COLD DARK ROOM

[Yvonne G]

HI everyone, I thought it was about time I came back to keep an eye on you all.

I am so sad to hear about Bee - I will miss her brightening up our days with her songs, advice and stories.

I hope everyone else is well. I have such a lot of catching up to do but will be popping in more often again now.

All is good with me, I am waiting for an arthroscopy on my knee and I finally decided I would retire from teaching, so no more school for me - unless I choose to do some supply (substitute) teaching. I have been thinking about retirement for a while but with our schools facing all sorts of changes because of covid, I thought the time was right now. I have also been house hunting, and getting my house ready to sell, so I've been pretty busy.

Lola is extremely well and behaving much more like a tortoise this year. He is spending lots of time outside basking which isn't something he has done before, but he wants to be out now - even in the rain. He is eating like a little horse too and its great to see him being a tort.
Will be back soon

I'm glad you're back!

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Today is Cinders 1 year Birthday so we will be celebrating that as well... I picked her up a few gifts and put them in an oversized box.. she loves boxes! I then wrapped it and made her a nice paper bow so she would have a few extras to shred... I’ll take a few pics.. she has to have her bath and hair done first though.. ?

Don't you dare tell my Cat-mittee about wrapping up a box... ?
I'm sure they all wish Cinder a very happy birthday!

 

[Pastel Tortie]

HI everyone, I thought it was about time I came back to keep an eye on you all.

I am so sad to hear about Bee - I will miss her brightening up our days with her songs, advice and stories.

I hope everyone else is well. I have such a lot of catching up to do but will be popping in more often again now.

All is good with me, I am waiting for an arthroscopy on my knee and I finally decided I would retire from teaching, so no more school for me - unless I choose to do some supply (substitute) teaching. I have been thinking about retirement for a while but with our schools facing all sorts of changes because of covid, I thought the time was right now. I have also been house hunting, and getting my house ready to sell, so I've been pretty busy.

Lola is extremely well and behaving much more like a tortoise this year. He is spending lots of time outside basking which isn't something he has done before, but he wants to be out now - even in the rain. He is eating like a little horse too and its great to see him being a tort.
Will be back soon

Lyn! I'm so happy to not see you! ? I've missed you!!!!
I really did miss you... You popped out about the time I came back again.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Good morning! I am a book lover so I will celebrate by turning a few pages in a new book today. I must also catch up on my new favorite author @Tidgy's Dad compiling Saga.. I love it so far and do plan on reading to my son... Today is Cinders 1 year Birthday so we will be celebrating that as well... I picked her up a few gifts and put them in an oversized box.. she loves boxes! I then wrapped it and made her a nice paper bow so she would have a few extras to shred... I’ll take a few pics.. she has to have her bath and hair done first though.. ?

Happy birthday Cinder ???!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Good morning! I am a book lover so I will celebrate by turning a few pages in a new book today. I must also catch up on my new favorite author @Tidgy's Dad compiling Saga.. I love it so far and do plan on reading to my son... Today is Cinders 1 year Birthday so we will be celebrating that as well... I picked her up a few gifts and put them in an oversized box.. she loves boxes! I then wrapped it and made her a nice paper bow so she would have a few extras to shred... I’ll take a few pics.. she has to have her bath and hair done first though.. ?

Happy Birthday, Cinders!

 

[Mystic_Queen (Llaria)]

Good afternoon everyone.

 

[CarolM]

Meercats?

Mmm. I haven't seen them for a while , actually since Moozzilan stopped coming to the CDR regularly.

 

[CarolM]

So the buff Cochin rooster has a new home with 19 pullets so they can mature together. This is our Blue Copper Maran/deathlayer Mix. She is probably days away from laying. All the chickens were roaming the yard today and a bunch of fat flying beetles cam through at intervals with only a few getting through!

View attachment 302669

Nice.

 

[CarolM]

Out kayaking a marshy creek area just south of Baltimore this morning. Our group of three paddled to the very end (beginning) of this marshy swamp. We hit it right at high tide so the area was flooded and we were able to paddle deep into some pretty remote areas, FULL of wild plants all in bloom. Many types of Rose Mallow, Rose of Sharon, Cardinal Plants, Joe-Pye and more.

Rose Mallow
View attachment 302670

Joe-Pye with Monarch Butterfly
View attachment 302671

White Rose Mallow
View attachment 302673

Cardinal Flower
View attachment 302675

Rose of Sharon
View attachment 302676

And a pix of the swampy ends where the flowers were hiding along the edges
View attachment 302677
View attachment 302678

Wow, those are beautiful flowers for a swampy marsh.

 

[CarolM]

Good evening all. I have been back at the rescue for the third time this week.

This young Song Thrush graduated from Nursery to a pre release aviary today, but not before she managed a record 10 mealworms in her beak
View attachment 302674

Tomorrow JoesDad and I are taking two Kestrels ( small birds of prey) from the rescue to the Hawk Conservancy Trust in Hampshire. It’s a long drive in the heatwave we have currently, it’s been 35C/95F today, but the car is air conditioned. We have decided to make a day out of the trip

What a hungry little bird.

 

[CarolM]

You left out all us worthless beings...Good morning

You are not worthless.?

 

[EllieMay]

HI everyone, I thought it was about time I came back to keep an eye on you all.

I am so sad to hear about Bee - I will miss her brightening up our days with her songs, advice and stories.

I hope everyone else is well. I have such a lot of catching up to do but will be popping in more often again now.

