HI all: Thought I'd give Diane and AQ a rest this week. Will be back to catch up later.
Annette - Thanks for starting us off. re lack of women in Christchurch in 1864; I can't be sure but it could be because mosty men were visiting NZ for the goldfields, some of which are further south in Otago Province. Anyone from NZ lurking out there who knows NZ history?
Diane & June - glad to see posts from you and that you are OK.
Dibnlib - My thoughts & prayers are with you & your family at this difficult time. Let's hope your uncle doesn't suffer too much.
Last Wed when it was pouring with rain, I looked out the kitchen window to see 2 doves huddled together on our back verandah. By the time I fetched my camera there was only one. No chance to snap another pic, as this one flew off too. Focus is dreadful.
Grrrr. Just typed responses but deleted the file before I copied them to paste here! Anyway, had nice breakfast with friends, then a putter on the way home. Now watching The Trip, a mostly improvisational (it says) "mockumentary" with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing two actors on a foodie road trip around the UK and spending a lot of time doing very good and funny impersonations of the likes of Hugh Grant, Michael Caine, all the James Bond actors, etc. Very good.
dibnlib: Sorry to hear about your Uncle; what a shame. Do take care.
AQ: It's a wonder they managed to count even the men since I'm sure the population - as in the California Gold Rush - was quite fluid. I know they had some ladies of the night and also women who cooked and did laundry for the miners. The latter did pretty well but I suspect the former professionals made even more!
NightOwl: Hope you feel better after a night's sleep.
A few pix from my garden today: The first is a bad-quality shot of either a Red-Winged or Bi-colored Blackbird (conflicting info from books) spotted this evening. You can see just the barest slash of red on the front of the wing.I've seen them at Lake Los Carneros, but this is the first time at our feeder- see those huge feet/talons!
Good grief! Who invited this lot:
No idea what these guys are looking at:
Off to bed now. Take care all and have a good Sunday
Annette. You gave me a fright. If you look quickly at that middle picture it is easy to see it as a pile of feathers. I thought something terrible had happened to a feathered friend! :)
Tiger Signature
Hey Tiger: Well that feeder gets jammed now that those finches have literally moved in. All the other birds are happy to sit on the edge and peck politely - when they get a chance!
Really am off to bed now!
Listening to Aled Jones this am and the topic was Spring has arrived. Someone said "our tortoise "Achilles" has just awoken from hibernation so we had to rush out and buy strawberries - his favourite food. Don't you just love people like that.
Not attempting morning service as intended – too tired from yesterday and legs aching, so will go in the evening as usual. A bit cloudy yet quite bright after another damp night, so no real gardening, but will play about in the greenhouse a while.
Annette – thanks for starting the new week. We tried that Rob Bryden and Steve Coogan series when it was on last autumn, but didn’t like it at all and gave up! Nice to see you have so many lovely Finches in your garden – noticed one on the fountain is looking the other way!
AQ – pretty dove! Only four weeks to your new knee now!
Dibnlib – heart-warming tortoise story!
We need to tackle a heap of washing up which wasn’t done yesterday – and guess who made himself a fried lunch while we were out?! Back later.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Horrible weather here today, heavy rain and now trying to sleet. Very disappointing as I had some outdoor jobs lined up for OH today!
He's taken Mia out while I get on with the HW.
One more week to work then I have a week off so I'm really looking forward to that though my main aim is to get a good Spring clean done.
ChloeB I told OH you have a Sigma 50 - 500. He wants to know what camera you use with it. His is an Olympus. He has a 2 X teleconverter for it too. I don't know that much about them I'm sorry to say.
ALAN I hope that Lady P's sinuses have settled down?
MARGO how's Billie?
Good Morning ALL, The rain arrived before we woke up. Although the forecast says heavy rain, we have only had the light stuff so far, but there was plenty of standing water when we went to church.
Annette, Thanks for starting the week. So very annoing when you lose your full post. Love your garden bird photographs. Fantastic to see so many birds. Those finches are going to increase the amount of bird seed you have to buy.
AQ, Your dove was wise enoough to find shelter on your verandah.
Dibnlib, So sorry that you have had such bad news about your Uncle.
Lovely story about the tortoise.
NightOwl, I hope you are feeling ok this morning.
OG, You obviously did too much standing and walking yesterday. I wouldn't like to have to face those dishes this morning.
Think I will persuade OH to go out for lunch.
Trish my SLRs are Canon, was possibly the 30D on the Sigma in that pic. Yes I checked, was the 30D.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data
Good morning all, a rather wet morning and the temperature at the moment is only 4 degrees. Definitely no gardening to today but OH did make a start yesterday afternoon and cleared up one part of the garden. Needless to say Billie is definitely not interested in going out, she went by the door asking to go out but as soon as she the rain, turned around again and went back to her favourite spot over the radiator.
patriciat good news that decorating is finished and you are pleased with it. I have just read that dogs have had their walk and had their picture taken, really becoming stars in their own right.
dibnlib so sorry to read about your uncle. Having gone through the same my heart goes out to you. I know how you must be feeling but perhaps it is best that you remember him when he was well. The last time we saw my sister alive it was an awful shock and so hard not to show our feelings. Cancer is such a cruel disease, and such a shock when the prognosis is there is only a short time left. A terrible shock for all concerned. Thanks for the snippet about the tortoise and stawberries, what we do for our pets.
Alan hope you had a good night in the new bed. Thanks for the news of Alice and Virgilio's first egg and for the Grantham Peregrine link.
NiteOwl such kind words from you for dibnlib. Having seen my sister fight to the end with various cancers, I know just how she feels. Cancer is a most cruel disease. I saw my sister five weeks before she passed away and it was just heartbreaking, not the sister I knew at all. Did not realise you were a sufferer but now in remission, I send my best wishes to you that this may continue. I hope you are feeling a little better today.
Lynette thanks for all your wonderful captures.
Sandra thanks for posting the videos from Jewel's den, they are so cute.
June so pleased that all our prayers and throughts helped you in a small way. Still reading about all the damage and terrible loss of live and property. I feel very sad for all those who have lost so much.
trish 2 good to see you again. I got really envious when I read you will be off to Nethy. Thanks for asking about Billie and she is just fine. Has us exactly where she wants us and is rather spoilt. She repays us with all the love and trust she now has in us. She is always going to be a nervous little soul though and I really wish she could tell us what has made her like that. She is completely at ease with us but as soon as someone visits she rushed off to the bedroom until they have gone.
OG nice to read you had a good day yesterday but see you have posted that you are feeling rather tired today. Hope you can get some rest during the day before church tonight. That wasn't really very good to leave the washing up. Nothing worse than greasy washing up the next day.
AQ that poor dove looks so fed up, poor thing.
Annette so enjoying the bird pics from your garden.
Brenda it is pouring with rain here and has been all morning, think the heavier stuff is on it's way to you now. Can't complain though as it is very much needed. Hope you manage to persuade OH to take you out for lunch.
Have a good day all and at least I will not have so much to catch up on tomorrow. Take care.
Margobird