2017 : a year in Duhok

[Piling]

It's 6.30 and still night, but I can see that Duhok is white.

[Anthea]

It's 6.30 and still night, but I can see that Duhok is white.

Wet, cold, windy and depressing here

[Piling]

Cold and sunny today. Tomorrow, they predict snow again.

Yesterday evening, 2 power cuts. Kerosene heater is my savior.

[Anthea]

Cold and sunny today. Tomorrow, they predict snow again.

Yesterday evening, 2 power cuts. Kerosene heater is my savior.

Much as I love the snow I could not survive without my central heating

For some years, I lived in an old flint cottage in Croydon. It had real log-burning fires. My home was alway full of friends who loved sitting by the fires

[Piling]

In Kurdistan, there is not much intensive agriculture and not much pesticides, for they are too expansive. And above all, people don't spread pesticides and weed control in their garden. So birds are not dying because they find no insects.

For that reason, I see in my garden many species which are becoming so rare in France : nuthatch, wheatear, bullfinch, robin, sparrow, blackbird, hoopoe, etc.

February is Feeding-Birds Month.

Now the weather is cold and I put on a tree stub a plate of wheat, or rice, corn, etc. soaked in oil (during winter, birds need fat).

[Londoner]

I do not think that Trump will get on with the PKK and it's affiliates as they are Marxist

Completely disagreed. President Trump won election by breaking all rules. In this cane both the president and PKK and it's affiliates fit to each other completely.

[Anthea]

In Kurdistan, there is not much intensive agriculture and not much pesticides, for they are too expansive. And above all, people don't spread pesticides and weed control in their garden. So birds are not dying because they find no insects.

For that reason, I see in my garden many species which are becoming so rare in France : nuthatch, wheatear, bullfinch, robin, sparrow, blackbird, hoopoe, etc.

February is Feeding-Birds Month.

Now the weather is cold and I put on a tree stub a plate of wheat, or rice, corn, etc. soaked in oil (during winter, birds need fat).

The farm over the road from me is organic and I am surrounded by fields and woodland - never use pesticides myself so have lots of birds

I hang fat balls and half coconuts on trees but by far the most popular are the sultanas, during the spring and summer I soak them in water for the baby birds

[Anthea]

I do not think that Trump will get on with the PKK and it's affiliates as they are Marxist

Completely disagreed. President Trump won election by breaking all rules. In this cane both the president and PKK and it's affiliates fit to each other completely.

America hates communists and has a long history of anti-communism and ill treatment of anyone even slightly suspected of being a communist

Many non-American comedians make fun of the American peoples' fear of 'Reds under the beds'

[Piling]

There is a joke in France : "Even our rightist parties are communist for Americans."

[Piling]

Now it seems that Spring is slowly coming. Nights are still cold, but day after day, temperature is rising : 10-16ºc.

Day after day, Pirouette's belly is swelling. I guess we can expect kittens' birth for Newroz.

[Anthea]

Now it seems that Spring is slowly coming. Nights are still cold, but day after day, temperature is rising : 10-16ºc.

It thawed out in UK for a few days while we all almost drowned under storm Doris - now the torrential rain has stopped, the temp will go back to below freezing again

Day after day, Pirouette's belly is swelling. I guess we can expect kittens' birth for Newroz.

CONGRATULATIONS

You are going to have lots of little furry babies

As Pirouette is getting older - but not wiser - more of the kittens should survive

[Piling]

I don't know exactly how old is Pirouette, but according to its teeth, I think it should be between 4-6.

[Anthea]

I don't know exactly how old is Pirouette, but according to its teeth, I think it should be between 4-6.

I thought she was not much more than a kitten herself when she moved in

How is her boyfriend - is he still coming in for free food

[Piling]

I don't know how many boy friends she has, but now she is pregnant so she does not care of BF. They did their job, so good bye until the next time

I decide to lost 15 kg.

[Anthea]

Not to worry I am sure you will lose weight soon running around after the kittens

To be honest I need to lose more than that