SPRING OFFICIALLY ARRIVES AT 5:24 MONDAY AFTERNOON:))))))))

 THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE AT TIMES OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE THIS MORNING

With Spring officially arriving Monday afternoon at 5:24 it means that this morning's blustery winter weather here in our area was the last nasty blast of the 2022/23 winter season.  After a stormy morning, our skies did clear by early afternoon and we ended up with blue skies and sunshine.  With better weather days ahead and the official end of winter, maybe I can get these cold weather blahs out of my head and focus on the positive change of a new season's sunny warm days ahead.   

 DEFINITELY NOT A NICE MORNING TO BE OUT AND ABOUT

HITHER COMES A SNOWPLOW AND IT WAS THE ONLY OTHER VEHICLE THAT WE SAW ON OUR JEEP RIDE 

 I GENERALLY MOVE WELL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP OR PULL INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN I SEE A PLOW COMING.........IT'S MY WAY OF HELPING TO LOWER THE SNOWPLOW OPERATOR'S STRESS LEVEL 

 A SPLIT SECOND AFTER THIS SHOT THE DRIVER GAVE ME A BIG WAVE:))

 SNOW BLOWING AND DRIFTING ACROSS THE ROAD AS WE HEAD FOR HOME

Al's Music Box:)) Midnight At The Oasis by Maria Muldaur from the album 'Maria Muldaur'.  1973

 THIS IS THE LAST NASTY FEW HOURS OF THE OFFICIAL 2022/2023 WINTER

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The first woman was elected U.S. president. She called her mom to make sure she was coming to the inauguration. "I don’t know, dear. What would I wear?”"Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll send a designer to help you.”"But you know I need special foods for my diet.”"Mom, I’m going to the president. I can get you the food you need.”"But how will I get there?”"I’ll send a limo, Mom. Just come!”"OK, OK, if it makes you happy.”The great day came, and Mama was seated with the future cabinet members. She nudged the man on her right. “See that girl, the one with her hand on the Bible? Her brother’s a doctor!”

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A LOOK BACK TO THE VALLEY OF FIRE

MALE CARDINAL

With strong winds gusting through our pine trees driving the 23F down to 7F it was not a good morning to even set foot out of the house.  But, out of the house, the foots and paws went.  With the Jeep in four-wheel drive due to icy roads under a skiff of snow we cranked up the heater and headed into Bayfield for a drive-around.  Along Bayfield's beach, the winds were driving the snow sideways while along the roadways it was picking it up and whipping it into swirling snow devils.  Sunday will be another bad weather day and then for the next 14-days straight all daytime temps will be above freezing anywhere from 34F to 43F+.  It's that time of year when we Northerners expectantly hang onto our long-range 14-day weather forecast.  (Amazingly enough, we ended today under partially sunny skies)

 THIS PHOTO SUMS UP OUR MORNING

 WATER RUNOFF FROM AREA FARM FIELDS HAS TURNED THE BAYFIELD RIVER BROWN

 LAKE HURON WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER TODAY

 BLUSTERY BLOWING SNOW ALONG BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET

 A FEW HARDY WALKERS WERE OUT AND ABOUT 

Twelve years ago today we were northeast of Las Vegas Nevada in a valley known for its fire.  We of course were hiking around in the Valley Of Fire State Park for several days.  Here is my post for one of those days..... There Was Fire In The Valley

Al's Music Box:)) Smooth Operator by Sade (Shaw-day) from the album 'Diamond Life'.  1984  Sade is one of my all-time favorite female singers along with kd Lang.

 KELLY BAKED A COUPLE OF YUMMY OATMEAL MOULASSIS LOAVES OF BREAD TODAY

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Are your investments in order? Below are some of the latest rumors from Wall Street.  In the wake of the AOL/Time Warner deal, here are the latest mergers we can expect to see:

Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W.R. Grace Company merge to become Hale Mary Fuller Grace.

Polygram Records, Warner Brothers, and Keebler Crackers merge to become Polly-Warner-Cracker.

3M and Goodyear merge to become MMMGood.

John Deere and Abitibi-Price merge to become Deere Abi.

Zippo Manufacturing, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining merge to become Zip Audi Do Da.

Honeywell, Imasco, and Home Oil merge to become Honey I'm Home.

Denison Mines, Alliance, and Metal Mining merge to become Mine All Mine.

Federal Express and UPS merge to become FED UP.

Xerox and Wurlitzer will merge and begin manufacturing reproductive organs.

Fairchild Electronic3M, J.C. Penney and the Canadian Opera Company will merge and become 3 Penney Opera.

Knott's Berry Farm & National Organization of Women will merge and become Knott NOW!

Honeywell Computers will merge and become Fairwell Honeychild.

