AT LAST I HAVE MY ‘OLD BARNS’ PHOTO ALBUM ON-LINE

HOSTA

The most exciting thing happening today had Pheebs & I driving into Bayfield this morning for a 6” Tuna sub at Subway.  Drove to Pioneer Park overlooking Lake Huron & proceeded to mess ourselves up again as well as the front seat of the Jeep.  From there it was right straight home to clean up a few Tuna splotches.   Both Kelly & I worked around outside this morning pulling weeds etc.  Ordered 14 rolls of sod for a little backyard project so hope to get at that next week.  The spool section of my Black & Decker weed whacker flew apart so had to order some new parts from B&D in London.  As you can see I am struggling for some blog content tonight.

A FEW FRONT YARD FLOWERS TONIGHT

I did finally manage to pull an up to date barn photo album together on Flickr.  Too bad Flickr doesn’t display album photos on black backgrounds instead of white.  As I add more barns to this album they will appear at the beginning of the album so anyone going back to check for new barn photos will see them at the top & not have to scroll through all the barns again.  The barns in this album are not in any kind of category or particular order.  I took only one photo of each except a few barns I was able to get a couple different angles on.  And a few photos are close-ups of some foundation stone work.  Even a few photos of barns which have already tumbled down.  I recommend just scrolling through the photos because the slide show feature seems to only show the first 100 barns.  Maybe Flickr has a limit to the amount of photos in an album.  I’m still finding my way around the site & once I get to a point where I am comfortable with things I’ll work on future albums & see if I can’t somehow pull together some of my better bird photos, flowers, special events, back road travels, the south-west, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.  So here’s a few old south-western Ontario barns for ya…………..OLD BARNS, A FEW NEWER ONES, & SOME SHEDS ALONG THE WAY

In my rainy day Tuesday post I had a photo showing water in our driveway.  In the background there appeared to be a Dalmatian dog sitting in a dog house.  A reader asked about that.  Well, yes there was a Dalmatian sitting there but he was made of cement.  Years ago living in our old rented farm house near Fullarton Ontario I had occasion to take a few things to the local dump just up the road one fine Saturday morning.  Approaching the dump I saw what appeared to be a white dog sitting near a pile of trash.  I backed in & noticed the dog didn't move.  Also noticed it had some black spots & looked like a Dalmatian.  Hmmmmm something not right here so I approached the dog.  Well it quickly became obvious why this fella wasn't moving.....he was made of solid cement.  Somebody had decided to dispose of the cement statue but had heart enough not to just throw it down into the trash pit.  Whoever dropped this dog off took the time to set him upright on the bank hoping maybe a dog lover would come by, pick him up, & take him home.  Well that is just what happened as I huffed & puffed & lifted the heavy cement dog up into the back of our pick-up truck & yes took it home.  That was the late 90's & the Dalmatian has been with us ever since.  Oh, & the doghouse??  Kelly found it in the local paper for free about 10 years ago.  We just had to go a short distance to Varna Ontario to pick it up.  It's always been a yard decoration & we have never had a dog living in it.  Beloved members of our family always live in the house with us & share all the benefits & comforts we do:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( One Christmas, mom decreed that she was no longer going to remind her children of their thank-you note duties.  As a result their grandmother never received acknowledgments of the generous checks she had given.  The next year things were different, however.  "The children came over in person to thank me," the grandparent told a friend triumphantly.  "How wonderful!" the friend exclaimed. "What do you think caused the change in behavior?"  "Oh, that's easy," the grandmother replied. "This year I didn't sign the checks."

