200th POST, RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO.

My 200th post. Not quite what you was expecting was it? In fact I had no planned image, nothing specific, but I found this fun lively image and just couldn't resist it. A contrast to yesterday's arty shot, a colourful image of the fun and games that happen when we have Ramsey Day during the TT. It's also one of the limited images I have of just people, and a lot of you have requested to see some locals, so here they are letting their hair down. I'll try and include more people but it's dfficult in a small private community.

Back to the word for the 100th post Xenodochial

Xenodochial then? What a funny word! It is according to varied sources an obsolete word, rarely used word, Greek, and/or Southern Hopitality. Xenon of course is Greek for stranger. Xenophobia is the fear of strangers, naturally. But was of this curious little word? Xenodochial literally means friendly and hospitable to strangers. What a fabulous word to sum up The Isle of Blogging and the CDP community.

The kindness of strangers who have consistantly supported this tiny island blog, encouraged me to continue, emailed me, blog awarded me, linked me, and even put me on the Community favourites list. Again I wouldn't have known this unless one of you hadn't emailed me.

I have lots of projects ongoing due to the blog, latest being to write an article for a museum to do with a Manx item. This is what I meant about taking a new turn. It's the writing now and the photography combined. Thanks to the North American Manx Association who actually wrote a post about the blog after finding me and introducing me to a whole new audience. Thanks To Dave McMahon for the honours shared for post of the day. Motoaction, Andree for the negotiations with the magazine, and thanks to Karl for the heads up on all the places that I'm being linked too and want to use me, in a nice way obviously

Gary, Marley, Virginia, Knoxville Girl, Scarlet, Laurie, Kelly, Bibi, Brett, Chuck, Louis La Vache, Mrs Nesbitt, Blue, Aileni, Dragonstar, Laxeylass, Mannanan's Cloak, Old Man Lincoln, Lake lady, Jim, Hyde dp, Mr Wigger, Olivier, Angela, Jackie, Eki,Stephen, Crazy Cath, Brad... I could go on. Thank you so much for just the conituned support, shared ideas and for endorsing my reputation on the net as the place to go for images,opinions, advice, wit and perhaps sometimes more than you bargained for. You have made me the blogger I am today. Aha! Now I can blame you lot.

What of the next 200 who knows. Maybe the escaped wallaby, the Manx fairies the odd celebrity. As you have discovered, Ramsey is a weird and wonderful place and I'll capture the Manx spirit for the blog.

Tarra,

B

CRITTERS SUNDAY- ANOTHER INJURED SISKIN

Perhaps my garden birds just want their Andy Warhol 15 mins. of fame. Is that why they fly into the patio windows. The familiar thud of the bird against the window, and the all to familiar sight of a bird prostrate in shock. We know this scenario so well now that it has become commonplace.
Place them on their feet, sit with them so they don't become prey to cats and sparrowhawks, feed, talk to, provide water and encourage to stay awake and fly off, allow to sit on hand when so inclined. This little fellow, a male identifiable by his so brightly coloured green/yellow wing bars was quite the sleepy one. Eventually he flew to the feeders. We now have the patio doors open when it's bright sunlight, and so far no birds have misjudged their flight path.

May I take opportunity to say thank you so much to everyone who has ever visited and took the trouble to comment. There are so many of us blogging now that I'm constantly amazed by the mostly positive feedback. There are so many others bloggers out there who I have happened upon who have fantastic blogs that perhaps don't receive the recognition they so richly deserve.
So if I can take a further opportunity and ask next time you leave a comment, take a peek at the other commentators and perhaps visit a blog today you haven't before. You may be pleasantly surprised, educated, have a laugh. Now that can't be a bad thing can it just for the sake of a click into the unknown.

For more camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters.

THE SEAGULL HAS LANDED!

What is it with me and birds?

Here's what happened.

Two herring gulls were fighting in the back garden. I tried to separate them with a broom, the weaker one flew into the house and proceeded to have a mad half hour flying about. Managed to shoo the other one away. By this time the gull above had decided to sit where you see him now. At this point in the proceeding, I just had to take his pic, having texted my other half to tell him we had a gull in the kitchen. Now even for me this seemed in the realms of fantasy, as only so much can happen to one person, as far as birds are concerned, so pictorial evidence was required.

Now, getting him out was another challenge in itself. More shooing with brooms until he retreated to the garden , straight behind the oil burner. More problems! He sat there for about 2 hours, came out of his own accord, flew off and left me with a big pile of seagull mess as a parting gift for my trouble. You have no idea how much a scared seagull can pass. It must be me, beacuse I have moved house, even country and the birds still go crazy around me.

Want to join Odd Shots Monday?

Then see KATNEY

Katney's Kaboodle is also the place to join Odd Shots Monday and see other wierd and wonderful shots from fellow bloggers.