Hobbies and Crafts

Jane..what were the last photo's you sent me??

jude

You having fun getting to grips with your new laptop Jude?

My this year's duckies have already sussed that Buster is OK. He started coming down the garden steps towards them so there was a sudden bustle of waddling btms, then they realised he'd sat down so they turned round and came towards me again in the hope of a treat. And the new mummy duck still has all 9 of her babies. It was a nice day today too. All's right with the world.

Yes you could say that, l don't like not having a seperate mouse, my old ones does'nt fit, l need a usb fingy. Everything is so sensative, things happen without me doing anything....grrr...lol

More photo's on blog.....l actually knew where these were cause l had only taken them on Sunday...

Amazing (to us), we watched 3 lorries release nearly 9,000 racing pigeons.

Jane l will put 2 of yours on tomorrow, l think one is of a cat??

Jude, buy a separate mouse. You can get a wireless mouse that has a separate 'bit' that plugs into the usb. I can't get on with using the mouse pad.

Thanks Ann, will be looking at these asap:o))

jude (can't sleep...grrr)

I like my separate mouse too, though I have started to get used to the mousepad a bit more. Can't play bejewelled on facebook with the mousepad though.

For the last hour or so we've been quietly watching a roe deer hind in our garden. Was irritated to have been woken up in need of a stroll along the corridor, but that made it worthwhile and even OH wasn't annoyed by me waking him up so early when he's got a week off. We've got immature windfall apples on the ground and apparently they like those and she finds the willow tree tasty too, though of course she didn't munch the stems that have started to brush the ground so she hasn't saved me the task of giving it the occasional haircut.

That's the first time we've seen one in our garden though neighbours either side have said they've had them. But either side have a gentle slope up onto the grass from the river whereas we have a built up bank which we think has stopped them in the past, but now both sides have a small fence at the end, one side to stop their young dog going in and walking along the river and getting lost. The other side has put a couple of metal pegs in the ground and two lengths of rope between to stop the swans coming onto the garden - he's not keen on nature generally, he says it makes a mess of his grass, but can't say we've noticed and as you know we regularly have a number of ducks coming up. The only thing that's affected our grass is the voles and they stay under the spread of the trees so it doesn't notice too much so we don't mind sharing. After all the wildlife was here first and that's what makes it attractive for us to live here.

l now have a new mouse.....heaven:o))

l would be in 7th heaven with a garden like that and to have the animals feeling safe enough to venture in would be a treble bonus:o))

We visited Sandwell Farm yesterday with grandson, it was the best session we have had there in a while. G son thoroughly enjoyed it and the park up the road:o)
We even saw a House Martins nest tucked in a corner by some beams with all the youngsters heads peeking over the edge waiting for mum. With all the noise and movement l was really surprised to see it.
This time grandson atlast managed to stroke the farm cat:o))
The calves still had their umbilical cords showing too, so very young indeed. Sadly the old Shire horse had gone, he had cancer and various other problems, thought he did'nt look good last time:o((((

jude

Today I saw 3 tiny little moorhen chicks on the river with their Mum and Dad. They're the first ones I've seen this year. They didn't half have to paddle hard to keep up with their parents going upstream. They are tinier than day old ducklings, but they already have their little red patch on their beaks.

Buster was funny today. While I was down the garden I saw the ducks coming along so Buster being an old soppy I said to him you go down there and tell them to wait for me. I went into the shed to get the duck food out and when I came back Buster was sat with a neat row of half a dozen ducks on the bank. I didn't want to push my luck and try for the camera in case one or other party decided this wasn't fun any more and when you've seen one picture of Buster with the ducks you've pretty much seen 'em all really.

We are quite concerned as we have not got any birds around the garden at all, not even a pigeon. Anyone else noticed a lack of birds?

No birds down here on sussex south coast, only seagulls and crows!!! Where are they all, have the seagulls scared them off?

By the way Jude I had a look at your latest blog photos. Love the red kite photo, and the thousands of pigeons must have been an experience. It was also nice to see some of your faces from your meet.

Saw one lonely very young blackbird this morning cleaning up in the garden.

Thanks Dizzie...it was amazing and the drivers were caring and informative:o))

Ann....we get blackbirds occassionally, not quite as regularily as usual.

Pumpkin Head....we get quite alot of seagulls,but not like the Sussex coast.
Our garden (at the moment) has quite a variety of birds, we're lucky:o))

jude

Ann, back in the winter we could hardly keep up with the bird food, but since this grotty summer has started we dont see any. Neighbours who feed dont have any birds either. There does seem to have been a red kite about on a couple of days, and they will predate on song birds. We have always had a pair of buzzards and they are no problem.

Maybe they've all come here for their summer hols. We seem to be going through food at a rate of knots here and when I put out extra tit bits of our leftovers they're gone in a flash.

Saw a greater spotted woodie on the feeder yesterday and the green woodie also visited the lawn for a bit.

Ooo l'm sitting here at my pc looked out the window to see 3 starlings, looked again about 15 seconds later...3 have become 6, then 2 more flew in..Now they have all gone:o(((...not seen that many for ages:o)

The only time l can remember our feeders being emptied at a rate of knots was about the time Ann started this thread. We've had quiet sessions, right now its busyish, mostly sparrows, chaffinch, a few green finches, a robin, few blackbirds pop in and out....ooo a magpie this morning, occasional crow and jackdaw.

Seagulls squark in the sky and occasionally some buzzards:o))

jude

PS...a sparrow hawk is often about but l always miss it:o((

Just looked at your meet pics Jude.I met Daff and Hayley at the Peterborough one,but it's lovely to see the others.Did Harpie say how she is getting on with playing the harp?

Hiya
No Harpie did'nt and l forgot to ask her:o((
It is good to see faces is'nt it:o)

l have just watched the Martin Clunes programme about horses:o)) wow was'nt that lovely. The scenes of him in Dorset with the views behind him......is where we were this afternoon:o))

He had a Fair on his grounds, stalls, police dog demonstrations,horse events, dog show with thousands of dogs. Martin was judging the dogs.
We did'nt see him though cause the rain came down and ruined things, loads went home including us:o(((( But about an hour later we think the weather changed:o))

jude

Not a lot of birds in the garden at the moment.It is very quiet.Little robbie is always about .
Sad thing yesterday.My sister rang in tears to say they had to have Mollie (Spanish Water Dog) put down as she had attacked one of their other dogs.First time last tuesday and then on Saturday in the garden.She said it was like a blood bath.They got Molly into emergency Kennel overnight on sat and then had a talk with the vet.She said the best thing would be was to have Molly put down as she would be most likely to do it again ,and to rehome would be difficult.So sad as she is only 6 and a beautiful dog,but I think they have done the right thing,as my sister has her Grandchildren there all the time .What if they had got caught up in it???? It doesn't bear thinking about.
The whole family is distraught .

Oh, thats sad, Jane. Its such a hard thing to do, but the poor dog would not have had a pleasant life as she would have to be restrained all the time. Maybe she had a brain haemorrhage that changed her nature, or a stroke. it can happen.