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).
Linda – Gorgeous photos of the wedding. Thank you for sharing.
Diane – Oh those hawk owl eyes!
Hot & windy today, so far 34 on its way to predicted 35 C. Fire bans in place in Adelaide Hills. It was so green there last week but it will quickly dry off. Nanny day yesterday had its moments. After Dau & Friend failed, I successfully got MissL down for nap, however MissJ wouldn’t settle for a further 2 hours. The trouble with only a single nap, the twins are so cranky by late afternoon. Dau has been having tea at 5 pm, leaving s-i-l to eat alone (with 3 girls attached wanting Daddy). I had the 3 girls outside while I was bringing in washing. Mostly they played happily together but I caught Miss4 rubbing grit into MissJ’s hair. Both twins, when it suits them, ask me to pick them up for a cuddle. They toddle everywhere, chatter, and mimic what they hear. I warned my OH to watch his language. They recognise words such as “outside” and race towards the patio door. Dau & Co are taking a holiday this weekend, so I am free from nannying until next Wed.
AQ: Oh good that you've got a few days off. Enjoy your bus trip and then relax with your feet up before Nanny Day looms again. 35C??? Ugh.
We had big thunderstorm around dinner time - lots of very dramatic thunder claps (wonderful!), some lightning but not much rain at all. Still, it was so exciting to have Actual Weather I kept rushing out into the garden to see the angry looking clouds. :-)
Good Morning, All. Dull here but dry: my OH has shot off to his Thursday golf game, after rounding up Bonnie, who disappeared and then inexplicably reappeared on the WRONG side of the back gate! She must have found a way out under the fence. I shall have to watch her today, until he returns and investigates the fortifications.
Rosy: Yes, we have three grandchildren and I still say that with some tinge of amazement, as we thought we were lucky to get just the one, five years ago. Last year both of my d.in.law fell pregnant at the same time, so now we have a whole clutch of 'em! Sadly they are not exactly on the doorstep - my sis-in-law lives around the corner from one set of hers and sees them almost daily, plus another set only 10 minutes away. I try not to be jealous, as we can travel to see ours which takes 1 1/2 hrs plus, and 4 hours plus respectively, but hey ho! - its not abroad, which it could have been as our Youngest once considered work in Germany.
AQ: Gosh, a break from Nanny duty! Enjoy! You will be torn between lolling around and doing naught, and rushing about cleaning stuff, I expect.
Annette: Oh! That's just tooo hot! As are AQ's temps! Hope you get some relief, soon.
Promise these are the last pics of the wedding: I thought that pics of food might be interesting to some.
When dessert time came around, we were all presented with a pretty plateful. As I was seated (on a round table, not a long one this time) next to the Bride & Groom, I was in good position to snap theirs - If you can see, they say "Congratulations" around the edge of the plate:
It was a Sticky Toffee Pud, with a Gingersnap Basket filled with Vanilla Icecream. My OH had a better swirl on his than mine, so here is his plate: (Tasted as good as they look!)
Good Morning Everyone. A very dull, cloudy morning here. Heavy rain during the night. I was very jealous of Margo a few mornings ago, when she had a blue sky and sunshine.
Annette, To have a thunderstorm and no reduction in the temperatures doesn't sound quite right. I guess somewhere else was getting the rain.
AQ, You really are a fantastic grandmother. The 'girls' must look forward to your visits / nanny days. Pleased to see you are due a respite and you have your trip to enjoy.
Linda, I love the arrangement and look of the desserts. You shouldn't worry about too many wedding pics. I do enjoy seeing them, but it is difficult to show photographs, without showing peoples faces.You will have to change Bonnie's name to Houdini :-))
LOL Brenda!
All the food was delish. The hotel did us proud. Good service, too, from the willing & helpful staff. These small things make such a difference. I hope that the happy couple will have nothing but happy memories of their special day.
I agree about AQ being an extra special Grandma - take a bow, AQ, as we all award you with a "Good Service, with Love" medal!
Right, I must put Houdini in her crate. She has only eaten a pair of my knickers, a camisole, two heads of geraniums (rotten & discarded by me) and her rub down towel so far this morning. Yesterday she really took to my OH's cousin and wouldn't leave her alone: luckily she is used to dogs and at least we never have to worry about her biting anyone. Still cloudy here but at least its dry as I go off to do errands in the town. Have a good day, everyone!
ps. We have realised that Bonnie seems to have stopped eating "poo" every time she comes across it on our walks: hopefully, she has grown out of this stage.
LINDY that pudding looks scrummy. Was speaking to a church member on Mon and their puppy destroyed her OHs handmade Italian suede jacket!!!! We just forgive them anything.
Dillon never grew out of his pooh eating habit. Luckily Benson isn't interested, though he did look a little too iterested in the horse version once. Luckily he decided against a taste test!!
Hello everyone
I have caught up with your chat but please forgive me if I don't make individual replies.
Our Danish friends departed yesterday, overnight ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam and right now driving home. It takes them about eight hours from Amsterdam to their home in Thuro, Denmark.
We had a good time, all our local families spent time with them. Stepson took them to - guess where? Loch an Eilein, on Monday. My OH could only manage to walk half way around and then returned to the car. That loch has had at least three of us from this site visiting this week, it would seem!
For some reason (!) I have lots of very ripe tomatoes left over from the entertaining, so have them slow roasting in the oven at the moment and will make tomato and basil soup this afternoon.
HEATHER, glad you had a good time with your friends. Soup sounds nice. We have friends from Brunton in Fife up for the day on Monday. I think OH is going to do his speciality soup, sweet potato and chilli, it is really very nice. I will be cobbling together chicken veronique and as it is not going to be a warm day I will dish up warm potato and onion salad. Grandmas all bran loaf to finish. Hope the weather is decent so we can have a good walk. My friends will walk in any weather but as you know, Benson won't!!!