Wednesday, May 30, 2018

IN COOLER AIR WE WERE ON THE TRAIL EARLY TO BEAT THE HEAT, HUMIDITY, AND MOSQUITOS

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With a warm night's breeze gently moving a high thin cloud cover around Pheebs and I drove a short distance east out into the countryside Tuesday night.  I had checked to see what time the full Moon would make its appearance in our area so we were in place on a quiet gravel road shortly before 9 when it made itself present rising slowly through a tree line to the east.  Due to the soft layer of clouds I knew the Moon would not show much detail and it didn't.  Took a few photos anyway and simply enjoyed being outside on a tranquil summerlike evening in late May.  Made a note to myself, I must try harder to do this more often....................

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OUT ON A COUNTRY ROAD WAITING FOR THE MOONRISE…..PHEEBS IS FACING EAST

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AND HERE IT COMES

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OH-OH LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE HAS BASHED IN THE TOP OF THE MOON WITH A HAMMER

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With another unhealthy sweltering day predicted Pheebs and were out the door earlier than usual this morning taking advantage of the overnight's lingering cooler air.  With a nice breeze blowing I figured mosquitos might not be a problem in the forest.  I was partly right as we made our way along the Maitland Line to a local trail head leading down to the Maitland River.  We had walked a section of this trail north of Holmesville about 3 years ago and remembered it being scenic as it closely followed along the east side of the River.  Fifteen minutes after leaving the house we were on the trail heading through tall Maple trees and thick growths of Cedars.

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THE TRAIL STARTS OFF AND HEADS DOWNHILL THROUGH HARDWOOD TREES

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A RESTING BENCH BEFORE DESCENDING THROUGH A CEDAR FOREST

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DOWN AND DOWN WE GO HEADING FOR THE RIVER BELOW

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HEY DAD I JUST FOUND A PANCAKE TREE

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Only sounds we heard in the forest were those of many songbirds high up in the forests canopy.  A steep but well worn grade leads to the Maitland River below and it wasn't long before we could hear the river's flowing water making it's way to Lake Huron about ten miles further west.

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WE CAME DOWN THE TRAIL ON THE LEFT AND WENT BACK UP THAT WAY AS WELL WHEN WE LEFT

I had remembered a nice area alongside the river and sure enough it was still there.  Noticed a couple plaques I had not remembered seeing before plus a couple picnic tables.  A campfire still smoldered from a very recent fire.

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I PARTICULARLY LIKED AND FULLY AGREED WITH THE SAYING AT THE BOTTOM

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Followed the trail which actually was more of a narrow road north along the river for a quarter mile then turned east on a side trail which doubled back to the serene picnic area and from there ascended the slow grade which we had just come down twenty minutes before.  By this time temperatures were rapidly climbing and the humidity was again upon us.  Miserable mosquitos were beginning to make themselves known.  By the time we reached the Jeep my shirt was uncomfortably sticking to me.  Into the Jeep we jumped, cranked up the A/C, and made a bee-line for home.  There was no point in going anywhere else feeling like a big sticky blob of glue.

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FOLLOWING THE TRAIL NORTH ALONG THE RIVER

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WATER FROM FIELDS HIGHER UP MADE IT’S WAY IN NARROW CREEKS DOWN TO THE RIVER

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EVEN AN INUKSHUK ALONG THE WAY

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A GROOVED STRETCH OF HARDENED CLAY ALONG THE RIVERBANK

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WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE SWARMS OF MOSQUITOS BOTHERING US

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Home before 10 I didn't waste any time getting into the cool comfortable confines of the house.  As far as doing anything else outside the day was over.  I was sure glad I had finished the Motorhome's wax job when I did because there is no way whatsoever I could have finished it this week in this miserable heat.  Checking the 10 day weather forecast I was happy to see we have much cooler weather headed our way beginning on a rainy Thursday and by Friday we should be back to seasonably comfortable temps in the mid to high 60's.  Bonus days:)))))

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SOMETHING WAS MOVING OUT THERE IN THE FERNS

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OH IT WAS JUST THE PHEEBS

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IT WAS ABOUT HERE WE PICKED UP A SIDE TRAIL AND BEGAN OUR RETURN JOURNEY

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A FEW LITTLE THINGS ALONG THE WAY

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PHEEBS ALWAYS LIKES TO BE OUT FRONT LEADING THE WAY

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We had to slip Pheebs over to the Zurich Vets this afternoon for her second part of a two part ear treatment.  She seems to be prone to ear infections and especially this time of year.  She is always so good at the Vets and never makes a fuss about going or being there.  For Pheebs it's just happy day every day no matter where she is.  Loves everything and everybody.  I sure wish I was more like my dog…………….

