Hobbies and Crafts

It's filthy here too.Rain,Rain and more Rain :-S.My son is flying home from Iceland tonight.I hope it isn't going to be too bumpy a ride.
Our little Moorhen seems to be around all the time now,and spending a great deal of time under the Window feeder.I saw it earlier standing on a branch in the tree opposite the feeder.I think it was copying the other birds lol Maybe it thought it was a blackbird.
I ran to get the camera ,but it had gone :-|

It was a bit gusty travelling down the M6 but not too bad the further south we got. We got home in good time, traffic all flowing well, no holdups. All unpacked and put away and a load of washing done.

Just watched all the soaps from Friday evening as we all went out for a meal in Ambleside, ten of us plus Luke. It was a belated birthday meal for grandson's wife and a sort of closure to the past two weeks. Luke made us laugh, besides leaving us gobsmacked at the amount of food he tucks away. He loves veggies and after he had finished his meal he had a piece of broccoli which he got very attached to. He wasn't eating it but talking to it, what was making us laugh was that he doesn't say broccoli but bobali, as this was gone 9.30 at night I was amazed at how good he was.

The account of the funeral etc is on two threads on general. The Welsh thread and the Just Jean thread by Mo in Kent.

The last morning we were at daughter's we were sure we could see two Red Kites overhead but it was so windy they were being swept along so we couldn't see clearly. Have to check if they are in that area.

Gosh Maryanna, I hope you all stay safe down there. The Levels were on Countryfile last night and they seemed confident that the work done would prevent the flooding this time. I hope they are right. :-)

The weather is awful here in Somerset as well Ann.

The shops in the Main Street all have sandbags outside.

Every so often our wheely bin blows over with a huge crash, we have tried it in several positions and the wind seems to get it wherever it is.

One of the window boxes blew off a top window sill and landed right way up complete with all it's plants on the drive, it missed the car by about six inches, the fasteners had broken, will leave it a bit before we try fixing it back up. It's far too wet and windy at the moment.

The sea is very rough and yesterday, when it wasn't actually raining the wind was whipping the sand up across the promenade.

When we went through the lower part of the Levels last Friday there was flooding along the roadside, let's just hope to goodness that the work they did further up stops a repeat of last years severe flooding.

At the moment there are two huge Herring Gulls making a row on the roof opposite and a little Wagtail, which looks like it is on wheels, pottering about in the drive. He doesn't seem to mind the weather.

Have a safe trip back. Have been thinking of you.

M.

Hope that the builder will sort out the flood in bedroom Ann. Your daughter has more than enough to cope with right now. Have a safe journey back home and I hope that the strong gusty winds won't cause too many problems for you today.

Hubby and I have been amused by a tiny Robin who has appeared several times to eat seed that's at the bottom of the window feeder. It is so lovely to see the Robin and is such a change from the hoards of aggressive greedy Starlings we usually get here.

Lots of blue tits here plus a nuthatch, blackbird, robin all on the feeders. Boys gone back to Hampshire today with their families we go home tomorrow I think. One Grandson has a week's leave left so will be on hand for daughter.

Another flood in the bedroom we are in last night as the wind is obviously blowing the heavy rain in somewhere. Hopefully Jim the builder will be out to check next week. Meanwhile OH is busy with the vax we brought with us soaking up the water from the carpet. A bit like trying to stop the Severn Bore."""

Thanks for the link Lesley. Hope that Millie kept you all amused this Christmas.

Ann.... thinking of you and your daughter and family right now at a difficult time. xx

Not much activity here at all, perhaps the birds are all in Jane's garden?

Thanks for that Lesley ..I always intend to do Birdwatch but never seem to be in at the right times.Fingers crossed this time :-D

I hope your cough is much better Ann...thinking of you and your family <3

If anyone is interested you can now sign up to the 2015 Big Garden Birdwatch.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/

Lesley x

Fingers crossed that your cough will get better soon Ann before your sad funeral day for Jon.

Most of you know that I loathe MICE with a vengeance!
So I have been regularly using peppermint oil and must have the sweetest smelling garage in the village. I also have scattered mothballs and cayenne pepper, also bought a new electric mouse repeller this year. Trying anything to keep them away.

