BARN BLOCK QUILTS, WHAT AND WHERE ARE THEY?? FINALLY A WEBSITE TELLING WHAT AND WHERE……….

SUNSET AT DEER PARK LODGE 

Weather folks said our earlier morning cloudy skies were the northern edge of Irma.  By noon we were under clear sunny skies again but the miserable humidity is creeping back in.  Wrist was too sore to take many photos so Pheebs and I simply plodded along enjoying the scenery.  Back home I couldn’t do much of anything so it was just a light low key puttering day for me.  However I was encouraged to see Kelly doing some ‘pre-travel stuff’ in the Motorhome and that helped pick up my day.  I’ve been a little snarly with myself over this stupid wrist problem!! 

LOOKS LIKE ‘BOBSY TWINS’ COMBINES AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE CROP IS OR WAS

As Pheebs and I make our way around the countryside in the mornings I am seeing more and more barn quilts appearing on barns, houses, and driving sheds, etc.  Here is a Huron County website with all the counties barn quilts, their locations, and information about them and what they mean.  HURON COUNTIES BARN QUILT TRAIL.  Looking over this site I recognize some that I have already taken photos of.  After reading the article I decided to group all my barn quilts into a photo album and you can now find them on my side bar under ‘PHOTO ALBUMS’ entitled  BARN BLOCK QUILTS

TAKEN ON THE BRONSON LINE THIS MORNING I DO KNOW THE ‘S’ STANDS FOR THE FARM OWNERS NAME, S’TECKLE’

BREEZED BY THIS ‘NEWER ORDER’ MENNONITE SCHOOL AT RECESS SOUTH OF BAYFIELD ON THE BRONSON LINE THIS MORNING

LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE HAVING A GAME OF VOLLEYBALL

Typing is bothering my wrist so it’s a shorter post tonight…………………….

GROANER’S CORNER:((  During a recent power outage my PC, Laptop, TV, DVD, IPAD, and a new surround sound system were all shut down. Also, my cell phone battery was dead. To make matters worse it was raining and I couldn't play golf.
So I go to the kitchen to make coffee, OOPS, the coffee maker requires power, so I sit down and talked to my wife for a couple of hours.
You know, she seems like a nice person.

--------------------------

- A hair raising experience sounds pretty good to a bald guy.

- You had a zero gravity experience???  No weigh.

------------------------

Every morning, one of the secretaries in an office opened the newspaper and read everyone's horoscope aloud. "Gwen," said the boss finally, "you seem to be a normal, level headed person. Do you really believe in astrology?"  "Of course not. You know how skeptical we Capricorns are."

----------------------

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Rome!
Rome who?
Rome is where the heart is!

================================

FLORIDA JEAN BATTLED HURRICANE IRMA WITH TWO MOPS AND A BUCKET

It was about 8 p.m. when Aunt Jean called from Florida Monday night to tell us she was doing fine.  Aside from a lot of small debris constantly hitting the side of her condo her only concern was the water seeping in under the front door pushed there by relentless wind gusts.  With two mops and a bucket she was able to keep that water seepage under control.  Other than that she said everything went well and she was even able to fall asleep around 3.a.m despite the winds howling at her door.  It was so good to hear her voice on the phone last night.  Jean asked me to thank all the readers who expressed concern for her and her safety. 

 

Kelly’s sister and husband had a large awning ripped off the front of their mobile home in Clearwater while they stayed with their son in a stronger house not too far away.  Last we heard they still didn’t have power there.  Seems to be some damage to neighbor Monica’s carport in Frost Proof but she doesn’t know the extent of it.  And it looks like Cherie and Chris’s boat survived hurricane Irma down there in the Florida Keys at Marathon.  A big relief for them.  Technomadia

AND YES THAT IS PHEEB’S VERY OWN COUCH

If you really like Hummingbirds you will really love this You Tube….. Slow Motion Hummingbirds.  And I liked Desert USA's latest edition with two articles about places Kelly and I have been to many times.  A Night on Ghost Mountain of course was particularly interesting to me since we have hiked up there a number of times.  Type ‘Marshal South’ into ‘Search’ on our sidebar for all my posts over the years about Ghost Mountain.  And The Night They Shot Mangas Coloradas takes place in a historical area we are very familiar with from our ranch sitting days near McNeal, Bisbee, and Tombstone Arizona.  Type Fort Bowie into our ‘Search’ bar.  Or Fort Rucker, Tombstone, Bisbee, Cochise Stronghold, John Slaughter Ranch, or, or, or….. We have soooooooo many great memories from that whole southeastern area of Arizona and I’ve posted about every one of them from early 2008 to early 2012.  You can find all my posts under ‘Archives’ on our side bar right underneath the ‘Search’ box.

