HAPPY NEW WEEK!
Last week's Chat thread is here.
I had a funny bird experience a week or so ago. I put it on my Facebook page, and I thought some of you who like corvids might enjoy it.
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I heard something drumming outdoors on the sill under my kitchen window. I assumed it was one of the woodpeckers again. Both the Red-Bellied and the Hairy woodpeckers have persisted in pecking there this year. (Some delicious larvae must be under that wood.) I said, "Stop that!" The bird quit briefly, and then started again. I shouted, "Now, quit that. You know you can't do that!" A head popped up at the bottom of the window!
A huge Blue Jay stared at me. He was sitting on a small branch that rests against the wall of my house. He was so cute! I told him he had to stop damaging the window. He climbed up the branch and looked in at me, cocking his head. He didn't screech. He just put his face as close as possible to the glass. He looked so comical that I was laughing. I stood still, but I talked to him for several moments. At one point, he started warbling like he was trying to imitate me. (Blue Jays are corvids and are great mimics. They're known for imitating hawks, so they can clear the vicinity of other birds and have all the food.)
This jay's head crest was down, so he wasn't the least bit distressed -- just curious, I guess. He walked up the branch and looked back at me once more before he finally flew.
Blue Jays differ in appearance. They can vary a lot in their facial characteristics and coloring. This was the biggest one I've ever seen, and he had an odd look with a larger face and eyes than the other jays on my patch.
He could be a subspecies from somewhere else. He may have been a migrating bird or possibly an east coast bird who flew here to get away from Hurricane Joaquin, which was threatening at that time. I even wondered whether some Green Jays from Texas have found their way here and are interbreeding with the blues. I don't know whether that's ever been documented or is even possible.
I smiled all day thinking about the little fella. I hope he has a good winter with lots of food available.
Everyone have a great week!!! Monday night is the New Moon (the dark moon).
Good Morning, All. Dry here again, really the garden could do with some rain on it (sorry, to those who have been doused with it lately, such as Brenda!)
Diane: Thanks for going to the trouble of writing out the Potato Salad Recipe: it sounds interesting and quite different to what we are used to. I agree with Annette, that its a very regional thing, even here. And don't get me started on my OH saying "My Mother didn't do it that way...!" which he does for all sorts of things. He orders Golden Syrup Sponge in a restaurant and then is affronted that it doesn't come with custard! - and it's always way too small a portion, LOL!!
Annette: On our News bulletin this morning they were mentioning a huge Dust Storm in Arizona - hope your family are OK and it passes quickly.
I have lots to do today but feel somewhat lethargic - that sickness sure took the stuffing out of me. We were due to have a huge family lunch party tomorrow at a relative's house, to get together and entertain the visiting Cousin apart from it being a nice excuse to congregate, but the couple hosting have come down with a chesty cough thing and had to cry off. At such short notice I don't feel at all up to catering for up to 14 people at once, so have not offered :-( Am I being mean? I hope not. Discussions are now ongoing about all going out somewhere instead. As a lot of us have now downsized our houses, we don't have room for a lot of folks around the table any more, anyway.
Thoughts are with Limpy, Clare and Family, and with OG & EE, and of course dear Margo this weekend. Hope you enjoy your steak dinner, Margo.
Good Morning all very dull so far today. Just popping in to say OG and EE i am thinking of you.
Lindy sorry you are still feeling rather fragile, really seems to have taken its toll on. Hope tpyou can have a quiet day and relax a bit.
Annette hope your family are safe, that dust storm looks horrendous and of course thinking of those who are having a lot of rain causing landsliedes.
rosy in answer to your question about Billie. She was a very nervous stray who took up residence in our garden in October 4 years ago. OH called her Billie Wizz because as soon as she us watching she would run off at top speed. It was the year when we had a very hard winter, snow and temperatures below freezing for days on end. We left food and water out for her which kept her going. We eventually found out where she tucked herself away when we saw her going into the foliage of one of our Cyprus trees. For over 6 months we gradually tried to get her to trust us. I was beginning to think that would never happen but to my amazement one day when I was moving our wheelie bin up our drive she suddenly appeared by my side. I bent down to stroke her and that was the moment she accepted the hand of friendship. I can't tell you how happy I was. There was just no stopping her now and gradually she felt brave enough to come and sit with us in the evening but still going out at night. Of course she eventually became our cat. She is a tortoiseshell and very pretty even though she only has one eye. We both absolutely adore her and she has been at our sides ever since. We took gook to the vet and I was on tenterhooks that she might have been microchipped and we would have to return her to the rightful owners. I ould not bear the thought of losing her by now. No microchip so I was over the moon that she was now our cat. Still quite nervous with strangers but returns the love we her over and over again. She is a great comfort to both of us as the the lasr three and half years have been stressful and likely to become more so as my condition enters a new phase.
