AN AT HOME MOVIE MATINEE AT OUR HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON

 'BIG RED' KEEPS A WARY EYE ON HIS LITTLE BUDDY 'JUNCO BIRD'

I finished John Steinbeck's book Travels With Charley today.  It was another book that I wish had not ended.  As I said before, I like his writing style, and although there has been criticism by some that say Steinbeck was never at some of the places he says he was and had not met and talked with some of the people he said he did this matters not a twizzle to me.  It is Steinbeck's way of speaking the unbridled thoughts in his head and it is his way of bringing those thoughts out in an intelligent readable way.  Unless written down at the time or recorded, I think it is very few writers if any, who can remember and recite word-for-word conversations that took place two minutes ago or twenty-two years ago.  And so what if his wife came to visit with him at times along his journey and so what if they stayed in nice hotels.  These nit-picking critics are obviously missing the heart of the book.  I understood why Steinbeck thought and spoke negatively about himself at times and that was refreshing for me to read.  His worries, his doubts, his fears, and his failings.  It is these things that made Travels With Charlie credible to me and in my mind, this made John Steinbeck a real person.  He didn't try to hide his shortcomings and I respect that.  And, I do agree with many of his thoughts and opinions.  At the conclusion of the book, I couldn't help but ask myself a question....if John Steinbeck were alive today, how would he write about the state of America now?  It is probably a good thing he didn't hang around long enough to see what is happening to his beloved country.

 A SNOWY COLD JEEP RIDE THIS MORNING

 SHE LOVES HAVING HER WINDOW DOWN

For the moment we are still caught in the cold snowy gray days of Winter.  There are the dog days of summer and here it now is the dog days of winter.  It's at that point where one begins hanging on by their fingernails.  Below is a short video (if it works) of our busy front yard this morning.

This afternoon we watched the movie First Man which follows astronaut Neil Armstrong's life from several months before the Moon Launch to his setting foot on the Moon and shortly after arriving safely back on earth.  The movie starred a convincing Ryan Gosling.  I thought it was a well-done movie on all fronts with attention paid to detail.  There are scenes that will tug at your heartstrings.    

I haven't said too much about our Bayfield Pines Park over the last bunch of months since the ownership changed.  Kelly and I aren't really in the loop of the Park's activities but I do have a few thoughts and opinions.  First and foremost, I think without a doubt there is not a single Park resident who is not pleased with the new owners, Sarah & Adam Verhoog.  Our slippery snowy Park roads are finally being looked after properly as compared to the way it was a year ago at this time.  All the old malfunctioning rag-taggle street lights have been replaced and not one piece of old junk machinery is left laying about anywhere.  The clubhouse has been updated with new flooring and paint and plans are afoot to enlarge it.  The mailroom has been improved and cleaned up and there are no piles of brush and tree limbs left scattered about all over the place anymore.  Adam has worked hard at cleaning up and improving a lot of the senseless destruction of the forest and has greatly improved the road surfaces.  Probably the biggest change in the Park is with the residents themselves.  With the encouragement of Sarah and Adam, residents have been coming together socially in an attempt to help and improve the Park not only physically but mentally as well.  Committees have been formed to plan social events and there are now activities in the clubhouse like bingo, darts, dances, yoga, cards, and afternoon tea get-togethers.  There are probably other positive things happening as well but as I said, Kelly and I are not in the loop.  Owners Sarah and Adam threw a big Christmas party for all the residents as well.  Compared to a year ago at this time our Park has improved a thousand percent.  Sometimes I wished Kelly and I were more into social things and being a part of the community but it just doesn't seem to be where we are at.  We were when we came here over twenty years ago, but that was twenty years ago.  Personally, I think it is great the direction of the Park and its people are headed.  To everyone I say....keep up the good work folks, you are all doing things right:))            

 DARK EYED JUNCO

 MOURNING DOVE

Bass singer Jeff Castellucci does Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold.  I like his videos and how he does all the visual harmonies with himself.

BLUE JAY

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Worried that they hadn't heard anything for days from the widow in the apartment next door, the mother said to her son, "Tony, would you go next door and see how old Mrs. Pierpoint is?"  A few minutes later, Tony returned.  "Well, is she all right?" asked the mother.  "She's fine, but she's rather annoyed with you," remarked Tony.  "At me?" the mother exclaimed. "Whatever for?"  Tony replied, "Mrs. Pierpoint said it's none of your business how old she is."

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Teacher: "I have went. That's wrong isn't it?"  

Little Johnny: "Yes ma'am."  

Teacher: "Why is it wrong?"  

Little Johnny: "Because you ain't went yet."

