Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hello, Elle!
Yes, it is a smashing sequence.
Now, I have no idea of what I am talking about here, but is Mexico's symbol not an eagle and a snake?
I seem to remember the eagle picked up the snake and the snake eventually killed the eagle?
And there is a bird that snatches up prey and drops it on a cactus plant to impale and kill it. A shrike does similar.
I saw a sequence on one of the nature television channels in which this huge crocodile had a go at a hippo. The hippo turned on the croc and bit it in two.
And I saw a sequence in which a great white shark took on a killer whale. The killer whale made mincemeat of the great white.
My friends are mainly from Belfast who are here but have married Dundonians, so they have.
Not sure when they go back. After the bonfires are out!!!
Remember you have Le Tour to watch tomorrow and are bear spotting, too!

Hey, Rusty!
The Mexican coat of arms is a golden eagle eating a snake on top of a cactus. But that is all I know!
That sounds similar to what you were saying?
We don't get any Nature TV channels! - I know , we really should think about changing our supplier- but I really don't have the time to watch much television ....the poor dog has had curtailed ( no pun originally intended, but it's quite a good one , don't you think?) walks for the last fortnight due to Wimbledon!
And now there's Le Tour... would I get away with watching Highlights??????
Seriously, it's becoming a challenge now to 'lick' this and fully comprehend the system! and I'm waiting to see a bear.......
Bonfires...???? you've lost me here ?

Thank you, Elle!
I am sure I read a book by James Michener about the eagle and the snake. But that is all I can remember.
Oh, no, if you are happy with your Freeview stick with it Elle. I have about 20 documentary channels at least, but only put Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild, and a couple of history channels into my "favourites" menu. I am not a TV watcher either. I like the Sky Arts channel, but lately it is mostly Andre Rieu concerts on most of the day, so I am going to discard that.
Highlights are fine, Elle, though we are about to hit the high mountains and there will be drama.
Think I read there are only 18 bears left in the Pyrenees, so we will do well to see one. There are enormous birds.
Think they call them griffons?
The bonfires are an Orange tradition on 11th night.
Enormous does not begin to describe them.
They are months building them, mainly wooden pallets.
I saw ones this year, that had what the loyalists fondly thought was the Irish "fleg" they were burning, but was actually the flag of the Ivory Coast.
It is not at all normal across there around the 12th.
Hence my friends have came over to sunny Scotland to get away from the mad folk.
Still 1690 over there!

Cross purposes, Rusty! I thought you meant bonfires in Dundee! and was wondering why? I see now that they are in Ireland!
Griffons are both vultures (?) and a breed of dog!
I'll do my best to watch as much of the Tour as I can, as I want to follow the scoring and the subsequent jersey awards (I think I'm hooked! )and also I'm interested in the mountainous regions- where's my bear? - but I'll record the highlights, too, in case it proves necessary.
Covered on both counts, then!
Time for bed...... I'll just head out for a bit of tree-hugging first.......Night.......

Elle, not Dundee, no! We are fairly civilised.
Belfast. They are still lit and lots of trouble going on.
Now I could be wrong about the griffons, they may be lammergeiers?
In Le Tour we often see unforeseen things.
It is a while now since I have seen a rider being allowed to go ahead of the race to meet his family.
What happens is the rider comes from a village on the race route, and a few miles from his home, he seeks permission from the yellow jersey and also his team captain, to ride ahead and see his family at the roadside. Permission is always granted with the strict proviso that there will be no funny business, like attacking once he is out of sight!
He rejoins the peloton once they catch up with him.
All very nice and pleasant, but I have not seen it for a while.
Elle, the tree-hugging is a great idea, but no gallumphing!
It is morning here, so time I retired.
Goodnight, Elle.
I still have Pete Seeger's Goodnight Irene earworm going on. But I like Pete!

Hi Rusty
The Lammergier takes bones and drops them onto rocks to break them,they are spectacular birds

Thank you, Doglet!
Be nice to see them again!

Hi Rusty
Legend has it that it was the bird who killed Aeschylus by dropping a tortoise on his bald head.We have typical summer weather at the moment rain and wind but we are supposed to pick up hot weather from France

Morning everyone,

Yes Doglet, I think from tomorrow onwards (and for 2 or 3 days) we are going to push some of our heat your way - isn't tht nice ....? ;)

Re the bears - there are indeed only a few nowadays and a few years ago they implanted two (I think) to help with the reproduction; unfortunately one was killed by huntmen, on purpose because they did not agree to having more bears.

That was the controversy I mentioned the other day. Since then I have not heard anymore, but i am no great News follower! ~What I do know is that it was touch and go as to whether the bears would be granted the status of 'Protected species' in the Pyrenees, but I don't it has quite happened yet; though I am sure it will one day.

This is what I know, but there might be updates !

Warmish here but with a high greyish sky, due to clear later. We are supposed to be over 35 - 37 once more for a couple days until Saturday when they are threating us with thunder.

The night here was a little noisy - in this village we always start celebrating the 14th on the evening/night of the 13th, with 'retraite aux flambeaux', fnfare, bangers, and free outside dancing all night if wanted. Not much happening here on the day (today), but folks can then go to other villages around.

Gosh, my typing is dreadful ! Sorry about that. Must really cut those nails !