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!
Hazel b said: OG Facebook is the answer! :)
OG Facebook is the answer! :)
Thanks, Tiger!! Don't do FB myself. Used to use Bebo to keep in touch with a friend, but just rely on email now!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Happy Birthday Alan. Sorry, I am being very remiss with birthdays lately. Glad you had good weather and an enjoyable day.
Amazing the lengths people will go to rob cashpoints.
Wonderful birthday picture Diane.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data
Enjoyed catching up and looking at all the pics as always, they are great. Keep 'em coming. Hope you have all had a good day.
Just took this pic of Phoebe nest building:
Good evening Alan that is a lovely pic of Phoebe. Have been watching her and she is incredibly busy.
Margobird
So, Pungh0li0 has moved the camera for a really good view now that she has started in earnest. I don't know how she can weave with cobwebs in that fork in the bush without spiking her eyes on those thorns!
Another of the promised Steam Engines - No 65032 LNER A2 4-6-2 Blue Peter- named after a Racehorse. Built 1948 at BR Doncaster works. Recently repainted in original BR livery, but only on static display - "requires a major overhaul"!
Happy birthday Alan.
Saturday again already so soon? My busy social life continues. Tonight a family dinner at the River Cafe. Family being dau#1, fsil, in-laws, b'maids, g'men, & siblings. Newlyweds returned just in time. Invites were issued by b'maid2 (Miss 14). River Cafe is located on the banks of the River Torrens, beside a Par 3 golf course, overlooking the city. Yes I shall wear 2 parts of previous MOB outfit - at least get some use from the skirt & cami. http://www.rivercafe.com.au/
OH overheard neighbours discussing something "about that long" in their gardens. About the size of Lizarda, 35 cm. We wonder if she has left home after being harassed by Jasper, or is searching for a mate, or theirs is a mate searching for our Lizarda. One skink is enough. I don't want a family of them in my backyard. Oh dear, NIMBY syndrome!
Continuing weekend trip. More pics in Port Augusta Arid Lands garden. The first is a leafy tree whose hanging leaves caught my eye. The second had wee pink flowers perhaps pea-like. Sorry I can’t identify these first two.
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Spiny daisy (Acanthocladium dockeri). First collected 1860 by Burke & Wills expedition in south west NSW. Believed extinct until discovered at 4 sites in SA’s Mid North. Protected as critically endangered.
Witchetty bush (Acacia kempeana). Its roots are home to witchetty grubs, which are the larvae of the grey Cossid moth. This bush tucker food (grubs are lightly roasted) is said to taste like egg yolk & almonds. I’ll believe them!!! The seeds of the bush are also a food source.
A bottle brush (Callistemon) just starting to flower. OG - I don’t think that other one is a bottle brush - the flowers were quite small. I wish I’d had time to search for labels (I photo'ed those I saw), but we only had an hour and that included the obligatory coffee stop.
Hi, AQ, fancy meeting you! One more sleep before weekend for us! Enjoy the big family dinner – if Miss 14 issued the invitations, does that mean she is paying?!! Good opportunity to wear MoB outfit, I would say. Would be nice if Lizarda was not entirely alone – but how many in a litter of Skinks? Like the pink pea-like flowers on second bush – understand why ID is difficult, because everything has narrow spikey leaves to reduce water loss in the local climate. Bottle Brush I saw in Sheffield was same colour as yours, but with wider leaves, and I think there are others in the family.
Must have bedtime coffee and get some zzzzs!
Hi Everyone.Weather very wet this morning, and throughout most of the day. I know they're wild birds but I almost wished the poor birds had umberellas. Thankfully there was times when the rain subsided to deludge, giving the birds a chance to eat in relative comfort. Unlike a poor cat who found him/ herself under a conifer trying to shelter from the downpour. Normally they demonstrate the speed of sound when I open a door but this poor creature trudged out looking glum. I hope it took my advice and hid under a car until the rain calmed down a bit.Anyway there's many more mad ramblings from where that last part came from but that's for another post.Everyone: Sorry I've not been posting for a couple of days or so. I've enjoyed reading and viewing all the wonderful posts and stunning pics. Sorry to sound like a scratched CD or even a broken record but this group is wonderful and full of great people. Thanks to all.Right okay. Fasten your cigarettes and extinguish your seatbelts (I'm sure I typed that last line correctly). Here's the replies. Sorry it's only a few but everyone consider yourself recipiants of a virtual wave, nod, smile, or shout of: "Awright! How ye daein?" from accross a virtul street. A rough translation of the last bit is: "Hello! How are you doing?"Alan: A belated but VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!Diane: That's a lovely card you made for Alan. Ospreytastic!Linda: Sorry if this happens to be too late but have a brilliant holiday.Margobird: Sorry to hear your friends OH took unwell. I'm also sad to hear that your husband's friend passed away at such a young age.AQ: love the pics of the Aussie Magpies. Great looking creatures.I'm going to take a look at Pheobe doing some nest building. Thank goodness I bookmarked that webcam!Happy Friday!Paul.
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
Hi the mods on phoebes site think its a new bird to last year that this one is a young bird
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