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Puffins, Whales, and Caribou (and still no Steller’s Sea Eagle)

BEYOND, Travel, Wildlife

It’s June 22nd and I’m leaving Newfoundland today. I have not had a chance to write my blog but will do it in the next few days (update just getting to it on June 26th).

A nemesis bird can be very challenging mentally, but as well may take you to fabulous places.

The Steller’s Sea Eagle continues to evade me, but I had awesome encounters with Puffins, Humpback Whales, and Caribou during my free time in Newfoundland. Also met some great people, both tourists and locals. (Great to meet you Caroline, Andrea, and Tracy. I have some great photos for you Caroline if you get in touch btw.)

Anyway, my work took me across the entire island and because the days were very long I was able to squeeze in some nature time. I also took one day off in Trinity.

My goal for wildlife encounters were the same as last May. To see Caribou, Puffins, and the Steller’s Sea Eagle. I blogged about that too, massive dip trip. But never a bad time on the rock, and for me work takes priority so I miss things. It’s a dream that one day I can go to Newfoundland strictly as a tourist. Newfoundland and Greece are my two favorite places in the world. Fortunately, in Greece I was just a tourist. Perhaps I’ll retire there one day. Anyway before this becomes a whale of a tale…

Amazing to get a view of the baleen on this amazing Humpback Whale.

Before I did any work on the island I took my day off. I had booked a boat tour in Trinity for the morning and figured it was a slam dunk for me to see Stella. The giant Sea Eagle had been spotted every day for 2 weeks previous to my trip. But that was the one day she/he was not spotted. And of course, this beautiful Steller’s Sea Eagle was spotted the next day and many times since. And so to you Trinity, I say we will meet again! Stella must think I have more to see before we meet.

I did manage to get a little bit of time with the Puffins in Elliston the evening before. Not as close of an encounter as I had hoped, but really you are always battling time in Newfoundland as it’s such a vast province and so much to see. You just need to enjoy and try to go with the flow. I enjoy it all, even if it seems as though I’m disappointed, I’m always left wanting more, and always return.

Even though I didn’t see Stella, I had a great tour of Trinity Harbour with Captain Steve from Trinity Eco Tours. Beautiful spot, great tour company.

So off to work across the island. All the way to the West Coast. I decided to spend the night in Rocky Harbour instead of Cornerbrook since it would take me the same amount of time to drive back to St. John’s to see clients. The morning of the Solstice I had a 7 hour drive ahead of me so that I could see stores on the following morning.

I had a hunch, and also knew it would be the longest day of the year, so took a detour up the Viking Trail to look for Caribou.

In my wildest dreams I would not have imagined such a wonderful sighting.

The Caribou babies almost melted my heart on the Summer Solstice on the Viking Trail. One of my favorite wildlife encounters of all time for sure.

Mother Nature sure delivered on my favorite day of the year. I have never been away from Nova Scotia on the Solstice. For about 30 years I’ve been celebrating the Solstice at home with day trips and nature. Always drinking in the beauty. Always a beautiful day. This day in Newfoundland I felt like a vampire the beauty was so palpable. My heart got filled to the brim and I will remember it always. The wonderful thing about travel is you can dial up a memory anytime you need a little boost. This one will work wonders for melancholy days and insomnia!

Back to work I went in St. John’s the next morning. When I finished up in the afternoon I was rewarded with enough time to drive down to St. Vincent’s to see Humpback Whales that were close to shore chasing Capelin. This is something I have hoped to do for about 5 years now but it never lines up, and did not disappoint!

When I arrived the sand was hot and so I took off my shoes and walked in my bare feet. As soon as I was far enough away from my car that it didn’t make sense to backtrack I realized the error of my judgement. Capelin like a pebble beach. Ouch and hot…LOL. I thought I could cool my feet in the water. Once I got close to the water I looked at the tide and thought that it looked very dangerous. I did let the waves that were coming up to the sand touch my feet but was very careful and glad I could sense the danger. I’ve found out since that the drop off is 60+ feet deep right by the shore, which makes perfect sense as there are giant sea creatures swimming right up. Also, brrrrrrr! Even the wet sand and tiny contact with water was sooooo much colder than the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It’s since been pointed out to me it’s the North Atlantic.

Mother Nature is wild and wooly sometimes and gentle and forgiving at other times. Keeps me on my toes.

