A PERFECT WEATHER DAY:))

WILD DAISIES

New RV bloggers K & D have just launched themselves out here into the Cyber blogging world & are off to a good start. Located in picturesque British Columbia they have just posted their 4th blog entry & you can find them here..............
http://kanddintherv.blogspot.com/ Welcome aboard the good ship Lollyblog:))

DAISIES & CLOVER

To-day we had one of those perfect weather days. Low to mid 70's, no wind, just the right amount of fluffy clouds, no humidity & warming sunshine. Geeeezzzzz, I like when that happens. We have a small storm coming in over the lake at the moment but it's not a big one. Some rain, some thunder & lightning maybe & then it will be gone in the night. At least I hope so. Thunderstorms scare the beejeebers out of our little Motormouse & she noisily hyperventilates a lot, crawls into the bathtub, under Mom's bed, & tries to hide under my T-shirt............. while I'm still in it!! A CLOVER BUNCH ALONG THE TRAIL

Had a mobility van run over to London & back this afternoon so I really enjoyed being out motoring through the beautiful June countryside. Only about 10% of the run itself was in the City of London & anytime I don't have to be in a city for any reason I consider that a huge bonus. Why oh why oh why would any sane human being live in a city if they didn't have to. Just one of the many perplexing questions in my life I guess. Have I ever lived in a city......Yes!! A couple months in Montreal, a year in Halifax, about 9 months in Toronto, about 5 years in Kitchener, & about 20 years in Stratford Ontario. That's it for me...............no more cities!!!!

INSIDE AN IRIS

In regards to yesterday's blog about the Vintage car rally in Bayfield I managed to lay my hands on a summer schedule to-day for Clangregor Square. Any car buffs in the area might be interested in the "Vette Fest" (corvettes) for July 4th & 5th. Not to be outdone, the "Ford Thunderbirds" meet will take place Sunday July 26th.BIG FROG POND BOSS

Bayfield is a very "happening" village during the summer & for anyone traveling in the neighborhood be sure to drop in & spend some time in a little old town by the lake. Check out my photos of Bayfield here & you will see what I mean.....
http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/gallery/5845016_7pESE#362675509_zZfh9

YEP, THE HERMIT IS RIGHT...........THIS IS AN IMPATIENS FLOWER

When I was a boy growing up, Sundays were always quiet restful days. I still adhere to that, especially the quiet part. I know I have become less tolerant to noise in these latter years but it really annoys me when people insist on firing up lawn mowers, chain saws, weed whackers, or leaf blowers on these supposedly quiet mornings. Some even decide to work away on their cars with sanders, lug nut machines, etc. We have 6 days of the week for all that kind of stuff. Whenever I hear those machines running on Sunday mornings it tells me something about the person at the other end of that device. Not considerate of neighbors feelings & probably too absorbed in self to really care anyway. Do I wish we lived out in the country again...........you betcha!!!!

And remember..."Inside every older person is a young person wondering what the hell happened."

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

SMALLER TOWS BIGGER vs BIGGER TOWS SMALLER

FOGGY MORNING?? NOPE........CONDENSATION ON THE CAMERA LENS:((

I noticed a few days ago in Gypsy's blog that she mentioned not caring for the idea of having to tow a car. I remember feeling exactly the same way back in the fall of 2006. Not sure why but the thought of towing a tiny little thing behind such a large thing just didn't seem right or appeal to me. Probably because the mind is used to seeing the reverse with smaller trucks towing bigger trailers. Just seemed the right way to do things & that was probably one of the reasons we decided to go with a truck & fifth wheel back in 06. We had already had a truck & travel trailer combination a couple years before that. Now, with a few years of experience & a bunch of miles behind us my thinking has definitely changed & I think big towing small is an easier way to go!! We never know the car is behind us & I like the fact that the car tracks inside the turning radius of the motorhome so it doesn't cut corners like trailers do. I can unhook the car in less than a minute & hook it up in less than 2. It's not strenuous & I don't have to get down on the ground at any point. No lurching or bounding with the car on behind & no more clunking & squeaking metal sounds like we had with the trailers. And all's I had to do was get my head switched around from thinking smaller tows bigger to bigger tows smaller. Just seemed like the right thing to do:)) NOW, HOW AM I GOING TO GET THIS ROPE AROUND THAT STEERING WHEEL OVER THERE (Nov. 08 file photo)

We had a wet, dull, & gray Saturday to-day so it was perfect for attending to some long overdue computer issues. I've had a lot of photos scattered over 3 hard drives (desk top, lap top, & external hard drive) since returning from the southwest last March so I concentrated on pulling all that to-gether into a re-organized workable mode. It's always a bit of a nail biter when it comes to moving files around because a momentary lack of concentration can mean lost files forever!! WORKING ON THE PHOTO FILES THIS MORNING

We learned after moving here to Bayfield never to go into town on week-ends. And especially long week-ends. Bayfield is like a sea side resort & a Mecca for folks escaping the chaos of suburban & city life. The quaint little shops & outdoor cafes here are filled with happy people enjoying fresh air ambience & small village flavor. We make sure any grocery shopping or whatever we need is done well before the end of the week because once Friday rolls around little Bayfield becomes a real hub of activity. Many sailboats fill the harbor as people come ashore for shopping & fine dining. No buses here, no subways, not even a traffic light. Just one wide main street & a beautiful view of Lake Huron from atop the cliff in Pioneer Park a few minutes walk from downtown. No, I don't work for the tourist bureau or belong to the Chamber of Commerce, I just happen to think Bayfield is one of the prettiest little towns in all of southwestern Ontario:)) http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/gallery/5845016_7pESE#362675509_zZfh9

