OK.....SO NOW I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED!!!!

HOW DID MY MISSING HAT GET HERE?????????

Confusion stepped right out of the shadows this afternoon & tapped me a good one on the end of the nose. Coming out of the house this afternoon about 3:30 I glanced up & came face to face with..........my missing blue Las Vegas ball cap!!!! There it was beside our driveway hanging on the branch of a basswood tree. I just stood there for the longest time staring at the hat. My brain was in muddled overdrive. How did my hat end up here?? Did I put it there a few days ago & forgot about it?? Did somebody find it & if so how would they know it was mine or where I lived ?? Was it a blog follower?? I retraced my steps over the last few days & am 90% sure I did not hang it in that tree. I'm sure I was wearing it when I was in Goderich Sunday. Or was I?? I am sooooooooo confused but it's a good confusion because I have one of my favorite hats back again. If it was a good Samaritan that found it maybe they will send me an email & let me off this confusion hook. If I didn't put it there myself, then a great big THANKS to whoever found it:)) The hat is still hanging in the tree because I'm afraid if I touch it.........the darn thing might just disappear on me again!! ONE OF THE WILDLIFE VIEWING STANDS AT THE HULLETT WILDLIFE MARSH

There is a large wildlife area near here just north east of Clinton called the HULLETT MARSH. It consists of forests, large ponds, swamp, & grassy fields. I have been hiking here on & off for the past 20 years. The Marsh is alive with all kinds of wildlife & was originally set aside by the group, Ducks Unlimited years ago. Thought it might be a good place to take the scope & cameras this afternoon. Loaded up Max & Checkers in the van & off we went on the short 25 minute drive to the marsh. The doggy guys were pretty happy guys to have some new territory to explore but before I could even get my gear out of the van they both had me in a big pile of trouble. I had parked near the water's edge & within seconds they were both right into the foul smelling swampy water wallowing like a couple of big furry pigs. I could smell the mud, the slime & the ooze from 30 feet away as they flopped right down in the muck. Before we got out of there later I had mud on my camera, my tri-pod, on me. & in the back of the van. What a mess & what a yukky swamp smell all the way home in the van with two big dripping wet swamper hogs back there. Tried hosing the guys down when we got back but that muck just stuck to their fur like glue. Mom's not too happy with us guys to-night:(( HEY DAD, COME ON IN THE WATER'S FINE!!

My Son Sean was working in the area for a couple days so popped over for supper this afternoon. Got caught up on a bunch of things. The first time I ever saw him was a few days after he was born. The next time I saw him was over 20 years later. (long story) He's a good fella & has done very well for himself. Sean holds down a full time supervisory position with a well known food company plus writes, records, & produces all his own music with his band, THE WEAK NEED. AN ANGRY RED WING BLACK BIRD

Just this past week 2 fellow RV Blog folks have lost their treasured pets. I came across this article on NODIN'S NEST awhile back when they lost their dog, Blue.
DEALING WITH THE LOSS OF A PET BLUE JAY IN A BIRD BATH (720mm telescope photo)

GROANER'S CORNER: The best way to communicate with fish is to drop them a line.

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A WALK-ABOUT IN THE GODERICH HARBOR

HISTORIC OLD LIGHTHOUSE ATOP THE BLUFFS OVERLOOKING THE GODERICH HARBOR

Forgot to include the link for DOUG & JOANNE'S website last night but made the change this morning. They are beginning the first part of their round about journey across country to Florida. TINY TUGBOATS WRESTLE A MIGHTY LAKE FREIGHTER INTO POSITION FOR LOADING

On the off chance somebody might have picked up my blue baseball cap the other day in Goderich & hung it on a post, I headed for the area of the harbor to-day where I figured I'd lost it. Of course there was no sign of my hat but noticed a large lake freighter being maneuvered into place by a couple of tugboats. FILLING THE CARGO HOLDS WITH SALT FROM THE GODERICH SIFTO SALT MINE

