With the exception of a chance rain shower, all seemed set fair for a great party day with all the
right people in the right place at the right time, but what happened next was a huge 'BONUS' indeed.
One of my nieces, Leigh and her 2 children Isobel and Mia from Nottingham, paid us a chance visit. Mia, her oldest daughter, is now 9 years old and I had never met either of them so it was at least that long since we saw each other. The party went with a great swing, except I forgot to put the oven on to cook the sausages but Joy and Julie came to my rescue with the fastest frying pans in DT4.
The Frog Racing commenced mid-afternoon, but with only 4 of the elimination legs completed the rain started so we all headed for the house.
In between times Leigh's partner Frank turned up, the third of the quartet I had not met before and I can say it was a great pleasure to meet him!I think it can be safely said a good time was had by all.
Regular readers will remember my message at New Year of an intent to fulfil a number of outstanding ambitions during 2011. In just one calender months time I fly to Los Angeles for my next adventure and hopefully achieve or get a little closer to a couple of these goals. Most of this 7 weeks journey will be over familiar territory, having travelled the full length of the Alaska Highway during 2008, but being such a magnificent part of the world there shouldn't be a dull moment.
The first of these ambitions should be fairly straight forward as it entails visiting the final 3 of the 50 US States. Landing in LA at mid-night, I intend spending the rest of that night there and hope to be able to get a flight next morning to Honolulu, Hawaii the first of the 3. Idaho and Utah are the other 2 which will follow after a few days in Mexico 'twitching' Yellow-footed Gull, one of just 3 Gull species in the world I have not yet seen. After this there are no set plans except to reach Anchorage, Alaska by the 6th July to catch an already booked flight to the Pribilof Islands, just north of the Aleutians, in the Bearing Sea. The main trust of this mammoth trek is to see yet another Gull, this time Red-legged Kittiwake on their breeding cliffs, which would then just leave Relict Gull to achieve the full set. All else that is a MUST en-route is to visit my 'all time hero' Jimi Hendrix now laid to rest in the Greenwood Memorial Park, Seattle, Washington.
The first of these ambitions should be fairly straight forward as it entails visiting the final 3 of the 50 US States. Landing in LA at mid-night, I intend spending the rest of that night there and hope to be able to get a flight next morning to Honolulu, Hawaii the first of the 3. Idaho and Utah are the other 2 which will follow after a few days in Mexico 'twitching' Yellow-footed Gull, one of just 3 Gull species in the world I have not yet seen. After this there are no set plans except to reach Anchorage, Alaska by the 6th July to catch an already booked flight to the Pribilof Islands, just north of the Aleutians, in the Bearing Sea. The main trust of this mammoth trek is to see yet another Gull, this time Red-legged Kittiwake on their breeding cliffs, which would then just leave Relict Gull to achieve the full set. All else that is a MUST en-route is to visit my 'all time hero' Jimi Hendrix now laid to rest in the Greenwood Memorial Park, Seattle, Washington.
Here is just a taster from the last trip of what may be Things to Come on the next!
Bewick's Wren
California Sea Lion
Killdeer
Lesser Scaup
MacGillvray's Warbler
The work of a Beaver
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yosemite National Park, California
Rufous-sided Towhee
Surf Scoter
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