NOT A LONG POST TONIGHT

 STOPPED HERE TO BUY SOME BIRDSEED

I was a bit surprised not to see any snow on the ground first thing this morning but we did get a skiff about an hour later.  A weather advisory had warned of a heavy snowfall and poor visibility but it never happened.  Maybe inland further which is quite often the case.  The lake hasn't frozen over yet so the temperature along the shoreline for a mile or two inland isn't quite as cold.

 JUST A WEE SKIFF OF SNOW THIS MORNING

 HEADING INTO BAYFIELD ON SLIGHTLY SLIPPERY ROADS

Pheebs and I didn't go far again.  Just a drive into and around Bayfield with a short stop in the Bayfield Cemetery for a leg stretch.  It's protected from the cold winds there.  We will likely do the same thing all over again tomorrow morning.

 BAYFIELDERS OUT WALKING AROUND TOWN

 IT'S ALWAYS QUIET AND PEACEFUL HERE IN THE BAYFIELD CEMETERY

 ON THE WAY HOME WE STOPPED HERE AT THE PORTER'S HILL WILD BIRD SEED COMPANY TO PICK UP A COUPLE OF TWENTY POUND BAGS OF BIRDSEED

Not much going on this afternoon so I relaxed in the sunroom with my Kindle reader.  Kelly is still trying to set up the audio feature on my new Kindle but it has turned out to be a real challenge for her.

 AND HERE WE ARE BACK HOME

Not a long post tonight simply because I can't really think of anything else to write about.  So with that, I hope to be back tomorrow:))     

 HOSTA PLANTS ARE DONE FOR ANOTHER SEASON

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An elderly, but hardy cattleman from Texas once told a young female neighbor that if she wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a pinch of gunpowder on her oatmeal each morning.  She did this religiously and lived to the ripe old age of 103.  She left behind 14 children, 30 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and a 40-foot HOLE where the crematorium used to be.

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OK YOU FELLOW RV'ERS, WHAT'S THE STATUS IN THE SOUTHWEST??

 WE STILL HAVE A FEW POOFS OF COLOR IN OUR GREYING LANDSCAPE

We had a very typical mid-November morning going on here today as Pheebs and I made our way to Goderich through a cold drizzly rain and road slush.  The closer we got to Goderich the worse it became and we even had to keep Pheebs window up to prevent the icy rain from coming in and flooding us out.

 ROADS WEREN'T TOO BAD WHEN WE STARTED OUT

 ROADS BEGAN DETERIORATING WITH A SLIPPERY SLUSH 

In Goderich's harbor the Algoma Transport was tied up to the salt dock with a whole herd of seagulls flapping about her stern.  I figure the cook must have dumped a barrel of table scraps overboard to have attracted and driven so many gulls into a feeding frenzy.  One often sees those clusters of gulls following along behind fishing boats.

From the harbor, it was a stop at Walmart and from there we were soon on our way home.  Slush on the roads had built up more but the closer we got to Bayfield the better the weather with no snow and only a drizzling rain.  And that cold drizzle continued for the rest of the day.  I wouldn't be surprised to see a white front yard in the morning.

 LOOKS LIKE THE BANK RESTORATION AT ROTARY COVE IS GOING WELL

Imagine my surprise Saturday night when within a couple hours of publishing my post which included a blurb about the Republic Of Slowjamastan the Sultan (aka??) himself actually left a comment on my Facebook page as well as a few comments in my blog post.  Now, how in the heck did the Sultan of Slowjamastan find the Bayfield Bunch so quick.  Tis a dazzling fast-paced internet world we live in these days indeed.  Well, as long as those Slowjamastan folks are up to good deeds it's all alright with me and of course we're curiously anxious to see what all these shenanigans transpire into down there in that California place.  And here's a bit of trivia from that area.....Highway 78 runs right through that flat treeless area and in 1943 right around there somewhere, the movie Sahara was filmed starring Humphrey Bogart.  While filming, Bogart and fellow actors like Lloyd Bridges, J Carrol Naish, Dan Duryea, and others as well as the film crew hung out and stayed in nearby Brawley.

UNLIKE ME, THESE INTREPID SENIORS HAD NO PROBLEM WITH BEING OUT IN THIS MORNING'S COLD RAIN

And speaking of the Southwest, I am curious to know what is happening on the ground there right now.  With more Northerners presently flooding into New Mexico, Arizona, and California I think many of we RV'ers back home want to know if some of the rumors we've been hearing the past couple years are true.  What BLM lands have closed or been downsized.  Ogilby Road west of Yuma, Quartzite, Darby Well Road, and the area up around Bouse Az. come to mind.  We know the Clark Dry Lake Bed north of Borrego Springs has already been closed.  We've heard rumors of way more people now than just a few years ago.  Crowding even.  We would appreciate hearing from anyone with boots on the ground down there what the true status is.  Media has a habit of playing up and hyping things so real facts and opinions would be very much appreciated not only by us but other RV folks as well up here in the cold and wet snowy north.

