Another week folks. Just in case you missed it, AQ posted the following at 12:41 a.m. Sunday morning:
Good morning. 10.10 am. Yawn. Couldn’t get to sleep last night plus we lost an hour as daylight saving started. Tiring but such an exciting day yesterday watching Daughter#2 look at 100s and try on dozens of wedding dresses. Funny (strange funny), that she wants me involved. For my wedding I was busy fending off my mother as, being the last of the flock to marry, she had developed a set of traditions/customs that were essential. Hm, I won some, lost some. As Dau#2 has been living away from home for several years, I am quite happy to sit back and let her decide her day.
Annette. Until you learn the new appliances are you eating out of a can beside a campfire in the backyard? Or on a diet of salads? LOL
Diane. Later I shall post some photos of Pacific black ducks on the Backyard gallery. Loved the Kakapo video – thanks for the link.
Dianne, don't you have some kind of noise polution laws where you are? Here we'd be able to stop him at night, at least! Our local police, by keeping an obvious eye on him, would probably discourage him through the day, too. It's amazing what effect the occasional check for licence, proper safety gear, etc can do!!!! We now have 'anti hooning' laws here too, which take dangerous or annoying behavior into account.
Smiles, Jan.
Thanks, Annette. I was worried that I had insulted you. Wouldn't ever want to do that. And I do realize that those vehicles can be used for entirely legitimate purposes. They are nice for people with a lot of land to maintain, etc.
Approaching the parents of the noisy neighbor kid is not an option, because at any given time, it might be his Dad wildly driving the ATV... Many of the men in the county hunt from ATVs with high-powered rifles, even at night, so any complaints I would make would not be taken seriously, especially from a woman. And my views and politics are already held in contempt by most. The folks just accept me grudgingly because my people have been here for so many generations. And I decided when I moved here that I would rather be feared than loved! LOL
The very few ordinances in effect here are ignored and unenforced. People aren't supposed to fire guns close to the town, but they do. And we do have laws regarding how and when you can start fires, but everybody ignores those, too.
Wattle, as for police or other law enforcement, we don't really have much of that either. We have a town marshall at the nearest town, but I've never seen him. We have a county sheriff's department, but they rarely make it out this far unless a major emergency occurs and they are called in.
I'm pretty much responsible for my own protection. I have my Dad's rifle, which I use to run people off of my land when necessary. Kind of like the old frontier here. I love the isolation, but it has its downside sometimes. Thanks for caring though, you guys.
Maybe life here in Scotland is just too easy - don't have to wield guns or any of that stuff.
Anyway, time for bed now - after just one more look at the Tea Rooms Forums. (Kakapo now mentioned there too - getting to be a popular bird!)
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Good night over there! Here it is 9.15 am Monday morn, washing on the line, blue sky, few white fluffy clouds, honeyeaters squabbling in bushes, birds twittering or cheeping, vacuum cleaner looking expectant, weeds looking scared. Decisions, decisions.
Some years ago an elderly neighbour was grumbling about a lad riding his skateboard down the footpath. Clack, clack, clack over the cracks. I thought it could be worse, he could have a motor bike. Years passed, sure enough, he graduated to the m-b. More years pass, he's left home. . .
Hi all.
Diane: That sounds ghastly. Geez. Real redneck country, eh? And this is Indiana? Not, Montana, Wyoming, or the survivalist backwoods of Idaho. This may sound silly, but have you tried talking to the parents or even the kid? I'm no Pollyanna, but people can surprise us. Otherwise, the area doesn't sound like a great "fit," but there've gotta be some like-minded folks around? (She said hopefully.) And, as AQ says, the kids eventually do grow up, but with parents like your neighbors, one wonders if that would help.
OG. Kakapo is going to show up on our local evening news at this rate!
Wattle:So "hooning" is slang for noise/disruptive behavior? Americans who visit Australia love it; most say it's like the States 50 years ago (which is good - and bad - but I'm sure they're referring to the good side of the equation. :-)
AQ: I just brought my washing in - it's almost 5 p.m. Sunday here in California. I'm going to start the ironing and watch "Rabbit Proof Fence," which I've seen several times, until it's time for dinner. It's a wonderful movie.
