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!
Diane: I don't think that link to the Writer's Blox game made it onto the blog...
George: I must've missed your post about your son's accident - is he doing okay?
Margobird: Super that the weather is good to you this year - enjoy yourself! I'm with you on the question of taking a lamb home - I'd end up keeping it as a pet.
OG: Yes, my sister and OH live about 20 minutes from Sleaford and my sister especially is thinking ahead to being closer to services. And yes, a buyer would be very nice indeed. Does your OH like Vista? Seems like it's not on the new machines. I do envy you growing up with all those lovely fresh veggies - don't know about austerity measures, but I had a bowl of fresh veg just the other night. I don't eat much meat at all. You must have your camera at hand all the time - you take such nice shots of all your feathered friends. "Old, short, fat and a bit stooped..."? Where? Who? I missed that; just saw our own dear OG.
TerryM: OMG, are you sure that's not a tomato in disguise. Amazing. My sister and her OH used to do a lot of rally driving in their youth - won a lot of prizes too. Bro-in-law was quite a whiz behind the wheel! I really appreciate that link to the Chesterfield parish church and have forwarded it to my OH. I'd shown him the original photo and he was fascinated, what with being a medieval history buff.
Off to sort through some old rubbish mail, catalogs, etc. Take care all!
Hi, I'm ba-a-ack!!! Apart from the washing and 3 incoming phone calls, I have not achieved much today. Oh I deleted a large no of dud photos - the ones I snapped through the (first wet, later dusty) bus windows of blurry trees, telegraph poles and missed whatevers. Tour was great as usual. Report maybe tomorrow as I still have to fold washing and kitchen is calling. How did it get to be late afternoon already?
OG - How nice to see you "in the flesh". Thank you for the pics.
Annette - So glad your g-dau is feeling brighter.
Diane - Maybe your dreams are telling you to slow down and relax? BTW are your shoes muddy in the morn?
Morning, Everyone. A bit dull and drizzly here this morning, but we hope it will clear up later. No time for gossip just now, as I have l o t s to do, so here is the Monday Smile for this week:
- - Sorry ladies, but they are all pictures of unfortunate events with ladies in charge of the car!!
- have a good week, everyone!
(ps. nice surprise to see margobird on here, on her hols!)
Good morning Lindybird and thanks for the Monday Smile. Good way to start the day. i brought the laptop with me this time and as my friend was not here last night because she has a hospital appointment early today, it is easier for her to go straight from home which is very near to the farm. Up but not showered or dressed yet, had some breakfast which I never have at home and will now be getting ready for my walk round the farm which covers a vast area. Taking lots of carrots for the horses and bread for all the chickens there are here. Will be going home with nice fresh eggs next Saturday.
Have a good day all.
Margobird
Glad to hear you are enjoying yourself, margo. Give the donkeys a pat for me!
I have put a poem on Poetry Corner this morning, it is not one of mine but by a clever lady who puts hers in the Daily Mail. Its under the title of 'The Wonders of Nature' - I thought some of you might enjoy it.
Morning all ... a bit grey and gloomy here ... but yesterday was lovely!
Thanks for the 'Monday Smile' Linda - loved the police car one! Don't 'busy' too hard :-)) Glad your son got your computer sorted.
margobird - great to see you on here on your hols! Have a great day wandering and feeding the animals.
OG - brilliant photos as usual ... love the grebes!
TerryM - lovely pic of the red fungus ... very pretty. I tried to ignore the calls of the vacuum, but it didn't work ... no HW fairies arrived to do it!
I was looking at the Irish tv website, RTE, this morning and there was an item about bringing in regulations to penalise people who use bait to poison animals and birds. These include a year in jail, €5,000 fine or both ... I suppose its a start, but will they ever catch anyone? This is the link to the item: http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1018/environment.html
Thanks to everyone for chat, pics etc
Take care
Joan - avid bird and nature watcher in Northumberland!
Index Thread
Lindybird. I love your Monday smiles as always. Are all you images from the Balkans?
Tiger Signature
Morning all,
Thanks for all the earlier chat and pics:
OG : Great waterfowl pics. Very similar to the ones we have at Barnwell CP.
Linda : Thanks for the monday smile, always appreciated.
Margo : Glad you are having a nice time on the farm. It sounds really peaceful.
Djoans : Thanks for the info on the increased penalties in Ireland. They have a deplorable record for setting poison bait. I hope all these red kites that are now breeding there will be safe. As you say , penalties are one thing but catching the perpetrators is another. We can only hope that some will be deterred.
Weather is bright today after earlier rain. Already had a couple of goldfinches on the feeders this morning. Not many other birds around apart from a pair of collared doves.
‘Morning, all – mixed cloud and sun here – some drizzle early on, haven’t checked temp. Yes, I did (unusually) see “early” today. I was up late last night compiling notes on conference for friend, then realised I also had to get up early for a delivery, which of course has still not arrived!
Terry – that fungus is very striking – I bet that means it is also horribly poisonous! Rally navigating sounds fun – sorry about the time penalty, but I’m sure you both enjoyed the event.
Lynette – still thinking of you and yours. Derwent Valley Mills (Matlock Bath to Derby via Cromford and Belper) is now a World Heritage Site – loads of investment, conservation and facilities – hope it can continue successfully. We were at Cromford for morning coffee last Monday, and the difference there is amazing.
Annette – OH is happy with Vista – but, like me, annoyed that they change so often. I haven’t really used his very much, but from what I have seen, a lot seems to be “change for changes sake”! Now the prospect of W7 with anything new – and they call it progress! (not really a Luddite – rant over!) Camera kit always goes in back of car on trips out – and wee one lives in the front for such things as the Chesterfield spire – I literally asked him to “throw me the camera” as we turned into that street! When I am using the scooter, it’s so easy to have my “real” camera in the basket on the front!
AQ – looking forward to the trip photos! Did Jasper welcome you back – or give you the cold shoulder (that’s assuming he and OH survived their weekend!)?
Lindy – thanks for smiles. Don’t overdo busy!! I hope your OH has not found any ill-effects from his falls last week.
Joan – sorry your weather is back to gloomy – will try to send you one of our sunny intervals, but I think they are heading further north than you!
Alan – one of our collared doves has returned, and some sparrows came in when they noticed starlings feeding this morning. I also saw a huge flock of starlings swirling by when I opened the curtains this morning.
Must finish that report – more photos when I have outsorted some rubbish ones!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Good Morning to you ALL,
There must be something in the air, as my husband has been cleaning my hard disc etc. I must admit, it is something he always does for me, but he decided this morning that I should know what he is doing ! It is surprising how much junk Google Earth leaves on your computer.
Margo, What a surprise to hear from you. So glad you have good weather and you are enjoying yourself. Waiting to hear about the new resident. I hope that the doctors are able to help your friend this morning.
OG, Beautiful bird pictures and well done on getting that photograph of Chesterfield's crooked spire, especially through the car windscreen.
George, How is your son ?
Terry, That fungi looks quite large. Lovely photograph.
Lynette, So glad the junior choir was a success, but noted how you needed a glass of wine later ! It must be so hard for you waiting for the phone call.
AQ, Looking forward to your latest report and photographs. You always seem to be so busy.
Linda, Thanks for the Monday smiles. I have to admit, I kept looking for a while at the lady on the scooter, before I realised what was wrong !!
Joan, As you say, good to hear about the new laws in Ireland, but they very rarely catch the offenders and it is so hard to prove.
Hope you are all able to enjoy today.