 HEADING HOME ON SLUSHY ROADS

Now, I'm not too much of a water and boat person but some folks on my sidebar caught my attention with a boat overhaul they are doing in their yard.  An older heavy motor had to be lifted out of the boat to be replaced by a newer one and for you do-it-yourself mechanically inclined folks you might be interested in just how this clever fellow engineered the feat.  The story begins with the delivery of the boat called Albatross.  After reading the link just scroll down on their blog and look for the word 'Newer Post' on the left side and click that to read the next 3 installments of the story.  Quite a clever fellow this Benno is:))

 WEATHER IMPROVED AS WE NEARED HOME

And I like these words that I saw on Facebook Saturday::         

Advice from María Sabina, Mexican Healer and Poet

“Heal yourself with the light of the sun and the rays of the Moon. With the sound of the river and the waterfall. With the swaying of the sea and the fluttering of birds.

Heal yourself with mint, neem, and eucalyptus. Sweeten with lavender, rosemary, and chamomile. Hug yourself with the cocoa bean and a hint of cinnamon. Put Love in tea instead of sugar and drink it looking at the stars.

Heal yourself with the kisses that the wind gives you and the hugs of the rain. Stand strong with your bare feet on the ground and with everything that comes from it.

Be smarter every day by listening to your intuition, looking at the world with your forehead. Jump, dance, sing, so that you live happier. Heal yourself, with beautiful love, and always remember..

YOU ARE THE MEDICINE.”

GROANER'S CORNER:(( There were three men standing at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter came out to meet them and asked, "What would you like to hear your relatives and friends say at your funeral?"  The first man answered, "I am a renowned doctor, and I would love to hear someone say how I had been instrumental in saving people's lives and giving them a second chance."  The second man replied, "I am a family man and a school teacher. I would like to hear someone say what a great husband and father I was and that I made a difference in some young people's lives."  The third man replied, "Wow guys, those are all really great things, but I guess if I had the chance I would rather hear someone say, "Look! He's moving!"

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I APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ADVICE AND WHAT THE HECK IS 'SLOWJAMASTAN'

First....a big thank you to readers for your words of encouragement on my Friday night post.  It's reassuring to know there are others like myself with these kinds of thoughts and feelings.  I hear you all loud and clear and I appreciate your understanding and advice.  I like the words to the song Janna from Restoration Cowboy Style mentioned in a comment.....Don't Let The Old Man In by Toby Keith.

 APPROACHING BAYFIELD'S NEW BRIDGE I THOUGHT THEY WERE PAINTING IT PINK BUT I THINK IT IS A REFLECTION OF THE ORANGE TARP OVER THE BRIDGES ROADBED WHERE THEY MAY HAVE JUST POURED CONCRETE 

 THE BRIDGE FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE

 I THINK THESE FOLKS HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA WITH ALL THOSE SOLAR PANELS

A cold and cloudy November morning greeted us today.  This weekend is Bayfield's annual 'Christmas In Bayfield' and they sure didn't get off to a good start Friday night for the lighting of the big Christmas tree in Clan Gregor Square.  A storm cell complete with thunder and lightning rolled in across Lake Huron late in the afternoon and knocked all the power out in Bayfield.  The only thing people got to light were candles.  Power's back on today as the delayed festivities got into full swing.  Might even have been a parade.

LAKE HURON WATERS WERE A BIT CHOPPY THIS MORNING

 BAYFIELD'S FISHING FLEET AT REST

 WITH ALL THE BOAT DOCKS OUT OF THE WATER NOW THOSE METAL DOCK POSTS WILL COME OUT NEXT

 THAT ORANGE MACHINE ON THE THE BARGE PULLS THOSE DOCK POSTS OUT AND YOU CAN SEE A NUMBER OF POSTS ALREADY ON THE BARGE

 AND THIS IS WHERE THE BOAT DOCKS SPEND THEIR WINTER

A couple days ago we saw something we had never seen before except for maybe on TV.  A delivery driver brought a parcel to our door.  It wasn't one of the regular drivers so Pheebs didn't get a treat.  After he headed back down the driveway to his van he didn't leave right away and the van sat there.  Next I heard Kelly say, "he must be lost because he's standing beside his van looking at a compass".  I thought that odd so looked and he was walking around the back of his van with a mat.  I figured he must be having some kind of trouble with his vehicle.  He got down on his knees on the mat but made no attempt to look at or under the van.  It almost looked like he was praying or something.  I looked at the clock and it said 2 p.m.  Linking that with the compass which showed him where to face east towards Mecca it dawned on me what he was doing.  He indeed was praying and he did so for the best part of five minutes.

