky and infected. Next thing to do was to find a wildlife rehab center. I immediately called my cousin Wendy who works for the humane society. They are not able to take wildlife but she did give me a number to call. That location couldn't take it either but forwarded me once more to a vet in our area who does rehabilitation for wildlife. I called and YAY!! They were able to take the baby. I went into the vet and they told me the eye could be treated, the paws now seemed fine, and Mr. Raccoon would be fine to rehabilitate and set back into the wild. I was so happy - my next option would have to have been to "put it down". I'm just thrilled that I got the opportunity to save one of God's creature - usually my efforts end up with the animal dying (as some of you know if you've read my blog in the past). Here's the little one...isn't "he" just adorable??!!



Here are some websites you can visit if you ever find yourself in a similar situation. Lots of pointers on what to do, what NOT to do, and who to call for help.

http://www.ontariospca.ca/4-wildlife-howtohelp-4.shtml

http://www.wildlifeontario.ca/

http://www.torontowildlifecentre.com/

Bye for now,

Myrna