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 The Chat Page
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The Chat Page is where you can get togther with others to .... well chat with each other! It is un-moderated and can be exactly what you want. Chat postings are easy to send and get added to the site within seconds. Please note the following;
We have a thread in the main forum to talk and update folks about Chat spam etc - it's a conversation that can't easily happen here because of the ephemeral nature of the page contents:
Chat Page Spam - Ways Forward If you want to add to Chat simply use the Post Chat page. Here is the chat.......
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Gaz garethleake@hotmail.com 23:41 on May 12, 2008 
Hi there
May I join the ballet chat? Its late and couldnt sleep! |
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Anneliese 17:53 on May 07, 2008
I saw my first swallow today - couldn't say how long they've been here and I HAVEN'T noticed, though! |
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Paul 13:24 on May 06, 2008
JIM: Haven't seen those warblers yet, because I haven't been to their places; have seen willows, chiffchaffs, blackcaps and whitethroats. No lesser whitethroats this year yet. Saw a pair of hobbies yesterday :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 05:13 on May 06, 2008
Migrants are pouring n now. Yesterday (5 May) caught and ringed Garden, Sedge and Reed Warblers. Haven't seen a swift yet. |
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Paul 22:07 on May 04, 2008
LINDA: Try the following sites which give illustrations, photos and lots of info:http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/index.asp http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/about.htm http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/
I did a survey this morning and saw several summer migrants including swallows, swifts and four yellow wagtails. Also, a new hill has appeared! Er, where did THAT come from? It's a spoil heap from a new open cast mine that's just opened. |
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Anneliese 19:54 on May 04, 2008
LINDA: RSPB pages are quite good with usually a few pictures. No sign of the house sparrow decline in my garden - but we also do well for dunnocks. Greenfinches, OTOH, are very few and far between. Dunnocks are thin billed, sparrows are fat billed. Dunnock markings are much finer and fainter, sparrows painted with thicker brushes and brighter colours and the males have black bibs and chestnut caps. Blackbirds, thrushes, robins and wrens will be singing their little heads off at the moment (and one of our church choir told me last week that the noisy thing I could hear but not see was a mistle thrush. It was indeed a very stormy day so I was inclined to believe him!) |
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Linda 09:06 on May 01, 2008
ANNELIESE: travelling by train through Sussex earlier this week the woods were full of bluebells - absolutely lovely. Can you or any other bird-lovers suggest an online bird identification site? Now my garden is maturing I am seeing more birds. I think one regular visitor is simply a house-sparrow but I believe these are now quite rare. Maybe it's a dunnock or hedge-sparrow? I'd like to check. |
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Anneliese 23:32 on April 28, 2008
Occurred to me today it could have been a juvenile herring gull. |
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Anneliese 17:50 on April 18, 2008
Saw a buzzard hovering into the wind this week! |
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Anneliese 18:30 on April 12, 2008
Bluebells now just starting to appear! |
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Anneliese 11:57 on April 05, 2008
Meant to say, cowslips have now been spotted - but I had to tell my friend that her planned bluebell walk on Tuesday may not live up to her expectations ;-) |
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Paul 21:50 on March 23, 2008
ANNELIESE: The birds will be looking their best now as we're entering the breeding season.
Hope you came out with as many monkeys as you went in with - no more, no less :) |
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Becca 10:39 on March 23, 2008
Paul: Me? Make Ian eat his hat? am i right about something?! hmmm must go and have a look. Pffft i don't bother about things like that, I don't like salads anyway. And I live in Edinburgh, it doesn't tend to get that hot that often. |
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Anneliese 18:18 on March 22, 2008
BIRDERS: Today's chilly trip to Monkeyworld much enhanced by eyeballing a treecreeper - how *do* their tummies stay so white - and loads of siskins! And also the bluest bluetits I've ever seen. |
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Paul 12:08 on March 21, 2008
I've now got broadband at home. It's terrible! You just spend all day on it! I'm sure I shall exceed my monthly download limit in a week.I'm still no nearer the soup. It's a shame. I could do with taking a flask with me to the Coli tomorrow to a) keep warm and b) save some money.