Not too much going on around here today.  Pheebs and I did get out for a short drive but I was anxious to get back home and get the shingles off the second half of our shed roof before the sun got up over the pine trees and made the job too hot for me.  On our way home from Goderich we passed Kelly on her way to Goderich.  I did get the shingles off the second half of the shed roof but dammit I hurt my wrist again and had to go inside right away and ice it.  That’s probably going to put a hold on things for another couple days.  Very annoying!!

ON OUR WALK THIS AFTERNOON I NOTICED GATHERINGS OF MUSHROOMS ON THE FOREST FLOOR

I WAS  HOPING THESE LITTLE FELLOWS WERE TRULY SPACE ALIENS COME TO EARTH TO RID THE WORLD OF ALL IT’S HUMAN EVILS

It will soon be time to begin my annual frog round-up.  Our front yard pond is not deep enough for frogs to survive the winter so each year I have to catch the little green fellers and transport them over to our Park’s big pond where they can get down deep into the mud.  I’m thinking there may only be half a dozen frogs in our pond this year and that number is way down from years ago when I had dozens of them to catch with my net.  Maybe I will begin that round-up tomorrow.

OUR PARK’S POND

Still no movement on this winter’s travel plans yet.  Unlike other years we somehow seem to have a kind of shadow hanging over us.  I don’t know if it’s a cloak we have pulled over ourselves or what.  Maybe things will kick into gear in a few weeks or maybe next month at this time.  Or maybe I’ll be out shopping for a new winter coat with a parka and a pair of size 10 fleece lined snow boots:((

GROANER’S CORNER:((   I was in a couple’s home trying to fix their Internet connection. The husband called out to his wife in the other room for the computer password. “Start with a capital S, then 123,” she shouted back.  We tried S123 several times, but it didn’t work. So we called the wife in. As she input the password, she muttered, “I really don’t know what’s so difficult about typing Start123.”

--------------------------------

A man dies and goes to Heaven. He gets to meet GOD and asks GOD if he can ask him a few questions.  "Sure," GOD says, "Go right ahead".
"OK," the man says. "Why did you make women so pretty?"   GOD says, "So you would like them."
"OK," the guy says. "But how come you made them so beautiful?"   "So you would LOVE them", GOD replies.   The man ponders a moment and then asks, "But why did you make them such airheads?"   GOD says, "So they would love you!"

-------------------------------

Knock Knock!
Who's there?
Halibut!
Halibut who?
Halibut going out for a drink.

==================================

AN EMAIL FROM AUNT JEAN AT 4:41 THIS AFTERNOON

A NICE SEPTEMBER MORN IN THE HULLETT MARSH

I tried several times to contact Aunt Jean but her phone was still out so we had to assume she was alright and waiting for her power to come back on.  At 4:41 this afternoon we received the following email from Jean.   “Hi Allan & Kelly,  Our power just came on about 20 minutes ago. Was going to call you right away but noticed there was hardly any charge left in any of the phones.   I made it thru the storm just fine, no damage. Will call later to fill you in on my long night.   Right now I'm going to start putting things back in the fridg, & figure out what I'll have for dinner.   We still don't have water, but I'm well stocked so no problem. Tell you more when the phones are back in order. Talk to you soon.    Love you.....Jean”

Another beautifully clear September morn as Pheebs and I again headed northeast of Clinton with a couple stops in the Hullett Marsh.  What a treat it is with no pesky bugs in the air.  For me September and October are the two greatest months of the year to be comfortably out and about.  We wandered half a dozen gravely roads north and east of the Marsh finally arcing our way slowly back home around 11.  What a great way to spend 3 enjoyable hours I thought to myself.

TOOK THIS PHOTO FROM A VIEWING STAND IN THE MARSH…..DID YOU NOTICE THE PHEEBS

IT’S NOT OFTEN WE SEE PHEEBS AND THE SHADOW COWBOY IN THE SAME PHOTO

Back home I immediately set to work removing the old shingles on our shed roof with a pitch fork.  It was high noon and soon became to warm for me but I at least got half the roof done.  With a bit of luck and some extra cool weather energy I hope to get the other half of the roof shingle free Tuesday morning. 

Sometimes while out wandering the country roads with Pheebs I can’t help but contemplate how truly lucky I am.  Despite my complaining, blusterings, occasional rants, plus my moaning and groaning about the aches and pains of aging both mentally and physically I would have to admit these are probably some of the best days and years of my life.  The other best time for me was around the age of 40 and of course many pleasant childhood memories.  I’m married to the only person in the whole world who I could possibly be married to who understands me, my impatience, and my grumpiness.  I also have the absolute most bestest little dog in the entire Galaxy.  The Pheebs:))  We certainly aren’t wealthy folks by any means but we don’t lose a lot of sleep stressing over money matters either.  We have a nice cozy place and live in a sleepy little community in one of the nicest areas of all southwestern Ontario.  A comfy Motorhome takes us to and fro from the southwestern United States for the winters each year and our summers are spent in quiet relaxation.  

