A CRUISE THROUGH AMISH COUNTRY & WHY NOT TAKE A FEW MINUTES & MAKE YOUR PHOTOS THE BEST THEY CAN BE

Wore out & broke my lawn rake a couple days ago so that was a good enough reason for Pheebs & I to head off up to Goderich & buy us a new one.  A man should never be without his leaf rake for any length of time you know. 

DIDN’T GET TO SEE A FARMHOUSE OR BARN HERE BUT THEIR FRONT ENTRANCE LOOKED PRETTY NICE

With a shiny new red rake aboard we rolled through Tim Hortons on our way north by northeast out of Goderich.  No particular destination again but I had it in mind to find us some old farm houses to photograph.  And find them we did.  Below are just a few of the houses we were able to rustle up.

Our travels this morning took us on some roads I had never been on before so that meant I was seeing some old barns I had never seen before so decided maybe I had better start a new 2016 ‘old barns’ photo album to go along with my 2015 album.  So that’s what I’m going to do.  Farmhouses & more old barns should keep Pheebs & I busy for awhile again this summer.  Below are a sampling of what we saw today.

Been awhile since we had taken a cruise through Mennonite/Amish country so we angled our way over that-a-way to see what we could see.  I always so much enjoy looking at the lovely farms these people have & how well they are kept. 

We were home before 1 o’clock so spent a little time on the yard.  Put the battery in the motorcycle & although I had ignition lights it wouldn’t kick over when I hit the starter.  And I no longer had any ignition lights.  The battery is back on the trickle charger & I’ll have another go at it tomorrow.  Batteries only about 3 years old.

THERE IS NEVER A SHORTAGE OF FINE LOOKING FARM ANIMALS IN AMISH-MENNONITE COUNTRY

It seems are rural farm lands here along the shores of Lake Huron are being overrun with wind turbines & there’s more & more of them going up all the time.  I noticed today it was difficult taking some of the old barn & farmhouse photos without wind turbines in the background.

I DON’T LIKE THOSE WIND TURBINES DAD!!

One of Pheebs favorite stops up in Amish country is Lake Wawanosh & soon as I slowed down to turn onto the road leading to the lake Pheebs recognized it right away & began flying around all over the place inside the Jeep.  It’s amazing how she remembers things even if it’s been 6 months or so since we were last there.

AND WHAT WOULD A DRIVE BE WITHOUT A STOP AT LAKE WAWANOSH

THERE’S A PHEEBERS IN THIS PHOTO

Thought I would include 1 photo from today that is a good example of how many of my photos often come out of my camera when on some of these back country road shoots.  As explained in a previous post I never ever look through my viewfinder or at the back display of my camera when taking photos from the drivers seat while moving.  If I see a potential photo coming up & without taking my eyes off the road I simply extend my right arm & shoot through the passenger window going by a subject.  Same thing through the windshield or out the drivers window.  I never know what I captured until I get home & bring the photo up in my photo editing program.  Most times somewhere within the image I have what I was looking for & then it’s a simple matter to crop, straighten, compose & tweak the final image.  I may have to lighten or darken the photo as well.  Should also mention that I have my camera pre-set to auto-focus on the center of the frame only.  I use an 18-55mm lens & leave it set at 18mm as a rule for many shots.  If I feel I want to zoom in on something I simply guess at that adjustment without looking through the lens.  I usually have the ISO set at 500 to avoid camera shake.  Below is an example of what I am talking about.

YOU CAN SEE I HAVE A TILTED HORIZON, A DOGGY’S HEAD & A WINDOW FRAME IN THIS PHOTO TO START WITH & BELOW IS THE SAME PHOTO AFTER I EDITED IT….WHEN I TOOK THIS PHOTO I WAS NOT LOOKING AT THE HOUSE I WAS LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD OUT THE WINDSHIELD