BECCA: I meant soup for winter, salads for summer, or something like that. Have you seen the Royal Ballet 08/09 Season in the News forum? Ian P reckons you will make him eat his hat! |
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becca 09:59 on March 01, 2008
paul: I know! it's shocking. but i have two jobs and dancey things and a degree and suchlike to do. we're doing a show all next week! but after that I will make it. maybe sunday/monday next? you see, this is how busy i am at the moment, that i have to make an appointment more than a week in advance! :-)when do they go out of season?
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Fallen-Angel angelis_kj@hotmail.co.uk 16:19 on February 29, 2008
Does anyone else stumble on their pirouettes? or is it just me who can't seem to turn right? :s |
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Paul 13:48 on February 29, 2008
ANNELIESE: We have a real upright piano (my sister's), but it's been defended for some years now by... remnants of an IKEA kitchen - they should be in the kitchen! It's a good piano - weighs a ton - very unportable. My musical friend (church organist) says that a second hand upright should provide better sound than a digital, for the same money. But obviously, size and portability are big issues.
BECCA: Better hurry up - summer will soon by here and you'll be out of season. |
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Anneliese 12:37 on February 28, 2008
Very springlike in our garden - dunnocks flirting all over the place, and this morning some goldfinches too! |
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becca 13:43 on February 22, 2008
haven't made the soup yet but i'm working on it! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:41 on February 17, 2008
PAUL, no dipped on Rock Thrush and Snow Finch, but did get Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Alpine Chough, Alpine Accentor, Citril Finch, at least 2 Wallcreepers and 3 Lammergeiers. Oh, and about ten million Griffons! We were working north from Huesca to the French border, including part of the Ordessa National Park. |
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Paul 13:16 on February 14, 2008
JIM!!!! You absolute rotter. Lammergeiers no problem... but Wallcreeper AARRRRGGGGGHHHH. Actually, I believe it's easier (as in actually possible) on the Spanish side. But the Cirque du Gavarnie is marvellous isn't it?Snow finch? Rock Thrush?
Excellent Natural World t'other week showing breeding Gyrs and Snowy Owls. |
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Paul 13:10 on February 14, 2008
ANNELIESE: We don't do too badly for tree sparrows up here - I've come across them at various places: farmland, reserves, also in the garden on a couple of occasions. Nevertheless, they are not common and are irregularly distributed, so it's a matter of luck or specific site knowledge. They are guaranteed at Egleton, Rutland Water.Still no soup, just a drab sandwich - oh, that's now gone :(
Anyone get any chocolate today? I went to the jewellers on Saturday to get my watch battery changed and wondered why the lady switched on certain display cabinet lights for me to browse while I waited. I wish! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 09:06 on February 14, 2008
Just back from the Spanish Pyrenees. Logged 114 bird species, including Wallcreeper ans Lammargeier! |
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Anneliese 23:31 on February 12, 2008
Paul: tree sparrow - WOW! Linda's right re pureeing soups, btw. |
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Paul 17:18 on February 12, 2008
Thanks Linda. Hmm... must do it properly - don't really fancy a straw and fork. And I'm not the pushy type, really. Will just have to take your word about being surprised. Not that many applications springing to mind atm! |
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Linda 13:27 on February 12, 2008
PAUL: If you decide to invest look at Amazon's selection of hand held blenders. You can get one for under £20 and you'd be surprised how useful it can be. |
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Linda 13:21 on February 12, 2008
PAUL: The reason for pureeing the parsnips is to thicken the soup which contains no other thickener (unlike tinnned soups which are full of things like flour and 'modified corn starch', whatever that is). You could try mashing the parsnips but you won't get the lovely creamy texture that comes from pureeing. You can push it through a sieve or possibly a potato ricer, but it is much easier to do this if the parsnips are cut up very small to start with. I watched a TV chef the other day and he thickened a casserole with a spoonful of butter mixed with the same amount of flour. You could try this, simmering afterwards for several minutes to cook the flour, but it will be more like a vegetable stew than a soup. Good Luck anyway. |
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Paul 12:47 on February 12, 2008
Just spotted that the parsnips are cubed, not cooked whole! Perhaps I could omit the pureeing stage and just make do with a spoon and fork? I don't have a liquidiser, just an electric mixer/whisky thingy - not much use. Need to decide whether to invest.BECCA - we await your report (and verdict!) with increasing interest!! Unsalted butter sounds good. I was taken to task the other week for not even knowing the brand name of 'the British' butter. I've forgotten it again, but apparently, it's tucked away on the very top shelves in the supermarkets.
