WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING SNOWED UNDER

A COLD DAY AT THE BEACH IN GRAND BEND ONTARIO

Winds howled in the night & with weather warnings issued for our area I thought for sure we would wake up to a foot of snow but it never happened.  In fact we even saw a few patches of blue sky once the Sun got up.  A quick check of our Exeter real time radar site showed feathering streams of snow coming in off the lake around Goderich were narrow & sporadic so Pheebs & I piled into the Jeep & headed out south of Bayfield instead of north towards Goderich. 

A SNOWY LAKE STREAMER GOING THROUGH OUR IMMEDIATE AREA THIS MORNING

SNOW STOPPED & WITH SUNLIGHT IN THE TOPS OF THE PINES PHEEBE & I HIT THE ROAD

CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I DROVE ON A SNOWY ROAD

Since driving through Bayfield on our way home a week & half ago I had not been back into the wee village itself so Pheebs & I cruised through town to have a look around.  Surprised to see the beach area closed off with heavy fencing & construction equipment.  No idea what's going on there.  The harbor without all it's colorful summer sailboats looked very cold, forlorn, & lonely.  A couple cold water fishing boats tied up & that was it.  Nothing stirring not even a mouse.

TWAS A LONELY LOOKING HARBOR THIS MORNING

NOT MUCH ACTIVITY ON BAYFIELDS MAIN STREET EITHER

WARMER WEATHER WILL SOON BE OPENING ALL THE BUSINESS’S AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SUMMER SEASON

Clouds dominated our morning sky but with occasional sun splashes urging us ever further we made our way along a few gravel roads in the direction of Grand Bend.  We were out of milk & Kelly was needing some sugar so I knew of a Sobeys grocery store there.  Oh & a Tim Hortons coffee shop as well so with a coffee & muffin aboard we headed ourselves on down to Grand Bends beach & small harbor area. 

YOU CAN SEE PHEEBS REFLECTION IN TIM HORTONS DRIVE-THRU WINDOW EAGERLY WAITING FOR IT TO OPEN

WE DID GET OURSELVES MUDDIED UP A BIT ON THE GRAVELY ROADS 

Large waves breaking over the pier being driven ashore by the iciest of westerly winds kept Pheebs & I in the Jeep except for one quick foray to grab a few photos which resulted in me almost freezing my fingers off.  Wow was it cold.  A quick stop at Sobeys netted us a few groceries & we were out of Grand Bend headed east then north again on a series of gravely back roads.  Despite the countryside looking a bit bleak we did manage a few photos & one leg stretch along the way. 

‘AHA’ COULD THIS POSSIBLY BE CANADA’S NEW TOP SECRET GREAT LAKES STEAM SUBMARINE PLOWING THROUGH CHOPPY WATERS JUST OFF GRAND BEND

NAWWW, IT’S JUST GRAND BEND’S PIER BEING ASSAULTED BY HEAVY WAVE ACTION:))

THERE WILL BE NO CUSTOMARY WALK OUT ONTO THE PIER THIS MORNING

 SPOTTED A LONE TURKEY VULTURE IN THE FOREGROUND

FIGURED HE WAS PROBABLY DINING HIMSELF ON A YUMMY DEAD FISH SANDWICH

WITH WAVES COMING EVER CLOSER HE PREPARES FOR TAKE-OFF

UP UP & AWAY

Couldn't help but notice after arriving home later the most snow we saw all morning was right in our very own 5 Seasons Park.  But of course that is normal as it seems with all our pine tree shade snow is always very slow to melt.  Snow flurries lazily drifted down on & off for the rest of the day as wandering narrow bands of snow feathered in off the open waters of Lake Huron on their way inland.   By early afternoon all hopes of further warming & encouraging sun bursts were long gone.  Resigned myself to my recliner & curled up under a warm blanket in front of the TV flicking my way through the channels in hopes of finding some interesting documentaries or biographies.  And I did find a great documentary by Ken Burns about the jazz age in America.