Thank you to the hospitality of many wonderful Newfoundlanders during my visit. Special thanks to the lady from Fogo Island who offered me home made fish and brewis while we were chatting at breakfast in Grand Falls.

Everything about Newfoundland is completely different than anywhere in the world.

A little reminder that wildlife does as it wishes.

Visit if you can, it will change your life.

With love to “the rock” and all your creatures, 2 footed, 4 footed, winged, and finned.

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Early June update on my plantings

BEYOND, Gardens

Year 3 is really the year a garden starts to take root. Of course I’m already dreaming of dividing perennials next summer!

I did a lot of planting in 2022 when I bought the house, and then a lot more planting last year in 2023.

Fast forward to the 3rd spring and things are really coming together.

One of the best things yet is that my Percy Wiseman Rhododendron finally bloomed. I bought it as a sad little sale plant in the fall of 2022 and didn’t know if it would make it. As well it’s not for our gardening zone so little hope for it really. But it made an appearance in late May and it is just gorgeous! Yeah, my Border Collie is too I know…

I will write more later too busy gardening now! I’ve been snapping lots of photos though so lots to work with.

Daffodils and narcissus super deer and bunny resistant
This area was all Dandelions and other weeds so first year I moved in turned it into a Tulip garden. The Tulips are Cape Breton Highlands Mix by Vanco. Slowly adding more things Last year I added Daylilies. My neighbors just gave me these great rocks that replaced the old rail tie.
I planted Anemones for the 1st time in the fall and so glad I did! I almost dug up as a weed this spring because they aren’t much to look at before they bloom. I check iNaturalist and PlantNet apps before removing things as I’ve made mistakes in the past.
Rainbow Rock Cress is a favorite of mine. I seeded at my last house and here I did seedlings indoors. I thought they did not germinate but just in case I mixed them into the soil last spring and voila here it is this spring. This happens quite a bit, I’ve learned not to give up on things too easily.
I brought some Heather (blooms white) from my old house. I inherited it there. It’s looked almost dead since I brought it but year 3 is bringing it lots of life. Again, don’t give up too easy as things need time to root.
Creeping Phlox should be an easy plant. I brought 3 colors from my old house. They were all given to me and did so well there. I have not been able to establish them some critters were digging them up every day! So I moved some inside the dog fence, even though they are deer and rabbit resistant and they are doing much better back there. But this one bit in front powered through and is doing great too.
Did Columbine from seed indoors last year and transplanted out in the spring. Lots of plants came up very healthy but none flowered. Now in their 2nd year they are all starting to bloom.
Ninebarks in two colours – struggling as the deer are hard on them but they will eventually be big enough it won’t matter
Spirea and Dwarf Burning Bush are thriving
had to relocate this Boxwood that was turning orange in a boggy area doing great now
Columbine I did from seed 2 years ago, 1st bloom for them, Lamb’s Ears from Dad, Tiger Lilies from a neighbor, Spurge from Dad
Spurge from Dad
site of the old Chicken Coop
shade garden in between the shed and garage (added Wild Ginger from Maria in back this year)

There will definitely have to be a post devoted to Tulips when I get time. So many plants, so little Thyme…

May 8 2024 plants from Maria

BEYOND, Gardens

I had a visit to a friend’s garden this week and she sent me home with a bunch of perennial prezzies!  The garden on their property is one of the nicest you will ever see.  No grass anywhere on the property.  All mosses and thyme, pine-needle paths, and so many amazing perennials.  It was really something to see so many flowers at the beginning of May. 

Maria and Lazslo’s beautiful garden coming to life

My goal also is for less areas to mow and more pretty foliage.

She gave me the following deer resistant, shade tolerant plants:

3 Rhododendrons – planted 2 in back in an old log and 1 in front in a tree stump.

Leopards Bane – tall clump forming spreader perennial of the sunflower family likes moist soil and shade.  Will reside exactly where the chicken coop once stood.  The soil there is very rich.  I have a theory…LOL

It is getting nibbled a little, maybe by the Snowshoe Hares, but doing great generally.

Red Phlox – tall and dramatic – spreads full sun to partial shade moisture air circulate and mulch to keep cool. Planted at back of little garden where a big dirt pile and tarp and chicken wire once was. Will have to add some mulch.