I also have been putting a dish of milk daily outside the side door of the garage hoping to encourage any neighbourhood cats who are then meant to deter any mice BUT today as I was going to the dustbin I saw lots of white feathers at the bottom of the garden and fear that one of the cats has had more than a dishful of milk.....!!!
Nature can be very cruel.

Jane, I am deliberately ignoring your r*t postings...... rather you than me. I cringe just reading about them.

Ann I hope your cough doesn't develop into anything worse before you have to go to the funeral.
I think i have worked out why we are seeing the rat so often under the window feeder.The Squirrel is the culprit as it makes so much mess,by turfing food out onto the ground and shredding the sunflower seeds.My windowsill gets covered in shredded bits and the window also covered in streaky feet marks :-S :-S :-S.It is a right mucky eater :-S..No table manners at all !

Up late this morning as coughing a lot in the night but so far only seen a blackbird, a blue tit and a flash that Ithink was a sparrow passing through :-) :-)

We had a little flurry of visitors a short while ago but nothing very exotic - a couple of blackbirds, both male, two collared doves and a whole flock of starlings. They have all disappeared again now.

A bit more like it now. we have just had a female black cap in the garden and also today goldfinch and chaffinch plus I could see three blackbirds from our window although they were on neighbouring fences/roofs etc. OH also saw a wren this morning on the lawn.

I too have noticed more Blackbird action ,with Mrs poking around on the lawn .Mr ,is as usual making a pig of himself from the window feeder.I think I may have another Mr on there too.It looks slightly smaller than my regular.Has spring sprung? are they getting a little bit jiggy??I think those wood pidgeons might have. :-S

We have had some more bird action.

As well as the usual magpies, Pigeons and a Doves we have a pair of Blackbirds who have been very busy.

Lots of Sparrows and Blue Tits and a Thrush.

Mrs Blackbird was busy turning over leaves under the tree, she then started poking about in the big pot I had Busy Lizzie's in, she then spotted herself in the garden mirror and flew at it pipping. After that she was obviously feeling rather embarrassed so took it out on the Thrush.

M.

We actually had a blackbird and a chaffinch in the garden today. OH changed the seeds in the feeders and tipped some out onto the lawn and that is what they were eating. Also had one collard dove. that is a bit sad I think as we always had a pair until last month when we just had the one visit. That pair had, I think, been together for a long time. I am assuming something has happened to one of them. :-(

The little lonesome Moorhen has spent most of the day pottering around here ,pecking about under the Window Feeder !! Also the Red Kites have been flying low overhead :-D with the usual Crows chasing them :-S

Ann I have been to couple of Humanist Funerals now and I must say that is how I would like mine to be.The last one I went to ,a prayer was said (by request from the family) for those in the congregation who were religious ,and I thought that was a very nice thing to do.

It is blowing a gale here this evening.Not nice at all.But we are all nice and cosy ,not having to go out, and looking forward to a nice Roast Beef Dinner :-D..My mouth is watering now as it smells so good.
Birds,Squirrel and maybe the Ra* still feeding like crazy.saying that I haven't seen the r** for a few days.maybe I am just not looking out of the window at the right time :-S
My window sill under the feeder is covered in foot prints Squirrel ones :-S :-S

The Celebrant seems very switched on and is visiting daughter tomorrow to discuss things. The funeral directors seem very aware as well and have suggested walking or wellington boots if possible.

Lovely to see you are able to post again kandj.

Birds have deserted us again. There were a few around for a couple of days when it was very frosty and the ground was hard but yesterday was warmer and we have had some rain so I think they are probably foraging for their own food again. This morning I added some bacon fat to all the other goodies on the feeder but there have been no takers. Perhaps 2015 will be a better bird year for us.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. If 2014 hasn't been good to you (and we have had our share of health and other problems this year as well) may 2015 be the year when everything gets better.

EDIT: For Ann - I have been to a woodland burial. This one was a bit disorganised as the family hadn't arranged for anyone to lead it, so no-one quite knew what to do next. However it was a beautiful, peaceful spot to be laid to rest and I am sure that alone will be a comfort to your daughter.