MAYBE NEXT YEAR EH:))

I've been doing my Yummy-Yukky shakes on and off for close to 25 years now.  I go along mixing up and drinking these breakfast shakes for maybe a couple years at a time then I might quit for a year or so before starting them up again.  I think it was last winter sometime when I tired of the shakes for the umpteenth time and changed my morning routine to drinking Glucerna.  Glurcerna is like Ensure but it's better for anyone with diabetes concerns.  This morning I once again resumed my shakes.  And here's what I do.  In a blender (not a juicer) I toss in half a banana, 1 cored apple with pealings, half a scoop of vanilla-flavored Whey Protein powder, and a smattering of oatmeal flakes.  To that, I add a sprig of celery, half a dozen small spinach leaves, and 1 romaine lettuce leaf. (I may add a couple more veggies but not carrots because they have too much sugar in them) I then pour in half a glass of skim milk and half a glass of orange juice.  I hit the blender switch for 10 seconds or so and everything is liquified.  I pour that out into a tall glass and I'm good to go.  If we have strawberries or blueberries handy I will add them to the shake as well.  Next time I'm at the supermarket I will pick up some flax and sunflowers seeds as well.  I mix them together in a coffee bean grinder and that mixture will go into my shakes too.  So there you have it.....Sounds Yukky-Tastes Yummy.  And believe me, if it didn't taste good I sure as heck wouldn't be drinking it!!

 THE YELLOW DIGGING MACHINE IS GONE FROM BAYFIELD'S BEACH SO I GUESS WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING THERE.......IS DONE

 ROUGH LAKE HURON WATERS

 THE WIND CHILL FACTOR DIDN'T BOTHER THESE LADIES THIS MORNING

 I THINK THE BAYFIELD OUTDOOR COFFEE CLUB IS GROWING

 LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE MAYBE WORKING ON THE CONCRETE ROADSIDES ON THE BRIDGE

Overcast skies this morning with a 24F wind chill factor so there wasn't any walking for Pheebs and I.  With Christmas in mind, we took a drive into the village (Bayfield) and I kept my eye out for some colorful Christmas decorations.  And how nice to see the sun out this afternoon with temps coming up to about 35F with very little wind.  I actually saw some melting going on in our front yard:))

 THAT TREE IIN SOMEBODY'S YARD IS A COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE

 NOT ALL HOUSES HAVE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS BUT THEY STILL HAVE SOME COLOR

 THAT'S LAKE HURON WAY OUT THERE

Just think, in a couple days the Earth will begin its slow southward axis tilt and our days will once again begin to grow in length.  Now, how's that for a nice thought.  And a month from now we might very well be into the January thaw only a week and a half from the first of February which of course is the shortest month of the year.  Ahhhh yes, good thoughts indeed.

I recently finished three books by author Delores Cannon.  'Keepers Of The Garden', 'The Custodians', and 'Between Death and Life'.  I am about to start a fourth book by this author called 'The Convoluted Universe'.  I have found these books fascinating, eye-opening, difficult to understand at times, and a real challenge to my mind.  Quote: {To maintain an open mind is extremely difficult but it is the only way to search for ultimate knowledge}

With a very well deserved smirk on my face, I watched one of our front yard black squirrels finally figure out a way to get on the new feeder.  No panic on my part this time as I grinned quite gleefully at Squirrelly's futile attempts to get at the birdseed.  He tried two times unsuccessfully to get into that feeder but had to give up and jump to the ground.  Now, keep in mind, I like the squirrels and I do feed the little guys corn throughout the winter.  Below are a couple short videos.  Squirrelly trying to get into the feeder and a few birds at our bird feeder station.  Okay, the videos didn't work so I'll maybe try them again tomorrow.  Hey, somebody just said they worked:))  Well, it shows you how much I know:((

Please bear with me as I try to get the hang of this video stuff.  Although I've had the means to try videography before I just haven't had a big interest in it so these efforts of mine will be on the shaky side of things until I can at least get a better beginner's handle on it. 

Had we left for the southwest this past Saturday as planned, we would likely be overnighting somewhere in Arkansas tonight.  Oh well, maybe next year eh:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((    Seeing her friend Marcia wearing a new locket, Ashley asks if there is a memento of some sort inside.  “Yes,” says Marcia, “a lock of my husband’s hair.”  “But Larry’s still alive?”  “I know, but his hair is gone.”

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It’s been raining for days now and my husband seems very depressed by it.  He keeps standing by the window, staring. If it continues, I’m going to have to let him in.

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I HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT 2 P.M.

Another rather drab-looking day but I did manage to find a few snippets of color on our morning Jeep jaunt.  It was a short drive again because I had somewhere to go later.

 BY GOLLY THERE IS LITTLE A SNIP OF COLOR OVER THERE

No squirrels ripping the new bird feeder apart yet but I have noticed them giving the feeder the eye.  The way the feeder is designed it doesn't matter if a squirrel gets on it because a wire cage descends from the squirrel's weight and closes up the feeding bin.

