We did get some rain yesterday, hallelujah! It wasn't the all-day soaker we could use but as they say at Tesco, "Every little helps." I realized in the evening that I didn't have much of a photo selection to blog, so I went out into the garden with my big camera and this little robin posed for me perfectly. I think it was hoping I'd put some seed in the feeder, so I did.
European robins are the friendliest little birds -- or at least the most unafraid. Anytime I'm out in the garden weeding or moving things around, they'll flutter nearby, waiting for me to uncover some choice bugs. They aren't afraid to get within just a few feet. Maybe they'd literally land on a person's shoulder, as in "Snow White," but I've never had that happen.
Yesterday was busy as heck. All the students are finally back at school and we had an avalanche of returned summer books. I was checking in and shelving for hours, both in our library and in the Lower School, and I had a stack of new books to cover as well. I expect more of the same today.
I must admit it has been good to see a lot of the kids again.
It looks like I miraculously caught this little Verbena bonariensis blossom as it fell from the main flower head, but actually it was hanging there by a filament of spider web.
I've been listening to the QAA podcast (formerly Q-Anon Anonymous) once again on my walks to work. I took a break over the summer so I have a lot of content to catch up on. One of the recent episodes was positively hilarious, detailing recent public spats between far-right figures Marjorie Taylor Greene and Laura Loomer, among others. Honestly, Twitter is one of the worst things ever invented. It's designed for people to attack each other.
Dave and I have firmed up our plans and bought our tickets for Christmas. We're returning to Florida to visit his parents and my stepmother and siblings. October break and Thanksgiving are still up in the air, but I have a few ideas, both within the UK and within close flying distance. Now if I can just get Dave to commit!
I wish we had those sweet little robins out here. Good capture on that spider thread blossom.
ReplyDeleteThey are very friendly little birds!
DeleteI've seen pictures of robins landing on the spade in action digging! Definitely ready for any interesting food that might show up.
ReplyDeleteYou sound a bit more reconciled to your job, now the students are back.
It's amazing how fearless they are! "Reconciled" is a good word.
DeleteWhy bother checking in and shelving returned items? After all, as Boss Woman said, "They're only books!" Love the blossom caught on the spider filament - well spotted Steve!
ReplyDeleteHa! I'll let you have that conversation with my boss. :)
DeleteGreat shot of the kind European robin. The verbena photo is magic! I can see the filament when I enlarge it. Such a cool shot. I need to firm up my plans and purchase tickets for NYC. January again? I’m not so sure.
ReplyDeleteJanuary seems like a pretty harsh time to go! Why don't you go in summer, when Spain is so blisteringly hot? (Not that NYC is much better, but at least there's air con.)
DeleteBecause hotel and airfare are more than twice the price and time with my brother is always expensive. I’m looking at November which is usually more pleasant than January. I need to stay in a hotel convenient to my brother or I’d get a package with hotel in Manhattan which is much cheaper. It’s complicated.
DeleteRobins are quite fearless, especially if there's the promise of a few fat, juicy worms to be had.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, if you are thinking of travelling up this way in October or November, bring a big coat!
OK, good to know! I do want to get to IOM eventually, but probably not this fall. Maybe Blackpool again to see the illuminations!
DeleteI've never signed up for a twitter account and based upon the tweets regularly shown on the evening news as part of their reporting, I think I'll keep it that way. Short form social media seems to invite sniping and division.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly it -- and it rewards bad behavior, so people have no incentive to try to be civil. In fact they're incentivized to be terrible to each other!
DeleteMy husband's sister-in-law had robins nesting in her garage and one alighted on her shoulder. They are amazing little birds; there's good reason for calling them the gardener's friend.
ReplyDeleteIs your brother's sister-in-law a Disney princess?
DeleteLoomer and Marge fighting is the most hilarious and childish thing I'd ever read about.
ReplyDeleteThey are unbelievable, those two. And then throw in Lauren Boebert!
DeleteIf you put some seed in your hand and stook still, I'm sure they would land on your hand to eat. Here the chickadees will eat out of your hand, it's lovely.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see your verbena shot out of focus and then I scrolled some more realized it was perfectly focused. Well done.
I could have used a narrower aperture to get the top part of the flower in focus as well -- but then I would have had more detail in the background, which I didn't want.
DeleteI would so much rather think about magically hanging verbena and curious, bold robins than Greene and Loomer.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you.
DeleteGosh, those are great photos, Steve! Glad you are busy and happy in the library! The year will fly by...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ellen!
DeleteI love both pictures ... the little red-breasted robin is just so cute! The verbena's lavender is the perfect shade of color!
ReplyDeleteThey are very cute little birds, and I love that verbena. It re-seeds itself all over.
DeleteYour photos are so stunning - you could teach AI a thing or two. The little robin in the basket is utterly "Get well soon- have a Happy day- congratulations- I love you_" Hallmark card!
ReplyDeleteAlso feeling confident that neither you nor I use twitter or eat at ARBY;s
DeleteI used to love Arby's as a kid, though, I must confess!
Deletethe start of the school year with the kids is busy. The kids are excited to see each other again. And yes, they throw a few books at the librarian. Have a great year.
ReplyDeleteI need some book shields! LOL
DeleteFabulous picture of the Verbena!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThat robin is so cute! Much cuter than the robins we have over here. Ours are pretty enough, but not squishy looking like yours. I love when birds are all fluffed out like that.
ReplyDelete"Squishy looking" -- LOL!
