Coronavirus in Hintonburg: Week Eleven - Birds' Song

There have been many articles about how animals have filled the human void that has accompanied lock downs globally. I don't think it's been quite as noticeable in Ottawa as other places as our lock down wasn't quite as severe as other places. However, even here, and even now as businesses start to re-open, I do get the sense that this is the year of birdsong.

I went for a jog this morning with Margot (who accompanied me on her bike) to Watt's Creek Pathway. Watt's Creek Pathway isn't especially peaceful or scenic and it's not even really outside the city limits: its a paved trail separating some horse stables on one side from some marshy land on the other. It's also heavily trafficked by cyclists.

However, this morning I was in awe of just how many birds I could hear. It's a good time of year generally to listen to birdsong, as a lot of migrating birds have just returned. Regardless,  I can't recall the air ever having been as full as today. The chorus of song was everywhere!

Readers of my original blog may recall that I got into birding almost 10 years ago now. Since that time I've snapped photos of approximately 156 species of birds. And today I saw two new ones:

Gray Catbird

American redstart

Plus many others. For an amateur birder like myself, two new bird species in your collection is a great day (almost as good as my Snowy Owl adventure). It was a pleasant morning and a breath of fresh air for my coronavirus spring.

Coronavirus in Hintonburg: Week Ten - Visible Economic Destruction

Despite what I am sure is many people's best intentions to shop local, the economic destruction caused by the lockdown associated with Ontario's pandemic response is clearly visible. Whole blocks of Hintonburg's main street, Wellington Street, now lie vacant.

Some of these rental units were vacant before the pandemic but the fact that they haven't found new tenants for this prime, heavily trafficked, real estate in 3 months is telling.

This stretch now has zero open stores

There is a glimmer of hope for some retail stores: as of last week they are allowed to open under strict conditions. Usually that means the staff wear masks and the customers only enter one or two at a time.

The normally bustling Parkdale market...an empty parking lot (online ordering is possible but still...)

But much of the heart and soul of this neighbourhood is still boarded up. Remember how I blogged about all the barbershops around here? Still closed. What about the restaurants? A few are doing take out but not my favourite, Carben.

There is no sugar coating it. This is sad. Poor lil' Hintonburg. When will you recover?

Coronavirus in Hintonburg: Week Nine - Impro-Birthday

For reasons you can probably guess, this year Glosette Girl and I had to be a bit creative when it came to Margot's birthday. It was a big one too: 10 years old. Double digits!

So despite provincial restrictions preventing us from inviting over Margot's friends over for a get-together, we put our minds together and came up with...

First ever mountain bike experience! Getting into the Spirit of Place!

• First mountain bike experience in newly opened Morris Island conservation area;
• A few random (but socially distant) visits from friends outside our house;
• Margot got to pick dinner. She came up with Green Papaya, a yummy local Thai restaurant;
• A Zoom/Netflix party where Margot and 5 friends got to play Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal, a choose-your-own-adventure style Netflix movie. (Margot shouted out instructins explaining what to do); and perhaps most fun of all...
• Margot's 10th Birthday clue book! Eight clues leading to eight gifts hidden throughout our house.*

There was no order to the clues nor did she have to solve them all at once. But as the day progressed those clues were pretty tempting and by 3 pm she had solved them all and found her gifts.

The "Call Grandma V" clue!

To be honest there was almost too much included in the day's agenda. But I think it hit the right notes. A couple of weeks ago Margot was really down that she wouldn't have a "real" birthday. But she didn't mention that once on her b-day. This is not the "new normal" (I dislike that expression). But I think we were able to pull off a memorable day for a fiesty little girl.

* The clues were: (1) Let's go Biking; (2) Call Uncle J for clue; (3) Pick your favourite game; (4) Call Grandma V; (5) Stuffies have a new friend; (6) A good place to spy; (7) Hit the slopes; (8) Giddy up Horse. Note the clues led to the location of the gifts and sometimes also hinted at the gifts themselves. 

Coronavirus in Hintonburg: Week Eight - Life Hacks

A sure sign that people have a lot of time on their hands these days is the complete lack of yeast in grocery stores. People are baking, baking, baking and yeast remains the "holy grail" of grocery store items (Toilet paper? That is so March 2020).

It's funny how baking has taken off. My family is no exception. Glosette Girl has perfected (in my view) artisan, no knead, bread. Seriously, this stuff tastes awesome!

I'll take a slice of bread with a side of SASS

Another trick that we've discovered recently is that you can grow celery out of an old celery base. It's crazy! Just take the old celery, plop some toothpicks into it and sink it in water and watch it grow. In less then a week new flowers start popping up. Nuts!

McGiver'ing the celery

Personally, I'm sick and tired of this whole coronavirus business. But at least little "life hacks" like this make it feel like I'm learning something.

Coronavirus in Hintonburg: Week Seven - Little Routines

One of the life's little pleasures for me at this time of year is doing all the routine housework that comes with spring. It's still a bit early for planting flowers or vegetables, bit this past weekend:

• We opened the windows for the first time in months to get some fresh air flowing through the house;
• I washed my car mats; and
• I weeded my little backyard.

Taking care of the "grounds"

I'm not exactly Molly Maid, but I appreciated being able to do normal yardwork and chores that are part of my annual routine. So take that coronavirus!

Little annual routines like this are nice. They help me feel a sense of accomplishment and progress even in this age of limbo. And I like completing them while Margot is puttering around in the background and chattering away. It feels normal! p.s May the Fourth be with you :)

There is a lot going on in this photo!