GODERICH has a large salt mine with shafts running out for a couple miles under Lake Huron. Large lake freighters come here to fill their holds. The salt is mainly used on icy roads during the winter & these big freighters deliver their cargos of salt to many port cities around the Great Lakes. A LOOK INTO THE BRIDGE OF AN OLD LAKE FREIGHTER

Kelly & I were fortunate enough to get in on one of the very last public GODERICH SALT MINE tours about 10 years ago. I remember big caverns of pure salt but the walls were not white as expected, they were blackened from many years of diesel exhausts belching from large trucks, dozers, & drilling machines. A huge underground crusher breaks the large salt deposits into small managable segments & conveyers them to the surface. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of that December tour years ago.Watched two hard working little tug boats wrestle Cuyhoga, a large lake freighter up to the jetty alongside the salt mine. Within minutes a large onboard rolling crane began lifting off huge hatch covers & a mammoth conveyer system from the salt mine protruded out & began loading tons & tons of salt into the ships cargo holds. PROPELLER BLADES & SHIP'S WHEEL ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MARINE MUSEUM IN THE HARBOR

In the inner harbor was another large freighter tied up alongside tall grain elevators. Could see crew members on the Algoway's deck with welders working on various pieces of equipment. I remembered years ago when I drove for the Stratford Airporter coming here to Goderich with a ten passenger van just a few days before Christmas & picking up half a dozen or so sailors with heavy dufflebags full of gear. Their ship was wintering over in the Goderich harbor & they were all heading for the Toronto airport to fly home for Christmas. I remember picking the fellas up somewhere around the grain elevators. FISHING LESSONS IN THE HARBOR MOUTH

Somebody recently asked where I get all those old groaners at the end of the blog each day or do I make them up myself. I can tell you no, I don't make them up but I do know where to find them. The inquiry did give me an idea though so beginning to-day the groaners at the end of the blogs will be called......Groaners Corner:)) THE GODERICH LIGHTHOUSE

I sometimes think big cushy recliners are designed for the sole pupose of rendering it's occupant totally unconscious in as short a time as possible. Upon returning from Goderich this afternoon I brewed up my 2 o'clock coffee, gently wiffled myself into the recliner, switched on CNN news, & promptly floated off to la la land. By the time I got back my full cup of cold coffee was still in my hand sitting on my lap. The recliner had won another one............................!! CANADIAN COAST GUARD VESSEL DWARFED BY THE MIGHTY LAKE FREIGHTER, CUYAHOGA

I added a new photo album of the pictures I took at the Goderich harbor to-day. You can see them HERE.

GROANER'S CORNER: I couldn't quite remember how to throw a boomerang, but eventually it came back to me.

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

NOT GOOD MEDICAL NEWS FOR A FELLOW RV'ER & BLOGGER

WILDFLOWERS ALONG THE TRAIL

Kelly had a rare day off so she headed for Cambridge this morning to visit her daughter Sabra, a couple grandchildren, & also two sons, Ben & Jason. She has another daughter in Vancouver & one in Spain. All good kids & they are all doing well. MAX WALKING THROUGH A FIELD OF WILD DAISIES & CLOVER

I had a mobility van run this morning but when I arrived at the facility where my passenger was, she had decided she didn't want to go to the Optomitrist to-day so I turned around, took the van back & came back home. I enjoyed the leisurely drive through the countryside though.

Had a few questions about the camera/telescope set up. The camera & scope were not designed to work to-gether but with a T-ring adaptor & 2" extension tube the camera can be fitted to the scope. It's not an ideal combination but it will be fine for me. Camera lenses designed for cameras are the best way to go for sure but the costs can be very prohibitive. Cameras with matching lenses have automatic focus & exposure control making them easier to use. Lenses are lighter than telescopes as well. The telescope/camera combination I have gives me the equivelent of 720mm. I have noticed in my Astronomy magazines that Canon cameras are the camera of choice for astro-photography. Different software, sensors, etc than the Nikons. I like my Nikons but if I was doing it over again I would seriously consider switching over to Canon. They seem to have a wider range of lenses & accessories & Canon lenses are much easier to find than Nikkors

