Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 7 April 2019

Thanks DIANE for starting our new week. Hey, we are finally getting some warm weather on our patch! Low 20s this week, but no rain expected. The country was looking dreadfully dry during our recent bus trips. This pic taken through bus window near Macclesfield in Adelaide Hills. That's grass, not crops.

Diane: Nature's amazing isn't it. Thanks for starting us off.

OG: I'm going to change the order in which I clean the house too - anything to make it more of a novelty.

Lindybird: Oh my Well, just in case Awful Cousin suddenly decides "What the heck, I'll just go anyway" I'd have a ready-made excuse why you wouldn't be available in that event. :-)

Today in our garden:  Orange blossoms; an early orange surrounded by blossoms (spot the bee). Also, our favorite Leucospermum cordifolium 'Flame Giant' - the bush and then a single bloom.

Meanwhile, our local news channel reported the sighting of a mountain lion in downtown Santa Barbara this morning! 

Good Morning. Thanks to Diane for beginning the thread again. Glad your weather has finally turned around.

Annette: lovely pics. What a beautiful flame coloured flower.

Lots of spring cleaning being reported: I sort of do it, but it's patchy. At present I'm trying to get started on cleaning down all our wooden doors on the kitchen cupboards. Other things seem to come along to get in the way!

Hoping for a quiet day today, after all our rushing around lately.

Quiet on here: everyone must be gardening, or else spring cleaning!

Here is a pic of the colourful crocus which appeared when spring first arrived:

I was pleased because some others I had planted, also appeared around some of the things in other tubs:

AQ: I hope you get rain. I know your region is at terrible risk of wildfires. That photo is powerful. I was also stunned by that photo that showed the awful topsoil drift (from your link). Good that the extremely hot weather is now breaking. I hope you can take some good bus trips.

Annette: Lovely photos. I'm sure those orange blossoms smell wonderful. They're so pretty. The flame giant is gorgeous. What happened to the mountain lion? Did they dart it and relocate it? I'm seeing increasing reports of mountain lions spreading into populated areas. Largely due to habitat loss, I read. I also read that the wildfires were hard on the mountain lions -- injuries to the cats, habitat damage... I feel sorry for them. You've been through a lot lately, make sure you don't over-exert yourself cleaning house. I know you'll feel better to have it done, but take it easy.

LINDY: Those crocuses are beautiful! I always appreciate that flower in the spring. I hope you can enjoy your quiet day; you've been very busy lately.

HEATHER: I hope maintaining the garden will be easier this year. Glad your son-in-law is back safely from Egypt. I know what you mean about eating and sleeping on your own schedule. I do that, too. I tend to be a night owl, though, and lately I've had to force myself to adjust my schedule so I'm in sync with the human world again.

OG: So glad that you're able to get outdoors and do some gardening! Wonderful that you're enjoying various tasks! I'm happy for you! Yay!!!

The American White Pelicans that spent a couple of weeks on the lakes near me have now gone. Flocks of them migrate through this area on their way back to Canada from the south coasts. Only in the last few years have they been stopping here. In the past, White Pelicans didn't migrate this far east. I'm not sure why they changed their migration path, but everyone here enjoys seeing them and looks forward to their arrival. They're impressive, with a 9-foot wingspan. 

No flowers here yet (except some hardy wildflowers in the two local state forests/parks). I have some daffodil patches that usually bloom (through no effort on my part), but none have appeared yet. They're late. The trees are still barren, no leaves yet. The tall hill that borders my land is still covered by old decaying leaves, so it's still brown, but the grass in the yard is turning bright green. I need to get out and pick up the winter brush and debris while I can still see it.

Take care, all.

Thanks, Diane: I have indeed had a quiet day, catching up with emails and photos this morning, and having a quick zzz this afternoon.

Glad my colourful flowers brightened your day, as you don't have any there, yet. I love, love, the White Pelicans, a fun bird who looks comical sometimes but who, as the description with them says, is a beautifully graceful flyer.

Our trees are now bursting into leaf and the garden birds are fiddling about under the bushes, looking for all the bits of twigs which the wind has brought down, to build their new nests. We still have lots of blossoms and our garden is quite colourful, although the daffodils are fading now. My OH bought some pots of tiny sweet pea plants for us to grow on and plant out later - our success with them seems to vary from year to year! - But I do love the scent.

So much for me making replies today! Sorry, folks.
Thank you DIANE for starting the week.
Today has had a mind of its own. The wind has blown a fence panel out, partially, The family have been phoning about various things and eldest daughter came to take me shopping
The damaged fence is a joint fence between me and the lady in Sheana's house. She isn't as bothered as I am about how things look ( newest addition to her back garden is an old sink unit with cupboards underneath) so I'm in for a struggle if I want a new fence.
Thanks for all your news. I'm sorry that I haven't got anything good to report! My stepson is trying to keep me cheerful about the rotten fence. He said ' Heather, relax. There aren't any sheep going to be escaping!' He also wondered if the old sink unit was some kind of bird bath....