JUST A LONE FISHING BOAT IN GRAND BEND’S HARBOR

GRAND BEND’S BEACH FRONT TINY TOTS PLAYGROUND

THEY SURE DID A NICE JOB ON LANDSCAPING GRAND BEND’S BEACH A FEW YEARS AGO

GRAND BEND’S YACHT CLUB LIVE WEB CAM IS LOCATED IN THE TOP WINDOW OF THAT LIGHTHOUSE IN THE BACKGROUND

IN SOBEYS PARKING LOT THIS SUNDAY MORNING IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE COUGHED UP THEIR SATURDAY NIGHT RASPBERRIES

Don't know if you've noticed or not but I have been doing very well in not complaining about our colder weather since we've returned home outside of calling it grumbly a few days ago.  Yes we are indeed longing for some sunny warm weather but we are also glad we are not trapped inside by 90 degree outside temperatures either.  It will be 87F in Congress in a couple days & we are both quite content to be right here where we are in southern Ontario's much cooler temperatures.   After spending the last 10 years in the warm sunny southwest we still have a lot of cold weather Canadian resolve left in us:)) 

‘OH-OH’ SINCE WRITING MY LAST PARAGRAPH EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON WE HAVE HAD A STEADY SNOWFALL FOR THE PAST 5 HOURS & AT THE TIME OF PUBLISHING THIS TONIGHT IT’S STILL SNOWING…..OH WELL WE HAVE MISSED 10 CANADIAN CHRISTMAS’S OVER THE YEARS SO WE’RE ACTUALLY KIND OF ENJOYING THIS……..OK WELL I AM:)) 

SLEIGH RIDE 

SAND DUNE ON THE BEACH

GROANER'S CORNER:((   one day at the entrance to heaven, St. Peter saw a New York street gang. walk up to the Pearly Gates. This being a first, St. Peter ran to God and said, "God, there are some evil, thieving New Yorkers at the Pearly Gates. What do I do?".  God replied, "Just do what you normally do with that type. Re-direct them down to hell."  St. Peter went back to carry out the order and all of a sudden he comes running back yelling "God, God, they're gone, they're gone!"  "Who, the New Yorkers?". "No, the Pearly Gates."

OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL

Had been hoping for some sunny blue skies to go along with these early morning photos but clouds prevailed…………….

LIGHT PATCHES ON THE MOTORHOME ARE OUR KITCHEN LIGHTS REFLECTING IN OUR LIVING ROOM WINDOW (TOOK THE PHOTO FROM INSIDE)

OUR STREET & OUR HOUSE IS TO THE IMMEDIATE RIGHT

BEHIND OUR NEIGHBORS HOUSE ACROSS THE ROAD

OUR PARK’S POND

 

  

NEIGHBOR MONICA’S SNOWY MAGNOLLIA TREE

PHEEBS LOVED RUNNING AROUND IN THE SNOW

GROANER’S CORNER:(( One afternoon, a man was riding in the back of his limousine when he saw two men eating grass by the road side.   He ordered his driver to stop and he got out to investigate.   "Why are you eating grass?"   he asked one man. "We don't have any money for food.",   The poor man replied. "Oh,   come along with me then." "But sir,   I have a wife with two children!" "Bring them along!   And you,   come with us too!",   he said to the other man. "But sir,   I have a wife with six children!"   the second man answered. "Bring them as well!" They all climbed into the car,   which was no easy task,   even for a car as large as the limo.   Once underway,   one of the poor fellows says   "Sir,   you are too kind.   Thank you for taking all of us with you." The rich man replied   "No,   I appreciate you!   The grass at my home is about three feet tall!"

I’M RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS & CREATIVE WAYS TO EXPRESS REPETITION

HULLETT MARSH THIS MORNING

I'm going to keep this post short again folks because there just isn't a whole lot going on for me to write about again.  I'm afraid my days are falling into a repetitious cycle & I'm running out of ideas & creative ways to express that repetition.

