Water Water Everywhere

Good afternoon, I hope you are all having a very peaceful Sunday. Dry blinky sun here and windy. This morning When Stuart came down he discovered a puddle at the bottom of the stairs, we thought he had spilled coffee last night but he dried it up, but when it was back this morning we thought the worst. Thinking it was the big tank in the loft Stu went up to investigate, after crawling about the loft for ages he could not find anything wrong. We tried to trace where the drips were coming from and at last traced it to the hot water tank which is in our bedroom.Why oh why does this sort of thing always happen on holiday weekends. We phoned the plumber and he said tomorrow (Monday) afternoon is the soonest he can get here. Fortunately we have found the drip and have a big jug under it so hopefully it will be all right till then. It seem to be some sort of valve that is leaking, oh dear the things we have had wrong with our plumbing since we moved here is unbelievable you name it and we have had it it has cost us an arm and a leg. It is not an old house it was built in 1986 and we have been here since 1990.

I would like to take this opportunity today to thank you for all the very positive comments you made after my bird watching entry. I have a separate journal where I normally write my 'adventures' but as you all seemed to like reading about my outing I will try writing them on Joan's Musings and see what happens. I do find it hard to find something to write about, I do love writing in my journal but it can be difficult some days finding something that I think will be of interest. I know my plumbing is of great interest to you all as I write about it enough ha ha.

Hope you are all having a good holiday weekend and are finding lots to do or just sitting with your feet up in the sunshine. Till next time, Love

And Yet Another Grand Day Out

Good Evening, been a lovely day here today not hot but very pleasant. We had another of days out this week as my long suffering readers will know we love a good days bird watching especially if the there is a rare bird about and on Tuesday that was the case. With all the easterly winds we have had lately a few rarities have been blown in. Up here in Scotland we were fortunate enough to have our share. The one nearest us was a Collared Flycatcher. So back to the start of the day we left home about 9-45 am to go to a place where the fields are kept flooded by a very kind farmer so all the migrant bird can stop and have a rest, food and water. There was not any rare birds but there was a few Sky Larks singing in the Spring sunshine high in the sky. After a few more stops on the way we arrived where we had heard the rarity was. It was in a wooded area with a stream running through it.

The trees are very old and very tall too so it is a day for neck strain. There were a few other bird watchers there but the bird was not showing at all. We stood looking up into the woodland canopy for about 30 minutes but no luck. The woodland was alive with birdsong and it was delightful standing listening. I said to Stuart that I was going to walk up the path a bit to get higher up. Shortly after I got there I spotted the illusive bird. It was a brief view but the bird is quite unmistakable.

Collared Flycatcher below.

(This is not not my picture as our bird was very shy and stayed up at the top of the Sycamore Trees so I had to get this image from the net)

I waved to the rest of the group and they all hurried up the path towards me but unfortunately the bird was not on view for them I had been so lucky. As we were standing waiting for him to put in another appearance I managed to slip and fall on my bottom in the mud and had to be helped up don't know why I keep doing this as this is the second time this year I have fallen but at least the mud was softer than the stairs were earlier in the year and I don't have a bruise this time. It did not spoil my joy though I was so pleased to have picked up the bird all by myself and not needed to have it pointed out to me. Later in the afternoon it was seen again and Stuart managed to see it then, a job too as there would have been no living with him if he had not seen it. To let you understand how rare this bird is he is the only one in Great Britain at the moment. Here are some more of the pictures I took on the day. Hope you enjoyed reading about our trip I don't usually write about our trips birding in this journal but it did give me a subject for an entry today,as you may know it can be hard to think up things to say when you are retired and there is not a lot going on. Till next time,

Love Joan.

Trying Again.

 Good afternoon after yesterdays fiasco with the pictures I thought I would try again with Live Writer to see if it would make a better job as it took me two hours to get as far as I did. I lost my temper in the end so that is why the entry ended so abruptly.

The River Turrett.

When we arrived at the dame we had a quick lunch in the car just a sandwich and a coffee then set of for a stroll up the side of the loch.  The sun shone and the wind that has plagued us all week did not seem so bad on Monday.

The colours of the mosses here have not come up as nice as they were was a bit disappointed with this one.

 

Again this picture does not do the lichen and the mosses justice the water was twinkling in the sun as it flowed over.

This is a common Sandpiper a lovely little wading bird that nests on moorland where there is water. Not a bad picture as we were a bit away from it.

The way back to the car with Stuart sorting his camera out look at that sky all blue what a treat.

That worked out a lot easier today after yesterday marathon. Speaking of Marathons its our local marathon today when the runners run round Loch Leven its a bit overcast but perfect for running hope it rain stay away for everybody as there are lots of things going on in the village today.  Till next time

                                    Love,

Friday

Good Afternoon, quite a change in the weather today rainy windy and cold what a change for the rest of the week. We have had cloudless skies for four days with a keen easterly wind a bit cool because of it, but good enough to sit out in the garden or a day away for a picnic just what we did the other day.
On Monday we decided to take the benefit of a lovely day and take ourselves for a much needed break away. We headed up to Crieff had morning coffee and a wander round the visitors centre and plant centre bought a nice new handbag (purse) in a beautiful tapestry with lots of different colours so will go with most things. From there we headed to Loch Turrett home of the famous Grouse Distillery. Just parked up here foo a bit and took a few photographs.

This is a picture of a big grouse the symbol of the Whisky it take pride of place in the car park. Grouse Whisky is one of the most popular whiskies in Scotland an lovely it is too, with a bit of dry ginger.
From there we headed to Loch Turrett by way of of the glen this is where the water comes from to make the whisky. I have never been here before but Stuart has he came here fishing with my Dad the day my Mum and I went for my wedding dress so it must have been forty seven years ago. There has been a big dame built there since then and at the moment they are building a big water treatment plant hope they don't spoil the water for the distillery.We had a super day really refreshed us and to think we were only about thirty miles from home. I have had great problems uploading pictures today all sorts of problems and have run out of time will have to think up another way to do this till next time Bye for now Love Joan.

Wednesday Words.

Good Morning, another week has gone by without a any words of wisdom from me. Glad to say my shoulder and back are a lot better been taking things easy, not that the weather has been good enough to let us get out to do much in the garden. Stuart managed to get the grass cut and the hoeing done on Sunday other than that it has been raining all week on and off. Have managed to clear the kitchen windowsill of all the seedlings, managed to get them out into the mini greenhouse where they seem to be thriving so hopefully will be able to plant them out soon and get my hanging baskets done once we can say no more frost till Autumn.
Not been out much this week Stuart was away birding on Monday with an old friend, I did not go this time as they were going 150 miles away then birding for about 6 hours and the long drive home again and just do not feel up to that kind of trip at the moment. Stuart and I are hoping to get away somewhere tomorrow weather permitting.
Going out for tea today to our sons, so that will make an nice change wonder whats cooking. Will pick up Ellen from school before we go we were supposed to babysitting tonight for parents night at school but Richard got the night wrong will get the full story tonight, looking forward to going out for a change.
We have both been feeling a bit down this week as this is the time we should be in Norfolk for our two weeks holiday but we did not book it this year as we thought Stuart would have had his leg fixed and we were not sure if we would be able to get away hopeful thinking, he is still waiting for more test this is since October.Wish they would hurry up we are now waiting on a forth appointment for more tests as they can't find what the problem is. Just one more thing have a new post in my Bookcase Journal just click here
Think that's about it for now so till next time, Love