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.
Beautiful photos Mary. Just goes to show how cold the weather was this year - to have snow on the islands is rare.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Excellent photos with your new camera Joan!! What a well behaved (black-headed?) gull too.
Thanks, Sheila, you can no longer tie the what?? Lovely pics, Mary, I think you've just inspired me to go in the winter, not sure I fancy the ferry then though! We saw one golf course on each (larger) island, some of them are as you show Scarista, above, just a beach.
I have just spent an hour uploading about 15 pics to My Gallery, for anyone interested. Seems a very slow job. Wouldn't it be good if we could just drag them there? Perhaps we can, or there may be a quicker way I haven't found yet. My Gallery
Terry in Cumbria
Ooh, I've just impressed myself that I remembered Tiger's smartlink instructions that I read the other day!!! If you start with Coming in to Ullapool, that's going backwards...
Started with no weather – now all weather (rain, sun, gentle breeze, still warm). Tidied up etc and cleaner is now here.
Tiger – I loved that Cockerel last evening – definitely a bird with attitude! What’s the story about shoving cars out of ditches??!!
Chloe – splendid photo of Redpoll and Siskins at Dyfi.
Annette – busy with lots of driving? So you’re rushing about again! I think baking biscuits was a mistake – we keep eating them! Feeling even more “normal” today, I’m pleased to say.
Lindy – I hope you enjoyed your cup of tea (and …?) with Friend.
Brenda – glad we are not the only ones with multiple water-butts! We have three, and also three compost bins – and all this in what I think of as a small suburban garden! I hope you enjoyed your walk by the sea and then lunch at the garden centre – I think their coffee shops give the best value for money – and usually friendly staff too.
Heather – thanks for message from Margo – good to know she is sensibly resting.
Sheila – I see you have weather – does that mean the East of England is no longer in a drought situation? Sorry about the throat – plenty of warm drinks and rest, and I hope you’ll soon get over it.
Terry – you’re probably right about the Siskins – I seem to remember that we usually take turns each having them when the other has none! They were both back this morning – in the rain. I’m sure there aren’t many people like your OH who can claim a bird leg in the bottom of their rucksack!! I enjoyed your photos from Lewis. Many of mine begin with sloping horizons or leaning vertical, and have to be rotated one or two degrees!
Mary – stunning clear blue skies in your Hebrides photos!
Joan – lovely to celebrate the new camera with some good, clear shots. Like the way the true chocolate brown of the Blackheaded Gull really shows up.
For people who don’t get Siskins at all, they are a bit smaller than Goldfinches (make Chaffinches look huge!), and very compact in shape. Their voice is similar to Goldfinch’s, and the males can be quite aggressive. Here is Mr S in the rain (sorry, tail more in focus than head!):
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Lovely gull, Joan, having fun with the new toy?
Hi OG, I do love your siskins (especially when they visit me). OH went on a course for Photoshop, but doesn't do anything to them now. I didn't realise you could move them a degree at a time. He may have learnt that then forgotten!
As you can see, I am still not mowing, but I'd better get out there RIGHT NOW.
Ha ha Terry. You've caught me out there! I stopped to think of the word I needed, and then forgot to type it in. I still cannot remember what it's called, but the leather buckle on the side of the kilt is what I mean. Oh perhaps that is it!! I'll go back and edit!
Terry - so it was you who sent the rain over the water - you are mowing and here it's bucketing down!! I just enjoyed a lovely journey through your gallery - thank you!
SheilaFE said: Beautiful photos Mary. Just goes to show how cold the weather was this year - to have snow on the islands is rare.
They were actually taken in 2010 Sheila. I guess they would have some snow this year too.
In Central Scotland this winter was the worst for many years, we had snow on the ground from end of Nov right through to end of Jan. Was blocked in for a week. Hope we dont get a repeat of it this year.
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023
Mary where abouts are you? I know my friend near Kinross had an inaudinate amount of snow and lives in a rural area, much as I do down on the Essex Cambridge border. We too were blocked in - but not by depth of snow, rather compacted snow on two slopes forming ice and our non-4x4 could not cope! Still, it does make stunning photographic material.!
Rain starts again at LG and EJ looks even more desolate!