Hi everyone: And a good Sunday and rest of the week to you all. Don't forget to check the last posts of last week's chat for clever moving graphics from Tiger and Alicat (and maybe some others), pix of OG's friends' garden, late updates on one thing or t'other - and pix of my trip north! :-)
Weather these last few days are more like a not-very-nice English summer day. Unbroken gray skies, low clouds, and a constant soft drizzle. All very odd. On telly they were saying we had a couple of days of summer and now it's back to May Gray and June Gloom. Although tomorrow through Tuesday they're forecasting rain and possibly thunderstorms! A good day for doing inside stuff - like researching a new laptop. Spent ages reading about replacing the LED bulb in my laptop and it does sound a tad daunting: The Dell forum folks gave a link to a video, but you apparently - according to several folks who know - have to be "very, very careful." I didn't mind that but was especially put off by the news that the LED bulb (long and slender) was made of a very brittle glass that likely had lead in it, not to mention mercury. Also, do not have the tiny soldering iron or the special tape. Sounds like one of Alan's "Destroy It Yourself" projects! :-)
OG: Poor son with bad toe - definitely not a good time to develop problems - but ugh! - what a nightmare to find his new apartment so trashy. Just awful. So good of your OH to go up and check out the appliances, etc. Don't you hate it when "our" kids run up against this kind of stuff!
patriciat: I suspect there's more than one Mission San Miguel - wonder which one Lonnie Donegan (and U.S. artists) were thinking of. There is an old pueblo next to the mission I visited, which oddly has a Scottish name - The Rios Caledonia Adobe. According to the history page: In 1846 William Reed, Miguel Garcia, and Petronilo Rios bought the San Miguel rancho from Pio Pico, Governor of the Mexican Nation. Rios and his wife, Catarina Avila, had twelve children and moved into the adobe in 1851. In 1862 German-born Warren C. Rickard purchased the property from the state of California on a possession claim. In 1868 George Butchard named the adobe the Caledonia, a Scottish word meaning Scotland. He operated a stagecoach stop, tavern, and inn. According to local legend, Jesse James and the Dalton Brothers visited the inn.
Enjoyed reading all the posts; back tomorrow. Take care dear friends!
Lindybird Enjoy your holiday and enjoy reading "Return of the Osprey" by David Gessner. That is a book I have not yet read.
David Gessner has an internet site here. In the ealy days of his forum I post quite a lot there but her hardly ever comes on there :(
Tiger Signature
Good morning, all. Stay at home domestic day today – but no ironing pile!! Regular Robin is about now, and 3 Dunnocks all staying around. Goldfinches haven’t realised that Starlings are getting later and so they also need to time-shift to avoid the disturbance!
Picture for steam enthusiasts:
AQ – I was interested in Horrocks being buried in Penwortham – we lived near Penwortham in Lancashire, and Horrocks is a name associated with textile mills in Preston Lancs. Sure enough, I googled him and he was born at Penwortham Lodge near Preston, and founded Penwortham where he was buried! Interesting photos again – love your Sturts Desert Pea – so bright for such a dry habitat. Is the unidentified bush a Callistemon (Bottle Brush)? Wonderful Magpie sequence of photos!!
Diane –love the link to NASA JPL – thanks. Will also try “Listen to the Deep”. Are your invading Lady Beetles the same ones invading UK, known as Harlequin Ladybirds?
Annette – amazing how soon Whale count will start – and then …not so very long after … Ospreys!! Managed a brief glimpse of Phoebe last night UK time. Had a little giggle when I read, “on Phoebe’s site there’s a note” – had a picture of Phoebe pinning a note on the rose thorns at her nest site – sorry, I have a strange mind!
Lindy – hope the final preparations go smoothly and that you both really enjoy a relaxing and well-deserved holiday after all your recent exertions. We shall miss you.
Brenda – glad the move went well – hope you can have a quiet day today to recover, despite gas boiler man.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
ALL You might like to read The One Lucky Penguin thread. A penguin makes a great escape from thee killer whales.
Thanks for the link, Tiger - what an amazing story. Also for the link to the D. Gessner site - and another one to add to my long list of sites.
The sun has now come out and is drying my laundry, so the 'To Do' list is going well, here......
The Osprey Countdown Clock says only 154 days and 6 hours to go!!!
NEW BLOG FROM ALICE. ROTHES IS FINE.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALAN.
Alan Thanks for the info on the new blog, and happy birthday from me too!
Had a blustery day so far with high cloud and blue sky. Green and Gt Spotted Woodpeckers have visited, and starling are flying in with the fieldfare; goldfinches, greenfinches and blue tits on the feeders now.
OG I know what you mean about squirrels. They look very sweet and are highly intelligent, but I have to remind myself they are rats with fluffy tails!
DjoanS I love the rough seas at Tynemouth. I can "stand and stare" for ages at scenes like those.
AQ yes, I'm still learning too - I checked out George's reference to Elie - a beautiful part of Fife. Your botanic garden photos were certainly "arid". There is a well-known gardener, Beth Chatto, who many years ago dug up an overgrown wasteland near Colchester, Essex, The land was made up of poor gravel soil and boggy hollows and she and her husband turned it into a nagnificent garden. She specialises in drought resistance plants and although Colchester is in one of the driest areas of the UK, she never waters her plants. She is now in her 80s.
Margobird so sorry to hear your holidays have gone slightly awry, but even more sorry about your friend's OH health problems. I hope he makes a speedy recovery. Also very sad news of your OH's friend, and so young too. However, it sounds as though you will enjoy yourself with the animals, especially new meerkats!
Alan thanks for the Pale Male film trailer link - I wonder whether a DVD will be available idc. They are such attractive birds.
Diane You are not alone in thinking the NASA site "cool". Amazing.
Annette I was interested to hear you are involved with a Gray Whale Count - another Google search required to try to learn more of the Gray Whale, not a sp I have come across before, but presumably a Pacific mammal. Wow, just checked it out - up to 52ft. And apparently this year one was spotted in the Mediterranean, with much speculation that it travelled from the Pacific via the North West Passage.
Have a great holiday Lindybird and enjoy your osprey reading.
May brave the wind now, and try to plant some spring bulbs, planted randomly - ie throw them down and plant where they land! Tete a Tete daffs (small variety), English bluebells (I had some Spanish var given me and they really take over - advice to self, don't do it again!) and snowdrops.
Oh, and hello to any I have not singled out. No offence meant!
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Alan I seemed to have missed that it is your birthday, so rather late in the day I wish you a Happy Birthday.
Margobird
Hi Diane the card for Alan is just stunning. What a great close up.