I ALSO ADDED A TOUCH OF SATURATION TO THIS PHOTO TO BRING OUT THE COLORS A TAD & I DARKENED THE SKY JUST A WEE TOUCH

The above 2 photos are an example of why a photo editing program is essential.  We write our posts to the best of our ability so why not treat our photos with the same care.  Hundreds maybe thousands of people are reading or looking at our blogs so why not make the effort to learn ‘a few basics’ of photo editing & straighten those horizons etc.  You will be much happier with your finished product & so will your readers:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Two brothers were incredibly mean---they lied, cheated, stole,   blackmailed, you name it, they did it.   Well,   anyway, they managed to acquire a lot of money.  Then, one of the brothers died.  The other brother came to the local priest and said, "You know how much you've been wanting to get a new bell tower on the church?  Well,   if, during my brother's funeral, you call him a Saint, I'll write you a check for the tower right here and now."  Well, the priest thought about it and agreed.  However, during the eulogy, the priest was completely honest about the deceased brother, highlighting each of his faults. (it was a very long speech) Of course, the deceased's brother was very angry, as the priest was not following through on their deal.  The priest had to fulfill his promise, and the eulogy ended with "but, compared to his brother, he was a Saint."

TODAY I GOT CAUGHT WITH MY PANTS ON

ALWAYS ONE OF THE EARLIERST SPRING WILDFLOWERS OUT ARE THE COLTFOOTS

My lined winter pants that is.  We started the day around the freezing mark & with old Sol still close down on the horizon I figured I had better dress warm for working around outside.  As the day progressed temperatures came up substantially & I suddenly found myself way to warm & sweating.  Finally realized around 2 that I still had my lined cold weather winter pants on.  A quick change solved the problem.  I think we may have got up somewhere around 50F today.  Bonus:))

Probably had about a dozen little things to do around the property none of which were overwhelming so I started my day early.  Just nice to have something to do & finally some reasonably decent weather to do everything in.  Don’t know if I’ve actually started re-doing our front yard yet but I did make a couple small changes here & there this morning.  Mostly just walking around thinking about it & waiting for some ideas to come rolling in.  I do know that if I’m going to do anything I have to do it soon before I lose interest.  For me I have learned over the years I have to strike while the iron is hot & act upon ideas whenever I think of them rather than putting things off & waiting.  Maybe that’s called being impatient but it works for me:))

NEEDED SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO SEPARATE THE PEA STONES FROM THE GRASSY MOSS SO PUT IN THESE PATIO STONES I HAD LAYING AROUND

NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT I AM DOING HERE BUT AT LEAST I AM DOING SOMETHING

Sure kinda feels good to be sore sometimes & sore it is I have been feeling these past couple days as I scoot around with shovel & rake in hand moving this & lifting that.  Waking up & calling on dormant muscles which have not been used for a long time always results in muscle complaints highlighted by the usual grouching & ouching.  But it’s for a good cause as I work away at my own pace knowing the exercise I’m getting is a good thing & that’s alright by me:))

A FEW FARM  HOUSES FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING’S DRIVE

ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW SOME OLD FARMHOUSES HAVE BEEN RENOVATED

One year ago today my post was entitled: ‘Undecided Apprehension, Bitter Disappointment, And Then......... We definitely ended up on an emotional roller coaster that day.  One year later we are still very happy with the decision we made a year ago & have had no regrets.  And one month ago today I never bothered to write a post at all.  It happens……..

BEEN NOTICING ON OUR AFTERNOON WALKS A LOT OF POPLAR TREES ARE BENT OVER & BROKEN THIS SPRING

THIS POOR SOLITARY CANADA GOOSE LOST IT’S MATE LAST SUMMER & NOW LIVES BY ITSELF ON OUR PARK’S POND….I FEEL SO SAD FOR IT EVERYTIME I WALK BY

EVEN HAD A COUPLE OLD CROWS ON OUR FEEDER STATION THIS AFTERNOON

Judy from Travels With Emma titled her latest post There Comes A Time & with those words writes about her decision to hang up her RV keys after soloing on the road in her large Motorhome for the past 10 years.  In this great blogging family of ours I remember Judy as one of the original bloggers in the first few years I began blogging.  There seems to be so many of that ‘old gang’ who have either hung up the keys, quit blogging, or just plum passed away over the years.  By the way Judy in our RV blogging family is known as ‘The Bird Lady of Blogland’ & her prowess at bird identification is second to none.  Long time readers of Judy’s blog well know how she has earned that title over the years:))