BAYFIELD'S SNUG LITTLE HARBOR......... AUGUST 2008

And you know what.....sometimes the more further ahead I go..... the more behinder I get:))

And the towing photo to-day..............is a spoof:))

And, I did get a start on a new photo album. Most of the pics so far are the one's I have used in the blogs for the past couple of months. Album is not finished & I'll add more pictures over the next few weeks.
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

BAYFIELD.....ALONG THE SHORES OF LAKE HURON ON ONTARIO'S WEST COAST

QUIET MOORINGS IN THE BAYFIELD HARBOR

Rod, one of our blog followers mentioned they had never been to Bayfield before & was curious as to what it was like here. I did take a bunch of photos of Bayfield last August & they can be found here..........................
http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/gallery/5845016_7pESE#362675509_zZfh9
When you get there just click on the "Slideshow" button to the right.

ALTHOUGH ON A LAKE, BAYFIELD DOES HAVE A SALTY SEA AIRE ABOUT IT

Rod's suggestion did bring up an interesting point that kind of harkens back to what I've been saying about the traveling lifestyle. I have always enjoyed that great feeling of excitement when first driving through or seeing a place I have never been before. Those first impressions are the ones that seem to anchor themselves in the memory & are often some the best images captured in the camera. Staying in an area for awhile adds to the depth & scope of memorable scenes but there comes a point when a line is crossed somewhere. Maybe it's a few days, weeks, months, or in some cases years, but at some point you become totally familiar with your surroundings & you begin "not seeing things." FINE DINING & ACCOMODATION

Case in point........... We have lived in the Bayfield area now for about six & a half years. The picturesque little artsy town of Bayfield is probably one of the nicest small towns on Ontario's west coast or as a matter of fact, all of southwestern Ontario. People flock here from far & wide for the old town ambience, & the beautiful sunsets from the cliffs overlooking Lake Huron. It's natural harbor is a boater's paradise & it's downtown charm is second to none. Bayfield is surrounded on three sides by rolling farmlands, quaint little villages, plus forests of pine & maple. There are many scenic attractions nearby & I have been drawn to this area ever since I was a kid. But, living here & visiting here are two different things. Because we have lived here for awhile now we have become too familiar with everything. I don't view the area with those excited visitor's eyes anymore & I have a habit of taking the scenery for granted.

AWAITING THE BEAUTIFUL SUNSET OVER LAKE HURON

So, spurred on by Rod's comment I am going to dust off the cameras & spend some time over the next little while getting myself re-excited about this truly wonderful place we live because I'm sure there are a lot of folks out there who have no idea how beautiful this country is here in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Because Bayfield is located on the western side of Lake Huron the area is commonly referred to as Ontario's West Coast...................................:))SUNDOWN ON THE PIER

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

I KNOW WHERE ALL THE HIPPIES WENT

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26/08
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

Higher is lower & when your talking about temperatures it sure applies here in the southwest. The higher you go, the lower the temperature gets. We were just getting used to waking up to highs in the low 50's or high 40's, & now we're back into the high 30's, but all we have to do is think about the freezing temperatures back home in Canada right now & we soon button ourselves up!!

Our campsite by the river was a little on the rough side. A fellow stopped by yesterday & suggested we might want to find a different site before the week-end because this area is a favorite hang-out for the local teens with all their drugs & booze. We had pretty much surmised that by all the usual litter on the ground.
We jumped in the car & headed off with some suggested directions to RV sites in the area from some RV friends we had met back in Quartzsite. Found a nice area out around the Elephant Butte Lake Dam. OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/ Had noticed a nice spot with some interesting looking adobe shelters that is part of Elephant Butte State Park. No electricity or water but it's right on the banks of the Rio Grande river & only $8 a night & the best part...........nobody here but us:)) Paseo Del Rio Campground is a clean, well maintained area with hot showers, flush toilets, an interpretive walking path, paved road & high hills all around. We can see the dam & there is a fish hatchery here. The adobe shelters are really nice & we would recommend this place to other RV dry campers. T & C is only a few miles to the west & I think they are in the process of building a Wal-Mart there. Hey RV'ers, what more can ya ask for!!

If you ever wondered what became of all those millions of hippies from back in the 60's, I have the answer for you. They are all right here in Truth or Consequences. The hair is whiter, the beards are longer, clothes are about the same, & they are all still artsy kinds of folks with plenty of strange ways. Yep, all them same characters are right here alright:))

Becky, Norm, (Kelly's sister & brother-in-law) & Kelly went into T & C this afternoon to do some shopping. I do not do shopping thank-you very much!!!! Spent the afternoon getting caught up on computer stuff, checking tire pressures, fluid levels on the vehicles, re-shuffling bins, etc. Anytime soon we will be launching ourselves northeast on the long journey home so I just wanted to have everything ready to rumble. Good productive day followed by a supper with Becky & Norm at a quaint little Mexican restaurant called La Panita. I had my standard burg & fries & they all had some soupy looking weird Mexican stuff or something. I got super sick years ago while in Puerto Vallarta one time eating some of that stuff so if da joint don't got no burgs & fries, I don't go!!!!

Hot sun to-day but the air was cool. Reminded me of a late April day back home in Bayfield, Ontario Canada.............

WINTER'S TOUCH

http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/ATOUCHOFWINTER/photo#s5111321442134697826