Playing with a Robin

I'm not sure if this little girl is watching a robin or if it's a bluebird or maybe some other kind of bird, but the one I interacted with tonight was indeed a robin.

I was watering the plants outside with the hose and trying to revive our burned out lawn. I was swishing the hose back and forth on the grass when a plump, male robin landed and began pecking at the grass. I figured the water had called an earthworm to the top of the soil and Mr. Robin was trying to make a feast of it.

I very gently moved the hose so the water would land near the robin. When I did instead of him moving away, he moved right into the spray. I kept the hose still and let him have a bath. It was a hot day today and I figured he needed to cool off.

We played a game for a while. I would move the hose and he would hop into the spray. I would move it back and he would follow. He looked right at me and knew that I was there. Dakota was also outside lying beneath the stairs that goes to the upstairs apartment. The robin didn't seem to mind that either of us were close by.

For about ten minutes we played the game and then I guess Mr. Robin had cooled off because he spread his wings and flew onto the railing of the neighbor's porch. What an awesome experience it was getting so close and knowing that the bird was enjoying our time of interaction.

Interesting Results

Twice now I've tried to post the results of a test I took, "Who Do You Write Like?" Both times the html didn't work, but I was surprised at the results. It said I write like Margaret Mitchell. Wow! I wish I could write a novel like "Gone with the Wind." I would be ecstatic. I've written a novel but try as I may, I've never been able to get it published. Maybe one day.

If you'd like to see who you write like, give it a try at this link. It's very interesting.

http://iwl.me/

Business is Slow

Last year hubby and Brandon started a lawn mowing and yard cleaning business. Over the summer they made quite a bit of money, so this year they decided to try it again. Brandon is learning a lot by taking part in all aspects of the business. He helps give free estimates, helps do the work and the cleanup. He is also learning that things don't always go the way you'd like them too.

These photos are of Brandon earlier this year mowing our lawn. He does a great job and has come a long way since he started last year. At that time he'd never mowed a lawn.

This year hasn't been as good as last year. In the photos, you'll notice how green the lawn was earlier in the year. Now it is brown and almost burned out. There is a ban on watering because we haven't had more than a few drops of rain since mid June and water levels are low. He hasn't mowed our lawn in a month and if it's cooler next week he may have to do it.

Jobs are very scarce this year. Though we have regular customers, no one is having their yard mowed because the grass just isn't growing. In April and May, the guys were run off their feet with yard cleaning and grass mowing and it was difficult to fit it all in because there was so much rain.

Brandon is learning the ups and downs of a job where you depend on the weather. If it's too wet, they can't fit the jobs in. If it's too dry, there is nothing to do. A good lesson to teach him that in business you need to save your hard earned dollars for the hard times. In fact, it's a good life lesson.

The Mohawk Chapel

A couple of weeks ago, Carole from Pea's Corner and her friend, Steve, came to our part of Ontario on their way to Niagara Falls. The first day we took them to Port Dover for lunch and a stroll around the beach. Then we visited the Mohawk Chapel before going out to dinner. It was a great day and Pea has it all recorded on her blog.

This photo wasn't taken on the day that we visited, but it is a nice photo of the Chapel, which was the first Protestant church in Upper Canada and the oldest surviving church in the entire province of Ontario. It was originally named St. Paul's and is the only Royal Chapel in North America.

During the American Revolution, Joseph Brant and members of the Mohawk tribe sided with the British. The Chapel was given to the Mohawks for their loyalty when it was built in 1795. This was to help compensate for the lost land in New York that came about because of their loyalty to Britain. They were also given 760,000 acres along the Grand River from the source to the mouth.

The Chapel is a very interesting place to visit. The pews are hewn from wood and the beautiful stained glass windows are breath taking. They tell the story of Joseph Brant bringing his people from the US to Upper Canada. No photos are allowed inside the Chapel so unfortunately I can't show you the beauty of the entire place.

If you are in the area of Brantford, Ontario. Be sure to stop and visit the Mohawk Chapel. Joseph Brant and his son are buried here and there is an early Native cemetery surrounding the church.