ONLY CAUGHT THE BEGINNING OF SUNDAY NIGHT’S MOON ECLIPSE & IT WAS A YEAR AGO TODAY THAT WE LEFT FOR THE SOUTH-WEST

Disappointing Sunday night to see our earlier cloud cover move back into the area just as the Moon's eclipse was beginning.  Pheebs & I were a short distance out of our Park on a country road & did manage to get a few photos before the Moon finally became totally obscured by an eastern moving cloud bank.  I see this morning where other photogs in the area did get a few breaks in the clouds long enough to take a host of great Moon photos.

MANAGED TO GET A FEW SHOTS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE ECLIPSE BEFORE CLOUDS MOVED IN

 

 

CLOUDS SOON OBSCURED THE MOON

That overnight cloud bank brought unexpected rain in about 6:30 this morning & that had me outside in my PJ's closing a couple shed doors & the Motorhomes main door.  A pair of work gloves & a garden clipper had to be scooped up quickly as well.  More rain forecast tonight so I’ll be sure to have everything outside closed up for sure.  Running around in wet PJ’s is not my idea of how I like to begin my day.

A COUPLE EARLY 50’S CARS SEEN IN GODERICH

Still pouring rain as I made my way to Goderich's Maitland Valley Medical Center for a 9 a.m. appointment with my Nurse Practitioner to go over my blood test results & re-new my prescriptions for the coming 6 months.  All tests were fine except one & for the third time in a row my PSA numbers have gone up.  I suspect this final rise in numbers is going to result in my specialist Doctor Bukala ordering more tests.  I have an appointment with him on October 13th.

 

I’M GUESSING THIS LARGE PLANE MAKING A FEW PASSES OVER THE GODERICH HARBOR THIS MORNING IS AN ORION…..NOPE, IT’S A MILITARY C-130 HERCULES

NO GUESSING HERE AS A FLIGHT OF CANADA GEESE COME IN FOR A LANDING ON CALM HARBOR WATERS

Following my medical appointment I took a drive down around the harbor & along the beach.  Sure isn't the same when I don't have my best Pal Pheebs with me.  Didn't bring her along this morning mainly because of the rain & knowing I would simply be heading back to Bayfield shortly after my appointment anyway.  Did see the coast guard vessel Cape Discovery out on the lake heading into harbor.  I was fortunate enough to tour this boat a few years ago & you can read my post about that here at ABOARD A VERY LARGE LIFEBOAT.  And if this Picasa Web Album link works I have photos from onboard the Cape Discovery at CAPE DISCOVERY PHOTO TOUR as well.

CAPE DISCOVERY HEADS INTO HARBOR

 

 

THERE’S THE BOYS DRIVING THE BOAT ON THE LEFT WHILE A COUPLE MEMBERS OF THE CREW HANG OUT ON THE STERN

THE COAST GUARD CUTTER MADE A  U-TURN IN THE HARBOR THEN HEADED BACK OUT ONTO THE LAKE

 

STILL DRIVING THE BOAT & STILL HANGING OUT ON THE STERN

Stopped for a couple more Inukshuk photos while they are still there.  Seems the city is taking a serious look at the liability of the stone & concrete statues.  Apparently back around the beginning of the month an elderly lady posing for a photo beside one of the stone structures touched it causing it to fall.  The lady lost her balance & fell as well fracturing a hip.  The city has received a letter from the ladies family & possibly a lawyer which has now brought up insurance concerns for the town of Goderich.  It’s unfortunate of course but I can easily see the logic in the event the Inukshuks have to be taken down & banned.  A toddler in amongst the precariously balanced creations could be seriously hurt.  Don’t know what the solution is, maybe a wire fence, or better yet maybe a large professional & locally created piece of Inukshuk artwork of some kind.     

