Few more...

Let Emma out for last wee about 11.30 last night and there were two hoggies at the front dish. Dashed back to get the camera quickly, but by the time I'd got back the little one had legged it and hidden by my mower! Then the damn battery had gone flat in the camera, grrr. Anyway quick change and by then Biggy had started to vacate the premises too, but stood and listened to my conversation for a few minutes, sniffing the air and considering her best move, then suddenly lifted her skirts and ran like hell and also hid by my mower, lol. Was very funny to witness. By this time it was getting on for midnight.

I wonder what the neighbours think of me having convos in the porch and flashing camera lights at that time of night? Not to mention that the porch is becoming a latrine. Must get the poop scoop in action today I think. (Well I'm sure the neighbours think they live next door to a very eccentric person to put it politely. Who else stands outside in their dressing gown calling "Thierry, Frank or Gitty" at 7 am in the morning? ......

Birds and Hog/s

Well what can I say? Well for the sake of trying to be polite, (for a change) Fed Up would be the best way of putting it. I'm sick and tired of this godawful weather. Grey skies, drizzle, torrential rain, 10c most of the time highest temps, wind, and central heating still on. 'Nuff said. Grrrrrr.

Okay so I took some photos of the birds in my aviary the other day cos I had been given a new budgie, who has been living indoors in a cage. Long story short, she wouldn't tame down with the owner, I had a try, and she is completely mental, in fact I have called her Psycho! So anyway, she's now gone out into the aviary with my others and has settled well so I took some pics to show the previous owner when I see her (Alan's sister's neighbour) Also took some of a few of my cockatiels.

Frank been back a couple of times this week for the mealworms. Eaten three or four then flown off with just one. He'd disappeared for about 2 weeks again. I say "he" lightly now. I have a theory. I think Frank may, after all, be female. Its the only explanation I can come up with for the pattern of appearing/disappearing. I think when s/he was coming and taking zillions of worms a few weeks ago, obviously feeding chicks, which I think both male and female do. When s/he disappears for a couple of weeks, could be sitting on a nest of eggs, and just turning up for a few to eat on her lunch/tea break? Obviously if I'm not around at those times, I wouldn't see her. Dunno, could be anyway I think.

Also now got a lovely male blackbird named Thierry, after the gorgeous male black man, swoon, erm, yes he is at the window looking in at me all the time, I'm having to throw him 8 or so mealworms at a time. There's also another Robin who is becoming bolder, taking lots, both of these are nesting really close by because they literally are gone and back within about 1 minute! Costing me a fortune.

Took a couple of proper shots of the hoggy in front porch last night, very cute, the unmarked one. Will have to think of some names for these this year. Hum.

Dunno what's in store for the weekend, if the weather stays the same as now not very much I think. Got the farm next week for three days, then the following week for eight days, so hope maybe we may have an end to this wet and miserable bloody cold. Everyone is saying it's more like March. Well I was warmer in February.

Aviary

Smudge Jo Boy

Psycho

Thierry



Hoggy

There's more...

These two are in lurvve! The one in the dish is female, pretty sure. She sat and ate and ate, whilst the other one circled round and round for about 25 minutes. No aggression at all. Then they went off together hand in hand... no not really lol, but anyway, it was cute to watch. Later, there were two again, but definitely one of them was different, back to the pushing and shoving, was about 11.30 pm.

All the food from the front porch dish had gone by then, so I put out a lot more. At least I know it's the hogs eating it though, I did wonder if they were leaving lots and the early birds were clearing the dish. So they ate dried mealworms, raisins, peanut halves, sunflower hearts, suet pellets and broken up bits of Rich Tea. Eat better than me! Costing me a small fortune actually, the tub of mealworms only lasts about 2 days!

Hog News!

I think there must be a whole army of them out there at night. The garden is covered, and I mean covered, with hog poo! I picked up about a sack load from the back path and front porch yesterday, and there's dollops all over the grass everywhere I look. Sorry if that's too much info!

Anyway, I know for sure I have three. One is marked with white on rear end, one has marks between front shoulders, and last night, a little cutey in front porch, very small, no marks, too early to be this years of course, but I guess one of last years babies that made it through the winter.

