Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

Hi all

Hoeing it down here, so have to admit I am still in bed, reading. My current novel is Red Head by the Side of the Road, by Anne Tyler, one of my favourite authors. I always have a factual book on the go, which at the moment is; On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin.

Talking of trips to the USA, I have been lucky to visit regularly, including working briefly in San Francisco and several skiing holidays in Colorado, but my best trip was a driving tour with 2 friends' we started in LA, up to San Francisco, across to NY and then up to Toronto, this was done over 6 weeks.

 

Morning all, I was very tempted to stay in bed earlier but had finished the book I was reading last night. It was one of the old Cadfael mysteries. I used to have them all but in a fit of decluttering decided to send most to the charity shop - which of course I'm now regretting!
It rained heavily during the night and was only 6c this morning at 8.30 so I'm waiting for it to warm up a bit before venturing outside. It looks dryish out there and brighter so will have a wander round the garden. I've got another small project in mind but still undecided as it involves moving two very old large and heavy paving slabs. I won't be able to do it on my own and OH isn't very mobile at the moment. His hip op has been put back till late July which means he's had to cancel his car rally in Yorkshire. Shame, but the operation's much more
important.

 

Morning all (just!!).
Good steady rain all morning here so even if the forecast is right and it stops this afternoon, it'll be too wet to do anything in the garden. Never mind, I have lots of indoor stuff that I want to spend time on. No it's not h*******k, I have some sewing projects that have been neglected lately.

 

Flippin’ stair-rods here … grrrr!

 

Just back from the Plant Fair. It was only small but I found some fabulous unusual herbs: blackcurrant mint, strawberry mint, Cola plant (Artemisia abotanum) and lemon thyme. I also picked an unusual Lavender - ‘Kew Red’. I’ll gift my sister with her choice (guessing strawberry mint) and MIL can have one of the lemon thymes for her herb planter.

 

Done very little this morning. Finally persuaded OH to try the ice pack on his ankle, but it does seem rather better than yesterday, he does panic and fear the worst.
Having my second cup of coffee, when I should be down in the utility room sorting out the tumble dryer. I took advantage of the curtain rail being down to pop the curtain linings in the washing machine. They went in with a white bathrobe and a king size sheet, washed nicely, but appear to have tied themselves all up in a big knot in the tumble dryer. That’ll take some heavy duty unravelling, and I can’t summon up the energy to try yet!
Much warmer this morning, but still damp from last nights rain. Maybe just read a book instead!

 

Showing my age here but my fave novelist is Barbara Pym and Philip Larkin for poetry. Just a coincidence that they admired each other and became friends

 

Thanks, @Topbird , sounds like you did some awesome traveling. Yes, also did Alaska, used a small ship company, and one that is more exploratory than a cruise type, Lindblad, they couple with National Geographic, tour guide staff all have Phd's in the areas of touring etc. They use a zodiac to get folks onto different islands etc. 55 guests only. Met lots of neat folks. I loved Orkney, was able to find the radio station from there, sometime I turn it on to hear the accents, cute. And got a hat there from they said the same company that made hats for Downton Abby. It was interesting the first couple days in Scotland, using the buses, don't have buses around my house. But found the bus system very easy. I had the hotel make up the piles of coins I needed, so I knew what to toss in the till.
Then after two days in Scotland I hooked up with the Tour company for the tour bus trip up North and around ect. That was interesting in it self, never been on one of those before. Husband and I always do our own thing with traveling, plan it all on our own etc.

 

Hummingbirds. You all do not get hummingbirds , I believe that is correct.
We have humming birds here in USA. So getting to a point.

If you really ever want to see hummingbirds. We took a trip one year to the area called Ramsey Canyon, Arizona, in September, Humming birds from the North migrate in to that area in September, 18 species can be seen. It was awesome. We stayed on a ranch down there is a small town called Heronsford, but if you find any little bed and breakfast near Ramsey Canyon your fine. This place, at the main house had a long porch, they hung 10 humming bird feeders in a line spaced about 2 foot from each. Each feeder was bombarded by over 15 or more birds. The wing noise and chirps are unreal. Our little cottage had two hung out on our porch, we could sit there and just watch them. Now, Ramsey Canyon is a park and if you go there the park rangers also hand feeders in places, and again more bombardments of them there. Most of the B&B in that area do cater to birders, our place had extra bird birds about for identification and binoculars to use. Then for some quick fun there is Tombstone,Az near by, where you will be immersed in cowboy/western/wild west history, and there is a town near also with a gold mine you can sift if want, totally forgot that name right now, starts with a B. I found the restaurants decent about.

 

Happy Monday. Just doing house stuff and future trip planning. rained last night. Later.

 

@Bluejayway have you read Larkin’s novel ‘A Girl in Winter’? It seems to be virtually unknown nowadays yet is an utter delight. I love it. Do read it if you’ve not done so yet.
A Girl in Winter - Wikipedia

 

I have read it @Dovefromabove and it’s long overdue for a re-read! Thanks for reminding me PL was such an interesting, if controversial, chap, I love his letters to his family and girlfriend too

 

I love the way he uses words to create a sense of place and time … and his understanding of the singularity of the people he creates.

 

@redstar - that was very interesting and thank you for introducing me to a new small-ship cruise line. We have only done 3 cruises (or expeditions as they like to call them) - all very science and culture based and all with the Norwegian line, Hurtigruten. We were in Antarctica with them just 6 weeks ago.

We have always shunned the big cruise lines and huge ships - the idea of being trapped on a boat with 5000 of your new 'best friends' sounds like an absolute nightmare. Not quite as exclusive as your line (HX usually have 250 - 300 passengers on board) but, when we joined the ship for the Alaskan trip in Vancouver, it was completely and utterly dwarfed by the other huge cruise liners waiting to leave. Consequently our ship was able to visit much smaller towns and bays and we rarely saw another ship or other tourists.

Like your line, the ships are crewed by an international team of scientists (nearly all undertaking research projects for various universities around the world). There is no theatre or cabaret - the entertainment is zodiac cruising, kayaking, hiking, birdwatching and a full programme of science and history lectures. With a science centre where an entertainment centre would be on other vessels and no dressing for dinner or 'gala nights', it's all very much our cup of tea.

We saw hummingbirds in an Alaskan fjord - rather unexpected. They seemed to be attracted to the waterproof jackets issued by HX which are very bright (for safety reasons). Presumably they thought we were all big red flowers....

 

@Topbird , the added thing with the "small' ships they can get to ports and small unique places that the large cannot go. The large, 5,000 folks on a boat also bothers me. The smaller ships tend to lean toward a theme, or a mission, so like minded folks gravitate to them, conversation was wonderful. I was not bored in the least ever. Just sitting and relaxing was awesome. And packing is a breeze, no need for fancy anything, just comfort. And they will tell you you need knee high water proof boots, for when you get off the zodiac to islands, although they do get as close as can to shore. I got some awesome bear shots, and other animals. The food was good, a selection of two entries, and open bar, and munchies ahead of time. No crazy buffet. So glad I went, hope to use this company again. they go to lots of neat places.