THANKFUL EVERY YEAR FOR SPRING'S EXERCISE

SIGNS OF SPRING ON A FOREST FLOOR THIS MORNING

In the first half of our Snow Bird RVing years in the great Southwest we were lucky enough to be more physicaly active than we were in the last few years of our travels.  For the years ranch sitting near McNeal Arizona we were active every day feeding and looking after a few farm animals.  We did our share of exploring, walking, and hiking in the nearby Chiricahua, Dragoon, and Mule Mountains and yes we were in much better physical shape back then.  Following our Ranch Sitting days we purchased our house in Congress Arizona and once again we were thankfully very physically active for a few years.  These last couple travel years without any kind of enjoyable project in front of us we found our physical activity went downhill and I couldn't help but think of that today again as I busied myself with outside yard work.  How great to be doing something physical again instead of falling into that winter RV routine of just sitting around the RV.  Nobody's fault but our own of course and had we put our minds to it like we used to do I'm sure we could have come up with something like we always did.  Morning walks are better than nothing but pretty small potatoes compared to what we could have been doing.  Oh well it is the way it was and the only reason I'm writing about it tonight is because I happened to think of it today bouncing merrily along on the end of my wheelbarrow.  

BEFORE SETTING OUT EACH MORNING I TAKE A QUICK CAMERA SHOT OUT THE DRIVEWAY TO MAKE SURE MY CAMERA SETTINGS ARE SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO REASONABLE

SUNNY SKIES AND DRY ROADS ARE ALWAYS A BONUS THIS TIME OF YEAR

Nice sunny day here and it was a real pleasure to be outside cleaning things up.  Thermometer outside our sunroom said we were at 45F at 2 this afternoon.  However......we have a tough weather week-end coming up with colder temps, rain, and chances of snow:((  Nice again Monday:))

SOON AS THE ICE MELTS OUT OF OUR BACKYARD FIRE PIT I'M A GONNA HAVE MYSELF A BIG 'WELCOME HOME' CAMPFIRE

THE SMALL HOLE IN OUR FROG POND'S ICE IS GETTING LARGER

AHHHH YES, SURE IS NICE TO BE HOME AT THIS TIME OF YEAR:))

BIT OF TREE WORK GOING ON AT THE OTHER END OF OUR STREET TODAY

ONE OF MY YARD PROJECTS TODAY WAS CLEANING UP THIS TRAIL ACROSS FROM OUR HOUSE

Pheebs and I did take ourselves for a drive up to Goderich and back this morning with a short walk in between about half way home.  A very enjoyable Spring so far and for some reason I seem to be more pleasantly aware of it this year than others.  Maybe I was other years too but just can't remember it.  Ya that's probably it.

THE CHANGING LAKE HURON SHORELINE AT GODERICH ONTARIO

PHEEBS AND I STOPPED FOR A SHORT WALK IN THE WOODS ON THE WAY HOME......NOT MUCH COLOR YET

I THINK THESE MIGHT BE CALLED 'SNOWDROPS'

Another fine walk this afternoon around our Park's forest trails.  Totally surprised to see all the ice gone off our Park's pond and nice to see Mama and Papa Goose happily paddling around.  And nice to hear Robins in the trees too.  Air was cool but how great to be walking in warm sunshine.  

I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED TO SEE ALL THE ICE GONE OFF THE POND TODAY

THIS PAIR OF CANADA GEESE WERE DOING THEIR BEST TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE AND NOT BE SEEN MY PHEEBS AND I WALKING BY

THIS EARLY LAMBS EAR PLANT WILL GROW TWO OR THREE FEET TALL

 DID YOU KNOW ONTARIO'S BABY SEA HORSES BEGIN THEIR LIVES INSIDE BEECH TREE LEAVES:))  >>>>>>>  

With a new Pizza place in Bayfield Kelly's been anxious to give it a whirl so for supper tonight pizza it was.  She phoned it in and I picked it up.  The pizza was called the Admiral and after eating most of it at one sitting we both give two thumbs up to Pizza By The Square.  There is a double meaning about the word 'Square'.  Yes, the pizza is indeed "Square' and the Pizza shop itself is located right across the road from Bayfield's Clan Gregor 'Square'.  Groovy:))

