SUNDAY........SEPTEMBER 11TH 2011

OUR TWICE DAILY 6 LEGGED RACE…….AND, PHEEBE’S FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL:))

TONIGHT’S MOON AS SEEN FROM OUR DRIVEWAY THROUGH THE PINE TREES…THERE ARE CRITTERS IN THIS PHOTO TOO….A LITTLE MOUSE LEFT SIDE TOP IS LOOKING DOWN AT A SCHNAUZER DOG WHICH IN TURN HASN’T NOTICED THE RABBIT/SQUIRREL JUST AHEAD AND BELOW HIM…..AND I SEE THE PROFILE OF ANOTHER BOWSER DOG LOOKING IN FROM THE RIGHT SIDE CENTER…..I MAY EVEN SEE THE SIDEWAYS SILHOUETTE OF A STANDING SLIM PIONEER WOMAN BETWEEN THE SQUIRREL AND BOWSER DOG….SHE IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE TIPPED BACK TO THE RIGHT LOOKING LEFT AT THE REAR END OF THE SQUIRREL……..AWW YES, THERE IS DEFINITELY MAGIC IN THE NIGHT SKY ALRIGHT (NIKON D40 AT 300MM HAND HELD)
It was Pheebe's first of 6 dog obedience one hour training classes this morning and she did just fine.  Three other Pals in the class and next week their will be a final total of four.  Nice to have a small class like that.  Lots to learn and we were busy.   Instructor/owner/operator Kelly Proudlove of, ON GOLDEN PAWS does a fine job and certainly knows her dogs.  Having taken Max to dog obedience classes 13 years ago we fully understand the importance of having a dog fully trained.  And, it's just not the dog who needs the training.  It is vital to train the dog's owners as well.   As any instructor might tell you, it's sometimes much easier to train the dog than the owner.  We were very pleased with Pheebe's first class and.....sssshhhh, I think the Pheebs just might be the teacher's pet:))

     
ALL DOGGY PHOTOS….CANON SX210IS

Had a question about the spelling of Pheebe's name.  I felt the spelling of Phoebe applies more to a person so I took out the o and added an e making it Pheebe.  Another question from John in our 'Shout Box' asks, " just wondered if the gas engine motorhome was the choice or just was there from the beginning."  I don't think we ever really considered diesel.  Had we been planning on Full Timing it could have come into play but for the low Snow Bird mileage we put on each year it just seemed to make more sense for us sticking with gas.  Cheaper and easier for service in the short run.  I know the diesel engine is a tougher motor but too bad they have to make so darn much noise.  Not crazy about the smell either.  I know, I know, that really is not important in the grand scheme of things in the motor world but I'm just sayin.........:))

GOLDEN ROD AND  WILD ASTOR....THERE IS A BLACK INSECT FLYING THROUGH THE PHOTO JUST ABOVE THE ASTOR  (NIKON D90)
My online EARTHSKY astronomy site says Monday marks the full Moon nearest to the first day of autumn in the northern hemisphere. This is the famous "Harvest Moon" that once helped farmers bring in their crops and marked fall festivals in many cultures all over the world.  In 2011, this equinox takes place on September 23. The closest full moon to the autumn equinox reaches the crest of its full phase on September 12 at 9:27 Universal Time. That means the moon turns exactly full for us in the continental U.S. in the wee hours before sunrise on Monday, September 12. By U.S. clocks, that’s 5:27 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 4:27 a.m. Central Daylight Time, 3:27 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time or 2:27 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time. 

