It's been just *wonderful* having the sun out most of the day - and very little breeze this morning, till about lunchtime!
Aaaa... sigh of relief... At least we've had ONE day of Springtime! It seems like we've been in Winter since December! We've just finished March, which was the second coldest on record, and April had hardly begun when the Met Office said that the 2nd of April was the coldest April day on record, too! And all the time, during march and April so far, we've battled bitingly-cold Easterly winds; and the March snow still lies many feet deep "up North"!
So it's been a real respite-day, today, to have the day mild - even warm this morning while there was no wind - and sunny most of the day... Aaaa... We even opened the Summerhouse doors to air it out!! Wa-hey!! Springtime has finally arrived, if only for one day!
So, I wonder... How many of you, like me, had a bit of a clear up in the garden, as the sun shone warm this morning? And while the male Blackbird sang his velvety-song to his lady-love? I was even happy to see the first fly of the year! Well, the first I've seen.
Another, pleasant surprise, was a pretty little male Siskin has visited the bird table again this morning, while the male Bluetit continues to drum on the nestbox under the eaves to attract his lady-love.
After all, that's what they've always said, innit? When Springtime comes, a young man's fancy turns to courtin'!
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
"The crocus's are out!" she called down the lane...
Just a quick post today.
"The crocus's are out!" she called down the lane... Ann, my wife, and I, had been for a lovely, if *very* chilly, stroll round our local parkland. I was lagging behind Ann, peering up into the topmost branches of a tall Poplar tree, to see if I could see the Song Thrush which was gaily singing to us, high above my head. At Ann's delighted shout, I scurried up to her side, and looked... and there before us were the first yellow crocus of this year! And it's only 26th February! What a joyous sight they are!
"The crocus's are out!" she called down the lane... Ann, my wife, and I, had been for a lovely, if *very* chilly, stroll round our local parkland. I was lagging behind Ann, peering up into the topmost branches of a tall Poplar tree, to see if I could see the Song Thrush which was gaily singing to us, high above my head. At Ann's delighted shout, I scurried up to her side, and looked... and there before us were the first yellow crocus of this year! And it's only 26th February! What a joyous sight they are!
Sunday, 17 February 2013
"Sunshine came softly, through my window today..."
With the tune of Donovan's 1966 song 'Sunshine Superman' and its first words, "Sunshine came softly through my window today..." I greeted today with a smile, and went to feed the birds before breakfast!
It was a frosty morning, though the sun was climbing above the horizon as I sat and had breakfast watching the cold, hungry, birds flying in, one after another, to grab a bite to eat to warm themselves up! Our usual half-dozen Starlings had watched me put the bird-food out, and were the first to arrive (as usual!) Then our flock of Wood Pigeons (6 of 'em!) descended like a squadron of jump-jets landing on an aircraft carrier, and within a few moments they'd consumed most of the peanuts!
'Waggy' the Wagtail has found a new mate, after her previous 'hubby' got taken by the Sparrowhawk, and both were soon down to waddle round the garden in search of the juiciest mealworms I'd put down for them and the Robin... who came late but gobbled up several mealworms before flying off, and only just missing the top of the fence.
Then when all these had shown the 2 pairs of Blackbirds that all was safe in the garden, they, also, came down, one after another - and still squabbling, as to who has the feeding rights under the big flowerpot, or on the garden border - but soon the sultanas were gone as they snatched quickly at them before flying off back into the trees behind our garden.
By the time the Collared Doves came in, there weren't many peanuts left, and then our resident Squirrel popped over the back fence and spooked them as he scurried forward to find his breakfast. Ooo, I *do* get cross with that Squirrel !! He (she?) fills his tummy with peanuts, and then has the nerve to have a nibble at the feeding-ports on the hanging feeders of sunflower hearts!
The funny thing is, that for all the activity of the larger birds flying in and out to feed, the tiny little Blue Tits, and Goldfinches, take no notice and stay in the Magnolia tree, on the hanging feeders, throughout the flapping, and squabbling down on the ground!
What a lovely, sunny, spectacle was this morning. And the springtime plants are pushing up to reveal where we planted daffodils, crocus, and grape-hyacinths last autumn...
A really delightful morning we had, before setting off to church, and giving thanks to God for all these sights and sounds. Praise God for springtime, and new life appearing everywhere we look! Happy Sunday!