All is good with me, I am waiting for an arthroscopy on my knee and I finally decided I would retire from teaching, so no more school for me - unless I choose to do some supply (substitute) teaching. I have been thinking about retirement for a while but with our schools facing all sorts of changes because of covid, I thought the time was right now. I have also been house hunting, and getting my house ready to sell, so I've been pretty busy.

Lola is extremely well and behaving much more like a tortoise this year. He is spending lots of time outside basking which isn't something he has done before, but he wants to be out now - even in the rain. He is eating like a little horse too and its great to see him being a tort.
Will be back soon

Welcome back Lyn! What a happy and uplifting post to read. You have been missed! Was just speaking of you a couple days ago and Lola too ;-)

 

[CarolM]

Hello all

Today, JoesDad and I transported 2 Kestrels from the rescue to the National Bird of Prey Hospital in Hampshire. The journey is about 2 hours which isn’t great in the heatwave we currently have.

The hospital is on land owned by the Hawk Conservancy Trust and we spent the rest of the day there admiring their birds. They have some brilliant flying displays by their birds which we really enjoyed.

As is traditional in the CDR, here are some postcards from our travels

An adult Kestrel
View attachment 302759

Black Kites demonstrating their flying skills
View attachment 302760

A gorgeous European Barn owlView attachment 302761

A sleepy Snowy Owl (Hedwig from Harry Potter) squinting at the camera
View attachment 302763

A Bald Eagle
View attachment 302764

Winner in the hair and makeup category: the White Faced Vulture
View attachment 302758

What beautiful birds.

 

[CarolM]

Yes, I got an Ocotillo in the lemon tree for $1000 to be planted and they barely bothered to dig a hole because of the rock on the mountain side where I live. It has created the equivalent of a hot pot underground and it literally cooked my tree. I found out later that the place where I bought it as a big rip off but it was too late for me. I’d like to shoot themYes, I got an Ocotillo in the lemon tree for $1000 to be planted and they barely bothered to dig a hole because of the rock on the mountain side where I live. It has created the equivalent of a hot pot underground and it literally cooked my tree. I found out later that the place where I bought it as a big rip off but it was too late for me. I’d like to kick myself for letting them trick me. I had gone to the nursery and I had tagged two very large plants and when they came with the truck it was clearly not the plants I had tagged. The tag plants would’ve been worth the money because they were nearly fully grown in the plants they delivered were worth less than $100 each and they flatly refused to exchange and they kept insisting it was the trees I had tagged. It was really frustrating and I ended up getting ripped off. I’m an idiot.

I would have sent the trees back and gotten a refund.

 

[CarolM]

I have no idea why the messages that I’m putting in are repeating themselves.

Mine did that the other day x 3

 

[CarolM]

Good Morning, Roommates!
Tis International Book Lovers Day.
I love books.
I'm contributing another page to my "The Tort Who Walks by Herself" today.
I guess that counts.

Only if you share a page or two with us. ?

 

[CarolM]

Good morning! I am a book lover so I will celebrate by turning a few pages in a new book today. I must also catch up on my new favorite author @Tidgy's Dad compiling Saga.. I love it so far and do plan on reading to my son... Today is Cinders 1 year Birthday so we will be celebrating that as well... I picked her up a few gifts and put them in an oversized box.. she loves boxes! I then wrapped it and made her a nice paper bow so she would have a few extras to shred... I’ll take a few pics.. she has to have her bath and hair done first though.. ?

Happy Birthday Cinder.

 

[CarolM]

HI everyone, I thought it was about time I came back to keep an eye on you all.

I am so sad to hear about Bee - I will miss her brightening up our days with her songs, advice and stories.

I hope everyone else is well. I have such a lot of catching up to do but will be popping in more often again now.

All is good with me, I am waiting for an arthroscopy on my knee and I finally decided I would retire from teaching, so no more school for me - unless I choose to do some supply (substitute) teaching. I have been thinking about retirement for a while but with our schools facing all sorts of changes because of covid, I thought the time was right now. I have also been house hunting, and getting my house ready to sell, so I've been pretty busy.

Lola is extremely well and behaving much more like a tortoise this year. He is spending lots of time outside basking which isn't something he has done before, but he wants to be out now - even in the rain. He is eating like a little horse too and its great to see him being a tort.
Will be back soon

Welcome back. Typical Lola, just when you decide you are going to sell the house she decides that she will start enjoying your garden.

 

[Cathie G]

I have no idea why the messages that I’m putting in are repeating themselves.

That sounds too much like my new phone.? kinda. It does stuff. I just don't know why.

 

[Cathie G]

HI everyone, I thought it was about time I came back to keep an eye on you all.

I am so sad to hear about Bee - I will miss her brightening up our days with her songs, advice and stories.

I hope everyone else is well. I have such a lot of catching up to do but will be popping in more often again now.

All is good with me, I am waiting for an arthroscopy on my knee and I finally decided I would retire from teaching, so no more school for me - unless I choose to do some supply (substitute) teaching. I have been thinking about retirement for a while but with our schools facing all sorts of changes because of covid, I thought the time was right now. I have also been house hunting, and getting my house ready to sell, so I've been pretty busy.

Lola is extremely well and behaving much more like a tortoise this year. He is spending lots of time outside basking which isn't something he has done before, but he wants to be out now - even in the rain. He is eating like a little horse too and its great to see him being a tort.
Will be back soon

Oh. I'm so glad to not see you. I've missed you.?