Chat Extravaganza Sunday Feb 21st

Morning: Having a seriously lazy morning; sat up in bed reading and drinking coffee. Cloudy this morning with heavy rain expected tonight.

Diane: That part of California in the photo is called the Gaviota Coast; much of the land is state/county owned but the greater amount is zoned for agriculture - in this area it's cattle ranching land. In fact, the hills along the highway were alive with cattle yesterday!  If I'd turned around and photographed the area behind me, you'd have seen a sign warning that you were entering private ranch property - that's the Hollister Ranch and it's massive. In general, the California coastline from Santa Barbara north is sacrosanct in terms of development, although there's a six-year-old war going on between the SB county supervisors and an Orange County developer who wants to build "luxury" homes just a up the coast from our house (on land the owner wants to sell). The restrictions placed on him have been onerous to say the least - for example, if any houses were to be built, then couldn't be visible from the highway. Anyway the whole city is essentially against him. (Side note: The land where Phoebe is now busy laying eggs in rose bushes used to look like the land in the photo! Now it's wall-to-wall condos. The term "Orange County developer" is like waving a red rag at a bull up here.) One of the supervisors - conservative, pro-business/development - voted to allow the project to go forward, but upon his retirement was replaced by an anti-development environmentalist voted in by the community, who promptly found reasons to stop the project - not the least of which was that it hadn't been okayed by the California Coastal Commission. Tomorrow, there's a community meeting to discuss the future of the area in general, and I'll be there to hear the latest.   Re the health care summit - PBS featured extended segments on the evening news and I had to take my dinner and eat in "my" room because I was so exasperated by it all.

OG: It's a wonderful world indeed - it's just our blankety-blank politicians that are ruining it!  :-)

Cirrus: Good to see you!  And I'll join in wishing Maureen a Good Day. What a pain that you're still having computer problems. I think that's why computers were invented- to keep us on our toes.

Margobird: Just remember that 80% of mammogram findings aren't anything to worry about. Regardless, it sounds like your medical people are on the ball and that's all to the good. Thanks for letting us know about the new mike in Lily's den; I'll have to check it out.

Patriciat: What? Leaky shoes and not-waterproof pants!  Probably not made for wearing in "very heavy sleety rain."  :-)

Alan: Thanks for fab azalea pix!

Auntie: Your pix weren't there - although the way things go, they'll probably show up at some point.  UPDATE: Now I see them - lovely! So pristine.

Should really get the day started - it's almost lunchtime!!  Take care everyone and thanks to all for links, updates. Take care.

Hi everyone.

A very happy Friday to all.  Not much to report weather wise from these parts.  Mostly dreich with a bit of a blustery wind today.  Just now we have very light snow flurries.

Diane:  Sorry you're feeling so angry at the moment.  Hope you can get back to your positive self soon.  Don't worry about the sleep police.  It's mostly me they're after.

Annette:  That's a lovely picture thanks for posting it.

Tiger:  Thanks for the video link.  Great entertainmemnt.

Brena H:  You're right about the slush being worse than the snow.  The worst is when it freezes and turns to ice.  Thankfully it's been washed away here. 

Margobird:  So sorry to hear you've had worrying news about a mammogram.  sending good wishes and positive thoughts to you.  Hope your weather improves.

george g:  So sorry to hear your late wife had breast cancer.  Thanks for the words on the ospreys return and the better weather.

Alan:  Thanks for the link to the osprey blog.  That's a great picture.  Reminds me of sunnier days.

auntie:  I can't see your pictures.  I think the internet gremlins are at work again. :-(

Everyone:  All my best wishes to you all.

Paul.

Good grief, 14 pages, and I have to read from page 2, better get on with it.....see you in a bit (been busy at work this week, getting home later than usual then other things on in the evenings).

Dreich and plus 5 – all day.  Been very lazy – and got sidetracked tweaking the ends and beginnings of our various trips north in April, May and June - choosing places to break the journeys, and then deciding how many nights for each stopover.  Now got them all fully sorted. – including a day scheduled for Loch Garten visit!  Yesterday, OH put a new arch in the garden, and today it has been interesting to watch the various birds’ reactions to it – they haven’t been deterred from coming at all!

Just seen I only wrote once yesterday – don’t think I’ve missed any replies I should have made, so will just say thanks for everyone’s contributions Thursday and overnight.

Diane – thanks for reminders about Barn Owl cams.

Annette – glad you enjoyed your time out with your Daughter and Oro.  Had a little chuckle at your wild flowers beside the tracks – so much like our wildflowers which will come out in summer here.

Cirrus – you sounded really cheerful this morning – I hope this is how you are feeling!

Margobird – so sorry you had a disappointing scan result – but as others have said, there are so many possible explanations, and whatever the news, still potentially good outcomes.  This week of waiting will probably be the hardest part, so enjoy your birds, keep in touch with us all and we’ll try to help you through.

Unfortunately, there is more to climate change than global warming!  Did you see the news report about the latest huge iceberg off Antarctica?

GeorgeG – Saturday forecast looks bad around your area – I hope you have all your supplies in and can stay indoors!  Son should have been travelling up to Grantown Saturday ready to start job Monday, but even his employer has emailed and said “don’t know when you’ll be able to get here”!  I think he will postpone journey (by car this time) till Sunday.

Patriciat – sorry it was soooo wet for your walk – sensible not to take the two older dogs in that weather.

Alan – lovely Azalea picture – thanks for that and various links.

Auntie – good that you have been able to spend time with family and friends during your week off.  I did see your snow pictures earlier, but then they disappeared!

Terry – have good read – and I hope you get some rest after your busy week – take care!

Sorry this is so long, everybody, and best wishes to any I’ve not mentioned by name!

2 falcon eggs laid today one in Rome and one in San Francisco.

Phew, made it to the end! Very interesting read, thanks everyone. Haven't managed to see Tiger's starlings yet, but Auntie's sister's garden just came up when I went back for the third time, and Alan's azaleas were there first time, also Annette's pic, but not, oh forgotten who, AQ or Diane's. Tiger's is somewhere near the beginning, must try to remember to try again.

Glad you enjoyed the Chieftains, Annette, we saw them a couple of times in Bucks ages ago.

Alan, glad to hear Hamish's good news.

Tiger, loved the peregrine vids.

AQ/Diane, I can't join in with the good restaurants on here following Annette's special one, enjoyed reading your menus though. Will read the crow info later, Diane, looks really interesting.

Patriciat, we had a pair of redpolls today and I was reading about them in the bird book and they are on the same page as the linnets. They look pretty similar but the linnets have a grey head. (Hope that's right...should go check before I post...no, it's too late, I need sleep)

PS Also had a male greenfinch, first one in months! And if we were doing garden birdwatch OH would have put buzzard, because one came and sat in one of our trees, wish I'd been here, sigh!

Sorry, me again. Ok, it was Heron (Paul)'s pic of starlings which I still can't see, also Diane's Burra pic.

AQ, history all copied into word now, thanks :)))

In haste, the calm before the . . . Dau#1 phoned a week ago, all stressed out, could we have the kids this weekend (so she can go out to fine dine). Then, after I shopped, a message that Miss 14 is now vegetarian. That’s OK says Himself, remembering I have bought chicken, she can just have the vegies without the chicken. Alas he forgot I said I planned a pasta bake with everything tossed together in a casserole. Another meal was to be sausage rolls. Hm, changed that idea and made pasties, the first few meatless. This morning I learn they are arriving before lunch – eggs for all I guess – and by the way, Gr-son has a cold. I expect the usual takeover - Miss 14 on my computer , Gr-son on Himself’s. Miss 14’s jumper finished, now to extract from sibling whether he wants or needs a jumper. I don’t care either way, just don’t want to leave him out.

I have lots to comment on past days' posts but will have to wait til later. Have a great weekend.