Bonfire Spurge – put in with some Columbine and Corral Bells will be good to have another big splash or color outside the fence it’s great for bird photos.

Wild Ginger – not sure which variety. Spreads and currently there is a huge mess of Buttercups to replace and there was quite a bit of Bindweed when I moved in so even though it’s a little naughty it will be much better than those things.

Bee Balm – added to my front garden. I did some from seed too but not sure if they will take. I also have some weeds in another garden area that may be Bee Balm I planted last year but won’t know for a while until they bloom. Happy to have a sure thing. I’ve always had difficulty with this plant for some reason.

Angelina Sedum – have some in my little dog garden but happy to have a bit more to spread around as it’s nice to have the all year yellow foliage.

Columbine – I have quite a bit I’ve done from seed but always happy to have more and think these will be a different color.

Happy Return Daylily – along back of house where more colorful foliage was needed.

Red Daylily – put in one of my rock gardens near the deck will post pic when it blooms.

Masterwort – It prefers to be planted in part shade to full shade. Astrantia grows best in moist soil with plenty of organic material. Since masterwort plant needs moist soil, it needs to be watered frequently during times of drought, otherwise it will die. Planted it in a shady area of mosses and wildflowers. Once it’s well established I can take out the placeholder bricks and in the meantime I should really get some nice beach rocks to replace them. So much to do!

Persicaria bistorta (Knotweed) – They grow 2- 2½ ft. tall, and spread to form 3 foot wide mounds. Excellent ground cover plant, especially when planted along the edge of a pond, a stream or in boggy areas.

They are very easy to care for plants that can be grown in full sun or light shade,Knotweed should be planted in fairly rich, constantly moist but well-drained soil

Planted in area we don’t mow that is full of wild flowers and ferns and next to a small stream. Put some little Joe Pye seedlings around it but not sure they will grow I think I opened the milk jug too early and they are not strong seedlings.

Common Orange Daylily – in front of garage

Geranium  – in front of garage – replaced some European Knapweed and Dandelions. The Knapweed is very pretty and the pollinators love it, but we have way too much and it’s considered invasive so slowly taking some out. Will try to achieve some balance over time.

Pachysandra – deer resistant and tolerates drought, shade, and heavy clay soils. Excellent groundcover for weed control, as it spreads to form a dense mat that inhibits weed growth.   It can be invasive as it spreads by rhizomes but planted in the goutweed which I hope it may overcome, and will surround by rock borders as Maria did with hers.

And I decided to move my existing Hellebores over by the Coral Bells in the old chicken coop area with some of her Columbine. I brought 2 Hellebores with me from my old house. 1 died almost immediately and the other one has been struggling. But it loves it’s new home and I have high hopes for it. Will add more in time in this area if it’s successful, nothing like a winter rose!

Will update as more things bloom.

Thank you Maria!!!

Love from Milo

Barks, My Dogs

Milo is back to his old self now.

A sincere thank you to family and friends who were here when we needed you.

Now that things have settled back down, I am posting the breakdown of what happened.

Saturday morning all seemed okay, I fed Macy and Milo and left for the morning to help host a birding event in my community.  Saturday afternoon Milo got a hold of an old piece of wood in the garage and potentially ingested a small piece of it before we got it away from him.  He would not eat after that so did not have supper but was still drinking water.

Through the night he threw up several times.  With nothing in his belly, it was all grass and clear liquid.  I didn’t think much of it until the morning when his behavior changed, and he became a bit lethargic and refused to eat either meal on Sunday.  Knowing that Monday would be Victoria Day and the vets would be closed I was really hoping the situation would turn around.  I stuck close to home to keep an eye on him.  Sunday morning was the last time I saw him have a drink of water on his own, so I was spoon feeding him water.  On Monday night I asked my neighbour who is a nurse to come over to see if she could help me get a read on the situation as I was debating whether to take him to emergency.

Naturally he perked up a bit when he saw her.  He even went to his water bowl and showed her he could drink water.  We looked in his throat and didn’t see anything stuck.  His eyes were clear, his gums were pink.  We were discussing whether I could wait until the morning to take him to our own vet.  Then about 15 minutes later he vomited up a pile of horrid smelling bile that was more like poop.  She said, take him to emergency.  So off I went.

