OH TO BOUNCE AND JOSTLE ALONG THOSE ENDLESS DESERT JEEP ROADS AGAIN

 AN OLD STONE WALL

It was shortly after 10 p.m. Friday night when Pheebs and I rolled out the driveway.  Minutes later we were at our starry night sky place in the countryside.  The smoky haze high in the atmosphere was gone and the night sky was clearly visible again.  I didn't take any photos and just simply enjoyed standing out under the canopy of sparkling diamonds overhead.  Low in the southwest sky hung lazily a cheese-colored half Moon.  Planets Saturn and Jupiter were visible in the southeast sky as well.  And oh how I love listening to the Crickets in the night air.  They are in the ditches alongside the road as well as the bean and cornfields.  Occasionally I will see a small dark object whisk by low over our heads.  Bats methinks.  Didn't see any satellites in the night sky but saw the blinking lights of 3 high-flying jets.  I love being outside at night in the cool crisp air under a host of bright shimmering stars and constellations.  It's a whole different and beautifully quiet world out there.    

 IT WAS A MIGHTY FINE SATURDAY MORNING FOR A SLOW DRIVE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE

Cooler air came in overnight knocking out the heat and miserable humidity so it was a much better day today.  Lots of sunshine and cool breezes.  Needed a few things in Goderich so Pheebs and I were up there and back this morning after our morning walk.  Mowed some grass.

 BY 10 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING THERE WERE ALREADY A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT WALKING ALONG GODERICH'S BOARDWALK 

A PENNY FOR HER THOUGHTS

 I THINK THIS GROUP OF BEACHGOERS MAY HAVE COME FROM AS FAR AWAY AS TORONTO

 A NICE SOLID LOOKING BUICK FROM YESTERYEAR

 ONLY SHIP IN PORT WAS THE ALGOMA INNOVATOR

Below is picture of my musically talented son Sean and his lovely wife Kim.

I haven't been too adventurous in my eating habits this past week.  Kelly left a lot of meatloaf in the fridge so I've been fixing up single slice meatloaf sandwiches and dunking them in ketchup.  Peanut butter is my mainstay and tonight I rustled myself up some mashed potatoes with gravy, turkey with dressing, and corn.  Five minutes in the microwave and my Swanson Hungry Man turkey dinner was done.  It was too much for me to eat so I had to share with my best Pal.  As I've said before, I do not have a big appetite anymore and big meals are thankfully a thing of the past for me.  I'm quite happy with that because it is a big help in keeping my weight down. 

 A LOT OF BEANFIELDS THIS YEAR

Had a nice offer from a couple in Idaho to look after their hens for a couple weeks in October while they took some holidays.  However, with the border situation and medical uncertainties, I don't know if we'll ever get to the States again.  Oh, how I would love to see my favorite southwest mountains just one more time. (well okay, 10 more times)  To walk Arizona's beautifully green Sonoran desert among the towering Saguaros and listen to the wind whispering through their long uplifted arms.  To see the dark night sky with stars from mountain top to mountain top, and to gaze 20 and 30 miles across wide-sweeping endless scenic valleys.  To smell the desert after a rain and to awake to those glorious sunrises each morning and end the days under those oh so magnificent sunsets.  To bounce and jostle along all those endless Jeep roads and trails exploring old mines, abandoned townsites, and all those lost memories and mysteries only a desert can hide.  To hear the distant Coyotes, the Cactus Wrens, and the Curved Bill Thrashers.  And the weebling little giggles of Gamble's Quails.  To see those long stretches of open highway with not a vehicle in sight either ahead or behind for as far as one can see.  The serene solitude of boondocking with nobody in sight and no human sounds anywhere.  Those winding mountain roads and sweeping panoramic cliff-top vistas playing out for dozens of miles below.  The rock scrambles, the morning desert walks, and occasional campfires.  Going places we've never been, and seeing things we've never seen.  Oh how I miss our winter months in the great American Southwest:(( 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Three priests died and came up to St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter looked up the priests and informed them there had been a mistake; they were not supposed to die for another 10 years or so.  The priests were upset about this and asked St. Peter what could be done. St. Peter said that he would send them back to earth in any form they wanted until the problem was fixed.  St Peter asks the first priest, " What do you want to become?" and the first priest replies," I always wanted to be an eagle and see all of God's creation from above."  "Done." St. Peter snaps his fingers and the first priest disappears.  St. Peter asks the second priest, "What do you want to become?" and the second priest replies, "I always wanted to be a dolphin and see all of God's creation from under the sea."  "Done." St Peter snaps his fingers and the second priest disappears like the first.  St. Peter asks the third priest, "What do you want to become?"" and the third priest shyly says, "Well... my wish is kind of sinful."  "No matter. You can choose any form you want." St. Peter says and the third priest replies, "Well, I always wanted to be  a...stud, you know?"  St .Peter replies, "I don't see a problem with that." St. Peter snaps his fingers and the third priest disappears.  Later, Jesus asked St. Peter, " I heard there was a problem with three priests being here before their time. Where are they?"  St. Peter explained, "One is soaring high above the Grand Canyon. The second is swimming in the North Atlantic. The third is on the left rear wheel of a Chevy Blazer."

