AGAIN I DO NOT HAVE MUCH TO WRITE ABOUT BUT IF YOU…………..

DEER PARK  BEACH AWAITS IT’S THRONGS OF SUMMER GUESTS

After publishing my Wednesday night post on the early side Pheebs & I took ourselves for a ride around Bayfield & stopped at Deer Park Lakefront Resort.  Deer Park is not open for another couple weeks yet & with nobody there I thought it would be a good opportunity to see how Libby would perform on a steep hill with her 4 wheel drive.  Well I needn't have wondered because with basically the same 4 wheel drive package as our Wrangler it went down the narrow pathway grade to the beach below & back up again without a problem.  A couple summers ago I took elderly wedding guests up & down that hill in the Wrangler when Deer Park hosted a couple weddings down on the beach.  While there Wednesday night I took tonight’s photos.

TESTED LIBBY OUT ON THIS HILL

LOOKING NORTH ALONG LAKE HURON’S SHORELINE

THIS RING OF CHAIRS AROUND A FIRE PIT REMINDED ME OF AN RV’ERS HAPPY HOUR

<<< PHEEBS WAS VERY CAREFUL NOT TO GET HER PAWS WET

No doubt one of our finest weather days this year so far & we worked away on some morning yard work again.  Kelly raked out more flowerbeds & I pressure washed some patio stones.  Again I just don't really have anything interesting to write about tonight but if you check out my sidebar you will find many of my fellow RV Blogger's with great photos & finely written posts chronicling their exciting travel adventures as they continue to criss-cross this great continent of ours.

 

PLAYGROUND ON THE BEACH

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The diner was furious when his steak arrived too rare. "Waiter," he barked, "didn't you hear me say 'well done'?  "I can't thank you enough, sir," replied the waiter. "I hardly ever get a compliment."

IT SEEMS EACH YEAR I ENJOY THE PEACE & SOLITUDE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE MORE & MORE

MAYAPPLES ON THE FOREST FLOOR

After taking a utility trailer load of pine needles to the Park’s recycling area Pheebs & I headed on over to the Hullett Marsh just northeast of Clinton.  Nice morning for a walk in the woods & along the marsh ponds.  No pesky bugs yet so we poked along taking our time.  So nice to hear all the birds chattering away in the trees & to breathe in all that fresh country air.  It seems each year I enjoy the peace & solitude of the countryside more & more.  If only we could……………well I guess it’s those ‘if only’s’ that dreams are made of.  Always a goal, always another turn in the road, always something to look for & seek out.  One may never find the challenge & excitement of greener pastures unless one gets off their duff & actively sets off to find them.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( One night a man - who was in no shape to drive - wisely left his car parked and walked home. As he was walking unsteadily along the road, he was stopped by a policeman.  "What are you doing out here at 2 A.M.?" said the officer.  "I'm going to a lecture." the man said.  "And just who is going to give a lecture at this hour?" the cop asked.  "My wife." said the man.

WHAT THE DOCTOR HAD TO SAY

Right off I have a couple corrections to my Monday post.  Not surprisingly I had both my bird guestimates wrong.  Thanks to Gordon W for identifying my guestimated Martin as a Tree Swallow & my Black Headed Gull as a Bonaparte's Gull.  Thanks Gordon:))  

It was right back into warmer clothes again as our morning started off just over the 40F mark here along the cold shoreline of Lake Huron. Temps never rose much higher than that for the whole day.  Because of an early Doctor’s appointment I didn’t do the morning walk & Kelly said it was pretty brisk as her & Pheebs made their way around the trail.

 

A WOODEN WATER SNAIL & A BIG BUG EYED SWAMP CREATURE

 

My appointment with Dr. Bukala went better than expected.  A rectal exam determined my prostrate is normal & he pointed out my PSA numbers over the past few years have had a habit of going up & down.  Said that was normal.  Also said the rise in my PSA numbers this time were within the limits of concern.  Wants to see me again in October & we’ll see how things are then.  He always asks me about Arizona & with a big smile on a usually sullen face he wished me a good summer.  Wonder if he saw me kick up my heels when I exited the building:))

From Clinton’s Hospital it was off to Goderich’s Walmart to pick up a few things & have me a look around at the recent store renovations.  Walmart in Goderich now carries groceries.  Swung by McDonald’s for a coffee to go but not having the Pheebs along to share a carrot muffin with I just went with the coffee & headed on home.

Ever noticed how when looking for a new/newer vehicle or after purchasing a vehicle you begin to see the same types & models of vehicles all over the darn place.  Never paid much attention to Jeep Liberty’s before but then again why would I, after all I was a Wrangler driver right.  Since we’ve had our Liberty I see them wherever I go & some even the same desert sand tan colors as ours.  The more I am driving our 07 Jeep Liberty the more I am getting to like it.  Nimble & even peppier than the Wrangler standard shift.  I’ve had lots of automatic transmission vehicles before & must say it’s nice to be back again to that hand’s off freer driving experience.  No more scrambling for an extra hand while attempting to crack off a couple quick photos between 2nd & third gear somewhere.