PHEEBS MEETS A NEW PAL TODAY

With cold cloudy skies overhead I had again resigned myself to another ‘inside’ day.  It was 10 a.m. before I climbed out of my recliner & & only did so because I noticed skies had brightened a bit.  A touch of Sun in the tops of our pine trees was enough to get me dressed & out the door.  Had to get some blood work done in Goderich anyway so loaded up Pheebs & we took the long way to Goderich via the Hullett Marsh.  Our brighter skies soon became darker & we ran us into a bit of rain so turned Libby’s nose around & headed for the Maitland Medical Center across from the east side of the Goderich Hospital.  A quick needle poke in the arm & that was that for the blood work so we headed home. 

Pheebs got to play with a new Pal today when a Great Dane by the name of Stella came over from our neighbors house.  Stella’s just visiting the neighbor for today.

WITH A BITING WEST WIND IT WAS AS COLD AS IT LOOKS AND EVEN THE MARSH’S BIRDS SEEMED TO BE GROUNDED

Happy to say our skies surprisingly cleared late this afternoon & we ended the day under sunny but cold skies.  Weather people are predicting rain tomorrow turning to snow for Sunday & possibly Monday.  Snow in early April is actually normal here but of course we were hoping this year might be the exception to the norm……Not so:((

WE ACTUALLY LIVE IN A REAL NICE PARK HERE & HOW NICE TO SEE THE GRASS GREENING UP AGAIN

I GOT THE DISTINCT FEELING THESE TWO ‘WEREN’T TALKING’ TODAY

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Boudreaux and Thibodeaux worked together and both were laid off,  so they went to the unemployment office.   When asked his occupation, Boudreaux answered, "Panty Stitcher.  I sew da elastic onto ladies' cotton panties." The clerk looked up Panty Stitcher.  Finding it classified as unskilled labor,  she gave him $300 a week unemployment pay.   Thibodeaux was asked his occupation.  "Diesel Fitter," he replied.   Since diesel fitter was a skilled job,   the clerk gave Thibodeaux $600 a week.  When Boudreaux found out he was furious.  He stormed back into the office to find out why his friend and coworker was collecting double his pay.  The clerk explained,  "Panty stitchers are unskilled and diesel fitters are skilled labor."  "What SKILL?"   yelled Boudreaux.  "I sew the elastic on da panties,   Thibodeaux puts dem over his head and says:  "Yeah, diesel fitter."

A 5 HOUR COFFEE BLOW-OUT LEFT MY BEST FRIEND JIM & I WITH S.F.A.S. TODAY

With a seemingly endless pouring of rain from a heavy cloud laden sky this morning I had little incentive to climb out of my P.J.'s but somewhere around 10 I somehow managed to do so.  Outside temperatures were mild so figured it would be a good time to work on cleaning up our carport storage area so that's what I did.  Doesn't leave a fella much to write about though. 

In early afternoon I drove myself down to Tim Hortons in Clinton Ontario to meet my long time best friend Jim for coffee.  I think Jim & I over the years probably hold some kind of record for being able to stretch out our coffee conversations for 4 & 5 hours each time.  Today we managed to hold down a booth from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. making it another mighty fine 5 hour coffee blow-out.  Perhaps one of our best I may add.  At the end of 5 hours & suffering from ‘Severe Flat Ass Syndrome’ we both almost had to be helped out of our seats before wobbling our way to the door & dumping ourselves unceremoniously out onto the rainy sidewalk.  Jim & I are definitely easing our way into Codgerism quite well.  We have been the best of friends since 1979 & our conversations have always been long, lengthy, & meaningful.  Part of our talks today reflected back over the years to some of the great times we have had oh those so many years ago…………………..:))

Be sure to check out Gaelyn's latest Geogypsy post to see how she was recently chosen by a young East coast film student to appear in her Living Nomadically & Connecting To Nature documentary.  Bryce Canyon Utah was one of their scenic locations for filming.  

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Our service group was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valued members, Someone Else.  Someone's passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person's share of the work. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone's list, "Let Someone Else do it." Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results; "Someone Else can work with that group."  It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the most liberal givers in our group. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference.  Someone Else was a wonderful person; sometimes appearing superhuman. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do.  Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did?  When you are asked to help this year, remember -- we can't depend on Someone Else anymore.