Good Afternoon, here we are almost at the end of September and it has certainly been a much better month that the rest of the so called summer. Today it is a lovely sunny day not all that warm but lovely all the same.
The last few day we have seen the start of our wintering geese coming back from their breeding grounds in the Arctic.
. I rushed out this morning and managed to catch a couple of shots of the skeins arriving this morning. We used to have in the region of 80,000 Pink Footed and Greylag Geese here but numbers have decreased to a mere 18,000 now. Don’t know why this is the RSPB plant fields of winter wheat for them but they seem to like to go further south earlier than they used to, they waited till the loch froze over before they headed south. There must be a change of habitat and they don’t seem to like it. I have noticed that the fields don’t seem to be cropped so low nowadays the harvesters leave about a foot of stocks of the wheat etc. wither this has anything to do with it or not it certainly makes a difference to us in the winter as we cannot pick up the wintering flocks of finches as easily as we used to. Did not mean to make this a nature study entry its just the way it worked out. I was just saying yesterday it is strange where we get our inspiration for entries you sometimes sit down and the ideas just pop in other times there is nothing there.
While Stu was watching all his sport this afternoon I cleaned out kitchen cupboards. Its amazing what you find when you get to the back. The cupboards I was doing today are very deep and things get way back and forgotten. I found a few things out of date. I hate having to throw things out especially now with prices as they are. I found a pot of ground black pepper that I have had for ten years obviously I had never checked the date on it before today. It all looks so tidy now wonder how long for.
Wonder who will be getting sent home tonight from Strictly Come Dancing. Really enjoyed itlast night my only complaint is I find tonight’s program too long with too many reruns of last night show I think 30 minutes would be long enough for the dance off and the result still who am I to say. Think that about it for today so till next time.
Love,
Good Afternoon, when I closed my entry yesterday I said Stuart and I were going to trim our conifers in the afternoon. After some lunch we ventured into the garden to get the job done. As you can see from the photographs they are quite tall and in need of a haircut. We keep them as they shelter the garden from the north wind which whips down our driveway into our garden and they do make a big difference. I have not been able to show you how Stuart does the top of the trees as I am hanging on to the step ladder very tightly. As you can see after we had finished it made a big difference and it lets me see out a lot better from the kitchen window. They look a bit bare for a while but they soon recover from their haircut. There is no pictures of me as I was like nothing you’ve have seen before with a scarf covering my head and face to keep me free of anymore midgie bites. I have had to take antihistamines as the bites on my head have been so bad and I did not want anymore added. Mission accomplished I headed for a well deserved shower as I had pine bits in place I should not have had. There was so much came off the trees we filled the brown wheelie bin we have for garden refuse and had to push it down to get it all in. I think that’s all the pruning done now for this year thank goodness only some bedding to pull out once its past and then we can put the garden to bed for the winter.
Today we were out for our usual Saturday morning coffee and this afternoon Stuart is watching World Cycling Championships from Italy me I’m half watching and shouting for Nicole Cook (remember her from the Olympic games) Yes yes she has done it she it WORLD CHAMPION. WELL DONE NICOLE. What a double for her Olympic Champion and World Champion in two months what a girl. The race was 138 klm.
What more can I say today Wales will be so proud of their girl. Till next time….. Love
Joan.
Nilcole Cook. World and Olympic Champion.
Good Morning, sitting all alone this morning as Stuart is at his art class today he is at the moment doing a watercolour of Chestnut leaves and chestnuts still on the branch last time I saw it it was looking very good it should be finished today.
The pictures today are of the Waternish peninsula on Skye. It is very beautiful but a bit of a strange atmosphere for some reason or other. This is our second visit to this area we visited last time we were on Skye and it felt the same then nothing I can put my finger on. Portree is a busy little town and has all the amenities you need it even has a supermarket now. The harbour is very picturesque and a great for photographs if the sun is shining. We were lucky the morning we were there it was to warm not wind on the only thing about it is it is downhill going and a steep climb back up so we had a few stops on the way back to the car.
This afternoon Stuart and I are going out into the garden to trim our conifers I will try to keep the midges at bay as I have a lot of bites on my head don’t know why we are being bothered this year as we have never been bothered before. I think that’s about it for today take care till next time.
Love,
Good Evening, yesterday Stuart and I had a short walk in a nature reserve and I had my camera with me. Instead of taking views for you as I usually do I thought I would let you see what nature has ready for the long winter ahead for our birds and other wildlife. The trees and bushes were hanging so heavy Rowans, Hawthorn, Apples, Pears, Elderberries and a few brambles, were all in abundance it was lovely to see so I think they will all be very well fed this winter. Our Rowan Trees are usually stripped bare long before winter by our Starlings they can strip a tree in no time at all so there is never any berries left come winter it is a shame.
This is just a short entry tonight as am a bit tired as we have had Ellen from school today as usual being Wednesday and that makes it a late tea for Stuart and I and by the time we get cleared away it is nearly 8 o’clock.
Will continue our Skye holiday next time so much going on just no ha ha ha. Till next time,
Love 
