Happy New Year everyone. I hope your Yuletide and New Year celebrations have been plentiful and that the year ahead offers you good health, prosperity, happiness and endless photo opportunities.

To kickstart the new edition of the fabulous "Show us your great photos" thread, I offer not a pic but a video. We took this last night and it shows, in all its glory, the incredible firework display we offered our neighbours from the comfort of our balcony. If you watch the video you'll see our neighbours' fantastic fireworks going off in the background - and then there's ours. 

This is what you get when you buy a box of mini fireworks from your local cheapskate supermarket (Albert Heijn) for the princely sum of 10 euros!  Still, it was so crap it was a laugh, which means it actually offered great value for money. I hope the vid of our box of damp balcony squibs also raises a smile with you.

Happy New Year!

 

1 hour ago, suzannek said:

Great photos Harry, do you and waggy tail a world of good all that sea air too. I love Durham Coastline.  I intend to walk it in summer. Take care xxx Suz 

When Di`s dad passed away at christmas Suz, we lost the use of the car, as it was his motobility car and i was his driver. So ive not been able to get Rosie to Crimdon beach. So we`ve been looking for a new stretch of beach, so i can let her off her lead, so this one is ideal for us, and i can get her running again, so we`ll be there a lot now, only 20 mins walk from our house, and it`s keeping me fit also

26 minutes ago, jkpnefc said:

Haven't a clue what this is but took on hol

 

It's the Frangipani Hornworm moth, it feeds on Plumeria trees.

4 hours ago, jkpnefc said:

Haven't a clue what this is but took on hol

 

 

 

3 hours ago, TattooDave said:

It's the Frangipani Hornworm moth, it feeds on Plumeria trees.

Dave's response although it looks like a joke is actually bang-on!

It is indeed Pseudosphinx tetrio (Linne 1771)

Edited March 17, 20178 yr by BabyBoyAndMyLass

7 hours ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

 

Dave's response although it looks like a joke is actually bang-on!

It is indeed Pseudosphinx tetrio (Linne 1771)

The caterpillar is prettier than the moth, I've seen the caterpillar a lot, but never seen the moth.

Never thought I'd found out what it is....Cheers lads

6 hours ago, TattooDave said:

The caterpillar is prettier than the moth, I've seen the caterpillar a lot, but never seen the moth.

Where have you seen it Dave? I assumed it would be a USA species, one because they use the 'Hornworm' term and two because I found it in Borror and DeLongs' book. I have extensive knowledge on the Hawk Moth family Sphingidae although in Britain they aren't particularly important as habitat indicator species or of any real conservation importance, I just like them because they are what Entomologists call an 'Oh my'... As in folks say 'Oh my' on account of the size of most of them.

Took a cycle ride through the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam woods) yesterday on what was a gloriously sunny afternoon. Lots of sights to see including the resident Highland cattle, early cherry blossom and deer (tame) at the pancake house where we enjoyed a bit of food and a nice bottle of fizzy bubbles to celebrate my birthday. 

First time out on the bike for ages. Reckon we did around 35km and, all told, it was a most enjoyable way to spend the afternoon and early evening.

A few more pics from yesterday's two-wheeled jaunt through the woods of Amsterdam...

 

58 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Where have you seen it Dave? I assumed it would be a USA species, one because they use the 'Hornworm' term and two because I found it in Borror and DeLongs' book. I have extensive knowledge on the Hawk Moth family Sphingidae although in Britain they aren't particularly important as habitat indicator species or of any real conservation importance, I just like them because they are what Entomologists call an 'Oh my'... As in folks say 'Oh my' on account of the size of most of them.

Florida, though they have them in Hawaii too, but in two years of living there I never saw any, I probably wasn't looking.  They are impressive, as are most of the Hawk Moth caterpillars, 3-4" long and chubby too, the chrysalis is like two-tone, black and red, spectacular.

6 hours ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Where have you seen it Dave? I assumed it would be a USA species, one because they use the 'Hornworm' term and two because I found it in Borror and DeLongs' book. I have extensive knowledge on the Hawk Moth family Sphingidae although in Britain they aren't particularly important as habitat indicator species or of any real conservation importance, I just like them because they are what Entomologists call an 'Oh my'... As in folks say 'Oh my' on account of the size of most of them.

St Vincents in the Carribean where I took it

10 hours ago, jkpnefc said:

St Vincents in the Carribean where I took it

Not so far away from Florida for a moth, anywhere where you have Frangipani growing well you'll find them, they might even be some in southern Spain as eggs could quite easily have been on imported trees.

Dancin till Dawn.

A few from last week, Had a poorly laptop but got it up and running again 

Cracking pics mate see ya sat 

53 minutes ago, jazz said:

Cracking pics mate see ya sat 

Cheers Paul, will do, looking forward to a cracking day. Roger Banks coming in the afternoon, flogging vinyl if you're interested pal.

