*sigh*

I'm feeling a little down lately.  The dark dreary days that we have been experiencing this January are a big factor.  Obviously there's something else, something animal related, otherwise I wouldn't be blogging about it...  I'm missing my animal friends.

For starts, Ripper disappeared in June of 2023 when all the new young squirrels started emerging from nests around us.  He's done this before in his elder years (5 months the previous year).  My take is that he just didn't want to be bothered with these young'uns and perhaps the competition.  He always came back.  I am aware, as much as I hate to admit it, that one day he wouldn't return.  I'm guessing that is the case this time.

I won't lambaste yas with a ton of photos of Ripper.  I think everyone who knows me or of me through my blogs and social media pages knows about this squirrel.  He was awesome and a highlight to the day anytime he came around over the 6 years.

Then we befriended a chipmunk in 2022 that Angie named Boop.  She was a real character and quickly took to being friends with us.  Boop made quite a tunnel system in our yard and overwintered with us.  I remember the day in late February 2023 when she emerged.  We never had something like that before with a chipmunk.  

Knowing she lived in our yard and slept underground down there through that winter was a sweet feeling.  One day I should blog about all the creatures that sleep in our yard, that we know of.

We do get chipmunks from time to time around the neighbourhood but none are ever long lasting.  Too many free roaming cats is one of the main reasons they don't last.  I also suspect there's a few around us with rodent traps.  Traps do not discriminate.  Boop disappeared last July.  I'd rather not think about what happened to her.  Just know that this tiny little girl touched our hearts and was a pleasure to get to know over the one year she was with us.  Morning coffee on the back deck in the summer was highly entertaining with her.

Then late summer, over the Labour Day long weekend, Gulliver too went MIA.  I blogged about her a few months ago.  She was an awesome pigeon friend; well they all are but some stand out more than others.  I always looked out for her and babied her.  I don't know what happened to her and I still hope that maybe one day she will return.  As time passes, that hope fades.  I remind myself of Pierre's long absences, and Charlie's too which broke Pierre's record for days away by a long shot.  Fond memories come to me as I look at all the pictures that I took of Gulliver over our time together.

A lot of the pigeons disappeared that weekend, or soon after.  The air show scared the heck out of them.  Then the fall migration brought in the cooper's hawks.  A few pigeons hung on to the 'hood as a feeding spot despite the dangers that lurked.  A couple birds, that I know of, lost their lives to the hawks.  One pigeon was unwell and became an easy target.  Then just last weekend, one lone bird came in early Sunday morning and *BOOM*.  That last pigeon was the only pigeon I had seen anywhere around here in over a week.  Since then, zero pigeons anywhere around here, not even on the wires along the main road.  I've been blessed with "pigeon friends" since the summer of 2012 when Pierre first flew into our lives.  Who ever thought that could have happened, befriending so many pigeons?  Who ever thought that there would be an end to all of this?  Maybe I am being over dramatic?  Maybe some of them will return?  Or, eventually, as the weather turns to spring, the hawks move along to nesting territories away from here, new pigeons will discover our yard, and maybe see me as their friend?  Time will tell.  In the past, there has been some dry spells but things feel different this time.  I've always said that I'd rather them be elsewhere, hopefully safer, than here and becoming prey.  I still mean that but man I do miss them.  It's only a few minutes out of my day, but it's been every day, well almost, for over 10 years.  Surely you can understand my sadness here.

If anyone would like to get the scoop on the whole pigeon thing, I ask that you check out the blog link I am adding.  I did it for Bird Canada a few years ago.  It is called Pierre and the Flock  

Happier blogs coming soon.  I promise.  I will get myself out of this.

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As for those who have asked me about how to follow my blog since Blogger took away the notification thing, at least that is what it seems to me with what happened.  I don't know what to tell you.  Angie, not my wife Angie, but the other Angie who commented in the last blog about this and what Blogger told you to do.  I will look into this on my end; but believe me when I say that I am not much of a "tech geek" so having me figure it out may not be an option.  HAHA!  I will try though.  Thank you for your kind words and wanting to follow me on these "adventures"!