COLD DARK ROOM

[JoesMum]

CDR Virtual Vacations Presents On this day 2020 (part 2): We then drove to the summit of Te Mata Peak to admire the views with a picnic lunch before doing the long drive to Paraparamu for our next overnight stop. We spent the next couple of days without a mobile signal, but I can post in real time now

 

[Lyn W]

He’s gotten very demanding and comfortable.. As I have restored his health, his personality is really starting to shine.. he’s a sight to see when he’s feeling frisky and running full glory across the pasture..

He looks lovely and quite a character.

 

[Lyn W]

Your robins are actually members of the thrush family and related to our blackbirds. They were called robins by the early settlers because their red chests reminded them of our birds. They’re not related species.

While the thrush family is territorial, and we have regular blackbird battles in our garden too, they are nowhere near as bad as the robins! European Robins are the Russians of the bird world when it comes to attitude!

I have 3 regular blackbirds and it's the female who rules the roost - she sends the males off in no uncertain terms.

 

[Lyn W]

? ........................... But less baking would make things a bit easier.

Oh it does Cathie, it certainly does!!

 

[Lyn W]

Good morning all.
We've had quite a bit of rain in the night, but hopefully the rest of the day will be dry.
I hope you all have a good Saturday whatever your weather.

 

[EllieMay]

CDR Virtual Vacations Presents On this day 2020 (part 2): We then drove to the summit of Te Mata Peak to admire the views with a picnic lunch before doing the long drive to Paraparamu for our next overnight stop. We spent the next couple of days without a mobile signal, but I can post in real time now
View attachment 317412View attachment 317413View attachment 317414View attachment 317415

I love waking up and taking trips around the world. Thank you ?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Happy Saturday all. The temps here yesterday almost to 60F, but we’re now supposed to get upwards of 6 inches of snow tomorrow morning. ?‍️ This moisture is all good for the garden. Yucky gardening weather, but good for the plants. We have another bright red hibiscus blooming this morning. Must be the aquarium water that does it.

I’m almost out of deck board leftovers, on to my last birdhouse. Pix when they are all done.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Finished fixing the floor where I moved the door to. You just see where the old wall jutted out. Local place sells all kind of recycled lumber and house parts so I was able to get some refinishable heart pine boards to match the floor. Now I have to prep for the next doorway move.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Wifey and I have been working (off and on) on another little cedar wood tea light masterpiece. Wifey’s plan is for the top to flare out a bit, have holes around the edge to catch the tea light glow. Today, we refined the top, marked our lines, drilled holes, cut the piece to size & bored out the depth for the light.

A few progressive pix.

Lines Marked for Sizing


Holes Drilled & Piece Cut to Length


Boring Out the Center Hole for the Tea Light

 

[Yvonne G]

Finished fixing the floor where I moved the door to. You just see where the old wall jutted out. Local place sells all kind of recycled lumber and house parts so I was able to get some refinishable heart pine boards to match the floor. Now I have to prep for the next doorway move.
View attachment 317467

Lookin' good! You've been busy. (don't trip on that cord when you go down the stairs!)

I love it when youse guys share your projects with us!

 

[Cathie G]

I'll have to look it up again. It kinda looks like a sparrow but the beak and body shape told me that it was not. I think maybe a south carolina wren. This little pair faught every bird in the neighborhood and successfully raised at least 3 chicks maybe more. I got a picture of 3 beaks sticking out of the bird house the day before they left. I've seen at least one lately so I figure they'll be back.

It's not south carolina it's carolina and I'm not sure it's that. It's really hard to tell from my bird book. And online on my phone this time. It could also be a house wren. I forget what I found. I do know it's not a sparrow though it has similar colors. The body and beak is different and that's how I knew they were not a sparrow.

 

[Cathie G]

CDR Virtual Vacations presents On this day 2020 (part 1): In the morning we took an overland tour to see the Australasian Gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers. Noisy and rather smelly as you would expect, but fascinating to watch. Fantastic flyers with a clumsy landing and a poor take-off. The white path round the edge of the colony and the nesting colony was basically the runway
View attachment 317392View attachment 317393View attachment 317394View attachment 317395View attachment 317396View attachment 317397View attachment 317398View attachment 317399View attachment 317400.

????I absolutely love gannets!!! I actually did a cross stitch that I designed of a pair. I just think they're pretty. That was many years ago.

 

[Lyn W]

Lookin' good! You've been busy. (don't trip on that cord when you go down the stairs!)

I love it when youse guys share your projects with us!

Just makes me wish they'd pop over and help me out!

 

[Lyn W]

Happy Saturday all. The temps here yesterday almost to 60F, but we’re now supposed to get upwards of 6 inches of snow tomorrow morning. ?‍

I saw the pics of a massive snowball fight taking place in Washington Square Park NY, not very socially distanced but excused because they were all wearing masks and gloves. Hope you at least get to build a snowman.

 

[Cathie G]

Oh it does Cathie, it certainly does!!

That's funny. I have to eat regular food because they put some kinda corn in every convenient food. I throw most everything in the oven, set the time, and hope it turns out ok. While the timers going I sit on my bum and talk with you guys.?

 

[JoesMum]

On this day 2020: The start of two days without mod cons on Kapiti (pronounced Kahpity) Island. The island is being conserved as a pocket of what NZ was like before humans cut down trees and introduced mammals. New Zealand has only 2 native mammal species - both bats - and the damage done by cats, hedgehogs, rodents, dogs and farm animals introduced by settlers has been massive.

Kapiti is stunning! Bird song around you constantly. Birds everywhere, including Bellbirds, a Ruru owl peering at us as we rested during the climb to the summit of the 500 metre hill and the Kaka parrot photographed. We spent all day in this section of the island.


Bellbird


Ruru owl


Kaka

Overnight we stayed in Tent 1. Nice comfy bed, composting toilet and solar powered lamp. There’s no mains electricity or running water on the island.

We ate communally with the 20 others staying on the island. Visitor numbers by day and night are strictly regulated. And after dark we went on a Kiwi hunt. We could hear them all through the night, but sadly the full moon made them reluctant to emerge and we didn’t see any.

 

[JoesMum]

Well, we’re feeling cheated when it comes to snow. We went to bed with a promise of snow from 3am.


This is the reality... even my phone weather app os lying

 

[Lyn W]

Well, we’re feeling cheated when it comes to snow. We went to bed with a promise of snow from 3am.
View attachment 317535

This is the reality... even my phone weather app os lying
View attachment 317537View attachment 317536

No need for the snow shovel then?
We didn't have any either but there is some in the forecast for midweek. It's very cold though which is as it should be.
I used to love snow days when I was working but now I'm not so keen even - if it is pretty and I can't go anywhere with or without it.

 

[JoesMum]

No need for the snow shovel then?
We didn't have any either but there is some in the forecast for midweek. It's very cold though which is as it should be.
I used to love snow days when I was working but now I'm not so keen even - if it is pretty and I can't go anywhere with or without it.

I’m not usually keen. Too many memories of having to dig out our drive and road when we lived in Yorkshire.

This year though we can’t go anywhere, I have plenty of food in and it would be something different!

We have got something approximating snow now. Not what I’d call proper snow though

 

[Ray--Opo]

The Ice Cream Banana Tree I believe was not recommended for my growing zone #7. I thought about it, but with my short growing season I didn't expect it to produce bananas. I bought it for the leaves not the banana, but that would be nice to see some.

A frost last week took out my banana tree.?
It's hard to tell now. But the top side of the leaves were brown and underside were green. Hopefully it comes back.