Wed 27th May 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 010.

This week we were a few down on numbers, but still a good turnout....

I apologise for the rather poor photo quality but I was having "technical issues" with Zoom. The last time I used it it informed me that there was an upgrade available and did I want to install it..? Yes...I know...never EVER upgrade something when the version you have works perfectly well, but I clicked on it anyway 😏. Back to using the earlier version now 👍. As a matter of interest, does anyone else get a problem with a Zoom "stuttering" (buffering)? My video freezes and the voice stutters before carrying on - only occasionally but it is annoying! Open to suggestions to what I am doing wrong or what to do to fix it.
As per usual, the topic of conversation was wide reaching from Jill and Mark recounting the tale of a very wet Royal picnic in London to the welfare of Bob's Beans. Next week there will be an attempt to hold the IoW GG AGM on line so that should be "interesting"😊. I will try to summarise the main points and publish them here on the blog.

In view of our attempts to come up with entertaining backdrop shots in Zoom, I thought this cartoon (sent in by Alex) was rather applicable....

Mark sent in the following....

"This Bee Orchid has popped up on our driveway. I do rake off the Island Road cuttings each time 

they strim it, so as to reduce the organic matter rotting down. :-) "

"This is the Black Poplar we planted, or Geoff planted, a couple of years ago at Pan Meadows. Looking healthy!! "

"I thought this knarled old apple tree trunk was perfect for this blue tit to take up residence."

Terry contributed the following..... 

"Photos taken of the area we worked on at Afton Marsh from Blackbridge Road, Freshwater. I have included the bench we had tea on."

And from Geoff, more wildlife shots from his amazing garden..!

" Squirrel visited our bird table on Sunday. Jumped from the fence and found some sunflower seeds."

" Remember those pheasants, well the hen has recently been digging out a scrape and then nestling in it. Can you see her? When I go near she tucks her head in and becomes invisible"

Finally, to finish up...a couple of photos from me.....

I couldn't work out why I needed to keep topping up my water feature...

then spotted this blackbird taking a morning shower..!

Two aerial shots of the Solent - taken from 250 feet AGL above Thorness.

Thanks to everyone who contributed photos and material for this week's blog...👏 Well done...!

Wed 20th May 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 009.

A record breaking number of participants today...FOURTEEN...!

It is amazing just how many subjects we talk about in just a half hour session...today they included, questionnaire letters associated with the NHS app, Skunk Cabbage (?), is it ok for nautical types to socially distance at one fathom and deciding on a date for the GG AGM...! Never a dull moment on Wednesday mornings when you're Zooming with GG 😏.

The AGM is provisionally booked for 10 am on Wednesday 3rd June - via a Zoom video conferencing call. This date will be confirmed by e-mail sometime before then.

Steve sent this in with the caption..."This is a shot of Alverstone’s “Green Jim” Keeping an eye 👁 on us."

Terry sent this nice shot of an orchid at Golden Hill.

My contribution is a rather deserted Western Solent, take from Fort Victoria, last weekend.

The pathway leading from the cycle track to Mill Pond at Dodnor.

And, my blue tits have finally flown from the nesting box....

Thanks to Steve and Terry for their photographic contribution this week 👏

Wed 13th May 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 008.

This week's happy bunch of Green Gym Zoomers...!

Once again there were a few teething problems as we tried to get on line. For some strange reason, Zoom now wants you to enter a pass code to join the meeting 😏. Mark had a problem with sound and I kept getting an onscreen message saying that my internet was "unstable"...goodness only knows what one does about that...!  It seems that we are still in good health and managing to exist under these rather strange circumstance - well done everyone 👍.

I have had a few photos sent in over the past week, the first of which are from Geoff... (he added this note) This handsome cock pheasant wakes us up about 5:30 most mornings before starting a forage round the garden. There's his mate by the bird feeders. Blue tits have been very busy bringing tasty meals for the young. Must be near fledging now.

Geoff..(Part 2). Lovely display of sea pink or thrift on Freshwater cliffs.

What beautiful scenery...now you know why we live here on the Island 👍

The next two are a bit of a puzzle.... they arrived anonymously but I suspect they may be from Steve (?) The only message with them was.... Just something for the blog Bob. Queen Bower water reservoir and path to hill farm.

Terry sent in these with the comment...

I have attached some photos, one of Afton Marsh (19 February and two of Golden Hill (11 March).

If you zoom in on the Afton Marsh photo you can see the trees that we cut down all stacked up.
You will recall that it was rather muddier when we visited it last time.  

And, my contribution was taken, last weekend, up on Brading Down. As far as I could see there was NO ragwort in the area but it is still early in the season.

My nesting blue tits are still working flat out to feed the youngsters. One of them decided, with no regard for the Covid-19 regs,  to pop indoors for a visit.....

Finally...the advice of the week is... If you decided to have a go at DIY dog grooming then be prepared to get VERY wet 😂

Having become a little confused as to what the new chant of " STAY ALERT " means, I have decided to use the following...

Thanks to Geoff, Steve (?) and Terry for the photos...please keep them coming in.👍

Wed 6th May 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 007.

This week's photograph of "Britain's most wanted" DO NOT approach!

This week it was twelve brave souls who attempted to beat the technical gremlins into submission and join the weekly GG Virtual Session. As with previous weeks, the topics of conversation were wide ranging with some focused on the release of the NHS Covid 19 tracking app which is being trialled here on the Island before going nation wide. If team GG's computer skills are representative of the population over here then I really do think that we might be needing a LOT of technical support to achieve the 70% coverage that they are hoping for. Time will tell.....😀

I have had a few photos sent in for inclusion in the blog. The first 3 are courtesy of Gill.

Bluebells in the quiet side of Firestone Copse

The old carp ponds at Quarr.

Fruit tree blossom in the orchard at Quarr.

Alison snapped this one showing the silt at Ryde Harbour.

Terry took these two at All Saints Church.

My contribution this week is this rather strange " Doomsday"

cloud that appeared over Newport the other evening...

and a very deserted Cowes harbour and esplanade.

If anyone is interested in the continuing story of the blue tits that have set up home in my nesting box, then please use the following link..  Blue Tit Video - Youtube. Both parents are working dawn to dusk to feed the chicks. Note to myself... remember to fit a web cam inside the box BEFORE the next nesting time 😏.

Please continue to send in anything you might want published and a big Thank You to those who have contributed so far.

Take care, stay safe.