GLAD TO GET BACK FOR A SOFT COMFY JEEP SEAT SIT-DOWN

A nice bright sunny Saturday morning so Pheebs & I headed over to the Hullett Marsh again & took us for a long walk.  Long enough for me to really appreciate finally getting back to the Jeep for a much appreciated sit down in the soft driver’s seat.  Maybe not a long walk for hiker types but for me & my short legs it was long enough.

ANOTHER NICE MORNING FOR A QUIET WALK IN THE MARSH

NO THAT’S NOT A SKUNK DOWN THERE AT THE LEFT IT’S JUST THE PHEEBS

ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE WATER AROUND

NO PHEEBS THAT’S NOT A GOOSE IT’S AN OLD LOG

THINK I SAW A MUSKRAT OVER HERE DAD

Had hoped to see some different critters for a change but alas the Dinosaur Age ended many millennia ago.  Not a lot of songbirds back yet from what I could tell but lots of Canada Geese of course.  Spring & Fall are nice times for walking when there are no stinging & biting insects in the air to be continually swatting at.  Snagged ourselves a few more farm houses along the way as well.

Last summer I had taken some photos of a ‘container house’ being built here in Bayfield & a few readers expressed an interest in seeing the final results when it was finished.  Well it’s finished now & as it turns out the house is being offered as a ‘Dream Lottery’ home.  Here is a video of the interior & I bet you will be very surprised at what you see.  The Container House.

TOOK THESE 3 PHOTOS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY 2015

Well that wild & wooly Ivan has got himself off to another great start way over there in the wilds of Alberta Canada.  Airplanes, helicopters & fire towers just to name a few things & this year he started it all off with a stint at an Air Tanker Base where he got to wind up the fire siren & alert all air crew and loaders when a launch of their water bombers is required.  While he calculates the distance and bearing to the fire he also provides the pilots with fire coordinates as well.  And he’s got lots of great pictures to show you what he & Hailey are up to at that Air Tanker Base too.  Getting Bombed In Alberta.

WE’VE SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE MAN MADE BIRD BOXES-NESTS BUT NOT SURE WHAT KINDS OF BIRDS THEY WERE MADE FOR…..MAYBE WOOD DUCKS??

LONG RANGE TELEPHOTO SHOT OF LIBBY ABOUT HALF A MILE AWAY

IT WAS SURE NICE TO GET BACK FOR A SOFT COMFY JEEP SEAT SIT-DOWN

It was good we were able to get ourselves a sunshine fix for a few hours this morning because it looks like we have a couple days of rain ahead of us.  Checking our live-feed weather map I can see lots of rain closing in on us from the south.  Gonna be a wet night.

OH-OH LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY’S GETTING A BLAST HERE

WELL GEORGE SO WHO WAS THAT!!??

‘HUMPH’

OK, BETTER CHECK ON THE KIDS

We’re cooking up some U.S. travel plans for about the middle of June which may or may not involve the Motorhome.  Too early for any details yet but as soon as we get things nailed down I’ll let you all know.  Before that though Kelly is heading off to see her Mother in Spencerport NY around the end of May for a bit so Pheebs & I will be home alone cooking us up a batch of peanut butter sandwiches, boiling up some toast & frying us up some Kellogg’ Mini-wheat cereal.  Yesirreeee we know how to do er up good:))  Say, how many times was it I used the word ‘up’ eh.

I’M OUGHTA HERE!!

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Two pastors, one Catholic and one Protestant, and a Jewish rabbi were part of a threesome one day on the golf course. The group ahead of them were playing slow, terrible golf and weren't gesturing for a play-through. After several holes of this agonizingly slow golf the three clerics began to get very impatient, each muttering his own curses upon the group ahead of them.
Soon the Marshall came about, and was hailed down by the holy men who shouted, "We're sick of being held-up by these yahoos ahead of us who won't allow us to play through!" The Marshall stated, "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but those men are both deaf and blind."
The Protestant cried, "Oh, Jesus, forgive me for my bad thoughts and cursing upon those poor souls." The Catholic cried, "Oh forgive me, Mary, for my bad thoughts and cursing upon those poor souls." The rabbi shouted, "So why can't they play at night!?"