Saw a tree sparrow on way to work yesterday. |
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becca 22:35 on February 11, 2008
haven't made it yet but i will! |
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Linda 14:50 on February 09, 2008
PAUL: Forgot to add that my recipe makes about 3/4 of a litre of soup so will serve 3 people as a starter (may stretch to 4 with smaller servings and some nice bread) or 2 as a main course. Soda bread is a good choice to go with. |
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Linda 14:46 on February 09, 2008
PAUL: I use about a tablespoon of butter or 1/8th of a 425 gm pack. It doesn't burn if the heat is low because the vegetables contain water which is released during the cooking (hence the description 'sweating'). But unsalted butter is better than salted and professionals use clarified.
BECCA: Do let me know how you enjoyed the soup. I forgot to add that some people prefer curry powder to paste and use milk instead of stock but I think the parsnips are very creamy on their own and don't need any extra. But feel free to vary it to taste.
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becca 17:36 on February 07, 2008
Linda: Mmmm that sounds good! Completely different from how i made it. Will try and give it a go on sat/sunday night and let you know if it works!
got to go to work now, ugh. |
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Paul 13:03 on February 07, 2008
LINDA: Nice to see the food chat back too. Mmmm! any chance of a food parcel please? Hmmm, OTOH perhaps I'll have a go myself. But exactly how big is a large dollop (of butter)? Twenty minutes heat with just butter? - must be very easy to burn it. Must check if I've got a liquidiser. Is it just one serving?
Chinese menu in the restaurant today - apparently the egg bubble soup is to be avoided. ANNELIESE: Did you identify your mystery bird in the end? I've had male AND female blackcaps - they are very plain - you could say drab - mainly grey with either a black or brown cap! Also note the shape - very sleek, elongated, stretched out, flattened look, fine insect bill - not the thick seed bill of a finch or bunting. Reasonably common in gardens in winter nowadays (birds from the contentinent), but still swamped by our (British) summer visitors. By the way, there are more than two field guides you know :)
You see, my dilemnas are curried parsnip soup, and figuring out what gargouillades look like - but thanks to Laura Morera in The Nutcracker Story, I'm making progress on that one :) |
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Anneliese 12:38 on February 06, 2008
BECCA: Rick Stein's latest book (Mediterranean Escapades, I think) has a wonderful veggie recipe called Imam Bayaldi (I think, my Turkish isn't that great) which is basically aubergine stuffed with onions and spices and sort of stewed in tomatoes with a red pepper paste. I'm sure google will find something not dissimilar. Needs crusty bread to mop up v oily sauce! |
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Linda 11:29 on February 06, 2008
BECCA: Curried Parsnip Soup. Melt a large dollop of butter in a large saucepan and add 1 finely-chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic ditto and 2 medium parsnips, cubed. (If the centres are excessively woody remove them.) Cover and sweat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Then stir in about a dessertspoonful of mild curry paste (I used Patak's Korma) and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Don't let it catch or burn. Then turn up the heat and add a pint of chicken/vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Allow to cool a little before pureeing/liquidising/pushing through a sieve or mouli. A little lemon/lime juice can be added before serving together with chopped coriander leaves. |
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Linda 19:11 on February 05, 2008
BECCA: Would you like my receipe for the soup (but I used chicken stock - assume you would prefer to use vegetable?) If so I'll post it tomorrow. Not sure which programme you mean about the first bit being more Jonny? Please clarify. He did speak when presenting the award, saying how pleased he was about it and Chris Wheeldon returned the compliment saying that Jonny had generously come to New York to dance with Darcey at the premiere. Let me know what else you want to know and I'll watch all footage again and check it for you. (It's a terrible hardship of course, but just for you!!) |
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becca 14:31 on February 05, 2008
