Morning all: Happy new week.
MARGO: Welcome back!! :-))
Wendy: Thanks for keeping us up to date on Margo's Big Adventure.
dibnlib: How nice to bump into Margo et al.
Lindybird: Yes, June Gloom highly predictable; if you know of anyone planning to come to California in June, tell them not to expect beach weather, but can be pretty hot away from the coast. Re new dark countertops that don't show dirt, have been horrified to find globs of dried up sticky stuff on ours; now have to bend over and catch the light on the surface to see what needs to be scrubbed.
Diane: Only four feet from a deer? Wow. Pretty impressive, especially after looking at the pix! Maybe whistle a happy tune or put bells on your shoes next time?
Jay-Me: Vacation time sounds nice and relaxing!
Lynette: Thanks for clarifying which part of you is hurting! :-) Nice that all your furniture is finally set up; now enjoy it.
OK, off to fix dinner; back later.
The explanation of the analemma link is working again.
Tiger Signature
Dreich& dreary. Last evening turned out better which was good with the really late sunset. May be brightening up a bit later today, too. Birds are still feeding like crazy – especially Goldfinches of all ages, and now a young Greenfinch.
More energy today, so baked cherry biscuit and chocolate cake, with some help. Probably wasn’t quite ready for it – nearly forgot to make korma for tonight, which I always do early to develop the flavours – anyway, it’s done now. Had one of our favourite soups for lunch – tomato and red pepper – very tasty!
Tiger – don’t remind me about charity accounts – both done it in our time - got rid of our last one last year! Was that Daisy in the garden, or is it what I know as a “Moon Daisy” out in the country? Lovely photo of Opal – very calm-looking, I am sure she will love the puppy! I seem to remember that Gary’s Mother’s dog is called Poppy.
Lynette – well done with your 10 lengths – did that help your strained back? I hope so. Ironing has started to reappear here!
Alan – loved your baby Pied Wagtails – also your new photos of the adult last week – still amazed at his dark colouring – and now his tubbiness! Also don’t think I commented on your Shelduck photos – love them too, with their neat colour scheme!
Patricia – I also expected Dolly to have same name as someone in her family, but haven’t yet found another Agnes – although I now have one male ancestor of that part of the tree traced to 1787!
Diane – my parents were both known by their middle name, except Dad used his first name in the army, and Mum reverted to hers when they moved on retirement – every time he introduced her by her second name, she corrected him, and he eventually got the message! If Wasp nest is still growing, does that mean Mrs Queen didn’t depart when the first babies hatched? Interesting.
Lindy – we have strange apparitions in countryside and woodland around here – mostly sculpture trails etc. Love Buzz’s big splash!
Terry – don’t know how you find time for working, music and Ospreys!! Wish you’d mentioned earlier about the Cathedral yesterday – we would’ve come and listened! Sorry about your MiL – a great age, but still a shock when it happens.
Chloe – I wonder why your Cats don’t want a puppy?
Annette – could Aunt Birdie have been Bridie (Bridget, or Bridgid), but someone either wrote it wrong or pronounced it wrong?
AQ – I think Berlin was known for “dancing Bears” – not nice. There are bear sculptures in Warwick – and the Bear and Staff is the County emblem for Warwickshire.
JSB – pleased your power pricing situation is improved – but sorry about your frozen lunch!
Joan – I do hope you will enjoy the new camera – your photos are already very good.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Thanks all for good wishes re my 'osprey' sighting in Northumberland!!
I was really really thrilled to see one so close to where we live + without going to look for it.A mid season sight wondering about nests?
An amazing sight to stumble upon, so glad I had the time to stop + stare!!
'In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks' John Muir.
Excuse wobbily dyslexic spelling!
Diane Thank you for your concern. I live about 12 miles from where the trouble has been. Had to go past that area last night but used the motorway which bypasses the residential areas. Was attending a meeting and one of the ladies there (aged 81 and living alone) said she was intending to visit her S-i-L on the way home - would have had to pass through or very close to the troubled area. We managed to persuade her that that would be very foolish. Must say I am disgusted by the yobs who want to take us back to the 'bad old days'. One of our local paper carried 2 pictures on the front page, one captioned 'First Rory' and the other 'and now this'. Just says it all.
Lindy, I love the light evenings, even though we have to pay for it with short days in the winter. It is usually light here until 10.30 to 11.00 pm and then from about 3.30 am, but, unlike you, last night was very dark. It rained most of the night then quite a lot of today too.
Diane, so your wasps are still there? Did some leave?
Tiger, lovely pups, I wouldn’t dare take a dog out if it cost that much! Thanks for the reminder of the analemma, it's beautiful.
Sorry, OG, I was going to mention the cathedral concert but hadn’t had much time to get on here at all. They have hard seats : )) How are you getting different sized fonts, is it deliberate?
Terry in Cumbria
Hazel b said: ChloeB The new pup is female and is to be called Poppy I believe.
ChloeB The new pup is female and is to be called Poppy I believe.
That's good. I hope this Poppy is better than another Poppy we know of. She was very bad and caused absolute mayhem though I think she has settled down now.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data
"Chloe – I wonder why your Cats don’t want a puppy?"
LOL they think it would eat all their food OG and they are probably right! :)
Quick Newsflash! Mr and Mrs Siskin appeared feeding alongside four Goldfinch and a Chaffinch about half an hour ago - photo to follow!
Another warm and dry evening. Just had to water parts the rain didn’t reach.
Osprey – sorry, I totally missed your Osprey report on the “Beaver Run” – how wonderful to see it so near your home – keep watching! I hope all your boys will get to see it too.
Patricia – I thought that was probably your route to church and meetings – stay safe.
Terry – you seem to be getting more rain than us; ours seems to stop after dinner and start again in the early morning. I think I would go to a lunchtime concert – could always take a cushion – maybe next time! Different fonts totally random - but was pleased to see in my post at 7:04 that underline (control u) worked!
Young Greenfinch earlier this week:
Impatient baby Golds swivelling and flapping as they ask for food (yesterday):
Mr Chaffinch. Goldfinch and Mrs Siskin (won’t all face the same way at the same time and totally missed Mr Siskin – but he usually comes often once he starts):
Mrs Siskin enlarged