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Larry Muffin At Home

~ Remembering that life is a comedy and the world is a small town.

Larry Muffin At Home

Tag Archives: Fox

Return from Staycation

26 Sunday Jul 2020

Posted by larrymuffin in life

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Beach, Fox, French River, Peace, PEI, quiet, sand, sex, surf, Travel

Well we returned yesterday from our week at the Beach House Inn at French River near New London PEI where we rented a cottage. It was delightful and sooooo peaceful compared to the noisy Capital. Surrounded by woods, fields, red sandstone cliffs and the beach. Only the birds and a family of Foxes for company, we were the only guests on the property. The birds are interesting, from eagles to hawks, cormorants to blue jays, swallows, robins, warblers, quite the variety.

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The Fox family was a mother and her 4 kits, very tame and unafraid of people though they always keep a respectful distance.  The property was beautiful and very well maintained, the main house had 7 mature Linden trees on the West side, a big marsh full of water reeds on the East side of the property and on the hill the famous Cousin Family pioneer cemetery known as Yankee Hill. The Cousin family were French Huguenots who fled France ended up in the American colonies and at the revolution came to PEI fleeing again the chaos. The were probably wealthy if one looks at their elaborate white marble tombstones. In September 2019 the hurricane Dorian came to PEI and devastated the area around Cavendish where 70% of the trees were damaged. This old burial ground is in a forest and many of the poplars toppled. Luckily none of the 200 year old tombstones were damaged, a miracle of sorts. Across the road to the beach stands another old cemetery called Simms, this one is dedicated to the 200 sailors who died in the historic storm known as the Yankee Gale in October 1851. Our view was the sand dunes and the beach and it’s small lighthouse, the New London Rear Lighthouse nowadays surrounded by a large marsh. It is automated like all light houses. The waterway is treacherous, large ever moving sandbanks at the entrance to the South West and French River, both leading to small fishing harbours. The surrounding countryside is picturesque, lots of farms cultivating wheat, potatoes, mustard and corn. The area was settled after the Acadians where deported and their land confiscated by the British around 1755. The new settlers were stern Protestants, Presbyterians and Anglicans. Some of the Acadians did come back after 1763 and settled further West on the Island.

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This year of the Pandemic there are virtually no tourists, the only people who can actually come to PEI are from the other Maritime provinces and they do not need to isolate. Anyone else would be automatically forced into 14 day isolation upon arrival and people are watchful.

Some good seafood restaurants and art galleries in the area. The beaches are very clean and quiet. We could actually walk from our home to Cape Tryon and its Lighthouse an 8 Km treck along the cliffs, very beautiful scenery. It was a good staycation just to get out of the noise of Charlottetown.

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The Linden Trees at the Beach House Inn. We could say we were unter den Linden.

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Sunset on the cliffs at Cap Tryon, with the lighthouse. In terms of direction looking out into the Gulf of St-Lawrence, towards Anticosti Island and Newfoundland.

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Truly peaceful away from it all. You come to appreciate the silence.

Flowers

17 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by larrymuffin in Flowers and garden

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

flower box, Fox, PEI, Summer, York Nursery

The weather here in PEI has been more than unseasonably cold and abnormal, but this is Climate Change and we feel it. We have had frost at night in June, one or two days of above 19C and nights of 6C which again for mid-June is not normal. Everything is a month late, and so gardening and gardens in general have not appeared as they usually would by June 1.  There is a saying on the Island ”Don’t plant your flowers before the 10 June” Few have put their boats in the water, the marinas should be full by now but are half empty. If last year for the 150th of Confederation we were run over by tourists, not so this year. We will get tourists but I don’t think we will get the crowds of last year.

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Today we drove to York which is 12 minutes from our house in the countryside to the York Nursery, they have a beautiful array of flowers and their prices are better than the big in town nurseries. So we got flowers to put in our boxes on our balcony. The price of flowers and green plants in general is way up from 3 years ago. I do not know what the explanation is to that one.

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Hopefully the weather will improve and warm up, the Winter was dreary and rainy, we need sunny weather for the beach.

Here is a picture of my new front plate on my car for this year. We have foxes in cities and towns on the Island a left over from the fox fur farming days. Now they live in neighbourhoods because the coyotes have moved in from the mainland and populate the rural areas.