NOT ENOUGH COUPONS TO TAKE ‘THE PHEEBS’:((

SPOTTED THIS WEE CHIPMUNK OUTSIDE OUR SUNROON WINDOW TODAY SO DECIDED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE LITTLE RASCAL

With a couple $4.99 A&W breakfast coupons in hand Kelly & I headed for Goderich this morning.  Good breakfast, good coffee.  Had that been the only reason for going to Goderich we never would have went but wanting to have a look at some floor tiles, wall board, & half a dozen other things we made our way to ‘Rona’ which is a building supply store.  Didn’t find what we were looking for but no matter, we had ourselves a good breakfast.  Had we had a third coupon Pheebs could have come along but as it was she held the fort down while we were gone for an hour or so.

I HAVE A FEELING THIS FELLA’S UP TO SOMETHING

SITTING IN OUR SUNBURST LOCUST TREE I COULD SEE IT WAS EATING SOMETHING

HEY WAIT A MINUTE THAT PURPLE THING LOOKS FAMILIAR

Cloudy & cold again so that kinda put a lid on the day for me.  No hint of any sunshine anywhere & of course in turn that left me with little to write about again.  Maybe tomorrow.

‘A-HAAAAA’ CAUGHT IN THE ACT!!!!   THAT’S ANOTHER ONE OF OUR AZALEA BUDS THIS LITTLE CHIPPY IS GRABBING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GROANER’S CORNER:(( When you feel stressed out, when everyone seems to be leaving you,
when the world seems to be fading away into the mist, please let me know: I will take you to the eye specialist for a checkup!

Q: What’s an advantage to stress?
A: You never have to make your bed, since you’re always in it.

A 2 HOUR COUNTRY ROAD COFFEE BREAK & SOME MINOR RENOVATIONS COMING UP

Bundled up warm against a windy & cold cloudy morning Kelly busied herself cleaning up some of winter’s mess in a couple flower beds.  I stayed in the warm house until it was absolutely necessary I venture outside which I finally did shortly before 9.

My good friend Richard & I have resumed our back road coffee runs & I was out before 9 warming the Jeep up.  Richard lives kitty-corner from us so he walked over at 9 & we headed out the drive-way & were off like a herd of Turtles in a cloud of Heifer dust.

A swing through Clinton's Tim Hortons drive-thru netted us a couple of hot coffees & we headed out on a country road 2 hour coffee break.  As usual lots discussed, not much figured out although we always think we do. We were soon back home with our usual conclusion being there are always far more questions about life than answers.

We've decided to do a few minor renovations to a couple rooms in our house so this afternoon was the start of that as furniture was moved & some wall trim taken off.  Nothing major just some kind of a new wall surface, new trim, painting, & perhaps a new tile type of floor surface overtop the old original linoleum.  The rooms are needing to be brightened & brought up into the 21rst Century.

A BIT BLURRY BUT IT’S A BLUE JAY IN FLIGHT

Too cold & yukky out for an afternoon walk with Pheebs but looks like we might have some sunshine due in Friday so for sure we'll be outside taking advantage of that somewhere.........if it happens that is.

Difficult days for Joe & Betty over at Joe & Betty's Adventures after not hearing the news they were hoping for from Joe’s Doctor.  In Betty’s words, “We talk, we hug and we hold hands a lot”.  Yes, these are difficult days for them.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A wife was making a breakfast of fried eggs for her husband. Suddenly, her husband burst into the kitchen. 'Careful,' he said, 'CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh my gosh! You're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them! TURN THEM NOW! We need more butter. Oh my gosh! WHERE are we going to get MORE BUTTER? They're going to STICK! Careful. CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL! You NEVER listen to me when you're cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind? Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!' The wife stared at him. 'What in the world is wrong with you? You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs?' The husband calmly replied, 'I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I'm driving.'

I LOVE MY DSLR CAMERAS:))

I climbed into my warm lined winter pants this morning but I wasn't long in climbing back out of them a couple hours later when our temps came up.  Walking Pheebs earlier Kelly said there was frost on the ground so we're not quite out of the cold weather woods yet.  I don't do the early morning walks anymore but Kelly & Pheebs do.  I don't care to walk around on the roads here in the Park so oftentimes Pheebe & I later head off walking in one of the areas conservation areas & this morning we were tromping around in the Hullett Marsh again.

