A BIG SKY DAY OVER CHOPPY LAKE HURON WATERS

I love it when from my recliner each morning I can look up out our big window and see blue skies through green pine trees.  And that is exactly what I saw this morning despite cloudy skies rumbling through our area during the night.

THIS COLORFUL LITTLE FELLOW KNOWS HOW TO DISQUISE ITSELF QUITE WELL

Soon as Pheebs and I cleared our surrounding forest we could see Sunday morning’s sky was a beautiful mottled array of big white, gray, and dark stormy looking clouds.  Patches of blue, puffs of white and slates of gray from horizon to horizon.  Bright sunny patches drifted slowly across Huron County farmlands briefly highlighting distant shadows and occasionally crossing our path as we made our way to Goderich.  I knew with this kind of sky overhead Lake Huron was going to be looking mighty nice.

PASTORAL FARMLANDS

Coffee and muffin in hand we made our way down to the harbor.  Two large lake freighters in port that I had never seen before.  The FLORENCE SPIRIT docked at the Goderich grain elevators while the strange looking ASHTABULA a short distance away was tied up to the Sifto Salt Mind dock.  What is strange about the Ashtabula is that it is a combination Barge and Tug Boat.  Check the link and it will tell you all about it.  And it seems it has spent a fair share of it’s sea time between Tampa Bay and the Lower Mississippi River.  But first, the green hulled Florence Spirit.

SEEING’S HOW SHE IS RIDING HIGH IN THE WATER THE ‘FLORENCE SPIRIT’ HASN’T TAKEN ON A LOAD YET

WELL SHE’S GOT QUITE A SET OF ANCHORS ON HER HASN’T SHE

  

TWO DIFFERENT BOATS TWO DIFFERENT MASTS

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE THE ‘PHEEBER BUNS’ IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THIS BOAT WAS UNTIL LATER READING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE BARGE ASHTABULA AND THE TUG BOAT DEFIANCE

THAT LARGE TUG BOAT IS EMBEDDED RIGHT INTO THE BIG BARGE

THE ASHTABULA HAS ALSO BEEN AN OCEAN GOING VESSEL

Lake Huron was rough this morning having been stirred up the past few days by a number of storm cells traveling eastwards across her waters.  We stopped at the dog walking area for a few pictures and were immediately set upon by a passing rain cloud.  Waited it out for a few minutes then back out of the Jeep we were.  Big beautiful skies all around us and I was able to snap off a few nice photos.  Oh how I am loving this D7200 Nikon camera:))

LOOKS LIKE THE BOYS ARE HEADING OUT TO DO SOME KAYAKING IN CHOPPY WATERS

‘AWWWW GEEEEZZZZZ’ WHO FORGOT TO PUT THE CORK IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT!!’

LOOKS LIKE THOSE GODERICH FIREFIGHTERS ARE STILL WORKING HARD AT STAYING IN SHAPE….GOOD STUFF

GETTING HARDER TO TELL THE YOUNGSTERS FROM THE ADULTS

‘HEY BURT SURF’S UP’

Needing a few things at Walmart I buzzed in and out of there in about 7.2 minutes.  Two days ago I was in the Pharmacy department and spent a good 5 minutes looking for a couple items I simply could not find.  Being a man I didn’t ask anyone where I could find anything and promptly left the store in a huff of course badgering myself all the way back to the Jeep.  This morning I walked over to the Pharmacy section again and found the two said items in about 30 seconds.  Now why does that happen!!  For sure those two things were there on the shelf two days ago but my eyes could not locate them.  This is a rather common occurrence for me and about drives me batty every time it happens which of course is just about every day so every day I have some kind of batty time with myself.

LOTS OF FLOTSAM AND JETSAM WASHING UP ON THE BEACH THIS MORNING AND SECONDS AFTER TAKING THIS PHOTO WE GOT RAINED ON

THE BLIP ON THE WATER’S HORIZON TO THE RIGHT IS THE BREAKWATER BUILDING BELOW

Our 12 year old Samsung 42” plasma television finally gave up the ghost Saturday night.  Kelly was watching it and the screen suddenly went all ka-floofilated.  It was nothing like we had ever seen before and I knew right away it was done.  There had been a few ka-flooferation signs over the past couple months and I had a feeling it was on it’s last legs.  It had been a demonstrator set at a local TV shop when we first bought it.  Expecting trouble we had  been researching TV’s over the last while and already had an idea what we were looking for so earlier this afternoon Kelly climbed on-line and ordered us up a 55” LG Super UHD Smart LED TV.  With any luck we may be able to pick it up Wednesday at the Brick store in Goderich.  In the meantime we have the 19” TV from our old Congress Arizona house set up.

THE TOWN OF GODERICH DOES A SUPERB JOB WITH ALL IT’S FLOWER PLANTING EACH YEAR

With cooler temperatures and a nice refreshing breeze Pheebs and I took us for a bug free walk around the pine tree trail this afternoon.  Clippers in hand I was able to do a little trail trimming maintenance along the way.  At the time of publishing this tonight it is 63 degrees and I am a happy camper with that.  Think I’ll go put a sweater on:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Two children went into their parent's bathroom and noticed the scale in the corner. "Whatever you do," cautioned one child to the younger one, "don't step on it!"
"Why not?" asked the sibling. "Because every time mom does, she lets out an awful scream!"

Q: How was Saddam Hussein like Fred Flintstone? A: Both looked out their windows and saw Rubble.

