Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 17 December 2017

HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY DECEMBER SOLSTICE

Please check back to last week's thread for information from Annette on the fire threat!!! She posted photos that you will want to see!!!

The December Solstice is Thursday at 4:28 p.m. in the U.K, 11:28 a.m. in the eastern U.S., 8:28 a.m. in California, and Friday, 22 December, at 2:57 a.m. in Adelaide, Australia! 

Everyone have a great week, and STAY SAFE, ANNETTE!

Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Photo labelled Public Domain (Copyright Free)

  • Annette: I've been watching the live reports on the Thomas Fire on the KEYT NewsChannel 3 page on Facebook. I so hope that you all will catch a break and the expected Wednesday winds and fire conditions won't be as bad as predicted. I know that the fire is exhausting everyone and taking a psychological toll as well as causing physical damage. Sending you protective energy. 

    AQ: I think the last card you posted was my favorite. Very nice! Although...I liked the blue wrens, too. Wrens are a revered bird in my family going back many generations. My ancestors always built wren houses and celebrated the return of the wrens in the spring. (Plus, wrens eat yellow jackets!)

    Lynette: That's a lovely card. I hope you enjoy your carol singing. (I can't carry a tune in a bucket! LOL)

    Lindy: I've only received one Christmas card this year, but it was white so that must be the trend. I loved the photos of that gorgeous horse. It has such charisma!

    Clare: I loved your beautiful photos, especially the partridge. So lovely.

    All: I should have made clear that I revere mountain lions (cougars), and they are one of my favorite animals. I follow various mountain lion conservation groups on Facebook. They're elusive animals and pose no threat to humans under normal conditions. When I said that I'm afraid of them, I only meant that it would be illogical not to feel a primal fear when encountering one, because they have so much wild, raw power.  I've seen one twice in my life (decades ago). I want them to be fully protected, not killed or persecuted.

    Take care, everyone. 

  • Good  Morning,  All.  This page gets more interesting by the day!  Thank you for the lovely card, Lynette!

    And thanks for your Aussie card, AQ! - Love the animals! They all look happy, too!! Thanks for your pics, Clare, will look at them in a minute.

    Diane - no worries, I knew exactly what you meant about the mountain lion. We can have a healthy fear of a dangerous animal but can have a healthy respect and love for it, too.  I adore the big cats.

  • DIANE   Great sentiments about mountain lions and lucky you to have seen them in the wild. I didn't doubt for one minute your feelings as I know how connected you are with wildliife.

    AQ   Love that card.


  • Here's today's pic:

    "I am The Walrus!" as The Beatles used to sing!

  • PS - Annette - Hope things go well with you and your neighbours tomorrow.

    We went to see the horse especially, as earlier in the year there had been two mares in that field, with a beautiful foal each. The foals, one brown and one black, were cavorting around, and I stood transfixed by them for some time. It was, of course, one of those walks when I hadn't brought the camera with me, bah!!

  • Loads of great posts on here -thank you. No replies today, sorry. Brain malfunction :-)

  • AQ - my favorite card so far,  but have loved them all!

  • Well, our tree is finally decorated: we got it inside yesterday, and put on the lights and tinsel, but I was too weary by evening to decorate it. So I set to on it this morning, and now I've just got to do the little artificial tree we bought the other week.

    It's a bit damp and misty here still, but definitely warmer. A rather wet and windy Christmas Day is being forecast, but at least the roads will be safer for those travelling, than if it snowed.

  • Lovely card Lynette. Thank you.

    Another good one AQ. Thanks for that as well.

    Everything still to be done here. A lot of coming and going  for the next ten days.

    I must fish out that ancient Christmas tree and decs. The granddaughter will think they are antiques! I still have some of those old lights which Lindy mentioned. I have moved house with them several times. OG would be horrified. (I hope OG is just busy, and not unwell)