Tuesday, July 11, 2017

11/07/2017 In the garden with a hoopoe and a trip to the local village to play French scrabble.

Maximum temperature 25C, minimum 13C.   12 km/h SW winds with 16 km/h gusts. 10mm rain measured this morning.
One of my favourite birds the Hoopoe (pronounced hu-pu; I hear it called so many strange things!).  It was quite far so I decided that the photos would be better smaller in a collage
(Upupa epops)

 This was probably the best photo.

Mrs Sparrow (Passer domesticus)...

splashing around

Our local village of Vitrac...

Narrow roads...

The same church as I put on the blog two days ago taken from the other side....
The village well is in the front of the photo.

and inside.

At the back of the church is the Mairie (Mayor's office) and War memorial hidden by trees at the moment.

I saw this Small White butterfly in the lavender just outside the church, I only had the little pocket size Samsung L201 with me so not up to usual standard.

Scrabble.

A house centipede which I know most people shudder at, but they really are the good guys as they eat the spiders.  Bet its mother thinks it is beautiful ha ha.
(Scutigera coleoptrata).

14 comments:

  1. Hoopoe is indeed a wonderful bird. I am looking forward to see it again in Europe later this year.

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    1. They are so pretty and you can hear them calling from so far away. I have always loved them. Cheers Diane

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  2. Diane, I laughed at your comment about the mother thinking the centipede is beautiful! LOL! I don't mind spiders (well, the smaller ones found in homes, because they usually eat other bugs), but the centipede...well, since it is an enemy of my spider 'friends', it hasn't quite warmed up to me yet. I love the village and the white butterfly is lovely! Love the birds, too! I love to play Scrabble but even though I am fluent in French I have never played it in any other language than English. :)

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    1. We have huge spiders in the house but I think probably too big for the centipede to take on. I am not a spider fan, though the flat wall spiders we had in Africa never worried me. It is a very pretty village, but sadly has no shops not even a boulangerie anymore, those days are long ago! I even managed to win one game of scrabble yesterday, a rare occasion when I had letters that just fell into place with high scores!! Take care Diane

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    1. Thanks Diane it is a pretty place. Hope that all is well take care t'other Diane

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  4. The hoopoe is beautiful. Its been a long time since I played scrabble. I hope the house centipede is not poisonous.

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    1. Nancy the hoopoes are really pretty birds. No the centipede is not poisonous and is harmless to humans. Have a fab day Diane

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  5. A great selection Diane, the Hoopoe is an extraordinary bird, and I would love to see one in person.

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    1. Think you will need to visit Africa or Europe Denise if you want to see a hoopoe, maybe they exist is bird parks, but I have only ever seen them in the wild. Have a good day Diane

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  6. Never saw a Hoopoe! So interesting. Love the "top-knot"!!!

    And love the peeks at streets and buildings, in your village.

    thank you.

    Luna Crone

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    1. Thanks Luna, it is a lovely place and very pretty. The hoopoes are lovely birds and I love to see them here in summer. Keep well Diane

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  7. You take beautiful bird shots Diane, the Hoopoe is so unusual with its spiky quiff ☺ the splashing sparrow a delight! A game of Scrabble in Vitrac sounds perfect!

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    1. Grace scrabble in English would be so much easier but I guess I might learn something playing it in French!!! Trouble is the brain does not take it in anymore!! Hoopoes are delightful and are reminders of Africa where I first saw them. They only summer here but it is good to see them and hear them around. Have a good day Diane

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