IT WAS AN ‘ALL WINDOWS DOWN’ IN THE JEEP KINDA DAY & BUBBLING WATER IN THE HULLETT-MARSH

IT WAS A NICE MORNING FOR A WALK IN THE HULLET-MARSH

After publishing Saturday’s post I took myself for a walk over around our Park’s pond across the road.  A half Moon high overhead hung onto the day’s twilight & all around me the sounds of Spring Peeper frogs.  Air was only moderately cool & with no summer bugs in the air yet it was a pleasant time to be outside.

PHEEBS & I HEAD OFF WALKING ALONG ATOP ONE OF THE BERMS SURROUNDING THE HALF DOZEN LARGE PONDS IN THE HULLETT-MARSH

LOTS OF SWAMPY AREAS

THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF WILDLIFE HERE

Today was a nice morning for a walk in the Marsh so Pheebs & I headed right on over there & had ourselves a real fine leg stretch for an hour.  Lots of birds & bird sounds filled the air but I noticed the green Leopard frogs are not out of their winter hibernation yet.  We did see a Muskrat.

FIGURED THAT WAS A MUSKRAT SWIMING ALONG OUT THERE TO THE RIGHT

HEY DAD CAN I GO PLAY WITH THOSE GOOSEY GUYS UP AHEAD??

I DON’T THINKTHEY ARE INTERESTED IN PLAYING WITH YOU PHEEBS

Despite buying a new 18-250mm Sigma lens last summer I still have a tendency to take along & use my favorite 70-300mm Nikkor lens despite the shaking & rattling problem it has developed.  It's not that the Sigma lens isn't an Okay lens it's just I still much prefer my sharper & all time favorite Nikon lens.  However as of late I've been noticing some my photos with that lens have been getting softer meaning I think the vibrations in the lens are increasingly affecting the auto-focus function.  I took some nice flying duck photos today but when I later brought them up in my photo editing program they were all slightly out of focus.  Normally they would be much sharper.  Been noticing the same thing with some of my barns & farmhouse photos lately as well.   Wishing now I hadn't bought the Sigma lens & instead had bought a refurbished Nikkor 70-300 from ADORAMA where I bought my refurbished Nikon D-90 about 5 years ago.  My aging mind had completely forgot about Adorama when I was in the process of making a lens decision last summer.  Maybe I'll see if I can sell the Sigma lens & put that money towards another Nikkor lens.

THIS IS ONE OF MY ‘OUT OF FOCUS’ DUCK PHOTOS & IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT SOME OF MY OTHER PHOTOS TODAY YOU WILL SEE THE FOCUS IS NOT BANG ON

THIS SERIES OF PHOTOS IS WHAT A CANADA GOOSE SCRAP LOOKS LIKE

CAN YOU SEE MAMA GOOSE ON HER NEST IN THE ABOVE PHOTO

KEEPING A VERY WARY EYE ON US

PAPA GOOSE CRUISES JUST OFF SHORE READY TO QUICKLY DEFEND MAMA & HER EGGS

It was so nice this morning little Spoogers & I after leaving the Marsh cruised around for awhile with all 4 Jeep windows down.  Just so nice to be surrounded by warm air & sunshine again.  The best week-end of the year so far for sure & we did manage to scramble us up a few more farm houses & barns along the way.  Right now & over the next few weeks is actually the best time for taking these types of photos because there are no leaves on the trees blocking the farm buildings.  By the end of summer corn fields will be so high some houses & barns can’t even be seen from the road at all.

MANY OLD CEMETERIES TO BE FOUND ALONG THE COUNTRY ROADS

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHING OUT MY PASSENGER WINDOW SOMETIMES:))

FARMERS WERE ON THE LAND TODAY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

And speaking of taking rural pictures I want to set up a couple new photo albums for my 2016 ‘barns & farmhouses’ project but I’m not understanding how to do that now with my confusement over Google Photos & Picasa Web  albums.  I do understand the new way to go is with the Google Photos format.  Can anyone tell me how to do that in preferably 5 words or less.  I don’t seem to learn so swell anymore:((

Oh and I made an Oooops in Saturday's post.  Kelly's appointment with her London Specialist is at the end of the month & not tomorrow morning. (Monday) 

 

More outside house puttering this afternoon & we're slowly getting things up to speed.   Just need Mother Nature to kick in now & weave all her magical new Spring colors over the land.

