Next phase of the lockdown, 17.5.2021.

Today was the next phase of the lockdown on Boris's timetable reached and to celebrate we went to our favourite watering hole, Pear mill café much to Pepe's delight as he get's a plate of boiled ham!. Today along with his lady friend Saskia they were given a plate each of boiled ham and a chopped up sausage!, made his day.

Where's the grub?.

Always a nice flower arrangement on all the tables.

We met our friends there from the dog walkers group, unfortunately friend Jean had had to have her dog Button put down just before Christmas, so it was a very sad Christmas on her own this last one!.

Our other friends from our Thursday picnic's at KFC turned up and sat at the next table so it was five of us there and only the KFC ones had seen each other this past twelve months so had lots to talk about.

Think we still have to be careful even though we have all had our First and Second jabs, the Bolton  Area is still a trouble spot and can't understand why looking at the queues on the news there were people of our age in the queue that should have been jabbed weeks ago!.

After the visit to the Pear Mill café we went round the back of the Mill to see if the Peregrine Falcons were there, and the parents were there though its hard to see the babies that I understand are there with the nest site so high up and the babies only small at the moment.

Here are the parents, one on the top of the 200 foot high chimney.

The other on the site of the nest.

This was about 2-30pm so it was a bit late to see any feeding, will have to get there earlier next time!.

So a good day seeing old friends again, and the owners of the café did us proud with a couple of free drinks to celebrate our return on their first day open again.

It was also nice to browse round the stalls to see what was on sale, always open for a bargain!.

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Somewhere in the world a woman gives birth to a child every minute. We have to find this woman and stop her.

Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker, I know what you are getting for your birthday, I've felt your presents!.

  Did you hear about the cannibal that went on a diet?

He only ate midgets!.

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Weekend!, 14-16th May 2021.

 Not a very good weekend with the weather, Friday had a walk round Debdale nature Centre and Orchard.

Saturday the weather was worse so after a lunch at McDonalds came home and watched the football, not usually a football fan but as it was the FA Cup final thought it was worth it.

Sunday as the park is usually packed out and all the birds usually hide, decided to stay home and do a bit of weeding, cleaning and ironing, got to do these dull things sometime hey.

Whilst at home watched the Sparrows and their youngsters dining on my feeders, I'd heard that Sparrows were on the decline as not many seen about, I think they are all in my garden!.  

At the park on the Friday

The rhododendrons are nearly finished now I think, but they have been a lovely show.

A Great Tit with a bad hair day.

Male Blackbird.

The beautiful Robins.

The Jays came straight away, as soon as they saw we had peanuts in their shells.

Seems though the Wood pigeons like the peanuts in shells too!.

An acrobatic Magpie.

Another attraction at Debdale (when all the restrictions are over, that is) is the Men's Sheds Association if that's your thing and have some spare time on your hands!.

Pepe's last groom this week by his groomer Kate, who has looked after him for the past 8 years, thank your for your kindness Kate!.

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If a lawyer and a tax official were both drowning and you could only save one of them, what would you do, go to lunch or read the paper?.

Lawyers creed- a man is innocent until proven broke.

Old lawyers never die, they just lose their appeal.

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Past week; 10-14th May 2021.

The past week has been a week of sunshine and showers , so not much done and not been anywhere new.

Had a visit to Ashton Moss Nature Reserve and there wasn't much doing there.

There was the Muscovy Duck with his mates.

The Wild Bunch.

This nice Reed Bunting.

A trip to Debdale Lower reservoir gave us another brood of Canadian geese Goslings.

The Coot Babies are doing well but only one brood up to now.

Only the cheeky Squirrels in the Orchard on the day.

Yesterday (Wednesday) it was off to Oldham with Pepe for his 6 weekly Bath and Trim but was disappointed to hear that his groomer was giving up the business due to health reasons and had sold the business to another lady.

Will try the new one next time and see how Pepe gets on, then make a decision whether to stay there or find somewhere else, shame really has we have been going there for 8 years and we were always satisfied!

We were early getting there this week, so called at the Cafe I go to whilst I wait for Pepe and shared my bacon buttie with him this time.

Only takeout at the moment but hopefully sit-in next week.

 When I say I shared my bacon buttie with Pepe it wasn't a problem as you can see!.

Now that's what you call a bacon buttie!, 5 rashers on a large muffin and a cup of coffee, also a large plate apple pie to take home.

Talking of home, my goldfinches are still doing well and though no babies seen yet there is a lot of noise and chirping in the trees where they have their nests so I don't think it will be long before we see some babies again this year, watch this space!.

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If you can't say anything nice, you probably don't have many friends.

How did they know the shark attack victim had dandruff?,

They found his head and shoulders on the beach!.

What should you buy if your hair keeps falling out?,

A good vacuum  cleaner!.

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May Bank holiday weekend, 2021.

 Friday, hadn't realised it was a Bank Holiday weekend, as all weekends are a holiday when your retired aren't they!. so after a bacon buttie at the Snipe Retail park had a visit to the Ashton Moss nature reserve where we saw some Reed buntings and a Muscovy Duck with his two mates.

Reed Buntings

Not sure what the one in the foreground is!

Muscovy Ducks. 

Fancy pigeon.

Saturday we went to Debdale again and was relived to see that all five of the Canadian Geese chicks we had seen in our previous post were still alive and well.

We had thought it was too cold to go round the park so went round the Lower Reservoir has it was more sheltered in the trees. On our walk there we saw these three baby Coots and their parents busy feeds them.

What's for dinner Mum. 

Getting the greens from the lake bottom.

Preening can't start soon enough even at this tender age.

Ugly but cute.

Afternoon lessons.

Who loves yeh baby"!.

A Black headed gull.

Have been looking for the Terror-Pins that the litter pickers mentioned at the top end of the lake but that was earlier on when it was warmer, think they have all gone back indoors until it get's warmer again.

Will keep looking.

The Great Crested Grebes don't seem to be doing much in their nests yet, perhaps they are waiting for better weather hey!.

It doesn't look a very good weather forecast for Bank Holiday Monday with heavy rain showers forecast, but looking on the bright side it only needs the wind to change a couple of degrees for it all to be different again, so fingers crossed!.

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Don't you just love nature, despite what it did to you!

Time is a great healer, but a lousy beautician.  

The invisible man married an invisible woman, but their kids were nothing to look it!

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