I just read my last post, and I should probably amend my last statement, so that I don't leave the wrong impression about myself. Here's the problem in this area. Some of the people here think that they can hunt wherever the wildlife goes. So they will chase wildlife onto my property and follow them. I don't allow any hunting on my land. The animals have been encouraged over the years to live here. So I don't want people shooting at the wildlife who have taken refuge here and are accustomed to feeling safe. It's also dangerous for us to have strangers with guns wandering about. So that puts me in the position of having to go out and ask armed men to leave this property and give up their hunt. Sometimes they aren't happy about being told to leave! And that's why I've been known to arm myself.
AQ is right, I expect the ATV kid will leave home in a couple of years. I do hate to see the birds and animals suffer from all the disruption. But he's a kid.
Annette: Oh, yes, I have like-minded people to socialize with -- some in this community, and old friends from Indianapolis and Bloomington. Mostly I prefer the company of birds, anyway. LOL
Hey Diane: Ah good. That doesn't sound quite so dire!! I was afraid we'd have to send in the cavalry. :-) We just lost (and boy, am I happy!) neighbors whose teenaged boy played drums - loudly! - in their garage. I kept telling myself he would grow up and leave, but was thrilled when they moved and I didn't have to wait that long.
I was just watching "60 Minutes" and a segment on the Masai Mara and the massive migration of wildebeest, etc.,; specifically how the Mara (sp?) River is at it lowest point ever and what effect that might have on the wildlife and future migrations. Anyway, a brief aside showed a Cheetah with her cubs and the narrator commented that Cheetah cubs make a sound like birds - and indeed they did.
I've refilled the hummingbird feeders and the regular feeder prior to my few days up the coast - gotta take care of these critters!
Annette, yeah, very poor choice of words on my part. The sentence got garbled in an unintended way and sounded like I was shooting at people. I would never do that; I actually hate guns! Very rarely, I will carry one though when the hunters have them.
Raccoon babies also make a whistling sound just like birds. Very cute. I do hope you have a good trip!
Well, Annette, I do want to echo everyone's else's well wishes for a good holiday trip - you and your daughter, if I remember correctly. I'll miss your conversation here whilst you are gone. Didn't boot up yesterday and it's amazing how one loses track ..... can I assume then, that you kitchen is finished?? Are you using it?
Diane, I am so fed up of 'ordinary' city noise so I really do sympathize with you. I live in a narrow suburban road and most people have two cars - many have three or four ! After all, as soon as a person gets to be 17 daddy has to buy them a car with the excuse that, it's the only way they can get to work.. There is a lane at the back of the properties opposite which is simply a line of garages. But these don't get used, of course, well, a very few do. Some on my side have garages at the back (those that haven't split there gardens in two to build a bungalow or something when they can afford it, etc etc.). At the weekend we have soccer and /or rugby traffic to contend with and one is under house arrest cos if you take your car you are in for a long walk home from whereever you found to park your car. There, thanks folks ... that's my moan out of the way. Sigh. Cities and traffic and all the diesel noises and pnuematic brake noises (these two frequencies really hurt my head - anyone else suffer this way?)
Watched the movie 'Fly Away Home' again yesterday early evening - about the orphaned geese being shown where to migrate for the winter from their hatching place in Canada to somewhere south in the USA. Couldn't help having a blub even though I knew it would have a happy ending. Anyone else seen it? I think it's actually based on a true story. And of course, now. microlights are a world wide phenomenon.
So looking forward to a satellite update later (when I get home from work) - and I too think wee Garten is safe and sound in Africa by now.
Morning all,
I agree with everyone elses comments about traffic noise etc. And I dont see the point of 4 x4 vehicles unless you are a farmer. They are totally pointless in city traffic.
It is brightening up on TI now. Hopefully another good day before the rain comes tomorrow.
Temp 8.5c , Wind ESE 3mph . Pressure 1011hPa falling.