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NOVEMBER – Winter is setting in. With return to Standard Time the dark evenings are even longer. It will soon be dark by 6:00 p.m. here in southern Ohio. Many of our November days are just all-over grey, from grey skies to gray hills with leafless grey trees and grey atmosphere – just cold, damp and gloomy. Still too early to expect much, if any, snow. But on an occasional sunny day we might enjoy a heavy frost on lingering green leaves. And inside all is warm, colorful and cheery. All month (in my family, anyway) we are planning the Thanksgiving feast. Thanksgiving Day, a day set aside for giving thanks to God for all the blessings in our lives, is a national holiday and a major one for most of us.
Here at the Gabfest, we have the gloom of empty nests. But we also have the cheer of knowing that Millicent is settled in her warm winter home, while Breagha is enjoying his second winter not too far away. Our chat-room fires are kept burning brightly and our new TV/telly screen is always at the ready., so hopefully we can all keep our computers in working order and enjoy a little chit-chat, some music and maybe a bit of streetwalking. Special Events include the possibility of another Music Night with suggested Movie theme and a group streetwalk to some as yet mystery location.
So where is our Gabfest chat-room.? Have you ever wondered? Well of course, it is at some undisclosed cyberspace location in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, not too far from the Loch Garten nest, home of EJ and Odin.
Interesting information about the early frogspawn. I cant help but feel concerned as the spawn will die if it does get cold. I wonder if they will breed again when the spring does arrive. Maybe some migratory birds just will not bother to head South! We have seen very late ospreys still in the UK. Thanks to Alans sightings reports.
Thankyou Alan, always interesting to read.
Good morning, Willow and all Gabbers everywhere.
I too found the frogspawn article interesting. It seems to me that November instead of March is not "early", but completely off-season. Maybe it's late 2014 instead of early 2015.
For me it brought back childhood memories. I've mentioned before that when heavy winter broke I would search the fencelines, creek banks, follow the ditches, edges of the woods etc. In tucked away corners I would find various wildflowers, a bluebird nest in a hollowed fence post or a robins nest on the ground in clumps of dried grasses. or maybe floating in our pond clumps of dirty clear tapioca something or other. Watching this over time we saw tiny clear globes with a speck in each. This speck grew into a line which developed a head and legs and tail. Tadpoles! Eventually the tails disappeared, the jello dissolved and the now independent tadpoles became tiny frogs which grew into big frogs, which provided summer concerts.
Of course I never found all these things in one excursion - sometimes nothing, depending on he exact time of season. One rare treasure found in a certain lightly wooded area was the indian pipe. This email photo is a lovely one, showing the delicate colors of pale grey and light pink.
Thank you CC, WILLOW, GARDENBIRDER AND KEITH, for your greetings to all Americans for our beloved holiday, THANKSGIVING. Here is my belated contribution
wandascountryhome.com/.../index.html
At Ithica I find bright blue skies, a lively breeze, ducks on the pond and various species of birds flitting about the feeders. Notice the ripples on the water.
And lots of snow, LOLOLOLOL
And at Little House, from earlier this morning, this squirrel.
Unknown said: KEITH, what a joy to come to my computer this morning and find your posts. I thought we had lost your interest forever. You have been sadly missed, my friend.
KEITH, what a joy to come to my computer this morning and find your posts. I thought we had lost your interest forever. You have been sadly missed, my friend.
58willow said: Good afternoon all. Keith good to see your posts here again and the thanksgiving prayer. Love the ospreys dinner! June hope you had a good thanksgiving day. I did see the puffer fish and his beautiful artwork moved me nearly to tears! Dont we live in a wonderful world and so much we are still discovering! We as humans destroy this at our very great peril. Have missed the series but that episode and will ask Santa for Christmas for the DVD!
Good afternoon all. Keith good to see your posts here again and the thanksgiving prayer. Love the ospreys dinner! June hope you had a good thanksgiving day.
I did see the puffer fish and his beautiful artwork moved me nearly to tears! Dont we live in a wonderful world and so much we are still discovering! We as humans destroy this at our very great peril. Have missed the series but that episode and will ask Santa for Christmas for the DVD!
I may treat myself to the DVD for Christmas so I can take it away with me on my travels but already have started filling my stocking with Dyfi Calendar and the Ten Years of Ospreys in Wales so maybe a wee bit more room in it :):).
The very mild weather has been causing havoc with our ecological system.
The frogspawn probably will not survive although the article was from one of the mildest areas of England(Cornwall)and am not sure if the frogs will mate and spawn again in Spring.
Maybe a few days of minus temperatures will sort their bodies out again.