Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 14 July 2024

HAPPY NEW WEEK!

I hope everyone has a good week.

The big female raccoon I told you about has 4 half-grown offspring. They don't seem to have any fear of me, and I'm trying to avoid them so I don't habituate them to humans.

I don't have any other wildlife stories. I've been indoors most of the week. The remnants of Hurricane Beryl hit Indiana with thunderstorms, flooding, and tornadoes. I'm fine, but it's been an ugly week.

Love and hugs to all.

  • Hello in the new week – a few replies to yesterday. 

    RUSTY – our problem with the garden now is OH finding time to do what two of us used to do.  I wish he would get gardener to do more of it – I would gladly spend a bit more to see it all tidy, not playing catch-up all the time. 

    LINDA – we haven’t had sweet peas for several years, and I am sorry to say some of the bedding plants are still sitting here in their nursery trays.  That Mallow is a lovely delicate shade of pink – I like Mallows.

     

    DIANE – thanks for the new week.  Is four a large litter for a Raccoon?  She obviously looked after them all when they were little!  I don’t think I was very surprised by the morning news today, and I too will refrain from other comment – just to say it was an ugly scene.

    CLARE – well-expressed comment!

    RUSTY – quite a lot of inland-nesting Gulls around here – we are almost on the coast, but they are inland too.  Amazing how birds can anchor nests around chimney stacks.  They also appear here when they come to tell us of an impending storm on the estuary!

    PAT – makes a pleasant change to see you looking forward to the drive - a lovely road in good weather, as I remember from holidays down there.  We had some rain this morning.  J went to his church, but unfortunately had to be brought home unwell – luckily just after we arrived home.  No symptoms – very wobbly – a general malaise!  He is fine now – been tackling his ironing!

  • OG:  It really does help to have a gardener.  Mine comes for only two hours every two weeks but it's enough to cut back the more aggressive shrubs, etc., and generally tidy up.  It gives me time to do upkeep on the other plants.  Good that J is over his wobbly at church.

  • If anyone is interested 4 tiger cubs were born  at Lonleat juts over a month ago.  Please google them and see how beautiful these are not to mention the stunning mother.

  • .

    Annette in SoCal said:
    I was aware of the event but felt my comments would be 'un-Christian' to say the least! 

    And here am I, bitterly, bitterly disappointed not to see all hell let loose... which was never going to happen.  All I will say is "You couldn't make it up".

  • Scylla:  Apparently the FBI is investigating a motive.    Um............

  • RUSTY – Perhaps sweet peas needed a new location as soil depleted?

    LINDA – Hospital is in city, about 20-25 mins away to drive but their car park is expensive. I use the free 4-hr car park in parklands (edge of city) and catch the free tram (free in CBD), coming every 10-15 mins. So it takes me about 45 mins to arrive. Why don’t you go with your OH to appts, so you can raise a rumpus on his behalf when ignored? For several years I have gone with my OH, otherwise I would not know what was decided. Or is it not allowed in UK system?

    ANNETTE – I was so tired after my outing to OH that I fell asleep on lounge after tea, waking to see a yellow cyclist being interviewed after 1 am (our time). And I wanted to see the Pyrenees scenery. Missed the tennis too.

    Another shopping dash this morn as hospital prefers those in the “wanderers” ward to dress in day clothes by day when they should be active and in pjs at night when they should be sleeping. I may have managed with minimal clothes, washing frequently, but not them. More ankle cuffs to cut off track pants & re-hem (he doesn’t like skinny legs which are the most available). More <insert sweary words> name tags. I did meet the Doc yesterday while OH & I were sitting in sunny window.

  • Annette in SoCal said:
    Apparently the FBI is investigating a motive.    Um............

    Jesus Christ.

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • Thank you DIANE. I'll have to Google raccoons as I know very little!

    I watched the tennis yesterday and enjoyed it - unusual as I'm not really a fan of sport. And soon the Olympic Games.....

    OG - I can relate to garden frustration. My youngest family are firmly in charge of my garden these days with help from the others when my son in law is working offshore. It's all shrubs now, with odd perennial plant popping up. My late OH was always looking for garden jobs and he kept most of the shrubs well pruned. Nowadays, a lot of them are getting too big, perhaps. It will be a long while, though before I employ another 'gardener '.- I sacked the last two as thought the charges were ridiculous. Plus, I knew the names of all the shrubs and they didn't,- you'd expect them to have that knowledge , wouldn't you? 

    I've just eaten the last of some lovely raspberries that my daughter got from a fruit farm . Better than supermarket ones, any day. Large and very sweet.

    Other things that I meant to say have vanished from my mind !

     

  • ANNETTE – We started this gardener for mowing only, and E-E seems reluctant to get him onto other tasks in the garden – meanwhile three beds are waiting to be tidied!  I think it would probably be the wife who would actually do jobs of that kind.

    AQ – here it is permitted to take a person along to medical appointments – but some running clinics etc are not pleased when we do!  Glad you met the doc – I hope he was helpful.

    HEATHER – didn’t watch the tennis, but I did see the last twenty minutes of the football – it was probably me that jinxed them!

    J seems to have no recurrence today of whatever happened yesterday.  He had a further ultrasound this morning – we think this was possible a communication error, the one his GP originally requested and wasn’t really needed as the previous emergency one was clear of obstructions!

    Our cleaners were back today – and I must admit the house does look cleaner this evening!

  • AQ - you are still in the early stages of writing things out for your OH. You must be finding it hard. Glad you met the doctor. It sounds as if you and your OH have a pleasant place to sit when you visit. 
    Re gardeners. I employ one just once a year and he comes with his chainsaw and chops/trims my bushes. He was unable to come this year as he had 2 cataract operations and couldn’t drive. I did it myself over several weeks and with many trips to the tip. It was tiring but satisfying. I see he is back at work as he is driving his van around now. 
    OG - glad J seems to be better today. What a worry for you. 
    Gull update - I was outside first thing waiting for my friends to arrive and the 2 adults were flying around and making lots of noise. When I looked up, a buzzard was circling overhead. It eventually flew off and the gulls settled back on “their” roof. 
    My friends and I went for a very pleasant walk around the zoo. There were lots of school parties there (end of term trips) but we know the quieter spots and actually saw a lot. We had lunch in their nice Bistro, walked a little more and came home just as the rain was starting. It is a thoroughly damp and miserable evening now. Where has summer gone? Was it ever here?