I LOVE TO SEE AND HEAR SIGNS OF MELTING IN WINTER

 OH HOW I LOVE SEEING GREEN TREES AGAINST BLUE SKIES IN THE WINTER

It was our second sunny day in a row.  'Wow', will wonders never cease.  I don't really like going to the same place two days in a row but I was curious to see if they were working on the train derailment in Goderich's harbor so that is where we headed first thing this morning.  But, it was all for not and the clearing of the accident site has not yet begun.  Investigators probably have to go through everything before anything is moved.  Took a few photos and we headed northeast out of town.  

 A FISHING BOAT WITH ITS BINS OF FISHING NETS

 THAT PICK-UP TRUCK IS WEDGED BETWEEN THE DIESEL ENGINE AND A WIRE FENCE...THE TWO PEOPLE IN IT WHEN THE TRAIN SIDE-SWIPED THEM HAD TO BE EXTRACATED

 YOU CAN SEE HOW CLOSE THAT PICK-UP TRUCK AND TRAIN WERE TO ENDING UP IN THE FREEZING COLD WATERS OF THE GODERICH HARBOR WHICH IS AT THAT HORIZONTAL STEEL RAIL

 I DON'T THINK THIS OLDER HARBOR TUG IS ON ACTIVE DUTY ANYMORE

 IN THIS PHOTO ARE 3 TUG BOATS AND 3 FISHING BOATS

Beautiful day for wandering around in the countryside with big blue skies and lots of sunshine overhead.  There is a cemetery with its roads plowed east of Saltford Ontario where Pheebs and I sometimes stop.  At the northwest corner of the cemetery is a woods with a walking path where we occasionally get boots and paws on the ground.  This morning was one of those times. 

 PARKED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE CEMETERY

 THIS WINTER'S TRAIL LEADS INTO THE WOODS

 HOW NICE TO BE IN A FOREST ON A SUNNY WINTER'S DAY AND IT REMINDED ME OF MY LONG AGO CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING DAYS

 WITH TODAY'S WARMING SUN IT WAS SO NICE TO SEE A BIT OF MELTING GOING ON

 PHEEBS CHECKS OUT A PINE TREE

 WHEN ONE STICKS THEIR NOSE IN THE SNOW

 ONE GETS SNOW ON THEIR NOSE

 TRACKS IN WINTER'S SNOW

From the cemetery, we headed further east through the little hamlet of Ben Miller then south for home.  The Jeep was a big mess and desperately in need of a wash so we detoured down around Bayfield's south end to the carwash.  That done, and having a nice looking Jeep again we headed home.  With the Sun shining so nice I was inspired to clean up the interior then grab my snow shovel and move some more snow around.  Great upper body exercise.

 MOST OF OUR PAVED ROADS ARE BARE AND DRY BUT NOT THIS ONE....ITS PURE ICE

 A PASSING SNOW DRIFT

 A STATELY STAND OF BIRCH TREES

The Sun is rising slightly higher in the sky each day its rays are becoming stronger.  I noticed a wee bit of melting over our front deck on the south side of the house.  I love to see signs of melting in wintertime no matter how small it is.

 YOU CAN SEE WHERE I HAVE PULLED DOWN SOME SNOW OFF OUR FRONT PORCH ROOF

And, it was nice enough for Pheebs and I to resume our afternoon walks.  Luckily, roads were plowed back through the forest all the way around so we were able to enjoy a nice walk in the afternoon sunshine.  

 NO, NOT UFO'S AHEAD....THOSE ARE CAMERA LENS REFLECTIONS CAUSED BY THE SUN

 NO, NOT PILES OF SNOW BUT PILES OF DIRT WITH SNOW ON THEM

 WARMING SUN'S RAYS HAVE REALLY BEEN DIGGING AWAY AT THIS DIRT ROAD

Sure are a lot of pine trees coming down on the new southern road extension of Cedar Drive in our Park.  Looks like both sides of the road are being clear-cut with no pines left standing.  We still don't know if our Park has been sold or not.  We are leaning towards thinking it has not. 

 ALL THE PINE TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN AND ABOUT HALF ON THE RIGHT SIDE ARE DOWN

GROANER'S CORNER:((Boudreaux was feeling guilty, so he went to confession.

"Father, I kinda took a little lumber from that new construction site."
Priest: "What did you do with the lumber, my son?"
Boudreaux: "Well, Father, my porch, she's had a hole for a long time. I'm 'fraid someone will break their leg, so I fix the hole."
Priest: "Well, that's not so bad."
Boudreaux: "Well, Father, I had a little lumber left."
Priest: "What did you do with it?"
Boudreaux: "Well, my poor dog, Phideaux, he ain't never had no place to get outta the weather, so I make him his own little doghouse."
Priest: "OK, anything else?"
Boudreaux: "Well, Father, I had a little lumber left. So you know, my truck, she ain't never had no place to get outta de weather either, so I make her a two car garage."
Priest: "Now, this is getting a little out of hand."
Boudreaux: "Well, Father, I still had a little lumber left."
Priest: "Yes?"
Boudreaux: "Well, my wife, she always want a bigger house. So I add two bedrooms and a new bathroom."
Priest: "OK! That's definitely too much. For your penance, you are going to have to make a Novena. You do know how to make a Novena, don't you?"
Boudreaux: "No, Father... But, if you got the plans, I got the lumber."