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GROANER'S CORNER:((  A senior citizen was clearing out his attic when he came upon an old painting and a violin. Thinking they might be valuable, he took them to the auction house to be valued.  After studying them, the appraiser said, "Mr Cooper, I have good news and I have bad news."
"What's the good news?" the senior asked.  "The good news is that you have a Stradivarius and a Picasso," replied the appraiser.  "Fantastic! What's the bad news?"  "Well sir, the bad news is that Stradivarius was a very bad painter and Picasso was no good with violins."
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Son: "Dad, did you go to Church when you were little?"  Dad: "Yes son, every single Sunday." Son: "I thought so. Bet it won't do me any good either."

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Actual exchanges between pilots and control towers

Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7"

Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure. By the way, after we lifted off we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway."

Tower: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff behind Eastern 702, contact Departure on frequency 124.7. Did you copy that report from Eastern 702?"

BR Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes, we copied Eastern... we've already notified our caterers."

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Tuesday, May 29, 2018

A SIT DOWN COFFEE WITH ONE OF MY TWO LONG TIME BEST FRIENDS TODAY

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After many long years of best friends coming and going I amazingly enough still have a couple left.  Today at the Seaforth Tim Hortons coffee shop I met one of those two long time best friends for the second time this year.  There was a time years ago when I lived in Stratford Ontario that Jim and I would meet twice a week for coffee.  Every week all year round unless one of us was on holidays or something.  In 1995 I left Stratford to live in the country near Fullerton Ontario and our weekly coffee routine get to-gethers began to dwindle off.  Although our coffee blow-outs are maybe only 3 or 4 times a year now we still pick right up from where we last left off no matter how much time has elapsed between coffees.  It has been a 38 year friendship with lots of zany happenings in between that has stood the test of our very own stodginess and many times humorous curmudgeony.  In fact there is actually a You Tube of Jim and I which you can see here at, Jim and Al.  You can find Jim's blog at Lifetime Sentences.

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BOTH OUR PINK AND ORANGE AZALEA FLOWERS ARE NOW IN BLOOM AND BOTH ARE LOCATED RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR SUNROOM WINDOWS

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With summer's uncomfortable heat and humidity arriving unfortunately early this Spring my outside activities have been somewhat curtailed.  Not liking to have myself slathered up with bug repellent my weeding time in our front yard earlier this morning was cut short by mosquitos.  I am already counting the days to early September when our days will once again be wonderfully comfortable, far more healthier, and totally bug free once more.  I remember a time as a younger fella when summer's warmth was my favorite time but with changes not only in the weather but myself as well, those days are now long gone.

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WE HAVE LOTS OFF HOSTAS EVERYWHERE

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THOSE LONG REACHING PLANTS AT BOTTOM ARE SOLOMON SEAL

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EVERY YEAR WITHOUT FAIL I FORGET THE NAME OF THESE FLOWERS

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WE ALSO HAVE A LOTS OF BUSH FERNS WITH MORE COMING UP EVERY YEAR

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Hadn’t taken any photos again today so had to scramble outside after supper and rustle me some up for this post.   We have lived here for going on 16 years now and never have I seen a mosquito infestation as bad as we have right now.  Usually mosquitos are not a big problem for us here around the property but they sure are making up for their past lack of miserableus this year.  It’s a wonder any of tonight’s photos turned out because I was swinging like an old windmill in a hurricane at these damn miserable flying annoyances!!

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GROANER'S CORNER:(( An explorer walked into a clearing and was surprised to see a pigmy standing beside a huge dead elephant. "Did you kill that?" he asked. The pigmy answered: "Yes". "How could a little bloke like you kill something as huge as that?"  "I killed it with my club" replied the pigmy.  "That's amazing," said the explorer. "How big is your club?"  The pigmy replied: "There's about 150 of us".

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- What was written on the hypochondriac's tombstone?  "I told you I wasn’t feeling good"!!

- What did the cannibal mum say to her son who was chasing a missionary? ''Stop playing with your food''!

- What's a cold, evil candle called? The wicked wick of the north!

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A tourist was admiring the necklace worn by a local Seminole Indian chief.  "What is it made of?" she asked.  "Alligator's teeth," the chief replied.  "I suppose," she said patronizingly, "that they mean as much to you as pearls do to us."  "Oh no," he objected. "Anybody can open an oyster."

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Monday, May 28, 2018

COULDN’T THINK OF ANYTHING

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GROANER’S CORNER:((  With all the new technology regarding fertility, an 88-year-old woman was able to give birth to a baby recently.When she was discharged from the hospital and went home, various relatives came to visit. “May we see the new baby?” one of them asked.   Not yet,” said the mother. “I'll make coffee and we can visit for a while first.”  Another half hour passed before another relative asked, “May we see the new baby now?”  “No, not yet,” said the mother.  A while later and again the guests asked, “May we see the baby now?”  “No, not yet,” replied the mother.  Growing impatient, they asked, “Well, when can we see the baby?”  “When it cries!” she told them.  "When it cries?” they gasped. “Why do we have to wait until it cries?”  “Because, I forgot where I put it.”

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