Is it spring?

The weather has been milder this past week and our usual walking area shows it. This was the scene of the stream through the salt marsh on February 23rd.

This was the area yesterday. 

The ducks, gone since the stream froze, are back and the water is visible again.

The avians walk the salt marsh and swim in the water as the ice melts. Ducks and crows leave footprints in the snow. What do you suppose created the long impression center left in this photo?

At the mouth of the stream, the ice on the bay is beginning to melt. The ice doesn’t look solid any more. Soon it will break up and wind will take it into the Northumberland Strait.

A Downy Woodpecker had its feathers fluffed against the cold one day last week as it drilled into trees along the walkway.

A Mourning Dove was nestled into a cozy position one day, also with its feathers fluffed against the high winds.

We were fortunate to see a Ruffed Grouse again, which eats at the base of a feeder near the end of the boardwalk. It approached us as we stood quietly watching it.

Recently I read of a study at the University of Utah which found that people who spent time in nature showed improvement in their ability to focus on a task. I believe time in nature helps me deal with everyday life in a troubled world.

Meanwhile, in response to the tariffs proposed by the American president on Canadian goods entering the U.S., my husband and I avoided buying U.S. products last week. When we shop in the morning, most shoppers are seniors like us. We had numerous conversations with other seniors about our shared desire to buy Canadian. We also avoided U.S. stores/businesses this past Friday.

Store employees here are seeing the result too. At one store I checked the spinach to see if any was not a U.S. product. A clerk who was stocking the cooler told me all the spinach and lettuce are from the U.S. but people aren’t buying it. Neither did I.

At another store, the cauliflower and broccoli were U.S. products but they were going bad and needed to be removed from the cooler. I hate to see food wasted but sometimes greater principles take precedence.

Finally this week, I am thinking of Ukraine which has endured three years of war at the hands of Putin’s Russia. Ukraine’s leader, Zelenskyy, is a man of great courage and leadership. He is an inspiration to his people. 

May Ukraine prevail!

 

For now

The grip of winter kept us closer to home this past week. We walked the boardwalk a few days but walking the neighbourhood meant we could escape to home easily if we needed too. One day, with windchill of -23 C, cold stung our faces making an escape necessary.

Not only is Bedeque Bay ice covered now, with all the the snow we had last week, it is snow covered too. In places now, one can’t discern the shoreline from the snowy, ice-covered water below. 

We attended two gymnastics competitions which our youngest granddaughter participated in last week. Her enjoyment of the sport and determination to do her best are wonderful to see. There is another competition next weekend which we will attend if weather permits.

Also recently, one of my friends from book club passed away. Another ‘bookie’ and I attended her funeral last week. Katie was an avid reader and a kind, generous, loving person. I find it hard to believe she is gone. She will be missed.

Many in Canada watched the news on Saturday about the 25% tariffs the U.S. will impose on Canadian goods entering that country. In response, Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on goods entering Canada from the U.S. 

Our daughter sent us this photo of the golden grand-dog, Daisy, early Saturday evening.

I wrote, “Daisy looks worried.”

Our daughter responded, “She’s scared the tariffs are going to affect her number of treats.”

It is good we can chuckle about it. For now…

P.S. Monday evening we learned the tariff threat from the U.S. has been delayed a month.  Daisy can relax for a few weeks.