HE’S 80, I’M 70, & NEITHER ONE OF US CAN BELIEVE HOW OLD WE ARE……..HOW CAN IT BE SO & WHERE DID ALL THOSE YEARS GO

It was Thursday morning, it was 10 a.m. & it was also two weeks to the day & time my good friend Richard & I had last been out on a mobile coffee tour.  My turn to drive this morning & at 10 sharp we rolled out the driveway.  Couple Tim Horton's coffees to go in Clinton & I pointed the Jeep's nose northward.  Richard had never been up through Mennonite/Amish country so we were on a tour.  On the way I showed him the hill I had counted 126 wind turbines from a month ago.  We also drove through that $624,000 property I had in Wednesday night's post.  Also stopped by Lake Wawanosh in the heart of Mennonite/Amish country & I was able to get a distant photo of a Father with his two small children fishing.  We keep our coffee runs down to about 2 hours & we were back in our Park about 12:20.  Another good day, another great conversation & another 2 hours well spent.  As hard as it is for me to believe I am 70 already it is even harder to believe Richard is 80 & it's one of those things we do sometimes talk about & wonder out loud….’how can it be so’.

Despite the worst mosquito summer in our Park I can remember I was able to hustle Pheebs & myself around the Pine forest trail.  Even managed to do a little trail maintenance along the way with my trusty clippers.  Obviously my legs are feeling better:))

So what do you suppose could be worse than Bats in the belfry.  Well how about Chipmunks in the ceiling.  And how about being in an RV at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with basically no way to  get the little Critters out of your rig.  And you know they are inside with you because you can hear them & see the little presents they leave on your kitchen table.  Well it's happened to Gaelyn from GEOGYPSY.  She's having quite a time trying figuring out how to persuade the little Darlins to move out & get on down the trail.

Decided to try again another a barn photo album tonight & here are 21 randomly selected barns from my album which at the moment contains 252 barns.  I am still stumbling around in Flickr trying to organize a complete barn photo album but with so many photos & being new to Flickr it’s kind of like I’m bumbling around in the dark.  Must say I have really got myself confused more than usual this time.

A Random Sampling Of A Few Huron County Barns VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I read on GUMO'S post this morning that fellow RVing Blogger WANDRIN LLOYD has died.  I never met Wandrin Lloyd & I don’t think we followed each other’s blog but in our RV Blogging community here I’ve always felt it’s a bit like family when a fellow traveler is gone.  There is always an element of sadness.  Maybe we don’t all see eye to eye at times here in the RV blogging community but I do feel there is a general feeling of well being linking each & every one of us.

 

SAW ME SOME DOGGY SNUGGLES GOING ON TODAY

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A teenage girl had been talking on the phone for about half an hour, and then she hung up.  "Wow!" said her father, "That was short. You usually talk for two hours. What happened?"  "Wrong number..." replied the girl.

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A teen-aged boy with spiked hair, nose ring and baggy clothes was overheard telling a friend, "I don't really like to dress like this, but it keeps my parents from dragging me around everywhere with them."

CLOSE CALL FOR A FLOCK OF WILD YOUNG TURKEYS

After being confined to barracks Tuesday due to inclement weather Pheebs & I were not long in getting ourselves out the door first thing this morning to shake off that one day bout of cabin fever.  This mornings drive was another barn tour & we got ourselves another 35 barns.  I have made a bit of progress with Flickr & I do have a couple hundred barns into an album so shortly I'm hoping to post a link for anyone interested in 'Old Barns, a Few Newer Ones & Some Sheds’.  I know my barn photos will only appeal to a very small number of people but the enjoyment for me has been just getting out & hunting down old barns, photographing them from the road & editing the pictures.  The album, like all my albums will be public & who knows maybe some youngster out there working on a school project & needing a barn photo or two can click on my site & find themselves one.  Kids still work on school projects don’t they??

IT JUST SMELLED SOOOOOO NICE STANDING HERE IN THIS FIELD OF BALED HAY

NOT TOO MANY OF THESE OLD STAVE SILOS LEFT ANYMORE

HEY IS THAT MONTANA’S ‘MIKE CLARK’ IN THAT TRACTOR:))

BOTH THESE FELLAS ARE CUTTING HAY

LOOKS LIKE A JERSEY DAIRY HERD TO ME

Home before noon & out came the garden hose & bucket of sudsy water.  Half an hour later Libby was all shiny again & vacuumed out as well.  Due to a fair amount of rain this year country roads have not been as dusty as usual so that has been nice for our back roads wandering.  However the carrot muffin eating hasn't eased up any so Libby's interior was again needing more attention than the exterior.

