Hi All. Don't forget to check last page or so of previous week for all the latest! Granddaughter made excellent time to AZ - got there at 4 p.m. our time - an 8 hour ride with minimal (comparatively speaking) traffic through LA early this morning. Thunder received hysterical greeting from Pepito, tiny noisy companion who wondered where Thunder had gone but was much too noisy and excitable to bring along. Brought Oro home for successful visit after which I went on a hunt-and-scoop mission to clean up yard after two large dogs. Oh fun! Daughter and I watched Wallace and Gromit DVD (the "were-rabbit" one) - a hoot. OH and I just remembered we have tickets for Charlie Rose (PBS interviewer) this evening so have to hose myself down, prop open my eyelids and try to stay awake for another few hours. Why do these things start at 8 p.m.?!
Thanks Alan for reminder re Phoebe (keep reminding us since I'm so busy running and fetching); four big storms due this week with threat of flooding, high winds, power outages. Sounds like real weather!! TerryM: Will pass on gerbil story to hamster! Lindybird: All hankies put away now! :-) Congrats on the redecorating and dibnlib: I'm with you from now on - hire the folks who can do it in half the time (at four times the cost, yes, but....)
Off to comb hair and make self presentable. Have a nice Sunday all.
OG: Glad you were able to book two lovely trips north. Yay!
Annette: I hope you were able to enjoy yourself at the Charlie Rose taping. Who were the guests? The pooper scooper mission doesn't sound like much fun. Glad Oro's visit was a successful one, though. I love Wallace and Gromit. Why, oh why, won't somebody in Britain or the U.S. bring back Creature Comforts?!? I loved that show! So funny. I hope you don't have any dangerous weather where you are this week. Also hope that Lightening, the cat, doesn't try to ambush the easy going hamster.
TerryM: Your poor gerbil!!! He found out it didn't pay to tease the cat. Poor little fella. That reminds me of an incident with my dog.
I had a big boxer dog, named Bison, who weighed 110 pounds (almost 8 stones). I had carefully trained him not to threaten the wildlife. He was such a good-hearted, gentle dog. When he saw a bird or animal, he would immediately sit down and remain completely still and quiet, and he really loved to watch the wildlife. All the birds trusted him, and he never bothered the rabbits or the raccoons. One day, a deer came to the apple tree, and I wasn't outside. I looked out, and Bison was just sitting at the edge of the yard quietly watching the deer eat, and I could see his little stubby tail wagging. Another day I looked out and he was happily sitting in the middle of a flock of crows, who were pecking and eating and not paying him any mind at all. But there was one crazy squirrel who just had to tempt the dog on a daily basis.
The squirrel would run around in front of Bison. He chattered at him. He flicked his tail at him. One day that goofy squirrel scurried up into a lawn chair, and he was actually jumping up and down and chattering loudly at the dog. Finally, Bison's patience wore thin, and he'd had enough. He looked at me imploringly, like "I can't stand it anymore!", and he was off. That dog could run like the wind, and he stayed right on that squirrel's heels, chasing him until he was well off of Bison's territory and into the woods. The dog came back looking so self-satisfied, and that brazen squirrel never tempted fate again!
We have more freezing fog here tonight. Visibility almost zero. Hope everyone is warm in the UK, cool in Australia. Take care!
Just decided to be first in UK today - breakfast ready now, so replies later!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Cooked breakfast Sundays, then light meals the rest of the day. OH cooked eggs and bacon today. He is going to church, I am not – it’s the minister’s final service before leaving, so I think it will go on too long for me, with farewells, tributes, presentations and stuff. I am going to stay home and (allegedly) tackle the ironing.
Annette – glad G.daughter made good time back home to AZ. We remember the hunt-and-scoop job from when we had dogs – yukk! – but better than landing in it. We have been watching “The Curse of the Were Rabbit” too, spread over some mealtimes finishing yesterday. Some great references to and spoof moments of other films etc. Hope you managed to stay awake for the show last night – I always complain about things starting at 8pm : “7pm and get home” is my request! Watched Phoebe for a while last night, then “owner” got very noisy with his ladder and she flew off. Hope she wasn’t away from the eggs too long.
