Hi all: Thanks for chat and Ernie info - don't forget to read the last few posts of last week to catch up on folks.
Brenda: My sister has been to the Chelsea Flower Show several times and has always loved it. Do hope the weather is kind on your day.
Patriciat: How nice that people were so generous with your fund-raising efforts. Good for you - you must have a winning way!!
dibnlib: Thanks for spelling out Ernie's "real" name. Doesn't sound half as much fun as his more familiar name. Actually, I remember now - Premium Bonds - they were being sold when I was still in the UK. I think my sister also has some that she bought way back when....
Emma: Painting is done - although just noticed a smudge of Pot of Cream (the paint) on a wood ceiling beam. How did it get there!! Took all the blue painter's tape off the glass panes this afternoon and put the hardware back on and it looks pretty nice. Do need to do some tidying up where paint trickled under the tape and also onto the hinges a bit, but all pretty minimal.
Have been keeping tabs on Trucker Steve, whose cat has an eye problem. He's going to take her to the vet. He's got a hard trip this time - three days of 11 hours a day to the next stop in Wisconsin. He's in Montana now, where it's well into the evening.
Off to see how EJ is doing. Have a nice Sunday morning all.
Annette: The new stadium is Lucas Oil Stadium. Sigh. It's a "state-of-the-art facility" that covers 1.8 million square feet. It cost $720 million to build, and the football team only kicked in $100 million. The city/county pays $28 million per year to run it; but they only get $8 million from event revenues. Meanwhile, several schools and libraries are closing, many of the children don't even have school books, the arts have been defunded, and the mass transit system is utterly laughable. The city has had 9 homicides in the last 8 days, and there have been 51 homicides already this year!
re: peregrines. I don't think the Audubon Society has a strong presence here. I don't know about a national peregrine group. We do have a midwest raptor group (I think Caerann is involved in it), but I don't know what their position is or would be on this issue.
Diane: Lucas Oil? That figures.
Just read our local online news source: A bear has been spotted at someone's back window on Via Ranchero - the sheriff and Fish & Game are on their way. Meanwhile, a Canadian goose is holding up traffic on Hollister where people are trying to get it out of the road. I can handle this kind of news...
Annette: A bear looking in the window! That would give one pause. LOL
A mountain lion (cougar) has been confirmed to be living two counties south of me. Finally, the Department of Natural Resources is admitting that the big cats are now living in this area again. Sightings have been numerous for the last few years. http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=12447664
This is a government photo and not subject to copyright (not a great picture).
Wonder what it is that brings these cats back into the neighborhood. Dimished food sources or just more of them? I think they have some big cats in the UK (probably released by folks when the "pet" got too big to keep in the house!
I'm off to bed. If anyone gets the chance and has the inclination, HBO's production The Pacific (courtesy of Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg) is a 10-part TV series on the war in that area. It's a really first-class production with actors portraying real marines. The last part has just concluded with photos of the actors followed by photos of the men they portrayed and what happened to those who survived - families, kids, etc. I'm not a big war movie fan, but when they're presented with such fidelity and compassion, I find them compelling. Anyway, I really am off to bed. Take care all! :-)
Diane: I too applaud you for writing re the banding. I was shocked when I read your post about it - felt sick to the stomach. I don't even like it , when (under licence ) they ring birds on some TV programme or other - they seem to take so long to do it ! and keep the chick out of the nest whilst the presenter blathers on ! Thank you on my behalf
Diane I'd agree from the footage you posted, the banding of the Indy chicks was too busy and intrusive. I guess they see it as a way of involving the public in the conservation effort, but if you go too far down that road, you can lose sight of what's in the best interest of the birds.
Coincidentally the four Chichester chicks were also ringed Monday night with rather less fanfare - it wasn't announced in advance, there's no indication they were brought down from the tower, and the only photos I've seen are by the ringer and the blogger David Shaw, the latter from the ground. They seem to be doing well and are often "off camera" on walkabout around the turret:
http://www.chichesterperegrines.co.uk/blog.htm.
Cirrus and Margobird it sounds like you had great holidays!
For those watching the nest action at LG, have you noticed that the New Forest Goshawk live video is back, linked to the same page - and there are 3 newly hatched fluffy chicks. Love the female's piercing orange eyes.
Finally, I know other people here do follow the Lily and Hope videos, but I just thought these recent ones of the "Dislodge the Cub" game are so funny. I'm especially amazed at Lily's agility!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeqc0l_-wtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jkw9ICCig0&feature=player_embedded
Thanks SueC, I enjoyed watching the "Lily and Hope" videos. Thanks for the reminder of the Goshawk live video.
I think I need to employ a daily to do the HW etc. I am spending far too much time at the computer.
SueC: Brilliant videos of Lily and Hope - thanks so much! That second one is a hoot. Can't believe that tree could hold them both! Also thanks for Mrs. Goshawk reminder.
Hope everyone else is okay; off to start the day.