IT WAS THROUGH A DEEP DARK FOREST WE WALKED

How nice to throw open windows and doors late Sunday evening to let an abundance of humidity free cool and fresh overnight air in.  Reminded me a bit of Arizona's cool night air during our winter months there.  Sunshine tickling the tops of our pine trees first thing this morning and with cooler days ahead that of course had this gruff old face of mine actually cracking a rare smile.  Energized by refreshing humidity free air I wasn't long in tumbling myself outside.

Pheebs and I were off again for Goderich and after grabbing a McDonald's coffee we took ourselves for a quick spin down around the harbor and snapped a few photos.  A beautiful morning with big blue skies and calm deep blue lake waters.  Couple cars at the dog walking area so we didn't stop.  With lower temperatures upon us I figured it would be a good time for us to head on down south of Goderich to the  NAFTEL'S CREEK CONSERVATION AREA for a wee hike.  Well as long as there wasn’t anybody there that is.

KNOWING THE FURRY GNOME SOMEWHERE UP THERE IN THE WILDS NEAR MEAFORD ONTARIO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS COAST GUARD VESSEL I SNAGGED A FEW PHOTOS THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE

NOTICE ANYTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS WORK CREW DOWN AT THE GODERICH HARBOR??  THERE’S NOT A GUY AMONG THEM….'GIRL POWER -YAY TEAM’

AND IT WAS ALL LADIES ON THE BOARDWALK THIS MORNING TOO

DRIVE-BY SHOOTING OF A FLOWERBED COMING UP FROM THE HARBOR

Didn’t take us long to reach the Conservation area and having done the 1.9km Yellow Trail last week I figured we'd try the 2.7km Blue Trail this morning.  So that is what we did.  My short quarter horse legs were definitely needing some exercise.

WE ENTER THE DEEP DARK FOREST

LOOKS LIKE A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BRIDGE

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SAFE TO SAY THAT IS NAFTEL’S CREEK RIGHT THERE

AN ENCHANTED FOREST INDEED AND I’M SURE THERE MUST BE AN OLD TROLL LIVING UNER THIS BRIDGE

IN FACT I THINK I JUST SAW HIM OVER THERE BY THE WATER’S EDGE

DEEP DARK FORESTS DO THAT YOU KNOW…..THEY CAN MAKE YOU SEE WISPY  MYSTICAL CREATURES

NAFTEL’S CREEK IS A POPULAR CROSS COUNTRY SKI AREA IN THE WINTER MONTHS

WHEN WE REACHED THIS POINT I WAS CONFUSED WHEN THE SIGN INDICATED THE BLUE TRAIL LED INTO THE GROUND AND THE BLUE LOOP TRAIL LED INTO THE SKY….ONLY WAY TO UN-CONFUSE MYSELF WAS TO PROP THE SIGN UP WITH A STICK…AHHHHH YES NOW I KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO

Nice hike through a dark forest complete with swampy areas traversed by winding wooden walkways through lush vegetation and black looking brackish water.  A newly constructed wooden bridge spanned what I assumed to be Naftels Creek itself.  Fast flowing shallow water appeared to be crystal clear suggesting it's head waters may be a spring upstream somewhere.

SPOTTING THAT LOG ON THE LEFT FALLEN ACROSS A CREEK BELOW I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE I WAS…..’SHERWOOD FOREST’ AND THAT LOG ABOVE AND BELOW I’M SURE IS WHERE ‘ROBIN HOOD AND LITTLE JOHN’ HAD THEIR FIRST ENCOUNTER

AND BY GOLLY I THOUGHT I SAW SOME OF ROBIN’S MERRY MEN RUNNING ALONG THIS VERY FOREST PATH

<<< I’M SURE THIS MUST BE NAFTEL’S CREEK

Any forest on a bright sunny day presents a particularly difficult challenge to anyone with a camera and I had quite a time this morning with my exposure settings.  The human eye is able to see detail in deep shadow as well as bright sunlight all at the same time but a camera not being anywhere near as capable of judging correct light exposure as the human eye as a rule either ends up over or under exposing the photos.  In other words too light or too dark and as is often the case in a dark forest with bright shafts of sunlight piercing through the trees a combination of both.  And that is where a photo editing program can come to the rescue.  Even a free lower end one like Google’s Picasa although not perfect can be a big help in getting photos back to looking closer to what the human eye saw in the first place.  I have been using Picasa ever since I started blogging many years ago.

