MAYBE NEXT YEAR EH:))

I've been doing my Yummy-Yukky shakes on and off for close to 25 years now.  I go along mixing up and drinking these breakfast shakes for maybe a couple years at a time then I might quit for a year or so before starting them up again.  I think it was last winter sometime when I tired of the shakes for the umpteenth time and changed my morning routine to drinking Glucerna.  Glurcerna is like Ensure but it's better for anyone with diabetes concerns.  This morning I once again resumed my shakes.  And here's what I do.  In a blender (not a juicer) I toss in half a banana, 1 cored apple with pealings, half a scoop of vanilla-flavored Whey Protein powder, and a smattering of oatmeal flakes.  To that, I add a sprig of celery, half a dozen small spinach leaves, and 1 romaine lettuce leaf. (I may add a couple more veggies but not carrots because they have too much sugar in them) I then pour in half a glass of skim milk and half a glass of orange juice.  I hit the blender switch for 10 seconds or so and everything is liquified.  I pour that out into a tall glass and I'm good to go.  If we have strawberries or blueberries handy I will add them to the shake as well.  Next time I'm at the supermarket I will pick up some flax and sunflowers seeds as well.  I mix them together in a coffee bean grinder and that mixture will go into my shakes too.  So there you have it.....Sounds Yukky-Tastes Yummy.  And believe me, if it didn't taste good I sure as heck wouldn't be drinking it!!

 THE YELLOW DIGGING MACHINE IS GONE FROM BAYFIELD'S BEACH SO I GUESS WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING THERE.......IS DONE

 ROUGH LAKE HURON WATERS

 THE WIND CHILL FACTOR DIDN'T BOTHER THESE LADIES THIS MORNING

 I THINK THE BAYFIELD OUTDOOR COFFEE CLUB IS GROWING

 LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE MAYBE WORKING ON THE CONCRETE ROADSIDES ON THE BRIDGE

Overcast skies this morning with a 24F wind chill factor so there wasn't any walking for Pheebs and I.  With Christmas in mind, we took a drive into the village (Bayfield) and I kept my eye out for some colorful Christmas decorations.  And how nice to see the sun out this afternoon with temps coming up to about 35F with very little wind.  I actually saw some melting going on in our front yard:))

 THAT TREE IIN SOMEBODY'S YARD IS A COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE

 NOT ALL HOUSES HAVE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS BUT THEY STILL HAVE SOME COLOR

 THAT'S LAKE HURON WAY OUT THERE

Just think, in a couple days the Earth will begin its slow southward axis tilt and our days will once again begin to grow in length.  Now, how's that for a nice thought.  And a month from now we might very well be into the January thaw only a week and a half from the first of February which of course is the shortest month of the year.  Ahhhh yes, good thoughts indeed.

I recently finished three books by author Delores Cannon.  'Keepers Of The Garden', 'The Custodians', and 'Between Death and Life'.  I am about to start a fourth book by this author called 'The Convoluted Universe'.  I have found these books fascinating, eye-opening, difficult to understand at times, and a real challenge to my mind.  Quote: {To maintain an open mind is extremely difficult but it is the only way to search for ultimate knowledge}

With a very well deserved smirk on my face, I watched one of our front yard black squirrels finally figure out a way to get on the new feeder.  No panic on my part this time as I grinned quite gleefully at Squirrelly's futile attempts to get at the birdseed.  He tried two times unsuccessfully to get into that feeder but had to give up and jump to the ground.  Now, keep in mind, I like the squirrels and I do feed the little guys corn throughout the winter.  Below are a couple short videos.  Squirrelly trying to get into the feeder and a few birds at our bird feeder station.  Okay, the videos didn't work so I'll maybe try them again tomorrow.  Hey, somebody just said they worked:))  Well, it shows you how much I know:((

Please bear with me as I try to get the hang of this video stuff.  Although I've had the means to try videography before I just haven't had a big interest in it so these efforts of mine will be on the shaky side of things until I can at least get a better beginner's handle on it. 