Eleven pounds of fear & anxiety just arrived at Sue & Mo’s house.  Her name is Mattie & she has finally found the right loving & caring home to help her overcome those fears & anxieties.  Might want to drop in to The MoHo and Other Traveling Tales site & see how these 3 Gals are making out.  Some nice pictures of Mattie there:))

“IN YOUR FACE GRACKLE, IN YOUR FACE”!!!!

We’re not getting much of a response to our ‘Jeep Wrangler For Sale’ ad so looks like we may have priced it too high.  Of course with our weather being up & down Spring fever has not yet really taken hold in the auto buying market around these parts yet so guess we have to be a wee bit more patient about these things……..& probably lower the price.

GROANER’S CORNER:((     There's a very good reason why the ballet is so popular in Washington, D.C.  None of the politicians there are used to seeing people on their toes.

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The husband was constantly working on the couple’s defective washing machine, and his language was often colorful. One day their daughter returned home from a movie, and the parents asked if she had learned anything from it.  "Only a lot of four-letter words," she told them, "that until now I always thought were parts of the washing machine."

KELLY LED THE WAY IN THE ENERGY DEPARTMENT THIS MORNING

AN OLD BROKEN TREE STUMP & IT’S REFLECTION

It was the first morning since being home I was able to come straight out of the shower into a short sleeve summer shirt.  Up till now it has been a long sleeve flannel shirt over a T-shirt every morning with a winter jacket on top of that at times.

FLOTILLA OF DUCKS

Kelly led the way in the energy department this morning as she grabbed a leaf rake first thing & began raking out all the pine needles & leaves from our front yard flower beds.  Me not being quite so ambitious ate a big bowl of corn flakes & did some puttering around stuff.  I think Kelly was making up for a few days of not feeling so swell.  I did finally fire up the wheel barrow & chip in on the clean-up until morning rains drove us both back into the house about 10:15.

A FINE SPRING DAY IN THE SWAMP SATURDAY MORNING

I AM WONDERING IF THIS FELLOW MIGHT BE CALLED A BLACK HEADED GULL

PLACID POND WATERS

I haven’t been keeping up with books I have been reading for awhile so here’s what I have read over the past little while, Never In Anger by Anthony ‘Bugs’ Bendall, Fighting In Flanders by Alexander Powell, Story Of A Common Soldier Of Army Life In The Civil War: 1861 – 1865 by Leander Stillwell, & my latest read which I am just finishing up called, Triangular UFO's An Estimate Of The Situation by David Marler.   This last book was suggested by someone in our Shout Box awhile back & again deals with a documented reality much of the world still refuses to take seriously.  Triangle UFOs Fly In The Face Of Logic…..Huffington Post.

  

SEEN IN THE HULLETT MARSH SATURDAY I’M THINKING THIS LITTLE FELLOW MIGHT BE A COMMON HOUSE MARTIN…MILKWEED PODS

Nothing much going on for the rest of the day but we did finally end up under clear sunny skies.  Off to see Dr. Bukala in the morning.  He’s the Stratford specialist who did the laser surgery on my large kidney stone a few years back.  Recent blood tests showed my PSA numbers are on the rise so I guess we have to have us a little talk about that.  I’ll be seeing him at the Clinton Hospital. 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Joe from Wisconsin heard a rumor that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all walked on water on their 21st birthdays.  So, on his 21st birthday, Joe and his good friend Brian headed out to the lake. "If they did it, I can too!" he insisted. When Joe and Brian arrived at the lake, they rented a boat and began paddling. When the got to the middle of the lake, Joe stepped off of the side of the boat ... and almost drowned.   Furious and somewhat ashamed, he and Brian headed for home. When Joe arrived back at the family farm, he asked his grandmother for an explanation. "Grandma, why can I not walk on water like my father, and his father, and his father before him?"  The feeble old grandmother took Joe by the hands, looked into his eyes, and explained, "That's because your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all born in January ... you were born in July, dear."

WHAT A CONTAINER HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE & A WALK ON THE GRAND BEND PIER THIS MORNING

RED WING BLACKBIRD

I was brought up in a different era & although many values, ways of doing things, & attitudes have changed considerably over the years I still cling to some of those old values today despite changes I don’t much care for.  Sundays years ago were thought of as a day of rest, a day of quiet, a day visiting with friends & relatives, a day relaxing & a day different from the other 6 days of the week.  The biggy for me always was & still is ‘a day of quiet’.  Nothing to do with religious beliefs & everything to do with just some basic simple common sense & consideration for others.  Some leaves had blown into our carport & I find the best way to get them back out is to use an ear shattering leaf blower.  But it’s Sunday.  Thought I might put a bit of air in our bicycle & utility trailer tires but our air compressor is loud enough to rattle the Martians on the Planet Mars.  Our Pontiac Sunfire needs a good vacuuming but being it’s Sunday I didn’t do any of those noisy things today simply out of respect for our neighbors.  I wouldn’t even think of cutting grass with a power mower on a Sunday nor run any loud power tools.  I know that doesn’t seem to be the norm anymore but quiet Sundays are an old habit & an old habit I intend to keep regardless of what the ‘new norm’ is.  The leaves in the carport will still be there Monday, bicycle & utility trailer tires can wait as can the carrot muffin crumbs in the Sunfire & Jeep Liberty.  So come on folks…..can’t we at least have one quiet day a week free from all the noise for a change.

