IF YOU DON'T HEAR FROM ME

 A FEW PICS FROM OUR SHADY BACKYARD THIS AFTERNOON

With 44F on our morning thermometer and a brisk northeast wind blowing I figure we were in the mid to high 30's somewhere for our walk.  But it was okay because we had lots of sunshine overhead and a good heater in the Jeep.  Frost warnings for tonight and if that is the case, our leaves will finally begin changing color.  We again came home after our walk whereupon I did another batch of little things needing done.  I find Winter into Spring and Summer into Fall are always enjoyably busy times for me.

LOOKS LIKE THIS FARMER IS DOING SOME SUNDAY MORNING PLANTING

 I HAVE DECIDED TO STORE THE CORN COBS IN THE JEEP

I had put some dry corn cobs in a galvanized garbage can yesterday and when I checked on them today I found moisture inside the can.  Those darn corn cobs must be alive and breathing H2O' to cause condensation like that.  I re-dried those damp cobs and I now have all the corn cobs in the back of the Jeep under lock and key.  It is the only place I have that is squirrel-proof except for in the house and Kelly doesn't want a bunch of messy corn cobs running around inside the house.

With all the work going on around here to get ready to go away for four days I can't imagine how we did it when we used to go away for four, five, and 6 months for all those RV years of ours.  Some things are just unfathomable and for me that is one of them.

Thanks to all my readers again for your continuing support, kind words,  comments, concerns, and understanding.  It's not easy being me some days but at least you give me the space I need.   

I finished Neil deGrasse Tyson's book Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization.  No doubt a very well-written book but I had a little trouble getting through some chapters.  I did make it to the end though and I'm glad I stuck with it.  Be sure to read the reviews and that should tell you if this book is for you or not.  It wasn't quite what I expected but I think in the end it was probably better than I had expected.  I just need time to think about it I guess.  Some days I just have trouble understanding stuff.  Seems to be my nature at times.

If you don't hear from me Monday night it probably just means we've maybe encountered a temporary computer glitch with Collingwood's WiFi.  Things like that do happen you know.......

GROANER'S CORNER:(( While proudly showing off his new fraternity house to friends, a college student led the way into the den. "What is the big brass gong and hammer for?" one of his friends asked.  "That's the talking clock", the man replied, with a grin. "Let me show you how it works!" And with that, he gave the gong an ear-shattering pound with the hammer.  Suddenly someone screamed from the other side of the wall, "KNOCK IT OFF, YOU IDIOT! IT'S 2 AM!"

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"What's that piece of cord tied around your finger for?"  "My wife put it there to remind me to take a letter to the Post Office."  "And did you mail it?"  "No, she forgot to give me the letter."

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IT WAS A GOOD DAY TO BEGIN PUTTING THINGS AWAY BEFORE WINTER

 IT WAS A GOOD DAY TO BEGIN PUTTING AWAY OUR OUTSIDE SUMMER STUFF

A very fine weather day for the first of October and I again took advantage of it.  After our walk, out came the wheelbarrow as I went around gathering up summer's outside lawn, deck, and porch ornaments, etc.  I don't mind doing that each year at this time but the best part of putting things away for winter is those first warmish Spring days in mid-April when I haul everything back out of storage again and wheelbarrow things around to their assigned summer spots.  It's a tradition I have always enjoyed.

 NOT FAR FROM OUR WALKING SPOT THIS MORNING THIS FELLA WAS MAKING THE AIR VERY SMELLY WITH HIS MANURE SPREADER

ONE OF FIVE WHEELBARROW LOADS OF OUTSIDE STUFF TO THE SHED

 IT WON'T TAKE ME LONG TO FILL ALL THAT SPACE BEFORE WINTER

 SINCE MOVING THE MAJESTY PALMS INSIDE FOR THE WINTER OUR SUNROOM IS TAKING ON A JUNGLE LIKE FEEL

 KELLY THOUGHT SHE HEARD A NOISE AND SAW SOME OF THE PALM LEAVES MOVING

 IT WAS ONLY AN ELEPHANT PASSING THROUGH

 WELL, THOSE PALMS SURE HAVE BLOCKED MY COMPUTER DESK VIEW TO THE SOUTHEAST

With the approximately hundred cobs of corn I have recently gathered up and brought home for the birds and squirrels this winter, I realized I had a problem.  I put a number of cobs into a metal garbage can and put the lid on to keep the critters out.  Some of those cobs were wet from rain and I soon noticed I slight fuzz beginning to grow on a few of them.  It's no wonder some farmers have big propane-fired corn dryers on their farms.  Well, after thinking about it for a while I realized that I too had a corn dryer.  It might take me a while to get my corn dried out but by golly, it's better than having all my corn cobs turn into a big batch of fuzzy old corn mold!!

 YUP, THAT THERE'S MY CORN DRYER ALRIGHT

Looks like we will be heading for Collingwood Ontario Monday morning for four days and by the looks of stuff I'm seeing packed up and ready to go, it looks like we're heading to Collingwood for four months.  Yes, we were always over-packers.  I think the older one gets, the more stuff one has a tendency to lug around with them.  One suitcase for underwear and socks, another suitcase for meds and vitamins, another suitcase for cooler summer clothes, and a matching suitcase for warmer winter stuff just in case ya need it.  Another suitcase for shoes, hats, and boots, and don't forget the food suitcases with all the coffee, tea, peanut butter and honey, pre-cooked meals, and desserts.  If you have a hobby like I do, another suitcase is needed for camera gear.  And let's not forget the laptop, telephone, and kindle suitcase with all the appropriate battery chargers, mouses, laptop headphones, a thumb drive, and stuff.  Oh, and throw in a flashlight or two.  Pheebs has her own suitcase with toys, food dishes, treats, a dog brush, a pillowy doggy bed, and a leash.  And, just to be on the safe side amidst all this loading up confusion, let's not forget to take each other eh:))