CHECKERS PLAYING HIDE & SEEK IN THE TALL GRASS ALONG THE PATHWAY

While in London yesterday I also decided to finally buy a new tri-pod. My old ailing Slik 88N tri-pod is 31 years old & literaly held to-gether with duct tape & binder twine. I've been nursing it along for years & didn't have the confidence in it to safely support the much heavier telescope now. I have bought 3 of my last 5 camera's plus lenses at Henry's camera shop in London's Masonville Mall. It's a very popular & well known camera chain based out of Toronto. Have been in the London store 3 or 4 times & have never found the staff friendly. Maybe it has something to do with the generation gap. They are mostly all younger kids, aloof, with a know it all attitude, & a touch of arrogance. They may have all the technical smarts & product answers but they have no people skills. None!! Zero!! Zip!! Zilch!! I managed a one hour photo lab & store for a couple years in Stratford Ontario two decades ago so I know about retail staff, customers, store ethics, policies, & how to treat people. I would strongly suggest to Henry's they enroll their retail staff in a basic, "how to treat people with respect course." But, I don't think it's just Henrys because I have noticed it other places as well. I have a feeling it probably has more to do with younger retail people not having patience or respect, & not knowing how to interact with older folks. Afterall, we are at an age now where we probably represent their parents & a lot of them have a chip on their shoulder about that!! Just my opinion............. MY BEAT UP 31 YEAR OLD TRI-POD HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS

Fellow RVers & bloggers DOUG & JOANNE received some bad news regarding Doug's health in the last couple of days & some future travel plans may have to be re-arranged or cancelled. We first met Doug & Joanne when they emailed us while we were boondocked west of Yuma Arizona last December. We met them at McDonald's in a Yuma Wally-World & they later boondocked near us in the California desert. We later met them again while boondocked near Boreggo Springs. It was Doug & Joanne who were directly responsible for Kelly & I getting that great little ranch sitting job near Douglas Arizona earlier this year & we're hoping to meet them again this November at the ranch. JOANNE, DOUG, KELLY, & I AT WALLY WORLD IN YUMA....... DECEMBER OF 08

I have uploaded some of July's photos to our Picasa Web Album site to-day at JULY 09. There are some additional photos from last Sundays stop in the Goderich harbor to see the Point-Counterpoint II boat.

TO-DAY'S HUMOR: What do you call cheese that is not yours? Nacho Cheese.

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

A PRODUCTIVE CAMERA AND TELESCOPE DAY

STOPPED ON MY WAY HOME FROM LONDON FOR A FEW TEST PHOTOS IN A ROADSIDE SWAMP

Monday morning weigh-in....209. Well, at least I'm holding my own & I haven't reverted back to my bad old eating habits:)) NIKON D40 MOUNTED ON THE NIGHTHAWK SCOPE FOR MORE TEST PHOTOS IN THE FRONT YARD

Seems there's a big black crow who seems to take great pleasure in perching outside my window every morning at dawn & crowing me right up out of bed & onto my feet. Oh well, different lows for different crows!! I THINK THIS CAMERA & SCOPE ARE GOING TO WORK WELL TO-GETHER

Since hauling my telescope out & dusting if off a few weeks ago I have been in touch with O'NEIL PHOTO in London in regards to what accessories I needed for the scope to make it adaptable for my Nikon camera as well as some different powered eyepieces for Astronomy purposes. This morning I packed up the camera & scope after breakfast & headed off for O'Neill's Photo in London. Joe O'Neill was expecting me & it didn't take him long to round up the necessary pieces for the scope. He has the same Nikon Camera I have & because this was actually Joe's old scope he was familiar with how everything worked. I had traded in my monstrous Celestron Dobsonian at Joe's 3 summers ago for the Stellarvue Nighthawk I now have.
With some instructions, a few test photos out the window, & a hardy Hi-ho Silver, I was on my way home again secure in the knowledge I now had a dual purpose scope with which I was finally happy. More test pictures from our front porch at home later confirmed my satisfaction. Going to be a learning curve though when it comes to something called "exposure" but that's ok because it's going to push me into the more creative side of photography & make me do more of the thinking rather than just letting the camera do everything for me. I have got a bit lazy over the years with, "automatic this & automatic that!!" The Nikon camera cannot automatically adjust the exposure with this scope set up so that is now up to me to figure out using the manual settings on my camera. So far so good & I'm encouraged by the first test results. UNDERSTANDING EXPOSURE CONTROL