WILD ASTOR SHADOWS ON A LARGE FOREST FLOOR LEAF (NIKON D90)
After pouring over my maps, doing some research on the internet and taking readers feedback into consideration I think it will be in or around the Cortez area of the Four Corners in Colorado where we will first head after leaving home next month.  We will set up and plan our day trips from there.  Of course a lot of this is going to depend on the weather in that region as well.  Goosenecks State Park in Utah is also on our radar screen and for sure we will be dropping in there.  I have traveled that Moab Utah to Kanata Arizona highway before but it was nearly 20 years ago I have only fleeting memories of what I saw.  I do have slides from that trip but I probably haven't hauled out my slide projector and looked at any of my slides for maybe 10 years or more.  Sure gotta love the convenience, control and quality of this digital age photography:))

PLAYTIME AT OUR HOUSE……LEARNING TO SHARE  (CANON SX210IS)
Judy from TRAVELS WITH EMMA  had an old black and white photo in her Friday post of some sober faced ladies in a group.  You may have noticed that it is rare, if ever, that you saw a smile on somebody's face in those aging photos from yesteryear.  There is a reason for that.  There were no such things as fast shutter speeds in those days.  The photographer, when ready to take the photo, had to remove the lens cap and then quietly count out the time he felt necessary for the correct exposure of whatever he was photographing to reach the film plate in the camera.  Depending on the lighting this could take awhile and if anything moved it would show up in the final print as a blur.  Pretty hard to hold a smile for 10, 20 or 30 seconds.  Or longer.  People were told to sit perfectly still, try not to blink and stare straight at the camera.  In many cases when people were sitting or standing for portraits there was a tall back rest for them to lean against  and sometimes even a narrow hidden iron hoop head rest.  A head tipped slightly into the headrest gives so many of the portraits that noble uplifted chin look.  And that glazed stare look is just what it is…..a glazed stare.  
   
BUMBLE BEE AND A SPIDER  NIKON D90,,,,,,,,,, ALL OF TONIGHT’S PHOTOS WERE TAKEN TODAY
We have two daily 6 legged races at our house now.  First race begins around 5 a.m. in the morning when I get up.  Pheebe sleeps on my bed and at the first signs of my stirrings she is up, tail wagging ready to go.  She remains on the bed though until she determines if I am just heading for the washroom and coming back or that, 'yes this is it, Dad's up and heading for his recliner.'  As soon as she hears my footsteps in the hall go past the washroom.....the  race is on.  She is off that bed like a lighting bolt with paws digging for traction on the slippery linoleum floor.  My feet are spinning as well as I make a bee line through the kitchen heading for my chair.  I can hear fast approaching paws right behind me.  By the time we reach the living room we are just about neck and neck.  With a sharp hairpin curve to the left across a carpeted floor I swear I can hear two big human feet and 4 little paws skidding in unison.  Sometimes I make it to the recliner first and sometimes I do not.  The winner of the race stays in the recliner and the loser has to sit elsewhere.  As often as not I end up sitting on the couch with a grumpy look on my face…….. 

FUNGUS IN THE FOREST
At night, this race is reversed.  Once Pheebe realizes I am heading down the hall and not turning left into the computer room, her four little paws just hit the floor a running.  I put the pedal to the metal as well and crank a hard jarring right turn into my bedroom.  By the time I reach the foot of my bed only 10 feet away the hound of the Baskerville is upon me.  I make a lunge for my side of the bed but already I am feeling 45 pounds of fur hurtling through the air and passing me on the left side.  Last night we actually collided heads as we both made for the pillow, but this time I won by a nose and was not relegated to the other side of the bed up against the wall.  What a truly fun and amazing little Pheebs we have here:))

Our thoughts and feelings are with our American friends and neighbour's on this Memorial September 11th.   I remember that day well………………………

MORNING SHADOW REFLECTIONS  (NIKON D90)
GROANER'S CORNER:((  When Good Dogs Go and Crossbreed
Pointer + Setter =
Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet
Kerry Blue Terrier + Skye Terrier =
Blue Skye, a dog for visionaries
Great Pyrenees + Dachshund =
Pyradachs, a puzzling breed
Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso =
Peekasso, an abstract dog
Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel =
Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle
Newfoundland + Basset Hound =
Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors

Terrier + Bulldog =
Terribull, a dog prone to awful mistakes
Bloodhound + Labrador =
Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly
Malamute + Pointer =
Moot Point, owned by....oh, well, it doesn't matter anyway

Collie + Malamute =
Commute, a dog that travels to work
Deerhound + Terrier =
Derriere, a dog that's true to the end
Bull Terrier + Shitzu =
Bullshitz, a gregarious but unreliable breed
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Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
Until one has loved an Animal, their  soul remains un-awakened.
OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE  http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PICASA PHOTO ALBUMS   http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.

