HI-HO HI-HO IT WAS OFF TO 'CAMP-OUT RV' WE AGAIN WENT

Another cloudy morning walk after overnight rains.  From there we were off on Road Trip #2 heading to Camp Out RV east of Sebringville to hopefully exchange the wrong sized anode rod for the right sized one.  With a coffee to go at Clintons Tim Hortons I decided to skip the scenic drive and head straight-away east on highway 8 to our destination.  We were soon into rain as our travels took us through the little burgs of Seaforth, Dublin, Mitchell, and Sebringville before making a right-hand turn into Camp Out.  They had the correct anode rod for our Atwood water heater.  Well, at least I hoped it was the right size this time.  Minutes later we were back on the road and this time we took the scenic route south of highway 8 back to Bayfield.  Managed a few more pics from the driver's seat along the way.

 A FEW DRIVE-BY COUNTRY PHOTOS ON OUR WAY HOME THIS MORNING

 THAT'S A CURIOUS-LOOKING ROOF STRUCTURE ON THIS NEW FARM BUILDING

 FIELDS OF NEWLY PLANTED WINTER WHEAT

 WHEN I DROVE A MOBILITY VAN A FEW YEARS AGO I TRANSPORTED AN ELDERLY LADY IN A WHEELCHAIR FROM THIS HOUSE TO HER DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS IN HENSALL HALF A DOZEN TIMES...THE HOUSE WAS AS OLD INSIDE AS IT LOOKS OUTSIDE

Home again about 11:30 I was anxious to see if the anode rod was the correct size.  I'm happy to say it was.  I didn't mind so much having to drive to Camp-Out and back a couple of times but it's the gas used that bothers me because Jeep Liberties are not known for their wonderful gas mileage.  And then there's the price of gas these days.

 KIND OF A LAZY MORNING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

I have mentioned several times before in my posts how much I like the online magazine DesertUSA.  Been reading articles of interest in this magazine for years because so many of them are about places Kelly and I have been in the American Southwest.  The latest edition is a good example with one of its articles being Ghost Towns In Southern Arizona.  Out of the 12 places mentioned, Kelly and I have been to 8 of them.  The only 4 we didn't get to were Duquesne, Lochiel, Kofa, and the Yuma Territorial Prison.  We were close to Duquesne once and have driven near the Yuma Prison on I-8 probably a couple dozen times.  We boondocked in the Kofa Mountains half a dozen times but didn't make it the Kofa town ruins.  We have been to Fort Bowie, Courtland, Fairbank, Charleston, and the Superstition Mountain wilderness (Lost Dutchman State Park) once.  Been to and through Tombstone a dozen times or more, Pearce half a dozen times, and Gleeson 4 or 5 times.  On the right-hand side of my blog at the top of the column, you will find a 'Search' bar and if you type in the names of these ghost towns, there is a reasonable chance you can find the posts I have written about being to these places over the years.  And, below that Search bar, you will notice the words 'Blog Archive'.  Click on the down arrow and you will have access to the 4,886 posts I have written over our RVing years as well as all the posts I have written right here at home.  There are many, many miles of travels in those posts.  And of course lots of photos.  The few photos below were taken in March of 2016.  

VULTURE PEAK NEAR WICKENBURG ARIZONA

 YES TOTO, REAL LIFE COWBOYS ARE STILL ALIVE AND WELL IN ARIZONA

 KELLY, PHEEBS, AND I HAVE TRAVELED MANY BUMPY DESERT MILES ON ROADS JUST LIKE THIS

 OH NOW I MISS ARIZONA'S SONORAN DESERT

 STAGE COACH ROAD NEAR YARNELL ARIZONA WAS A FAVORITE FOR PHEEBS AND I ON OUR MORNING OUTINGS

IS IT ANY WONDER THAT I LOVE AND MISS THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST SO MUCH

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A pastor, known for his lengthy sermons, noticed a man get up and leave during the middle of his message. The man returned just before the conclusion of the service. Afterwards, the pastor asked the man where he had gone.  "I went to get a haircut," was the reply.  "But," said the pastor, "why didn't you do that before the service?"  "Because," the gentleman said, "I didn't need one then."

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Where do you find lost silverware?  Answer: At the fork in the road.