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What do you call two Spanish firemen?

Hose A and Hose B

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When you die, which part of your body is LAST to die?  Your eyes... they dilate!

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TRAIN WRECK IN THE GODERICH HARBOR MONDAY AFTERNOON

THIS RUN-A-WAY TRAIN WAS VERY CLOSE TO VEERING INTO THE ICY WATERS OF THE HARBOR

Kelly had placed my arms in an old washtub filled with a warm saline solution overnight plus 17 healing secret herbs and spices and they were good to go this morning.  I couldn't pick them up of course and re-attach them by myself but with Kelly's patience and know-how about these things she soon had my arms fastened on again and I was good to go for another day.  Good thing I had pre-written my Monday post before my arms fell off.  Sunshine flooded the landscape this morning as Pheebs and I rolled out to soak up some of those wonderfully uplifting and feeling good rays.

HOW NICE THIS MORNING TO SEE SUNLIGHT POURING THROUGH THE TREES CASTING SHADOWS ACROSS BARE AND DRY ROADS.

 HOW NICE TO SEE A SUNNY LANDSCAPE AGAIN EVEN IF IT IS SNOW

A train wreck occurred in the Goderich harbor Monday afternoon so Pheebs and I headed up that way to see if we could get a few photos.  Train Derails In Goderich  The road down to the south harbor is closed of course and I suspect it will be for a while as heavy equipment will probably have to be moved into place to begin cleaning up the wreck site.  It is totally amazing there were no injuries or deaths but it easily could have been.  We slipped down on the north side of the harbor where I could look across and grab a few long telephoto shots.  There was no sign of activity around the wreckage yet but I figure by this afternoon, plans will be in motion, and heavy equipment will begin to roll in to rectify the situation as soon as possible.  Train Wreck Update

 THE TRAIN WRECK, VIEWED FROM ATOP A BLUFF ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR IS TO THE RIGHT

 THE TWO DIESEL ENGINES WITH THIRTY FOUR CARS BEHIND THEM PLOWED INTO THIS OLD FISHING SHED

 HAD IT TRAVELED ANOTHER 50 FEET IT WOULD HAVE STRUCK TWO LARGE CONSTRUCTION MACHINES

 LOOKING ACROSS THE GODERICH HARBOR TO THE SOUTHWEST

 AND HERE'S THE THING.....THERE ARE NO RAILS UNDER ANY OF THOSE CARS

 THE TRAIN REACHED THE SPOT WHERE THE RAILS ENDED, CRASHED THROUGH, AND TRAVELED ACROSS A WIDE DIRT PARKING LOT SIDESWIPING A PICK-UP TRUCK....YOU CAN SEE THE PICK-UP AT THE EXTREME LEFT

Beach 

 THE DOMED BUILDING IS THE BEACH STREET STATION RESTAURANT

 TRAIN WRECK AT THE LEFT

A few things to pick up at Walmart and we were on our way home.  There was still more snow I wanted to try and get off the roof so with my recently re-attached and rejuvenated arms I was once again on the end of my long aluminum snow rake, up a step-ladder, tugging and pulling away at the foot deep snow on the roof.  I was especially concerned about the small roof over our back porch.  I actually built that small porch myself about 17 years ago so there was a darn good reason to worry about it collapsing under a heavy snow load!!

 FOLKS IN THEIR VEHICLES DOWN TO THE HARBOR FOR A LOOK SEE

 THE ALGOMA NIAGARA TAKING ON A LOAD OF SALT AT THE SALT MINE

 HARBOR TUG OCEAN A SIMARD SLOWLY MOVES AWAY FROM THE DOCK....I'M GUESS ITS GOING TO WORK AT BREAKING UP SOME OF THE HARBOR ICE

A couple sunny days ahead with slightly milder temperatures and then we go into a deep freeze for the next couple weeks with temps going as low as low14F.  All cloudy days and it looks like we are in for a lot of snow.

 HAD THE TRAIN WITH ITS LOAD OF GRAIN NOT DERAILED IT WOULD HAVE TRAVELED THESE TRACKS HEADING EAST TO STRATFORD ONTARIO AND BEYOND

GROANER'S CORNER:((   There were three little boys visiting their grandparents.  The oldest came out and asked his grandpa, "Can you make a sound like a frog, Grandpappy?  Grandpa (being in a kind of ill mood) responds, "No, I don't really want to make the sound of a frog now."  So, the second little boy comes out and asks his grandfather, "Will you please make a sound like a frog?"  Grandpa again says, "No, not now. I don't really want to do that.  I'm in a grumpy mood. Maybe later."  Then the third little boy comes out and says, "Grandpa, oh please...Please, please will you make a sound like a frog?"  "Why do all of you boys want me to make a sound like a frog?" Grandpa asked.  The little boy replied with a hopeful face, "Well, Mom said that when you croak we get to go to Disney World!"

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What do you call a wedding usher in Dublin Ireland?  An Irish sitter!

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Why did the dude only smell good on the right side? He didn't know where to buy Left Guard!

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