Welcome to another week. Do check back lest you miss the pics of many and varied birds plus a certain Toffee. And lots of news of course. Diane had another thunderstorm.
Diane - Uncontrollable children in olden days. Children were sent out to "service" as young as 10. Of course they ran away, thus breaking "Masters & Servants Act". Probably broke other laws as humans do. There were probationary school from which they also ran away. I found some twigs on my family tree who were regularly in trouble with the law - for playing the wicked game of two-up in pubs! Their 13 year old brother went one better (ahem), he broke into a school.
Patriciat - So sorry your OH has fallen again. Don’t worry about moaning to us. We do understand. I’m sending blue skies and healing thoughts to your house.
Our spring bulbs are appearing - confused by the unseasonal rain a few weeks ago. Poor things, there’s another possible 3 weeks of hot weather (34C so far today) and winter rains are not usual until May.
Whoo hoo. Less than 3 weeks to OR Day (Osprey Return day). I wonder what soap opera saga they have for us this year!
Morning all: Forgot to welcome back Valc - good to see you back in the neighborhood! Assume Finicky must be on another thread - but Welcome wherever he/she has alighted!
Trish: Major sympathies re dishwasher - you don't by chance have a leak anywhere that would account for higher water billls?
Margobird: Did they ever find out what happened to Lola? That's like Lady disappearing.... :-( Must check that site.
Brenda: Transfer to Geneva sounds exciting. May I ask what field d-i-Law is in?
Tiger: Thanks for link to Belle's trip. That's truly impressive. What a bird!
Heron: Thanks for traffic vs. Blackbird score (Go Blackbirds!!) Don't worry about long post; sometimes it's "now or never" especially when there are so many posts. Not sure I'll be able to keep up at this rate!
dibnlib: What a lovely story about Fingal.
Boo. Just got e-mail from whale guy saying today's count is cancelled due to gale warning in the channel. :-( Certainly breezy out there right now, but sunny... Take care all.
Thank you Annette. I have been around and read a lot of the Forum but just didn't have time to read all of it! Sorry about that, it gets quite lengthy sometimes!!! However, I am ready and waiting to watch the nest again! Won't be long now!
Annette no it's not due to a leak as we haven't yet got a meter though I have now put in a request for one. Our water bill is based on the rateable value of the house but the bill has gone up £40 since last year and about £200 in the last 6 years. I hope a meter will make a big difference when we get it as there are only the 2 of us + a dog of course.
Super sunny day up here on Speyside today but the wind did take a bit of the warmth out of the sun. Pleasant trip to Inverness to go to the gym. Having sessions with a personal trainer to try and help my back problem (sciatica). She really puts me through the ringer but I think we are getting somewhere. Came back via Elgin as I needed food for my pheasants, they were sharing my wild bird food but the Brigadier seems to have rounded himself up quite a harem this year and it was becoming expensive. So they have got mixed grains and I am sure they sulked for a couple of days but now seem happy or grateful for what they have got.
Trish have lost touch with water bills as ours comes out of the hills from our own spring. It tastes delicious and is FREE. Anything free always tastes so much nicer.
Thanks for the weather warnings about more snow in the area...with my snow tyres coming off I will just drive with care.
Yes Margo I am excited about my trip down south as I have not seen my girls for 5 months. First stop is Bath catch up with eldest and do some retail in one of my favorite cities. Pleased you have sorted out Billy Whizz's catering whilst you are away.
Rescue story of bald eagle that fell from the sky:
http://www.daggerpress.com/2011/03/06/he-fell-from-the-sky-rescuers-come-to-aid-of-bald-eagle-injured-on-route-40-in-edgewood/
Pic of osprey on panama city cam:
ALAN Thanks for the Bald Eagle story. Just goes to prove we shouldn't lose faith in humanity. there are a lot of good caring people around and thanks to a lot of people thius Bald Eagle will live to tell the tale!!!!!
dibnlib So glad your family in NZ are OK. It's such a worry when there's trouble near family who are a long way away.
Thamks to all for good wishes re OH. Unfortunately he fell again yesterday while I was at church and had to lie where he fell until I came home. Then I had to phone B-i-L for help to lift him. OT is arranging a home visit to assess his abilities and needs - i don't hold out much hope of anything useful! He can't use a walker as doesn't have any use of left arm.