It was a frosty morning, though the sun was climbing above the horizon as I sat and had breakfast watching the cold, hungry, birds flying in, one after another, to grab a bite to eat to warm themselves up! Our usual half-dozen Starlings had watched me put the bird-food out, and were the first to arrive (as usual!) Then our flock of Wood Pigeons (6 of 'em!) descended like a squadron of jump-jets landing on an aircraft carrier, and within a few moments they'd consumed most of the peanuts!
'Waggy' the Wagtail has found a new mate, after her previous 'hubby' got taken by the Sparrowhawk, and both were soon down to waddle round the garden in search of the juiciest mealworms I'd put down for them and the Robin... who came late but gobbled up several mealworms before flying off, and only just missing the top of the fence.
Then when all these had shown the 2 pairs of Blackbirds that all was safe in the garden, they, also, came down, one after another - and still squabbling, as to who has the feeding rights under the big flowerpot, or on the garden border - but soon the sultanas were gone as they snatched quickly at them before flying off back into the trees behind our garden.
By the time the Collared Doves came in, there weren't many peanuts left, and then our resident Squirrel popped over the back fence and spooked them as he scurried forward to find his breakfast. Ooo, I *do* get cross with that Squirrel !! He (she?) fills his tummy with peanuts, and then has the nerve to have a nibble at the feeding-ports on the hanging feeders of sunflower hearts!
The funny thing is, that for all the activity of the larger birds flying in and out to feed, the tiny little Blue Tits, and Goldfinches, take no notice and stay in the Magnolia tree, on the hanging feeders, throughout the flapping, and squabbling down on the ground!
What a lovely, sunny, spectacle was this morning. And the springtime plants are pushing up to reveal where we planted daffodils, crocus, and grape-hyacinths last autumn...
A really delightful morning we had, before setting off to church, and giving thanks to God for all these sights and sounds. Praise God for springtime, and new life appearing everywhere we look! Happy Sunday!
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Snow on snow...
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter...
This January! :-(
(With thanks to Christina Rosetti)
Snow on snow... "They" (the weather forecasters) said there wouldn't be any more snow for Milton Keynes last night, or today, but, to mis-quote from the lyrics of Jeff Wayne's classic album "War of the Worlds"... "But still it comes!"
Both front and back gardens are full of wild birds all trying to get something to eat and stay warm with a high calorie intake. We've put out an assortment of foodstuffs, onto the bird tables, in hanging feeders, on trays lodged in the branches of our tree, and scattered liberally on the ground. Peanuts for Collared Doves, Wood Pigeons, and the odd Grey Squirrel (though it's a pest the way it buries some nuts in our garden flower tubs!). Sunflower hearts in hanging feeders for well over a dozen Goldfinches now coming in. Wild bird seed scattered around for 2x pairs of Chaffinches and 2x Dunnocks, and dried mealworms for our "resident" Pied Wagtail, 3 Robins (who squabble over who has the 'rights' to the garden!); and, since the snowfall, 3 male and 3 female blackbirds, which haven't been seen since springtime!!
Keeping a fresh bowl of water unfrozen has been a hard task, but I solved it by buying a coconut, sawing it in half, scraping out the coconut (the Blue Tits and Great Tits have loved that!), and using the halves as water bowls... Easier to bring indoors and thaw out each morning, than the bird baths!
I know it's winter, and we should expect snow... but both I and the wild garden birds will be *very* pleased when it's all gone!
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter...
This January! :-(
(With thanks to Christina Rosetti)
Snow on snow... "They" (the weather forecasters) said there wouldn't be any more snow for Milton Keynes last night, or today, but, to mis-quote from the lyrics of Jeff Wayne's classic album "War of the Worlds"... "But still it comes!"
Both front and back gardens are full of wild birds all trying to get something to eat and stay warm with a high calorie intake. We've put out an assortment of foodstuffs, onto the bird tables, in hanging feeders, on trays lodged in the branches of our tree, and scattered liberally on the ground. Peanuts for Collared Doves, Wood Pigeons, and the odd Grey Squirrel (though it's a pest the way it buries some nuts in our garden flower tubs!). Sunflower hearts in hanging feeders for well over a dozen Goldfinches now coming in. Wild bird seed scattered around for 2x pairs of Chaffinches and 2x Dunnocks, and dried mealworms for our "resident" Pied Wagtail, 3 Robins (who squabble over who has the 'rights' to the garden!); and, since the snowfall, 3 male and 3 female blackbirds, which haven't been seen since springtime!!
Keeping a fresh bowl of water unfrozen has been a hard task, but I solved it by buying a coconut, sawing it in half, scraping out the coconut (the Blue Tits and Great Tits have loved that!), and using the halves as water bowls... Easier to bring indoors and thaw out each morning, than the bird baths!