I was reminded of my short term memory while reading WANDERING WILLY'S blog last night. He had lost a lens cap & it took him awhile to figure out where it was. I carry a favorite ball cap in the saddle bag of my motorcycle for whenever I stop somewhere. When I take my helmet off my hair is such a floppy floop I have to put a ball cap on so I don't scare anybody. Yesterday while in Goderich I had the hat on while walking around taking pictures of the Point-Counterpoint II boat docked in the harbor. Upon returning to the bike & set the hat on top of a saddle bag while I put my helmet on, jumped aboard the bike, & roared off for home. Well, me & the bike made the trip OK but my hat obviously decided to stay behind. So, all you nice Goderich folks up there, if you happen to see a powder blue baseball cap with the words, Las Vegas on the front could you please pick the little fellow up, dust him off, keep him safe, & send me an email:)) Our addy is on the website. I thank you, my floppy floop thanks you, & I'm sure my hat will thank you too. Came across a fellow's blog a few days ago that had fallen through the cracks & been lost in our bloggers file for awhile. He had first contacted us while we were in the southwest this past winter. Ivan at the time was traveling alone having recently lost his pet cat & traveling companion, Harley. Noticed he had some nice mountain photos from up around Lake Louise on his site so sent him a note to say hello. He not only found another traveling companion, he found two. Not only is there another cat in Ivan's life, there is a girlfriend too & they are about to depart on a roadtrip to the Yukon. Slip on over & hitch yourself a ride with Ivan & the gang at ROADTRIP 09 as they head to a place Johnny Horton sang about years ago.........North To Alaska:)) EVEN OUR PLANTED PLASTIC FLOWERS IN THE SHADE DON'T LOOK TOO BAD:))

And, did you know RICK has himself some competition in the family. You've heard of dueling banjos but that ain't it. How about.........dueling bloggers!! Yep, Paulette has set herself up her very own quilting site called, SWEET PEA QUILTING AND CREATIONS. Welcome aboard the "Blog Log Express" Paulette. Hang on tight cause it leaves the station most every night..............................:))

TO-DAY'S HUMOR: Went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but couldn't find any.

I'm going to start putting another photo album to-gether to-morrow for the month of July. I have a few more pictures from Sundays American Waterways Wind Orchestra boat in Goderich harbor.

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

HALLELUJAH JAMBALAYA

GODERICH HARBOR.....SALT MINE TOP CENTER & FREIGHTER CSL TADOUSSAC ON THE RIGHT

Well, it just don't figure. Now that I've decided to sell the motorcycle......I just can't stay off it!! Spent another enjoyable 4 hour cruise this morning wandering the back roads of Huron County. Found one secluded road that I had never been on before so that was a bonus. New scenery. This particular narrow gravel road (Balls Line) wound it's way through a swampy forest eventually dead-ending me in a gravel pit. The canopy of trees in places made it so dense it took on the look of a tunnel. Good thing I had on my leather jacket & Helmut because the mosquitoes in there were as big as baseballs. JUST GOTTA LOVE THESE OLD COUNTRY ROADS

Can you imagine the commotion I caused this morning as I rode through the farming community with Hank Williams tune, Jambalaya roaring out of my wind pipes. I was making more noise than the motorcycle & it's a good thing I was moving because by the time the farmers made it to the ends of their laneways with those rotten eggs & tomatoes to throw, I had already breezed on by...........Hallelujah Jambalaya!! TYPICAL RURAL SCENE

