A FEW WORDS A FEW PHOTOS

Just couldn’t seem to wrestle any words out of myself tonight so I’ll leave you all with a few photos from this morning’s Jeep ride under moody skies.

USING YOUR IMAGINATION CAN YOU SEE A LARGE GORILLA HEAD PROFILE IN THE TREES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD….GORILLA IS LOOKING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT

MOWING GRASS ALONG THE ROADSIDE

THIS WAS MY ONLY HULLETT MARSH PHOTO BEFORE THE RAINS CAME

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A lawyer and an engineer were fishing in the Caribbean. The lawyer said, "I'm here because my house burned down, and everything I owned was destroyed by the fire. The insurance company paid for everything."  "That's quite a coincidence," said the engineer. "I'm here because my house and all my belongings were destroyed by a flood, and my insurance company also paid for everything." The lawyer puzzedly asked, "How do you start a flood?"

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A new York Divorce Lawyer died and arrived at the pearly gates. Saint Peter asks him "What have you done to merit entrance into Heaven?" The Lawyer thought a moment, then said, "A week ago, I gave a quarter to a homeless person on the street." Saint Peter asked Gabriel to check this out in the record, and after a moment Gabriel affirmed that this was true.  Saint Peter said, "Well , that's fine, but it's not really quite enough to get you into Heaven." The Lawyer said, "Wait Wait! There's more! Three years ago I also gave a homeless person a quarter." Saint Peter nodded to Gabriel, who after a moment nodded back, affirming this, too, had been verified.  Saint Peter then whispered to Gabriel, "Well, what do you suggest we do with this fellow?"  Gabriel gave the Lawyer a sidelong glance, then said to Saint Peter,  "Let's give him back his 50 cents and tell him to go to Hell."

SITTING IN THE MOTORHOME TODAY AND THINKING BACK

I always liked the string of ‘cactus cowboy’ lights we had hanging in our Damon Motorhome years ago and when I took them down back in late winter of 2014 due to selling the rig I remember thinking to myself ‘I wonder when I’ll get to hang these cozy lights back up some day.  Well today was that day.

 
THESE LIGHTS CAST THE NICEST SOFT GLOW IN THE MOTORHOME AT NIGHT


<<<< STRETCHED OUT AND SOUND ASLEEP
A much needed and welcome rain in the night left an overcast with ‘slightly’ cooler temps this morning so rather than a Jeep ride on muddy country roads I dug out our string of night lights and set to work hanging them up in the Big EEE.  I’m one of those people who do not like bright lights or lights of any kind hanging from ceilings.  Indirect subdued lighting and floor or table lamps are my thing.  We did have a big fancy schmancy Mossmagator of a light hanging over the dining area table but after we removed our table and dining room chairs to make way for my recliner I was always crashing my head into that annoying lamp every time getting into or out of my chair.  Uninstalled that light a few weeks ago and picked up an ordinary flush mounted RV light from Stormrunner RV Sales and Service here in Bayfield and neighbor Richard installed it for us.  Not likely we’ll ever use it much but at least I will end up with substantially less dents in my head now.

THE NIGHT LIGHTS CAN BE SEEN STRUNG ALONG ABOVE THE COUCH ON LEFT

While in the RV working on the lights I had the living room slide out and some tunes going on the radio.  Sitting down for a few minutes in our new to us slightly used leather recliner I could feel a twinge of travel excitement.  Just as we are so glad to get home every spring to our house here near Bayfield we are also very glad each Fall when we once again get the big wheels rolling as we head off on another big Snow Bird adventure.  And adventure is the correct word to use here because at this age and stage of life just about anything different from the usual and many times boring daily routines is a most welcome change of pace.  Knowing this Snow Bird lifestyle of ours will inevitably come to an end some day whether suddenly or over a planned period of time I feel it’s more important than ever before that we get ourselves out as much and as often as we can….while we still can.  So long story short, I am sooooooo much looking forward to getting on the road again this October.  The great American Southwest is already calling our name.

WAKE ME WHEN IT’S TIME TO GET ROLLING DAD

HEY DID YOU MEAN RIGHT NOW:))
Skies cleared about mid morning and I couldn’t help but notice how fresh and lush everything was looking after the rains.  Hope our overnight shower will be beneficial for our areas dry farmlands.  Looking forward to a cooler day Friday.

EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING FARM MACHINERY AWAITS THEIR EAGER OPERATORS

WHICH PARTICULAR ‘HEAD’ FITS ON THE FRONT OF THE COMBINE DEPENDS ON THE CROP BEING HARVESTED

THOSE LONG WIDE HEADS ARE TOO WIDE FOR COUNTRY ROADS SO WHEN THE COMBINE IS MOVED THE HEAD IS DETACHED AND PLACED ON A TRAILER LIKE THE ONE ABOVE AND TOWED BY A PICK-UP TRUCK OR THE COMBINE ITSELF TO THE NEXT FIELD

THROUGH A LONG AUGER DEVICE ATOP THE COMBINE GRAINS ARE FUNNELED THROUGH AND BLOWN INTO THESE LARGE WAGONS BEING TOWED ALONGSIDE THE COMBINE AS THEY MOVE DOWN THE FIELD

