HAPPY NEW WEEK!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week. I thought I'd start the thread, because Annette is traveling.
I'm posting this photo (a National Park Service photo), because I was astonished to see a Scarlet Tanager eating small red berries in my garden this evening. These birds migrate to the tropical rain forest just east of the Andes in South America. It's been fairly cold here in my area, so this species should be long gone from here. I guess the one I saw this evening was a late migrater. I felt quite blessed to see him, and I wish the little fella well on his long journey. I hope the berries were good for him.
Scarlet TanagerIndiana Dunes National Lakeshore, northern IndianaU.S. National Park Service photo labeled Public Domain (Copyright Free)
Hello Everyone.
I have enjoyed all the photos, including Diane's start to the week.
I know Wales is very scenic, and am familiar with the places which Lindy visits from when we lived near the border.
Lovely to be reminded of the lovely coast and countryside.
I continue to be fascinated by A Q's travels and photos.
Sending best wishes to OG.
The building work downstairs continues, unfortunately. My kitchen worktop has sunk a little and has parted company with the splash back, and a cupboard door underneath is sticking when opening and closing. We have complained!
We had booked to see High Society at a local theatre on Tuesday, but the evening went pear-shaped. My OH became unwell while we eating a pre theatre meal in a restaurant , and ended up in an ambulance. He is better now, but it takes a few days to get over these episodes.
I also saw the news report about tracking whales. Thought it interesting and a good thing.
Regards to all.
AQ: Yes, giggling heralded the tween group here too.
Lindybird: Lovely shots of a lovely peaceful coastline, but what else did I see? A mention of rhubarb crumble? Is there any left? Glad you had a good visit with friend.
Diane: Thank you - I looked at the whale link and forwarded it to Michael (our gray whale count guy). Very interesting - and amazing. (Makes me wonder what the military types can see when they're busy surveying people.) FYI, I've just finished Woodward's book - less a continuous narrative than a collection of anecdotes around specific themes. I can't imagine it was easy to organize. Also just halfway through Comey's book, which is turning out to be fascinating with the behind-the-scenes stories of the Ashcroft hospital visit re the "torture" policies and the Clinton e-mail business. As yet no mention of his encounter with the Orange Menace, which is all we heard about on the media.
Sorry the building work is affecting you, Rosy. How annoying.
Annette - Hope you've rested after all your travelling. I made a whole batch of crumble mixture, with demerara sugar in it, and took some of the results to G, as she has found that whilst on the chemotherapy she only fancies things she doesn't have to chew much, so fruit crumble goes down well. I made a large crumble with what was left, using tinned peaches, and my OH has demolished a large part of it.
As they said that they can see the fins on the whales in the ocean, in those satellite images, I did wonder how much can be seen of human activities. There was mention the other day that it's been observed in China that they have built what look like prisons in areas where some people are being persecuted for their beliefs.....
Unknown said: Diane: Thank you - I looked at the whale link and forwarded it to Michael (our gray whale count guy). Very interesting - and amazing. (Makes me wonder what the military types can see when they're busy surveying people.) FYI, I've just finished Woodward's book - less a continuous narrative than a collection of anecdotes around specific themes. I can't imagine it was easy to organize. Also just halfway through Comey's book, which is turning out to be fascinating with the behind-the-scenes stories of the Ashcroft hospital visit re the "torture" policies and the Clinton e-mail business. As yet no mention of his encounter with the Orange Menace, which is all we heard about on the media.
Annette: Glad you enjoyed the whale article. I think the spy satellites can provide images of pretty much everything. I had thought I would like to read Woodward's book, but I made a decision tonight to avoid political material for a while, at least through the election. I was becoming too afraid all the time. I am deeply fearful that the people in power will gut and end social security. I don't know what I'll do if that happens (I'm 61). I just had to accept that I can't control the future.
Diane: I don't think they'd have a chance of gutting Social Security; Lord knows several Administrations have tried to privatize it - without success. It's like a red flag to a bull as far as seniors are concerned. Also, you may have heard that current Republican candidates are boasting that they're all for covering pre-existing conditions in the ACA, (which they've all been trying to repeal) because it's so popular among voters. I'm watching the pre-election coverage but don't trust any polls....
Good Morning. You're certainly right in not trusting in any polls, Annette -- -- they've been spectacularly wrong here in the past. I see the Orange Menace is spouting again, as if a crowd of elderly people, mothers and children marching up to the borders are as dangerous as troops with cannons and tanks! He seems to live in a different world to the rest of us.
Frost all over the UK here, winter has arrived alright.
Going to continue doing housework today, and sorting out my summer clothes to see what else can go to the charity shop. It's hard because some of my favourites don't fit me: if I throw them out it's money wasted, and I won't have an incentive to lose some of that weight. As I get older it gets harder to just diet it off.
Lindy - I have two months before I go on my cruise, and I would really like to lose a bit of weight before I go! I have lost over a stone in the last six months or so, but now seem to have reached a plateau - need to find a way to restart the after-burners!
Well done, Pat! I've had to "watch my weight" for most of my adult life, even though I was a very thin teenager, and only weighed 9 stone and a bit at my wedding, 45 years ago! I'm not huge now, but if I lost 2 stone I would be ecstatic, and much healthier. I began to lose weight this summer ready for our recent cruise, but in the end put it all back on as I comfort eat when stressed, and have naturally been upset by the illness of my good friend.
I find nowadays that the best way is to go for tough measures, and going on the 5:2 diet where you near starve for 2 days a week, and then eat sensibly for the other 5 days, works for me, although I know that this is not for everyone.
Having a bit of a "sit down", having been extra busy today. I rushed out and bought two large plastic containers, so that I could sort out and put all of my summery clothes into them and then hide them in our tiny loft space for the winter.
Another bag now ready for the charity shop!! - I don't think there will be any more for a while, though, as I've had a really good sort out. Wearing my halo now.....
The sun came out, too, and melted away all of the frost on the hedges and lawn.
Give that halo a polish, Lindy - good that your local charity shops will benefit from your sorting out. I really need to do the same … but never seem to have the time and the energy at the same moment!