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A psychiatrist's secretary walks into his study and says, "There's a gentleman in the waiting room asking to see you. Claims he's invisible."  The psychiatrist responds, "Tell him I can't see him."

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UNCONSCIOUS TIME TRAVELING IN MY RECLINER

'COME ON DAD RUB MY TUMMY SOME MORE'

An encouraging thought occurred to me today that in less than a month we will already be into the beginning of March.  I know it's grasping at straws but it's what many of us have to do in this cold winter weather up here at this time of year.  I remember our last half dozen traveling years it would be about this time of year when I first became aware of an inkling regarding March travel plans for home.  The first five years or so of our southwest travels I didn't want to come home at all.  Oh my how things gradually changed over the years and it wasn't the great southwest that lost it's winter appeal, it was my positive reaction to the appeal of being home again for the summer.

MOON SHOT??  NOPE, SUN SHOT THIS MORNING

A cloudy start to our day but with temps at 25F and no wind it was marginally acceptable.  Noticed right away soon as I stepped out the door morning's air was noticeable colder around my head.  Could have had something to do with the long overdue haircut Kelly gave me this morning.  I actually even look slightly hospitable now.  

BAYFIELD'S SHORELINE ICE AND SNOW ARE GONE WITH FISHERMEN BACK ON THE PIER AGAIN

BAYFIELD RIVER ICE HAS ALSO MELTED

WORK IS STILL GOING STRONG ON BAYFIELD'S HIGHWAY 21 BRIDGE

Short Jeep ride again then right home to spend the rest of my day in our sunroom reading. It was about high noon when our cloud cover began to break up filling our sunroom with warming rays of sunshine and it was those very warming rays later that put me to sleep in my recliner for a couple hours.  I'm getting to like those lite afternoon siestas and all the exciting adventuress memories my mind sometimes retains from them.  Some pretty wild stuff at times as it seems I am always traveling somewhere looking for something or someone.  Already I can hardly wait to climb aboard my time traveling recliner tomorrow and see what exciting and bizarre adventures may befall me. 

IT IS HERE I TOOK THIS MORNINGS IMPROMPTU SUN SHOTS

In my Wednesday post I included an incorrect link for my photo album of the old Charleston Ghost Town.  Here is the correct link and it starts out with our boondocking site between Sierra Vista and Tombstone Arizona.  The far off city you see is Sierra Vista with the Huachuca Mountains in the background.  You will also notice we are encamped also with a bunch of cattle.  Next you will see the old ruins of Millville, another Ghost Town in the area.  In a 40 mile radius along with Tombstone are the Ghost Towns of Fairbank, Gleeson, Pearce, and Courtland.  After you see Kelly wading across the San Pedro River you will see the ruins of Charleston.  Upon leaving Charleston this day we drove the short distance to Tombstone and my photos there wrap up the album.  The Old Charleston Arizona Ghost Town Ruins. (Remember to click on a picture to enlarge it then follow the left or right white arrows and look for captions at pictures bottom left....if no caption roll your mouse around under the white arrow)
Thanks to Barb from Florida in letting me know about the incorrect link.  And I've noticed a few readers over the past few days have not been automatically receiving my posts.  I have no idea what the problem could be.  I have not made any changes at this end.

A FEW SPLASHES OF ORANGE ON THE GROUND WITH A STREAK OF BLUE OVERHEAD

::An Archive Post::  Finding Charleston the previous day and hanging out for a bit in Tombstone January 30th, 2009 turned out to be a relaxing day for me sitting around a campfire Listening To Roy Rogers And The Son's Of The Pioneers

::Al's Musical Favs:: Songbirds At Sunrise by Dan Gibson and John Herberman.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A businessman boarded a plane to find, sitting next to him, an elegant woman wearing the largest, most stunning diamond ring he had ever seen. He asked her about it.  "This is the Bexfield diamond," she said. "It is beautiful, but there is a terrible curse that goes with it."  "What's the curse?" the man asked.  "Mr. Bexfield."
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Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft...Today, it's called golf.
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WITH NO DESTINATION IN MIND

ANOTHER WINTER WONDERLAND OUTSIDE OUR DOOR THIS MORNING

It was a low almost inaudible hum I first heard moving slowly through our tall pine trees on this darkened early morning.   Lights partially obscured in what appeared to be a swirling gray fog first moving one way then coming back the other way sometimes stopping for a brief few seconds and again reversing itself.  UFO??  Nope, it was a large snow blowing machine doing our roads which in turn told me we must have received a snowfall overnight.  We had.

