SOMEBODY'S BIRTHDAY AT OUR HOUSE TUESDAY

 A PAIR OF MALLARD DUCKS ON OUR PARK'S POND

We dipped below freezing overnight so it was a cold start to the day.  Just to be on the safe side I turned the outside water off and removed the hose nozzles from the garden hoses.  Our bird-bath had a skiff of ice on it but with our front yard pond pump running now there was no ice on the frog pond.  A few light dustings of snow here and there.  Due to the heavy overcast I only took a couple of photos this morning.  However, within one minute of getting home sunshine broke through the clouds, and by noon we had clear blue skies overhead again.

 PHEEBS AND I MANAGED A COLD MORNING'S WALK ALONG THIS MUDDY DEAD-END ROAD

 SKIFFS OF SNOW HERE AND THERE

Unlike Sunday inside, I spent the majority of my Monday afternoon outside doing a lot of yardwork.  Dressed warm, I cleaned up all my little forest paths plus the edges of the two roadways running past our place.  Raked up five wheelbarrow loads of last Autumn's pine needles.  Unlike Sunday, today was a productive day and I was quite satisfied with that.

 OUR CROCUS FLOWERS ARE STILL BLOOMING

 HOW NICE TO SEE CHIPMUNKS SCAMPERING AROUND OUR YARD AGAIN

 CLEANING UP MY PATHWAYS

 GURGLING WATER IN OUR FRONT YARD FROG POND AGAIN

An afternoon walk took us around the Park's pond where we saw a pair of Mallard Ducks and a lone Canada Goose.  No frogs, turtles, muskrats, or Nile crocodiles yet.

Somebody has a birthday at our house Tuesday and it's not me or Pheebs.  Hmmmm, with only three of us here I wonder who it could be:))

 BACKYARD YUCCA PLANT

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An old man visits his doctor and after a thorough examination the doctor tells him: "I have good news and bad news, what would you like to hear first?"  Patient: "Well, give me the bad news first."  Doctor: "You have cancer, I estimate that you have about two years left."  Patient: "OH NO! That's awful! In two years my life will be over! What kind of good news could you tell me after this???"  Doctor: "You also have Alzheimer's. In about three months from now, you are going to forget everything I told you."

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For the first time in many years, an old man traveled from his rural town to the city to attend a movie. After buying his ticket, he stopped at the concession stand to purchase some popcorn.  Handing the attendant $1.50, he couldn't help but comment, "The last time I came to the movies, popcorn was only 15 cents."  "Well, sir," the attendant replied with a grin, "You're really going to enjoy yourself. We have sound now.."  =====================

SNAPPED A FEW PICS AND CAME HOME

Rains came in the night and stayed for most of the morning so it was a short and wet Jeep ride this morning.  We covered a few muddy country roads, snapped a few pics, and came home.........

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Panicking when her toddler swallowing a tiny magnet; my sister, Betty, rushed him to the emergency room.  "He'll be fine," the doctor promised her. "The magnet should pass through his system in a day or two."  "How will I be sure?" she pressed.  "Well," the doctor suggested, "you could stick him on the refrigerator. When he falls off, you'll know."

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An American tourist in Dublin had been complaining a great deal about the food.
"Here," he said to the waitress holding out a piece of meat for inspection, "do you call that pig?"  "Which end of the fork are you referring to, sir?" the waitress asked sweetly.

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WE GOT OUT THE DOOR AND TOOK OUR LEGS FOR A WALK

Cloudy and cold but Pheebs and I and weren't deterred and it was off we went in the direction of the Hullett-Marsh northeast of Clinton Ontario.  I was curious to see if our favorite road into the Marsh was open, but it wasn't.  Backtracking, we headed to a spot on Wildlife Line where the parking lot at a trailhead close to the road was open.  This is an area I first hiked back in the late-'80s and I hadn't been at this particular spot for maybe 6 or 7 years.  This is a popular trail and there are usually people here.  We were very fortunate this morning to have the trail all to ourselves:))

 IT'S OFF INTO THE EARLY SPRING WOODS WE GO

 I REMEMBER THAT SHACK FROM YEARS AGO

 A NARROW MISS FOR THE SHACK WHEN THIS OLD DEAD TREE FELL AND JUST MISSED IT

 CLOSE CALL FOR THE SHACK

 PHEEBS VENTURES IN

 I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS ONCE WAS

 A LAST LOOK BACK AT THE SHACK AS WE HEAD ON DOWN THE TRAIL

Luckily, we had no wind today to make it even colder than it already was.  The trail was a bit muddy in spots but overall it was in good shape.  The hardwood forest still looked very barren after Winter's ravages but that will all change very shortly with the advancing Spring weather.  In another month the forest will be well on its way to becoming a vibrant green wonderland with the sounds of songbirds in the trees and frogs in the ponds.  Today there was not a sound anywhere.  Just Pheebs rustling along through the forest floor's dried Autumn leaves. 