PARKED ALONGSIDE A FARMER’S HAY FIELD TODAY

Again, thanks to everyone for your kind words regarding my blog.  The comments, shouts, emails, & Facebook likes are all very much appreciated.  I know I have said it many times before but if it wasn't for you folks reading these blogs many of us out here would not be writing these blogs.  So not just a thank-you from me but from all my fellow Bloggers as well:))
  

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ERECTED A.D. 1872

 

THINK THESE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME MENNONITE/AMISH FELLAS WORKING ON RE-SHINGLING A HOUSE ROOF TODAY
Our morning travels again took us up around the Dungannon area so Pheebs was able to see here Llama & Alpaca Pals again.  Did notice 'For Sale' signs on this large piece of property so anyone interested in owning a beautifully landscaped exotic pet hobby farm here in south-western Ontario's Huron County this is your opportunity.  Deer, Geese, Llamas, Elk, Peacocks, Alpacas, Ducks, & probably another half dozen breeds of Critters I have not seen or am forgetting about.  A totally picturesque sweeping piece of 20 acre property bordering both sides of Hawkins Road.  A unique Alpine Chalet looking log type house with farm buildings, sheds, huts, & much more.  For a virtual tour of this house & property click HERE.  If that doesn’t work click the Real Estate site & click on the house at 36726 HAWKINS ROAD.  All for a mere $684,000.  No, I do not have a best friend in the Real Estate business:)) 

THIS HOBBY FARM IS FOR SALE AT $684,000

  

AND JUST THINK, ALL THESE ANIMALS COULD MAYBE BE YOURS
At one point this morning I saw a wild turkey walk across the road ahead of me from left to right so instinctively began slowing down knowing there were likely more coming behind.  Sure enough as I approached I saw number of youngsters coming up out of the grass beside the road with the intent of following Mom.  Saw a pick-up truck coming fast from the other direction so put on my 4 way flashers in hopes of slowing him down.  No traffic behind me so I had stopped to allow the little Turkey fellers to get across.  Three of them were already on the road & the pick-up driver never slowed one bit as he barrelled right into the young birds.  I saw 4 or 5 of the birds fly up out of the grass in the direction of a cornfield behind them.  They were safe & I don’t know how that truck missed all three of the young turkeys on the road but it did.  At the last split second two of the birds flew up in front of my stopped Jeep as the truck tore by missing them by inches.  The third little feller stayed on the road & the trucks wheels straddled it but he was safe as well.  I won’t even bother to tell you my thoughts about that other driver……………..

SECONDS AFTER I TOOK THIS PHOTO THE PICK-UP TRUCK BARRELLED PAST WITHOUT SLOWING

Bayfield’s WIND & WATER FESTIVAL happens this week-end with a slate of events scheduled.   An illuminated sunset boat parade from Bayfield’s harbor, kite flying on the beach as well as kite painting at KRYART STUDIOS, Paddleboard races & a Skydiving Demonstration at WINDMILL LAKE WAKE & ECO PARK.  That skydiving event will take place on the property adjacent to our Park’s property less than a mile east of us.  I’m hoping to get myself out for a few photos here & there:))

OUR HOUSE IS ABOUT WHERE THE YELLOW ARROW POINTS & THAT IS A BLUE LAKE HURON AT THE TOP WITH THE VILLAGE OF BAYFIELD BEING TOP LEFT BESIDE THE LAKE….LOOK JUST TO RIGHT OF CENTER & YOU CAN SEE THE WINDMILL THIS ECO PARK IS NAMED AFTER

For some strange reason Live Writer’s Album feature does not seem to like old barns.  I tried to upload an album of 20 barn photos tonight & had an error message come up.  The only other time that has happened was a few days ago when I again loaded up some old barn photos.  My other albums have worked fine.  Something about those old barns Live Writer doesn’t like I guess.  Maybe it’s the smell of pig manure or something that messes up the software…………

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Little Sammy's kindergarten class was on a field trip to their local police station. There they saw pictures tacked to a big bulletin board. The label clearly read, "The 10 Most Wanted."  One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person.  "Yes," said the policeman, "the detectives want him very badly."  So Little Sammy asked, while tugging on the man's belt, "Um, mister, why didn't you keep them when you took their pictures?"

