Hobbies and Crafts

Jude I just couldn't put Chester in Kennels again.The last time was about 8 years ago and he was so depressed.He had been going to Abby for the last 8 years.She has even offered to take him in Derbyshire if we met half wayBut he doesn't travel well.I think when the time comes and we don't have him I won't have another dog as OH will be retired then and it will be nice to just decide on the spur of the moment to go away and not have the worry about leaving a pet.
Saying that ........not sure I could be without a dog lol

I seem to be missing 2 Moorhens.Still have the single one,who is being very adventurous at the moment.I have just spotted it trying to climb up through the fir tree !!

Jane that is why we didn't have another cat after we lost our Holly 3 years ago. It is so much easier if you want to go on lots of breaks if you don't have to worry about animals. maybe when we have stopped travelling???

We've been lucky since we moved here. A neighbour swaps cat sitting with us for longer holidays and we have a cat flap and automatic feeders for short breaks.

The ducks have been a bit greedy today. Did a little bit of gardening and everytime I went down the garden they were there wanting munchies.

Take a look at the blog, some photo's of OH's walk Breacon Beacons to Black Mountains!! :o)

jude

I think one of the pheasants is getting a bit braver. Went down to feed the birds this morning and noticed one in the garden. It did decide to go away when it saw me getting closer but it didn't make the usual panic about it and it hadn't gone dashing off as soon as I touched the patio door handle.

Jude
Wow what stunning photographs especially when you enlarge them.
Thank you for posting them
take care
Von

Thanks Von.....very good photo's for Vic, he usually cuts heads off etc...lol

DizzieLizzie.......thats great, you'll be able to get some nice photo's soon then:o))

Did anyone watch Animals 24-7 this morning, perhaps its best if you did'nt, a 17yr old had shot and killed a male swan plus 4 cignets and injured the female. She survived and was released in a different part of the county after an operation and care!! All he got was a £60 fine and some custodial (sp) thing which won't make any difference to him l'm sure!!! grrrrr

jude

Just had a look at the photos.They are wonderful!!Stunning in fact.
it has been fairly quiet in the garden today.I don't think the birds are quite as hungry.They are probably sleeping off all the food they have eaten here lol.The little robin is always waiting to greet me in the morning.

Looked out the window this afternoon and saw what looked like a small buzzard sat on the hedge next door. I thought at first, sparrow hawk, but it had a very squared off tail.

It could have been a Buzzard Ann .I saw one sat on a hedge last week.I haven't seen so many flying around here since we have had the snow though.
Loads of crows !!,and the Pidgeons flirting with eachother on the top of the trellis fence lol

Sorry to ask again Jude - can you give me the blog address again. I wanted to have a look at the photos you've been talking about and I have it on my favourites but it doesn't seem to want to link up anymore. I tried typing the address in by hand and that wouldn't work either.

I'm glad I didn't see that programme earlier. It really doesn't bear thinking about what some people will do to others and animals.

Looking out of the window yesterday we were surprised to see a small hawk sitting on the lower fence across the gardens, it sat there for ages, long enough to get a photo, he or she was a long way away and the photo taken from an upstairs window but I have sent it to Jude for the blog. I think she may be away at the moment though. We are not sure if it was a Kestrel or a male sparrow hawk as we were not really near enough to see and when it flew it flew away from us.

The Moorhens seem to spending more time back next door now.I think it is because the small lake has thawed out and so they have their water back again.Although the one on it's own has been here eating the seeds today.

Jude is away for a few days, but will be back by Tuesday as Vic has an appointment.
The birds do not seem to be hungry today, just a little bit warmer so may be finding some insects.

Hiya

Aw bless...thanks Jean:o)
Just popped in from Derbyshire....we were in the Peak District National Park today(Windy Knoll) and got caught in a snow blizzard, although we were very near a road,it could also have been in the middle of nowhere, took some photo's which l will put on blog when we get home Tuesday. We had gorgeous soup in the Bulls Head in Castleton:o)))
l have the photo's from Ann....thank you:o)

DizzieLizzie...hope you have the blog now, l can't remember it myself, if you have'nt got it perhaps someone else can sort it??

jude:o)

Thanks Jude I do have the blog again. For some reason it was only showing to the end of December but it's ok again now. We had a LOT of rain yesterday and it's still raining. David my son said the roads started flooding in Devizes because the drains couldn't cope. Our river is very high and running very fast and muddy so I reckon the water birds are mostly in their favourite refuges. It would be a dismal view except for the snowdrops outside the window in the wall garden by the steps down to our door. Previous owners planted loads and they do well here so I've started adding winte aconites to them, can't afford the numbers I'd need to fill the whole garden so I'll add a few more and split and spread what I've got over the years. After that there'll be daffs and bluebells. Some, in some areas of the garden are the natural sort, but some are the spanish sort and I know I'll have to keep them under control if I don't want them to overwhelm the naturals. Then after that grape hyacinths and tulips and everything else will be in full swing. Keep trying to tell myself not long now but equally don't want to be wishing my days away.

I've been hearing geese go over the house for a couple of days now and saw them do a fly past this morning. Another beautiful day today - hope the tide's changing with the weather now.

The birds were very busy in the garden this morning, we had a male black cap on the fat balls near the house, which then went to the Mahonia bush at the end of the garden, we had a little wren fussing around the pond, a Robin and three female blackbirds one of which seemed to be collecting nesting material.

One of the Moorhens is being chased away by another Moorhen.I watched earlier and the younger looking one was pottering around quite happily up near the house and the bully walked very slowly up the lawn and then when it got near it just ran at the other and made it take flight.They both disappeared over the hedge.!!!

Hello Everyone:o)

Jane...l spose the Moorhen youngsters get chased off like the swans do.
Talking of that sort of thing....did anyone watch Simon King last week or was it the week before...he was watching the Otters and the female kept chasing her youngsters off, but they kept coming back. l think they got the message in the end...bless:o((
Just got back from Derbyshire (yesterday), had a lovely time, will put some photo's on the blog asap, plus one Ann Glos sent of a Hawk:o))

jude