HAPPY NEW WEEK!!!
Here's a link to last week's Weekly Chat thread. The code for this week's Weekly Chat is WC250813 (in case you ever want to search for it from the search box).
I was away most of last week, and I think it's too late for me to get caught up on replies. I have read all of your news and have loved all the photos! I enjoyed the report and pics from AQ's most recent trip (yay, ducks! And loved that pelican, also the big trees). Wonderful photos from Mulberry and NiteOwl (lilies are one of my very, very favorite flowers; yours are super lovely!). Beautiful dragonfly from Alicat. I really loved the very majestic photos from Lindy -- ducks and deer! Woo hoo! That's an especially beautiful species of deer. Beautiful hibiscus from Alan. Love your increasingly subversive signatures, Alan. LOL! Glad that Mulberry saw an osprey! Happy belated birthday to Jess.Glad that Cerist at Dyfi has been found! Nice to see Mike posting here. Brenda: Are you glad or relieved to say good-bye to the puppy? LOL OG: Hope your sparrow hawk was okay after the window strike! Thanks for posting the excellent photos of handsome Diesel, handsome George, and your own beautiful self!Nice to see Lynette. I hope you have a grand holiday in Austria.I hope that Limpy is feeling better!I'm so very glad that Margo has had good results from the chemo. Sending good energy to you, Margo.Everyone have a great week! It's Indian Summer here and the temperatures this week will be 90 - 100 F (32.2 - 37.7 C) with very high humidity. Yuck.
Day started off damp and seriously thought we wouldn't be able to have the planned barbeque with son and daughter-in-law. However, by the time I came out of church the weather had changed into a reasonable day so when we got home out the BBQ came. Had a lovely time with son and dau-in-law and finished a great weekend of celebration off nicely. Meal last night was fantastic and so was the ambience of the place. Lino (proprietor) greeted us and we had his customary kiss (that is dau and myself of course) spent time choosing what we wanted and then was called to table when it was ready. Didn't get home till midnight but a great evening.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Hi everybody
Just returned from a fantastic walk with my dad in the Peak District near Langsett. As you know, he lost his wife recently, and this was one of the first trips out for him since his loss.
Just a word about my dad, who is a retired miner and semi-pro musician. When he split from my mum in 1991, we kept in touch for a while, but drifted apart as he immersed himself in his new marriage (with step-children). We actually didn't speak for 14 years between 1994 and 2008, without ever actually falling out. Since restoring our father-son relationship, he has become an important person in my life once again. This walk today was our first mountain hike together for over 20 years. When we returned, we visited the cemetary to repair the grave of my step-mum. It has sunk horrendously due to heavy rain over recent days. One hour of carrying buckets of clay and soil and it is back to normal. He seems happy, and I am on Cloud Nine. In fact, make that Cloud Eighteen. I'd like to thank NiteOwl, who drove us to the start of the walk, and agreed to spend a few hours in a car park waiting for us, with only a copy of Women's Own for company! She even managed to find her way to our pick-up point without getting lost.
Evening all: Back after lovely three days down south; put g'daughter on plane at 9 a.m. then daughter and I had the quickest drive ever home; no traffic to speak of as everyone in LA was probably just getting organized for the day as we whizzed by. Anyway, had a two-hour nap/loll in hammock this afternoon and OH has just gone to get yummy salads from our favorite local restaurant this evening.
Re the Yosemite fire, they've taken steps not only to protect life, homes and the power grid, but also some ancient towering Sequoia trees in the park. As of this evening's news, they're expecting the fire to continue to grow (thunderstorms/dry lightning forecast) and are investigating the source.
Diane: Thanks for starting us off. No whales in view in Manitoba right now; I've saved the link. Ha! The crossed-sticks syndrome again. Interesting!
AQ: Pleased to hear that wildlife is returning after that drought; is it officially ended? Too bad about the trees though.
Mulberry: Falkirk Wheel an impressive bit of engineering; thanks so much for the history - very interesting and I was clueless. Have you read "The Map that Changed the World" about William Smith, whose work on geology led to the canals that carried coal and other goods around the UK? What a lovely story about reuniting with your Dad; hope you have more happy times with him, and very sweet of NiteOwl to help with the logistics.