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Because it’s Spring

13 Sunday May 2018

Posted by larrymuffin in Charlottetown, Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

flowers, Fox, Spring

The weather is most Spring like now, mild winds and sunny days.

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A photo by Paul g. our official provincial animal the Red Fox with her little cub. The big black crow which is also plentiful in Charlottetown is nesting in the tree beside our house and we can also hear the little ones.

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Beautiful white magnolias just around the corner from us. Flowers everywhere.

 

Our neighbour

26 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Charlottetown, City, coyote, Fox, life, PEI, Urban fox, wolf

Here in Charlottetown the urban Fox population is something to get use to, they are everywhere in either Silver or Red colours. They use to live in the countryside but the arrival of the Coyotes from the Mainland pushed them into town. The Coyotes came to PEI just about 15 years ago via the ice bridge on the Strait of Northumberland, it is estimated about 2000 couples now live on the Island. The coyotes are bigger than the usual coyotes you might encounter, they are half the size of a wolf, sort of a mix, they can be heard in the countryside at night, talking and howling, it can be unnerving but they do keep their distance from humans, though small pets can fall prey to them if you are careless and let your pet  wonder out of the garden.

The Fox on the other hand is a rather urbane and sophisticated animal, they know to be discreet and furtive. Though I have encountered them on the street often just a couple of feet away from me, which I always find startling. They can be nonchalant and pretend they don’t see you. My only concern is if I am out with Nora she instantly goes into hunting mode and gives her dachshund shriek in that furious tone.  From my window I see them running across the park or the street, they always seem to know when to cross and avoid cars. People slow down if they see one.

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The silver fox is also quite beautiful and the fur looks like silk. We hear them bark which is distinctive from a dog bark, it cannot be mistaken.

Beautiful animals, I cannot imagine anyone harming them or hunting them. This link is all you need to know about the history of how the Fox came to be on the Island, No they did not like the Coyotes cross on ice floats from the mainland.

https://willyorwonthe.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/the-fox-on-the-tree/

The boardwalk

24 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Charlottetown, dachshunds, Fox, Hillsborough river, Nora, PEI, Victoria Park, walk

Today was another nice sunny day in Charlottetown, so I took Nora for a walk on the boardwalk around Victoria Point. A very nice park area all along the North and Hillsborough rivers looking out towards the strait of Northumberland. Sail boats and luxury yachts.

Nora likes to walk and her attitude is, the boardwalk belongs to me so get out of my way.

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I made her sit for a little while but she is sniffing the air and there was a good breeze so I am sure she picked up a lot of scents. Victoria Park is known for its numerous aggressive crows, Nora does not care, crow pie she says. There are also Foxes and skunks though not usually seen in the day time.

A very nice area to walk but with Nora it is always quickly as if she is on a mission.

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Yes you have to look where you are going because a Fox can appear out of nowhere. Nora of course would given the alarm with her hound howling before I would see anything.  The other night coming home, walking down Great George Street there was a Fox sitting on the grass just a few feet away from me. He startled me but he did not move, they are very bold.

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and once a week Holland American cruise ships enter the Charlottetown harbour.

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This map shows the park, it was once the entire estate of the Residence of the Lieutenant Governor of PEI who is the personal representative of the Sovereign. In the 1960’s the park was open to the public and the Crown kept one third for the Official Residence. So I walk with Nora along the brown line and back which is a fair distance for her about 3 km but she does not mind.

At least today she did not try to jump into the river. It is salt water and I would not want to have to go after her. As for our Nicky, he does not like to walk any distance so there is no point is taking him. I would end up carrying him.

 

 

The black fox at the dinner party

02 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Canada Day, Charlottetown, Fireworks, Fox, garden party, PEI

Last night for Canada Day we got together with friends for a pot luck dinner of gourmet slider burgers (my recipe) a wonderful salad, some Moroccan Cigars which are like egg rolls and come with a spicy sauce, very good, dessert were fresh PEI strawberries, the first of the Season. There was also a shrimp dip and a guacamole dip both very good. Lots of wines and good conversation. All in the setting of one of the most spectacular gardens I have ever seen. From the street you could not tell that this beautiful little bungalow hid behind it such a magical garden with a small lake full of Koi, a waterfall, and lanterns from Bali. All of it surrounded by majestic old trees giving it an air of peace and tranquility.

