Empty nut boxes...

The garden squirrels all have places to sit where they watch what is happening in the garden. I know they watch when I am putting out the food. There is one squirrel that watches for me when the nut boxes are empty, but he sits where he can see into the flat. He sits on the shed roof and looks towards the bedroom window, he knows that at some point I will be seen there!

Today photo of the day.

Squirrel sitting on the shed roof waiting to see me through the window.

I know that once he sits and stares at me I have no choice I have to go out and fill the nut boxes.

Until tomorrow...

Something warming on a cold day.

Today's photo is relevant to the weather. The weather is once again wet and very cold. So I have been drinking lots of warm drinks and eating porridge and soup to try and warm myself from the inside. Tony always says have a drop of whiskey that will warm you up! I don't like whiskey. However I have found a drink I do like!

Todays photo of the day

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Cortado with LICOR 43 CUARENTA Y TRES

The Licor 43 according to the bottle lable is...

The worlds most versatile liquer. Explore this miraculous, golden sensation and it's wonderful array of serves at     www.licor43.com

It is produced and bottled in Spain, the only place I have found that sells it is Asda.

Licor 43 has a taste of rum mixed with vanilla, citrus fruit, aromatic herbs and spices. There are a total of 43 ingredients in total (hence the name 43 ). It's 31%Vol / 62 proof. It is a light bodied, sweet liquer, yellow with a touch of gold.

The Nescafe Dolce Gusto Cortado, is one of Tony's favourite coffee's. It is an expresso with a dash of milk in it. He likes it even better with a shot of Licor 43 in it!

I like to make milkshakes with it, either cold or hot. A hot milkshake made with Licr 43 is good just before bed helps me sleep better.

Until tomorrow...

The Darling Starling

A lot of people think that Starlings are rather drab birds, noisy and somewhat of a pest. I however think they are a beautiful bird, if caught in the right light very colourful and a delight to watch. They squabble over everything, the peanut butter, suet, meal worms and just about anything really.

In the spring when the nesting season is in full swing the noise can be so loud it is amazing, the garden can be covered in small grey birds clamouring to be fed. It is hard to imagine that these birds have been in decline.

Declining Numbers.

Starling numbers have declined across much of northern Europe and the UK. The decline in the UK started during the early 1980's and has continued ever since. The cause is unknown.

Long term monitoring by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) shows that Starling numbers have fallen by 66% in Britain since the mid-1970's. Because of this decline in numbers, the Starling is red listed as a bird of high conservation concern.

Today's photo of the day

A Starling Showing it's not so drab.

The purple and greens in the plumage of the Starling are really eye catching when seen in the sunlight.

Until tomorrow...

Another wet day in the garden.

The weather today has not been much better than yesterday. However as promised I went to the garden to put out seed for the birds and nuts for the squirrels. As I was down there it seemed silly not to stay for a  while. 

The starlings soon began to fight over the peanut butter, but disappeared when the rain started. The squirrels are made of much stronger stuff, it takes more than rain to send them running.

Today's photo of the day

Why does it always have to rain?

This young squirrel looked so fed up with being wet, but he just shook himself off and carried on looking for nuts.

It takes more than rain to stop a squirrel!
After I came back upstairs the wind became much stronger, the squirrels disappeared then. I think they will be holding on tight in the treetops tonight.

Until tomorrow...

Shocking weather ,crazy squirrels and whats in the corner?

The weather outside is atrocious, it is wet windy and oh so cold!

The squirrels are mad, they are running round the garden digging up the nuts they buried a few days ago. I hope they make them last because I am not going into the garden today. If the weather is no better tomorrow I will force myself to go and feed them, and the birds. They should have the sense to stay in their drey's where its warm in this weather!

Tony keeps telling me off for eating too many sweets, it is only because he doesn't like the ones that are left.

I have been spending some time reading again as I am not going out much, I am reading Linwood Barclay at the moment, it is the last book of a trilogy about a detective in a place called Promise Falls in a small backwater town in America. They have been interesting enough, but not as good as some others he has written. I am going back to reading another Sharon Bolton after, I have found one called Blood Harvest.  I have not read, now she is another author who never disappoints.

I have also been passing the time doing cross stitch on an app on my tablet, yes I know that sounds strange, but it really is just like painting by numbers and is very relaxing, you should try it. It makes a change from jigsaws.

Right now for todays photo...

This is something of Tony's, it sits in the living room watching everything and everybody. Most people seem to like it, the grandchildren think it's fantastic. Even Olivia had her photo taken with it about 18 months ago. No not guessed it yet? If you haven't been in the flat you wont! If you have you really wont have missed it...

Here it is Tony best buy for a long time his black and white skull wearing a pair of yellow plastic sunglasses.

The Smiling Skull

Until tomorrow...

Today's photo is...

Robin all puffed up to keep warm. 

The robin was so puffed up to keep warm he looked like he had swallowed a tennis ball!
I took this picture a few days ago, however today I changed the photo taking out most of the colour so the redbreast really stands out.
Until tomorrow...

Welcome 2018

One of the grey squirrels from the garden sending his wishes for 2018.

The first photo for the photo a day is not as interesting as that however it is fitting for the first day.

Simon's Cat Desk Calendar & Diary 2018.

I treated myself to the diary and Tony bought me the calendar, these will hopefully be my memory for the coming year. So if anybody has any birthdays, anniversaries or any other dates of interests I need to know about please send them to me!

Until the next time...