THE INTERNATIONAL PLOWING MATCH BEGINS NEAR THIS SPOT ON SEPTEMBER 23RD AND IT IS NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST OUTDOOR AGRICULTURAL CELEBRATION…..RURAL FOLKS IN THE AREA ARE ALREADY DECORATING THEIR PLACES

THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF TWO DIFFERENT CROPS PLANTED TOGETHER WHICH IN THIS CASE IS BEANS AND CORN

NOW IF I HAD A PLACE IN THE COUNTRY THIS IS THE KIND OF BARN I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE

I’M THINKING IT MAY BE HAY BALES IN THOSE PLASTIC WRAPS

NOT SURE IF THAT IS SOME KIND OF BIG MANURE SPREADER BEHIND THAT TRACTOR OR NOT

HMMMM, MAYBE IF IT’S FOR SALE WE’LL MAKE AN OFFER EH:))

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS VEHICLE IS OR WHAT IT’S USED FOR BUT IT WAS SITTING AT A FARM IMPLEMENT DEALER NORTH OF SEAFORTH

I don’t miss the working world one tiny bit.  No longer do I have to get up when I’m told to get up or go to work where somebody else tells me what to do.  No punch clocks, no deadlines to be met, no work related responsibilities.  I like being free and the one in charge of what I do all day.  My decisions - my way.  I’m fortunate to have 3 enjoyable hobbies that combine to make my days rewardable.  Photography, writing, and travel help keep the hounds of boredom at bay.  I take photos of what I want, I write what I want, and I travel wherever I want.  And I do it all at my own pace.  My decisions - my way.  I spend the majority of my time hanging out with myself, Kelly and Pheebs.  No desires to run off visiting people or join any special interest groups.  No obligations to be anywhere small or large groups of people are gathered.  When Pheebs and I are wondering through our beautiful countryside in the mornings the thought of how truly lucky I am is never far from my mind, even on the down days.  After all those turbulent years long ago I am thankful to whatever guiding force there may be here in this vast and unending Universe of ours.

I’M WONDERING IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT KIND OF BIRD THIS IS?

Here are a couple short You Tubes of my son Sean.  First one is a Biographical Interview with Sean and the second one is a song Sean wrote then teamed up with a good friend to sing Weightless and Empty.  A pretty talented guy and he’s now into writing and scoring music for Canadian movie productions.  And here’s his current personal music project, Kings On A Ledge.

ONE OF TWO OLD IRON BRIDGES IN THE MARSH

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Two retired professors were vacationing with their wives at a hotel in the Catskills. They were sitting on the veranda one summer evening, watching the sun set.  The history professor asked the psychology professor, "Have you read Marx?"   To which the professor of psychology replied, "Yes, and I think it's these pesky wicker chairs."

--------------------------------------------

“My washing machine broke down this morning, but I didn't get too agitated.”

-------------------------------------------

Did you hear the one about the man who opened a dry cleaning business next door to the convent? He knocked on the door and asked the Mother Superior if she had any dirty habits.

----------------------------------------

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Sore Ewe.
Sore Ewe who?
Sore Ewe gonna open the door or not?

----------------------------

Q: What was the inspiration for MG's famed octagon-shaped badge?

A: The shape of founder Cecil Kimber's dining table. MG stands for Morris Garages.

Q: In what year did the "double-R" Rolls
Royce badge change from red to black?

A: 1933

Ford, who made the first pick-up trucks, shipped them to dealers in crates that the new owners had to assemble using the crates as the beds of the trucks. The new owners had to go to the dealers to get them, thus they had to "pick-up" the trucks. And now you know the "rest of the story."

And unfortunately folks this brings to an end all the auto trivia I had:((

=====================================

BY 8:35 TONIGHT i COULD NO LONGER REACH AUNT JEAN……WE WILL ANXIOUSLY AWAIT HER ‘ALL CLEAR’ CALL TOMORROW

Aunt Jean called us this morning about 10:30 to give us an update on how she was doing.  Her main concern had been a glass door between her lanai and living room.  She didn’t think her lanai would survive the storm and worried the winds would then break in the glass door.  She called a couple friends who hurriedly came over this morning and moved a large heavy book case to block that glass door.  A living room chair was moved in front of the book case and mats were draped over it all so at least now she has some protection from flying glass if the wind destroys the lanai then attacks the door.  She was still in good spirits but I did detect a note of apprehension in her voice.  While Kelly and I were both on the line with her we could hear crackling and the phone started to cut out.  A hasty good-bye back and forth and that was it.  However, and amazingly enough, when I called back 3 hours later expecting no answer by golly there was Aunt Jean on the the other end of the line again.  The power outage had only been momentary so we had ourselves another chat.  She was cheerful and trying to decide what to make herself for supper.

