Weekly Chat, Sunday September 26, 2010

Good afternoon george g.  Thanks you for the photographs, what wonderful scenery.  Lucky you going on a goosewatch, hope the weather is reasonable for you.  Hard to imagine 3,000 geese all at once, must make a lovely noise.

I agree it is good weather for putting washing out on the line.  We have not had a frost here in Poole but it has been pretty chilly with the cold wind.  So nice of you to take SiL and her sister shopping and I hope she is coming to terms with her loss.

Chloe B love the pic and caption I think that is probably what all my sparrows say plus Tiger's comment about the cat.  We moved into our bungalow over three years ago and have always had an abundance of sparrows.  Love watching them they are such cheeky little birds.  Nice to know that work has been carried out in places to encourage them back.

Thanks margobird. I used to get more goldfinches and greenfinches but there have been less of them this year. I don't think it's because of competition from the sparrows as they are feisty little things, as you no doubt know. I could get flocks of 20+ descending (I have plenty of feeders in and around my apple tree) but now I see less than a dozen at a time.

Good Evening Folks.

We met our daughter today for a late lunch, as she didn't finish work untill 8am this morning ( started at 7pm last night ). Gave her time for a sleep, then we went to a restaurant before she returns for a repeat this evening. We had a phone call from our son in China. It has rained every day since they arrived, although they seem to be enjoing themselves. They did complain about a 14 hour train journey, which Son described as, "Frankly, disgusting!! " We await his e-mail to explain. They have now joined their ship, for a cruise down the Yangtze.

Margo, It hasn't been a day for hangimg out the washing here today. It has been rain or drizzle most of the day and is still raining now.

Annette, Not too long to wait for your Mother/Daughter holiday. I think you must really feel in need of such a break and certainly deserve it.

AQ, I would love to hear how they solve the Speaker's appointment problem. Sounds like a stalemate situation. Love your photographs and the comments. Has your daughter's luggage caught up with her yet?

Gary, Good to hear you are enjoying yourself in Vermont. Don't forget the photographs.

Auntie, So glad your book has arrived earlier than expected.

OG, Edinburgh sounded like a very full day, but obviously interesting and enjoyable, followed by another full and busy day today. Sorry you have heard of another death. I am sure he was glad to return home for their anniversary, but so painful for your friend now. I see parts of the Highlands got to a -4c last nignt.

Diane, Brilliant photograph of 'Heavy Plant Crossing and some of the comments were so amusing. I also felt rather queasy when I watched the man climbing the mast !

George, Thanks for your beautiful photographs. That is an early start for you, so that you can attend the goosewatch but I am sure it will be worth the effort. Just remember the breakfast waiting for you when you arrive.

Chloe, lovely photo of the sparrows and the funny caption. There are sparrows in all the hedgerows around here but very rarely see them in the garden, although one pair did have four consecutive nests in one of our bird boxes this year.

 Thanks for all your news.

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I'm back  - in a hurry, too, as that new Costume Drama starts tonight on ITV at 9.00pm.   Put some shirts on the line this morning & they were still damp this afternoon, as they had just hung there without moving, no wind at all today. 

Thanks to AQ for more interesting pics, I love to see them all.  Also those from georgeg - what lovely scenery and in the sunshine, too!  Nice to see auntie popping in to see us.

Diane:  Enjoyed (I think!) the video of the enormously high climb - what a height!   Our dog is probably going to be upset about the kennels, unfortunately - he had been moved around a lot before he came to us as a rescued animal, and hates to be left,  so its doubly upsetting for us to have to leave him there.  He looks sad as soon as he sees me packing up the cases.  On the other hand, all dogs are not the same & my friend has two cocker spaniels who absolutely love going, to the same kennels!

Annette:  Pleased to hear that you are going to take a little break away.  You've had a busy year one way and another.  It sounds a bit hot there: I go limp when its like that but can stand it if I keep in the shade and its not too hot at night time for sleep.  Jealous that you are already on the new McCall Smith series, I've not got any of those yet.  Did you enjoy it??