IT'S KELLY' LARGER HALF OF THE PIZZA THAT HAS THE BLACK OLIVES ON 

Pssssst…...it's Kelly's Birthday tomorrow:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An airline's passenger cabin was being served by an obviously gay flight attendant named Billy, who seemed to put everyone into a good mood as he served them food and drinks. As the plane prepared to descend, Billy came swishing down the aisle and announced to the passengers, "Captain Marvey has asked me to announce that he'll be landing the big scary airplane shortly, lovely people, so if you could just put up your trays that would be super." On his trip back up the aisle, he noticed that a well-dressed rather exotic-looking woman hadn't moved a muscle. "Perhaps you didn't hear me over those big brute engines. I asked you to raise your trazy-poo so the main man can pitty-pat us onto the ground." She calmly turned her head and said, "In my country, I am called a Princess. I take orders from no one." To which the flight attendant replied, without missing a beat, "Well, sweet-cheeks, in my country, I'm called a Queen, so I outrank you. Tray-up bitch."
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Diner: How do you explain this twig I found in my rice? Waiter: It stands to reason, sir. Our restaurant has branches everywhere. 
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Q: How can you tell when a redneck has a wedding? 
A: When theres tobbaco spit on both sides of the truck.-------------------------------------
A young woman went to see a fortune teller who told her: "You will be broke and unhappy till you are fifty."  "What happens when I'm fifty?" asked the young woman.  "Nothing," said the fortune teller. "But you'll be used to it by then."
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A FEW MORE LAWN ORNAMENTS OUT

BAYFIELD'S SHORELINE AS SEEN FROM PIONEER PARK

A short rush of rain around 5 a.m. and it was gone again leaving us with cloudy skies for the day.  Made it into the low 40's again.  A short drive for Pheebs and I into Bayfield and around a bit.  Never even bothered with a coffee.  We were home again almost before we knew we had even left.  Guess I could have flustered myself around outside working on the clean-up but I was hard pressed to drum up any enthusiasm for that.  Well Okay so I had to push a little harder than hard and finally with the encouragement of a short sun splash I was finally able to drag myself out the door and at least pick up a few sticks.  Well that of course spurred me on to bigger and better things and it wasn't long and I was emptying our wood shed of summer's lawn ornaments and wheelbarrowing them to a distribution point.  We're talking some serious exercise here of course.  Nice to see a bit of melting going on today too and I figure by the end of August our front yard frog pond should finally be clear of  ice.

THE BROWN COLOR IN THE ICE IS SAND

BAYFIELD'S MORNING WALKERS

NOPE NOT A ROCKY SHELF....SAND IN THE ICE

I'M GUESSING THE CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE SOUTH PIER HAD TO DO WITH PUTTING A NEW CONCRETE TOP ON IT.....I DID SEE A LOT OF CEMENT TRUCKS  THERE EARLIER IN THE WEEK

BAYFIELD'S NORTH AND SOUTH PIERS WITH A BIG GLOMP OF DIRT COVERED ICE BEHIND THE NORTH PIER

ALWAYS A BIG SPRING SHED CLEAN UP

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste, all the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number! When I walked to the store it was less a walk than a lumber.

I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared; The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared, The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese. And the way I'd never said, 'No thank you, please.'

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt and prepared once again to do battle with dirt--- I said to myself, as I only can 'You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!'

So--away with the last of the sour cream dip, Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip Every last bit of food that I like must be banished 'Till all the additional ounces have vanished. 

I won't have a cookie--not even a lick. I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick. I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie, I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore--- But isn't that what January is for? Unable to giggle, no longer a riot. Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!
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What do you get when two giraffes collide? A giraffic jam.
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ODD ICE CHUNK FORMATIONS AND HAPPILY BUSY WITH SOME MORE YARD WORK

Found Some Curious Ice Formations This Morning 

In my Tuesday night post I forgot to include a link to my buddy Jim's blog so before my mind wanders away and leaves me by myself again here is where you can find him....Lifetime Sentences.

At Tim Hortons Coffee Shop Tuesday Morning Watching An 18-Wheeler Park On A Frozen Snow Bank

A wee smash warmer today with temps climbing into up the low 40's under clear blue sunny skies.  Of course here beside the icy cold waters of Lake Huron one can generally knock off a few degrees from warmer inland temperatures this time of year. 

The Ice Pack Is Shifting Along Goderich's Shoreline

Pheebs and nipped up to Goderich to have us a look see how the harbor ice was doing.  Still lots of it there but maybe not as thick as last week.

Ice In The Harbor Is Thinning

Tried out a trail east of Goderich but it was still too muddy in spots.  Won't be long though until we can get ourselves out on a few forest trails again.  

Lots Of New Spring Smells

It was a good afternoon to hook up the utility trailer and haul a couple loads of yard waste to our Park's recycling area.  Mostly pine needles with a few downed small branches thrown in.  Nice to be outside getting some much needed exercise and accomplishing something.  Did notice I seemed to tire a bit easier this year which I'm sure had something to with slugging that heavy utility trailer of ours around trying to hitch and un-hitch it..  I swear that thing gets bigger and heavier each year.