A COLD GRAY START TO OUR DAY

HAD TO BLAZE A TRAIL HERE ON THIS ROAD WHICH IS NOT MAINTAINED IN WINTER

A HOUSE IN THE WINTER WOODS

Although bitterly cold our mornings snowy white landscape appeared visually pleasing compared to recent Novemberesque dull browns and grays. I'm always up for a nice change of scenery whether it be here in southwestern Ontario or past winters in the great American southwest.  It is that constant unwavering change I always so much look forward to.

COMING INTO THE SOUTH END OF VARNA ONTARIO

ALMOST LOOKS LIKE WE ARE LIVING ON A DIFFERENT PLANET

Brewed myself up a decaff coffee, grabbed a few bran biscuits and out the door with camera in hand Pheebs and I went.  Locked the Jeep in four wheel drive and plowed a set of snowy tracks out our driveway with no destination in mind.

I BET THIS APPLE ORCHARD FARMER IS STILL LOOKING FOR HIS LOST LADDER

Gray skies and cold temperatures prevailed as we slowly wandered around a few of Huron Counties snowy country roads.  Most were plowed, one wasn't so we made some new tracks through the snow for anyone to follow.  With a stiff east wind blowing frigid temperatures around we only exited the Jeep once for about two minutes.  Took a couple quick pics and it was back into the warmness of the Jeep.  Turned for home about 9:15 as skies began to clear bringing rays of sunlight down to cast shadows across a cold snowy landscape.

OUR ONLY STOP ALONG THE WAY

SO NICE TO SEE SKIES CLEARING FOR AWHILE THIS MORNING

Home again I topped up our bird station with seeds, grabbed my snow shovel and commenced plowing out my winter pathways.  With a predicted snow storm due to arrive over our area within the next 24 hours I didn't want all that snow getting ahead of me making shovelling a chore later.

I THINK WE LIVE ON A NICE STREET

A FEW PHOTOS AROUND HOME

SHOVELLING MY PATHWAYS

I sure didn't feel like going out and trudging through the snow for a walk this afternoon but a certain little dog kept coming over and nudging my arm and looking towards the door.  The longer I tried to ignore her the worse my guilt became so it was on with my boots, hat, and coat, and out the door we went trudging through the snow.  At the far end of the pond I saw another walker headed my way also plowing along.  Turns out it was my old Tavistock buddy Gary Burton who moved into our Park about a year and a half ago.  Had us a chin wag for awhile until we noticed each other's face turning red from the biting cold.  We both had to make fast tracks for home.  I had an Archive post a week or two ago entitled 'My Dad's Car Is Better than your Dad's Car and it was Gary's Dad who had that other car.  No, we didn't talk about Fords and Chevs today.   

A COLD AND DULL AFTERNOON WALK

IF I EVER GET LOST I CAN ALWAYS RE-TRACE MY TRACKS

BUT IT'S MUCH EASER FOLLOWING PHEEBS TRACKS HOME

::Memory Lane:: We were ranch sitting near McNeal Arizona when on March 2nd 2009 we decided to drive on over to the other side of Tombstone and have us a look at historical Fairbank Arizona.  My post for the day is here at The Ghost Town Of Fairbank And A Stop In Bisbee.  My Photo Album for the day is here at Fairbank And The Cemetery.   

::Al's Musical Favs:: Melankoli by Lulu Rouge.  Another funky little number I liked right from the first time I heard it.  Both the voice and musical arrangement appealed to me.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Question: What kinds of clothes are there?  
Women's Answer: Clean and Dirty.  
Men's Answer: Clean, Almost Clean, Sorta Clean, Not bad, Dirty, Really Dirty, Funky, Nasty, Biohazard." (Men will voluntarily wear all but the last classification of these clothes.)
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The latest poll taken by the office of the Governor of Texas asked whether people who live in Texas think illegal immigration is a serious problem:30% of respondents answered: "Yes, it is a serious problem."  70% of respondents answered: "No es una problema serio. "

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I joined a white church because white people get out on time. 
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