 ANOTHER OLD UPROOTED TREE POINTS THE WAY

 LOG BENCH

 SWAMPY AREA

 WE STEP OFF THE BLUE TRAIL AND HEAD OFF DOWN THE HILL ON THE SHORTER YELLOW TRAIL

Trails go for miles from this trailhead and I have walked them all years ago.  This morning we took a shorter loop trail and I didn't push myself.  I have to start out with shorter walks to rebuild the strength in my legs.  This morning's walk was just right and I didn't come home with any aches and pains.

 THERE WILL BE LOTS OF MOSQUITOS HERE IN THE SUMMER

 WE HAD TO DETOUR AROUND THIS WET SPOT ON THE TRAIL

 ITS ALWAYS NICE WHEN TREES ARE IDENTIFIED

Pheebs and I were back at the house around 10:30.  I read for a while hoping it would warm up a bit and luckily the temps did rise a few degrees.  With a few unexpected bursts of sunshine flooding into the sunroom by early afternoon, Pheebs and I were out the door and headed off along the Pine tree trail here in our Park.  The sun didn't stay out but no matter, at least we got out the door and took our legs for a walk.  Pheebs loves her walks and can still run like the wind but I haven't been able to do that since I was a kid when some days I'm sure I ran even faster than the wind blew.

 TRAIL MARKERS HERE MAKE IT CLEAR WHERE THE TRAIL LEADS

 THESE BIRDBOXES CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE HULLETT-MARSH

 NEARLY BACK TO THE PARKING LOT

Home again I hauled out the water pump for our front yard frog pond and got it going so now we have the sounds of gurgling water in the yard again.  I like that sound.  Shouldn't be too long before we start hearing frogs peeping.  I like that sound too.  And soon the songbirds will begin arriving.  Yes indeed, it is a mighty fine time of the year coming up and I'm looking forward to all the sights and sounds of Spring that will soon be upon us.

 A CORNDOG MUST HAVE PASSED THIS WAY

 LOOKS LIKE AN OLD 'BOARSHEAD' TREE TO ME

I was surprised to read Goderich is upscaling its beachfront shoreline this summer and you can read about that here at Retail and Entertainment on the Beach.  And Bayfield's getting into the upbeat Lake Huron shoreline action this summer as well with its first Outdoor Film Festival. 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Computer Tech Suppport:  'Ok Bob, let's press the control and escape keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the screen. Now type the letter 'P' to bring up the Program Manager.'

Customer: 'I don't have a 'P'.'
Tech Support: 'On your keyboard, Bob.'
Customer: 'What do you mean?'
Tech Support: ''P' on your keyboard, Bob.'
Customer: 'I'm not going to do that!'

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"Are you going to be using your lawnmower Saturday?"  "Yes, I will be."  "Good... so can I borrow your car then?"

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BACK ON TRACK WITH MY THINKING

It was so perfectly not a nice Spring day.  Heavy rains in the night dropped temps into the mid 30's.  Our driveway was swimming this morning.  Icy winds drove the chill factor into the low 30's.  Pheebs and I splashed our way to Goderich and back with a few groceries to show for our travels.  Most of the day was spent in the house.  I did get a lot of reading done.  Must say, after struggling through some early heavy-duty hard for me to understand parts in Passport To The Cosmos (Kindle) by Professor John E Mack I am enjoying this latest book.  Very enlightening and I'm back on track with my thinking:))

 

It appears I was wrong in saying most of our Juncos had left.  We had all kinds of the little fellers in our front yard today.  

GROANER'S CORNER:((

Dad: Son, go buy me a soda
Son: Coke or Pepsi?
Dad: Coke
Son: Regular or Diet?
Dad: Diet
Son: In can or bottled?
Dad: Bottled
Son: 8oz or the 12oz?
Dad: Damn you!!! So many questions! Just buy me water.
Son: Mineral or Distilled?
Dad: Mineral
Son: Cold or warm?
Dad: I don't think you want to run an errand.....
Son: Is it obviuos or not?
Dad: Get out of here!!
Son: Now or later???

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What's round and bad tempered? A vicious circle.

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The inventor of the umbrella was originally going to call it brella...But he hesitated.

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