Sunday, July 10, 2016

IF YOU SEE ME OUT WALKING WITH MY LIPS MOVING…………

DSC_0022-001

Knowing my last bunch of posts have contained a lot of rural fields and farm photos the goal for Pheebs and I this morning was to find us some photos not containing fields and farms.   We slipped ourselves on up to Goderich’s north harbor to see if we could change things up a bit.  Nice to see some fresh new colors and shapes for a change.  DSC_0036

BLUE BUILDING IN BACKGROUND IS THE SIFTO SALT MINE AND THIS WATERWAY IS THE MAITLAND RIVER EMPTYING INTO LAKE HOURON

DSC_0001

DSC_0003

GODERICH GRAIN ELEVATORS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR

DSC_0014

DSC_0016

TUGBOATS

DSC_0012DSC_0019-001

Gorgeous morning and how nice to be out and about again under sunny skies.  A few photos around the harbor plus a few more up near the Airport.  Took a few photos of a house and property for sale just north of the airport and that was it for another Sunday morning Jeep ride and we headed home.  I particularly like Sunday morning drives due to less people out and about on the roads.

DSC_0027-001

THINK I’LL TAKE MY AIRPLANE OUT FOR A SPIN

DSC_0028-001

LET’S SEE NOW BETTER MAKE SURE THE PROPELLOR IS ON TIGHT

DSC_0029-001

ALRIGHT I’LL JUST PULL IT OUT IN THE DRIVEWAY HERE

DSC_0030-001

OOOOPH MAYBE I SHOULDN’T HAVE PUT SO MUCH GAS IN IT

At the eastern end of the runway right on the west side of highway 21 is a very popular restaurant called ‘Flippin Eggs’.  It used to be called the ‘Spitfire’ and had a big airplane sign right on the building.  Airplane sign is gone now and the restaurant has been up-graded.  There is a small convenient grass stretch between the restaurant and a nearby runway and Sunday mornings have become popular for folks flying in to meet friends for breakfast.  Counted 5 airplanes parked on the grassy area.  Figured everyone was inside getting themselves a big mess of bacon and eggs.  Lots of cars parked outside so for sure there was a lot of egg flippin going on in there.  Area chickens must be working overtime.DSC_0041DSC_0039

DSC_0031-001

HOPE I BROUGHT THAT EXTRA CAN OF GAS WITH ME

DSC_0032-001

HMMMMM, NOT SEEING IT

DSC_0033-001

AWWWW NUTS!!!!

DSC_0040DSC_0035-001

“NOW WHERE DID I PUT THAT CUBA MAP”

DSC_0039-001

HE THINKS SHE HAS HER INTERCOM HEADPHONES ON BUT I BET SHE’S LISTENING TO STEPPENWOLF’S ‘BORN TO BE WILD’

DSC_0042

THE WHEELS ARE ROLLING

DSC_0043

“HOLD ON MABEL HERE WE GO”  “UM WHAT DID YA SAY MARVIN”??

Pheebs and I were home shortly after 10 & basically stayed in the cool confines of the house for the afternoon only venturing out for about 30 minutes to do a little weeding in the front yard.DSC_0021

I THINK THERE ARE ABOUT 5 TUGBOATS IN THIS HARBOR

DSC_0005 DSC_0022DSC_0009 DSC_0011

THREE LITTLE TUGBOATS ALL IN A ROW

DSC_0013

TUGBOAT WHEELHOUSE

DSC_0014DSC_0010DSC_0019DSC_0015DSC_0017DSC_0020DSC_0024DSC_0025

DSC_0006

DSC_0014-001

NICE MORNING FOR FISHING IN THE HARBOR

DSC_0012-001

DSC_0026-001

HERE’S A YOUNG FISHERMAN GETTING SOME HELP FROM DAD

DSC_0019-001DSC_0026

FISHING BOAT

DSC_0007-001

Sometimes you see people walking along talking to themselves. They're lips are moving but nobody else is around. Well, not exactly nobody but if they are like me they just could be talking to.........something. For example, I am always talking to Pheebs no matter where we are. I talk to her here at home all the time as well as out walking anywhere. Generally I'm telling her what a great girl she is & how much we love her. I don't just think it, I come right out & verbally tell her that many times a day. If I see a butterfly close by I talk to it as well. Birds flying overhead might get a, "Hello Mr. Bird" from me. Horses, cows, chickens, ground hogs, frogs, toads, snakes, mice, squirrels, long lost dinosaurs, fish in a stream & rascally raccoons. Makes no difference I generally have a few pleasant words for all of them. Now, I said I talk to them, I didn't say they necessarily talk to me.....well at least not all the time.  DSC_0033

LOOKS LIKE THIS LARGE FREIGHTER IS PARKED IN THE WEEDS BUT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING

DSC_0030

DSC_0017-001DSC_0015-001DSC_0016-001

THAT’S A LOT OF ROPES TYING THIS BIG FREIGHTER TO THE DOCK

DSC_0029

So, if you see me out walking with my lips moving, not to worry because I'm probably just talking to Pheebs or wishing a passing caterpillar a nice day.  Now, if you think any of that is a bit strange, try this one.......If a fly is pestering me I will try to swat it & yet if I were to see that same fly struggling in a pitcher of water I would stop what I was doing & try to save it by carefully extracting it from it's impending drowning fate, carry it outside, wish it well, & gently toss it into the air.  Same for bees or spiders in the house.  I would never think of killing anything like that, only helping them out best I could.  Ya, ya, I know Al, it's time to back away from the keyboard & get yourself to bed.......Pronto!!SUNDAY JULY 10 2016

HERE IS A GOOGLE EARTH MAP WITH 3 YELLOW PINS SHOWING WHERE TODAY’S PHOTOS WERE TAKEN

DSC_0024-001

GROANER'S CORNER: If you step onto a plane and recognize a friend of yours named Jack don't yell out...... Hi Jack!

