I CAN NEVER THANK YOU PEOPLE ENOUGH

HOLY SMOKES DOGGIES IN THE WATER GETTING HER PAWS WET (I’VE GOT A JEEP LIBERTY INTERIOR TO CLEAN TOMORROW)
 
AND I THINK SHE IS KIND OF LIKING IT TO0

Knowing we were in for an unseasonal hot & humid day Pheebs & I were into the Libbygator & off out into the countryside early.  A short walk in the Hullett Marsh & we were back in the Jeep wandering north along dusty roads enjoying the morning scenery.  Lots of farmers on the land prepping their fields for planting.  So nice to see the countryside greening up.  Autumn is known for it's reds & golds while Spring is a time of lush greens as new leaves & buds burst forth in various shades of soft lime like colors.

THIS FIELD MAY VERY WELL HAVE BEEN PLANTED ALREADY
 
A TANKER TRUCK LOADED WITH LIQUID FERTILIZER RE-FILLS A WAITING FERTILIZER SPREADING MACHINE

JUST GOTTA LOVE ALL THE SPRING GREENS
We wandered our way up around the Wingham Ontario area & managed to find ourselves a couple interesting roads we had never been on before.  Whenever I see a road sign saying 'No Exit' or 'No Winter Maintenance Beyond This Point' I know we have an interesting road ahead of us & we always head on down to see where it takes us.  Sometimes we end up in bush lanes or fields & this morning we ended up at a river bank.  I like when that happens.

LOVE IT WHEN WE STUMBLE ACROSS OLD NARROW ROADS LIKE THIS LEADING WHO KNOWS WHERE

SO DID WE CROSS THE RIVER??  NO, BUT WE COULD HAVE:))
 
SPOTTED THIS OLD RAILROAD ABUTMENT ACROSS THE RIVER…NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A RAILROAD UP IN THESE PARTS AT ONE TIME

THIS IS THE ‘LITTLE MAITLAND RIVER’ & IT’S ONLY A FOOT OR TWO DEEP IN MOST PLACES
Little Miss Smarty Pants ever vigilante in the front seat knew we were getting near Wingham so reminded me it was getting close to lunch time & there was a Subway shop along Wingham's main street at the north end.  So not wanting to listen to all the whining we headed ourselves into town for a 6" toasted Tuna Sub with American cheese, lettuce & tomato's, green peppers & onions plus salt & pepper & a smattering of sub sauce.  I'm careful not to give Pheebs any onions but in doing so I have to kinda pull the sub apart & we sometimes end up with quite a mess in the front seat.  It seems most of the mess always ends up on the front of my shirt for some reason.

 
SOME FARM FELLAS WERE SURE KICKING UP THE DUST TODAY WHILE OTHERS SURE WERE MAKING A BIG STINK

AND HERE’S AN OLDER NO SHIRT FARM FELLA OUT WALKING HIS FIELDS…YOU CAN SEE HOW HOT IT WAS TODAY
Hadn't seen Pheebs Ilama, Alpaca, or Elk pals since last summer so we stopped by the country property where all these fellas live.  They didn't rush up to the fence to see Pheebs like they usually do but Pheebs didn't seem to mind & just ran along the fence line smelling whatever she could.



ALL EYES WERE DEFINITELY ON THE PHEEBS AS SHE HAD THEIR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION
We had driven with windows down in the morning but by noon the humidity with today's record breaking temperature (90'F) prompted me to close up the windows & crack on the A/C.  After all that is one of the reasons why we finally decided to switch to an air conditioned vehicle this year.  And ohhhhhhhhhh how nice that cool air felt.  As I'm typing this tonight we have our central air on in the house & ohhhhhhhhh how nice that again feels.  Say what you will about A/C but I love it.  We're both looking forward to cooler temperatures already on the way.  Now I said cooler not colder!!



Kelly has had a little kitchen project in mind for awhile now & I have been hesitant to tackle it.  My carpentry skills are not the best & I've lived with myself long enough to know & accept the fact if we want a job to look professionally done I am not the guy to do it.  Kelly wanted the micro-wave moved off the kitchen counter & placed in a cupboard space above the stove.  Looking at the project this afternoon I thought 'what the heck' at least I can take the cupboard doors off & maybe cut the middle shelf out to make way for the micro-wave.  And that's what I did.  Drilled a couple holes, spliced up an electrical cord, set the micro-wave, plugged it in & ‘WALLA’ it worked.  Haven't figured it out how to finish off the job making it look better but for right now at least the micro-wave has been moved & a section of our kitchen counter has been freed up for other things.

