A very Canadian problem: moose on the tennis court.

Anyone for moose?

Don't you hate it when moose get on your tennis court? Well, not my tennis court but the next door neighbour's, here at the cottage. Moose and tennis do not mix.
A mother and baby moose wandered out of the woods and onto the court the other day and then couldn't work out how to get off. I have the same problem sometimes when I'm really dehydrated. Their long legs managed to pull up the lines on the court before mother then baby found the exit route.

Not standard footwear on the court. Moose prints.

The question I have is this. We have moose? I was always under the impression that moose and bear haven't been seen in this part of the Laurentians for decades. In fact visitors arriving in Montreal who ask to see a moose are usually the subject of some derision. Now I'm on guard for the sight of a furry antler ever time I'm digging in the garden or feeding the birds. 

We have lots of trillium this Spring.

My best ever sighting was of a female deer and her two bambis er.. babies. She was eating from my bird table which we have renamed the deer table. I stepped out of the shed and froze. So did the deer. We remained like this for a minute - staring at each other and getting bitten by mosquitoes, which I could not shoo away. Then she decided I wasn't a threat and went back to shovelling the expensive bird feed down her neck.

Hawthorn. Our first blossoming tree.

After waiting so long for Spring - it is now progressing as if someone has pressed the fast forward button. The hawthorn above has now shed its flowers just a week after I took this. The red flower above is a trillium which likes to grow in the woods and is a very shy plant, usually hanging its head like an embarrassed teenager.

Northern blue violet, I think.

Every time you go outside there is another wildflower or blossom popping out. We have had an extremely rainy May and the vegetation is going crazy. The damp atmosphere bring out other more unwelcome wildlife - the black flies. Only ridiculous foreigners would do the garden in a short sleeve shirt at this time of year. Next day I had a nice collection of bites. Canadians actually tell you the black fly season is short as if this is something to be pleased about. 

It's as if they've forgotten  the mosquito season is just around the corner and THEY really love English blood. This I know.


What was I writing this time last year?