Weekly Chat Sunday, June 20,2010

Diane:   that is grim weather:  glad you and yours are OK, but sorry to hear about all the dreadful conditions for some. (don't think I could have slept much either)

DjoanS:   What a gorgeous flower!  Know what you mean about the "middles" - I've started snapping more and more of mine, and with digital you can take lots to get the best effect.  auntie:   'Star Eye' is a lovely name for them.

Thought I would take some pics of the English Countryside for our overseas friends: these are from our walk last Sunday, only a couple of fields away from our house:

Wheat field, with small wooded bit where we have Woodpeckers nesting.

Field of Maize (Sweetcorn), grown here as animal feed.

Lindybrd  lovely pics.

Lots going on at LOTL, although I knew she had ventured off the nest yesterday evening I wa still surprized to see her standing up and looking reasonably perky when I logged on this morning.

Loved all the pics, esp that amazing flower. we took a couple of pics at Loch Insh yesterday so must see what they are like.OH and I hired a canadian canoe for a couple of hours and enjoyed a paddle round the loch in good weather. We may take Dillon with us next time but will he capsize us or just jump out for a swim? we will have to try it out and see. There is an osp nest on Tom Du island in Loch Insh but we saw no activity although there is an osp nesting there ( don't know if there are chicks or not )

margobird said:

Barbara Jean what awful weather but so pleased you are safe.  Dreadful for people who have lost everything.  We moan about our weather but very rarely experience anything like this. 

 

I do hope those osprey chicks are OK.

The electricity is  out in Muskego and they don't expect it to be restored until late tomorrow so I can't check on the nest . It is an Osprey preserve so I am sure  volunteers were out there as soon as the storm passed  to assess the condition of  the nest. If it is gone they would  search and rescue the  chicks  if they survived the fall from the nest .

In one  town of  5600 people there are 200 homes that are either  flattened or badly damaged. There were only minor injuries because  everyone was able to get to their  basements in time.  People  take a tornado warning seriously 

Morning all:

Auntie: Very nice racks I must say.  Re Land of a Thousand Lakes - the state if Minnesota shares that name and it appears on their vehicle licence plates. Every state has a sort of nickname: California is The Golden State (not for the sunshine but the gold mines); Nevada is The Silver State (silver mine);  Florida is The Orange State (but their oranges aren't as good as California's!!) and Idaho's licence plates read Famous Potatoes!  - a shame because Idaho is beautiful, even if the people at their Department of Motor Vehicle aren't so creative.  :-)  Enjoy your four weeks - how wonderful.

Barbara Jean: Have not caught up with our national news yet - but not good news from Wisconsin (America's Dairyland).   Smart to take those warnings seriously - I'm sure I'll see more on the damage on telly, but do let us know how those ospreys did - but geez - 110mph winds?

Djoan: See that the Finance Minister has dealt a devastating blow to social services - and raised VAT?  Also so that Andy Murray is doing well so far.  Osteospernum?  AKA African Daisy - we have them here and they do very well. Lovely shot - and yes I always admire their centers with that little circle of orange.. I see they're called Star Eye in Finland; much prettier than our name for them. What an interesting site we have here!

Diane: (in Indiana; auto licence plate Amber Waves of Grain.) Major sympathy with those temps and humidity - and no sleep either. Drink lots and wait......

Alan: How nice that you and OH go on picnics. My OH is not a picnic person.  Dont say that about taxes on osprey watching - you  never know who's reading these blogs!  Could give them an idea.  :-)    Auntie: Maybe we could deduct the tax when we leave the country, as we do with VAT purchases.

Lindybird:  Lovely shot of fields. I like the wide open look of the countryside there. We eat sweetcorn here (assuming it's the same thing) - but my Irish mum never would touch it. Used to say "We fed it to the pigs in Ireland!"

dibnlib: A Canadian canoe? Googled it and saw pix - also saw there's a Canadian Canoe Museum in Ontario, Canada. Wonder what we call them here - have never heard the term.

Wow. It's 10:45 and I'm still in bed!! Is that decadent or what?  Concrete folks are churning happily away in the driveway. Maybe I'll take a shower and think about lunch. Missed breakfast completely. Back later.

Take care all and thanks for interesting posts and pix.

All those Lakes, auntie!    Always knew it was rather a wet place,but that's a lot!  Love the shelves, thanks for the pic!

Meant to say, OG your day out sounded great, with the free music and yummy sounding grub. Think it was you who reminded me that we have Aliums in the garden, I never can remember names, it drives me crazy.

Diane:   I have a brother like that too - often, words fail me.

dibnlib:   I remember being very impressed with the Canadian canoes on that programme with whatsisname - there I go again, the chap who does survival treks, not Bear Ghrylls, the other one.

Barbara Jean:    See you have had frightening storms, too, I probably got you mixed up with Diane yesterday as I was so tired, and today I shall have to go to bed early.  Perhaps its because its so warm here now my brain is addled.  Hope all is OK now.

Glad you had a lay in today Annette, after getting up in the night and having broken sleep. All that noise won't help  :- (      Take it easy and try to get out of the house, and away from the work for a while each day.

Must go, take care All.

Lindybird - Is it Ray Mears you are thinking of?

I don’t seem to have been on this thread at all today!  Been a day of tying up loose ends, indoors and out.  Good to read all posts, admire pics etc.  Sorry about those who had storms – hope it will be a kinder night for those who need to catch up on sleep.

Annette – will hope to catch some of the scenery from BR Steve – when he eventually sets off – depends on timing.  Pleased you stayed in bed late after your early morning wake-up.

Auntie – four weeks of holiday will be a real treat, you work so hard normally.

Barbara Jean – hoping for good news from Muskego Osprey nest.

BrendaH – hope you are having a great family visit.

DjoanS – I love taking pictures of single flower heads like your Osteospermum – great flower and excellent picture.  I do agree with what you say about its spectacular middle.

Lindybird – countryside pictures were a great idea – might try to do some here.  Crops here are barley and maize – mostly on mixed farms and used for animal feed.  Farmers around here usually have a mix of sheep, dairy cattle and beef.

Dibnlib – we visited Loch Insh when we were up, and didn’t see the Osprey there, although we always had in the past – I was told the male was around in April, but never heard if there was a female and eggs/chicks.

Super drink then bed, I think.  OH is reading about the budget – but knowing won’t help any – just need to remember to buy stuff before VAT increase comes into force!  Goodnight all.

Evening all. Haven't been around much today - and think I'll be off to bed early tonight too - well around 9:30 - 10.  It's been an intense few days - maybe we can all take a breath. 

Hello All.  Had a wee visit to LG on Saturday and what a treat all round.  Saw Odin bring in a fish (for real, not online!!!).  As if that wasn't enough excitement, saw Mother Pine Marten and Marten kit (absolutely banging on the door and desperate for photos to be taken) AND two young woodpecker!  What a day, and the weather was beautiful too.  Can't wait to go back.