HERE IS A PICTURE KELLY TOOK OF JUDY & I AT BLOGGERFEST IN QUARTZSITE ARIZONA JANUARY 2015 & JUDY’S PERSONALITY IS JUST AS COLORFUL AS HER TOP:))

Hanging up the RV keys is a decision we all must face one day whether we like it or not & everyone arrives at that crossroad in their own due time.  Some people plan for it & some don’t.  Judy has found a nice place in California to settle down with her faithful dog Emma & if you hop over to Judy’s place she will tell you how she arrived at her decision & where she is.  Be sure to read all the comments on her post as well because there is a lot of good advice & suggestions from well wishers there.  We’ll still be looking for you out here in Blogland Judy:))

SEGULLS JUDY, THEY’RE SEAGULLS:))

HEY LOOK AT ME JUDY

Well it sure feels good now that sunny days & warming temperatures are finally upon us.  How nice tonight as I sit at my keyboard in our Sunroom with a westerly setting sun beaming through a large window to my right.  In our front yard out front of me 2 Mourning Doves, a Junco, & red male Cardinal are all on our feeder station loading up a few seeds before bedtime.  Snow is all gone & I can see our small waterfall rippling the surface water in our frog pond.  Across the road a short distance away tall pine trees near the Park’s pond are bathed in a golden twilight.  All is good………………..

EVENING SUNSHINE IN THE PINE TREES OVER BEHIND OUR GOOD FREIND & NEIGHBOR MONICA’S HOUSE

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man visiting a graveyard saw a tombstone that read:   "Here lies John Smith, a lawyer and an honest man." "How about that!" he exclaimed.  "They've got three people buried in one grave."

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES I THOUGHT TO MYSELF:))

'What a difference a day makes' I thought to myself as I tiredly flopped my old bones into my recliner for a rest this afternoon.  Temperatures had climbed themselves above 40F today & with some sunshine to boot my Spirits were perked. 

 

HEY MARIE I GOT YOUR TREE TODAY……..YMCA:))

Pheebs & I did get ourselves out for a couple hours this morning & although not real sunny we did manage to find a few photos along the way.  Spotted a few old farm houses which I will begin an album on shortly.  That is if I can figure out how to do it now that it seems the ‘Oh Mighty Google’ has gone & changed a bunch of things again since I last put a photo album together last summer.  I will probably start a new ‘old barns’ album as well & I did come to the conclusion this morning that there are far more old barns around than old farmhouses. 

We were home before noon & I started right in on some outside Spring things that our winter like weather had kept me from doing.  Cleaned our front yard frog pond & got the pump set up & running.   Nice sound of trickling water again for the summer.  Programmed some front yard light timers so that's all set up again as well.  Swept out the carport & put the Motorhomes living room slide out & did some vacuuming.  A few more things unloaded from the rig today too.  Crawled under our front deck & turned the water on plus hooked up a few garden hoses. 

Kelly busied herself in the kitchen today & for dessert tonight we chowed down of some yummy Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  Now why someone would bake a cake upside down is beyond me but no matter, upside down, downside up, right side down, or right side up it was all about how it tasted in the end.  I think if she had baked it sideways it still would have ended up very much most yummy:)) 

GROANER’S CORNER:((   A man went to the Police Station and requested to speak with the burglar who had broken into his house the night before.  "You'll get your chance in court," said the Desk Sergeant.  "No, no, no!"  said the man.  "I want to know how he got into the house without waking my wife.  I've been trying to do that for years!"

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A young executive was leaving the office late one evening when he found the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.  "Listen," said the CEO, "this is a very sensitive and important document here, and my secretary has gone for the night.  Can you make this thing work for me?"  "Certainly," said the young executive.  He turned the machine on,   inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.  "Excellent, excellent!" said the CEO, as his paper disappeared inside the machine.  "I just need one copy..."