Red Rock Canyon, Nevada.....

San Diego skyline from the flight deck of the USS Midway....

16 hours ago, Johnny Jones said:

Cheers Paul, will do, looking forward to a cracking day. Roger Banks coming in the afternoon, flogging vinyl if you're interested pal.

I'll best bring pleanty money then 

What a great day today  just taken these in the garden  dont ya just love spring xx

3 hours ago, baz1 said:

What a great day today  just taken these in the garden  dont ya just love spring xx

Looking good Baz.

Steve

Hellebores in my old garden...

a few more hellebores...

Did you spy that in the background dave ? My wife got it friday and its incredible !!!!!!the flowers die away and look better fukin ride on ye 

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Looking good Baz.

Steve

Cheers steve !!!!!saturday allwhenevers will be startin soon garden is lookin bang on now and cant wait for summer soul do's  thanks for the comment m8 atb baz 

Edited March 24, 20178 yr by baz1
Add words

10 hours ago, baz1 said:

Did you spy that in the background dave ? My wife got it friday and its incredible !!!!!!the flowers die away and look better fukin ride on ye 

Yes Baz, that's why I posted up mine.  If you want to grow hellebores successfully, cut the foliage away in November/ December, the flowers show themselves better that way, cut the flowers off before they set seed as the seedlings are prolific and are usually stronger than adult plants (bizarrely) unless you want to grow them on in a greenhouse, feed them straight after flowering has finished, they work well with roses, as both like a bit of spent mushroom compost.  The Washfield doubles bred by Elizabeth Strangman are getting to be everywhere now and are inexpensive, and are very obliging in producing lots of flower.  There's a book by Graham Rice and Elizabeth Strangman  called The Gardener's Guide To Growing Hellebores which is well worth the money, especially if you can pick one up second hand.

Another old pic, taken three years ago, should be in flower now, I found these near the top of Sierra de las Nieves.

A couple of shots of one of the many Heron at Belvide

On 25/03/2017 at 08:35, TattooDave said:

Yes Baz, that's why I posted up mine.  If you want to grow hellebores successfully, cut the foliage away in November/ December, the flowers show themselves better that way, cut the flowers off before they set seed as the seedlings are prolific and are usually stronger than adult plants (bizarrely) unless you want to grow them on in a greenhouse, feed them straight after flowering has finished, they work well with roses, as both like a bit of spent mushroom compost.  The Washfield doubles bred by Elizabeth Strangman are getting to be everywhere now and are inexpensive, and are very obliging in producing lots of flower.  There's a book by Graham Rice and Elizabeth Strangman  called The Gardener's Guide To Growing Hellebores which is well worth the money, especially if you can pick one up second hand.

Cheers for the info dave !!!!we want that border full to the brim,so your saying if we leave them to seed they'll go mad ? 

Had these original pics given me as the most fabulous birthday gift!!!!! Out of there personal collection  I was knocked sideways to say the least xx

1 hour ago, baz1 said:

Cheers for the info dave !!!!we want that border full to the brim,so your saying if we leave them to seed they'll go mad ? 

Pretty much Baz, as long as the border is well fed, they like a bit of fertilizer, it might take a couple of years to see flowers from the seedlings, but once they are happy they'll run riot.

58 minutes ago, TattooDave said:

Pretty much Baz, as long as the border is well fed, they like a bit of fertilizer, it might take a couple of years to see flowers from the seedlings, but once they are happy they'll run riot.

Got fish blood and bone ? Any good 

That should do, it's pretty much an all purpose feed, might pay you to get some sulphate of ammonia too.

 

2 hours ago, TattooDave said:

That should do, it's pretty much an all purpose feed, might pay you to get some sulphate of ammonia too.

 

Got other plants in there too ! Bleeding hearts,huchera,penstimens,primula,flock,agapanthus,rose,aquelegia,fretillary and cyclamon !! Will they all take the sulphate of amonia ? Cheers baz

First hole at augusta this afternoon  soul music playin too as it happens 

Edited March 26, 20178 yr by baz1
Forgot the pic lol

33 minutes ago, baz1 said:

Got other plants in there too ! Bleeding hearts,huchera,penstimens,primula,flock,agapanthus,rose,aquelegia,fretillary and cyclamon !! Will they all take the sulphate of amonia ? Cheers baz

The later flowering ones like penstemons might not like an early dose of it, but the rest should love it.  When the primulas get large you should split them up and replant them, preferably with a little shade.  The aquilegias will self sow, so there's some free plants.  The cyclamen will probably disappear completely for the summer, but try and remember where they are.  I take it that by bleeding heart you mean Dicentra spectabilis? Dicentra is a good family to investigate, lots of species that do well in shade and semi shade and have valuable spring flowers.  The fritillaries again would be helpful with a specific, the larger species along with the agapanthus enjoy a bit of being root bound or competition from other plants.  The phlox are a late summer flowerer and are prone to mildew, but good garden maintenance and air circulation helps enormously.  Heuchera will self sow when happy, a vast family due to recent plant breeding, I saw a vast display at a nursery near Newark that was incredibly colourful, though I was only tempted by Geranium phaeum varieties as I was collecting them with a view to breeding new ones before I came to live in Spain.