BIT OF A LAZY START TO THE MORNING I’D SAY 

ANOTHER NICE SPRING MORNING IN THE HULLETT MARSH 

<<< THIS BLACK HOODED LITTLE FELLOW WAS SURE DOING SOME HAPPY SINGING

Walking in a natural setting is preferable for me & with camera in hand it is always so enjoyable poking along looking at this, listening to that, & thinking along with Mother Nature's Spring surroundings.  Air was cool sun was warm & it reminded me of an Arizona Winter.  We didn't see any Deer but we did see a couple Muskrats & of course lots of Canada Geese.  Nice to finally see tiny buds & leaves slowly beginning to unfurl in the still bare looking forests.  I'm not hearing any bull frogs yet & when I hear crickets I'll know it's warm:))

SO NICE TO SEE FRESH GREEN MARSH GRASSES SPROUTING UP 

SPOTTED 2 DIFFERNT MUSKRATS

THERE ARE MANY ‘BIRD BOXES’ THROUGHOUT THE MARSH

FORESTS & SWAMPS ARE STILL LOOKING BARE BUT ARE SLOWLY BEGINNING TO GREEN FROM THE GROUND UP

SOON THE AIR HERE WILL BE THICK WITH MOSQUITOS

WALKING ALONG ATOP ANOTHER GRASSY BERM GIVES ONE MANY GREAT VIEWS IN ALL DIRECTIONS

INSTEAD OF MOVING AWAY FROM US THESE CANADA GEESE CAME CLOSER TO SEE THE FABULOUS PHEEBS

I’m hoping the side bar link to my ‘Old Farm Houses’ album is working now.  I had forgot to tick off the box that said ‘make public’ I think.  Still some confusion there on my part but I’ll keep working at it.  Did pick up a few more ‘rural houses’ this morning & I’ll try adding them to the album later.  Below are 3 of them.

I think once if not twice a year a group (maybe from Toronto) holds dog & horse training events in the Hullett Marsh & this morning I noticed horse trailers & pick-up trucks parked in an area where those training trials take place.

HEY COULD THAT BE JB & BRENDA ALL THE WAY OVER HERE FROM DOG POUND NORTH ALBERTA:))

 

<<< I’LL BET HIS PALS CALL HIM ‘SLIM’

Home well before noon & cleaned out the eaves.  Another short afternoon walk with the Pheebs & that was about it for my day.  Not exactly exciting times around here at the moment but it is what it is.  No complaints but it does make for some daily blogging challenges:))

MOVED OUR BIRD FEEDER CLOSER TO THE SUN ROOM WINDOW

I know for most folks slugging around a big heavy DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera is a PITA but not for me, I love my DSLR cameras & as a matter of fact I always carry 2 of the brutes plus a weighty 70-300 lens on one of them.  And here’s a few reasons why I totally prefer a DSLR camera as opposed to the point & shoots or cell phone cameras.  The size & weight of my camera works very well giving me a solid steady platform.   With left hand under the camera, right hand on the grip, elbows tucked into my body & the camera resting against my forehead as I peer through the view finder I am a happy camper as the size & weight of my DSLR work to my advantage.  Very steady, very secure.  The reason I carry 2 cameras is to cover a range from 18mm to 300mm.  Yes I know it’s more inconvenient & I know there are single lenses that cover that range but I certainly can’t afford them & there may be some quality issues with the cheaper ones.  Another reason for 2 cameras is the ISO settings.  Because a lot of the things I shoot are on the move or I’m on the move I can’t be fiddling with changing ISO settings (I always forget to change them anyway) so I have my 18-55mm ‘scenic’ camera usually set at 400 ISO & my 70-300 ‘action telephoto’ camera set to 800 or 1000 ISO.  I’ve been using this arrangement & carrying 2 DSLR cameras around now for 10 years so I’m used to it.  Not everybody’s preferred way of doing things of course but it works fine for me & until the day I can’t lift my cameras anymore I’ll just keep on keeping on with my ‘heavy’ cameras of choice:)) 

OUR PARK’S LONELY CANADA GOOSE STILL AWAITS IT’S MATE WHICH WILL LIKELY NEVER RETURN

GROANER'S CORNER:((   The local news station was interviewing an 80-year-old lady because she had just gotten married for the fourth time.

The interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to be marrying again at 80, and then about her new husband's occupation.. "He's a funeral director," she answered. "Interesting," the newsman thought... He then asked her if she wouldn't mind telling him a little about her first three husbands and what they did for a living.

She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years. After a short time, a smile came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she had first married a banker when she was in her 20's, then a circus ringmaster when in her 40's, and a preacher when in her 60's, and now - in her 80's - a funeral director.

The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers.

She smiled and explained, "I married one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go."