I know it's winter, and we should expect snow... but both I and the wild garden birds will be *very* pleased when it's all gone!
Friday, 18 January 2013
RIP "Waggy" the Pied Wagtail
It was a very sad morning for my Ann.
She was in our lounge when she heard "squeeking" noises from the garden; and she looked up just as "our" Pied Wagtail - who we've had, and fed, since last Spring - flew up from the ground, into the lounge window with a bang... As it fell back to the ground the reason for the "squeeking" and it's frightened flight into the window became clear in the next second...
Our local Sparrowhawk had got the Wagtail...
She, (we know it was a female, as they have slate-grey backs, whereas males have a black back), has been my constant companion for well over 9 months, getting more and more confident of coming down when I'm still out putting down the various bird food we feed. But now she is no more...
As I said to Ann when she brought me the sad news, "You're actually very fortunate to have seen it. (a) We now know why we'll not see "Waggy" again, and (b) you've seen the Sparrowhawk get fed from our "bird feeding stations", cos after all, Sparrowhawks don't eat mealworms, nuts, seed, coconut or fat scraps. For the Sparrowhawk the bird table provides... birds... ..."
But, nonetheless, RIP "Waggy"... I *will* miss you're friendly twitter.
She was in our lounge when she heard "squeeking" noises from the garden; and she looked up just as "our" Pied Wagtail - who we've had, and fed, since last Spring - flew up from the ground, into the lounge window with a bang... As it fell back to the ground the reason for the "squeeking" and it's frightened flight into the window became clear in the next second...
Our local Sparrowhawk had got the Wagtail...
She, (we know it was a female, as they have slate-grey backs, whereas males have a black back), has been my constant companion for well over 9 months, getting more and more confident of coming down when I'm still out putting down the various bird food we feed. But now she is no more...
As I said to Ann when she brought me the sad news, "You're actually very fortunate to have seen it. (a) We now know why we'll not see "Waggy" again, and (b) you've seen the Sparrowhawk get fed from our "bird feeding stations", cos after all, Sparrowhawks don't eat mealworms, nuts, seed, coconut or fat scraps. For the Sparrowhawk the bird table provides... birds... ..."
But, nonetheless, RIP "Waggy"... I *will* miss you're friendly twitter.
Friday, 21 December 2012
End of the World? ... Not yet, friends!
So we
'survived', then!
The 400 year old, 13th
Bak'tun Mayan Calendar, ran out today, and the so called prophesy - that today,
21st December 2012, would see the End of the World - did not occur! Yippee!
"The world keeps turning, the grass still grows green..." (sang Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, in the song, Under Moonshine, from the album 'Octave') ... and so it does... keep on turning... Well, at least for now!
But so close to Christmas! I ask you, fancy putting the end of the world just 4 days before Christmas! Not that you'd have noticed if you were trying to do the last bit of shopping in Tesco or Morrisons, today... Manic! No car parking places, people getting up-tight cos of the queues of cars waiting for a space in the parking aisle "they" always park in... pure mania!
But the End of the World 'thing' does strike a chord with Christians, leastways, cos the New Testament clearly says that one day (but not like the Mayans, a *specifically known* day!), one day, the world - as we know it - will come to an end, when Jesus comes back to claim His Own and begin the time of the New Earth and the New Heavens, (see Revelation 21:1 and 2Peter 3:10 amongst many other references).
So don't crow about "surviving" too much, because, like London buses, there'll be another prophesy coming to fruition soon! Happy Christmas, folks! And a Peaceful New Year 2013!
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Where have all the days gone this year!
Where have all the days gone this year!
"Suddenly" it's December and all my good intentions for re-vamping this blog, back in January, into a social comment blog on what's going on in my bit of good ol' Blighty have disappeared like frost on the grass as the sun gets up!
Hey-ho...
Certainly, as Christmas is fast approaching, and currently I've got a rotten head-cold, I somehow don't think there'll be another blog this side of New Year...but we'll see... and hope that 2013 might see me get into blogging 'properly'!
TTFN - Richard-the Beard!
"Suddenly" it's December and all my good intentions for re-vamping this blog, back in January, into a social comment blog on what's going on in my bit of good ol' Blighty have disappeared like frost on the grass as the sun gets up!
Hey-ho...
Certainly, as Christmas is fast approaching, and currently I've got a rotten head-cold, I somehow don't think there'll be another blog this side of New Year...but we'll see... and hope that 2013 might see me get into blogging 'properly'!
TTFN - Richard-the Beard!
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