 THIS FELLER WAS EYEING UP THE NEW BIRD FEEDER

With today's temperature at 25F I didn't much like the idea of having to wear a short-sleeve shirt this afternoon but that is what was required of me to do.  I had to be at the Goderich arena at 2 p.m. and no it was not to watch a hockey game.  I had an appointment there to get my Phizer booster shot.  Needless to say, I was on time and within half an hour I was back to the Jeep and headed for home after a quick stop to buy myself some veggies.  Yes, I'm starting up my 'Sounds Yukky-Tastes Yummy' morning smoothy shakes again.  And that was that for another day.

GROANER'S CORNER:((    A daughter brought her new boyfriend home from college.  The young man said to her father, "Sir, I realize it's merely a formality, but I'm here to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."  Dad looked surprised. "And where did you get the idea that this was just a formality?"  "From our Lamaze instructor!"

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Due to recent cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off untill further notice!

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A guy was sitting on the train reading the newspaper. The headline read, "12 Brazillian Soldiers Killed."  He shook his head at the sad news, then he turned to the stranger sitting next to him and asked, "How many is a Brazillian?"

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SQUIRREL PROOF BIRD FEEDER?? WELL, LET'S WAIT AND SEE

It didn't take long for the black squirrels to breach my latest hanging bird feeder set-up so in utter frustration, I went out, took the bird feeder down, and brought it into the house.  Hopped into the Jeep and headed for the Porter's Hill Wild Bird Seed Co. in Bayfield.  Twenty minutes later I was home again with what I hope is finally a 'squirrel proof' birdfeeder!!  When it comes to squirrels, all bets are off though.  Hauled out my small step ladder and went about the business of hanging up the new feeder.  So far, it's been up over a day and a half, and no squirrels on it yet.  What!! How can that be!!  The feeder is made by Brome and ours is the Squirrel Solution 150 model.  And by golly, this company is even based in Canada too:))  Knowlton Quebec to be exact.

 A SNOWY FRONT YARD THIS MORNING

 THIS IS OUR NEW 'SQUIRREL PROOF' BIRD FEEDER

 DOWNIE WOODPECKER

A JUNCO TRIES OUT THE NEW FEEDER

 I MOVED THE OLD HANGING FEEDER OVER TO THE BIRD STATION PLATFORM

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning so without further ado, Pheebs and I were out the door and off for a Jeep ride.  Although our travels only took us into Bayfield I did manage to find a few photos along the way.  And we also took ourselves for a walk around the Bayfield cemetery roads.  

 ROLLING OUT OF OUR PARK ON SNOWY ROADS HEADING FOR BAYFIELD

 SLIPPED DOWN AROUND THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR

A TOUCH OF COLOR ON A SNOWY DRAB DAY

 NOW WE'RE OVER ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR

 GLAD THAT'S NOT ME OUT THERE ON THE COLD PIER FREEZING MY TUSH OFF

My diabetic nurse person called Friday morning at 10 with the results of my Tuesday blood tests.  Kelly and I had previously seen the results online and thought a couple things weren't looking so good but not being medical people we of course were wrong.  My tests were all fine, my blood pressure tests which I do at home were good as were my sugar glucose numbers which I do at home as well. (prick my finger) My weight is down to 182 so it looks like I'm good to go for another hundred miles.  My next diabetic check-up will be in June.  

 A DRIVE ALONG BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET

 A SECTION OF BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET IS CLOSED TODAY FOR CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS

 A FEW SNOWY HOUSES ALONG THE WAY

A week from now it will be Christmas Day.  Aside from a few colored lights outside we do not have any other decorations up.  Three years ago was our first full winter home in 13 years and we both found ourselves in the Christmas spirit, but it wasn't to last.  We never got into the spirit much last year and this year even less.  It will just be another normal day at home for us but that's okay, we're just fine with that. 

 I GUESS SOME OF THESE NICE HOUSES DON'T COME WITH INDOOR PLUMBING

 LOOKS LIKE THESE FOLKS ARE GETTING A NEW FRONT PORCH FOR CHRISTMAS

 IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A BOAT HANDY WHEN YOU LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO A BIG LAKE

Looking for something in my Blog Archives today I came across a post I wrote on June 30th, 2011 entitled, Motormouse Helps Me Look For Gold In My Shoes.  Now, if you are tired of seeing my picture pop up in the blog too often you just might not want to go here.  

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Matt's dad picked him up from school one afternoon. Knowing the parts for the school play were supposed to be posted today, he asked his son if he got a part. Matt enthusiastically announced that he'd gotten a part. "I play a man who's been married for twenty years."  "That's great, son. Keep up the good work and before you know it they'll be giving you a speaking part."

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To maintain an open mind is extremely difficult but it is the only way to search for ultimate knowledge.

The Only Thing Better Than Right Now Will Someday Be The Memories Of Right Now....Al Bossence

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SOME DAYS

Some days the words and photos don't come as easy as they once did.  Today was another one of those days.............

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Getting Old::

- Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.

- Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

- The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

- How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

- When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.

- You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

- One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.

- One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

- Old age is when former classmates are so gray and wrinkled and bald, they don't recognize you.

- If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you are old.

- I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

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