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"You should meet my husband. He makes a living with his pen."  "Oh, so he's a writer?"  "No, he raises pigs."

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A BEAUTIFUL SPRING LIKE DAY SO PHEEBS AND I HEADED FOR GRAND BEND

It was a fiery red sunrise through the pine trees this morning and the first one I've seen that brilliant since returning from the great American Southwest last March.  I really do miss those great awe inspiring sunrises and sunsets of the west.

LAKE ICE IS BUILDING UP ALONG BAYFIELD'S BEACH

COUNTRYSIDE SOUTH OF BAYFIELD WAS  MAINLY FREE OF SNOW

US GUYS BOMBING ALONG THIS MORNING WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN 

Temperatures came up in the night and we welcomed the day with our thermometer slightly above the freezing mark.  Oh happy days.  A touch of a breeze but it was not a deterrent.  A few handfuls of birdseed on our feeder station and little Muggins and I were out the driveway and on through Bayfield headed south.  Just a great morning to be out and with it being a Sunday morning country roads were pleasantly quiet.  Noticed there was hardly any snow anywhere.  Fields were green, gray, and brown with the sky being blue as blue could be.  With windows down Old Sol followed us wherever we went which in this case happened to be Grand Bend Ontario.   No need to stop for a Hortons coffee as I made a second cup before leaving home.  We headed straightaway down the main street for the beach area.

RIVER ICE IS BREAKING UP

ONE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL OF ONE'S FOOTING ON THIS ICY SURFACE OR ONE COULD VERY EASILY END UP IN THE ICY COLD RIVER

Lots of old memories for me in Grand Bend but I've blogged about them all before over the years so no need to blog it all over again.  We toodled around the town for a bit then pointed Libby's nose north and put the pedal down for home.  Even stopped in Bayfield on the way to wash the Jeep which of course was a huge mess.  What an absolutely gorgeous weather day more akin to late March or early April.  Just makes a feller want to hold onto his britches real tight and dance himself up a jig.  Yesireeee it was that kind a day alright:))

Home again I had lots of photos to edit. Always enjoy doing that and with this afternoon's Sun beaming through our sunroom windows I was all toasty warm and feeling right again.  I think we got up slightly over 40F.  Almost had to break out my summer shorts.  

SOME NICE HOMES ALONG THE NORTH BANK OF THE AUSABLE RIVER 

LAKE HURON IS ONLY ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF MILE DOWN RIVER TO THE LEFT

RIVER ICE LOOKS MORE LIKE A MARCH THAW

Not being a calendar checker anymore I sometimes lose track of time and have a habit of not paying much attention to it.  When my Aunt Jean said on the phone Friday night Christmas is this coming Wednesday it was like being jolted out of a stupor.  Well ya, I knew Christmas was coming alright but I just didn't know it was coming up so fast and in just a few days.  I don't know where my mind goes sometimes but it is sure in the habit of leaving me behind a lot.

::Archive Post::  November 25th 2013 found us hanging out in Borrego Springs, California.  We had heard of a Great Stone Eagle somewhere near Warner Springs so with a steep winding climb with the Jeep up Montezumas Grade into the San Ysidro Mountains we set off to find it.  Took us a bit of looking but a chance encounter with a local firefighter was the key to it's location.  Check out, In Search Of The Great Stone Eagle.  For more photos of the Great Stone Eagle and area click on my next day's post as well here at, Visiting With Jean and Skip.  Remember to click on the photos to make them bigger when you get there.

::Al's Musical Favs::  Beachcomber by Donald Wilborn.  Quite often with these pieces of music in Al's Favs there is a sound, a tone, a certain instrument, something in a person's voice, a certain beat or combination of instruments that flash me back to a time in my childhood.  

FIGURED IF I WE CAN'T MAKE IT TO ARIZONA THIS WINTER I WOULD JUST WEAR A PIECE OF ARIZONA ON MY HEAD

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A group of psychiatrists were attending a convention. Four of them decided to leave, and walked out together. One said to the other three, "People are always coming to us with their guilt and fears, but we have no one that we can go to when we have problems." The others agreed.  Then one said, "Since we are all professionals, why don't we take some time right now to hear each other out?"  The other three agreed.  The first then confessed, "I have an uncontrollable desire to kill my patients."The second psychiatrist said, "I love expensive things and so I find ways to cheat my patients out of their money whenever I can so I can buy the things I want."  The third followed with, "I'm involved with selling drugs and often get my patients to sell them for me."  The fourth psychiatrist then confessed, "I know I'm not supposed to, but no matter how hard I try, I can't keep a secret..."
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A little girl is sitting on her grandpa's lap and studying the wrinkles on his old face. She gets up the nerve to rub her fingers over the wrinkles. Then she touches her own face and looks more puzzled. Finally the little girl asks, "Grandpa, did God make you?" "He sure did honey, a long time ago," replies her grandpa. "Well, did God make me?" asks the little girl. "Yes, He did, and that wasn't too long ago," answers her grandpa. "Boy," says the little girl, "He's sure doing a lot better job these days isn't He?"
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