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A pickpocket was up in court for a series of petty crimes. The judge said “Mr. Banks you are hereby fined $100.” The lawyer stood up and said “Thanks, my lord, however my client only has $75 on him at this time, but if you'd allow him a few minutes in the crowd…”

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"I'm sorry," said the clerk in the flower shop, "we don't have potted geraniums. Could you use African violets instead?"  Replied the customer sadly, "No, it was geraniums my wife told me to water while she was gone."

NOT TO WORRY FOLKS ’NO SELFIES’ IN THIS POST AND REALLY….WHERE DO OUR MINDS GO WHEN THEY LEAVE OUR CONSCIOUS STATE??

I have probably mentioned a dozen times over the years about Saturday mornings being my favorite time of the week and this morning was no exception with the bonus of having what for me was a perfect weather morning.  Sunshine, puffy white clouds, and 70 degrees with a slight breeze. 

  

It was under these perfectly ideal conditions Pheebs and wondered into Bayfield and right on out the other side and down the Bronson Line through our beautiful southwestern Ontario countryside.  Wandering along in a southeasterly direction we made our way over to the Hay Swamp west of Exeter Ontario.  Without the oppressive heat and humidity I knew the mosquitoes in the swamp would be at least tolerable for a short duration and they were as we got out for a leg stretch and a few photos.  Dark unmoving iron looking brackish water with gnarly tree stumps hosting shades of smothering green mosses.  Tumbled branches, twisted grasses and puddles of green scum upon the water.  Nothing stirring, not even a mouse.

SWAMPS ARE DARK MYSTERIOUS YET BEAUTIFUL PLACES

Parr Line runs right through the middle of the Swamp and it was on Parr line’s gravely section of road we stopped to take a few photos.  Swamps are a world unto themselves.  There are things living and growing in swamps that are not found anywhere else.  It’s a dark world with every ray of sunlight having to find it’s own way to the ground below. 

Swamps abound with myth and legend where shadowy creatures and things go bump in the night.  Where sounds can stand the hair up on one’s neck and imaginations can paralyze one to the very spot they are standing.  It was here we stopped this morning looking for pixies, fairies, gnomes, elves, and trolls.  Oh in my mind’s imagination they were there alright but just not for us to see today…………

OLD UPROOTED TREE ROOTS CAN HIDE MANY FACES

Ever wonder about that other world we all transition to in a matter of seconds every day or several times a day and mostly at night for long periods?  You know the one where our minds take us when we are not conscious.  When our awake world gives way to our sleep world.  What Universe or Planet or virtual state are we instantly transported to and how is it done and why is it done over and over for the whole duration of our lives?  We call them dreams and they can come any time our minds are not preoccupied with our conscious world.  We sometimes laugh them off and pay little heed but is there something much deeper going on here.  I wrote a post about this years ago and today dozing for a few minutes in my recliner I was reminded of that post as my mind once again took me to a place very far away.  A different world yet somehow familiar.  I see people there, interact with people there.  Some are strangers, some are good friends and many times the people in my mind have recently or long ago passed away but there they are and I am somehow one with  them again and they with me.  There never is a state of animosity with any of these people only a curiosity, a knowing, yet an unknowing, and a kind of confusing understanding.  It’s like I’m walking slowly through a fog with people appearing and walking alongside in a helping manner then disappearing once again into the mist.  I know I’m not alone experiencing this, it’s a known occurrence with many people but what is it.  Is it real, is it imaginary, is it a mind playing tricks, or is there really somewhere else just as real as where we are here in our current conscious states on what we have evolved to call Planet Earth.   All religious connotations aside, what is really going on in our minds.  What is it we don’t know about ourselves, our lives, our Planet, our Universe.  What connections to our minds does this vast secretive Solar System of ours really hold.  Are those places we go and those people we see and communicate with in our unconsciousness really the key to this mystery of life?  In my opinion there is not a single human being on this entire Planet who knows the answers to any of these questions.  Nor has there ever been or probably ever will be.  Many will profess to have the answers and know all but I am not one of them and I do not believe all those who say they do.  I feel this though…..there is something somewhere for some reason and it is not anything any conscious human mind thinks it knows or has the answers too.  And I don’t believe it has anything to do with any of man’s religions around the world as he believes them to be.  Whatever it is I believe it to be beyond the understanding of the human race as we currently understand ourselves………………….

GROANER’S CORNER:((   An old man was a witness in a burglary case. The defense lawyer asked Sam, "Did you see my client commit this burglary?" "Yes," said Sam, "I saw him plainly take the goods." The lawyer asks Sam again, "Sam, this happened at night. Are you sure you saw my client commit this crime?" "Yes, says Sam. "I saw him do it." Then the lawyer asks Sam, "Sam, listen, you are an 80-year-old, and your eyesight is probably bad. Just how far can you see at night?" Sam says, "I can see the moon. How far is that?"

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A young man studying in a college abroad sent this short message to his father: Dear dad, no mon, no fun, your son.  The father replied: Dear son, too bad, so sad, your dad.

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A guy goes to the gates of heaven where he meets St. Peter. St. Peter says to him "God has looked at your book of life and you are welcome in heaven under one condition"  The man say "What's that?"  St. Peter says "You must spell the word 'Love'." So he does and he is let in to heaven. As he gets in, St. Peter's beeper goes off. He tells the man to watch the gate until he returns, and reminds him that he must ask whoever comes to spell the word. Next thing you know, his wife show up at the gate and he asks her what she is doing there?  She says that on the way home from the funeral, there was an accident and she died. The husband says alright, but you do have to spell one word first before you come in to heaven.  She asks "What's that?"  He says "Spell Czechoslovakia"

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Galway!
Galway who!
Galway, your annoying me!