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OVERNIGHT RAIN AND WARMER TEMPS PUT A BIG DENT IN OUR SNOW LOAD

NICE TO SEE FARM FIELDS ONCE AGAIN REAPPEARING THROUGH THE MELTING SNOW

On this day in 2009, we took ourselves for a drive up and over the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona.  What a great day that was.  Up And Over The Chiricahua Mountains To Portal Arizona  And, a year later on March 18th while staying at the Lost Dutchman State Park we did one of the greatest scenic drives in Arizona.........The Apache Trail.

 THE APACHE TRAIL

Our overnight rain continued all night right up until eight this morning when it turned into a drizzle before finally petering out a couple hours later.  It was a short Jeep ride for Pheebs and I in the drizzle and we were soon home again.  The milder temperatures and rain have really made a big impact on the snow level.  However, we have two nasty snow days beginning on Saturday.  Feeling a bit better this morning, Kelly subarued herself up to Goderich and back.

 WITH OVERNIGHT RAINS AND MELTING SNOW AREA CREEKS, RIVERS, AND PONDS, ARE GUSHING

 PATCHES OF MIST ALONG THE ROADS THIS MORNING

Al's Music Box:)) All Night Long by Lionel Ritchie from the album 'Can't Slow Down'.  1983

 WATER POOLING IN LOW SPOTS

GROANER'S CORNER:((  By following the simple advice I heard on a Dr. Phil Show, I have finally found inner peace.  Dr. Phil proclaimed the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started.  So I looked around my house to see things I started and hadn't finished; and, before leaving the house this morning I finished off a bottle of Merlot a package of Oreos, a pot of coffee, the rest of the Cheesecake, some Saltines and a box of Godiva Chocolates.  Dr. Phil was right...you have no idea how I feel right now!

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SPRING IS MAYBE ON ITS WAY:))

Thirteen years ago now we were staying a few days at the Lost Dutchman State Park at the base of the Superstition Mountains 40 miles east of Phoenix, Arizona.  Here is one of those days we were there..... Hiking Up Superstition Mountain

 THE FIRST BIRD I SAW ON THE CHANGED FEEDER THIS MORNING OF COURSE WAS A GRACKLE

 I DON'T MIND THE GRACKLES CLEANING UP UNDER THE FEEDERS

A second sunny day with temps reaching 48F..Needless to say, we had some welcome melting going on.  A walk in the Bayfield cemetery this morning and some minor puttering around with my snow shovel this afternoon helping Mother Nature get rid of some snow.  Overnight and Friday's rain will be another big help.

THE ONLY CARDINAL I SAW TODAY WAS THIS FEMALE

I WAS GLAD TO SEE THIS MOURNING DOVE ON THE FEEDER

Since replacing our birdseed station Wednesday with a smaller feeder, our bird traffic in and around our front yard is now much diminished.  I have mixed feelings about that.  I heard a Robin in Bayfield this morning and a couple Robins in our backyard this afternoon that I wasn't able to lay eyes on.   I also saw a Red Wing Blackbird in our front yard and shortly after that, I saw a single Turkey Vulture slowing cruising above our tall pine trees.  And, as impossible as this sounds I'm sure it was tree frogs I could hear near a neighbor's house.  Soooooooooo, with all those signs going on, I'd say Spring is maybe on its way:))  

 OUR RESIDENT HALF DOZEN BLACK SQUIRRELS WERE VERY ACTIVE TODAY

Al's Music Box:)) Moonlight Lady by Julio Iglesias from the album 1100 Bel Air Place.  1984

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man hasn't been feeling well, so he goes to his doctor for a complete checkup. Afterward, the doctor comes out with the results. "I'm afraid I have some very bad news," the doctor says: "You're dying, and you don't have much time left."  "Oh, that's terrible!" says the man: "How long have I got?"  "You have 10," the doctor says sadly.  "What do you mean, 10?" the man asks: "10 what? Months? Weeks? What?!"  "Nine, eight...."

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A man went to the doctor and said: “Doctor, I keep having visions of the future.”
“When did these start?”
“Next Thursday.”
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IT WAS A NICE SUNNY DAY TO DISMANTLE OUR FRONT YARD BIRDFEEDING STATION

Sunshine:)) If I didn't say any more, that one word would be enough.  It's still cold but at least the countryside looked nice when Pheebs and I took a frosty morning's drive around a few snow-covered gravel roads earlier today.

 IT WAS GREAT TO SEE BLUE SKIES TODAY

 CRITTER TRACKS IN THE SNOW

 THERE IS A FARM POND IN THERE JUST WAITING TO GET THAWED OUT

  FOREST SHADOWS

I finished my latest book called The Crossover Experience: Life-After-Death/A New Perspective by DJ Kadagian, Dr. Pim van Lommel, and Gregory Shushan PhD.  This is the fifth book I have read on this subject matter and I would recommend it to anyone curious about this topic and especially if it is their first venture into this field of interest.  There are so many positive things I could say about this book's content but I suggest if anyone is interested in the subject they simply read the book (as well as others) and judge for themselves.  Years ago I had very little interest in this kind of thing but now at 78 years old and rounding turn four into the home stretch, this subject has taken on a lot of meaning for me.  And, it is an absolutely fascinating subject I may add.      