With stops along the way the forest walk took us about and hour and a half.  An hour and a half well spent I might add.  I always enjoy meandering through places I have never been before.  For me seeing new things for the first time is often the best.  First impressions can make or break an area for me.  And it is that first time anywhere that lays down a firm foundation of memories on which one can build many future memories to last a lifetime.  With a couple more trails to check out we will return to Naftel’s Creek Conservation Area one day again soon.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible.
- George Burns
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Santa Claus has the right idea.  Visit people only once a year.
- Victor Borge
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By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
- Socrates
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My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe.
- Jimmy Durante
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I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
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I don't feel old. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap.
- Bob Hope
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I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.
- W. C. Fields
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We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress.
- Will Rogers
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Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
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Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty, but everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.
- Phyllis Diller
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By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.
- Billy Crystal
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And the cardiologist's diet:
If it tastes good spit it out.
author unknown

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Mischa!
Mischa who?
Mischa a lot!

STARTED OUR DAY WITH RAIN SHOWERS AND ENDED OUR DAY IN SUNSHINE

Putting my post together Saturday night with sheets of rain coming down outside our sunroom windows I was totally unaware area tornado warnings had been issued.  Surrounded by tall pine trees we have a very limited view of the sky so don't know the extent of weather surrounding us.  I do love our trees but also wished we had clear sky views like we always have in the southwest during the winter months.

Woke up to thunder in the sky, gusting winds, and rain on our roof this morning.   Didn't look to promising for a jeep ride until I thought ‘awwww what the heck’, so what if it's raining, maybe I can get a few raindrop photos or something.  As it turns out the rain ended before Pheebs and I were out the door. It was dull gray overcast skies we were under but no matter it was still good enough for us two bums so we headed on over to the Hullett Marsh for a walk.  Luckily it was windy enough to keep all flying insects grounded and with humidity levels temporarily down as well it was totally enjoyable for me to be outside.

Skies began clearing around mid afternoon and that started the mugginess climbing again.  Had it not been for a cooling breeze I might not have made it outside to take Pheebs for a late afternoon walk around the trail.  Looking at the weather forecast for the next 14 days I see lots of mid 60’s temperatures.  Now that should keep my complaining down to a dull roar for awhile eh….Yabba-dabba-doo:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Hymns for All Professions::

- Dentist's Hymn: Crown Him with Many Crowns
- Weatherman's Hymn: There Shall Be Showers of Blessings
- Contractor's Hymn: The Church's One Foundation
- Tailor's Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy
- Golfer's Hymn: There's a Green Hill Far Away
- Politician's Hymn: Standing on the Promises -Optometrist's Hymn: Open My Eyes That I Might See
- IRS Agent's Hymn: I Surrender All
- Gossip's Hymn: Pass It On
- Electrician's Hymn: Send The Light
- Shopper's Hymn: Sweet By and By
- Realtor's Hymn: I've Got a Mansion, Just Over the Hilltop
- Massage Therapist's Hymn: He Touched Me
- Doctor's Hymn: The Great Physician

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Knock Knock

Who's there
Arbus!
Arbus who?
Arbus leaves in 5 minutes?
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Arch!
Arch who?
You catching a cold?

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Five brunettes go into a bar and one of them says to the bartender, "A round of drinks for me and my friends."  They get their drinks and the raise their glasses to a toast of, "To 51 days!" and they drink.  The "head brunette" asks the bartender to set them up again.  Again, the brunettes toast "To 51 days!" and they drink. After they order a third round, the bartender says that he has to ask what the toast means.  The head brunette says, "We just finished a jigsaw puzzle. On the box it said, "Two to Four years" and we finished it in 51 days".