After several years of searching, my daughter, Caroline, and son-in-law, Andrew, finally found a rural property to their liking, in Maberly, Lanark County, nestled in the Ottawa Valley. The renovated century farmhouse sits on sixty acres of land, much of it a wildlife haven, so the property has affectionately been labelled, "The Sixty."
Payton, the family dog, seems very happy with the move, and has lots of room to wander and many new scents to explore.
There are outbuildings that perhaps hold secrets, or treasures yet unknown.
Bottles filled with who knows what?
This structure, already referred to as The Tilty Barn, has to be taken down before it collapses.
Andrew is drooling at the prospect of having so much old barnboard to work with.
I couldn't make up my mind whether this little house was designed as a playhouse for children or was erected as a change room near the pool.
A huge, empty Quonset hut already has Andrew musing about an indoor skating rink.
Miriam and I were happy to make our first visit in early August, to visit the kids, of course, and see their new home, but also to start to assess and document wild nature there. It was exciting; we discovered much, but there is so much more. The changing seasons will hold secrets to be shared with keen observers - and we plan to be all of that!
Caroline is quite giddy with it all!
This report will document our visit, with no specific outline or plan, but will convey the natural diversity of the place and our exultation at discovering it.
We had barely taken a seat on the deck for the first time when a Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) came to visit.
A Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) remained hidden most of the time.
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) was very easy to find and we saw and heard it often.
Goldenrod (genus Solidago), that insect haven, was dotted all around.
Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is both robust and handsome.
I think that at one time or another Common St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been touted as a cure for just about anything that ails you!
Unless one gets a really good look, bees are often hard to identify as to species. This individual is in the epifamily Anthophila, but I can't be more precise than that.
A Jagged Ambush Bug (Phymata americana), by contrast, is easily identified.
A Brown Stink Bug (Euschistus servus) was not far away.
Thistles are magnets for pollinators, including an Unspotted Looper Moth (Allagrapha aerea).
Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis) was ubiquitous.
Leafhoppers are attractive little insects. The one below is in the genus Draeculacephala , one of the most widespread genera in the world.
This Frigid Deer Fly (Chrysops frigidus) landed on me and Miriam was quick to get a picture so that I could swat it away. Their bite is quite painful.
Great Spangled Fritillary (Argynnis cybele) always seems such a grand name and the butterfly lives up to the majesty of it.
Tufted Vetch (Vicia crecca) occupies wild spaces and provides beauty for all who see it.
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris) is a beautiful little flower.
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium maculatum) is familiar to many, having become a favourite garden plant in recent years as people naturalize their yards.
Meadowhawks (genus Sympetrum) are pleasingly common from late summer well into fall. Several species are very similar so unless one gets a good look at the defining features it's best to be content with just identifying the genus.
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) is an enchanting little frog.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Oxeye Daisy (Leucantheum vulgare)
Lest the reference to scorpion cause you concern, this species is harmless to humans. The male has an impressive genital appendage, resembling a scorpion's tail when raised.
Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius) is pretty cute, don't you think?
Eastern Giant Swallowtail (Heraclides cresphontes) was seen numerous times.
It is an impressive butterfly.
As the name implies, Northern Spur-throated Grasshopper (Melanoplus borealis) is found in the northern regions of North America, so The Sixty may encompass part of the southern portion of this species' range.
Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
We were overjoyed to find Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria), a species we had not seen in a long time.
A picture of a Clover Looper Moth (Caenurgina crassiuscula) not showing much detail, unfortunately.
A Short-winged Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus brevipennis) revealed a little more.
Payton, of course, came with us on our ramble, filled with boundless energy and curiosity.
A Clover Head Caterpillar Moth (Grapholita interstinctana) was resting quietly.
The plant-sucking nymphs of True Spittlebugs (family Aphrophoridae) produce foam shelters, often referred to colloquially as "cuckoo spit."
We spotted a wetland which we initially thought was on Andrew and Caroline's property, but turned out to be on the land of an adjacent farm.
Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
A Wood Frog (Lithobatus sylvaticus) did its best not to attract attention to itself.
Forkmosses (genus Dicranum)
We saw White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) morning and evening from the deck at the house, but it was nice to encounter this individual in the woods.
Lichens are incredibly interesting and this Common Greenshield Lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata) is possessed of outstanding beauty.
Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) is a popular garden plant, especially in gardens designed to attract insects, and it was wonderful to find it in the woods.
Cinquefoils (genus Potentilla)
Rampaging Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) was not something we were hoping to find.
White Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) is exceptionally beautiful.
Fragrant Bedstraw (Galium triflorum) was used by early settlers as mattress stuffing.
If anyone doubted that animals have emotions akin to humans, who could deny the happiness that Payton exuded as he romped along with us, launching himself into every wet spot he saw?
We saw many Goldenrod Soldier Beetles (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus); ironically none on goldenrod!
There is always an extra jolt of satisfaction upon finding a new species; such was our great pleasure upon spotting a Polished Lady Beetle (Cycloneda munda).
Plume Thistles (genus Cirsium) are not always easy to identify at species level.
There were several small patches of Catnip (Nepeta cataria).
The prior owners of the property had leased some of the land to a farmer and Caroline and Andrew plan to continue to honour this arrangement.
The property is at the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, basically granite with a thin coating of soil. It is not the most productive farming land, and many attempts have been abandoned. Early settlers, full of grit and determination, no doubt had a hard time of it.
A female Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) popped up out of the undergrowth to see us.
A bumble bee (genus Bombus).
Each evening we had the delightful experience of sitting out on the deck, sipping wine and listening to Eastern Whip Poor-wills (Antrostomus vociferus) calling, a sound not heard in many a year.
On the second night the sky was clear and we could see a Sturgeon Moon.
I had not previously been aware of the term but it denotes an August full moon when Lake Sturgeon were easily caught in the Great Lakes, a significant source of food for Native Americans.
The next morning a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) hopped around at the edge of the pool.
A Grey Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) was nestled in a quiet corner of the deck.
Such a little cutie!
Caroline had learned of a farmer's market at nearby Sharbot Lake, so we decided to check what might be available for sale.
The market was quite small but local produce was available for sale, as well as pickles, preserves and the like.
The whole area was scenically attractive.
Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis) patrolled along the shore, always on the lookout for food discarded by humans.
Back at home an Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) was flycatching from the fence.
Toward evening, a Merlin (Falcon columbarius) paid us a visit.
There is more - but this post is quite long enough.
Let me close with pictures of the human characters in this drama.
First - Caroline and Andrew (the world's best son-in-law) at their son, Sam's, recent wedding.
My lovely daughter once again with her grizzled old dad.
Finally, the best of all, my dear, sweet Miriam who makes every day a joy.
Until the next time...à la prochaine.