 CABIN IN THE WOODS BESIDE A POND

The only thing of any significance I did today was to take down our bird station.  It's been up for about 4 years but with the Grackles back from the south now and swarming the feeder, I had to make some changes.  I've put up a smaller feeder on the black pole and I know that won't stop the Crackels but it has a smaller feeding surface and will be more discouraging for them in the long run.  I finished screwing on and bolting down that feeder to the pole about 2 p.m. and do you know I did not see one gol darn ding dang bird on that feeder for the rest of the day.  Not even a chickadee.  I think our front-yard bird gang is really cheesed off and I now fear retribution.  I may have to take both cars to the carwash in the morning to get all the birdie goop hosed off:((   

 WE HAD SOME MELTING GOING ON TODAY....MORE TOMORROW

 TODAY'S BLUE SKY CAN BE SEEN IN THESE COLORFUL ICICLES

 I WILL PUT THE BIRD STATION BACK UP NEXT OCTOBER

 KELLY MUST HAVE HAD HER SMARTPHONE CAMERA OUT AGAIN 

 SAY, D'YA SUPPOSE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME DIVINE INTERVENTION HELPING ME OUT HERE??

 WELL, WE'LL SEE HOW LONG THIS LATEST BIRDFEEDER SETUP LASTS OR IF IT WILL EVEN ATTRACT ANY BIRDS

Al's Music Box:)) Tin Man by America from the album 'Holiday'.  1974

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A frog telephones the Psychic Hotline and is told: "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you."  The frog says: "This is great! Will I meet her at a party, or what?"  "No," says the psychic: "Next semester, in her biology class."

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SPRING OFFICIALLY ARRIVES IN LESS THAN A WEEK

 BAYFIELD'S FISHING FLEET

I had to have a few words with myself this morning in order to get my body out of the house.  Looking out the window I could see it was a raw cold and bleakly drab day with the thermometer sitting at 25F.  And, with snow in the air, I could also see it was windy.  Despite wanting to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head I talked myself into taking Pheebs for a Jeep ride into Bayfield and back.  The only good thing about the day was the knowledge that Spring will officially arrive next Monday at 5:24 p.m. If not for that, I think I would have sunk completely out of sight today.......... 

Al's Music Box:)) Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison from the album 'Blowin Your Mind.  1967

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Murphy and his wife went for a stroll in the park. They sit down on a bench to rest for a while. Soon they overhear voices coming from a secluded spot nearby.  Suddenly, Mrs. Murphy realizes that a young man is about to propose. Not wanting to be eavesdropping during such an intimate moment, she gently nudges her husband and whispers, "Whistle, to let that young couple know that someone can hear them."  To which Murphy replies, "Whistle? Why should I whistle? Nobody whistled to warn me?"

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I HEARD HIM SAY, IF YOU FALL APART, CALL ME

 A SNOWY BLEAK DRIVE TO CLINTON ONTARIO AND BACK THIS MORNING

A slightly different start to the day.  Just me in the Jeep heading out on another dull and gray snowy morning.  I had an optometrist appointment for 9:30. at Clinton's Huron Optometric.  All went well and my eyes are still in good shape.  The only thing iffy is slight cataracts that are not yet at the stage for having that problem corrected.  I wish they were at that stage so I could ditch these glasses and see things clearly like I did could decades ago.  The last thing Paul Weaver the optometrist said to me going out the door this morning was, 'your good for another 100,000 miles but if you fall apart, call me'.  I don't have to go back for another whole year.  Home again and in need of some exercise, I slipped outside this afternoon and followed my snow shovel around for half an hour.  More snow coming Tuesday:((   

Al's Music Box:))  I'd Really Love To See You Tonight by England Dan and John Ford Coley from the album, 'Nights Are Forever'.  1976

GROANER'S CORNER:((   Joe had asked Bob to help him out with the deck after work, so Bob just went straight over to Joe's place. When they got to the door, Joe went straight to his wife, gave her a hug and told her how beautiful she was and how much he had missed her at work. When it was time for supper, he complimented his wife on her cooking, kissed her and told her how much he loved her.  Once they were working on the deck, Bob told Joe that he was surprised that he fussed so much over his wife. Joe said that he'd started this about six months ago, it had revived their marriage, and things couldn't be better. Bob thought he'd give it a go. When he got home, he gave his wife a massive hug, kissed her and told her that he loved her. His wife burst into tears.  Bob was confused and asked why she was crying. She said, "This is the worst day of my life. First, little Billy fell off his bike and twisted his ankle. Then, the washing machine broke and flooded the basement. And now, you come home drunk!"

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