NiteOwl: My flower baskets never look that good (well, I have just four, but still....). Hope those bees on the ground weren't an indicator of the global colony collapse that's got everyone so worried.
Everyone else: Thanks for all your news and pix. Have a lovely Monday all.
Annette: A second live beluga whale cam has been added.
Glad you had a nice time with family and friends. I really hope the firefighters can save the Sequoia trees!
Hi, everyone. I'll make other replies tomorrow. Very, very hot here. Ugh.
Sixteen new wasps hatched today from the nest between the windows on my porch, and I saw the silver-green garter snake next to the house. The bats have been missing for two nights. I don't know where they went. I did hear an owl land on the metal cap on the old chimney on my roof last night. It must have been killing whatever prey it caught because there was a ruckus.
Have to get up early in the morning, so I'm off to bed. Have a good Monday, all.
Mulberry: I'm so very happy for you.It's so easy for family members to become estranged. I'm glad that you and your Dad have had the opportunity to heal your relationship and enjoy peaceful times together. Your photo is lovely, and I'm sure that you will treasure it.
Blessings to NiteOwl for being so supportive!
Bright and cheery morning (not a public holiday here in Scotland). J has gone to work and OH has gone back to bed with his man-flu; he does have a very bad head-cold, but carried on slowly with gardening all weekend. When he got up this morning, he said he hadn’t been able to breathe lying down, then after breakfast he decided he needed to lie down – but only for an hour!
Still hoping our drive man will come to discuss the problem of next-door’s drain; we spoke to the house owner yesterday and he is still amicable about it, especially when he saw our photos from the water company’s camera and realised the problem may pass under the wall. His parents are still muttering or at best ignoring us.
Well, I have time to myself, so can now catch up; got a bit locked-in with the family tree last evening as we had a lot of data entry to do from a distant branch which cousin had asked me to research.
Fish – no missing starlings here! They had a very successful breeding season and are coming in high numbers throughout the day. We also have large flocks of Sparrows: like 30-40 birds each time they visit the feeders.
Dibnlib – pleased to see you made the most of Sunday’s lovely weather – looks like it will be hot where you are today, too.
Lynette – glad you had such a lovely weekend for your anniversary celebrations, and especially that the restaurant came up to expectations.
Mulberry – so heart-warming to read about your day with your Dad. It is wonderful that you are able to spend this time with him now, whatever went before; he is lucky to have you, and you are lucky to have the support of NiteOwl too.
Annette – pleased you enjoyed your trip – and that you rested in the hammock and had takeaway to end the day. I do hope they keep those ancient Sequoias safe from the fire.
Diane – thanks for update on Wasps and Garter Snake; I wonder why the Bats departed. I hope you have not been disturbed by the noise of Owl again in the night, and can wake up refreshed!
Wishing everyone a good week – and happy Bank Holiday to England!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Good Morning, All. Beautiful sunshine here, which is nice for those who have been looking forward to a Bank Holiday weekend. Last evening we sat in the garden for a while as it was so warm, and we could smell some barbeques being lit!
Thanks for all the lovely posts, I have read them but cannot reply to All as I have a huge To Do List today - my OH has gone off to his golf this morning and I have vowed to make a big dent in the list before he returns at lunchtime.
Lovely to read Mulberry's account of his enjoyable trip with his Dad. It will remain a happy memory for a long time, I'm sure, and be the basis of a newer relationship.
Must go and find something for the Monday Smiles......
Crossed over with OG - hope your OH's cold gets better soon, OG. Sometimes summer colds do not last as long as winter ones.
You reminded me to say that I was glad to see that Lynette enjoyed their evening out to celebrate their anniversary. Sounds like a memorable meal.
Here are this week's Monday Smiles - more of the "This is HOT!" series......
Last few.....
finally, my personal favourite......
- Hope everyone has an enjoyable week, whether on a Bank Hol or not!!
Morning all,
Our resident hedgehog has just paid a daytime visit: