You can never have enough...

[Mica]

Morning all
Clear skies and nippy.

Having a wee lie in with my book but got to get soon as we are looking after DG1 this morning while her parents shop for work worthy clothes for her dad.

Definitely essentials OHH.

More courier woes same story yesterday unable to deliver on to it this time, silence when I asked if GPS actually showed courier at our location. Got cut off  while she was checking but I see the status has changed this morning so fingers crossed I get package today.

So gotta move

Enjoy your day

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies Another gorgeous day here today

The Furry One decided last evening he didn't like where we put his bed so dragged it to a new spot. He promptly did the little turn around and around thing in it, stretched out and fell asleep. I think it was money well spent

Over the last couple of months a flock of magpies had moved into our area and scared most, if not, all of the birds off. We hardly even see our resident hawk anymore. Our nieghbour called in a pest control firm and they have been catching them and we have one left. Fingers crossed they catch this one too. We miss our small birds.

Today two of my sisters-in-law are coming for lunch so the Furry One will have two big dogs to boss around. One's a Dalmatian and the other is a beardie crossed with something. Both young dogs full of energy. Thank goodness it's a fine day so they can be outside.

Better get moving, I have some cheese and onion muffins to make to go towards lunch.

happy crafting

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

Is a stunning cold day out there

And I should be going out to spray etc. But I had a night full of cramp. Goodness knows why when I take bucket loads of magnesium. Even Missy wasn't in an rush to get out of bed. Its going to be fine so Ill see how I feel once the meds kick in.

She seems to understand our routine cos she woke me up just before cooking with Valerie Bertinelli started. And she wasn't in any hurry to move. Do so love it when she is in a snuggly mood.

Someone in a local fb group here has been taking stunning photos of some Hawks Kiwimade. One caught light coming through its tail feathers in full flight It was Beautiful. I had been wondering if there were hawks around cos I haven't seen or heard any Tui's and Im guessing the Wax eyes have moved on to warmer temps.

Someone lost their Macaw, Pablo his name is. But people have been posting if they see it. He's out here at the mo. I do hope they manage to get him back. They are such beautiful birds and cost a pretty penny too.

Might do some more rice later. Warm breakfasts is a great way to start the day.

Oh my Taranaki friend sent me a couple of photos she took last night of Mount Egmont in all her glory. I must ask her to send it to my FB too. She took them on her phone as the sun had a slight pink tone. Id like to print one of them especially off for MrP.

Have a fab day all

[kiwimade64]

Muffins are cooked but guess who forgot to put salt in the mixture lol.

I think I know the photo you are talking about, popeye. I belong to a NZ bird photography FB group and the chap posts lots of gorgeous photos. It was his kotare/kingfisher I embroidered.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Cold but sunny here so I ripped out masses of bog sage and in the process discovered the recent trimming of our feijoa hedge has resulted in several big fat moth plant fruits being left on the ground under the trees...

I hate contractors. Why is it they just do not care? Grrrrrr...

Still, my little peach tree garden is looking much clearer and ready to pop spring bulbs, and when I unearthed the Christmas cactus buried in there I found it covered in the palest pink buds with some flowers opened. Such a beauty and all grown from a single piece. Love it when that happens! And my daffs are starting to poke their heads up in the big pot. Late planted, but looks as though they have forgiven me for it. And I have a piece of brisket in the slow cooker, so that takes care of weekend dinners, and mandarins in the bowl on the table. Heaven - one of my favourite fruits, and the peels are very handy to toss on the gardens to keep the cats off. They really dislike the scent of citrus.

So, now I can curl up with a book guiltfree!

[Lilith7]

I hope the magpies can be moved on KM, they're lovely but do tend to scare other birds. And I've been attacked by them a couple of times in Spring when they're nesting.

Probably overdid things but pleased I did; the front lawn is done & more done on That Bloody Hedge, just on half way this side so some progress. If more of it would fit in the bin I'd make faster progress with it.

[popeye333]

Had a totally do nothing day.

Combination of the cramp muscles and over doing it yesterday.

Good news is the shoulder has unpinched but still sore from this one

Do we ever learn??? lol

[JanW]

I haven’t done much either Popeye after a rather dramatic start to the day - got up about 7 and made a cuppa and went back to bed with a book - We need to talk about Kevin - small book quick read - awful story about a school boy shooter but beautifully written - anyway lost track of the time and my neighbour - not the tree chopper - got a bit concerned because my drapes remained closed at 10am - she came over and knocked didn’t hear her - rang my mobile it was flat - so she rang Robie - I have a key outside but she had forgotten - I was so engrossed in my book didn’t even hear him come in - next thing he is standing in my bedroom doorway .It’s nice to know the neighbour cares .Have driven myself silly I had another similar story about children who were locked in cages - it was a best seller back in the day can’t remember the name and the author - I must have lent it to somebody - I am pretty sure it was a simple title like Monster or something similar - driving me nuts .But found The Room and several Jodi Picoult to re read - used to be able to go on the books thread on trade me somebody would know the book that is driving me insane
Well I better clean up the mess I have made looking for that darned book

[Lilith7]

Oh dear Jan! That must have been a bit of a shock for both of you.
Good to know though, that someone will turn up if you don't appear.

But when you get a good book its easy to become engrossed very quickly, & I think I've read that particular one a while ago, & The room as well.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I don't know, ladies, about your taste in books. I avoid those kinds, I cry all too easily these days. I prefer a good bad guys v good guys with the right side winning of course. Or a nice fat space opera...

[JanW]

I read all sorts Hunni as long as it is well written - we need to talk about Kevin is written by somebody who knew a school shooter and had struggled with the mental health system to get help for him - the only books I won’t read are Mills and Boon - one page of my kindle a very eclectic collection -

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies We have fog and it's back to being bleak this morning.

Wow, Jan, great to know you have people looking out for you I read all sorts too, one more book and I've caught up with Stephen King

Those seed pods were on The Project the other evening, OHH. There's a competition for kids to collect the most and a day care center had entered. They had collected and safely disposed of thousands. The pods need to be heated to kill the seeds, so they are photographed as evidence of their numbers, bagged and collected for disposal.

There are a couple of things left to do out in the garden, the mint needs cutting back, a couple of small plants need planting out and a bossy dahlia needs to be moved. All small stuff and shouldn't take long to do shortly.

Yesterday we were sitting in the sun having a cuppa and were treated to a flock of swallows zipping around. We call them our spitfires and omgggg they are quick. It was a real joy to watch and they were quite close too. There are two magpies left, fingers crossed the bird removal people come back to catch them.

I've started a new embroidery of a thrush to add to the collection. I'll do this and one more and that will be the end of my series.

happy crafting

[Roma]

Happy Mother's Day. 

Overcast so far, hopefully another nice day will eventuate.

Nothing planned, the resident family are not here today and will catch up with other son and family later. 

A good day yesterday to start the catch up outside ... I see pesty green caterpillars are having a great time in the veg/herb garden particularly the sage! 

Good to know you have people watching out for you Jan ... what a surprise to see them in your room!

Great you have those magpie numbers getting reduced KM ... they can certainly develop into huge intimidating flocks (to both humans and other birds). Their (huge) poo all around the house used to drive me insane as they pecked on the windows (admiring/arguing with themselves)!

Cuppa finished and time for another washing load.

Enjoy the day all.

[popeye333]

Morning all.

Happy Mothers Day. Missy let me sleep in a little, so that was nice. Shes getting really talkie now, which I love. Shes never been a big purrer either but she's started that recently too.

Swallows are superfast, had one come in the house once, I pinched the nerve hahah oddly the one that I have all the trouble with, trying to head the bird out the front door with a fly swat. It was an old house with the tall ceilings, stupid of me really. Used to be a lot on the farm tho.

It is nice knowing that the Neighbour's watch over you. No one could here I'm too tucked away. but I always check the older Neighbour's to the front are up and about.

Its a stunning day here. but Im just going to work slowly. I need to start gathering the stuff for the inorganic. That will be a dirty job. But the only free way to get rid of stuff.

I must take a photo of the plant growing in with my geranium, you ladies might be able to tell me what it is. I thoughtn it was a passionfruit, but Im not so sure now.

Sold a dress last night, Yay.

Have a fab day all

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I have a special love for magpies, ever since I met one as I went to work one morning in Taupo, greeted it and had the bird say Good Morning back to me. I was completely awestruck by that, later realising it may have been hand reared, but even so a special bird.

And I really like all birds, only pigeons en masse are not a favourite. I even like thieving seagulls, and murdering tui lol.

[JanW]

Robie would have looked an idiot if I had been dead - he had take away coffees in his hand !
When we lived in Oz - hadn’t been there long and there was a horrendous noise on our roof - it was an iron roof I thought the end of the world was nigh - but it was big white cockatoos - they had arrived for their annual stripping of our huge walnut tree - it took them about 10 minutes then they were off to strip the trees in the dog park - they came every year I knew not to count on getting any walnuts off the tree
Magpies over there were very aggressive - my husband used to cycle a lot and had his helmet attacked several times - actually all the Ozzie birds are ver6 strident not gentle like our Tui .We had a nesting kookaburra down the back of the section - was glad our cat couldn’t get out of his run they were very clumsy chicks
My granddaughter just messaged she bought me a lotto ticket on Wednesday for Mother’s Day and it won I think she said $15 so she reinvested it for last night and won $81 - so that will buy us a nice lunch when she comes home in her break - I actually am not fussed about Mother’s Day it’s just a marketing ploy

[harm_less]

I read all sorts Hunni as long as it is well written - we need to talk about Kevin is written by somebody who knew a school shooter and had struggled with the mental health system to get help for him - the only books I won’t read are Mills and Boon - one page of my kindle a very eclectic collection -

Saw the movie of that as an inflight a few years back. Very haunting portrayal and interesting in that every scene in the movie highlights the colour red in some way.

[Video: https://youtu.be/SfQaRK3BCYU]

[JanW]

I read all sorts Hunni as long as it is well written - we need to talk about Kevin is written by somebody who knew a school shooter and had struggled with the mental health system to get help for him - the only books I won’t read are Mills and Boon - one page of my kindle a very eclectic collection -

Saw the movie of that as an inflight a few years back. Very haunting portrayal and interesting in that every scene in the movie highlights the colour red in some way.

[Video: https://youtu.be/SfQaRK3BCYU]

Harm less I have watched the movie it’s certainly not macabre but it is a brilliantly well written insight into the mind of a troubled kid and the effects it has on family .I like Jodi Picoult as well they always have a twist - another author I can’t put down .

[R2x1]

Saw the movie of that as an inflight a few years back. Very haunting portrayal and interesting in that every scene in the movie highlights the colour red in some way.

[Video: https://youtu.be/SfQaRK3BCYU]

Harm less I have watched the movie it’s certainly not macabre but it is a brilliantly well written insight into the mind of a troubled kid and the effects it has on family .I like Jodi Picoult as well they always have a twist - another author I can’t put down .

Be a bit cautious about authors you CAN put down, that occupation is a bit reserved. Formerly restricted to Generals and the Judiciary, but now exclusively reserved for the Judiciary's clients.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I must try Picoult again. I gave up on her a while back after reading two of hers back to back and thinking actually they were the same book, with minor variations. My daughter loved her books though, so maybe a revisit is in order. I'm currently addicted to Lisa Gardner's novels. Fortunately, there are a lot of them.