<<< A PAIR OF GRACKLES ON THIS OLD TREE STUMP IN THE MARSH

Been a little talk in our Shout Box of a ‘container house’ under construction here in Bayfield.  Not being familiar with what a container house was Pheebs & set off with camera in hand just after 8 a.m. to have a looky see for ourselves.  Had a beautiful warm sunny morning going so it was a good excuse for us to head out.  No problem finding the house in question on Bayfield’s Cameron Street.  It definitely is noticeable from the surrounding architecture but then again it’s still in it’s construction stage & like any house in the process of building I think it only fair to wait until the final product is complete.  Right now it kinda looks like 8 big metal shipping containers stacked up.  However I did notice the sides seemed to be a little different or something.  I’ll be sure to grab some ‘completed’ photos when the folks have everything done.  I think this is a clear example of people ‘thinking outside the box………… or should that be boxes.

  

EVEN PHEEBS FOUND THE HOUSE INTERESTING

Pheebs & I continued southward down the Bronson Line along Wind Turbine alley.  Didn’t appear to be any new turbines since the last time we drove down around that way last Fall.  Lots of Farmers taking advantage of the good weather working their land today.  Big fertilizer tanker trucks parked alongside country roads with large Terragators criss crossing the fields with their long arm boom sprayers playing out a fine mist.  A few good old barnyard smells as well as a few fellas haul out smaller manure spreaders & head off through the dusty dirt fields chucking great gargantuan gobs of juicy fresh cow paddies seemingly from one horizon to the other.

LOTS OF SCHNAZZY FARM MACHINERY IN THESE HERE PARTS & I THINK JOHN DEERE EQUIPMENT IS THE BIG FAVORITE

 

I’M THINKING THEY MIGHT CALL THESE FERTILIZER VEHICLES TERRA-GATORS

 

IMAGINE PULLING THAT BIG CONGLOMERATION OF MACHINERY UP & DOWN THE FIELDS

 

SMALL TRACTORS & BIG TRACTORS

MANY FIELDS READY FOR PLANTING

We took a drive through the little lakeside burg of Grand Bend.  Streets are pretty quiet right now but in a couple weeks all hell will break loose & it will be bumper to bumper traffic & party time for the rest of the season as thousands of teenagers descend on the ‘quiet in the winter time’ town.  I was once one of those loud a raucus Grand Bend teen-agers many years ago so I know what the ‘summer hotspot’ is in for.

GRAND BEND’S MAIN STREET HEADING DOWN TO THE BEACH

GRAND BEND’S SANDY BEACH IS JUST THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BEACH COMPLEX

Took a walk out on the pier to have a look at the new light house tower constructed there a couple of months ago.  When I sometimes post weather pictures in the winter of conditions in these parts this is where those photos are taken.  I think I posted a series of photos one day showing the installation of that light house tower over a time period of a few hours.

GRAND BEND’S NORTH PIER WAS A POPULAR FISHING SPOT THIS MORNING

  

THREE TIM HORTONS COFFEE IN THE LEFT PHOTO AS THE FOLKS FISH OFF GRAND BEND’S SOUTH PIER

 

FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER IT HAS BEEN TRADITION WHEN VISITING GRAND BEND TO WALK OUT TO THE END OF THIS PIER & BACK

Grand Bend was as far out as we went today & from there it was a slow relaxing ‘windows down’ drive through the countryside back to Bayfield.  I’m thinking we might have even got up to around 80F this afternoon.  We were home about noon before the heat wave  hit.  With not a lot of ambition (hey it was Sunday) to do anything I puttered around cleaning up the front wheel on my motorcycle.  Anyone having ‘spoked’ wheels knows what kind of PITA labor intensive job that can be if one decides to take the time & do the job right.  I took a little time & got the job sorta half right in shining up the chrome a wee bit better than it was.  Good excuse for a ride again so off I went went around a big country block & a cruise down the bustling main street of picturesque Bayfield on my way back.  Oh how nice to ride without having to have a lot of bulky warm winter clothing on:)) 

KELLY RELAXES ON OUR FRONT PORCH WITH A BOOK THIS AFTERNOON AFTER HANGING UP HER PEACE FLAGS

GROANER’S CORNER:((   On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., we took a side trip to Arlington, Virginia. While there, my wife overheard a patriotic father pointing out a well-known building to his son.  "You see that triangular-shaped octagon over there? That's the Pentagon."