The veterinarian at Metro Emergency who saw him wanted to do x-rays and bloodwork, but I said I would rather wait to get them down in the morning at my own vet and just wanted him examined and out of danger.  He said his abdomen seemed sensitive but nothing in his throat and he was dehydrated so we gave him a subcutaneous fluid injection and I brought him home.

Tuesday morning, we went to our vet, Dr. Jessica McCarron, at the Burnside Veterinary Clinic.  We set him up with IV fluids and scheduled an Xray for him.  I left him for the day at the clinic and went home and setup a GoFundMe fundraiser as it has been a very difficult year financially in my home and I had no money to pay for any of it.  Also, wanted to be able to do whatever necessary without worrying about the cost.  Surgery is never out of the question with GI issues and blockages and tests don’t always show the whole picture. 

Tuesday afternoon I got an update from the vet that the Xray didn’t show anything of concern although it is not easy so see blockage in an Xray.  She suggested I pick him up at 730pm but leave the IV line in just in case he was no better.

He seemed a bit better but when we got home, he would neither eat nor drink water.  He ate a bit of grass, came inside, went to bed, and didn’t move once until the morning. 

Wednesday morning, he was so lethargic he could barely pick his head up.  I put him in his crate and took him back to the vet for another day of IV fluids and tests.  I ordered a 2nd Xray and a bloodwork pane.  Bloodwork all clear.  I requested something to make him feel better since he was still refusing food or water.  He was given sucralfate which treats acid in the stomach and esophagus.  The vet said the only other test that may show something would be a scope, but they did not have one at the clinic. More on that later.  An ultrasound was suggested but it would apparently not likely show anything.  The only conclusive way to know if there is blockage when tests don’t show is to surgically open the dog up which is not what anyone wants, and most things will pass in time.

And so now we wait.  And hope.

Later in the afternoon I got some good news the Xray showed the barium moving through his system and had reached his colon.  Dr. McCarron phoned to say that he was now hydrated properly so she would remove the line.  Also, he was now enthusiastically eating so her hope was he was on the mend.

I picked him up Wednesday night.  Everyone at the clinic said he was a star patient and they all loved him.  Interestingly he didn’t want to leave the day before and couldn’t wait to go back.  It’s because he knew he needed to be there.  This time he couldn’t wait to go home.  Lots of pep and energy.  Took him home he wanted to play frisbee, eat, and drink water.  Still no poop and that was the final important piece of the puzzle.

Thursday morning, he pooped!  Finally!  So, I closed donations to the GoFundMe and enjoyed Milo all day.

Thursday night he wouldn’t settle to sleep for night.  He kept appearing in the living room or downstairs.  I figured he was trying to tell me something, so I went into the bedroom.  He was on my bed at this point.  He showed me his IV-line battle wound and I acknowledged it then he put his head on me and relaxed.  He was trying to make me understand what had happened to him.  He then went to his own bed for the night and didn’t stir again.  He is such a sensitive and smart boy. Border Collie through and through.

We will never really know if the wood was the problem.  I’m told sometimes you never really know.  All evidence points to small blockage and lots of discomfort.  I will say that dehydration is very serious.  Milo has been sick before but not gotten dehydrated and it caught me off guard.  Apparently, it is difficult to replenish fluids and electrolytes, so we now have a bottle of Pedialyte in the cupboard…just in case.

I’m very grateful this turned out okay.  So scary.  I really thought I may lose him.  It was hard every step of the way to make the best decisions when talking to the vet and ordering tests. 

What I think would be very helpful and everyone feels the same is that veterinary care was the same price 24/7 and equipment was available to all clinics.  Since speaking with many people, I’ve found out it’s not uncommon to have to go to several clinics to get the treatment you need.  The trouble with that is, you choose your veterinarian because your dog loves them, and you trust them.  The stress of changing vets and clinics is not good for the dog or for anyone.

One suggestion I have is for there to be mobile equipment that can be ordered to be used at multiple locations.  So, if I could have ordered a scope and the equipment could arrive on site, that would save so much stress.

This may not be possible, but food for thought maybe a good business opportunity for someone.

I shudder to think of how many pets are unnecessarily euthanized due to finances and inconvenience that could be saved with some planning.

Of course, Nova Scotia can’t get that sorted out for humans, doubtful we will solve it for pets.  However, my hope springs eternal, always.

Love from Milo.