Had we left for the southwest this past Saturday as planned, we would likely be overnighting somewhere in Arkansas tonight.  Oh well, maybe next year eh:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((    Seeing her friend Marcia wearing a new locket, Ashley asks if there is a memento of some sort inside.  “Yes,” says Marcia, “a lock of my husband’s hair.”  “But Larry’s still alive?”  “I know, but his hair is gone.”

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It’s been raining for days now and my husband seems very depressed by it.  He keeps standing by the window, staring. If it continues, I’m going to have to let him in.

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I HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT 2 P.M.

Another rather drab-looking day but I did manage to find a few snippets of color on our morning Jeep jaunt.  It was a short drive again because I had somewhere to go later.

 BY GOLLY THERE IS LITTLE A SNIP OF COLOR OVER THERE

No squirrels ripping the new bird feeder apart yet but I have noticed them giving the feeder the eye.  The way the feeder is designed it doesn't matter if a squirrel gets on it because a wire cage descends from the squirrel's weight and closes up the feeding bin.

 THIS FELLER WAS EYEING UP THE NEW BIRD FEEDER

With today's temperature at 25F I didn't much like the idea of having to wear a short-sleeve shirt this afternoon but that is what was required of me to do.  I had to be at the Goderich arena at 2 p.m. and no it was not to watch a hockey game.  I had an appointment there to get my Phizer booster shot.  Needless to say, I was on time and within half an hour I was back to the Jeep and headed for home after a quick stop to buy myself some veggies.  Yes, I'm starting up my 'Sounds Yukky-Tastes Yummy' morning smoothy shakes again.  And that was that for another day.

GROANER'S CORNER:((    A daughter brought her new boyfriend home from college.  The young man said to her father, "Sir, I realize it's merely a formality, but I'm here to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."  Dad looked surprised. "And where did you get the idea that this was just a formality?"  "From our Lamaze instructor!"

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Due to recent cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off untill further notice!

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A guy was sitting on the train reading the newspaper. The headline read, "12 Brazillian Soldiers Killed."  He shook his head at the sad news, then he turned to the stranger sitting next to him and asked, "How many is a Brazillian?"

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GODERICH SHORELINE RESTORATION TO BEGIN, SQUIRREL BATTLES, CHRISTMAS DECOS, AND A 'CITY OF ROCKS'

Work begins December 1rst by the town of Goderich Ontario to restore and strengthen their damaged Lake Huron shoreline.  Cove Road and pedestrian access leading to Rotary Cove and the dog walking area will be closed at the water treatment plant until further notice.  I'm guessing this project could last a month or two depending on weather with it's Winter storms.  The next photos I take in that area may show a fully restored shoreline.  You can be assured I will be keeping an eye on the progress having now attained my Senior's 'Sidewalk Superintendent' status.

I'M GUESSING THIS IS ANOTHER ELEVATOR SHAFT BEING CONSTRUCTED AT GODERICH'S SIFTO SALT MINE

A CLOSER LOOK

Pheebs and I slipped up to Goderich.  I go through a fair amount of vegetables each week with my morning Sounds Yukky - Tastes Yummy shakes. (video)  Been doing these shakes for the best part of 15 years now but not on the road when RVing.  A banana goes into each daily shake so I'm always having to replenish bananas, romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, and apples.  Keeps me on the run to the supermarket.  (Quick 2019 update on my shakes....I use only bananas, lettuce, carrots, celery, apple, cinnamon, and vanilla flavored Whey powder now)   While in Goderich we of course swung down around the harbor to Rotary Coves dog walking area.  With a big shoreline restoration project due to begin in a few days it may well be the last time this year we get down there.  

EQUIPMENT IS GATHERING NEAR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR BEACHFRONT REPAIRS AND RESTORATION

Nobody at the dog walking area so taking advantage of that we took ourselves for a walk along the shoreline noticing along the way other damaged areas of shoreline from high water levels and wind driven waves.  I'm sure there must be a lot of cottage owners up and down this coast line with major structural damage to not only their beach areas but their docks, boat houses, and possibly their dwellings. 

