Tattoodave

DVD arrived yesterday morning, hoped it might have been something to cheer me up after one of my dogs passed away on Tuesday morning, but shortly after it arrived the cat was run over and died at the vets, so I'm saving it for a less dark time in my life as I don't want to blubber my way through it all, as I know I probably would. Secretly I can't wait, it's been well overdue, but I have the patience of Job.

Ever the pro Andy! Let's hope there's better news

I feel left out, albeit not in the cold, but my DVD was ordered a while ago and as soon as the Correos lady delivers it on her moped, it'll be on the TV and I'll be enjoying it. To everyone going to the various cinemas and events over the weekend I hope you all have a wonderful time and look back on the events fondly for many years to come, I envy you the togetherness that I know this film will bring on airing.

He's in Durham now, if you read the post. I came up to Burnley with Kev Moore a couple of years ago, had a great night, and will return when in England if there's a suitable night

Sadly I'm missing it all, but had a conversation two weeks ago with a retired teacher from Burnley, in his late 70's and now living in Durham, who said that he'd be going to see the film as a lot of lads he was teaching were all popping pills and going to Wigan Casino in the mid 70's, and he'd like to know what all the fuss was about. When I told him there's still a Northern Soul scene he was amazed, and started asking me about amphetamines, I, because of the company I was in, denied any knowledge

Who can tell, it looked like an adult bird to me, and was the only one around that had any white markings, I knew it was a cormorant, and knew juveniles had a white belly, but had never seen one so white and up to the chin. Wasn't there tonight, but then after the weather we had earlier I wouldn't blame it

maybe you're right Russell, though he was very white even under his chin, I've not seen a juvenile with such clean white markings

I pretty much knew it was a cormorant Swifty, but what was puzzling me was his underbelly, I looked at lots of pictures of cormorants and the juveniles never looked as white as he did, they do get birds blown in from the US on the gulf stream so I wondered if it was just misplaced. Sadly he was too far away to get a decent shot, but his belly was very white.

I thought that too Steve, but have never seen much of juvenile cormorants so was unsure, he was very white and some distance off, I enlarged it before I posted it, hence the poor quality

There are bits of autumn colour here and there in the mountains, but nothing major, there's still lots of buds on plants, so more flowers to come. The sun is now shining after some rain and thunder, and the loquat trees are in flower just outside the kitchen window, beautifully scented. I used to enjoy the fall colour when I lived in the US, but didn't enjoy the Minnesota winters, I'm looking forward to the winter here, and strawberries next February and March. Give me the warmth of southern Spain any day, I'm hoping to be on the beach Christmas Day.

This chap was resting on the rocks at Riviera last night, probably a juvenile, but I don't know, he looked lonely. Anybody know what he could be? I'm a bit puzzled

Three other plants that I've taken notice of recently. Ismene festalis Bignonia rosa and a curiously variegated foliaged bougainvillea with white and pink flowers, I'm thinking it will make a fine bonsai once I've got a stolen cutting to root

It's raining this morning, so after a few days of sunshine and me finding more hibiscus varieties I thought I'd share these, I am quite a fan of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

I've seen lots of them this summer, still hoping to see a blue roller though

B*llocks! you'll be telling me he was being chased by an orca next

I'll remember his smile at Crossfire, a cross between bewilderment and pride, a very humble man, RIP.

Had a walk along the beach in the fading light and saw a kingfisher, though it was too fast for me, saw some Turnstones and some Sanderlings

Took my camera out with me when I walked the dogs after spotting Lapiedra martinezii flowering at the roadside about a mile away, took a few shots of the various types of Hibiscus in flower at the moment, and this is just locally.

I have a mate in Hawaii that lost two fingers to a seal when he came to the UK, he thought they'd be cuddly as that's how they appear, big mistake. He was used to gentle creatures like green turtle and manta ray that will let you tag along as they swim. I did the manta ray thing off the Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, 25' wide manta rays pulling me along as if I was nothing, very humbling.

Can't sleep Suz?

I guess that's all that matters Pete, I had my dogs portrait tattooed on my side, he was 24 when he died of kidney failure, probably due to his liking of rum and blackcurrant, he was called Jock, a Wire Haired Fox Terrier of almost impeccable manners.

I worked on an eleagnus in the San Fernando valley in 1990 at a bonsai nursery on Glenoaks Drive, enormous trunk on it, must have been 10 inches across and only about 2 feet tall, so when you can dig it up and get it in a pot you'll see better results

Sadly though Pete the sycamore is a very difficult species to bonsai as the leaves always look too big to be convincing. Better off with Field Maple (Acer campestre), much more forgiving and nicer leaf shape and autumn colour

I've made bonsai out of trees that have been 5 metres tall, just prune it down to about a foot and watch it sprout in the spring

Could well be Pete, though doubtful as a self sown seedling, good call though