It was 1 year ago today we began our what turned out to be a long & difficult trouble plagued trek to Arizona.  Our first day on the road was our best day as we made our way from Bayfield to Tobermory Ontario at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula.  A beautifully fine Autumn day.  Early in the morning of day 2 we boarded the ferry MS CHI CHEEMAUN under gray & gloomy overcast skies for Manitoulin Island & that kind of set the pace for the rest of our journey.  BAYFIELD TO TOBERMORY.....A GREAT FIRST DAY

A FEW SUNNY SUNDAY PICS ALONG GODERICH’S PICTURESQUE BEACH

LOTS OF ROOM TO BRING YOUR RV DOWN TO THE BEACH

“NOW DEAR YOU KNEW WE COULDN’T BRING ALL YOUR TOOLS WHEN WE DECIDED TO GO FULL-TIME”

“PLEASE DON’T CRY HONEY”

THIS WONDERFUL BOARDWALK RUNS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE MILE LONG BEACH CLOSE TO THE WATER’S EDGE

A FELLOW PHOTOG STROLLS THE BEACH

STOPPING FOR A WEE SUNDAY MORNING CHAT ALONG THE WAY

Tina in our Shout Box asks, Al, why don't you market your photographs?  This is a question which has been asked & I have addressed several times before.  I look at my photos realistically & know they are fine for my blog but are not fine enough for me to market them commercially.  There are a lot of truly great professional  photographers out there with a wealth of educated knowledge & experience using top of the line equipment turning out superb photographs who are still finding it difficult to sell their own work.  I'm not under any illusion that my photos are better than what these genuine photographers are turning out because quite simply speaking they are not.  And even if I was on a par with these folks I still would have no interest in trying to market & sell my photos.  I don't need or want that kind of stress & pressure.  Sometimes one of the quickest ways to wreck an enjoyable hobby is to try & make money from it.  Been there done that & have no interest in doing that again.  But Tina, I thank you very much for your compliment:))

PHEEBS & I SLIPPED OVER TO THE LAKE TONIGHT & GRABBED OURSELVES A SUNSET PHOTO

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A gentleman entered a busy florist shop that displayed a large sign that read, "Say It With Flowers."  "Wrap up one rose," he told the florist.  "Only one?" the florist asked.  "Just one," the customer replied. "I'm a man of few words."

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School Answering Machine::

Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your child's school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all options before making a selection:
-To lie about why your child is absent, Press 1.
-To make excuses for why your child did not do his/her work, Press 2.
-To complain about what we do, Press 3.
-To verbally abuse our staff members, Press 4.
-To ask why you did not get needed information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several bulletins mailed to you, Press 5.
-If you want us to raise your child, Press 6.
-If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone, Press 7.
-To request another teacher for the third time this year, Press 8.
-To complain about bus transportation, Press 9.
-To complain about school lunches, Press 0.
-If you realize that this is the real world and your child must be accountable/responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework, and that it is not the teacher's fault for your child's lack of effort, please hang up and have a nice day!!

WE WENT TO VOLKFEST TODAY & KELLY CAME HOME WITH A HULA HOOP

ALL OF TODAY’S PHOTOS WERE TAKEN WITH MY NEW SIGMA LENS

I was anxious to take my new boots for a walk this morning so we not only headed around our pine tree trail we continued on up into an adjoining hardwood bush as well.  Boots are well built, very light weight, & waterproof so passed their trail test with flying colors.  Even had me on a new pair of socks to boot.  (to boot…….get it:))

Nice sunny morning so Pheebs & I headed off to Goderich for a McDonald's Burrito.  Off down around the harbor to the beach & stopped at the dog walking area at the far end.  Had ourselves another half hour walk there.  Winds picked up a bit & I noticed a large cloud cover moving up from the south.  Sun was soon hidden so figured we'd just head for home. 

LOOKING SOUTH ALONG THE LAKE HURON SHORELINE

IF YOU LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT THIS PHOTO YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE A FISHING POST ANGLED OUT OVER THE WATER

SPOTTED THIS ANGLER BY THE LAKE

I THINK THIS FELLOW IS JUST HAVING HIMSELF ONE MIGHTY FINE RELAXING SUNDAY MORNING

 

Seeing how Saturday's weather channel had predicted Sunday night's blood Moon eclipse to be cloud covered Pheebs & slipped out Saturday night & took a couple Moon photos.  With a little help from Picasa we managed to turn a Saturday night blood Moon into a likeness of Sunday night's blood moon we couldn't see.

