Weekly Chat, Sunday August 15, 2010

Wattles post at the end of the LAST week's CHAT must not be missed so I hope it's OK if I do my best to copy and paste it here.

Good morning/evening everybody!  Just popped in to do a quick catch-up on what's been happening with all of you while we wait for our favourite ospreys to depart.  No time to comment individually, except to sympathise with Dianne over the heat she is experiencing, and to say that I like my porridge THICK!

Re locust plague - we will get it!!!!  The numbers have been building up for a couple of years now.  Last spring we had reasonable rain, which softened the ground to enable lots of eggs to be laid.  In Autumn we drove through clouds of them whenever we took the car out, and by the time we were home again, the car would be dripping with locust juice.  The local birds were getting very bored with a diet of locusts.  At the moment the ground is very wet, so eggs will mature very quickly.  Our crops are coming on beautifully, so there will be plenty of food for the young to feast on.  Locusts can only be effectively sprayed before they are flying, at the stage we call 'hoppers'.  They march across the paddocks in 'bands', eating their fill as they go.  Aerial spraying can only be done out in open country, away from towns, so a lot are missed.

I thought you might like a couple of pics to cheer you up.  The first is a rainbow seen near our place the other evening.

The next is a group of red-rump parrots in our white cedar tree.  Can you see all eight?

Nope???  No, neither can I!  LOL!  the system isn't lketting me post the pic at the moment.  I'll try again later.

Yes!!!!!  OK, you sould be able to find 8 red-rump parrots in this pic. (Hint:  not all of them are brightly-coloured males.)  They are in a white cedar tree not far from my back window.

Correction:  If your eyes are good, you will find 9 parrots, and one crested pidgeon!  ;-)

I can only count 7 and the pigeon  :(

Got to go out now - ''see;; you all later.

Ha!   - feeling smug, as by pressing my nose almost upon the screen, I found all the parrots! That's started my day well!  Thanks, Wattle also for the beautiful rainbow.

Morning, All.

The sun is out here as well as I see, on the LG nest this morning.  Have such an exciting morning planned, which includes hanging out my 'smalls' upon the line at last, and going to the local Tip!  Must also get around the garden and feed all the things in pots - its a while since I got around to it and it certainly pays off:  my sweet peas are the best I've ever had, lots & lots of blooms so plenty to cut for the house (I do love the smell) and I got them all from one small tray at the garden Centre, which has now filled each of two large tubs with a tower of flowers.

This afternoon as a reward I shall sit in my favourite chair and peruse the Holiday brochures as we plan to give ourselves a break in late September.

Have a good Sunday...

Right.  Have been sitting here getting a 'numb bum'  trying to work out what I've missed/not replied to in the last couple of days...  here goes....

margobird:  hope you feel a whole lot better today, as you did seem to be over the worst yesterday.  BrendaH:   also hope your sis. in law continues to improve.  I think the NHS are wonderful, in the main, & the nursing staff are great.

patriciat:    Great news that your OH is getting the hang of his new mobility scooter - did laugh at Annettes description of his being like the dogs, though!

georgeg:   Good job, as someone said, that you found out about the problems with your heating before it gets to winter.  Hope it gets sorted out soon: at least it will not cost you anything, which makes a refreshing change.

dibnlib:    Smiled at your good 'smile' news!  hope it costs lots less than you first thought!  Thanks for that great osprey pic:  you can clearly see all the lovely markings on the underside of the wings.

Wattle:  Interesting about the locusts - saw them on TV a couple of times, doing their awful marching at the 'hopper' stage - like an invincible advancing army.  Hope you are not too badly affected.

Hope OG is enjoying her new cupboards, it makes such a difference when you  are able to organise them properly.  also, sorry to hear that Heather's  grandchild had had to be in A & E - not a great place to be at the weekend.  Hope all is well with her now, poor little thing.

Enjoyed Alans pics of the lovely Goldies.  My camera just will not capture them with enough zoom, so frustrating when we do get them as visitors, although not seen so many lately.  Will have to camp out in the garden, not moving for about an hour, one day!