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- 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.

 

CAUGHT IN THE RAIN

Knew we had a 90% chance of rain today but looking at our computer radar map didn't figure it would get here until maybe noon.  I was soon to find out that rain was moving in faster than I thought.  I was a couple miles southeast of Bayfield heading west when I felt the first few raindrops on my face.  No, I didn't have the Jeep's window down…………I was on my Motorcycle!!  Should have checked that radar map one last time before deciding to take the bike for a spin.  Fortunately I was only about 3 miles from home & the rain was slow & steady.  Not a downpour.  Last time I remembered ever getting caught in rain while on a motorcycle was back in the mid 90's once & that time I was so drenched I could have drowned going down the highway sitting up.  Today not so bad & aside from being a bit damp & having to wipe my glasses off when I got home I considered myself pretty lucky.  The heavy rains came later.

JUST A FEW RAINY DAY PHOTOS TODAY

Live Writer's album feature is OK up to a point but it doesn't really have the control features I would like.  I find the slide show option too herky jerky as it rapidly & abruptly changes from one photo to the next.  I also have no control as to the placement of photos in the album & the first time I get to see how the album has come together is after I publish the blog.  By then it's too late for me to make any changes & if I do want to make any changes I have to remove the album from my post & start all over again.  Now maybe I'm missing an editing feature or something somewhere so if anyone knows I'd appreciate them letting me know. 

Decided today I would try my luck at setting up a new Flickr photo program account.  I'm still trying to find a better way of putting some photo albums together & I just haven't been able to wrap my head around this whole Google way of doing things.  I need to have control over how photos are placed in the album etc.  Flicker gives me 1000 GB's of free space & it did upload somewhere over 15,700 photos but I do know I have way more than that.....somewhere.  Figuring out how to use this Flickr program is not coming easy for me & had it not been for Kelly to the rescue I think our desktop computer would have ended up out on the front lawn half a dozen times this afternoon.  Of course it's not the program that is the problem it’s my own mind's total lack of patience that gives me the grief.   I don't know how or when it happened but I sure have turned into an 'Oscar Leroy' type character.  Oscar’s the cranky old guy with the green baseball cap in my favorite half hour television situation comedy of all times…………………..'CORNER GAS'.

 

RAIN ALWAYS MAKES THINGS SO LUSH LOOKING HERE IN OUR BACKYARD

Finished my Bill Bryson book 'A WALK IN THE WOODS' a few days ago.  It was OK & Bryson's writing wit had me chuckling earlier on in the book when he & another fellow started out hiking along the southern end of the Appalachian Trail.  On my Kindle I am now reading 'THE MURROW BOYS'.  This book is about a small group of CBS broadcast journalists who while in Europe worked at the network with Edward R. Murrow through the years before and during World War II.

MINIATURE LAKE IN OUR DRIVEWAY

Bayfield's Heritage Main Street -- Part 2 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

When you click on the photo album a page of photos will appear.  Click on the top left photo making it larger.  Now you can choose to see the photos in a slide show format by clicking 'Play Slide Show' at the top or view them one at a time by clicking the arrow at the bottom.

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With heavy rains at times this afternoon we remained pretty much housebound.  A good opportunity to catch up on a bit of reading, some frustrating computer stuff, a couple TV documentaries, & a few zzzzzzz's in my recliner.  Looking forward to sunshine & cooler temperatures Wednesday.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( I was teaching my First Grade class to tell time using a conventional-style analog clock.  "We'll be learning about the hour hand and the minute hand," I explained.  One of the students interrupted and said, "I don't need to learn on that kind of clock. My dad bought me this digital watch, and right now it's ten minutes to 38."

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My mom got mad at my dad the other day so she went shopping to relieve her irritation. When she returned home she informed him that she had purchased ten new dresses.  "Ten!" he hollered, "What could any woman want with ten new dresses???"  My mom calmly replied, "Ten new pairs of shoes."