Another pretty hellebore from my old garden...

A nice walk around Rufford park yesterday, blew the All Dayer Hangover cobwebs off 

A few more from yesterday, there's a Goldcrest in the middle one, there was a couple of them zooming about, but they were too fast for me.

Well the Swallows have finally arrived in the northwest of the UK. Managed to see five together today at Pennington Flash. Equalling the earliest that I have ever seen them.  27th March. Two years on the run 

Steve

12 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Well the Swallows have finally arrived in the northwest of the UK. Managed to see five together today at Pennington Flash. Equalling the earliest that I have ever seen them.  27th March. Two years on the run 

Steve

Excellent news. Not seen any here from the comfort of home yet, although they could already be swooping and skimming across the lake behind us, but which is just out of sight. Will keep an eye open.

12 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Well the Swallows have finally arrived in the northwest of the UK. Managed to see five together today at Pennington Flash. Equalling the earliest that I have ever seen them.  27th March. Two years on the run 

Steve

Us Swifts will be next

We got our new Male. Smooth fox  terrier "Bob" yesterday 6 months old. Rosie our little Bitch, has really taken to him. He was only here 2 hours when i took this one. Looks like we are in for some fun this summer with these two. He lived with another two, he`s the last of a litter from last August, he lived with an old country lad who is getting bad on his legs now, so he`s keeping his two older ones, but needed a new home for young "Bob". We`ve just been out for our first walk, he`s never been on a lead before, the old guy used to drive from his home up onto a near by moor in his landrover and the dogs ran behind him. He did really well on the lead, gonna need a bit of work, but we will get him there.  He`s the one with the harness on.

7 minutes ago, HARRY CROSBY said:

We got our new Male. Smooth fox  terrier "Bob" yesterday 6 months old. Rosie our little Bitch, has really taken to him. He was only here 2 hours when i took this one. Looks like we are in for some fun this summer with these two. He lived with another two, he`s the last of a litter from last August, he lived with an old country lad who is getting bad on his legs now, so he`s keeping his two older ones, but needed a new home for young "Bob". We`ve just been out for our first walk, he`s never been on a lead before, the old guy used to drive from his home up onto a near by moor in his landrover and the dogs ran behind him. He did really well on the lead, gonna need a bit of work, but we will get him there.  He`s the one with the harness on.

That's lovely Harry.

 

Peter

16 minutes ago, HARRY CROSBY said:

We got our new Male. Smooth fox  terrier "Bob" yesterday 6 months old. Rosie our little Bitch, has really taken to him. He was only here 2 hours when i took this one. Looks like we are in for some fun this summer with these two. He lived with another two, he`s the last of a litter from last August, he lived with an old country lad who is getting bad on his legs now, so he`s keeping his two older ones, but needed a new home for young "Bob". We`ve just been out for our first walk, he`s never been on a lead before, the old guy used to drive from his home up onto a near by moor in his landrover and the dogs ran behind him. He did really well on the lead, gonna need a bit of work, but we will get him there.  He`s the one with the harness on.

How long before he knows how to use the record player? 

Just now, Steve S 60 said:

How long before he knows how to use the record player? 

Ha ha never i hope 

I guess this is when you realise a bigger camera and lens are worth lugging up over rough terrain at Sierra de las Nieves, you can't get close to the birds on foot as they are protected, and of course fed to keep them in the area.  I think they're Griffon Vulture, they were very impressive, but hard work to photograph until they all decided to fill the sky.

A very grainy cropped picture of what led me to believe they are Griffon Vultures.

 

Edited March 29, 20178 yr by TattooDave
I'm a dumbass

Something a little more up my street, in fact just up the end of it....

Here's one for the well travelled, the rock to the right covered in mist is Gibraltar, the one to the left is somewhere in Morocco, to the foreground are the pine covered mountains over the top of San Pedro.

The Hoover Dam.  Nevada on the left bank of the Colorado River, Arizona on the right...

0

 

Gave this place a miss when looking for somewhere to eat....

The waitresses were dressed as nurses, and there was an intravenous drip beside each table.  There was an industrial set of weighing scales outside.