Few shots from the webcam, last night for the first time there were two at once, and much bumping and barging going on.

Went to collect the dish from front porch just now and one of them had wee'd in it. Lovely creatures aren't they?

Anyway, cam is not an option for you early-to-bed merchants, they aren't appearing till gone 10pm, captures from last night were about 11-ish. Sowwy! (You know who you are) ;o)

So much to catch up on AGAIN!

Never seems to be enough time to do this any more. Such a shame cos I'm still taking a few photos with good intentions, and then end up with a huge backlog stored either on the phone still or on the laptop, and I keep thinking I must do my blog, I must do my blog..... Well it's raining, I'm still in bed (yes it's 10am but I was up at 7.30 to let Emma out, put out the bird feed, uncover the budgies, give the guinea pigs their cucumber, then I got back in bed with my coffee to do my quizzes on here YAWN, yes very boring I know.

Anyway, here's some photos and a brief bit about some of the stuff I've done over the past couple of weeks.

The first two are of a wonderful night out with a dear old friend of mine from the past - John Mann. I'd been back in contact with him again recently via email and was thrilled to find out he was doing the opening night concert of a newly installed Wurlitzer organ (originally in the Gaumont Theatre, Manchester) only down the road here at Folly Farm. http://www.folly-farm.co.uk/events.aspx?PageID=35 (Sorry don't know how to do the links that you click on) I used to be very into the organ world of concerts and travelled to USA a couple of times with the ATOS London chapter way back when. Anyhow I'd not seen the lovely John for over 25 years! Had a great night of music and brought back some wonderful memories for me, and then the following day Alan and I were invited to join him and some pals for lunch at a superb restaurant,highly recommended - http://www.cwm-deri.co.uk/ Great scenery looking out across Pembrokeshire, and super food and staff.





The next day was Bank Holiday and we went to a Classic Car event at Swansea, which was great, and then onto the Mumbles for tea and sat looking out at the sea. Had to stay inside the cafe though as it was a bit breezy and chilly. Would be great on a nice day though.







Okay fast forward now to last weekend, can't remember what I did during the week only usual stuff oh been working my socks off on the garden and getting it looking the best it's done for a few years even though I say it myself. Lots of tubs full of bedding plants, and loads of small seedlings coming along in the greenhouse, together with tomatoes, cues, beans, sweet peas. Oh hell yes, one day in the week we went to Sandy Water Park with Emma, been there lots of times, but did a different walk this time and found this in the woods ....

Its a sculptured wild boar made out of recycled metal.

Was very windy that day lol, as you can see from Emma's dumbo ears. Also was a swan nesting, very close to the bank, hope she will be safe.






Right now onto last Saturday, stayed local and went to the Woodland Trust woods near here in the afternoon, and saw all the superb bluebells everywhere, it was really magical, we did a very long walk this time, over 2 hours, and it's so steep there, but felt quite chuffed that I did it ok, I'm certainly a lot fitter than I was a couple of years back, would have been huffing and puffing more than Emma then. Surprising really being as I've put a bit of weight back on ....













Got back to the car park and saw this rabbit, seemed to tame, got very close before it hopped away, we think it may have been elderly though, def didn't have the dreaded lurgy.





Sunday we went to http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/enjoying/visit_the_vale/attractions/parks_and_gardens/cosmeston.aspx Great time again, lots of lovely walks, Medieval village, lots of water birds, nice cafe (a major necessity...) Only saw a small bit of it, definitely want to go there again, but we were going to Alan's sisters later so not enough time, needs a full day there with a picnic would be good.

Monday I was up the farm, helping with the shearing which was great like last year. Weather has changed now though so I bet they are feeling cold and miserable, poor things. I was folding the fleeces and the lanolin was great for my dry old hands, I love the smell too. Tim the Shearer reckons there are another 4 ewes due to lamb - I expect they will wait until I am doing the farm for the week again next month.....

Anyway that's all now. Just nearly had a heart attack because I'd done all this and then went to publish and it said Blogger was unavailable for 10 mins (which was actually over half an hour in the end) but luckily it had saved most of it, I only had to do the last bit again, phew. I was about to vent and say that was the end of blogging for me if I'd lost all that lot!

Watch this space...