 

Kelly reminded me Bayfield's very first Volkfest was on today in Clan Gregor Square so we took a drive into town to have us a look see.  Volkswagens played a big part in my life years ago from late 1963 when I bought my first Beetle to the mid 80's when I had my last Volkswagen which happened to be an orange camper van.  Altogether over the years I've had 7 Volkswagens.  Four Beetles, 2 camper vans, & 1 Carman Ghia.  In order to remember all those I had to go to a post I wrote a few years ago entitled, A LIFETIME OF OLD CLUNKERS (and some nice ones too)  I wrote this original post in 2007 & have since updated the vehicle list but cannot find the update.

 

I have driven VW's all across Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia & as far south as Sarasota Florida & for sure have more zany VW stories than I care to talk about however I have written about some of them though & they are scattered throughout my posts over the years here & there.

I HAVE HAD ALL THREE OF THESE TYPES OF VW’S…..CARMAN GHIA, BEETLE, & VW CAMPER

Bayfield's first Volkfest had a great turn-out today & I'm betting it will quickly become a successful annual event just like Corvette & Thunderbird Days which take place in June.  Vendors were also on hand so Kelly headed over to check out their wares while I walked around looking at vehicles that to this day hold many old memories for me.  Oh how I would just love to take an older VW Beetle for a drive again.  Rather than try to fit all my Volkfest photos in here I’ll put together a Live Writer photo album………………..

Bayfield's Volkfest September 27th 2015 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

To view the photos in a slideshow format open the album then double click the first photo.  Screen appears with photo enlarged against a black background.  Move your mouse around a bit & look to the top left corner to where it says ‘Play slide show’.  Click on that & away you go:))

HEY THIS IS VOLKFEST NOT WOODSTOCK

Heading back over towards the vendors area I spotted Kelly in discussion with one of the vendors & I saw what looked like a money transaction.  Sure enough Kelly had bought herself a schnazzy new sporty looking Hula Hoop.  Going to use it for exercising & said I could use it as well to Hula myself around the house. 

KELLY BUYS A HULA HOOP……….GROOVY:))

HEY WHO’S THAT CUTE LITTLE HIPPY GIRL WITH THAT CUTE LITTLE HIPPY VAN

:))

Update on the weather......clouds have cleared & we are under clear skies so Pheebs & I will head out later & see if we can get us a few 'real' blood Moon photos for Monday's post.  And speaking of Monday I have a 9 a.m. appointment with my Nurse Practitioner to go over my blood test results.  I'm not anticipating any snags but with each passing year now we are all well aware of how those bags of snags can trip us up when we least expect it.

THIS VW CAMPER IS VERY MUCH LIKE MY CAMPER i TOOK OUT EAST & BACK IN 86 ONLY MINE WAS ORANGE, A FEW YEARS OLDER & HAD MORE RUST ON IT:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Faced with hard times, the company offered a bonus of one thousand dollars to any employee who could come up with a way of saving money.
The bonus went to a young woman in accounting who suggested limiting future bonuses to ten dollars.

A BONUS SATURDAY FOR AL….NEW BOOTS, NEW SOCKS, NEW CAMERA LENS, & SOME NEW SCENERY

PHOTO TAKEN WITH NEW LENS THIS AFTERNOON

Ever since my Nikkor VR 70-300mm lens began chattering & vibrating a few weeks ago & especially since I found out it could cost me in the neighborhood of $250 to have Nikon look at it & a turn around time of approximately 8 weeks I have had camera lenses on my mind.  Another thing on my mind for a long time has been my having to carry 2 weighty DSLR cameras with attached lenses slung round my shoulders for years if I wanted the 18mm wide angle to 300mm range covered.  The Nikkor VR 70-300 lens although my favorite is a heavy brute but I never minded & just slugged it along with me wherever I went anyway.  I have always liked the steadiness a heavier lens can offer.  Figured it might be a good time to solve the 2 camera dilemma by finding a lens that would cover the full mm range I wanted.  Off to the internet I went & did a bunch of reading on different lenses & manufacturers.  I knew right away Nikons Nikkor lens covering that focal range was going to be way out of my price range & it was.  Back in the old 35mm film days I had a couple Pentax cameras with Tamron lenses & I really liked those.  Hadn’t paid much attention to Sigma lenses over the years because I always thought them not the best but in my research I kept coming across good reviews on the SIGMA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM lens.  Of course wanting a ‘close-up’ lens for years the word Macro caught my attention right away so I read on a little further. (macro meaning very close up)  So to make a long story short Pheebs & I hopped in the Jeep this morning & headed for HENRY'S CAMERA STORE in London Ontario.