 

Received an inspiring email from a fellow Blogger today which went a long way in picking up my recent sagging spirits.  I go through these periods of self doubt from time to time questioning myself about many things including my blog writings.  I am not one of those people blessed with a wondrous positive attitude & continuous wonderful back to back days.  I go through my bouts of depression & I ask myself at times ‘why do I keep writing this blog’.  And then as so often happens an email will show up from someone saying how something I have said or done has helped them in some way.  Well it is you folks who have sent those emails & comments over the years who are truly the people who in turn have helped me in ways more than you know.  The inspiration for me comes in knowing I have done something right, something useful & above all something helpful.  I can’t come over to your house & help you put shingles on your roof or fix your plumbing or electrical problems.  Can’t help you change the spark plugs in your car or build you a garden fence but there is maybe something else I can do.  Perhaps I can write something, express some thoughts & feelings, bring a little humor each night to someone else’s gray day, answer some RV or travel questions occasionally. (if I remember) Maybe it’s a photograph I take along the way somewhere.  I try hard to keep those positive thoughts in my mind each day & for the most part each night I am able to sit down & through my blog express in some way my gratitude to all you folks out there who read my posts.  I can never thank you people enough………………………… 

ALWAYS SO NICE TO SEE SPRING’S MARSH MARIGOLDS


 
SKUNK CABBAGES
 
AND JUST SOME GOOD OLD EVERYDAY SWAMP MOSS
GROANER’S CORNER:((   Charley, a new retiree greeter at Walmart, just couldn't seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, sometimes 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean shaven, sharp minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their "Older Person Friendly" policies.  One day the boss was in a real quandary about how to deal with it. Finally, he called him into the office for a talk. "Charley, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang on job, but your being late so often is quite bothersome."  "Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it."
"Well good, you are a team player. That's what I like to hear. It's odd though, your coming in late. I know you're retired from the Armed Forces. What did they say if you came in late there?"  "They said, 'Good morning, General. Tea or coffee this morning, sir?'"

AGAIN I DO NOT HAVE MUCH TO WRITE ABOUT BUT IF YOU…………..

DEER PARK  BEACH AWAITS IT’S THRONGS OF SUMMER GUESTS

After publishing my Wednesday night post on the early side Pheebs & I took ourselves for a ride around Bayfield & stopped at Deer Park Lakefront Resort.  Deer Park is not open for another couple weeks yet & with nobody there I thought it would be a good opportunity to see how Libby would perform on a steep hill with her 4 wheel drive.  Well I needn't have wondered because with basically the same 4 wheel drive package as our Wrangler it went down the narrow pathway grade to the beach below & back up again without a problem.  A couple summers ago I took elderly wedding guests up & down that hill in the Wrangler when Deer Park hosted a couple weddings down on the beach.  While there Wednesday night I took tonight’s photos.

TESTED LIBBY OUT ON THIS HILL

LOOKING NORTH ALONG LAKE HURON’S SHORELINE

THIS RING OF CHAIRS AROUND A FIRE PIT REMINDED ME OF AN RV’ERS HAPPY HOUR

<<< PHEEBS WAS VERY CAREFUL NOT TO GET HER PAWS WET

No doubt one of our finest weather days this year so far & we worked away on some morning yard work again.  Kelly raked out more flowerbeds & I pressure washed some patio stones.  Again I just don't really have anything interesting to write about tonight but if you check out my sidebar you will find many of my fellow RV Blogger's with great photos & finely written posts chronicling their exciting travel adventures as they continue to criss-cross this great continent of ours.

 

PLAYGROUND ON THE BEACH

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The diner was furious when his steak arrived too rare. "Waiter," he barked, "didn't you hear me say 'well done'?  "I can't thank you enough, sir," replied the waiter. "I hardly ever get a compliment."