ChrisyB:   not me going to Bassenthwaite, worse luck!   Have been there in the past, though.

Diane:  Sorry to hear about your poor hot little bunnies.  You are kind, trying to help them, but I don't think that has to extend to having them in the house! Hope your temps cool down a little, soon.

Annette:  I love to watch those films of the bears catching fish as they leap upstream. Always entertaining. Glad to hear that you had some 'me' time with just a book under the trees. Also, see you are enjoying the new TV!  - they are great for watching nature programmes.

Last night we saw a programme we had recorded of  'Natural World'  which was about Otters in the Marina at Monteray Bay, California.  Lovely film of a mother teaching her baby to swim, and how to catch & eat shellfish.  A bit sad in part, but a Happy Ending, so that was OK!

I like my porridge Thick, too!   Off now to attack list of Things to Do.  Have a good day, All, & sorry if I missed anyone out!

Good morning all and after posting I was feeling a little better yesterday things went downhill rather rapidly.  For the past 20 hours have been unable to keep food or liquids down and truly felt just awful.  Think if must be part of this awful cold.  I am feeling rather fragile and food is detinitely not top of my list at the moment but at least I can now sip some water.  Thanks for all your good wishes much appreciated.  Lot of lovely photos and lovely newsy posts which I have just caught up with.  Sorry I have not replied to each of you individually but will try and do better when I feel fully fit again. 

Have recorded the programme Lindybird has mentioned so look forward to watching that.   Original goldfinch loved the happy ending bear story, really lucky for it that they managed to catch it as otherwise it would not have lived much longer.

Have a good Sunday all.

Just a quick word to

Heather - hoping for good news of your little Granddaughter.

Margo - hope that was the beginning of the end of your cold, and not relating to last weeks tummy problems!  Keep well today.

Thanks original goldfinch I really didn't enjoy feeling like that and hopefully that was the beginning of the end of the cold. 

Heather hope your Granddaughter is OK.

Margobird hope you get well soon and hope Heather's GD is OK. My gas fitter turned up yesterday about lunch time with part for my central heating and it is now working OK

I also saw the docu about the otters and was amazed that were roughians as well tender otters in the wild. Another thing that I wondered about was how they only eat shell fish whereas the otters here also eat fish. The weather here is now sunny but this morning it was very foggy but the weather forecast for the rest of the week isn't very promising.

Alan what has happened to Dundee they haven't won a game yet this season a bit different from last year you will have to send Hamish up to chase them around during training.

Off to have some lunch now before taking SiL to hospital as public transport on a Sunday is rather scarce.

HEATHER  sorry to hear about your GD and what a dreadfully long wait she had at A&E. I assume that was Raigmore. I was much luckier although when you are in pain any wait seems far too long. Hope that she gets along OK and that nothing is broken. Poor wee girl.

Today I attempted a swim and managed about 20 lenghts very very slowly,(but at least I did not sink!!!!) Then went to Tiso for the most delicious bacon roll and latte.

HEATHER happy bunnies again today as we will be out in the swing seat with a book again. Supper tonight is a summery watermelon, prawn and avocado salad with warm potato and onion salad. Taking advantage of light salad meals while the weather is like this. Must admit I enjoy salads whatever the weather but when the weather is cooler OH likes to eat hot meals.

See the concensus of opinion on the main sight is that EJ will go tomorrow so whether that be or not I know we all wish them a safe journey and godspeed

Afternoon all,

Thanks for all the chat and pics. 

Margo: Sorry you are still poorly. Hope you will be better soon

GeorgeG : Terrible start to the season by Dundee after being the pre season favourites. I am not that happy with the new management team of George Chisholm and Dodds. Our away form is hopeless just like the end of last season when we threw away that 11 point lead. We did beat QOS at home but even in that game we had 2 players sent off. Things have got to improve or there will be no promotion again this season. 

Weather is much better today after last nights thunderstorm around 6pm. Watching Notts Forest and Leeds at the moment with Liverpool and Arsenal to follow later.