Weekly Chat, Sunday, March 14

Hi all: Lots of news about ospreys and other stuff plus photos (if you're lucky!)  on the previous pages.

  • Good morning (just). I reckon I shall be confused about time over the next few weeks. USA changing this weekend, UK on 28 March and here in Aussieland we don't change until 4 April !!!!!! As far as I'm concerned they can change back pronto as the festivals, etc end here this weekend and there is no excuse. Of course we shall still have banners flying as there is a state election next Saturday. The Stobie poles * are decorated with pics of wannabe pollies (many looking younger than they are in truth LOL).

    * Stobie poles, ugly steel & concrete poles to carry electricity & phone lines, were invented in SA by James Cyril Stobie in 1920s because of lack of timber. As these poles are unyielding, idiot drivers come off worst. New suburbs put their wires underground.

    Annette & OG - My comments on emigration to SA covered the 1800s. Sorry I haven't considered all those who came after WWII. We are a very multi diverse nation.

    I saw what I believe was a Google Earth Street View camera car last year. It was an ordinary car with this strange octagonal contraption (camera) on its roof.

    OG - Lovely photos. I read about Aspens but I didn't know exactly what they looked like. Thank you. (Of course when i looked again the pics had disappeared <sigh>)

  • Hi AQ:    Indeed that must've been a Google car - you can see the shadow of the contraption on the roof in some of the street view pix.   Did more washing today; then forgot to put it in dryer due to excitement over video-call to sister!  Which means I probably won't do any ironing tonight.  Oh dear.  :-)    When I wasn't looking (!) OH hauled 17 boxes of books from garage to former spare room allegedly to sort through prior to donating..... 

  • Glad the ospreys are on their way. Thanks to everyone for all the info!!!

    Annette, I am so very glad for you that you were able to have such a good webcam visit with your sister. Being able to see one another makes all the difference. What a wonderful way to stay in touch. Yay!!! I hope it works out so that she can visit you here.

    Annette/OG: The truckcam is having a temporary problem. Should be fixed soon. Normally, that cam is fairly reliable. It figures that the day I post the link, it goes down. LOL

    Tiger: Lovely pic at the Pale Male link you just posted!     AQ: Loved the history!

    Have picked up a bit of a flu bug. Nothing serious, but I'm going to forward the clocks and go to bed. Happy Sunday everyone.

  • Hi all: Just back from cheap-and-cheerful Chinese dinner at local restaurant. Very reasonable and very authentic. I had scallops and shrimp (in fact, three out of five of us had that).  Owner is Chinese lady and her family whose command of English isn't great, but the food is good and she's very warm and friendly.  Probably off to see daughter tomorrow, but who knows what time, given we'll be discombobulated what with putting the clocks ahead.  Sister will be at her son's tomorrow for Mothering Sunday gathering. He has Skype so we'll get to chat/see them again.  Have a wonderful Sunday, and do hope the weather warms up for you all in the UK.  Night to the Oz folk)!  :-)   Diane: Glad to know the truck cam is the problem; not me!

  • Sunny Sunday.  Will be in the garden again today.

    Annette – haven’t had time to look at the trucker yet.  Thanks for starting our new week – could be an exciting one for UK Ospreys!  Is your OH going to sort these boxes of books himself? (I think I know the answer!)  Pleased you enjoyed the meal with friends – and hope the mass Skype chat goes well today with the family gathering!

    AQ – I forgot that Alders are also called Aspens – just realised why the “Aspens quiver” in the poem “The Lady of Shalott” – this will be the catkins dancing in the breeze – that would set the poem in spring, and I’ve always thought of it as summer because of the “long fields of Barley and of Rye”.  I’m rambling – will have to read the poem and find out!! …… … No, ‘tis autumn because we have the “reapers, reaping early” – so it must be just the leaves quivering in autumn - sorry about my musings.

    Diane thanks for info re truck cam – I would have thought it was me so good, in that respect, to know it is down.  Sorry you have picked up a flu bug.  Since my crocuses were coming and going (mostly going) on the previous chat, I’ll repeat them here specially to cheer you when you wake up.

    For Diane.

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Osprey-expert-to-deliver-talk.6134780.jp

    Roy Dennis is speaking in Edinburgh this week, 16th, for those in the vicinity.

    ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data Site

    Sat track schedule Spring 2014

    LG 7 days; RW & SWT nil; LDOP varies

  • Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums. Just waiting for my children to arrive and then off for lunch.

    Diane,  sorry about your flu bug. Hope it is not a bad dose.

    Alan, Yet another osprey. West coast birds could be heading to Bassenthwaite ( Lake District) or Glaslyn (North Wales) as well as Scotland, so I must keep check on their sites as well as some of my favourite bird sites for any sightings.

    Will catch up later with all the news. Do enjoy today.

     

  • Bassenthwaite and Glaslyn now have their own fan sites on Facebook.

  • jsb said:

    http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Osprey-expert-to-deliver-talk.6134780.jp

    Roy Dennis is speaking in Edinburgh this week, 16th, for those in the vicinity.

     

    Thanks for that. I'll hopefully be able to go.

    I saw him at Edinburgh Zoo last year and he was fascinating.