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 IndianaPhoto 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.
Good morning, all. White clouds rolling away to reveal another bright sunshiny day. OH doing local shopping and then gardening.
LINDA – lovely pic of Bonnie in Wales!
DIBNLIB – can just imagine the mess Benson made – tea-bags, yukk!
PAT – I imagine HEATHER might have heard the BBC 4 dawn chorus: she is our regular insomniac! Ah yes, I see she did! I wake up in the night but soon get back to sleep, and this morning I even slept late!
Most days I have been reading light fiction (a book a day in hospital) but I think I might try reverting to some more serious biography/history to exercise my brain a bit more!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
OG, I am pretty much an insomniac as well - have been for most of my life. It goes in waves, with three or four good nights followed by lots of not good ones! Which sometimes means listening to World Service, sometimes reading, and sometimes getting up and doing some work! You learn to cope with it - but I do prefer it when I wake up feeling rested ... particularly now my days are so busy and I need my brain to operate at maximum efficiency.
Goodness, Pat - that's a lot of time awake! I feel guilty now, as like OG I often wake in the night, but usually just get more comfortable again and say to myself "sleep is coming.... " - and it does! It's only a problem if something such as a loud noise wakes me when I've only just dropped off - then it takes me an hour or two to get back to sleep mode.
I suppose it's partly inherited, the amount of sleep you need, plus the ability or not, to manage to have it.
Dibnlib: that sounds like an unpleasant mess to clear up!
We enjoyed our walk and I took the camera in case there were any ducklings etc., but not many youngsters in evidence. Bonnie enjoyed meeting other dogs of various sizes, some of whom declined to play with her.
At the farm shop, I bought some bedding plants, some birthday cards, and a large punnet of strawberries, which we'll enjoy later.
Lindybird: Had to Google "punnet." I bought a three (punnet?) pack of strawberries from our local farm stand on Friday to have with Vanilla Ice cream and chocolate lava cakes (shared!) when our friends came round Friday. The strawberries were wonderful. What IS that B&W bird?
OG: I've just finished a run of mystery books and am now one-third of the way through The Voyage of the Beagle by Darwin. I was a bit apprehensive that it may be too scientific, and while I must confess to skipping some of the details of the riveting (no doubt to some!!) characteristics of various tiny insects, I'm fascinated by his depictions of the geology, geography, animals, birds and humans (Indian and Spanish) he sees during his often-wild travels (he's in South America right now!). I also enjoyed The Journals of Lewis & Clark, explorers who traveled across the U.S. in the early 1800s, describing the flora and fauna and their encounters with Indians who, at that time, had no reason to fear newcomers. At one point during a rough river crossing, their journals went overboard into the current and were saved by a 14-year-old Shoshone Indian girl - Sacagawea - who dived into the river to save them! Anyway, I often wonder how all these early explorers would react if they could see the territories they traveled so wonderfully mapped on Google Earth for all to see. Oh and I just finished Ice Ghosts by Paul Watson about the various searches for the Franklin Expedition and the recent discovery of both his ships in the Arctic. This particular book shows how the oral histories of the Inuit, which were mostly dismissed at the time, provided solid clues as to the vessels' whereabouts.
PatO: You're busier than ever now, but I'm afraid I've forgotten why.... I hate not sleeping well, but haven't had that problem recently.
dibnlib: Can't say I'd be thrilled to find chewed up tea bags spread around the kitchen floor. Right now, we're dealing with a seriously incontinent ancient (19) cat who is off to the vet tomorrow for blood tests to try and figure out what is going on. She has diabetes but that's under control and doesn't have a UTI, so now we're looking at kidney issues and then X-rays and Lord knows what else. Lots of $$$$s!
Lovely sunny day here after a rainy Sunday; whales this afternoon....just three more weeks of this year's season.
Take care all.
Sorry to hear that Lightning is causing worry. I know you said something recently about her and the carpets...
A beautiful day here, now. Just a rather sneaky cold wind, which catches you out when you think you might go out without a coat!
A small boy went missing, walking by a field of rapeseed. As he was only 2, and not tall they could hear him crying but could not see him. It took 50 police, volunteers and his family to find him, eventually successful by police helicopter with heat seeking camera!
LINDY Glad they found the wee boy. OH has just gone up to bed with a stinking cold. He is really suffering at the moment as on Sat evening he had one of his swallowing attacks. It was the worst ever, so bad in fact I called an ambulance. Needless to say the attack stopped 5 mins after I called them. Our weather is same as yours, a nice sunny afternoon but with a cold north wind.
ANNETTE Do hope things improve for LIGHTNING. Our pets can be such a worry as well as a joy.
DIBNLIB sorry that your OH is unwell. I'm not sure what you mean about swallowing attack but you must have been very worried.
dibnlib: Swallowing attacks? I've heard of swallow syncope, which my bro-in-law has to be careful off (swallowing cold liquids in his case), but apparently there are all kinds of disorders... with residual effects from what you say.
Lindybird: Happy ending to the lost boy episode. Must've been scary for him (not to mention the family), but at least they could hear him...
The police chief in charge said that as long as he could hear the boy, he knew he was alright! He was checked out by medics and pronounced OK. Bet his family were relieved.
Thought it was nice that lots of ordinary people had volunteered to help with the search.
See that we're not going to get any rain for some days. I keep going out to refill the two bird baths we have: they've been very popular!
Night All.
Good Morning, All. Grey but still dry here.
Off out to buy a 'Get Well' card for a family friend whose throat cancer has returned after four years of being clear. Such bad luck.
Here's today's pic:
"For cats, life is just a bowl of cherries!"