I'LL JUST HAVE TO PUT ON AN EXTRA PAIR OF SOCKS

 OUR FORESTS ARE LOOKING BARE NOW

Lotsa rain came down in the night but no snow.  Well, not yet anyway but that could all change Friday.  For Pheebs and I this morning our mission was to see if we could head out and find us some cattle corn.  With the corn harvest going on there are sometimes small piles of corn alongside the road where corn has been transferred from a combine into a truck or wagon.  They sometimes spill some and that is exactly what we were looking for and found this morning.  With a bucket and shovel in the back of the Jeep, I was able to scoop up a good pail full.  Kelly will be able to bake some nice corn muffins now.  Maybe even enough left over for a robust corn pie or two.  Okay, so that's not why we were gathering up corn.  Despite my ongoing Squirrel wars I do like to help the little fellas through the winter by feeding them and that is who the corn is for.  I think the Blue Jays like the corn as well.

 NO, IT'S NOT A HOLSTEIN COW...IT'S A HOLSTEIN VAN

 ALL THE FLOATING DOCKS MOORING POSTS ARE NOW OUT OF THE WATER

 THERE WERE A LOT OF LOOBY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON BAYFIELD'S NEW BRIDGE DECK THIS MORNING

Our travels this morning took us southeast of Bayfield around one of our familiar routes.  Hadn't been down around the way for nearly a month.  Forests are now bare with about 99% of the leaves on the ground.  Most of the countryside has lost its lush Spring, Summer, and blazing Autumn colors.  Drab grey usually sums up the month of November around here and that is the shape it is taking on.  Soon, the landscape will be completely white with snow, rivers, and creeks will freeze over and Lake Huron will freeze for as far out as one can see from the shoreline.  Right now as I am typing this at 4:45 in the afternoon, sleet is bouncing off our deck outside.

COLD GREY NOVEMBER SKIES TODAY WITH STRONG WESTERLY WINDS DRIVING THE ALREADY COLD  TEMPERATURES DOWN INTO THE THIRTIES 

I have never been a cold (or hot) weather person and I sure seem to be feeling the cold more than ever these days.  I guess I have to accept that as a sign of my aging but at least I am not alone in that.  It just seems to be one of those Senior things with many older folks that comes with the territory.  No sense in complaining.  I guess I'll just have to put on an extra pair of socks every day now.    

 SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF YUMMY APPLE PIES GOING TO WASTE HERE

GROANER'S CORNER:(( An 80-year-old couple were having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them.  When they arrived at the doctor's they explained to the doctor about the problems they were having with their memory. After checking the couple out, the doctor told them that they were physically okay but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things.  The couple thanked the doctor and left. Later that night while watching TV, the man got up from his chair and his wife asked, "Where are you going?" He replied, "To the kitchen." She asked, "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?" He replied, "Sure." She then asked him, "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" He said, "No, I can remember that."  She then said, "Well I would also like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down because I know you'll forget that." He said, "I can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries." She replied, "Well I also would like whipped cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down."  With irritation in his voice, he said, "I don't need to write that down! I can remember that." He then fumes into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes he returned from the kitchen and handed her a plate of bacon and eggs. She stared at the plate for a moment and said angrily: "I TOLD you to write it down! You forgot my toast!"

======================

PHEEBS GOES TO THE GROOMER AND WHAT A CUTESY LITTLE PATOOTSIE SHE IS

 A FOGGY MORNING IN THE CLINTON ONTARIO AREA LATE THIS MORNING

Well, I know it's getting kinda old but for our third morning in a row Pheebs and I took ourselves for another short drive into and around Bayfield.  We again had to make it short because Pheebs had an appointment in Clinton at the Groomers for 10:30.

 LAKE HURON IS RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS HOUSE IN BAYFIELD

Although pleasantly milder this morning there was a constant drizzle in the air.  We had Pheebs at the Head To Tail Groomers on time and the lady said to come back in an hour and a half.  With that, we were down to the south end of Clinton and out to a little place on the highway called Kate's Station.  The last time we were here was last Spring when Pheebs had her Spring tune-up at the groomer.  It was bacon and eggs with sausage, home-fried potatoes, toast, and coffee.  It's a good thing we are at a stage now where we don't eat out much anymore.  That breakfast for two plus tip sure ripped the ba-jeepers out of a thirty-dollar bill.  Kelly had to settle me down and remind me that we only do these bacon and egg breakfasts twice a year now.  Ya but!!!!  By the way, the breakfast itself was great and especially the potatoes.  I only ate two-thirds of mine and the rest we brought home and I ate it for supper.

 A GRAY DRIZZLY NOVEMBER DAY AS WE HEAD FOR CLINTON ONTARIO ABOUT MID-MORNING

 HERE IS PHEEBS AT THE GROOMERS AS THE LADY INSIDE COMES TO OPEN THE DOOR

 KATE'S STATION FOR BREAKFAST

 NOT TOO BUSY AND THAT IS QUITE ALRIGHT WITH ME

 I DON'T KNOW WHY EITHER THAT I TOOK THIS PICTURE BUT SOMETIMES I JUST DO THINGS LIKE THAT

 'WHADDYA THINK GEORGE, DID I DO GOOD HERE':))

Following breakfast, we drove around the old World War 2 airforce radar base in a little place called Vanastra right next to Kate's Station.  Some of the old airforce quonset huts and buildings are still standing.  I've done a few posts on this old airforce base over the years and it was actually a top-secret installation during the war years.  Vanastra is a community now with many of the old wartime houses fixed up as well as a number of new homes built over the years.