COUPLE TRACTORS WORKING UP A DUSTY FIELD JUST WEST OF HENSALL ONTARIO 

It was a nice morning for a drive & I was happy to have somewhere to go.  MARK'S WORK WEARHOUSE (those are my hikers on the right if you go to the site) just happened to have a 50% off sale on HI-Tec Hiker boots for a couple days as well & I knew there was a Marks just a block from Henry’s Camera Store.  Henry’s had the lens I was looking for & it was on sale for a savings of $60.  I liked the feel of the lens right off because it had some weight to it.  Didn’t have to chat it up with the sales clerk because I had already read up on the lens so picked up an additional 62mm protective lens filter & away I went with the next stop being Mark’s Work Warehouse.  Found the high top hiker boots on sale & threw myself a package of socks in on the deal.  Socks were on sale too.  Back out in the parking lot I hauled my new Sigma lens out of the box & strapped it on my Nikon D90.  Cracked off 2 pictures & headed out of town to try the lens from a moving vehicle on some barns.

 

MY 2 VERY FIRST PHOTOS TAKEN WITH NEW LENS…..18mm WIDE ANGLE ON LEFT & 250mm TELEPHOTO ON RIGHT

Heading North-west out of London Pheebs & I even managed to find us some new country roads that I had never been on before.  Another Saturday morning bonus as we plodded along taking pics & stopping for a couple leg stretches.  Just a totally beautiful morning again & the following photos were taken from the driver’s seat while rolling through the countryside.  I especially like the first photo with the farm kids on the front lawn with their dog & Mom coming over in the background.  Thought the Sigma lens did a great job of capturing this 50mph photo fired through my side window going by.  (ISO 800 at F11 at 27mm & 1/500th of a second shutter speed) 

YEP IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

I THINK SOMEBODY MAY BE GETTING SOME TRACTOR DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS HERE

Routed ourselves over towards & through Grand Bend because I knew there was a Subway there & us guys was feeling the need for a 6” Ham sub.  A few more country roads & we were finally back home in Bayfield somewhere around 1 o’clock.  It wasn’t long before Pheebs & I with my D90 camera & new lens were out the door & around the trail taking a few photos here & there along the way to see how the lens performed.  How nice carrying only one camera instead of two & how nice to be carrying a lot less weight.  It’s no wonder I am round shouldered:((  And only one camera strap to deal with now as opposed to two.  Liked the results I got from the lens & could quickly see where I had made a few mistakes here & there with it.  Got to back off a bit on moving subjects like bees etc & not try to photo them too close up in Macro mode.

PHOTO ABOVE & BELOW ARE A TOUCH OUT OF FOCUS BUT WITH A LITTLE PRACTICE MAYBE NEXT TIME I CAN GET IT RIGHT

Overall it is the convenience of this lens I like best.  Maybe not the superb quality of a Nikkor lens equivalent but it’s plenty good enough for what I do which is simply taking photos for my blog.  Not being a professional photographer & not trying to make a living, market, or sell any of my photos I do not have to spend a thousand dollars on a lens.  And would you believe I don’t even have one single photo of my own hanging on a wall anywhere.   Now with the new lens on my D90 I have switched cameras around once more.  My D40 has once again gone into retirement while my D3100 takes it’s place on my tripod for some upcoming night photography if I can just get off my can & get myself out the door at night.  I occasionally see some nice night sky shots on the GODERICH SUNSET & LAKE HURON SKIES sites by local fellow photo enthusiasts so am hoping to have a crack at that.  I gotta just quit talking about it & get out there & do it………….10-4:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A stockbroker received notice from the IRS that he was being audited. He showed up at the appointed time and place with all his financial records, then sat for what seemed like hours as the accountant pored over them.  Finally the IRS agent looked up and commented, "You must have been a tremendous fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle."  "Why would you say that?" replied the broker.  "Because you've made more brilliant deductions on your last three returns than Sherlock Holmes made in his entire career."

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The school of agriculture's dean of admissions was interviewing a prospective student, "Why have you chosen this career?" he asked.  "I dream of making a million dollars in farming, like my father," the student replied.  "Your father made a million dollars in farming?" echoed the dean much impressed.  "No," replied the applicant. "But he always dreamed of it."