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A FEW SUNDAY MORNING PHOTOS

 BAYFIELD'S HARBOR STILL RETAINS SOME OF ITS OLD FISHING VILLAGE CHARM

 WIND BLOWING SNOW OFF THE PINE TREES ON OUR STREET

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Little Johnny was in church when the wine and wafers were passed out. His mother leaned over and told him that he was not old enough to partake in Communion.  When the basket was passed around she leaned over once again to tell him to drop his money in, but Little Johnny held his dollar firmly in his hand, stating...  "If I don't eat, I don't pay!"

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FEELING MY AGE

I woke up this morning feeling my age and the day didn't get any better from there.  I'll leave you with a few morning photos and a couple January 2009 memories from our good old RVing days.  We were boondocked in the Tombstone Hills between Sierra Vista and Tombstone, Arizona.

Today We Found The Ghost Town Ruins Of Charleston Arizona

Listening To Roy Rogers And The Sons Of The Pioneers

GROANER'S CORNER:(( I was visiting my daughter last night when I asked if I could borrow a newspaper.  "This is the 21st century," she said. "We don't waste money on newspapers. Here, use my iPad.".  I can tell you this... That fly never knew what hit him!

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Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited - until you try to sit in their church pews.

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

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OH HOW WE OF THE RECREATIONAL ROAD KNOW WELL OF WHAT IT IS HE SPEAKS

 IF IT LOOKS COLD IT IS BECAUSE IT IS COLD

Daytime temps have begun their downward slide and today's high was 25F with a wind chill of 14.  With several prescriptions to renew Pheebs and I headed off to Goderich this morning.  Secondary roads were slippery with ice and hard-packed snow.  With my last few posts top-heavy with photos I was determined to keep my picture-taking down to a dull roar this morning.  And, so I did.  Home again I topped up the bird feeders and dusted off a couple of my snow paths.  The bulk of the afternoon was spent reading.  I'm sure glad I re-discovered my old childhood reading hobby a decade ago because it has led to countless hours of sheer entertainment for me these past years.  I was a real bookworm way back when.  Reading is such a great way to productively while away the hours.

WE HAD TO PLOW A BIT OF SNOW TO REACH PHEEBS PIT STOP AREA THIS MORNING

THE COLD GREEN WATERS OF LAKE HURON

 ONLY ONE BOARD WALKER OUT TO BRAVE THE ICY COLD WINDS

 THESE CANADA GEESE ARE HUNKERED DOWN WITH THEIR BEAKS PUSHING DOWN THROUGH THE SNOW LOOKING FOR GREEN GRASS BELOW

And speaking of reading, I am again reminded of John Steinbeck's book, 'Travels With Charley'-In Search Of America which I am currently reading.  I so much admire Steinbeck's writing style and here in one sentence this afternoon I had myself yet another in a series of rightly understandable chuckles.  In referring to his traveling vehicle which in later years would be referred to as an RV (Recreation Vehicle) he writes in a worrisome manner. "I carried too much of everything---too much food, too many books, tools enough to assemble a submarine".  Oh my, all we RV'ers out here past and present can identify so much with that statement of his.  So true it is.  After blowing a tire due to the weight of his vehicle's load he goes on to write..."It was obvious the other tire might go at any moment, and it was Sunday and it was raining and it was Oregon.  If the other tire blew, there we were, on a wet and lonesome road, having no recourse except to burst into tears and wait for death.  And perhaps some kind birds might cover us with leaves".  Oh how we of the recreational road know well of what it is he speaks.    

 I WAS ABLE TO FIND A FEW SPLASHES OF COLOR ON THIS GRAY DRAB DAY

Ellen's Groove:)) This video really shows Ellen's progression and it is her best so far.  She starts off playing a 'fretless' bass and  I especially love how she powered through a few little flubs along the way.  Her dad Hovak follows with a short explanation of the equipment they are using for this video and then Ellen does her Top Ten Bass Guitar Lines-Part Two.  If you haven't seen any of Ellen's previous videos you really should see this one.  If you have been following her from the beginning like I have, it is truly amazing how far she has progressed.  She is well on her way to becoming one of the best bass guitar players ever.  She has the music and rhythm in her just bursting to get out.  With her bubbly personality and infectious laughs and giggles, I'm sure she will go far in life.  So, if you are not aboard the bandwagon yet, climb aboard this young ten-year-olds rocketship and ride with her to the stars.  Ellen's Top Ten Part Two.

ELLEN AND HER BEST PAL NEO

GROANER'S CORNER:((   The other day, Louise and I got into some petty argument. (I say it was petty. She would have said it was Armageddon.) As is our nature, neither of us would admit the possibility that we might be in error.  To her credit, Louise finally said, 'Look. I'll tell you what. I'll admit I'm wrong if you admit I was right.'  'Fine.' I said.  She took a deep breath, looked me in the eye and said, 'I'm wrong.'  I grinned and replied, 'You're right.'

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My young daughter was wearing a beat-up old watch a friend had given her.  I asked her, "Does it tell the time?"  My daughter looked at me and said, "No, you have to look at it."

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