COLD DARK ROOM

[JoesMum]

Good Morning all.
It is Friday.
Arrived at work to see these two.
Chat again later.
Hope you all have an awesome Friday. View attachment 255915

Nice pair of Egyptian Geese - thinking of spring no doubt. We get those here too. More escapes from private and zoological collections that made themselves at home

 

[JoesMum]

Good morning all. The rain has gone and we had frost overnight. It’s bright and sunny, but chilly now.

We currently have the tree surgeons in. There’s a row of Leylandii cypresses behind our garage that grow out of control. They don’t actually belong to us, but the elderly neighbour is happy for us to hack them back over our property.


They are also doing some work for our new next door neighbours. Taking a couple of trees out that, I agree, were far too close to the house and pollarding a third.

 

[Kristoff]

Evening all..

Since my kayaking event was cut very short this morning, I managed to get a few other tasks done. Hooked up with a person who bought an old DogLoo that I had purchased (used) a few years back for Sullys outside play area. So, CraigsList was good for me - sold!

With temps in low 70’s here today, and nice breezes, I was able to get more house trim painted, specifically around the garage.
Not many outdoor painting days left :-(

As i passed my confused fig trees who don’t know if they should be getting ready for Winter or Spring, I noticed one nice dark looking fig. Later on, I went back to inspect that fig, and lo and behold, it’s a “Black Madeira” - one that I started from a cutting sent to me from the University of California Davis Campus Agricultural Dept. Long story, but they collect and keep and preserve various strains there in their gardens and offer cuttings of the pure stock to growers once per year. I started this one maybe 5 years back.

Here’s the fig right from the tree

View attachment 255884


Cut and Ready to Eat With a Wedge of Cheese

View attachment 255885

Wow, how exciting! Glad you were able to turn your day around and enjoy it — and even got a surprise in the end!

 

[Kristoff]

Glad to know you're all well.

Oh yes, my dear friend, Oli is definitely being naughty. Am I to punish hm?

Noooo. Dear Oli. He’ll grow out of it.

 

[Kristoff]

Somewhat true, however if I lose my temper......he's in for real trouble. I'd stop offering him lettuce - his favourite. I'd stop taking him out for "walks."

That’s your British side “losing temper”. Still very lady-like [emoji23]

 

[Maro2Bear]

Good Morning all.
It is Friday.
Arrived at work to see these two.
Chat again later.
Hope you all have an awesome Friday. View attachment 255915

They're quite common over here. Escapes from private collections and zoos that have made themselves at home in the wild. They certainly wouldn't make the news here There are lots in the park lake near my Mum's home. They nest in holes high up in trees and the ducklings have to jump when they hatch as they aren't reared in the nest. The females are a lot less spectacular than the males

Yes - thats what I figured. Although all the local zoos have said it’s not one of their birds, I’m sure there are enough folks who keep them privately and one got away.

 

[Kristoff]

I was outside cleaning out the tortoise gardens earlier this week and found a new fig tree started in Crusher’s garden.. I’m pretty sure it was a result of trimming and throwing out ends on the “cuttings” that I sent to Kathy.... I had not intended to start another tree but I’m going to let it grow... [emoji16]

Karma!
Kathy, is yours growing too? @Momof4

 

[Kristoff]

Good afternoon CDR... I have been a little quiet lately trying to sort thru my thoughts I suppose.. I’ve had a lot of “junk” going on here with my nephew. I’m feeling pretty sad and angry all at once. The short version- he has continued to make horrible choices to the point of breaking the law while already at a disciplinary school. They allowed him a phone call and he called his mother instead of me. Her court date was postponed for another couple of months but she withdrew him from school and took him back to Arkansas... (all legal as my custody was contingent upon her incarceration)... he has a case with the DA here being reviewed. If they decide to pursue, he will be picked up from her and booked into a correctional facility. I believe the kid was playing me the whole time and it’s all just heartbreaking.. I have to believe that everything happens for a reason but for the life of me, I’m not sure what this one is.. :-(.