A few moths later I was in the drive with Billie when the next door neighbour had a friend visiting. As she got nearer to Billie she said "Splodge is that you". I then found out how she became a stray. She been sitting on the top of their car underneath one of those roof boxes. They had driven off not realising she was there. They reached a junction when she jumped off and ran away and that was the last they saw of her. In actual fact she was not far away from her home but never found her way back. Also found out whey she only had one eye and was told she had been run over and the eye had to be removed. I was so worried that they would want to take her home but she said that would not happen as she could see she was well looked after. She is very much part of our life now and such a support to me through worrying times.. She very much rules the roost now as cats often do.
Hope you enjoy my little story about her.
Margo
Good Morning Everyone. For the first morning this week, it is not raining. Hooray. Rather cloudy though.
Diane, That is a very different recipe for me. Thanks for typing the recipe for us.
Linda, You are not being mean. To cater for fourteen people, at such short notice, is too much, especially as you have not fully recovered yet. It could be too late to book a restaurant for so many.
Annette, I did see the mudslides on our news and the efforts, trying to rescue trapped drivers. It did look horrendous.We are keeping our eye on the tropical typhoon Koppu, which is slow moving, with winds of 170mph and a metre of rain forecast. OH's niece and her husband are working in Manilla.
I have been checking back and we last heard from Rita on the 2nd Aug. I do hope she is ok.
Another dull day today - as it did yesterday, the sunrise looked really promising, with clear blue sky; I believe what we have now is technically "low cloud" - but dry, so have washing pegged out. Not going to farmers' market as there is nothing we need this time, so hoping to potter in the garden.
Granddaughter#2 (15) has recently been selected for her County Youth Orchestra, and had her first concert with them last evening - on Violin. She enjoyed playing and is looking forward to the Christmas concert. Granddaughter#1 has now decided that this is a "Gap Year" for her - she was "pretending" to work, doing various little research projects etc, having finished her Masters at UCL.
LINDA - sorry to see you are still feeling "under the weather"; do take care of yourself. I expect the stress of your husband's illness last year took more out of you than you realised and made you susceptible to infections and slower to recover, and you have been rushing around a lot ever since!
Gardening about to start - so will make myself available for trimming the geraniums etc. The new ones grown from cutting are all back in the greenhouse, but we are going to dispose of the older ones, so they can stay outside and provide colour until the frost finishes them off.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Congratulations to your Granddaughter *2, OG. An excellent achievement for her to play for her County Youth Orchestra. I presume that Granddaughter *1 has plans for her "Gap Year".
We have removed all our geraniums and will start afresh next year. The winter pansies I bought are beginning to go "tall and leggy" in their pots. We haven't had chance to plant them yet, because of the rain. The man we booked to trim the tall, mixed hedge, cannot come until the beginning of November, so I hope we don't have any severe frosts.
I guess that you are not so sore today.
Hello to all
Quick look in, shopping and housework day here.
LINDY - worry not! Very few of us would look forward to catering for a large number at short notice. You are right, downsizing has disadvantages but also its benefits, most of which are connected with cheaper energy bills and less housework :-)) We haven't downsized yet - consequently we usually end up with the crowds and horrendous gas and electricity bills. Not that our home is huge. Just a bit bigger than what the rest of the family have!
DIANE - I really like the sound of mashed potato salad.
MARGO - I'm sorry that our phone call yesterday was so short. OH was waiting for a phone call from the garage. Our car went in to get new brake pads. Ended up with new discs as well plus a wire of some sort being replaced. Grandson phoned me last evening, very proud that he had helped with the repairs! It was quite good in that he told me just how much time was spent on labour. It tallied with the bill. At £90 an hour for labour, we always wonder if the total is correct!
Must fly, thanks to all for your news. I may get back later.
Thanks BRENDA - yes hardly sore at all today, so just caught up on some ironing. Elder Granddaughter has plans for March to May, when she will be spending three months at "Our Chalet" (belonging to Girl Guides and Girl Scouts)in Switzerland, so she has decided to designate the whole year for time out and will make continuing career plans, or further study for her PhD, after that.
Just going to iron two pairs of trousers, then back out to the greenhouse.
Diane, Thank you for that recipe. I had never known of a potato salad made with mashed 'spud'. I will definitely try it. Oh loves anything involving potatoes. Also hard boiled eggs. I will have to use Waitrose West Country free range.
I haven't looked at the video yet, but will do. Thank you so much.
My mother didn't make potato salad as such, but made a mixture of any vegetables to hand, including potato. It always seemed to work. She cut them up in small pieces'Russian Style" She always grew her own vegetables of different kinds. She always added radishes.
Annette, I didn't realise your temps got down to below freezing. Bring it on! Or maybe that is a little too extreme for your liking.
I also looked at some pictures of the mudslides. What destruction.