Sorry to hear of your friends husbands death, OG, it sounds rather sudden for them.  Nice that they could at least celebrate their anniversary together. Enjoyed reading about your trip.

Loved the sparrows, Chloe!   Funny caption - just how I would think of them!  They are such perky little things. We had a decline for a few years, and now this year found when we did the Big Garden Birdwatch that we had a lot more than we used to have, happily.  Perhaps its partly due to my feeding them more each year - we keep adding to the feeders we have.

Nice to think you've reached the end of the laundry, margobird!

Must go now - aaargh! can't get rid of the bold type!!!

George G. Love your picture of the Forth Rail Bridge. That is my favourite bridge in all the world. It is so wonderfully constructed and so amazingly over engineered. The over engineering was almost certainly a response to the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879.

There is a similar bridge in Canada but if fell down twice during construction.

Hi everyone.

Thanks for strating the new thread Annette.  Can't beleive we're now in the final quarter of the year already.  It doesn't seem that long ago we were all watching the LG youngsters getting bigger by the day.  A slight frost this morning so I guess it'll soon be the start of the regular fight with bird bath ice and frozen outdoor tap, and shed locks.

Tiger:  Thanks for the links to the Osprey pics on last weeks Weekly.  Stunning images.  :-)

Annette:  Hope your daughter has a nice birthday on October 3rd.  I hope you have a great time in the Sierras.

AQ:  Here it tends to be sports commentators that jinx the outcome, rather than political leaders.  Often it's a case of a football (soccer) commentator saying: "Well this defender hasn't put a foot wrong today." followed a few minutes later by:  "Oh no! he's put the ball into his own net!"  Nice pictures.  Thanks for posting them.

Diane:  Thanks for the videos.  I don't think I could climb up that tower.  Unless I suddenly developed the ability to fly.  LOL.  

OG:  That must've been some sight having 70 Starlings visiting you.  A couple of weeks ago I counted 50 one morning.  :-)

Linda:  Thanks for posting the Richard Le Gallienne poem.

Margobird:  My birthday is actually on 15th October.  Not that there's  much difference between the 3rd and 15th but the 15th is 12 days closer to the start of next years Osprey season.  I'm so glad to hear you've finished the marathon of post holiday washing.  You must be mightly relieved.  :-)

TerryM:  Hope you enjoyed the study of Brahms' 4th Symphony.

George G:  Thanks for the stunning pictures.  Such brilliant scenary and the Forth bridge is a marvel of engineering.

ChloeB:  I'm so glad the House Sparrows have started visiting your garden.  I get quite a lot of them and they are great little characters.  Thanks for the brilliant pic and great captions.

Brenda:  I hope you had a nice lunch with your daughter, and hope your son has a nice time in China.

A happy New Week and a Happy Sunday to everyone.



Paul.

Safe home after a good day - got here about 11 pm.  Had a quick read but will "talk" tomorrow - a stay at home day.

Diane - Tall tower climb. Ugh, that’s a job that takes a lot of nerve . . . or maybe a lack of imagination?

OG - Thanks for Edinburgh report. We have "Cross winds" here too. Then there is that road sign with a wiggly line to indicate several sharp bends ahead - I mutter "snake on road ahead". LOL

Linda - I must post Richard LeGallienne’s poem above my computer, nay, on broom cupboard, ironing board, kitchen, all of these?

Margo - I’m starting to wash jumpers!!! Today it was already 13 C at 7 am. Lovely fine breezy day for 2 loads of washing, some held over from last week. Weatherman threatens showers so I must watch in case he is right. It is so warm, I was pegging washing in bare feet on the lawn. Ah freedom.

George - Thanks for great pics. Some years ago a friend’s young son was disappointed when they crossed the Forth Bridge that it was flat. He expected to go up and down the arches!!!

Chloe - Our sparrow numbers dropped a few years ago but there are a few about again. Love your captions.

Brenda - Newlyweds’ luggage turned up. I don’t know details - Dau#1 says I should be on Facebook. But I haven’t got time to learn something else!!!!I

Greetings to everyone else. I must vacuum while cat is under bed (after washing machine noise).