 CHARGING CAMERA BATTERIES FOR NEXT WEEK

Aunt Jean said the most difficult part of Hurricane Ian for her was bailing water out of her lanai.  She had a bucket and kept sopping up the incoming water with sponges.  She didn't want the water level to rise where it would begin coming into her living room.  She said the wind gusts were really shaking her lanai's Lexan windows so she had to brace them with a couple long-handled swiffer mops she had.  She said the rain was going every which way and she heard a big thump when a large nearby tree limb came down. Jean has been living in Florida for 50 years and said this was the worst hurricane she has had to endure in 5 decades.  At 95 Jean has mobility issues now and after bailing all that water in her lanai she said she is hurting all over.  However, she wasn't going to let all that stop her from slipping out for a 9 a.m. hair appointment this morning.  And yes, she still drives her car around in all that manic Sarasota Florida traffic. 

 IT'S LATE MARCH 2018 IN SARASOTA FLORIDA AND WITH AUNT JEAN DRIVING HER TOYOTA  SPEEDSTER AND HER GOOD FRIEND PAT NAVIGATING WE ARE SLICING OUR WAY THROUGH TRAFFIC HEADED TO APPLEBEE'S

 THAT'S JEAN IN THE FAR CORNER

GROANER'S CORNER:((  At the urging of his doctor, Bill moved to Texas.  After settling in, he met a neighbor who was also an older man.  “Say, is this really a healthy place?”  “It sure is,” the man replied.  “When I first arrived here I couldn't say one word. I had hardly any hair on my head. I didn't have the strength to walk across a room and I had to be lifted out of bed.”  “That's wonderful!” said Bill. “How long have you been here?”  “I was born here.”

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A daughter asks her mother, “What are character qualities that I should look for in a marriage partner? You know, for someone that I will be spending eternity with."  The mother replied, ”Go ask your father, he did better than I did.”

AUNT JEAN MADE IT THROUGH THE HURRICANE AND IS FINE:))

Aunt Jean's close friend Pat, who lives in the same Park as Jean sent us an email this afternoon at 3:45 saying their power and internet had just been restored.  She has been in touch with Jean and said Jean made it through Florida's worst-ever hurricane and is fine.  We were getting concerned and only minutes before Kelly had phoned three numbers at the Tippecanoe Condo complex office where Jean lives.  No answer at one and voicemail at the two others whereupon Kelly left inquiring messages.  Two of those calls later responded.  I will call Jean at our usual 8:15 p.m. Friday night chat time tonight.  

Before heading down the road this morning Pheebs and I took a drive around the south end of our Park where it is mainly forested.  Every photo in tonight's post was taken on that little ten-minute drive,

Not a cloud in this morning's clear blue sky as Pheebs and I slipped out to our country spot and walked our quarter mile up the road and quarter mile back.  With things to do and not wanting to waste this good weather right now, we headed right back home after that.  Picked up a few more cobs of corn too.

 STOPPED AT OUR PARK'S ENTRANCE FOR A FEW PHOTOS

Mowed some grass and that should be the last mowing of the year.  Had the weedwhacker going as well and that too should be the last time until Spring.  And it's getting about that time of year to begin putting away all the summer yard stuff.  Most of it will go into our wooden shed and that was another reason for me cleaning it up and making more space a couple days ago.  Also moved a couple of our larger potted plants off the front deck into the house for the winter.  Even found time to take Pheebs for a walk around the Park's pond.  No sign of the dozen little Froggie guys I had dropped off there yesterday.  I imagine they are all very busy scouting out their wonderous and very spacious new digs:))

 ONE OF OUR PARK'S RESIDENTS IS FULL ON INTO AUTUMN

Ellen's Groove:)) In this video, Ellen's dad is teaching her how to Improvise.  It's a longer than usual clip and is interrupted by ads but if you stick with it you can see the music bubbling out of this little ten-year-old girl as she works at not only the fingerwork on her bass guitar but her voice as well trying to bring them together.  You can see not only Ellen's struggles but her progress and excited enthusiasm as well.  I can foresee her one day on the world's stage as a very talented musician.  By the way, she is also a talented artist.  

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A pilot and a co-pilot were descending for a landing at an airport they had never been to before. The pilot looked out the windshield, and suddenly exclaimed to the co-pilot: "Holy cow! Look how short the runway is! I've never seen one that short!"  The co-pilot looked out the windshield. "Wow! you're right! That's incredible! Are you sure we can make it?"  "Well we better, we're almost out of fuel."  So the captain got on the intercom, and notified the passengers to put their heads between their knees, and prepare for an emergency landing. Then he set the flaps to full down and slowed the plane to just over stall speed. The small executive jet came screaming in, on the ragged edge of control.  The pilot's hands were sweating and the co-pilot was praying. They touched down and came screeching to a halt just before the edge of the runway, the tires smoking. "PHEW! That was CLOSE!" yelled the captain. "That runway sure was SHORT!"  "Yeah!" said the co-pilot, "and really WIDE too!"

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Why is girlfriend one word but best friend is two words?  Because your best friend gives you space when you need it.

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During training exercises, a Lieutenant driving down a muddy back road encountered another jeep stuck in the mud with a red-faced Colonel at the wheel.  "Your jeep stuck, sir?" asked the Lieutenant as he pulled alongside.  "Nope," replied the Colonel, coming over and handing him the keys. "Yours is."

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 THIS ONE'S FOR YOU WIZ:))