Saw first wood anemone when walking dogs today - makes Spring seem nearer.
Gary What a super picture of Miss Toffee. She is a little stunner. I had Nell and Tweed at the vet this evening for Kennel Cough vaccination. A lady came in with a large cage containing 5 working cockers, 6 weeks old. 3 black and 2 lemon - there were many 'oohs and aahs'in the waiting room.
Tiger Sorry about your gallstones. They are so painful. i had my gall bladder removed many years ago and haven't missed it.
Wattle So glad you are back - we missed you.
Alicat Beauly is a lovely little town, with a ruined priory. Used to have a 'Highland Tweed House' with wonderful country clothing. Don't know if it's still there.
Trish3 and Heron In Northern Ireland 'gubbed'is a vulgar way of saying 'punched in the mouth'. Who says we all speak the same language!
Well, finally caught up with all your news.
AQ - thanks for the link for the Great Ocean Road. Its seems to be blowing hot and cooler at present, now back to hot for you.
Alan - great closeup pics of the falcon.
Dibnib - thats what I forgot yesterday - so pleased to hear your relatives in Christchurch are OK. Heard on the news that it was going to cost billions to rebuild and at least 10 to 20,000 homes have been destroyed if I heard right.
Patricat - you seem to be having a bit of a rough time with OH - do hope that a proper assessment is done for his sake and that you get the help that is so obviously needed.
I'm not sure who Finniky is but welcome to them.
Did the usual chores this morning and then spent most part of afternoon looking for loose covers for the lounge suite. Decided we need some to cover the mess that the cats have made - clawing at the sides. Have a rep from Plumbs coming tomorrow to give us an estimate but may have found a site through google which seems a little cheaper. Will have to wait and see.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Morning: housework. Afternoon: gardening. Dinner in oven. Made quite an impact in the garden today. OH painted the bit of deck he washed a few weeks back – first time the wood has dried through. Then he prepared plot one of the two veg raised beds. He’s put the cold frame over one end to try to raise the temp a bit for salad crops. I planted seeds and cuttings in the greenhouse, and it now smells wonderful in there with damp compost in the propagators.
That was earlier and never posted, now on to replies!
Thanks for all the posts. There is a real sense of anticipation in the air with only days now before we can expect EJ and Odin, and all our other Ospreys.
AQ – poor Jasper does look sorry for himself – doesn’t look half the little monster who disrupted your lives when your Daughter was away! I hope they get a diagnosis soon.
Lynette – don’t think Ministers should stay too long in one place – our previous one started thinking of a move after about ten years here, and I think that’s about right. Difficult for those with children in education to move around, I suppose, but plenty of other folk have to manage it.
Alicat – Beauly isn’t far from where our Dau#2 lives – very nice. We shall be near there for part of our April break – great camera shop too!
Annette – your Granddaughter has done well with her licence refresher. I hope all goes well with the last part of her pregnancy. Sorry no whale count today.
Trish – sorry about the dishwasher – hope there will be some simple solution.
Margo – Son’s Doc appointment is not until Thursday! Blackbirds were busy doing all sorts of things today – noisily! In fact quite a birdy day altogether. There is some new vying for positions because man over the fence has finally admitted that his Ceanothus has popped it’s clogs, and dug it up on Saturday – I was glad to see it go, but birds did like to perch in it!
Alan – very touching Maryland Eagle rescue story!!
Patricia – so sorry your OH had another fall so soon – pleased you cold get help to lift him this time, don’t like to think of you struggling alone. I love Wood Anemones.
Sorry I’ve not replied to everyone –very tired.
Good Night, All.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Annette - do hope grand-daughter will be OK and that OH situation will resolve. Glad to hear she passed her exam.
Trish2 - do hope your dishwasher saga comes to a satisfactory conclusion.
Dibnib - got it wrong, it must be Alicat who has booked to go up to Scotland. Its still a lovely place. Lived in Denny for two years in the 70's due to OH's job and tried to get around as much as poss. Been up a couple of times before last year and toured round staying at one point with an old school friend who had a place in Achiltibhuie overlooking the Summer Isles. She has now moved and is living near Inverness. Happy memories indeed of our visits.
A few pics coming up, osprey at Hillhead and Panama, closeup of the Decorah eagle and of Mrs. Norfolk and one of Lily and co.