LOTS OF GREAT SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS AND INFO COMING IN FROM READERS:))

I SOMETIMES USE FILE PHOTOS WHEN I HAVEN’T TAKEN ANY PICTURES FOR THE DAY SO OCCASIONALLY YOU MAY SEE SOME OF MY PICS REPEATED BECAUSE I FORGET WHICH ONE’S I HAVE USED BEFORE….TONIGHT’S LEAD PHOTO MAY BE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT…………  (NIKON D50 WITH FILL IN FLASH)

Thursday night I took the Pheebs out for her first night walk under a near full moon.   A wispy bank of clouds skudded across the night sky casting moon shadows on the roadside.  Temperatures were warm and the full Harvest moon will soon be upon us in just a few days.  I kept the Pheebs on a leash until at some point in the near future I will be able to walk her in the darkness without a leash.  Reminded me of years ago at the old Weenie Roast Ranch when Max and I would be out for our nightly walks on the country road.  Whenever we would see a car coming we would both duck off into a cornfield, long grass or behind some shrubs or trees.  One never knew who was in those cars or why they were are out on the country roads late at night.  From experience I knew it was often young guys drinking!!

 

METHINKS THESE ARE WHITE EGRETS IN THE HULLETT MARSH

A beautiful early Autumn day.  There is a stillness now in the quiet morning air with only the sounds of Crickets and a few Robins in the forest.  Yellow Golden Rod is flowering along the trail with wild purple Astors reminding me of my first days of Public School oh so very long ago.  A bit of humidity back into the air but not enough to keep Pheebe and I off the trail for another walk in the afternoon.

I’VE HEARD OF CROWS ON A FENCE, BUT…………….. BUZZARDS ON A BARN!!  (NIKON D40)

It was an exciting time 9 years ago right now.   We were in the long process of moving from the old Weenie Roast Ranch to where we live at the moment here in the 5 Seasons Estates.  I would load up our then Dodge Pick-up truck and utility trailer with household items.  In the morning Kelly and I would head in to St. Mary's Ontario to drive morning school bus.  Soon as we got back around 9 I would jump into our big Dodge and head off for Bayfield with the load.  After unloading things into our Mobile unit I would then be outside with my shovel and rake working away on the landscaping.  At 2 p.m. I was back in the truck for the 40 minute drive back to St. Marys and the afternoon school bus run.  I remember all that so well because the Autumn weather was so beautiful and my excitement was so paramount.  It has gone into my memory banks as two of the greatest months I can remember this past decade. Those busy moving days concluded with us moving in to our present digs on Halloween Night of 2002:))

OUR TRIP’S TAIL GUNNER, AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS MY IDEA OF…………… ‘TWEETING’

For anyone wondering what a Macerator is or what it does for your rig, just slip over to KAREN'S POST for a look and she will give you the poop, or should I say, the scoop on how that all works:))

I HAVE PLANTED LOTS OF SUMAC AROUND OUR PLACE

Searching my photo files for a few pictures tonight I came across some pictures that I had taken a year ago while in the Goderich Harbour.  They show the large salt loading crane at the Sifto Salt mine which was blown over in the tornado several weeks ago resulting in the death of the crane operator.

 

  

BEFORE THE TORNADO

AFTER THE TORNADO

Thanks to readers and folks on the RV NET FORUM who have, and still are sending in their ideas and suggestions to my inquiry's about the 4 Corners area of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.  Lots of good info regarding the route, weather, places to stay and things to see.  General consensus is for us to leave Bayfield earlier if at all possible due to the iffyness of the mid October weather in the Rocky Mountains at that time.  Sounds like the WOLF CREEK PASS will be an interesting if not not exciting ride.  What is life without some good old necessary nervous excitement along the way to keep the aging blood coursing through one’s veins eh:))

  GROANER'S CORNER:)) Seniors Bumper Stickers…….

  

 

 

                         CLICK TO ENLARGE

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PICASA PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.