Bird Count

How many did you count yesterday. I was surprised by the lack of varieties on my feeders. The weather might have been to blame. Sunny but literally freezing. 28f (in the sun).

If I needed a new computer...

I saw this on today's Independent website. Lots of potential gadgets to play with, although I'm quite happy with my little laptop.

Thoughts Only

If, today, ONE Penny on a Litre of Fuel brings in £600 Million a Year for the Treasury, what will the actual price of the Gallon of this new fuel be, once the Government get their sticky little fingers on it????

Birds in the garden

As an avid bird feeder and watcher this caught my eye today on the BBC web site.

The Goldfinch is one of many that I have seen on my Bird Feeder together with Greater Spotted Woodpeckers.

Broadband

I was thinking the other day, when I looked at the Telegraph on Line whether the office of OFCOM and BT were serious regarding the 15% reduction in the Line Rental as charged by BT/ISP.s would come into fruition. It was something they were in discussions about.

It was just for Rural Areas where BB could not be received as ( mainly) BT could not see any profit in the expense incurred. Having had previous dealings with BT regarding getting BB into our area I won't hold my breath. I 'have, in fact, just paid out to get Satellite BB, after many years at 28kbps dial-up.

Can anyone tell me how the 'Connection' fee came into being, except just to increase profits? I was told by my ISP at the time of dial-up that they didn't charge as it was just "an ordinary phone call" to use 0845-0800 numbers as far as they were concerned.

Cameras

I forgot to enter Wendy the Wool in a recent Blog. Hope she comes up in the right place

Looking at the new cameras for 2011 I notice the Fujifilm HS 10. Price quite handy. I have three FinePix cameras, two SLRs and a small one for the pocket. The SLRs are rather heavy but ideal when I want to do some serious photography.

I was able, some years ago, to get various lenses for them, which fits the two SLRs. I took up photography many years ago whilst working in Africa. Old films then, not digital. Then I used to develop my own, but now 5 minutes on the computers and I have a nice library. Such is life.

Computeractive

I never started to use a computer until I was rather aged. My son made me come into the world of the 'living'. He lives abroad so I never had any help so I bought Computeractive magazine. I made my way through it and felt comfortable after a few days in using the machine. Of course W98 was the first and I waited in trepidation for the heavy mob to knock on my door when the machine told me that I had committed a 'terrible mistake'

You know what I mean if you had W98.

I use the Forum and have been very happy with the people who give me their advice. Highly recommended.

Books, Reading.

1. Talking with a friend last night it turned to the books we preferred. She likes Biographies of famous people, I like Travel and Adventure. We both have other interests as well with the Authors of other books.
2. This led me into thinking how varied we are in almost every way. The way we live, think, hope, laugh and cry. What we have lived through, likes and dislikes........I could go on for ever...
3. I have a house full of books. Almost too many. I had a few from a Charity Shop some time ago and just put them on a shelf and forgot them. I found one a few days ago and started to read. It is about the Saddam Hussain of Iraq era whilst getting together an Atomic Bomb and all the scientists involved , many from other countries.
4. It is called 'Condition Black' by Gerald Seymour..... Compromise of experts, intrigue, so they could be forced to join the Country and help with the Atomic effort. Family life all comes into it. Too much to put here. 348 pages. JUst put it down to do this blog...........

Weather

Well, The rain has come at last. Hope it stays for a while.

Wool v Fur

I forgot to put Wendy into the picture of my recent blog.

Have been reading the controversy of the Royal wearing a fur coat. I thought of Wendy the Wool. I took the picture some years ago. I wonder what she thinks of it all.

My Favourite walk

This walk has I am afraid, been somewhat cut back by the new owners. Hope it grows again.

Still Learning

I have been trying to replace pictures which I deleted in error. I have been successful to a degree, but not yet perfect. We all have to learn sometimes. I still have a few marbles left so will keep trying. Please follow the trail and you will understand what relates to which picture.

The photo is a proper one of Grace, the Labrador, who has been shown as swimming in the pool in recent shots. (I hope)

What's the water like??

I forgot

'Yesterday I forgot to name the five dogs in the pictures I published. In order from the top they are Milford, the eldest and first of the pack, then Hudson, followed by Bevyn who is stone deaf from birth, then Grace, the Labrador, and lastly Murphy.

The new picture "What's the water like" says it all .

K9 Friends

Just been reading about dogs that help the people who are hard of hearing. Wonderful what they can do. Well trained, they even warn people re traffic and help with the post.

This reminded me of my first dog. He was a mongrel and I called him 'Rex'. He was a medium sized sheep dog. They say that a mongrel is hardier that a straight thoroughbred, but I won't labour that point as others think opposite. From a very young age he showed a great ability in learning commands and was treated accordingly. My mother loved that dog. He lived for 15 years. He caught distemper at just a few months old. Mother nursed him, looked after him as she had done so with me and my two elder sisters.

My son who lives in Texas with his lovely American wife, have FIVE, all from animal shelters. Let me show them to you. Take care all.

They are called Murphy, Gracie, Hudson, Milford and Bevyn.

Made a mistake somewhere

Hello again friends, Yesterday I published a blog after doing it all alone for the first time. Somehow I missed out on the message ( as in this box), so I will repeat and see if the original can be repeated.

I was just wondering about all that I have done with my life ( and that which I haven't). Thinking about all the years ( quite a few of them now and another date coming up in a few weeks) as how they all varied. Quite different to what I have been seeing over the past 36 years I have lived in this farming community in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales, my late wife's homeland.

The seasons change on a regular pattern, different to my early life. The Rabbits in my garden,

The sheep enjoying a siesta during last summer, and the recent snow as seen in my village.

All different to my earlier years. I wouldn't change them for a million pounds.

Hope this time I do it right

Just thinking about the year ahead

I have been sitting here just wondering about life in general, of all the things I have done, and hope to continue doing, for many more years, but all in the lap of God I suppose.

The seasons come and go with regularity. I know that we have had a pretty vile winter so far, but I thought a couple of photos would cheer us up.

The rabbits are wild ones who inhabited my garden, and still do, over the past three years. They were young ones who, in turn became adults with the usual outcome. The sheep with their lambs I took during the summer and named it "Afternoon Siesta under the Hawthorn Trees" And the wintry one was my village a couple of weeks ago. I think this links us all to the seasons. In farming they never vary. Each month brings in a different event. Have I made myself clear? I am not a Word Smith like a good friend of mine but I try my best. I wish you all a Healthy New Year. Bye for now..