Ice Storm

 Last night we were hit by a nasty ice storm.

 This morning the bird feeder looked like a cage with all those icicles hanging down.

 A neighbour was out cutting up some of the large branches that had fallen during the night.

 The poor Crabapple tree on the boulevard is really sagging.

 My Rose of Sharon is almost flattened by the weight of the ice!

 We heard the branches of this tree next door snap at 2:00 AM this morning!

 As of noon today, some of the Crabapple branches have snapped!

 But there is also beauty amongst the destruction.

Haliburton Forest Wolves

 They have a wolf centre at the Haliburton Forest which I really wanted to visit, so my Mom took me there. I wasn't aware of the horrible incident that had happened during the winter, that some fools had cut through the fence of the wolf enclosure and allowed four of the wolves to escape. Three males, and one female. The female was the Alpha female, and of course one of the males was the Alpha male. Sadly, two of the escaped wolves were killed by gunshot wounds, by hunters or owners of livestock....mistaking the animals for wild wolves, and the others haven't returned. This left four females only at the wolf centre.  These first few photos are of them.

 The above photo is Molly. She was born with a condition that left her blind in one eye. This beautiful creature would not have been able to survive in the wild.....which is why it's so wonderful that she lives at the wolf centre. The four females are all sisters.
 After I had visited, I learned that the centre had found a male from another wolf centre out west. My Mom was there visiting, and took the following photos:

 This is a photo of the new male, named Fang, investigating his new companions. Notice how two of the females are protecting their weaker sister, Molly.

 Here is Fang amongst the females. He's quite larger.

 The above photo is of Fang with Luna....the most dominant of the females who has now become the new Alpha. It's hoped that the two will continue to bond and produce offspring.

Haliburton Forest

 I went to the Haliburton Forest where my Mom has a camp site, and apart from being bitten many times by mosquitoes, I had a very good experience. First of all, I saw these fascinating mushrooms everywhere.  I believe the above species is a Fly Agaric.....which is most commonly known as being red with white spots, but I discovered there are orange/yellow varieties.
 Below look to me like "Jack o'lantern". All are very poisonous.

 I got to hear Loons calling out in their hauntingly beautiful voices. This was as close as I could photograph this one from the shore with my zoom lens at maximum capacity. They're very shy birds, and if you get too close to them, they dive like a little penguin and pop up in a completely new location.....with only their head peeking above the water.

 We went out in my Mom's canoe, and visited the rocks where there is graffiti from 1877!

 In the morning, I startled a little Red Squirrel who gave me quite a scolding! I quickly photographed him before he ran up the tree!

 Below is the lake in the still of the morning....approx. 8:00 A.M. This is MacDonald Lake. A wonderfully clean lake which made me feel as though I'd had a spa treatment after swimming in those waters!

 Later, we went for a walk and I spotted these butterflies. I believe they are Bog Fritillaries.

 We then visited the moose that had been rescued when he was orphaned from his mother who had been killed by a truck on a highway. He's much bigger now than he was when they rescued him.

 Part of the Haliburton Forest is dedicated to being a sanctuary for animals in danger.

Back at my mother's campsite is a stump that would make a perfect little fairy house.

 My Mom pointed out these fascinating mushrooms called "Earth's Tongue"

Wintergreen with flowers

Wintergreen with berries

Lichen

A curious fungus emitting a rusty coloured powder growing from a stump

Interesting black cup mushrooms growing nearby the above fungus

I was fascinated by the tiny world amongst the lichen and Sphagnum Moss

It looks like an alien landscape