HAPPY NEW WEEK!
I hope everyone has a wonderful spring week! I chose this photo for the week for a reason. The last time I went to town for groceries and supplies, I stopped to take some items to my relative who broke her hip. I arrived home very late. I was unloading the car in the darkness, barely able to see with a torch (flashlight), and suddenly I heard a booming loud call, "Who cooks for you! Who cooks for you all!" That's the call of a Barred Owl! The sound was coming from a tall tree on my creek levee.I was just about finished getting everything inside, when the bird called again. This time, he made his "monkey call." Barred Owls can make a wild series of calls that sound just like a big, loud primate. Seriously. Many years ago, we had a Barred Owl pair nesting on this patch, and my Mom swore we had a Bigfoot living in the woods! I was so happy to hear the big owl, and I hope he stays!Barred Owl (Strix varia)U.S. National Park ServicePhoto labeled Public Domain (Copyright Free)
Good Morning, and Thank You to Diane for starting us off again, and for her lovely story of the Owl, but most of all, for the gorgeous picture of the Barred Owl! Love him!
Sunny and bright here, with the promise of more to come over the next couple of days for most, although alas, Dumfries & Galloway was mentioned in the forecast this morning as possibly not having so much brightness in the sky, OG.
I hope everyone has a good week.
Diane - what a lovely welcome home from your local Barred Owl. I do hope he becomes a permanent resident nearby and that you hear him often.
Lovely and sunny here this morning, with cloudless blue sky. We really need this after a long, cold and wet winter. Everything is looking so lovely and fresh - and my choisia smells wonderful!
Happy Bank Holiday weekend to everyone.
Thanks to DIANE for the new week and the picture. So good that you have the Barred Owl on your land -although not sure what the other Raptors will think of him!
LINDA - not too worried about lack of really bright sun - just relieved that we are still dry so it is easier to go outside! All 3 of us are going to church together this morning; OH is on projection duty again, but seems to have got the laptop and projector communicating with each other when he tested them together yesterday, after a week spent "cleaning up" the church laptop at home.
PAT - was overwhelmed by the Choisya scent at the garden centre this week - sadly, not compatible with hay fever! I meant to say yesterday, if you do come up this way to visit Caerlaverock again, we would love to meet up with you - we are only about 9 miles away!
We are so pleased with our Daughter's marriage - I thought all along that the quiet wedding would be the better option: the plan for July was way over the top! I am still in her bad books for speaking to her ex at our Granddaughter's (his Niece's) 18th in February, but still hope to build bridges now she might be feeling more settled. It is so sad that she has isolated herself from the family. Thanks for all the comments - and WENDY, I will reply later to your message.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Dry here but very overcast and the wind has changed direction. Very disappointing!
OG- I tried to reply to your post last night but the whirly thing just kept whirling and nothing happened. I'm happy that your daughter bit the bullet and did the deed quietly. From what I understand, the last two family occasions were somewhat marred by her negative feelings about her ex. I'm more than happy that you won't be put in an awkward position.
Thanks, DIANE for getting us going and for the owl picture and story. Lovely!
Not sure what I will do in the garden today. I started filling in the pond and in the wee small hours realised that I hadn't organised any drainage.....
Enjoy the sunshine, those who have it (!) - our turn will come, I'm sure.
I hope you understand my meaning, OG - I just thought that relationships in the family had been a bit strained lately for one reason and another.
OG - Thank you for the offer to meet up when I next cross the border. Sadly, I don't think I'll make it this year ... I have friends just outside Dumfries so come quite close, having popped into the M&S Outlet shop at Gretna! I'll let you know when I'm next in the area - which is about 450 miles from home! And thank you for correcting my spelling of Choisya. I'm no gardener, but do enjoy looking and sniffing - and feel really sorry for all hay fever sufferers at this time of year.
DIANE I do hope your barred Owl makes your area his permanent home. glad he gave you such a welcome home.
I hope the sun came out for you, Heather.
It's been bright here, and I put up a large garden sunshade which we were given by the family of the gentleman who died next door, when they were clearing out the house recently. It's a lovely wooden one but very heavy. The house is now for sale and we're wondering how quickly it will sell, and who we will get as new neighbours, now. Both of the houses on each side of us have been sold twice since we came here, in spite of most of the rest of the road being unchanged.
I was intending to do some gardening, but instead washed some sweaters and cleaned around the kitchen. I sat under the umbrella after lunch reading a book I started when in Wales -- "Major Pettigrews's Last Stand' which I think Annette said she had enjoyed - I'm certainly absorbed by it!
LINDY The weather certainly did improve for us and for most of this afternoon we basked in nice warm sunshine. Must look up that book you are reading.
LINDY- as DIBNLIB said, the sun did eventually appear here!
I was pottering about in the garden, just doing some hand weeding. Then my neighbour emerged. She can't be outside without the accompaniment of loud music and so half the road was listening also :-(