IT SEEMS EACH YEAR I ENJOY THE PEACE & SOLITUDE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE MORE & MORE

MAYAPPLES ON THE FOREST FLOOR

After taking a utility trailer load of pine needles to the Park’s recycling area Pheebs & I headed on over to the Hullett Marsh just northeast of Clinton.  Nice morning for a walk in the woods & along the marsh ponds.  No pesky bugs yet so we poked along taking our time.  So nice to hear all the birds chattering away in the trees & to breathe in all that fresh country air.  It seems each year I enjoy the peace & solitude of the countryside more & more.  If only we could……………well I guess it’s those ‘if only’s’ that dreams are made of.  Always a goal, always another turn in the road, always something to look for & seek out.  One may never find the challenge & excitement of greener pastures unless one gets off their duff & actively sets off to find them.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( One night a man - who was in no shape to drive - wisely left his car parked and walked home. As he was walking unsteadily along the road, he was stopped by a policeman.  "What are you doing out here at 2 A.M.?" said the officer.  "I'm going to a lecture." the man said.  "And just who is going to give a lecture at this hour?" the cop asked.  "My wife." said the man.

WHAT THE DOCTOR HAD TO SAY

Right off I have a couple corrections to my Monday post.  Not surprisingly I had both my bird guestimates wrong.  Thanks to Gordon W for identifying my guestimated Martin as a Tree Swallow & my Black Headed Gull as a Bonaparte's Gull.  Thanks Gordon:))  

It was right back into warmer clothes again as our morning started off just over the 40F mark here along the cold shoreline of Lake Huron. Temps never rose much higher than that for the whole day.  Because of an early Doctor’s appointment I didn’t do the morning walk & Kelly said it was pretty brisk as her & Pheebs made their way around the trail.

 

A WOODEN WATER SNAIL & A BIG BUG EYED SWAMP CREATURE

 

My appointment with Dr. Bukala went better than expected.  A rectal exam determined my prostrate is normal & he pointed out my PSA numbers over the past few years have had a habit of going up & down.  Said that was normal.  Also said the rise in my PSA numbers this time were within the limits of concern.  Wants to see me again in October & we’ll see how things are then.  He always asks me about Arizona & with a big smile on a usually sullen face he wished me a good summer.  Wonder if he saw me kick up my heels when I exited the building:))

From Clinton’s Hospital it was off to Goderich’s Walmart to pick up a few things & have me a look around at the recent store renovations.  Walmart in Goderich now carries groceries.  Swung by McDonald’s for a coffee to go but not having the Pheebs along to share a carrot muffin with I just went with the coffee & headed on home.

Ever noticed how when looking for a new/newer vehicle or after purchasing a vehicle you begin to see the same types & models of vehicles all over the darn place.  Never paid much attention to Jeep Liberty’s before but then again why would I, after all I was a Wrangler driver right.  Since we’ve had our Liberty I see them wherever I go & some even the same desert sand tan colors as ours.  The more I am driving our 07 Jeep Liberty the more I am getting to like it.  Nimble & even peppier than the Wrangler standard shift.  I’ve had lots of automatic transmission vehicles before & must say it’s nice to be back again to that hand’s off freer driving experience.  No more scrambling for an extra hand while attempting to crack off a couple quick photos between 2nd & third gear somewhere.

Eleven pounds of fear & anxiety just arrived at Sue & Mo’s house.  Her name is Mattie & she has finally found the right loving & caring home to help her overcome those fears & anxieties.  Might want to drop in to The MoHo and Other Traveling Tales site & see how these 3 Gals are making out.  Some nice pictures of Mattie there:))

“IN YOUR FACE GRACKLE, IN YOUR FACE”!!!!

We’re not getting much of a response to our ‘Jeep Wrangler For Sale’ ad so looks like we may have priced it too high.  Of course with our weather being up & down Spring fever has not yet really taken hold in the auto buying market around these parts yet so guess we have to be a wee bit more patient about these things……..& probably lower the price.

GROANER’S CORNER:((     There's a very good reason why the ballet is so popular in Washington, D.C.  None of the politicians there are used to seeing people on their toes.

---

The husband was constantly working on the couple’s defective washing machine, and his language was often colorful. One day their daughter returned home from a movie, and the parents asked if she had learned anything from it.  "Only a lot of four-letter words," she told them, "that until now I always thought were parts of the washing machine."