Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 7 May 2017

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY FULL MOON!

Wednesday is the Full Moon.

I'm so happy to see OG back on the thread. Welcome back, OG!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Rob Roy Covered Bridge, over Big Shawnee Creek in Indiana
Photo Labelled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

I chose this photo for the week, even though it's not wildlife, because Lindy told me that she likes covered bridges and I thought the Scots on this forum might like it. This bridge is not far from where I live and is named for Robert "Rob" Roy MacGregor, the famous Scotsman. Many of the people in my area have Scottish family/ancestors, including me. The bridge was built in 1860 and is 105 feet long. The local small town, also called Rob Roy, was platted in 1826. Many bird species thrive in this very rural area, including birds of prey (bald eagles and many species of hawks and owls). There are also wild turkeys.

  • Evening all: No whales during my shift today - yawn; still a pleasant couple of hours by the ocean.  Last year's calf count was 20% higher than the highest previous record, so seems like we may be back to normal.

    OG: I bet you felt much better after the haircut.  I've emptied the cooking water from pasta down the drain more than once - seem to go on autopilot at times. Vet called and says no indication any serious going on with Lightning; good news, but that doesn't explain why she wees on the carpeting every now and then.  Good luck with the real PC arrangement.

    dinblib: I love Tai Chi - we have a good instructor who has two very experienced students who work with beginners (that's me and a few others) to master the early moves.  Hope you get another chance at the class.

    AQ:  Sounds like a nice nanny duty - at least until that phone call.  What smiley little people!  Cute!

    Off to find something to shred!  :-)

  • Annette: Cornell University has a very good Feline Health website. You might be able to do a search for Feline Incontinence and get some helpful information.

    OG: I'm so glad that you're improving.

    Heather: I want to respond to your earlier comments to me. I'll do it this weekend after I've finally finished the first part of this freelance project.

    Hello all!

  • Morning, All.  Sun is still there, out of my window.

    Love your smiley granddaughters, AQ!!

    Back later.

  • Meanwhile, here's today's pic:

    "A girl has to keep warm somehow!"

  • Good morning- LINDY- I hope that you'll be able to get things out of the greenhouse soon. It's early enough I suppose, OH was always very cautious about these things.

    AQ- Happy looking pair xxx. I too was fascinated by the Little Hampton little PO!

    ANNETTE- good that nothing seriously wrong with Lightning.

    DIBNLIB- how annoying that the instructor didn't turn up. My sympathies regarding your heel pain. I had plantar fasciitis ?last year and it was so painful for ages.

    The sun is out, hope it will behave itself as I must carry on with outside work. I see that the begonias in the greenhouse are sprouting in the trays. I don't know the first thing about them, will have to research!

    OG- enjoy your reading. I wish that there was some way to get you outside so that you could enjoy the sun for a while.

  • Heather:  I hope you're not doing too much at once in the garden.  Your muscles will soon tell you!  Can't help much with the begonias, have only kept one or two as houseplants but have never had any for the garden as we decided they're too much trouble, having to be looked after in the winter months.

    Dibnlib:  That heel sounds really painful.  Hope you can get some relief for it.

    Annette:  The whale season came upon you really quickly this year, I thought. Now I can't believe its nearly over already!  Glad there's nothing seriously wrong with Lightning, but suspect that the random weeing is probably a mental thing - sometimes cats get rather geriatric and forget that they're supposed to do it in certain places, not just anywhere!  Have known people with elderly dogs who say that they seem to forget their earlier training, or else lose their ability to wait until its a more acceptable place for it.

    AQ:  Your family are certainly active - never a dull moment!  Hope the parenting class was helpful.  Love the pic of the girls, so happy :-)

    Diane:  Hope that project is coming to an end nicely.  You've certainly worked hard on it, by the sound of things. Also hope that the water levels there are going down now.

    OG:  You must be glad to be home but also now equally frustrated that you can do little.  Hope as Heather says, that you can get outside even if briefly.

  • Friend and I had a good chat yesterday, and Put the World to Rights.  Also she demonstrated for me a new spiralizer gadget she has bought, which is effective but I'm not sure I want to make room for it, although its not as large as some I've seen.  We had a fashion show, where she tried on some clothes she is considering taking away but not sure which trousers go best with which blouses.

    I admired some of the tulip displays in their garden, and also their neighbours - there is a really pretty and very large wisteria on a house nearby which looks at its best just now.

    ---------------------

    Had just finished my breakfast this morning, when I heard a familiar "Bang!" and realised that a bird had probably flown into our conservatory windows. A quick look out confirmed that a young sparrow was laying on its back, breathing heavily but not moving otherwise. I kept Bonnie indoors and looked out to see how it was recovering, if at all.  For a while it looked bad, and I found I was willing it to survive. I didn't want to go out and pick it up in case it died of fright.  After a bit, it moved its legs a little but I was worried for a while.  Then slowly, the head turned and it looked as if to say "What happened?"  .  I left for a bit but when I returned it was trying to turn itself right way up so I was relieved to see it do so and then stand, panting and confused.  Later it had gone altogether, thank goodness. Phew!

  • Good morning.  Later today, but am seated comfortably at Desktop PC – much more convenient for typing!  I must admit to a brief snooze in my chair after a shower this morning – that does tire me, but well worth the effort!  Another dry day – possible some moisture tomorrow, but OH will still water garden tonight in case it doesn’t materialise.  He is out there now, making final preparations for fence man expected Monday.

    Heather – do keep to short sessions in the garden, don’t get too worn out!  It was good to have our wee chat yesterday.  Begonias should do fine – you’ve done the hard work getting them through the winter!

    Annette – I hope whale news was good yesterday (EDIT – sorry there were none!) – no more abandoned babies.  Good to know that Mr T can’t rule the natural world – yet!  I see you are still tidying and shredding – got to try some of that here soon – a whole pile of paper that came while I was away.

    AQ – what a lovely photo of the twins – they are more alike now they are nearer the same size, but Miss L still looks a lot more like their big sister.  Sounds as if the whole family has a very busy life; so pleased your daughter copes better now.

    Linda – lovely pic of Miss Elephant today!  Have been wondering whether I dare step over sill of back door onto top step for some fresh air – maybe with both the “boys” beside me into the evening sunshine.  Will report back!  Pleased you had a good time with Friend before her two holidays!  Our tulips finished weeks ago – I only saw them in photos!  Pleased your concussed Sparrow came round and went away.  Lots of baby sparrows getting fed here, and frustrating the parents by disappearing from where they have put them!

    Diane – pleased to see project part one is nearly done!

    I see it is now afternoon and nearly time for some lunch, so time to move from here!

    Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!

  • LINDY    Glad your baby bird recovered. It is so distressing for everyone.

    TISO has an open night this evening so we will pop along (maybe I will win the raffle again!!!) As usual they will have some treats from "Corner on the Square". We will have an open sandwich for lunch leaving room for a few picks later.

    t

  • Evening all:

    Diane: Thanks for the Cornell link. I'll check it out.

    Heather:  Good luck with the begonias. If they were lettuce plants, I'm sure OG could help (and maybe she can anyway). Ah, I see   getting them through the winter was the hard part!

    Lindybird: Just spied Lightning sniffing at a spot where she'd previously wee'd and hustled her out into the garden.  What is this spiralizer gadget? Glad the bird survived its encounter with the window.

    OG:  The calf count this year is back to "normal" it seems. What makes it seem much lower than usual is that last year the total was 20% higher than the previous record.   As for sharks, they're seeing a really huge increase in the number off Long Beach and south of that, which is where I used to live. Apparently they're showing up in the surf line!  Are you able to get out in the garden in a wheelchair at all?  

    Watching a fascinating documentary on the construction of the Crossrail line. Brilliant engineering - both now and back in the 1870s when the original Connaught tunnel was built.  The drilling/tunneling machine is very impressive!  Seems like quite a few women engineers on the project. The Crossrail website has great images of some of the archeological finds (including some  Roman skulls).

    Meanwhile, back to sorting through paperwork.  :-)