DeleteThe little robin sitting in the hanging basket while looking straight into the camera is a perfect photo. The verbena close up shows such beautiful fine detail never really seen when strolling in the garden. Very nice captures Steve!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Those verbena are very interesting little flowers, and the goldfinches like to pluck the seeds later in autumn.
DeleteI agree that twitter is one of the worst things ever invented. It's amazing how people just attack each other on this platform. The fact that Loomer and Green go at it is hilarious in my book.
ReplyDeleteAnd they're rewarded for attacking each other with greater visibility for their tweets!
DeleteGood grief! Weren't you just tidying up the library at close of the school year yesterday? I guess I'm officially long-retired as a teacher since I didn't realize school started this week here.
ReplyDeleteTime flies!
DeleteExcellent Post Yesterday And Rather Impressive That You Responded To All Those Comments With Your Hip Perspectives For Sure - Peggy Collected Tons Of 45 Records And I Vividly Remember Those Massive LP's That Bill Collected - As A Kid , I Was Fascinated With Stacks Of 45's On The Turntable And How They Would Individually Drop Between Songs - All Those Moving Parts I Tell Ya - I Definitely Can Not Recall The Earliest Musicians But I Remember Enjoying Three Dog Night , Captain & Tennille , The Doobie Brother Were Played A Lot , Neil Sedaka , Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass , And Countless Motown Acts - The Records That Saw The Most Needle Time Were Elvis , Neil Diamond , And Earth Wind & Fire - The LP Albums That Mesmerized My Little Mind Were Boston , Queen , Pink Floyd , And America - My Very Own 45 Was On My Birthday In 1980 And It Was No Other Than Waylon Jennings ( good ol boys ) Duke Boys - Having My Mind Blown Was The Summer 1978 When The Police Released Roxanne - I Didn't Understand The Meaning But I Played That 45 Over And Over Again Until Diana Ross Slapped Me With Upside Down You Turn Me - The Comment That Brought Back Child Like Memories Was Building Forts In The Living Room And Catching Saturday Morning Cartoons And American Bandstand - So Those Are Just Some Highlights Of Musical Spawn Interests Growing Up In The Forest Above Lake Tahoe California - Thanx For Your Time Brother Man As I Throughly Enjoyed Memory Lane - Will Be Camping Above 8,000ft This Weekend So I will Check Back In On Tuesday Or Wednesday
ReplyDeleteKeep Dancing ,
Cheers
Great memories! Oh yeah, I remember Three Dog Night too -- "Jeremiah was a bullfrog..." Why do all kids build forts to watch cartoons? LOL!
DeleteIn defense of twitter, where else do you learn about current covid outbreaks, rates of positivity in the community, and the status of the next round of vaccines? Who else carries footage of Ukraine bombing the shit out of Russia's oil infrastructure? Yes there are hateful people saying hateful things, but a simple block takes care of them.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the first thing about Covid locally, but honestly I'm not sure I care. All I can do is get whatever vaxx is offered and practice the same good hygiene I would for colds or flu. I just think the negatives of Twitter far outweigh the positives.
DeleteLove the courageous Robin. Watched one pretend to be injured and fly off as soon as I was far enough from the nest.
ReplyDeleteTwitter was good. The thing that came later was not.
Even the old Twitter wasn't THAT good.
DeleteThe picture of the robin is delightful and would look good on a calendar cover. Glad you are getting some holiday plans sorted.
ReplyDeleteWendy (Wales)
You are welcome to use it if you produce a calendar. :)
DeleteThe photo of the little Robin is cute, but I LOVE the second photo. It's a great capture because even hanging on a filament it could be uncooperatively spinning in the breeze.
ReplyDeleteWell, it was doing that too -- I used a pretty fast shutter speed!
DeleteTwitter is the proverbial dumpster fire.
ReplyDeleteIt really is! That's a great phrase to describe it.
DeleteRobins.. aggressive little bossy birds!!
ReplyDeleteBut good to have around
I think of them as friendly rather than aggressive. It's not like they attack us. They just hang around hoping to get lucky!
DeleteWhen I was visiting England and Ireland, I fell in love with European robins. Photos do not capture how that orange breast glows. They looked like bright embers in a fall wood, especially on a rainy day. You just have to smile when you see them.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw them I didn't realize what they were. I thought robins here would look like American robins.
DeleteI fell in love with those little robins. They were so cute and yes, very friendly or unafraid. I'm glad you have Christmas settled. Now, onward!
ReplyDeleteOnward indeed!
DeleteI have that verbena in one of my gardens. It's one of my favorites. I love your little robins. I wish we had them here. The closest we come I guess if the chickadees for socialabillity.
ReplyDeleteYes, that verbena is hard to beat. We never plant it intentionally and yet it comes up every year some place or other.
DeleteI joined Twitter than X but ignore it these days. I was never active but I did find that it had news before anyplace else. (perhaps it's no longer that way) That flower shot is incredible even if it's hanging by a spider web!
ReplyDeleteIt is a good hive mind when it comes to learning about local occurrences -- like, "Why am I hearing sirens?" But I've found I can do without that. If it's important it will be in the news soon enough.
DeleteThis very frustration is what CS ServiceCenterVIP is designed to obliterate. Unlike generic help desks that operate as faceless problem-resolution centers, ServiceCenterVIP functions as a luxury-class, intelligence-driven ecosystem of support, built to provide immediacy, empathy, and precision.
ReplyDelete