I’m so sorry this is happening in your life. You did everything you possibly could. I guess the boy might be genetically wired that way. Very frustrating. Sending you a big hug. [emoji173]️

 

[Kristoff]

I have felt like a bit of a failure and a little angry.. I’m starting to see past this though and please don’t judge me, but I’m even a little relieved now. I prayed a lot, but my kids come first and I this one was not healthy for them. I have helped a lot of children and this is the first that I felt may have been too much for me. But it was taken out of my hands and I wouldn’t go back for anything now... moving on

Of course your kids come first and the situation must’ve been affecting them too. If the boy wanted to take this chance, he would have. He had every opportunity.

 

[Kristoff]

That’s pretty cool!!

I didn’t plant one of the cuttings to see what would happen and it now has a bud!

You’ve answered my question

 

[Kristoff]

Good Morning all.
It is Friday.
Arrived at work to see these two.
Chat again later.
Hope you all have an awesome Friday. View attachment 255915

Enjoy the sunshine, Carol! Though I hope some of the rains I sent you will reach you too.

 

[Kristoff]

... The females are a lot less spectacular than the males

Quite the opposite to humans... [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Kristoff]

Good morning, roommates! My busy time of the week is here. We have a Festival of Lights in town tonight to celebrate the end of lighter days and the start of the dark time of the year. There’ll be many light installations throughout the city, concerts, haiku verses on fire, and the shops will stay open late. I’ll have guests for dinner before we head out to explore the festival.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Good morning, roommates! My busy time of the week is here. We have a Festival of Lights in town tonight to celebrate the end of lighter days and the start of the dark time of the year. There’ll be many light installations throughout the city, concerts, haiku verses on fire, and the shops will stay open late. I’ll have guests for dinner before we head out to explore the festival.

Have fun!

 

[JoesMum]

Yes - thats what I figured. Although all the local zoos have said it’s not one of their birds, I’m sure there are enough folks who keep them privately and one got away.

They're a native species in Africa. Maybe not South Africa, but they are from that continent

 

[JoesMum]

Good morning, roommates! My busy time of the week is here. We have a Festival of Lights in town tonight to celebrate the end of lighter days and the start of the dark time of the year. There’ll be many light installations throughout the city, concerts, haiku verses on fire, and the shops will stay open late. I’ll have guests for dinner before we head out to explore the festival.

That sounds fun. Enjoy!

 

[EllieMay]

We almost never see the reasons until we get some distance from the situations that cause so much confusion and pain. It's like you have to wait for the storm to pass and the flying debris to settle a bit, to be able to see clearly.

Find your inner calm and inner peace, and HOLD ONTO IT. Don't feel guilty about needing time for yourself. Take the time you need to take care of YOU.

You know we support you, always.

Thank you! It means alot Anne.

 

[EllieMay]

That’s pretty cool!!

I didn’t plant one of the cuttings to see what would happen and it now has a bud!

Yay!!! Now we have to learn how to make fig newtons

 

[EllieMay]

Good Morning all.
It is Friday.
Arrived at work to see these two.
Chat again later.
Hope you all have an awesome Friday. View attachment 255915

Good morning Carol! I’m going to have an awesome Friday with you two separate corners of the world being awesome together [emoji6]

 

[EllieMay]

That is heartbreaking. Massive electronic hugs from me. I am devastated for you and I am sad for your nephew too for being unable to accept the help on offer. [emoji22]

The worst offenders at my governor schools frequently have such a long history of failure to engage with schools that they cannot read properly and cannot access the learning materials in the school. They act up in school as it hides the fact that they cannot actually do the work. My governor schools have a big reading programme now, testing every child on entry and helping those with reading age below chronological age which is, unfortunately, a rather larger proportion than you would expect. It has had a huge impact on behaviour.

It sounds like your nephew is one of the extreme ones that was failed by the system. Every time chair a permanent exclusion panel at one of the schools it depresses me. You cannot help but feel for the young person and for those that have worked so hard to try avert what has happened.

But that’s just it...... he is very smart!!! He doesn’t have a bit of problem understanding or doing academic work when he chooses to.. he is at a point in his life where the bottom line is his choices.. he just does not want our way of life.. I can’t understand it.. So I pray..