WATER FROM THE POND OVERFLOWS INTO A TUBE HERE THEN RUNS THROUGH A PIPE UNDER THE BERM BUBBLING UP ON THE OTHER SIDE

THIS IS HOW THEY IRRIGATE THE MARSH

I BECAME KIND OF FASCINATED WITH THIS BUBBLING WATER

DECIDED TO HOLD MY CAMERA UNDER WATER TO SEE WHAT ALL THAT BUBBLING WATER LOOKED LIKE BELOW THE SURFACE

WOW WAS THIS WATER EVER COLD ON MY HANDS

OK YOU REALLY DIDN’T THINK I HELD MY CAMERA UNDER WATER DID YOU:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Ricky, Jimmy, and Stewart were out riding their bikes one afternoon when a fire engine zoomed past with blaring sirens.  The three kids noticed a Dalmatian on the front seat of the fire engine.  Ricky commented, "They use that dog to keep the crowds back."  "No," said Jimmy, "he's just for good luck."  But Stewart knew better, "No, that's not it," he said. "The dog is there to give them directions to the nearest fire hydrant!"

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Sign behind an Amish carriage:  "Energy efficient vehicle. Runs on grass and oats.  CAUTION: Avoid exhaust!"

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Paddy and his missus are lying in bed listening to the next door neighbor's dog barking. It had been barking for hours and hours.
Suddenly, Paddy jumps out of bed and says, "I've had enough of this," and goes downstairs.  Paddy finally comes back up to bed and his wife says, "The dog is still barking. What have you been doing?"  Paddy says, "I've put their dog in our yard - now we'll see how they like it!"

SO NICE TODAY THE GODERICH LOCALS WERE GETTING THEMSELVES ZANY

Not often I like to use the word 'perfect' but by golly that's just the kind of Spring Tonic Saturday morning we had going for us today.  I'm a thinkin we must have got ourselves up close to the 70F mark.  Pheebs & I had to go to Goderich & I couldn't help but notice all the people out just enjoying the day & getting zany.  Folks were just walking happy.  Saw 2 old fellers near a Nursing Home on skateboards, an elderly lady uptown pulled herself out of her wheelchair & did a couple back flips down the sidewalk.  Saw another old timer doing bicycle wheelies in the Walmart parking lot.  Yep, folks was happy today alright.  And here’s the best part……Sunday is going to be even nicer so people are gonna be a gettin even zannier.  Now how is it possible to improve on ‘perfect’ with all that going on.  Oh Dear there I go using that word again………..
I TOLD YOU GODERICH PEOPLE WERE GETTING ZANY TODAY 

HERE’S A COUPLE GIRLS EITHER LOOKING FOR SEASHELLS BY THE LAKESIDE OR WONDERING WHERE ALL THE INUKSHUKS WENT

LOOKS LIKE THIS LITTLE GAL IS GETTING A LESSON ON LAWN MOWING   (ALL 3 PHOTOS ARE DRIVE-BYS)
After leaving the motorcycle battery on the trickle charger for a few more hours Friday night I tried it again in the bike this morning.  Nothing, stone dead & not even enough juice to spark up the ignition lights.  Grabbed my 'Eliminator' battery booster & hooked the cables onto the bikes dead batter & hit the starter.  Three cranks & 30 seconds later the bike was up & running for another season.  Soon as I disconnected the booster cables the bike stopped running so knew I needed a new battery.
NEW DRIVER’S SIDE SEAT COVER IS STILL KINDA WRINKLY FROM THE PACKAGING >>>>>>>> Friday I had picked up a seat cover on sale at the Canadian Tire store in Goderich for the driver's seat in the Jeep but it was a piece of crap so now needing a new battery for the bike Pheebs & I were on the road back to Canadian Tire about 10 this morning.  The store was busy & there was about 6 of us in line at the automotive counter.  Five of us were there for new batteries.  Two for bikes, 2 for garden tractors & 1 for a wristwatch.  I think the last guy was in the wrong store.  SAW THIS HANGING ON A FARM GATE & LIKED THE COLOR SO MUCH i BACKED UP & GRABBED A PICTURE OF IT From the Canadian Store Pheebs & I took a swing down around the harbor & I was aware of a familiar smell one only gets from being near a large body of water.  I call it a harbor smell & I've always liked it.  It's one of those smells that evokes memories of days at the beach.  Kind of a mixture of fresh lake air with a bit of suntan lotion, fish, fishing boats, lake freighters, sand & waves all thrown in together.  Even with ones eyes closed one would know they are near water.
LOOKS TO ME THE JOHN B AIRD IS OFFLOADING A CARGO INSTEAD OF ONLOADING A CARGO

