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Post by shades on Sept 30, 2018 16:18:46 GMT
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Post by Bean on Oct 1, 2018 7:47:59 GMT
Oh gosh, I'd forgotten it was October! Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits?
Nice picture.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 1, 2018 8:13:11 GMT
That is a lovely picture Shades hunni. Oh wow, I had forgotten about it being October today too. Just another two months and I will be able to open the first door of my advent calendar. I am sure you wanted to know this Bean sweetie. Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 1, 2018 21:43:43 GMT
Love the picture, Shades Happy October, everyone. Halloween month
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 2, 2018 8:17:26 GMT
Yes, I agree love, happy October everyone. They will be getting the things in for Halloween in the shops before long, that is if they haven't already.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by Bean on Oct 2, 2018 8:35:31 GMT
I noticed the Halloween stuff being out over a month ago, Jo! And now it's next to the Christmas stuff haha!
Well, I like to live in the moment, even if it's going out of fashion!
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 2, 2018 19:18:27 GMT
We technically go from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas, but other than the basic Thanksgiving foods, there are no real Thanksgiving candies, and the decorations are mostly cardboard turkeys to tape to the windows, so I think most people skip decorating for Thanksgiving. That means we finish with the bulk of Halloween shopping, usually at least a week before Halloween, and the Christmas stuff comes out. A lot of people complain about the commercial push at Christmas, but the stores aren't going to stop pushing, until people stop buying. We went to the home store today, and all of the fake Christmas trees, lights, decorations, etc., were already out. October is one of my favorite months. Not only do the temps finally start to drop into a livable range for me, but it's foliage season, when the leaves change color. The leaves are already changing, though we're a long way from peak foliage. Up in the north country, by the Canadian border, it's peaking. Looks incredible, from pictures I've seen on the news Once foliage season is over, all the leaves are off the trees, and it gets rather bleak. That's why I'm always so excited for the first snow. It gives me something to look at, instead of skeletal trees. I know a lot of people don't like driving in the snow, clearing it off cars, shoveling. I'm glad to be retired from all of that We are getting Fall rain, which is great, as it fills the reservoirs and aquifers for next year. Rivers are high, but not too high. West coast is also getting some rain, mostly their version of hurricanes, which do far more damage than help. We get foliage season. They get landslide season At least it should put out any forest fires or hot spots, which they desperately need done. Even Yellowstone was closed for a while, due to the wildfires
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Post by Bean on Oct 3, 2018 6:48:39 GMT
Halloween has become so much more commercial over here this decade. It used to be more about homemade stuff and making your own fun, but now it's primarily about 'stuff' and the build up starts ridiculously early. No one misses an opportunity to make money out of any event!
I do love the colours of autumn, but I'm nearly getting my barnet blown off my head every time I step out of the front door at the moment, and that's not my favourite thing!
I hope you and hub have a nice drive or two planned, 3piggles, so you can admire the beautiful foliage! And if you do, we'd like pictures please!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 3, 2018 8:03:02 GMT
Haha, oh yes Bean love, it has stated already LOL! You have Halloween and Thanksgiving Piggles hunni, we have Halloween and Bon Fire Night. After bonfire night the Christmas adverts really start. I love watching the colors change on the trees too, I was looking at one the other day, it was so beautiful. I am afraid we can't guarantee snow here, in fact, we are on a pretty safe bet to say we won't have any. It is beautiful on all the trees though when we do get it. Yellowstone, isn't that the home of Yogi Bear? Oh yes, it was Jellystone wasn't it LOL? You are right Bean sweetie, Halloween has really taken off here and all the shops sell kiddies fancy dress and all the other bits which go with it. We have Halloween, Bonfire night and Christmas all in one go Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 3, 2018 17:39:14 GMT
We haven't had any major winds, just rain, which is trying to move out, at least temporarily. The windy days are a menace for hats and umbrellas, that's for sure! Yes, we plan to take some nice rides. We usually do, but it's nice to be able to do them during the week, and not with everyone else in the world, on the weekend. There's one spot up state about an hour, that looks out over a big valley, with mountains on the other side. When the foliage changes in that area, it's a fantastic site, especially since there's snow on some of the mountain tops by then I checked, and Bon Fire Day is November 5, this year. Thanksgiving is always the last Thursday in November, so much later in the month. I think that's why the Christmas ads and items start so long before Thanksgiving, as there is really only a month to shop, after Thanksgiving. Our Black Friday in-store Christmas sales are the day after Thanksgiving, so that's the official start of the Christmas shopping season, but by then, it's been in full swing since Halloween. I would love to do a Bon Fire Day over here, but there are so many jerks, they'd probably take it too far, and spoil the fun. Seems to be what happens to all fun things these days Maybe we can build a mini bon fire next year, if we get a fire pit We put up our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. I like to have the festive lights out for as long as possible. It's enough trouble, I can't understand why some people buy and decorate their tree the day before Christmas, and take it down the day after? Buying the day before is good for getting really reduced prices, but that's an awful lot of work for one day! Granddaughter said her aunt was going to be at their house for Christmas, this year, so I think hubby and I are doing our own thing, again. No problem. We get to try new recipes, which is fun
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Post by Bean on Oct 4, 2018 7:32:52 GMT
One of my kids said yesterday 'Do you know, it's only two months until Christmas!' (meaning until December) and I rolled my eyes and thought of you two!
Our favourite bonfire night celebrations are having a small fire in the garden, cooking some jacket potatoes and sausages on it and having a few sparklers and very quiet fireworks (even better if they make no noise at all!). Followed by parkin/ gingerbread. The big organised displays are too noisy, busy and neck-cricking for me!
They've tightened up on firework sales over the years, but the idiot teenagers of the area always seem to manage to get hold of a few.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 4, 2018 19:31:17 GMT
Someday I'm going to eat some of these foods you talk about. I had to google Parkin. It sounds fabulous, as I love gingerbread, but I've never seen treacle of any color in the supermarket, so can't make it myself We don't have caster sugar, and things like that. We may, but not called that, so it's hard to know what to use as a substitute. I know the English have long been ridiculed for their bland foods, but some of the dishes sound really great My birthday is coming up, and for the first time, hubby isn't working during the week. We've been talking about going to Portsmouth to a seafood restaurant that's supposed to be fabulous, so we're going to do that. It so nice to have him around during the week, so we can do things when the whole rest of the world isn't doing them with us
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Post by Bean on Oct 5, 2018 8:06:01 GMT
Can you get hold of molasses? That's probably the nearest in colour and flavour to treacle, although the texture would be different with the consistency being more like sugar. Maybe half molasses, half golden syrup would work?
Oh that'll be nice to have an extra special birthday because you have more time to plan and do something nice together. As you say, if you have to wait to do them until everyone else is off work for the weekend, it's rarely as pleasurable! When's your birthday?
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 5, 2018 21:10:04 GMT
My Birthday is on the 13th, which is probably why Friday the 13th never bothered me, nor was it an unlucky day. It's on a Saturday this year, so granddaughter said she was coming up for my birthday. We'll see, as her mom didn't say anything about it. The heat and rain moved out, and it's nice, cool and sunny, with a light breeze. So nice. It was so humid, even indoors, yesterday, it was such a relief when the cold front arrived More rain next week, so it might be even better to go to the coast for a birthday lunch, as the beaches won't be busy I found treacle online, so I'll try that before I try to make a substitute, especially since we don't have golden syrup over here, either. We probably do, but it's not called that, so if I buy some Treacle, I'll know exactly what it is.
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Post by Bean on Oct 6, 2018 8:49:57 GMT
Glad you found some treacle. Finding a swap for golden syrup would be tricky too. Maple syrup is a lot thinner than golden syrup, and has a totally different flavour, so I don't find it always works as a swap, although I like them both.
I made gingerbread the other evening (so just syrup, no treacle - it's a bit lighter in flavour and appearance), and letting the kids cut their own slices a couple of times means there's very little left!
Oooh a birthday trip to the coast sounds great - I'd definitely be voting for that suggestion!
We have a nuisance cat who comes into our garden. He's rather a good hunter and has killed quite a few birds (when our bluetit babies fledged, we pretty much patrolled the area to make sure he didn't get them!).
We found him playing with/ torturing a young pigeon the other day, which sadly died. I couldn't see major injuries and it was still quite active, so I was hoping if I put it somewhere dark and warm with food and water, it might get over the shock, but sadly not.
Aside from making sure the feeders aren't near areas he can hide in (or putting down holly where he tends to lurk) I'm not sure I can do anything else, as I think he just is a really good hunter. I just wish he'd eat his prey so there was some point, and it was quicker for them, but it's just a game.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 6, 2018 20:12:33 GMT
It is so sad that cats always seem to torture their prey before killing it I loved the bird/squirrel feeding station I had at the last house, as it was right by several large rhododendrons, which gave the everyone plenty of cover from predatory birds, and from cats, though we didn't have many of them. Cats weren't allowed to be loose at the condo village. We have one neighbor with a cat that's always out hunting, and she's been over here checking out my birds and chipmunks, so I've had to chase her out before. I've found the birds greatly prefer feeders near some sort of protection, trees, bushes, etc., than totally exposed. We get a lot of birds and squirrels at the back feeders, that are right by the young trees, and the woods beyond, but we don't get them at the front feeder, which is totally exposed. We put seed out for them simply because we have some decorative feeders for the front, not because we expect them to actually eat there. Yes, birthday trip to the coast suits me just fine, too I grew up at the coast, so always love a trip back
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Post by Bean on Oct 9, 2018 7:22:00 GMT
We're chasing it off whenever we see it now, just so it's never quite so relaxed and on its game in our garden. It's a cute little thing, but I'd much rather meet him in someone's home than in my garden trying to kill the wildlife I love for fun!
I need to do what will probably be the last tidy up of the garden (lawn etc) for the year. We're due some mild and dry weather this week, so hopefully I'll get a few free hours to have a little session.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 9, 2018 19:35:31 GMT
There are some deterrents available, but I always wonder if they really work as well as they claim to work, and unless you have a lot of animal pest problems in your garden, I think it's probably a waste of money to buy them. Diatomaceous earth might be an option, just something uncomfortable to their paws, unless you have hedgies and other animals you want coming around. We're having two days of humidity and temps near or above 80F. I've been joking with a friend in Calgary, where they've already not only had their first major snow of the year, over 15", but their second one as well. We keep offering to send each other extra of what we have. I told her I have at least 15F of heat extra for today, and maybe more tomorrow, which I'll exchange for a foot of snow It makes the weather more pleasant to joke about it We'll have snow soon enough, but probably not until December. Flurries, yes. Appreciable snow, no.
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Post by Bean on Oct 10, 2018 7:50:48 GMT
We do get hedgehogs, so I want to keep things good for them. And our garden is pretty big, so putting anything down, even just in the beds, would be quite a task!
I think we'll carry on just scaring him off when we see him - he's definitely loitering less since we started striding towards him clapping!
There is some kind of ultrasonic device that's supposed to put them off, but the ones that come with better reviews are pricey, and there are still lots of people saying they do no good. A pet lion, that's the solution!
I had a good session in the garden yesterday (although I have the allergies today to show for it!) and am determined to clear the space at the side of the house which has become something of a dumping ground. We lowered a tree some months ago and still have a lot of wood from it. We thought we might burn it sometime, but will see if anyone else wants it with Bonfire Night coming up, and get it out of the way.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 10, 2018 20:53:58 GMT
I've always been hesitant to use those electronic gismos, as it's hard to set the field to cover every way he might enter, and not discourage other animals that frequency would bother. As long as just driving him away seems to be working, I'd take that option, too.
You have a fire pit, don't you? Can you chop up the wood into piece small enough to go in the fire pit, or are you using something else in the fire pit? I think we would probably use charcoal, when we finally get our fire pit, as it's neater and easier to store than wood. I'd like to be able to sit outside in the Fall, maybe cook hotdogs or something, and I think granddaughter would really enjoy that.
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