Evening all: Don't miss the last couple of pages of last week's chat. Gary's been at it again, posting incredibly cute puppy pix!
OG: Yes, Los Carneros means "the rams" in Spanish; while La Patera (the original ranch that Los Carneros was on) is "the place where the ducks gather." In the 1700s, after the Spanish settled here, it was cattle country; then in the 1860s,about a decade after California became a state, folks from back East started bringing in sheep, which survived periods of drought better than cattle and whose wool was in demand by eastern and southern states during the Civil War when the cotton industry was decimated. Anyway, in the 1870s, the American family that owned Rancho La Patera planted the first commercial lemon orchard in the state (or the Goleta Valley depending on which source you read). I drive to Costco along Cathedral Oaks Blvd - which runs north of Lake Los Carneros - past huge citrus orchards and the remaining acreage of Rancho La Patera. As for the vineyards, they're over the hills behind Santa Barbara in the higher, dryer Santa Ynez Valley. All very complicated.
Gary: Never been to Yellowstone - was heading that way one October but an early snowfall blocked the Western entry so had to "make do" with Grand Teton National park. Sigh. If you're looking for somewhere to stay, you can always visit TripAdvisor and read everyone's reviews of the options.
OK guys, off to do a crossword and watch some rubbish on telly. Take care ALL.
Good morning Brehda H I guess you have probably left for Gatwick now but hope you have a safe journey and plane arrives on time.
Hope you manage to contact your cousins soon as you must feel quite worried. It seems as though this flooding is never ending for these poor people. I watched news where they showed people building barricades in the hope of keeping their properites safe. It must be like sitting on a time bomb for them at the moment.
Margobird
Good morning Lynette and once again thanks for the pics. The one you captured of Phoebe last night is just lovely, her colours are beautiful.
Lynette I am trying to be strong and do so with the help of all the people on this blog who have been so kind. Have told my sister about everyone wishing her well too.
Have spoken to her this morning and she has decided to have the radiotherapy. they have warned her that it may not work but she is being so positive I feel I have to be that way too. Have said we will be going to see her again, probably after her 10 days of treatment. She has an appointment on Thursday to be measured up for the face mask and treatment should start once that is made. I really admire the way she is determined to fight this dreadful disease and she knows the family are supporting her all the way.
Thanks Heron 77 for your kind thoughts and what a wonderful close up of the eagle.
Good morning original goldfinch pleased to read that your Pastoral Assistant gave an enjoyable sermon. Hope tne new Minister will be successful. Seems so sad now when so many churches now eo not have their own ministers but instead have to share with other churches.
Pleased you manage to sort out birthday presents and that your OH has now found a box of the right dimension.
OH has said to me that I must not make myself ill with worry but as I have said in a previous post, if she can be so positive at this time it is up to me to be the same and give her all the support that she will need. Have spoken to her this morning and she is really positive and says she will give this disease a good fight.
Unknown said: The importance of egg rolling: http://friendsofblackwater.org/wordpress/eagle11/2011/01/23/egg-rolling-and-eagles/
The importance of egg rolling:
http://friendsofblackwater.org/wordpress/eagle11/2011/01/23/egg-rolling-and-eagles/
Thanks Alan for the above link.
Good morning Lindybird and thanks for the Monday smile, great joke.
Your Sunday lunch sounds delicious and nice when you find somewhere that is good. We have a lot of pubs round this way who do a very good Sunday lunch and all give good value for money. Glad you spoilt yourself with meringue, definitely one of my favourites topped with cream and berries.
Good morning ALICAT thanks for the link to the video of Lily and family. This is always my first port of call in the mornings. How wonderful to be able to see what goes on in a den when cubs are born.
Good morning All I have not mentioned in previous posts. Hope you are all well.
Bily Whizz is much in evidence this morning. He seems to think he is a ground nesting bird. We were looking out of our bedroom window yesterday afternoon and saw him in the one of the flowerbeds. He has found somewhere else to sleep and it appears this is his new "home". He has made what looks like a nest and when I looked early this morning he was fast asleep. He has been for food and milk a couple of times already but then goes back to have a sleep in his new place. It is well sheltered and unless you knew he was there is very hard for anyone to see him as he blends in so well with the foliage around him.
Plenty of birds around but they do not seem so frantic for food now it has warmed up slightly. Maybe I won't have to go and buy more this week.
Hope you all have a good day.
Morning all and happy Monday. Chilly start here. -20 with a wind chill of -27 (C not F) probably not as cold as Diane!
Linda, had a large chuckle at the joke, thanks:)
I'll be back later to catch up but wanted to say to Margobird that I hope the treatment goes well for your sister. Positive thoughts are so important:) Hope it goes OK.