Picture(s) of the day....

[Stonehopper]

To many eggs.

Peter

That's good. 1971 on the Cairngorm Road. For the hell of it. Ripple bonnet made a fine sled.

For short calls

[myglaren]

Too much volume on the Radio?

Michael Cain on the job perhaps?

[NewcastleFalcon]

How's your Chestnuts?

Blaydon races day horse chestnut 2021

REgards Neil

[myglaren]

A high quality, out-of-the-window picture, as usual.
It doesn't show much but then there isn't much to see, just a bit of a hole, a small hole at that.

Watching blue tits in the trees I spotted one came and land on the sill, looked around for a bit - had food in it's beak, then was gone - into the hole.
They have a nest in there

I've made a small and seriously crap shelf with water and food on it for them.

It adds to the existing bee colony in my attic, above my bedroom.

And the ant colony in the wall adjacent to the garden door.
I wondered what all the sand was. It reappeared after being vacuumed up. Little buggers had tunnelled through the wall and invaded my kitchen, stealing from the kitchen bin.
Mr Silicone sealant soon put an end to that.

[Stonehopper]

The Tree Peony burst into bloom this year (first time). Nine inches across. Clematis covers the bike and coal sheds.



The Laburnum has flowered well this year too, accompanied by the sound of many bees.



Cherry flowered well this year too though blossoms all gone now. Last year was poor and short lived flowering, but they clung on this year.

Speaking of ants, the shed I built in St Albans I insulated with polystyrene sheet and rockwool. Ants had marched across the trail of 'ant powder' (was it intended to attract?), climbed up the corner posts inside and behind the OSB lining of the roof. Couldn't figure what was happening one day, when very fine 'snow' was falling inside. The ants were chewing up the polystyrene and ejecting it through a joint in the sheeting. Must have built a fine old nest up there.

My Mum's answer to ant nests was a kettle of boiling water.

[myglaren]

The ants have been there for years, they have never been a bother before so I just leave them alone like the wasps and bees. Only took action as they were in the kitchen but haven't deaded them.

A mixture of sugar and borax will kill them.

[mickthemaverick]

My idea of the perfect end to a productive day:

Own work

[myglaren]

I have had a very unproductive day so not allowed any.

[mickthemaverick]

This is my second Steve, only allowed one on non productive days!!

[mickthemaverick]

We have a female magpie in danger in the garden and her partner is having words with an aggressive pigeon!

Own work

[mickthemaverick]

The pigeon has flown and all is well in magpie world:

Own work

Own work

[NewcastleFalcon]

Farm animals of the day

All that hairyness on a hot day, and they head under the bridges for a bit of shade.

Unfortunately the farmer has spoilt their fun with a wire fence stopping them having a decent plodge.

Regards Neil

[Stonehopper]

Not too many magpies round our way, .410 sees to that. They decimate song birds nests just as squirrels will rob adults of food for the songbirds young.

For something completely different . . .

A white Elephant?



After four years of accommodating spiders and dust . . . the engine arrives by skateboard.



Just need to get it up on the bench . . . "Looeeeze . . !"

[Stonehopper]

[myglaren]

Not too many magpies round our way, .410 sees to that. They decimate song birds nests just as squirrels will rob adults of food for the songbirds young.

There are hundreds around here, seagulls too. I have had to shift my car from my usual parking spot. Washed it a couple of days ago and it took an hour and a half hosing it down, the scraping and brushing the crap off, then more hose.
I think my next door neighbour is feeding them a concrete/glue/laxative mix.

I had ivy round the back with blackbirds and thrushes nesting in it. The magpies invariably ate the eggs or the chicks.

Just need to get it up on the bench . . . "Looeeeze . . !"

I used to lift my GS engines out and back single handed. Used a skateboard for the Imp engines.