A Bumblebee, A Beagle, and a Future Camping Trip

We dressed James up as a bumblebee on Halloween.


He was a very determined bumblebee.


After a quick visit to the leaves on the front lawn, we visited a few neighbours and collected a few treats.


He is growing up quickly - two little teeth are beginning to appear in his mouth. He can say 'Da-da' and 'Ma-ma' and 'guhguh-ihgu-eeeeeei'. While he his not crawling, he is able to piece together various rolling movements to arrive at his intended location. Roll, rotate, roll, rotate, roll.


He is getting interested in Monty. He spent a while tussling with his tail. At one point he lifted the tail, and prompted Monty's natural gaseous inclinations to emerge. This brought pause to James, who then spent the next minute or two watching the tail end carefully, trying to figure out what happened. Monty happily chewed away on his toy. I am really happy that the two of them get along - you don't want an irritated dog around a child.


It won't be long until he is able to come camping with his Daddy. Mummy will help get him all ready, and will wish us lots of luck, and keep down the fort while we are away. Daddy will remain in cell phone contact by staying close to a cell tower, and report every hour on our progress. This probably won't take place until next year though.

Hope you're all having a good day!

Mungo

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A Fur Hat Raccoon, & an Autumnal Walk in the Park with Monty

I took Monty for a walk in the park early last Sunday morning.


The weather was getting cold, but I wore a wool sweater, wool socks, and gloves and was ready for the cool of the morning. I also wore pants and shoes (of course).


It was good and he had a run about.


As we got down towards the valley entrance, I thought I saw a fur hat laying on the ground. I realized quickly that it was a raccoon, and on closer examination - a living breathing, albeit unconscious or sleeping raccoon. It was a juvenile. Monty sniffed at it but kept his distance, heckles raised. Using a stick, I gently prodded it - thinking it had simply overslept (I am not a trained biologist specializing in the sleep habits of juvenile raccoons). It didn't even blink. It just kept on breathing, heaving its chest every few seconds.


I figured it had either fallen from the tall willow tree above or was sick (or hungover - Saturday night was behind us). I called Toronto Animal Services and 45 minutes later a gruff fellow arrived, manhandled the unresponsive raccoon into a cage and left. I hope that the raccoon got better.


I mused on this for a few minutes and wandered about near the tree line. I then stumbled about my mushroom patch (where several dead tree stumps lay submerged beneath the grass on the verge by the valley - saprophytic mushrooms feast on rotting wood). I found only a single stinkhorn beginning to emerge from its egg.


The Heal-All (Prunella vulgaris) seems pretty tenacious stuff. I've eaten it. It is bitter and strange tasting. Anti-viral and anti-lots of bad stuff, apparently.


In a mini chipmunk hole I found a mini-mushroom beginning to grow. Even chipmunks enjoy mushrooms.

Cheers - hope you're enjoying the cooler weather! My favourite season is upon us - Autumn.

Mungo

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Backcountry Camping in Algonquin Park: Trip Booked!

I have just booked a back country site in Algonquin Provincial Park for a week in June. The site is at the end of 2 adjoining lakes. To get in to the first lake, there is a 2 kilometer portage through thick woods from the spot off the highway where I will park the car. Once in the lake, it should only take about an hour or two to paddle in to the site. It is a fairly unknown place to camp (at least from what I have read), and because of the effort to get into the site, I expect there to be no-one else on either of the lakes during the trip.

The little boy won't be coming with me, as he is only 5 months old, and cannot yet grasp a paddle in a coordinated manner. The hound dog will be coming though. He keeps the bears and the hippos at bay.

Fishing, canoeing, photography, gathering wild edibles. It's gonna be good!

Algonquin, here I come!

Hope you are having a good day.

Mungo

Planning My Next Camping Trip With Great Aplomb.

After years of working as a project manager, and now in a role as a manager of an I.T. department, I have finally taken the almost-final step towards a certification that I have wanted for a long while: preparing for my PMP certification. The PMBOK - the Project Management Book of Knowledge is a thick, obscure, abstruse, and mysterious tome. But I am attending 5 days this week of an intense preparation course to review this book in order to write and pass the exam.

Once I am PMP certified, I will be able to plan camping trips with great aplomb.


And once this week is up, I can return those few idle neurons that I have left to planning my next camping trip.

Cheers,

Mungo

Monty and the Well-Fed Squirrels

It is really cold outside today. We tend to keep the temperature in the house pretty low, and at night extra wool blankets really help keep us warm.


I'm not quite sure how the squirrels keep warm. They don't have the ability to knit or to manufacture wool blankets. But they make it, so I guess they've found a way. I do my part by feeding them lots of sunflower seeds, peanuts and seeds. I wonder if a farm supply store might sell bulk amounts for cheaper.


Monty went out and did his best to hunt for squirrel. He even got into his classic beagle stalking pose (see above). But truthfully speaking, he needs a little work. Squirrels would bounce and even stroll a few feet from his nose. They seemed to sense his reduced level of training. He did almost catch one who seemed so distracted by the seed bounty that he ran at a vector nearly grazing Monty's head. The squirrel then realized what he'd done and ran smack into a chair. Monty got a bit confused and stopped to watch the squirrel scamper away. It returned a minute later and sat on the table munching peanuts. Monty continued to watch.


Monty is a noble creature. He waits to be fed by me and none other.