I eventually worked my way back to-wards the Bluewater highway near Lake Huron north of Goderich. Stopped at the Goderich airport & had me a look at some airplanes in various stages of being re-painted. Sky Harbor Aircraft is a well known company specializing in aircraft painting. Word has it that some movie stars have flown in here to have their planes done. Think a few years ago actor Kurt Russell flew in to have his plane done here. He is an FAA licensed Private Pilot holding single/multi- engine and instrument ratings.
SKY HARBOR AIRCRAFT PAINT COMPANY AT THE SKY HARBOR AIRPORT NORTH OF GODERICH'

From the airport I headed about a mile & a half into Goderich swinging down to-wards the lake & the north side of the Maitland River. Saw a strange looking craft in the water on the far shore so swung back out of the north harbor, into town, & back down to the lake on the south side of the river where this blocky, square looking vessel was anchored with a bunch of people milling about. Name on the boat or barge or whatever it was said, Point-Counterpoint II. In much larger letters on the side of the craft it said, American Waterways Wind Orchestra & beneath those letters was a complete sound stage. This boat, based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a floating concert hall & art center complete with Galleries & lodgings for some of the master students who perform in ports across North America. They had arrived in the harbor Friday & performed a waterfront concert last night which we sorely missed. We knew the concert was coming but forgot all about it. Too bad because I would really have liked to hear them. Overheard some folks saying the opening number last night was Aaron Copland's, Fanfare For The Common Man.HARK, WHAT STRANGE CRAFT DOTH YONDER LIE!!
THAT IS A COMPLETE SOUNDSTAGE IN THERE & THE SIDE COMES DOWN WHEN THE BOAT IS OUT ON THE LAKE. CAST OFF THE BOW LINE MATEYDWARFED BY THE MIGHTY TADOUSSAC.POINT-COUNTERPOINT II DEPARTING THE HARBOR YOUNG MUSCIANS WAVING GOOD-BYE BOAT, CREW, & MUSCIANS, HEAD OUT INTO THE LAKE MAKING STEAM FOR THEIR NEXT PORT OF CALL & MOONLIGHT CONCERT

It had been awhile since I had laid a good cleaning on the motorcycle so from Goderich I headed back to Bayfield & spent the next few hours washing & waxing the bike. Hmmmmmm, am I sub consciously trying to convince myself to not sell the motorcycle now.........????

TO-DAY'S HUMOR: An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.

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

BAYFIELD LAUNCHES......THE BAYFIELD BREEZE:))

SITTING ON THE PORCH THIS AFTERNOON TYPING AN EMAIL TO MY AUNT JEAN IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA

A darkened thunderstorm with accompanying rain rolled in across the lake about 7 a.m leaving a beautifully fresh & sunny Saturday morning in it's wake. Saturday mornings have always been my favorite time & I suppose that harkens back to the old school days when Saturday mornings were for sleeping in, no school, hanging out with the gang & planning the week-end's adventures. It's a custom that has remained with me all through my working years & I can still feel like an adventuress little boy on sunny Saturday morning even after all these years. AND.....THAT IS A MOTORCYCLE FLOORBOARD

A new on line news source for the village of Bayfield & surrounding area has just been launched calling itself the BAYFIELD BREEZE. The site is designed to be the voice of the village & will rely on submissions & ideas from the local community to make it a success. Nice looking site with an airy feel to it, well laid out & easy to read. AND A LITTLE SMOOCH FOR MY NEW ARIZONA FRIEND

Since posting my "Motorcycle For Sale" ad on the area KiJiJi SITE yesterday I have had 134 people look at the ad but not one response. That tells me my price is too high or buyers figure they can take advantage of sellers because of the present economy. Well, I'm not giving this motorcycle away!!!! So, with that in mind I hopped on the bike & took myself on a big Saturday morning country cruise. With my toes a tappin on the bikes floorboards & my big voice belting out Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man, I motored through the countryside scaring the cows & stampeding the sheep. Aw, ya just gotta love a Saturday morning:)) OH OH, LOOKS LIKE I'VE STARTED SOMETHING HERE.....SORRY GUYS I'M OUT OF SMOOCHES

