Neighbour’s kids found these dark-eyed junco chicks in a nest on the ground under a toy in their backyard:
The bird mom hovered nearby, chirping aggressively. Wondering if she’s the same junco that was hanging around our backyard a lot last year.
Strawberry Picking
Another day of picking strawberries on a U-Pick farm up in the Annapolis Valley.
We also walked along the beach at Blomidon Provincial Park on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, and went up to Blomidon Lookoff for ice cream and a scenic valley view.
Feral Face
As I mentioned when we got her, Smoky was advertised as being a Maine Coon mix, of which I’m somewhat doubtful: it’s a fairly well-controlled breed, she doesn’t have the size or weight, and her ears lack long end tufts. But sometimes she will turn her head just so and her face and eyes take on this extremely feral look, and the large, strong snout and whiskers become prominent, and I think, hmm, maybe there is more than a bit of Maine Coon in there.
Seven
This guy is now seven. Seven!
Kitten Update: Smoky’s first month
Peeking out from the deck at the neighbours.
Smoky is very flexible and is able to bend through non-Euclidean space.
She got in my pants.
She’s kicking and biting my hand. (Note the older wound, also from her.)
Cuddling up to Amelia on an IKEA POANG armchair.
Second vet visit went well.
I continue to collect more photos of Smoky’s first year here.
Wildfire Smoke over NS
We were at a small get-together in a neighbour’s backyard when I noticed the sunlight had gone dark orange, and we looked up in the sky and saw the smoke over Halifax.
Conrad’s Beach
Conrad’s Beach is a bit east of us along the Eastern Shore of NS, though not as far as Lawrencetown Beach. It’s a bit tucked away at the end of a rural road with not much parking, so we haven’t been there yet, but I wanted to give it a look.
Weirdly the sign says “Conrod’s Beach” with an o, but our maps apps and every site I’ve checked calls it “Conrad’s” and it’s at the end of Conrad Road. (There’s a Conrod’s Beach farther east in Lower East Chezzetcook, so maybe the sign printers just got confused.)
It’s a very nice, sandy beach, might be worth a visit one of these summers if we can luck into a parking spot.
OIV Orion at Woodside
After dropping off some stuff at Value Village I noticed some kind of ship with a huge crane docked just off Woodside. Apparently this was the Offshore Installation Vessel Orion, loading up parts for an offshore wind farm.
Lobster Sandwiches
Lobster Sandwiches!
Kitten Update
Smoky had her first vet visit for a round of vaccinations and a clean bill of health. The vet techs enjoyed saying her name repeatedly. She’ll need to be back soon for boosters, and again to get spayed.
They also gave us a Purina-branded “new kitten” welcome box, with some brochures, a sample bag of cat food, and accessories like a measuring cup, silicone can cover, and grooming brush. Weirdly missing: kitten toys. (Although the box eventually became a toy itself.)
She’s gone on adventures onto the shoe bench, the sunny deck, the Corsi Cube, and my shoulder:
Amelia’s getting used to having her around and doesn’t mind sharing her spot on the armchair or on the bed.
True to her name, Smoky really does look like a little puff of gray smoke.
I continue to add more photos of Smoky to her kitten album on Flickr.