Did he speak? Or just hand over the award? I wanna see! *sulks* |
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Becca 14:29 on February 05, 2008
LINDA: Hello! Mmmm the soup sounds lovely, I've made parsip and ginger before but it never turns out quite right. I didn't see the SBS awards :-( but have taped DB's best moments and saw most of Viva La Diva SBS thanks to a friend ringing me up saying 'swicth on ITV! switch on ITV'! But missed the start which I think had the most Jonathanness in it? |
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Linda 11:55 on February 05, 2008
Haven't looked here for ages, nice to hear the bird chat again. And welcome back BECCA - how are you these days? If you like veggie receipes have you tried curried parsnip soup? Absolutely scrummy and very warming this time of year.Did you see/get a copy of DB(1)'s Best Ballet Moments? Jonny was in that too. He's been on TV a lot recently, what with Viva La Diva on the South Bank Show and presenting the Dance award to Chris Wheeldon on Sunday night.
ANNELIESE: Can't say I've noticed any difference in his pronounciation of 'ballet' but agree that both DBs appear less at ease in front of the camera than he does. It would be nice if he took over from DB2 as presenter but he told me that he only did the R&J as a favour for Ross MacGibbon. I thought he (MacGibbon) had retired from the BBC but possibly not? |
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Anneliese 16:23 on February 04, 2008
JIM: Pink= summer visitor, Blue= winter visitor, Purple = permanent resident! (can't remember the name, it's not fitter and mountfort but the other one, oh heck just googled, still not sure) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 06:37 on February 04, 2008
Purple? |
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Anneliese 17:39 on February 03, 2008
JIM: I'd thought that, but my book marked them as purple. It's been pretty chilly even in Hants! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 14:13 on February 03, 2008
Anneliese, as you will know, Blackcaps are also "summer visitor" but in recent years there have been more and more records of the overwintering, even oop here in Cumbria. |
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Anneliese 09:41 on February 02, 2008
JIM: The reason I spotted the blackcap was that I'd gone for the bins as I wanted a closer look at something else - I wasn't sure if it was a young dunnock or robin. I've now had a couple of good looks at it- and I'm not sure what it is. Similar size and shape to the blackcap - first thought was a goldcrest from its style of movement but too big - but coloured more like a female linnet, with a spotted - but not with great contrast, perhaps mottled - chest. Surely last year's robins have their red breasts by now? and anyway we have two adults frequenting our garden, no youngster would be brave enough? |
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Anneliese 09:03 on February 02, 2008
JIM: That's what I concluded. But oh! why was not the birdwatch this weekend - this morning, two thrushes (one juvenile and a bit dopey), a wren and A BLACKCAP!!! (first ever for me!) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:01 on February 01, 2008
Anneliese: Definitely a Grey, probably a female or juvenile. Yellow Wagtails are summer visitors of course - they'd freezle now! |
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Anneliese 09:46 on February 01, 2008
BIRDERS: Big garden birdwatch in our garden a bit uneventful - watched with bated breath as an overflying heron appeared to be banking for descent but it changed its mind. However down on flood meadows later in the afternoon I did see a grey wagtail. It looked like a yellow - very olivey on upper side, no black on head or neck - but surely can't have been? |
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Paul 14:06 on January 21, 2008
Anneliese: well, I can’t say I’ve noticed – I shall have to investigate. But yes, too self-conscious – that’s the key. Apparently, each of us makes very few mistakes when speaking in our own local language and dialect – we communicate effectively and naturally (interesting to note that it's possible to make both pronunciation and grammatical errors when trying to speak in any local dialect).Mind you, I have had communication problems in Glasgow... At a conference there, a German speaker smoothly started his presentation by stating that he had carefully prepared for the conference by watching episodes of Taggart. The non-existent German sense of humour is a myth.
