Hobbies and Crafts

Hopefully little baby Sparrow was found by one of the parents Bob :-D.At least you saved it from being squished . :-D :-D
I have often had to 'straddle'a bird when driving and then taking a big breath before looking through the rear view mirror.It is amazing how many times they survive.The same as the ones that fly out of the undergrowth right as you are driving past,and you think OMG .But they are somehow just quick enough to get to the other side of the road :-D

Aww, nice one Bob. Hope the baby bird was found by Mum or Dad and not by Jane's cat Thomas!!

We have had the nosy pigeon here again this afternoon. It is very odd how he just peers into the lounge, turning his head this way and that. I did say to hubby that the pigeon didn't ever eat anything from the window feeder but today he proved me to be wrong. He had a good old feast and seemed intent on emptying the feeder, so I shooed him away. He isn't ever with any other pigeon and so I'm wondering if his other half was the one that a neighbours cat killed (and our paper boy disposed of!)
I will have to be more observant tomorrow if he shows up again.

You can read about the cruise on the photo blog if you are interested. :-) :-)

Yes Ann, your holiday blog did work. I have just browsed through your cruise days and enjoyed reading all about your experience, so "Thank You" for sharing it.
Have you ever considered writing a book, because I think it would be a best seller as you have an interesting way of writing which is really very easy to read.

Nothing any different here today, so just filled up the window and ground feeders and washed out and then filled up the two bird baths. Same old type of birds though.

Glad you enjoyed it Kandj, took a gamble that it could be done with the narrative and photos inserted. Actually it was not too difficult.

I have written several non fiction stories, the length of a small book, for the writers' thread when it was going but couldn't be bothered with the hassle of getting things published/sorting out tax etc.

I have always enjoyed writing things and the holiday diaries, which I have written for many years, are one of the things I enjoy doing. For 50 years I have been a member of various correspondence magazines which really fostered the love of writing holiday diaries as they were often included. Well those and penfriends of course. I am a scribbler :-D :-D

Have just ready your blog Ann, it was certainly an experience.

So many people and such a big boat !!!! So glad you enjoyed it.

I don't think it would be our type of thing, Himself would never cope with the crowds and queues and would be terrified the whole time he was going to be charged for something he wasn't expecting to pay for, although we do love Disney World, he also hates flying, whenever we fly I always end up a nervous wreck, just from watching and listening to him gasp and jump or hold his breath !!

I went on a educational cruise of The Med when I was still at school, it was on the SS Nevassa,, we had a whale of a time.

Another lovely day here today.

M.

The Sparrows are getting far too big for their boots.

Not only have they demolished the Swiss Chard, they like the red stemmed one best, I found one earlier helping himself to my one and only tomato straight off the stem.

One nearly came in the conservatory earlier when I was eating my breakfast, I usually throw them the crusts from my toast if I am sitting in the garden and they all shout at me until I do so.

Only seven Magpies on the lawn earlier, seven for a secret never to be told.

M.

You have cheeky Sparrows Maryanna !!.Ours seem to just stick around the window feeder and underneath it.The one with the broken foot is still hobling about :-D

Ann I have just read your blog :-D Nice to read all about your experiences onboard .What a huge ship it was.Not sure it would be my kind of cruise,just too big and busy.
Lovely pics of you both :-D

There are 2 Buzzards flying overhead here at the moment calling out.Normally it is the Red Kites,so nice for a change to see the Buzzards.
I haven't seen the Moorhen and Babies again.I'm just hoping that they are safe and that this Killer Cat we have now hasn't has them :-|

The sprinkler is on the lawn.It is so brown and yellow as we have had hardly a drop of rain now for so long.The little we have had has done nothing.The grass is also covered in clover !!!.I don't think I have ever seen quite so much.

Yes it was a big ship, but it didn't feel it when you were on it as each deck was reasonably compact - 14 decks, some of which we didn't go on as they were staterooms only. The staterooms (cabins) were very quiet, once on board there were not too many queues, only maybe going into places like the theatre, normal queues. The queues to eat in the Lido market place were maybe 10 people long because there were so many different food stations. and there were the two large restaurants where a lot of people chose to eat if they were in large parties.

No cash changed hands at all, everyone had a card that you handed over if it was somewhere you had to pay. All the lido market place eateries were free. each day you had a programme and on every programme was a list of beverage places and restaurants. If they had a $ sign next to them theyw ere not free. e.g. we could get mugs of free coffee, just ordinary filter with milk to add. But you could buy good coffees like lattees from one bar. No alcohol was free or anything bought from the bars. But we knew that before sailing, you couldn't really be caught out. You put a total on your credit card at the beginning, which was not taken until after we got home, If you went over the amount they adjusted it. That is normal for hotels in America anyway. We have travelled there a lot in the past.
The worst bit for noise was the constant musak! And the loud Americans and Mexicans, mostly loud because in large groups and all shouting at each other at once. :-D

The cruise does sound an amazing experience Ann. At least you have been there and done that and have the nice memories to remember. The photo's of you and your OH are lovely Ann. You both look so relaxed and happy together.

It's been a day of mixed sunshine and showers here today. The window and ground feeder are almost empty so I need to go and fill them both up now. It is still the usual sparrows, starlings, thrushes and blackbirds, doves and pigeons that we usually have.