A short walk for Pheebs & I in the dog walking area & noticed a couple small John Deere tractors cleaning the beach with some kind of special equipment attached to them.  Lake water was clear & I could see stones under water along the water's edge.  Small waves lapping along Lake Huron's shoreline.  With windows down & no heater needed Pheebs & I headed back to Bayfield.  The word 'perfect' kept popping into my head.
No problem getting the new seat cover on Libby's driver's seat & I figure in a couple months we'll have us enough money saved up to get a second seat cover for the passenger's side.  Those darn things sure aren't cheap, well at least not the better made ones that is.  Hooked up the new battery, hit the starter, & the bike was running & raring to go.  Grabbed my leather jacket, helmet, goggles, gloves, snorkel & a pair of flippers & roared out the driveway.  Oh my, here comes that word 'perfect' again as I rode out of our pine forest into brilliant sunshine & warm air.  By the time I hit third gear the grin on my face had spread from ear to ear giving me that big goofy looking Cheshire Cat look.  Last time I had a grin that big was the last time I took the bike out a year ago for it's first run of the season:)) 

READY TO RUMBLE:))
 
HELMET IS FROM A NORTH RANCH CONGRESS ARIZONA YARD SALE A COUPLE WINTER’S AGO….$20 & IT EVEN FITS MY BIG OVERSIZE HEAD TOO:)) After a short but mighty fine ride through Huron counties countryside I was back home with bike parked & my cleaning supplies out.  Shined up all the chrome & waxed up a few metal parts.  And then I noticed the license plate sticker.  It was expired as of last October.  It was only then I remembered I had not re-newed the plate last Fall because I was thinking of selling the bike.  First thing Monday I will be at the license bureau picking up a new tag. 

THOSE 3 LONG SHADOWS ACROSS THE ROAD ARE FROM FAST MOVING WIND TURBINE BLADES….TOOK ME 5 SHOTS TO GET ALL THREE BLADE SHADOWS FROM 2 DIFFERENT TURBINES ON THE ROAD AT THE SAME TIME 
For some unknown reason this mornings activities tuckered me out & I ended up in my recliner for a snooze this afternoon.  But no matter, how nice to have our doors & windows all open again with fresh air blowing though the house & sunshine beaming in through the windows.  Nothing like a prolonged spell of crappy weather to make one really appreciate to the fullest these fine & yes 'perfect' days when they do occasionally come along. 

NOW I KNOW OUR COLORFUL SPRING SONG BIRDS ARE DUE SOON BUT I’M THINKING GODERICH MAY HAVE HAD AN EARLY PINK FLAMINGO LAND ON THE BEACH:))
Thought Technomadia had a good post about a side of RVing not everyone likes to talk about.  The Sucky Sides Of RVing: 10 Things That We Hate About Full-Time RVing I always look for & appreciate honesty in anything I read & especially when fellow RV Bloggers are willing to step up & write about & share the downsides of this RV lifestyle as well as the upsides.  It's not all positive & it's not all negative.  It's just reality whether we like to write about it or not. OK SMARTY PANTS SO WHAT ARE YA GONNA DO WITH IT NOW?? GROANER'S CORNER:((  - I think it’s pretty cool how the Chinese made a language entirely out of tattoos. - The attorney tells the accused, “I have some good news and some bad news.”  “What’s the bad news?” asks the accused.  “The bad news is, your blood is all over the crime scene, and the DNA tests prove you did it.”  “What’s the good news?”  “Your cholesterol is 130.” - A woman noticed her husband standing on the bathroom scale, sucking in his stomach. “Ha­­! That’s not going to help,” she said.“Sure, it does,” he said. “It’s the only way I can see the numbers.”
-  Bifocals are God’s way of saying, “Keep your chin up.”
- So what if I can’t spell Armageddon? It’s not the end of the world.