SHORE EROSION IS TOPPLING A COUPLE TREES INTO THE LAKE

WALKING FURTHER SOUTH ALONG THE SHORELINE IN THE DOG WALKING AREA I SEE MORE SIGNS OF EROSION

YEARS AGO WHEN LAKE LEVELS WERE LOWER CHUNKS OF OLD CONCRETE, PAVEMENT. ROCKS, CEMENT BLOCKS ETC WERE PLACED ALONG LAKE HURON'S SHORELINE  AS A BUFFER AGAINST BATTERING WAVES

THERE'S A COMPLETE CEMENT PORCH AND STEPS FROM AN OLD BUILDING

LOOKS LIKE SOME COMMERCIAL FISHING GEAR SQUASHED UNDER THE CONCRETE STEPS

SPOTTED THIS YELLOW KAYAK WASHED UP  SO IF ANYONE LOCAL IS READING THIS AND KNOWS ANYONE LOOKING FOR THEIR LOST KAYAK THIS MIGHT BE IT

UNFORTUNATELY THE BOW (FRONT) OF THE KAYAK IS SMASHED UP

EVEN FOUND ME SOME ICICLES

A NUMBER OF WEATHERED BRICKS LAYING ABOUT

HERE'S A VERY INTERESTING PIECE OF DRIFTWOOD....COULD IT BE A WEATHERED TIMBER FROM ONE OF THE MANY OLD SHIPWRECKS OFFSHORE HERE

Home shortly after 10 I was soon out in the front yard working again at trying to stop Squirrely from beating up on our hanging bird feeders.  My single bird feeder baffle idea didn't work so I put together this morning what I call my double bubble bird feeder baffle bungle.  Wasn't long before Squirrely tried it out and failed in his first attempt.  However I won't be surprised if he breaches the defences and if so I have an idea already for an adjustment. 

PHOTO BELOW LEFT SHOWS MY SINGLE BAFFLE ATTEMPT A FEW DAYS AGO WHICH FAILED THE SQUIRREL TEST AND PHOTO AT RIGHT BELOW SHOWS TODAY'S DOUBLE BAFFLE ATTEMPT

 

SQUIRRELY FAILS ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT

Kelly started on a few outside Christmas decorations today.  With all our snow gone now it's not looking too Christmasy but I'm sure it will before too long again.  We had a nice pre-Christmas two years ago but last year not so much.  We just couldn't seem to get ourselves into Christmas mode.  Two years ago we left for the Southwest a few days before Christmas and last year a few days after Christmas.  In the past we left once in September, twice in November, and eight times in October.

THAT'S A METAL SUNFACE STRUCTURE AND KELLY SIMPLY HUNG A CHRISTMAS WREATH ON IT

A gray November day sitting just under the freezing mark.  Roads were bare and dry and with country roads slightly frozen there was no dust or mud on them.  Although November is my least favorite month it does have it's own sense of beauty and appeal.  One just has to look a little harder for it.  But it's there.

Thanks to readers for your re-assurances.  Wished I had as much confidence in my own abilities as some of you have.  It's a long story I carry with me.

It was 11 years ago today in 2008 while in New Mexico we made the decision to switch from Satellite internet to a Verizon air card.  We've never regretted that decision although both those two communications systems had their own sets of problems.  Here is my post from the day we made an Internet Decision In Silver City New Mexico.  We were staying at City Of Rocks State Park.  Here is my photo album of our time there entitled A Day At City Of Rocks.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. However, all the league records were unfortunately destroyed in a fire. Thus we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.

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-“I owned two racetracks but I rented them to others. I was the lessor of two ovals.”
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Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings... One by one... As each relative goes home.
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A father spoke to his son, "It's time we had a little talk, my son. Soon, you will have urges and feelings you've never had before. Your heart will pound & your hands will sweat. You'll be preoccupied and won't be able to think of anything else."He added, "But don't worry, it's perfectly normal... it's called golf."
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