 THE LIGHTS OF A LEGAL MARIJUANA GROW OPERATION IN VANASTRA

THAT IS ONE HUGE PILE OF ROCK SALT THAT WILL BE USED ON AREA ROADS THIS WINTER AND I FIGURE THERE'S ENOUGH SALT THERE TO TOTALLY RUST OUT ABOUT 25,000 VEHICLES!!

 TODAY'S WARM 56F TEMPS MIXING WITH THE 34F SNOW ON THE GROUND IS CREATING THIS FOG...TODAY FELT LIKE A LATE MARCH SPRING DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER

We picked up our spiffy little girl right about the stroke of noon and headed for home.  She always looks, smells, and feels so nice and soft after her time at the Spa.  What a cutesy little patootsy she is.

 BY GOLLY THERE'S OUR SPIFFY LITTLE GIRL

 HEADING HOME

Home again it was ditto-ditto for the afternoon so not much to tell you about there.

 NO, SHE'S NOT FAT SHE'S JUST SLOUCHED DOWN INTO MOM'S CHAIR

'DID YOU USE THE FAT WORD DAD'

 'NA-NANA-NA-NANA'

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A man lies on his deathbed, surrounded by his family: a weeping wife and four children. Three of the children are tall, good-looking and athletic; but the fourth and youngest is an ugly runt.  "Darling wife," the husband whispers, "assure me that the youngest child really is mine. I want to know the truth before I die, I will forgive you if-"  The wife gently interrupts him. "Yes, my dearest, absolutely, no question, I swear on my mother's grave that you are his father."  The man then dies, happy. The wife mutters under her breath: "Thank God he didn't ask about the other three."

------------------------

Two tons of human hair were stolen from a wig factory.  The police said they were combing the area.

==============

WE ENDED OUR WAFFLING TODAY AND RE-MADE A DECISION

 BAYFIELD'S BEACH

Having to be somewhere this morning at 11 a.m. I took Pheebs out for a short Jeep ride before that.  We again puttered into and around Bayfield, snapped a few photos and we were home again.  After dropping Pheebs off and loading the Jeeps winter/desert tires into the back I headed off to Clinton's Huron Tirecraft.

 I HOPE THOSE DARK CLOUDS ARN'T PACKING SNOW

 A DRIVE DOWN BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET

My appointment was for 11 and of course, I was there in good time.  Took my Kindle along and read for an hour in the waiting room.  Right on the stroke of high noon I rolled out of Huron Tirecraft and headed home to the hum of my 4 heavy-duty tires gripping the road beneath me.  It was two winters ago I last had them on and although I didn't have any problems last winter with my summer tires I feel far more confident and secure with these tires on during these upcoming wintery months.  Especially with the types of backcountry snowy roads Pheebs and I have a habit of plowing around on.  

 IF YOU LOOK CLOSE YOU CAN SEE THE JEEP UP ON A HOIST GETTING THE TIRES CHANGED

 HEADING HOME FROM CLINTON UNDER CLOUDY SKIES

Of course, my afternoon was again spent mainly in our sunroom reading and bonking around on the computer.  I generally put most of my day's posts together in the afternoons now.  Looks like this will pretty much be my daily routine now until some time next Spring.

 PHEEBS AND I EVEN GOT OURSELVES A WALK IN THIS MORNING

 AT THE END OF THE BUSH LINE IS A LITTLE SUMMER PLACE IN THE FOREST

This past summer we had been waffling back and forth whether to head for the Southwest this Winter and had pretty well decided we wouldn't be able to go.  After Kelly came home from her Mother's place in October we began talking it over again and this time we were both leaning towards going despite a few circumstances.  As October rolled into November we were leaning even more heavily in that direction and we actually began putting together some plans right up until today.  Both Kelly and I definitely wanted to get away from here for a few winter months but I am afraid it is not to be.  Today, after much waffling this past month we reluctantly listened to our heads once again and not our hearts.  We re-made the difficult decision to stay home.  We had to 'again' conclude we just had too many things on our plate right now to set off on a long journey to our beloved American Southwest.  It's just not the right time and the stars did not align for us despite our efforts this past month to re-align them.  Hopefully next winter maybe, but not this winter:((  In fact, we ended up talking up some ideas for a trip next September.  Hey it's only ten and a half months away:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((   Three patients in a mental institution prepare for an examination given by the head psychiatrist. If the patients pass the exam, they will be free to leave the hospital. However, if they fail, the institution will detain them for five years.  The doctor takes the three patients to the top of a diving board looking over an empty swimming pool and asks the first patient to jump.  The first patient jumps headfirst into the pool and breaks both arms.  Then the second patient jumps and breaks both legs.  The third patient looks over the side and refuses to jump. "Congratulations! You're a free man. Just tell me why didn't you jump?" asked the doctor.  To which the third patient answered, "Well Doc, I can't swim!"

=====================