Sparrowhawk pounced into the garden yesterday – a close shave for the bully blackbird.
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Anneliese 16:24 on January 20, 2008
PAUL: both the DBs seem to get all self-conscious (IS that how you spell it?) when uttering the word and it comes out in a most peculiar fashion. Sort of not quite Bally. |
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pmeja 13:42 on January 19, 2008
yes david blair, he's very charming. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:35 on January 18, 2008
I've got a ticket to see Sylvia (yes, Sylvia, not Sylvie) in March! |
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becca 21:23 on January 17, 2008
David Blair isn't it? being mercutio i mean |
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Paul 13:40 on January 17, 2008
And now I can't spell! |
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Paul 13:39 on January 17, 2008
Oops - pressed Refesh at the wrong point - silly web page |
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Paul 13:39 on January 17, 2008
I watched both on the day; but I had already consumed (most of) Gone with the Wind, along with far too much dinner (and a little bit too much wine)... and it all got a bit much and went to my head really... Love Tamara in it, but really, it doesn’t get me going anywhere near as much as the 1966(?) version shown recently – Fonteyn, Nureyev and stellar supporting performances – Dowell, Mason, Bergsma, Jenner(?) and who is Mercutio? No dull market place scenes here!Hadn’t spotted that there are two DBs (if you know what I mean) :-) But what’s all this about incorrect pronunciation?!
JC also featured in the Song of the Earth abridged version back in the summer – he is very very good.
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Paul 13:38 on January 17, 2008
I watched both on the day; but I had already consumed (most of) Gone with the Wind, along with far too much dinner (and a little bit too much wine)... and it all got a bit much and went to my head really... Love Tamara in it, but really, it doesn’t get me going anywhere near as much as the 1966(?) version shown recently – Fonteyn, Nureyev and stellar supporting performances – Dowell, Mason, Bergsma, Jenner(?) and who is Mercutio? No dull market place scenes here!Hadn’t spotted that there are two DBs (if you know what I mean) :-) But what’s all this about incorrect pronunciation?!
JC also featured in the Song of the Earth abridged version back in the summer – he is very very good.
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Becca 09:19 on January 17, 2008
I haven't watched it yet! I feel I should save it for a special occasion (sp?). I can't wait though. I didn't know Jonathan was presenting!!! |
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Anneliese 21:14 on January 16, 2008
BECCA: Glad you're not starving :-)
Have just watched the Xmas R&J mini documentary - and Jonny is a fantastic presenter. The Beeb should keep him on a retainer for arts stuff. And *hoorah* unlike both the DBs he can pronounce "Ballet". Really looking forward to seeing the whole of R&J now! (may save that for next month though, am a bit tired right now) |
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becca 15:26 on January 16, 2008
It's quiet around here! I've used those veggie recipes people sent me a few years ago practically every meal this week :-) |
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Becca 11:11 on January 10, 2008
Happy New Year! Belatedly... |
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Anneliese 11:40 on January 09, 2008
PAUL: I have read that post several times and still have a strange picture in my mind. |
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Paul 12:43 on January 07, 2008
What a noisy murmuration that is! Some in our garden yesterday in the bath (carefully placed - to avoid cat attacks and showers for the washing). |
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Anne Marriott 17:52 on January 06, 2008
No wonder there are so few starlings in the garden lately! |
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pmeja 17:36 on January 06, 2008
thought of you all in the chat room when i got this in a spam email:
"congratulations you have won 250,000 british starlings...."
:) |
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Linda 12:11 on January 05, 2008
Safely back in the UK thanks. And the strikes are off so we can all breathe again.
Thanks to everyone who responded to my text - thanks to Claire I now have a copy of the Strictly Come Dancing final and my parents are very happy about it! |
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