A cloud of sparrows descends on the bird feeders in our backyard and in our neighbour's backyard. I like to keep them well fed too. It's only fair.


And while it is cold outside, we're doing our best to make it warm inside. The baby's room is ready now. We put up the illustrated letters of the alphabet on the wall yesterday. I tapped in 28 nails, 14 on top and 14 on bottom, on which to hang the cards. Spring was kind enough to remind me that the alphabet has 26 letters.


In fewer than 3 weeks we get a new arrival in the family. Spring is tired out and has decided that sooner is better than later. Suits me fine - all the sooner for a mini camping companion in Algonquin Park.

Cheers,

Mungo

Step 1: Baiting the Squirrels

I get rather sentimental about the birds and the squirrels right about now when the temperatures begin to drop.


So I fill the bird feeder with bird food and scatter a big bag of peanut-laden squirrel mix all over the patio table. Then I rush inside, but not before making squirrelly sounds with my lips to encourage all of the neighbourhood squirrels to partake in an epicurean free-for-all.


I only expect Black and Grey Squirrels.


But today a very nervous and quick Red Squirrel darted about and did a little dance before shooting over to the bird feeder.


I think he's nervous around the larger squirrels.


Red Squirrels are preyed upon by Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis), coyote (Canis latrans), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), northern goshawk (Accipiter gentiles), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), American Marten (Martes americana), fox (Vulpes vulpes), wolf (Canis lupus) and weasel (Mustela sp.) and it is believed to some degree by the beagle (Beaglus beagly).


I'd be pretty nervous with that cast of carnivorous characters waiting in the wings.


I am fond of Red Squirrels. They're pugnacious and boisterous and gutsy and brave.


I think I'd like to be a Red Squirrel one day. Maybe in another life, at least for a while.


Monty and I watched the whole circus from the back window - Spring swung by to watch us watch the squirrels. My canine companion could only sit and think of the many ways he would eat the squirrels. Baked. Grilled. BBQed. Sauteed. Fried. Deep-fried. Boiled. Parboiled. And in a very special way - in a comfit.


The squirrels stuffed themselves with peanuts and sunflower seeds and all other treats, and would from time to time hop about the snow and furiously bury some of the food.


Smart little critters. But maybe not that smart. You see, this might just be the first step towards gathering the ingredients for a recipe for braised squirrel - the baiting.


They get nice and comfortable with all this easy food. Soon they just might be eating out of my hands. I think I have some nice thick bacon in the bottom drawer of the fridge, all ready for seasoning the little critters.

Cheers,

Mungo

A Brief Respite from the Storm

Another layer of snow fell last night.


For a few hours we had bright skies, and the snow stopped.


So Monty and I stepped out into the backyard and explored.


It was actually warm outside.


Colours were brought out by the bright sun.


Monty stuck his nose right under the snow.


Monty reconnoitered the perimeter.


All around the shed.


Even observing the trees for signs of squirrels.


But he saw nothing untoward.


Small plants poked their heads above the blanket of snow.


No leaves are left on this day of the winter solstice.


Few tracks are left on the ground.


The birds are keeping away from the feeder, knowing that the storm hasn't ended yet.


Seeds are ready for eating.


The sparrows flock to the weeds when the all-clear signal has been received.


The compost bin is hardly composting in this cold.


It has since started up again, big flakes and clumps of snow pouring down from the bright clouds.

Hope you're enjoying the weather!

Mungo

Okay - Final List for my Solo Trip into Algonquin Provincial Park

Okay - this is the final list. I trust what is in my knapsack more than what is on this actual list. I should go to be - 7 hours and 26 minutes before I leave...

Take care and have a good week!

• Cooking Pot
• Kettle
• Nalgene bottle
• Mug
• Bowl
• Spoon
• Zip lock bags
• Powdered Milk
• Lemon Drink Crystals
• 2 sacks tuna,
• Pepperoni sausage
• Tabasco sauce
• Instant Mashed Potatoes
• Pasta side-dishes
• Flavoured Oatmeal
• Freeze-dried entrees
• Dried Mango slices
• Salt & Sugar
• Instant Coffee
• Beef Jerky
• Sugar
• Olive oil
• Kibble
• Chocolate
• Toilet paper
• Tooth-brush
• Glass Mirror (can be used for signalling)
• Camping Suds
• Insect Repellent
• Compass
• Ferrocerium rod (firestarting)
• Garbage Bag
• Small Forest Axe
• Headlamp and extra AAA batteries
• Tarp & Rope
• Stove & filled Fuel Bottle
• Mora knife X 2
• Wool Blanket
• Sleeping pad & 1 Repair kit
• Sleeping Bag in compression bag
• Tent
• Pillow case
• Legless Folding Chair
• Thermo-Lite Bivvy Bag
• Wool sweater
• Wool pants
• Wool hat
• Socks, Underwear
• Cotton T-Shirt
• Cotton pajama pants
• Bathing shorts
• First aid kit
• 2 Books
• Paper and Pencil
• Digital Camera & 2 batteries
• Knapsack
• Monty the Beagle (!)
  

Cheers,

Mungo

Evening in the Park, and 22 days, 22 hours, 22 minutes, and 22 seconds to go...

Twenty-two days,


twenty-two hours,


twenty-two minutes


and twenty-two seconds


until I depart in the car for my camping trip.


Seriously.


Awesome.


Enjoy your day,

Mungo