THE TRACTOR TOWS THE FILLED WAGONS OUT TO THE FIELD’S EDGE NEAR THE ROAD WHERE THE GRAINS CAN THEN BE AUGERED INTO LARGE WAITING TRUCKS WHICH WILL TAKE THE LOAD TO LOCAL GRAIN SILORS

I AM THINKING THIS IS WHEAT THESE MACHINES ARE HANDLING

Being in the RV this morning took my mind back to our earlier Southwest RV travel days when we were on the move much more during the winter season as opposed to our last few years of RVing since buying our Arizona house.  I do like going back to places we have already been. I like it so much that I have quite a struggle with myself sometimes to head off in new directions to see new things. I have always been a nostalgic creature by nature & really enjoy re-visiting places of past pleasant memories. Our first RV adventure took us to Big Bend National Park in Texas back in December of 05 and I hope we can return there again sometime just to see it all over again.  Columbus New Mexico created a lot of memories for us in 07 and 08 & holds a special place in my heart as well especially the The Pink Store just 3 miles south of there in Palomas Mexico. 

One of our first and few RV Park ventures was Hickiwan Trails in Why Arizona back in 07 which did see us return again in 08 & 09. We really enjoyed that area the first few times there but when we stopped by again in 09 it just wasn't quite the same. The newness had worn off a bit.  We stayed one night at Hickiwan & then rolled out early in the morning in search of new frontiers. But, you know what it’s been about 7 years since we’ve been there last and I’m thinking it would be nice to head back to the Ajo, Why, Organ Pipe Cactus Monument area again to touch base and re-visit some good old memories.  I would love to once more see the Ajo Mountains & walk the familiar desert floor at Hickiwan Trails where we once walked with the original Bayfield Bunch Max, Checkers and Cora better known by me as ‘Motormouse’:))  It was at Hickiwan where we first came face to face with the Sonoran desert’s big old lovable Saguaros which quickly became our favorite cactus and I would just like to walk out into the desert there one more time and say ‘Hello’ to all our familiar spots again.  Kick a little desert dust and hug a few Saguaros.  If our house sells this winter we just might take us for a drive on down to Hickiwan Trails for old times sake and maybe stay us a short spell.  Here’s one of my Hickiwan Trail posts I accidently found on the internet dated Monday February 4th 2008.  It’s called A Look At Hickiwan Trails RV Park.  And be sure to check out Donna’s recent post as well entitled Memories of Hickiwan and Ajo. 

WE SURE ARE ENJOYING THE EXTRA SUNLIGHT IN OUR FRONT YARD AND KELLY CAN EVEN SEE BLUE SKY NOW RIGHT FROM HER RECLINER
GROANER’S CORNER:((  Walking through Chinatown, a tourist is fascinated with all the Chinese restaurants, shops, signs and banners. He turns a corner and sees a building with the sign, "Hans Olaffsen's Laundry."  "Hans Olaffsen?" he muses. "How in hell does that fit in here?" So he walks into the shop and sees an old Chinese gentleman behind the counter.
The tourist asks, "How did this place get a name like 'Hans Olaffsen's Laundry?'" The old man answers, "Is name of owner." The tourist asks, "Well, who and where is the owner?" "Me...is right here," replies the old man.
"You? How did you ever get a name like Hans Olaffsen?"  "Is simple," says the old man. "Many, many year ago when come to this country, was stand in line at Documentation Center. Man in front was big blonde Swede. Lady look at him and go, 'What your name?' He say,'Hans Olaffsen.' Then she look at me and go, 'What your name?'"  "I say Sem Ting."

WOODEN BEACH STRUCTURE AND PHEEBS GETS CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Knowing anything that had to be done today had to be done in the cooler early morning hours Pheebs and I didn’t waste any time in getting out and about.  Headed straightaway to Goderich to check something out.  A couple days ago I took several photos from Goderich’s north side harbor of a curious looking wooden structure over on the south side of the harbor.  Carolyn, a blog reader emailed asking what that structure was and although I had walked by it a couple summers ago I could not recall it’s purpose.  So that was our mission this morning.  Find out about that odd looking wood structure.

I AM THINKING THIS MAY BE REFERRED TO AS A ‘BEACH SHELTER’ AS ONE CAN SEE SEATING WHERE FOLKS FROM THE NEARBY BEACH CAN TAKE SHELTER FROM THE HOT SUN OR RAIN

THAT IS QUITE AN INTERIOR ROOF STRUCTURE

THERE ARE INTERESTIN HISTORICAL PLACQUES AFFIXED TO THE SHELTER’S WALLS WHICH TELL OF THE HARBOR AREA AND NOTICE THE SMALL SIT DOWN BENCH

 

We were in Goderich before 8 a.m. and even then the heat and humidity were building.  Another heat advisory today with temps in the 90’s and they say with the humidex figured in we will be over 100F.  Not nice, not nice at all and here’s the kicker….. predicted to be even hotter tomorrow but am hoping possible overnight rains may kick it all down a notch.

THE MODERN DAY BATH HOUSE  WITH A SNACK BAR ON THE LEFT

GREAT BEACH AREA FOR KIDS

THE BACK OF THE BATH HOUSE FACING THE BEACH SHELTER ABOUT 40’ AWAY

LAKE FREIGHTER TO THE RIGHT IS TAKING ON A LOAD OF SALT AT THE SIFTO SALT MINE

TOOK THIS PHOTO FROM THE SANDY BEACH

LAKE AND BEACH AREA ARE TO THE RIGHT OF THE GRASS

BY THE WAY THIS BEACH SHELTER IS WHEEL CHAIR ACCISSIBLE AND MAKES A NICE VANTAGE POINT FOR VIEWING LAKE HURON AND HARBOR TRAFFIC COMING AND GOING

WOODEN BOARDWALK BETWEEN BATH HOUSE AND THE BEACH SHELTER…..PLAQUES ARE ALONG THE GRASS TO THE LEFT

A short walk in the dog walking area by the lake at the end of Goderich’s beach was about all the exercise we got this morning.  By 9 a.m. we had no choice but to again crank the windows up and crack on the A/C.  We got it so cold inside that Jeep we were both shivering and I’m sure I saw Pheebs biting at some snowflakes:))

A COUPLE WASHED UP DRIFTWOOD LOGS

AQUA WATER COLORS IN THE HARBOR WERE SO BEAUTIFUL THIS MORNING

WHEN WORLD RENOUNED MARATHON SWIMMER VICKI KEITH IN 1988 SWAM ACROSS LAKE HURON FROM HARBOR BEACH MICHIGAN SHE CAME ASHORE HERE JUST A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THIS PLAQUE

THESE PLAQUES AND STONES ARE JUST A FEW STEPS AWAY FROM THE BEACH SHELTER

We were home by 10 and over the course of the day managed to slip out half a dozen times for maybe 20 minutes each and work away at cleaning up some more tree cutting aftermath.  At the moment we have two stripped pine trees waiting to come down.  They are not easy drops so Jim is waiting for the professional tree cutter guy to come and do the precise cutting.  We have no idea when that will take place.

I THINK THIS IS GODERICH’S BEST VIEWPOINT OVERLOOKING THE HARBOR

I HAVE INCLUDED A GOOGLE EARTH MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE WOODEN BEACH SHELTER, WHERE THE LAKE FREIGHTER WAS LOCATED AND THE SPOT WHERE I TOOK THE OVERLOOK PHOTO OF THE HARBOR (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

On our morning Jeep rides I generally get a small coffee at Tim Hortons to go as well as a carrot muffin.  Pheebs and I share the muffin and when it’s done I take the paper muffin wrapper and crumple it up putting it back in the Tim Hortons bag then crumple the bag up tossing it on the floor until we get home.  This morning I had to make a quick stop at the Maitland Medical Center and my time in and out of there would not have added up to 5 minutes.  Walking back to the Jeep I could see Pheebs was up to something and I don’t think she expected me back so quick.  Saw her quickly jump into the passenger seat from the back which was not unusual except for what she had in her mouth.  I think the photos below will explain what she was up to. 

THE LITTLE DICKENS HAD ALREADY PULLED OUT THE MUFFIN WRAPPER AND ATE IT BY THE TIME I TOOK THESE PHOTOS AND KNOWING SHE HAD BEEN CAUGHT JUST SAT THERE LOOKING AT ME……SECONDS LATER HER TAIL WAS JUST A WAGGING WHEN SHE KNEW I WASN’T GOING TO REPRIMAND HER…..NO WONDER I CALL HER ‘MUFFIN FACE’ SOMETIMES:))

OH PLEASE DAD DON’T SCOLD ME >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GROANER’S CORNER:(( There is this atheist swimming in the ocean. All of a sudden he sees a shark in the water, so he starts swimming furiously towards his boat.  As he looks back, he sees the shark turn and head towards him. He's scared to death, and as he sees the jaws of the great white beast open, revealing its horrific teeth, the atheist screams, "Oh God! Save me!"
In an instant, time is frozen and a bright light shines down from above. The man is motionless in the water when he hears the voice of God say, "You are an atheist. Why do you call upon me when you do not believe in me?"
Confused, and knowing he can't lie, the man replies, "Well, that's true I don't believe in you, but how about the shark? Can you make the shark believe in you?"  The Lord replies, "As you wish," and the light retracts back into the heavens. The man feels the water move once again.  As the atheist looks back, he can see the jaws of the shark start to close down on him, when all of sudden the shark stops and pulls back.  Shocked, the man watches as the huge beast closes its eyes, bows its head and says, "Thank you Lord for this food which I am about to receive.……………

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A Few Ponderings:

- If corn oil comes from corn, where does baby oil come from?
- If there is no God, who pops up the next Kleenex in the box?
- When a cow laughs does milk come up its nose?
- Why do they put braille on the number pads of drive-through bank machines?
- How did a fool and his money GET together in the first place?
- If nothing sticks to Teflon, how do they stick Teflon on the pan?