Diane – OH worked for electricity company who bought Creature Comforts for advertising, so he always thinks of them as “his”! Loved your story of Bison – but it does show that even the mildest animal will revert to its natural instincts when provoked and should always be respected – a bit like people I suppose!
Alan – I hope your absence this morning means that the Thunderdog Hamish is getting a good long healthy walk in this sunshine! There is a flood warning out for the Nith Valley and Dumfries today, but the Annan is only on flood watch (melt water). We intend to attempt our photo of the Bruce statue this afternoon – the ones in the paper seem to have been compiled from statue and tower superimposed to avoid the scaffolding! But I hope they took the scaffolding down yesterday.
Sun shinning here today what a difference it makes as it gives you the feeling that you want to get out and enjoy it and the wildlife also seem to be a lot more active this morning. Aways goto s/inlaws for coffee on sundays but instead of driving will have a walk in the sunshine. OG if the weather stays like this your son will have a very pleasant journey to Grantown as the scenery with the snow on the hills is beautiful. The links to the various places makes my favourite places grow longer every time I log into this site and they take you away at a tangent and means you spend longer at the computer than you meant to and chores get left till another time. Everyone have a pleasant Sunday and enjoy the sun while we can.
george g
Afternoon everyone,
I do not believe it.!!! The sun is actually shining here today and it is the hottest day of the year so far. A sizzling 7c. I had better look for the sun cream.
This morning Lady P and I took a trip to Huntingdon Garden & Leisure just to have a look around. It was very quiet in the garden centre with a very strange and surreal feeling with christmas lights and decorations being sold at half price. Then I dropped Lady P off at her daughters and I am now at home about to take Hamish out for a walk.
I am glad that conditions are improving all around the country and I hope that the snow melt does not cause any flooding.
Weather
Cloudy,dry , Temp 7.4c , Wind W 8.3mph , Sunrise 08:01 , Sunset 16:19
ANNETTE Glad your grandaughter made it safe and sound. Regarding the garden clean up, we call it the poo patrol.
PATRICIAT I like you think that it is the walker using Hamish as an excuse. Hamish cannot possibly dislike rain!!!! Our Goldies have never cared what the weather is like.. Just take me out Mum..........NOW. I don't even mind,even if it is chucking down. My gripe has always been the time it takes to towel particularly hairy dogs after a wet walk.
Loved the Bison story, here is another. Our first retiever Harvey (1980 - 1994) could be told to leave the birds scraps alone. We would put any left over chips on the patio and say "leave it Harvey, it's for the birdies" and no matter how much he must have wanted them he would not touch. I certainly couldn't have done that with Fingal and not DIllon either. In fact they would scoff the bird nuts given half a chance.
Off now to heat up the home made fish chowder for lunch (delicious though I say it myself) Back later unless OH hogs thee laptop to play chess. Snarl
Dunedin ospreys in Florida latest nesting notes:
1/8/10 - Well it has been confirmed that our Osprey couple has at least two eggs!!! The weather tonight is going to be below freezing in Dunedin Florida. SJ1/16/10 - Incubation lasts 35 - 42 days. We have a small window so we would expect hatching to take place between February 2th and 9th. Today would be Day 18 if they started on 12/30/09.
Also Starr Ranch barn owls now have 7 eggs!!!!
I sent OH out with the camera. Here at last is Bruce 7th Lord of Annandale, King of Scotland!
Photo 1 shows where his plinth is, at roof level on the Town Hall clocktower. The bronze statue is 6ft 6in tall and stands 30 feet above the recently restored town square, looking straight down the High Street. Sorry there is still some scaffolding up, unrelated to erecting the statue.
Photo 2 shows him as a "nation builder" rather than a warrior, holding his sword hilt-upwards in a peacefiul gesture and holding the Declaration of Arbroath:
Some great film of starlings swarming on Country Tracks this morning. It is after the 20 minute mark.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qbbxf/Country_Tracks_Somerset/
Tiger Signature
OG : Thanks for the great pictures of Robert the Bruce. Superb.
Tiger : I missed Country Tracks this morning so I will check that out later.
Lily the black bear is awake: