Thursday, February 15, 2018
On Friday (9th) when I still thought I had just a cold, a scan of the bull park from West Terrace brought two skylarks - not so common here at this time of the year.
On Saturday I felt worse, and by Sunday morning I knew I was in for flu. When I got up, Greger gave me the news that we'd run out of oil for the central heating; he was very apologetic, but I was just as much to blame. He'd already lit the wood-and-coal-burning stove in the lounge, and I cleaned up an old two-bar electric fire that had been out in the garage - and with these and an additional electric convection heater we did a fairly good job of taking the chill off, with outside temperatures fluctuating around freezing.
He suggested going out for a drive - at least he could get the car nice and warm! - so we drove down to Loch Glascarnoch. Ravens are nesting again on the dam wall - and when I looked back to see when we saw them nesting here in 2016, oddly enough it was exactly the same date - February 11th.
Fuel was ordered first thing Monday morning, and was delivered by midday. It's always a good service here - likewise for the calor-gas canisters which we use for cooking on the hob. I spent yesterday in bed, but today I'm a bit better - well enough to take an interest in the garden birds. While pandemonium reigned on the feeders at the front, round the back a nice little bunch (six or seven) of redpolls fed on buddleia seeds.
I had to snap them through the window, but at least they were almost at eye-level - and no more than about 12 ft away. A real treat.
// posted by Christine @ 7:36 AM 