PATIENTLY WAITING IN THE McDONALDS DRIVE-THRU LAST WEEK

‘HEY DAD THERE GOES A GUY WITH 3 HAMBURGERS’

OUR PARK’S POND IS ABOUT A 30 SECOND WALK FROM OUR FRONT DOOR

Kept myself busy this morning with our ongoing back yard clean-up.  Hooked up the utility trailer and with Pheebs helping we loaded up 3 big loads of pine needles, branches, and small trees hauling them off to our Park’s landfill site.  In between loads I would slip inside and check the hurricane status as it approaches Sarasota.  Our neighbor Monica has a mobile home in a place called Frost Proof Florida so I’m thinking she is sticking pretty close to her TV as well.

JUST A FEW OF THE SMALL TREES AND BRANCHES TO BE PICKED UP

 

MY PARTIALLY UNLOADED SECOND OF 3 UTILITY TRAILER LOADS

Had a few A&W coupons left and with the specials ending today all three of us piled into the Jeep around 11 and headed off to Goderich for a couple Teen Burgers.  Another absolutely beautiful early September day going on here with temps in the mid 60’s.  Ideal weather for me to be working around outside.

THAT GRAY LANDING STRIP OUT THERE IS THE CLOSEST AIRPORT TO OUR HOUSE

I’M TALKING ‘MODEL AIRPLANES’ OF COURSE

THIS MODEL AIRPLANE CLUB SURE HAS A NICE RURAL SPOT ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN BAYFIELD AND GODERICH

My afternoon was a mixture of more outside yard puttering, TV hurricane watching and a couple snoozes.  When a pine tree toppled into your front yard last week it knocked over a post with an old home made bird feeder on it.  No I didn’t make that bird feeder but I noticed on the top of it the assumed builder had painted a small ‘Merry Christmas’ on the a corner of the roof and it was dated 1995.  I have no idea where the bird feeder came from and for whatever reason I don’t ever recall using it.  Picking it up off the ground today I could see it was in need of some TLC. 

MY IMPROVISED TARPAPPER ROOF ON THE BIRDFEEDER

HEY I EVEN PUT A NEW HARDWARE FLOOR IN:))

I called Jean again at 7:30 and surprisingly she answered.  The hurricane eyewall hadn’t reached her yet but she said it was super windy with branches down and things hitting the side of her condo.  Said the power had been going off and on for the last number of hours.  She was still very upbeat and heartened that Irma had been downgraded to a category 2.  She has ridden out Cat 2 hurricanes before but not in the condo she is now in.  We were on the phone about 5 minutes and the line went dead.  Another power outage.   I tried calling two more times, once at 8:15 and again at 8:35.  First time was a busy signal and the second time a mechanical voice saying this number was out of order………..We will anxiously await Aunt Jean’s ‘all clear’ phone call tomorrow…………………

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man walks into a store and he saw a thermos. The clerk walks up to him and asks, "May I help you with anything?" "Yea! What is that?"   "Why that's a thermos!"   "What's it do?"   "It keeps things hot and it keeps things cold!"   "I'll take it"   The next day the man goes to work carrying this thermos. His co-workers ask him, "What's that!"   "It's a thermos"   "What's it do?"   "It keeps things hot and it keeps things cold!"   "So whatcha got in it?"   "Two popsicles and a cup of coffee."

-----------------------------------

Members of the Flat Earth society would ridicule their opponents as sphere-mongers. 

----------------------------------

A woman, searching for a job, inquired about the benefits. The Personnel Manager informed her they had group health and life insurance, but the costs were deducted from the employee's pay.
She said, "My last employer had full health coverage, as well as five years salary for life insurance and a month's sick leave AND they paid the full premiums." "I can't help but asking madam why you would leave a job with such benefits," the interviewer replied. The woman shrugged her shoulders and said, "The company went bankrupt."

--------------------------

Knock, Knock
Who's There?
Herring.
Herring Who?
Herring Al is putting some awful knock-knock jokes in his posts:))

--------------------------

Q: What U.S. production car had the largest 4 cylinder engine?

A: The 1907 Thomas sported a 571 cu. in. (9.2liter) engine.

Q: What car was reportedly designed on the back of a Northwest Airlines airsickness bag and released on April Fool's Day, 1970?

A: 1970 Gremlin, (AMC)

Q: What is the Spirit of Ecstasy?

A: The official name of the mascot of Rolls Royce, she is the lady on top of their radiators.Also known as "Nellie in her nighty".

===================================