WEEKLY CHAT (non-osprey) SUNDAY MARCH 5 2023

Just looked and it's zero degrees here. Ugh.

Slightly colder than that here, LINDY. Only a dusting of snow on my garden this morning but more in other places.
I hope that DIANE is OK and that she will be able to get her roof mended this year.
OG - sorry about J, I hope that he will continue working. There is a chap across the road from me, age about 40 who lives with his parents and is hardly ever seen. He cuts the grass occasionally and I used to see him in Tesco from time to time, always with his father. He seems to retreat further and further each year into his comfort zone ie inside the house.. Very sad.

Forgot to say, ANNETTE - I googled gophers. Not sure that I would feel as tolerant as you :-)

Sunshine today, even though its such low temps - the poor plants will be confused.

OG - I am glad you and EE got out. I know what you mean about those half empty shopping malls. Not nice. So sorry to hear that J isn’t doing too well. It must be very worrying for you. I hope he does better once his car is sold.
Lynnette - going to the match will be quite an experience. It might be a bit emotional too. I hope you OH’s team wins in his memory.
Lindy - hope the car passed its MOT. I have just been to inspect my garden plants. They are enjoying the sunshine even though we had a dusting of snow this morning. I think we are due a much heavier fall on Thursday so they won’t be happy then. I have just seen a blackbird on my fence with a huge bunch of dried grass in its beak. They usually nest in a tree in next doors garden.
It was my sister’s actual birthday yesterday so we went out for ANOTHER - meal. This time to a tapas restaurant. It was excellent!!! Bit of a come down tonight. I have to cook for myself!!!!! LOL.
A friend and I went for a quick birdwatch to Parkgate this morning. We saw marsh harriers and a lovely kestrel, a great white egret and lots of little egrets plus 100s of pink footed geese. Strange to think that they will soon be flying all the way back to Greenland and Iceland.

Morning all:

OG;  Really sorry that J is going through another bad spell; it must be stressful for you and EE.  I do hope things settle down soon.    We have a large mall here where one of the 'anchor' stores closed down.  I gather 'they' are going to close down the other (last remaining department store in town) and plan to put up condominiums.

Rusty: Sounds like a busy and happy routine you have there.  Lunches here and there in between ogling the birds.  It's all go! :-))

Heather:  I did put down a trap once and caught a gopher, but ended up feeling sorry for it....  sigh.  Meanwhile, there's a string of bumps in the back garden documenting the critter's progress.   If things continue this way, I'll have to plant anything new in gopher-proof cages.

Lynette:  Enjoy the football match.  Wrap up warm?

Annette - Having asked Mr Wikipedia about gophers, I would certainly not want any in my garden! They eat plants from the roots up - now that really isn't fair. And they bite humans. And they lay waste to farmland and gardens. No, thank you! Our squirrels are bad enough ...

PatO: Hadn't realize they bite humans, but I suspect that's only when you'd stick you hand down a hole and they feel threatened. I agree eating the roots is bad form though! :-)

Just watched Spitfire on Amazon Prime.  All about those wonderful iconic plans, the very young men who flew them into battle against appalling odds and the young women of the Air Transport Auxiliary who flew Spitfires, Hurricanes and and other warplanes from factories to airfields. Complete with engrossing interviews with some of the surviving men and women.  A lovely documentary with some beautiful cinematography.