First Of Two Yard Waste Loads

'No That Stuff Is Not All Mine

It was one month ago today we left Borrego Springs California on our long journey home.  My only regret was that while in Borrego I had forgot to stop into the Anza-Borrego Desert Nature Center store downtown to say hello to a long time blog reader lady who had recognised Kelly when she walked into the store a week or two before.  Next time:))

A Curious Collection Of Ice Chunks

Can You See The Profile Of A Little 'Ice Pug' Here??

The Shadow Cowboy Here Has No Idea Why There Would Be Bags Of Straw Dumped At This Location 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  One night a teenage girl brought her new boyfriend home to meet her parents, and they were appalled by his appearance: leather jacket, motorcycle boots, tattoos and pierced nose. Later, the parents pulled their daughter aside and confessed their concern. "Dear," said the mother diplomatically, "he doesn't seem very nice." "Oh please, Mom," replied the daughter, "if he wasn't nice, why would he be doing 500 hours of community service?"

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I used to run a dating agency for chickens...But I was struggling to make hens meet
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Q: What do you call a lawyer who has gone bad?

A: Senator. 

Q: Whats the difference between a politician and a snail?

A: One is slimy, a pest, and leaves a trail everywhere and the other is a snail. 

- A politician will find an excuse to get out of anything except office. 

- Congress does some strange things. They put a high tax on liquor and then raises the other taxes that drive people to drink. 

- A priest, a politician, and a clown, walk into the bar. The bartender says, "What is this, some kind of joke?" 

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A COUPLE OLD PALS MEET FOR COFFEE

ON OUR OUTING THIS AFTERNOON PHEEBS AND I WALKED AROUND THE BACK OF THE PARK'S CLUBHOUSE

A small change-up in routine this morning.  Instead of Pheebs and I heading out it was just me.  Met my good friend Jim Hagarty for a Tim Hortons coffee in Seaforth Ontario this morning at 10 a.m.  Think it was last Fall when we had last sat down for a brew.  We trotted out the usual cast of characters and covered most of the old bases.  We've kinda been doing this since we first met way back in 1979.  We've had ourselves a fair few coffees over the years and back in the mid 80's we used to meet at a couple local Stratford Ontario coffee shops twice a week for awhile on Monday and Thursday nights at 7.  We have often likened ourselves to  Statler and Waldorf from the Muppet Show and now all these years later we even look like them too.  In a few months we'll likely get together and do it all over again...…..

FRONT OF THE CLUBHOUSE

NICE AFTERNOON FOR A WALK IN THE FOREST

ENCOURAGING SIGNS OF SPRING IN OUR FRONT FLOWER BED

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Jake is struggling through a bus station with two huge and obviously heavy suitcases when a stranger walks up to him and asks, "Have you got the time?" Jake sighs, puts down the suitcases, and glances at his wrist. "It's a quarter to six," he says. "Hey, that's a pretty fancy watch!" exclaims the stranger.  Jake brightens a little. "Yeah, it's not bad. Check this out" and he shows him a time zone display, not just for every time zone in the world, but for the 86 largest metropoli. He hits a few buttons and from somewhere on the watch a voice says, "The time is eleven 'til six" in a very West Texas accent. A few more buttons and the same voice says something in Japanese. Jake continues, "I've put in regional accents for each city. The display is unbelievably high quality and the voice is simply astounding.  The stranger is struck dumb with admiration. "That's not all," says Jake.  He pushes a few more buttons and a tiny but very high-resolution map of New York City appears on the display. "The flashing dot shows our location by satellite positioning," explains Jake. "View recede ten", Jake says, "and the display changes to show eastern New York state.  "I want to buy this watch!" says the stranger."Oh, no, it's not ready for sale yet; I'm still working out the bugs," says the inventor.  "But look at this," and he proceeds to demonstrate that the watch is also a very creditable little FM radio receiver with a digital tuner, a sonar device that can measure distances up to 125 meters, a pager with thermal paper printout and, most impressive of all, the capacity for voice recordings of up to 300 standard-size books, "though I only have 32 of my favorites in there so far," says Jake.  "I've got to have this watch!" says the stranger.  "No, you don't understand; it's not ready!"  "I'll give you $1000 for it!"  "Oh, no, I've already spent more than..."  "I'll give you $5000 for it!"  "But it's just not..."  "I'll give you $15,000 for it!" as the stranger pulls out his checkbook.  Jake stops to think. He's only put about $8500 into materials and development, and with $15,000 he can make another one and have it ready for merchandising in six months.  The stranger frantically finishes writing the check and waves it in front of him. "Here it is, ready to hand to you right here and now. $15,000. Take it or leave it."  Jake abruptly makes his decision. "OK," he says, and peels off the watch. They make the exchange and the stranger starts happily away.  "Hey, wait a minute," calls Jake after the stranger, who turns around warily.  Jake points to the two suitcases he'd been trying to wrestle through the bus station. "Don't forget your batteries."
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