Two many turtles!

More with the turtle theme this year in Timmins, I now have two that moved in.

Kid number one has wanted turtles for many years, but they have not been available here in Timmins. The 101 mall now has a little pet shop and they carry turtles.

These turtles are red eared sliders.

We have had an aquarium in the shed for about 3 years and finally get to use it. Got it from a garage sale back then.

Guess turtles will be around for many years to come. Wonder if they will go to university with the kid.

Wikipedia

Exoticpets

Ehow

Birch Bonsai start of Winter

We now have snow in Timmins. I think it will stay this time.

My little tree has been outside waiting for the cold. The buds look healthy and the stem is green.

The plan is to leave it outside until it is below -20C then bring it into the house and store in a cool dark place for a little while before bringing it into the heat to start the growth cycle over again.

Day 01 entry

Month 05 entry

You can buy your own tree to make your own bonsai at Millson Forestry Service. If you do not see the species you want let them know and maybe they can start what you want.

Water beetle under the ice.

Water beetle swimming under the ice looks like a creature frozen in jade. There was all kinds of life moving under the ice.

I could not resist taking a walk on the thin ice just to see if it would hold me. I did not venture out into the deeper water, but stayed where I could see the bottom was not as far away as my rubber boots were high.

With ice like this you can skip rocks that go forever! Love that sound!!

Map

eNature

Everything about water beetle

Martin watching over the Boreal Forest

Roll'n and I were walking in the bush this past week when he left me. I could here him barking not far off the path I was on.

I wondered over to see what all the noise was about. He usually does not bark unless hes has something very important he needs help with.

He had a martin up a large white spruce.

The martin was not happy. Sounds like an unhappy cat that has been backed into a corner. At the office we have a cat that is not my friend and is often vocal when I walk by. I walk by giving plenty of space, the dam cat has left me wounded before.

Map

eNature

Site Preparation

Forest Management Guidelines

for the Provision of

Marten Habitat

Trees in Space

A Canadian company has been asked to have tree material sent to international space station.

"A study known as APEX-Cambium (Advanced Plant EXperiments on Orbit). Funded by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), APEX-Cambium will help determine the role gravity plays in trees forming different kinds of wood."

Canadian Space Agency

Despite all the money spent on forestry research, relatively little focuses on basic physiology, according to Savidge. "We don't understand how trees make wood."

SpaceRef Canada

Beaver Busy Before Winter

Beaver love aspen trees, more commonly called a poplar. Bark, buds and branches of the aspen tree are favorite.

This very large aspen tree is showing the strength of wood. The top of the tree is very branchy and heavy, yet less then a third of the truck is left.

When the beaver returns it will have to be very careful to move away as the tree falls. It is going to fall right on to a road as another one had done maybe a week before.

Hinterlands Who's Who The beaver

Adopt-A-Pond The beaver

Borealforest.org The Aspen tree

Timmins Honour Roll of Trees Largest Aspen Tree

Birch Bonsai Ready for Winter

Fall is in the air.

We have had some snow and the leaves have fallen from my white birch. Now I have to make sure it is prepared for the winter.

I have given it fertilizer and it is well watered. It will have to dry down a little to ensure it will not have root rot during the winter.

I usually just put the trees beside the house and cover them in snow. The roots will stay insulated and will not freeze to the -40C temperatures we will have.

This little tree had been in the greenhouse for one year and in a pot for 2 years before that. Next year I hope the bark will start to turn white, just like a mature white birch.

I think I have shaped the tree well and will have to continue the shaping next year.

Think I will get a couple more of these going next year. The yellow birch growing in the greenhouse have become too big too fast to make into bonsai, but they are in great shape to be planted out next spring!

You can always get your own trees to bonsai from the green house. Here is a site I found with some more info., but there is loads of info on the net.