 AFTERNOON PRAYERS AT THE END OF OUR DRIVEWAY

And here's something Kelly came across on Facebook today which has to do with the Borrego Springs California and Ocotillo Wells area.  These are two areas we are very familiar with.  Check it out for yourself.  Fact or Fantasy.....The Republic Of Slowjamastan.  And here is a Facebook link as well......Borrego Springs Slowjamastan.  Kelly has already applied to be Canada's Ambassador to Slowjamastan and I of course left a Facebook comment asking if there are any Alien spacecraft on the ground there yet.  I think the Bayfield Bunch might just have to hustle on down to California and check out what's going on there:))

 I THINK THOSE MIGHT BE THE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND EAST OF THE SALTON SEA AND SLAB CITY.....AND WE SURE ARE FAMILIAR WITH SLAB CITY HAVING BEEN THERE AND BOONDOCKED THERE HALF A DOZEN TIMES

A busy week coming up with appointments scheduled for the Jeep, our Class C, and Pheebs.  At this time of year. it's good to have something to be busy with and focus on.  Unfortunately, it will probably turn out to be an expensive busy.  Oil and tire change for the Jeep, a possible leak in Scooter's cooling system plus an oil change and a trip to the Groomer for Pheebs.   

 BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEE

GROANER'S CORNER:((  On a plane bound for New York, the flight attendant approached a redhead sitting in the first-class section and requested that she move to coach since she did not have a first-class ticket.  The redhead replied, "I'm a redhead; I'm beautiful; I'm going to New York, and I'm not moving."  Not wanting to argue with a customer, the flight attendant asked the co-pilot to speak with her. He went to talk with the woman, asking her to please move out of the first-class section.  Again, the redhead replied, "I'm a redhead; I'm beautiful; I'm going to New York, and I'm not moving."  The co-pilot returned to the cockpit and asked the captain what he should do. The captain said, "I'm married to a redhead, and I know how to handle this."  He went to the first-class section and whispered in the redhead's ear. She immediately jumped up and ran to the coach section mumbling to herself, "Why didn't someone just say so?"  Surprised, the flight attendant and the co-pilot asked what he said to her that finally convinced her to move from her seat.  He said, "I told her the first class section wasn't going to New York."

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AND THE FUTURE HAS AN EVER INCREASING TIME LIMIT ON IT

 IT WAS A FINE MORNING FOR A BIT OF PRIMPING AND PREENING

With a brisk sunny 45F morning country road walk Pheebs and I managed to get the day started off on the right foot.  A cold icy wind from the south tweaked my ears but we buttoned up and pushed through it. Following our walk and wanting to get a few outside things done at home we headed west on Bayfield River Road.

 OUR BUSH LINES ARE QUICKLY LOSING THEIR COLORFUL AUTUMN LEAVES

 AN OLD PICNIC TABLE SLOWLY EMERGES FROM SUMMER'S ENCOMPASSING FOLIAGE

 SUNLIGHT FINALLY MAKES ITS WAY INTO ONCE DARKENED FORESTS

A lot of leaves falling from the trees now so I did some more raking trying to stay ahead of it.  It's that time of year when the leaf blower really comes in handy.  Had a few things to do in our little 26' Class C Winnebago so I busied myself with that for a while as well.  With all these pine trees around the needles keep getting into Scooter's roof vents.

 THESE TREES PROTECTED FROM THE WIND ARE STILL HANGING ON TO THEIR LEAVES

 DUCKS

I don't know if my gradual loss of interest in our morning Jeep rides is the skyrocketing price of gas or just a sign of age-related changes.  Probably a combination of both.  As I've said before I have noticed my photo and writing interests slipping as well and that has been happening for a while now.  Am I sliding into the early stages of elderness or do I simply need a re-setting of old and new challenges?  I've always had a reasonably eager sense of adventure over the years and that seems to be lessening these days.  I've always enjoyed traveling and seeing new things.  Over the past two and a half years, with the exception of three days over a year ago up around the Bruce Peninsula, I have basically been sitting on my can here at home.  Driving around the same old area roads each morning, taking repetitive photos, and repeatedly writing about the same things most every day is wearing very thin for me and probably a lot of readers too.  Am I getting too comfortable with my emerging sedentary lifestyle?  Am I succumbing to this creeping age process?  Have I unwittingly removed the words 'Adventuress Spirit' from my ambitions?  These are all things I am wrestling with at the moment and I am increasingly aware that the future has an ever-increasing time limit on it..........       

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A young man asked an old rich man how he made his money.  The old guy fingered his worsted wool vest and said, "Well, son, it was 1932. The depth of the Great Depression. I was down to my last nickel."  "I invested that nickel in an apple. I spent the entire day polishing the apple and, at the end of the day, I sold the apple for ten cents."  "The next morning, I invested those ten cents in two apples. I spent the entire day polishing them and sold them at 5:00 pm for 20 cents. I continued this system for a month, by the end of which I'd accumulated a fortune of $1.37."  "Then my wife's father died and left us two million dollars."

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