While sipping on wine, someone pointed out the black Fox in the neighbours garden. I had never seen a black Fox, his coat was like silk and his tail had flecks of white in it. He crossed the fence and sauntered at a respectful distance on the other side of the small lake. I was glad I did not have Nora with me, the wire hair dachshund hunter spirit in her would have triggered a fight. The neighbour who lives in the house next door, a stone mansion in the romanesque style built in 1888 as a gift for a bride who once presented to her refused to live in it. The neighbour said, oh yes that black Fox stole my gardening gloves, he is very bold, he lives here and moves about as he please. It was a magical site to see such an animal simply walking about at the bottom of the garden.

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Then at 10pm the fireworks coming from the old Battery overlooking the mouth of the river and harbour entrance. We walked to the river’s edge just a few steps away from our garden party on Kent Street. The whole area was full of people, the grounds of historical Beaconsfield House and the Entrance to Fanningbank, the Official Residence of the Lieutenant Governor of PEI illuminated by the display. The crowd was quiet and simply enjoying the show and this beautiful evening.

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Learning a new lifestyle

04 Saturday Jun 2016

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

dachshunds, Farmers, Fishermen, Fox, market, PEI, Red Squirrel

Well it has been 7 days since our arrival on the Island on 28 May. It has been a whirlwind of activities around the house and in town with gallery openings and cocktail parties. There is a high level of sophistication in Charlottetown and a good crowd of people. The weather is cooler than seasonally normal around 18C in the day time.

Life here is much slower and quiet than anywhere else I have lived and it is very pleasant. That is not to say that there is nothing or little to do, in fact there is always something going on. Socially speaking it is a very active place and we have a group of friends on the Island.

Last night we went to a gallery opening at Brackley Point, then next week the Indian River Festival starts and then the Art Gallery is having its Season Opening. So weeks and weekend tend to be pretty full of activities. It is a different lifestyle, none of the stress of big cities or the noise or  pollution. Walking the streets, there is little traffic and everyone says hello. As I was getting out of the car yesterday, I could smell the heavy perfume of the flowers in the beds all around. Everything is a deep green with the contrast of the red earth. Going to the  Farmer’s Market is a pleasure, so many good things.  Bought Cod Fish Cakes made by the family of the Fishermen who brought in the catch.

I was telling someone that our wire hair Dachshund Nora was not happy because she could not see any squirrels in our neighbourhood however there are lots of Fox and their kits around. However we do have Red squirrels in the wooded area. I wonder how Nora would react if she met with a Fox.

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Red Squirrel near Malpeque

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  A Fox Kit near us

 

Licence plates and other things

02 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

art., Dunes Gallery, Fox, PEI

Today I went to the Motor Vehicle bureau called Services PEI, because you can get all kinds of government services in one office. I had to get a car safety inspection first at my dealership and then with the pink paper go to the Services PEI Office with all the other documents required to prove you actually live here as a permanent resident. Not difficult to put together really. The receptionist was fantastic she got me all organized and assigned  someone to take my photo for my driver’s licence and then I selected a plate, they have different models, it is only one plate on the car at the back. You can go with the generic licence plate but I decided for the one with a fox on it and it has 3 letters so it is easy to remember as a plate number. The animal you chose to be on your plate is a native specie of the Province and it also says that you support the Nature Conservancy in PEI.

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It took all of 10 minutes to have my driver’s licence and plates issued and the office was really busy.

I also continued to busy myself with unpacking but at a slower rate today. I still have 7 boxes for the kitchen alone. I think the Office has 25 boxes mostly books to go on shelves.

The dining room we have 5 large boxes of dishes. All in all it is going well. The puppies are enjoying themselves but Nora is very disappointed there are no squirrels to hunt in PEI it seems.

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Tomorrow we go to the Dunes Studio Gallery at Brackley Beach for their Summer Opening Party and Fashion Show.  dunesgallery.com

The Art Gallery of the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown has its Season opening on 18 June and I will probably be going to that too. http://www.confederationcentre.com/en/art-gallery.php

The mandate of the Centre is to Inspire Canadians, through heritage and the arts, to celebrate the origins and evolution of Canada as a nation.

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