No more birds flying into the window or being caught by the neighbours cats thank goodness, I am pleased about that. I am a real wuss and don't handle dead birds very well. Just seeing them freak me out.

Wilting a bit in the heat today but I'm trying not to complain as it is so nice to see the sun. Why couldn't it have been like this yesterday when we went to a garden party which was very wet at first, but then drier but quite chilly.

No sign of any birds while the landscaping people are here, except for a solitary blackbird who appears as soon as they leave and pecks around amongst any earth they have piled up or turned over. I hope I can entice the birds back once we get some planting in.

I am pleased to report that the resident frog is still with us. I was very concerned that he might be scooped up in a digger or flattened by a paving stone but when we were out today the men found him, caught him and put him in a nice, safe, shady spot behind a large pile of earth. I hope he is going to be OK.

A warm day indeed Vera and even warmer weather forecast for the rest of the week.
Hubby and I don't do hot weather very good but we aren't complaining but won't be sitting outside while the sun is so fierce. It's nice to wear light clothing and
no woollies or jackets for a change. Good to hear your resident frog is still around.

We have started to shoo the pigeon away. It wasnt content to just land on top of the window feeder and stare into the lounge window. He has been almost dive-bombing into the glass and making us both jump. It has also managed to get inside the feeder and empty it completely..... don't ask how he has managed it, but I kid you not!!

Now, we shoo the fat pigeon away. There is always food on the ground feeder so he won't go hungry but I don't want him to make himself too comfy inside the feeder, he might get stuck or he will certainly bring this crashing down on the floor.

Hello All
Very hot outside but not that bad indoors. I have opened all windows in the bungalow and closed all the blinds except for one of the lounge windows which has the window feeder and looks out into the road. It's been interesting to sit in a cool room and watch the passing fashions of folk passing by. Some sights for sore eyes ha ha.

I don't think the birds like this heat either as there are no takers for the filled feeders, but the two birdbaths in the back garden are being used a lot..... birds are queuing in a row on the garden wall, so funny to see them there.

One of them is probably selling tickets for the baths Kandj!!!

Very hot here too, just been sitting down in the shade eating an ice cream but have now come into the cool after deadheading a few plants.

Vera it sounds like your Frog is a survivor :-D.I bet it wonders what on earth is going on in his peaceful garden lol
It certainly is sweltering .I am sat here with the fan blowing ,watching Murray at Wimbledon.All curtains drawn but some windows open.Kandj it is amazing the sights you see when we get this heat !!!!!!.I honestly think some people just don't give two hoots what they look like .Out comes the Union Jack Shorts and string vests,with often the beer belly,and the women in the most ridiculous get ups with bits of body hanging out all over the place :-S.
Now I might look like that ,but only in my back garden LOL where no-one can see me :-D

I keep sticking my finger in the bird bath to see how hot the water is .It is so hot, so I just top it up with some iced water .The window feeder here too Kandj still has plenty of food I put in this morning..Animals,birds and humans all are wilting .I always feel sorry for cattle and sheep etc in the fields if there is no shelter from the heat.I just hope the farmers make sure there is plenty of water for them.

Good Morning All

WOW..... meant to be 33 degrees here today, now that is seriously HOT and much too hot for us two golden oldies. We aren't grumbling though because it's lovely to have a bit of bright sunshine around for a change.

I think you might be right Ann lol, the birds are waiting patiently so I guess they are also finding it too hot to be fighting in this heat.

Jane, are you hiding somewhere in our road because that is how the folk that pass were dressed yesterday. Hubby says most of them must have got dressed in the dark!! Whatever happened to the pretty summer dresses and straw hats for ladies and the light slacks and cool short sleeved shirts for the men?? Showing my age now ha ha. We will see what fashions are on view today then.

We are pleased that our garden birds have a nice thick shrubbery to hide from the strong sun and can keep cool in today's high temperature.

Went on a coach trip yesterday to the Hellfire Caves and West Wycombe Park. It was hot, hot, hot. I hate hats and look awful in them but, as a sufferer of severe chronic migraine, I was very glad of the wide brimmed hat I had with me.

The nice thing was that we saw lots of red kite. They also seemed to be flying very low so we got a good sighting of them.

Vera hopefully the coach was air conditioned. Lovely to see all the red kites anyway.

I dislike hats as well but in the sun always wear a sunhat (cap) I look awful in them and whip it off if anyone points a camera at me.

Kandj, hopefully it is a bit cooler where you are today as it is here and the birds will be able to stock up on their food. :-) :-)

Early yesterday evening I saw a goldfinch hopping around on the bare earth in our part finished garden and early this morning OH saw two. Really pleased about that :-D :-D. Just hope they stay around long enough for us to get the garden finished and some feeders out again.

They are lovely little birds Vera.We have a fair few Goldfinch at the moment but they just tend to sit and sing on the TV aerial and not come down into the garden .I did see one the other day having a drink from the birdbath :-D
The Moorhen and 2 youngsters were here this morning :-D.So at least I know that the cat hasn't had them :-D What a relief :-D
I looked up the Hellfire Caves Vera.They look fascinating :-D