---------------------

A Scout Master was teaching his boy scouts about survival in the desert.  "What are the three most important things you should bring with you in case you get lost in the desert?" he asked. Several hands went up, and many important things were suggested such as food, matches, etc.  Then one little boy in the back eagerly raised his hand. "Yes Timmy, what are the three most important things you would bring with you?" asked the Scout Master.  Timmy replied: "A compass, a canteen of water, and a deck of cards."  "Why's that Timmy?"  "Well," answered Timmy, "the compass is to find the right direction, the water is to prevent dehydration..."  "And what about the deck of cards?" asked the Scout Master impatiently.  "Well, Sir, as soon as you start playing Solitaire, someone is bound to come up behind you and say, "Put that red nine on top of that black ten!"

-------------------------

A waiter brings the customer the steak he ordered with his thumb over the meat.  "Are you crazy?" yelled the customer, "with your thumb on my steak?"  "What" answers the waiter, "You want it to fall on the floor again?"

Saturday, July 09, 2016

TEMPERATURES DROPPED OVER 20 DEGREES IN THE NIGHT AND FOR ME THAT SPELLS RELIEF:))))))

DSC_0022

I’m normally not too inspired by cloudy days and this morning was no exception until I was enticed outside by a few brief sunny breaks.  Turns out those were the only sunny breaks we got all day until late evening but it was enough to motivate me and without further ado Pheebs and I were off.  Soon as we cleared the Parks  heavy pine tree canopy I could see inspiring dark moody cloud formations all around.  I like moody skies so we kept right on going.

DSC_0009DSC_0011

With Pheebe’s window down would you believe I had to kick on the Jeeps heater for a little bit of warmth.  So amazing how weather can flip flop so quick sometimes and we must have dropped over 20 degrees in the night ending up in the low 60’s this morning and I don’t think we got much above that for the rest of the day.  But hey I’m sure not complaining:))  Figured the biting Deer flies would not be airborne in the cooler air so we headed over to the Hullett Marsh for a walk.  I figured right.

DSC_0070

This morning’s Marsh was very quiet with only a Great Blue Heron doing a bit of fishing.  We did walk for aways but not overly far due to long wet grass.   Began drizzling a bit so we decided to head home but not before meeting a nice couple from Brussels Ontario who along with some camera gear were also out looking to see what they could see.  When they pulled up in their car close to the Jeep the driver said, “have you seen anything’' which I was quick to answer with an emphatic, “I’m not a hunter”!!  Well that was a silly answer from me because it was camera gear the fella noticed I was carrying and not a gun.  The Hullett Marsh is known for it’s many hunter types and I am always quick to make it clear I am not one of them.  Wasn’t until I approached their car that I saw their camera gear which happened to be a Nikon D500 packing a 300mm lens.  Hey, that’s just about the same set-up I’m carrying too.  Always nice to meet people with like minded photography interests.  Had ourselves a pleasant chat.  Hope you make it out to the great American Southwest this winter folks:))

DSC_0071DSC_0015

THESE PONDS SURE COULD USE A GOOD RAIN

DSC_0016

DSC_0013

A SEA OF GREEN CORN STALKS

DSC_0014

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE FARMER DETOURED HIS CORN PLANTING AROUND THIS OPEN PIECE OF GROUND

DSC_0012

IT’S EASY TO SEE HOW WE NORTHENERS HAVE GROWN UP LOVING THE COLOR GREEN

‘WOW’ we sure do have ourselves a brighter front yard already and I can see where it will be better for bird photos in the future.  I’m hoping we will now be able to grow some grass around our pond and with all the shade out of the way we may be able to finally plant some nice flowers.  Also hope to put some cedar trees in closer to the road and for sure with those few big pine trees gone it will make the Spring clean-up easier.  Also with the added sunlight now it will be a big help to the growth of other plants in our yard that have struggled for years due to lack of sunlight.DSC_0023

DSC_0020

WON’T BE LONG TO HARVEST TIME NOW BY THE LOOKS OF THIS WHEAT

DSC_0024

With healthier temperatures upon us for the moment I grabbed my clippers this afternoon and headed off down our pine tree trail here in the Park.  Pheebs too.  I’ve been keeping this trail clear of encroaching branches and brambles for the best part of 14 years now.  It’s been at least a month if not more since I last walked the trail so I had a lot of trimming to do along the way.  Didn’t even take a camera with me if you can imagine that.  I don’t walk the trail anymore during hot and humid weather simply because of the bugs and unless the weather is refreshingly cool there is always a whole gang of miserable flying creature out there just waiting for an unwary walker to enter the forest.  I’ll be very glad when mid August arrives and we slowly begin to swing into early Autumn with refreshingly cooler days and nights. 

DSC_0025

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man phoned his doctor saying his wife appeared to be having an appendicitis attack.  "That's impossible," the physician replied. "Your wife had an appendectomy last year. Why are you bothering me for something as stupid as that? Have you ever seen anybody with a second appendix?"
"No, to be honest I haven't!" the husband replied. "Have you ever seen anybody with a second wife?"

---------------------------

It seems that Mary Poppins has moved to California. She has started a business telling people's fortunes. But, she doesn't read palms or tea leaves, she smells one's breath.  The sign outside reads: Super California Mystic Expert Halitosis.

-------------------------------

- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
-Tomorrows are always a great opportunity to do something different from today....AL.

"A writer is a writer not because they write well & easily, because they have amazing talent, or because everything they do is golden.  A writer is a writer because, even when there is no hope, even when nothing they do shows any sign of promise, they keep on writing anyway"...... Author Unknown