Read on one of my Astronomy websites this morning a review in Canada's SKY NEWS magazine about a newer technology & reasonably successful MOSQUITO REPELLENT. Just in case anyone was interested:)) LIVE.WORK.DREAM. ON THE LEFT & BAYFIELD BUNCH ON THE RIGHT

Jim, over at LIVE.WORK.DREAM. has some good tips on boondocking for anyone in the lifestyle who might be interested. We met Jim & Rene' this past February while ranch sitting in southeastern Arizona. (it was the same day I smooched a horse) They stopped in at the ranch for an overnighter before heading on over to New Mexico, Texas, & eventually Colorado. Real darn nice folks they was too. (and the horse wasn't so bad either:)) KELLY, MOTORMOUSE, RENE' & JIM

And you can tell I have worked very hard again to come up with another in a series of "stinkers" for To-day's Humor:))

TO-DAY'S HUMOR: A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office, and asked them to disperse.'But why,' they asked, as they moved off.'Because,' he said, 'I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer.'

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INTERNET.....THE GLUE THAT HOLDS US TO-GETHER

FOR SALE:((

After a lengthy decision making process over the past couple of months I have finally decided it is time to sell my motorcycle. I put the ad up onto the internet this morning. I lost the excitement of motorcycling along the way somewhere a few years ago & try as I did I just couldn't get it re-started again. It was hard to justify paying insurance 12 months of the year for something that could only be comfortably used for 3 or 4 months. Interests & priorities change & this marks the end of a motorcycling era for me that brought a lot of enjoyment in the early years I rode. I will miss the bike on those few special warm summer days every year but in the long run I know I will feel better having at last made my decision. And so it is done.

EITHER THIS BIRD WAS EATING STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM OR MULBERRIES OFF A NEARBY MULBERRY TREE

Without the internet we would all have far fewer friends & much smaller address books. Isn't it amazing how many old school chums, business associates, fellow workers, relatives, & neighbors we all have now. Where were all these people before the internet. Personally I think the internet is the greatest invention since pickled chicken feathers. It allows us, in the privacy & comfort of our own homes to go out there on-line and meet people we'll probably never really meet in real time anyway & enables us to keep in touch with those remaining people that we actually have met. It is a comfortable kind of distance friendship for people like me who are not out-going & socially bubbly. I have what might be called, Wizard of Oz syndrome. I can ruffle & bluster & make a big noise on my keyboard but if you pull the curtain away you will find a slightly portly, quiet, shy, unassuming, & somewhat uncomfortable aging cursmudgeon hiding under a shock of graying hair complete with moustache & beard. Aw yes, it is the age of Ozlike Cyber Cursmudgeonism:)) (I know cursmudgeon isn't spelled right but I prefer to have a little s ahead of my mudge) 2002 HONDA SHADOW AERO 1100

It is still early July but to-day I found myself sitting with Atlas & magnifying glass in hand pouring over various routes to the American west. We have a standard route we like that takes us into the southeast corner of New Mexico but if we decide on the Mesa Verde National Park area near Durango Colorado this fall it's going to mean a totally different trek. Two years ago we slipped through Chicago straight across to Denver & then over the mountains to our first destination of Moab, Utah. I imagine we would use the same route as far as Limon & then head southwest down through Colorado Springs. However, I haven't checked our mountain directory guide yet so that may change things. As beautiful & breathtaking as the Rocky mountains are they can be a real SOB to haul a motorhome & car through. RV friends of ours blew a Motorhome engine last year in the mountains on their way south from Alberta. Not a good thing to have happen!! From the 4 corners area we would then make our way south into Arizona running down through Apache Junction to southeastern Arizona for our 3 week November Ranch sitting job again near Douglas. Well, it all sounds good in theory anyway. In the meantime I had better get myself busy collecting pop bottles for some gas money again!!

TO-DAY'S HUMOR: A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm, and says: 'A beer please, and one for the road.'

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