The Soop Kitchen

We have a beech hedge full of greedy sparrows who think one of the bird feeders is their own personal property. We also get blue tits, great tits, chaffinches, a couple of bullfinches, greenfinches - but I haven't seen any goldfinches for a couple of years unfortunately - a green woodpecker comes to the peanuts, the robin has learnt how to feed from the feeder, sometimes we get a small group of starlings, but not very often. Pigeons are a real nuisance, but it is hilarious to see one of them attempting to balance on a very thin branch and try to feed from the feeder - I do wonder sometimes from the size of them how they take off! Occasionally we get a pair of collared doves which are lovely. I have seen a nuthatch a couple of times. And blackbirds of course.
We do have a family of grey squirrels, but I bought some extremely strong feeders with no plastic and thick wire and that seems to have baffled them - I think they've gone to gardens with easier pickings. Although one decided to go down next doors chimney and got trapped above the wood burner, which they had to almost take to pieces to get it out!

Badenkate We have no sparrows in our garden. I love them. Also forgot the long tailed tits (visit on rare occasions) and, we do have a jay who turns up but doesn't linger in the garden.

Good gracious, we are fast approaching the 1000 posts yet again. I shall be opening another Soop Kitchen tomorrow morning. everyone welcome. Bring some [cupcakes] if you can manage to bake a batch in time.

I have to log off until the morning. Take care and have yourselves a very pleasant and peaceful evening.

Badenkate if you have house sparrows they are a RED status bird, as are Tree Sparrows. Tree sparrows have always been rare but house sparrows were so common it is a shock. We have a few but not in this wet weather (or perhaps they are just next door).

For the first few years we were here we saw no house sparrows in the garden but there was a healthy and growing population down the hill in another garden and some of them seem to have migrated up thr hill to us in the last few years. They have made themselves so much at home here that they are now squatters in the house-martin nests! Cheep, cheep! ??

Oh bags you are a one!

We're off to Tarbert to buy a sack of bird seed. It's s lovely day. The sea is calm and the sun shining. I shall take my camera. May be able to share a few pics with you lot later.

When I return, I shall put up the bunting and chill the bubbly. Very soon we shall all move into the new kitchen. Any calorie free cakes will be gladly accepted.

No bun fights in my absence. Big (group hug)

I often read, but don't often post. However with the prospect of chilled bubbly calling I shall definitely make a virtual visit and enjoy quaffing a few virtual glasses, soop. I wish you lots of feathered visits to your garden to sample the seed. And talking of birds I wonder if thatbags could persuade some of her squatters to migrate south and pay me a visit. I haven't seen a sparrow in the garden for ages, and seldom elsewhere round here either. Plenty of wood pigeon and magpies though. Shall we do an exchange ?

I agree, you lot oop north are hogging all of the birds. I saw a sparrow about a week ago, as for a robin, they are as rare as hen's teeth around here.

Hello Bellanonna It's good to have your company. There are hedge sparrows in the village. I thought that at one time the house sparrow was our most common and best loved bird. Whatever has happened to them. Is it something likened with loss of their natural habitat? It's a sad thing to lose such a friendly bird.

The visit to Tarbert made a nice change. I'm about to upload some photos taken during a pleasant stroll beside the harbour. When I've selected two or three I shall share with you.

I sent MacSporran down a rocky path at Ronachan to photograph the seals. There is a family that lolls on the rocks. Sadly, not today!

I'll have a wee chat with the squatter sparrows bnonna. No promises, mind! We have wood pigeons and magpies a-plenty so you can keep yours, thanks all the same .
<Bags wanders off to talk to sparrers> ??

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A few of today's photos taken as we wandered around Tarbert village harbour.

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So sorry to have confused you lot...I had convinced myself that we were very close the 1000 marker. Phew! What a relief. We can all carry on blethering for a little longer.

What a beautiful place to live, Soop. Are you actually on an island?

soop I did think that you were around 100 messages ahead of the rest of us but it has not been easy in your neck of the woods and I knew that eventually you would catch up.

Those photos are perfect- looks like July but I know otherwise because it is very cold in London although the sun is shining.

Tara nipped home for a quick lunchtime snack but hopefully she will come home early this evening. I thought that she would prefer a warm home with the heating full blast but no.

thatbags it is mean keeping all of the birds to yourself. Can I exchange for foxes please?

Charleygirl I wish you had mentioned my mistake. I feel a right Charlie. Have the bubbly on chill. Calorie-free chocs unwrapped. Tell you what, shall we celebrate anyway? Can't let the goodies go to waist waste.

It is warm in the sunshine. How different from a week or so ago. The sea is almost mirror-like.

I was hoping that Rory would venture outside for a spot of activity. Wishful thinking. He has enjoyed a gourmet lunch (thanks to MacS) and is asleep on my favourite chair with the new cushion at his back.

Nothing wrong with an advance warning of a kitchen move Soop. Keeps us on our toes. Now where's that bubbly.....aaah that's grand. Nice to sit and relax in the sunshine for a change. We have loads of ducks, geese and swans to share the day with here and at the moment lots of white gulls fighting them for scraps. I've put some shortbread on the table so help yourselves before the gulls pinch it

Ah Crafting those birds are definitely more my style. I would love to live close to where they enjoy life. Very calming.

I think that I would settle for a cup of coffee rather than bubbly. I am waiting for plasterer no. 4 to make an appearance this evening- nobody else has bothered, even to ring me back. If they are too busy, fine I do understand and accept but do not leave me hanging around here. Nag over.

The T is going to be in minus figures this weekend, cannot wait. Spring is around the corner I keep telling myself.

Thank you Crafting, the shortbread will go very nicely with a . The Champagne was good, wasn't it? Just the right fizz to it! A man was feeding the swans in Tarbert harbour this morning. He was very thoughtful, because he had a separate bag of food for the gulls. I can quite understand why some folk consider gulls as pests. They can make a picnic somewhat tricky to enjoy. However, they have a right to a life and they too deserve a little extra sustenance during the winter months.

Care home visit tomorrow morning. I shall pop in to our kitchen on my return.

It's still beautifully calm and the islands look perfect in the late afternoon light.

Until we meet again. and

Night night, Charleyg I trust that a well-mannered plasterer will be in touch very soon.

It's really difficult round here to get anybody to come and do a small building job for you Charleygirl. We managed to get a bit of plumbing done by asking the guy who came to plumb in the radiator in the new conservatory via the conservatory company. We still are trying to find someone to fix a small problem on the roof (no roofers involved in coservatory construction ?).

The fellow arrived half an hour early to give me a quote. I thought that it was a bit OTT but I am getting desperate. He will come early Saturday and naturally wants cash in hand. I just have to pray that he turns up.

Soop,it looks beautiful where you live! I'm really happy today because I've had my shed which I do my crafts in (and store junk!) Refooded and refelted. £220 but accepted it as inevitable running costs and maintenance. Also, my bulbs are showing signs of life. I love the spring. However, it's gone really cold tonight.
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The saga of the plasterer- he did not contact me this evening to say what time he was starting on Saturday. He appeared to be so pleasant- I will reserve final judgment until I have contacted him tomorrow.

My sofa is supposedly going tomorrow am via Freecycle but yet again, nobody has bothered to contact me re pick up time or even if they still want it. Where are yesterday's manners?

I rang the plasterer early today and he was mortified that he had forgotten to ring me back re a time. I think that his problem is working 7am to 7pm 7 days a week.Anyway it will be 8am tomorrow that he starts but in the meantime I have the minor problem of emptying my entire kitchen.

Gone are the days when one would get 3 quotes- I am lucky, like Badenkate to find anybody who will do the job.

The two fellows arrived late to pick up my sofa but believe me I was so glad to see it go because that space is where the kitchen contents will go. Surely I can dream?!

This was taken near where I live, not by me. (My first effort was a picture of Spec Savers!!). Very nice photo, will look out something a bit more every day.

I think I will pass on the champagne. It is snowing here so would love a hot chocolate (especially if it was from Cocoa Mountain www.cocoamountain.co.uk/, it is to die for, hate to think how many calories), I am sure the hot chocolate in the soop kitchen is wonderful as those virtual calories always taste best

Good result on both counts Charleygirl I hope you have lots of hotwater and cloths for cleaning up after. I don't envy you one bit. However you will have your jobs done ,not like my poor neglected house as I can't summon up the energy to get anything done and there is plenty.