A SPRINGLIKE DAY AND 'MEMORY LANE' TAKES US TO THE AREA AROUND PORTAL NEW MEXICO

SURE LOOKS LIKE A SPRING CROP BUT NOPE I TOOK THIS PHOTO THIS MORNING.....POSTED A PHOTO OF THIS FIELD TWO WEEKS AGO AND 'CEC' IN OUR SHOUTBOX EXPLAINED IT THIS WAY 

Sunflowers and other plants are part of a cover crop - add nutrients to the soil, protect it from wind erosion - may be plowed into the soil before winter, or the crop planted into it in spring.

With a pinkish orange tint to the Eastern sky around 6:30 this morning I knew it was a good sign for a probable sunny day.  And so it was.  Despite our thermometer sitting right on the freezing mark when Pheebs and I headed out it mattered little as we drove out of our shaded Park into long shadows and shafts of sunlight.  

HIGH LAKE LEVELS ARE EATING AWAY AT BAYFIELD'S  BEACH PARKING LOT AREA

FIRST STEEL STRUCTURES ARE IN FOR BAYFIELD'S TEMPORARY BRIDGE

Country roads were still frozen from overnight freezing temps so there was no mud.  Not even any dust.  We took advantage of that and rattled ourselves around southeast of Bayfield.  I was surprised not to see a multitude of combines out working on the corn.  Never even saw one.

SUNSHINE IS ESPECIALLY WELCOME IN THE GRAY MONTH OF NOVEMBER

THIS COMBINE WAS STILL SOUND ASLEEP WHEN PHEEBS AND I TIP-TOED BY EARLY THIS MORNING

ALL THAT STEAM IS FROM A LARGE CORN DRYER AT WORK

I BET THE FARM CHILDREN HERE ARE GOING TO GROW UP TO BE FARM FOLKS TOO

I WONDER HOW LONG THIS APPLE ORCHARD FARMER HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR HIS LOST GREEN LADDER

Near Kerr's Campground there is a dead end road Pheebs and I sometimes head part way down, park, then walk the rest of the way to the end of the road.  It can be very muddy at the far end but with ground still frozen we were able to walk all the way just fine.  As George would say, had a nice walkabout.

ONLY REASON SNOW IS THERE IS BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE SNOWBLOWER PILED IT UP

WE'RE OUT OF THE JEEP NOW AND WALKING DOWN THIS DEAD END ROAD....SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT SOME ICE SKATES 

FROZEN SOLID

I DON'T KNOW.....MAYBE FARMER JOHN DROPPED HIS RED HANKY HERE

DESPITE ICE A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY THERE WAS STILL SOME OPEN WATER AROUND BOTH IN PHOTO ABOVE AND BELOW

FOUND THIS COLORFUL KNITTED QUILT FROZEN STIFF IN THE SNOW SO I PROPPED IT UP AGAINST A TREE IN CASE SOMEBODY CAME BACK LOOKING FOR IT

OH SO NICE TO SEE SUNNY FIELDS FREE OF SNOW

Gone nearly two hours we were back sometime after ten.  With the majority of snow melted in our front yard I wasn't long in getting myself on the end of my leaf rake and starting the Spring clean-up early:))  That cold snap we had brought down all the leaves and pine needles so this nice weather right now is great for getting all that cleaned up.  Every wheelbarrow of leaves and needles I pick up is one less wheelbarrow load late next March or early April sometime.  I'll haul all that stuff with our utility trailer to the Park's recycling area either next week if it stays dry or next April sometime.

IT WAS JUST A GREAT DAY TO BE OUTSIDE CLEANING UP THE YARD

I WHEELBARROWED UP 6 BIG LOADS

QUITE A MESS OF LEAVES UNDER OUR BASSWOOD TREE

Well my fellow Boondockers it seems news is not good regarding Borrego Spring's Rockhouse Road/Clark Dry Lake Bed area.  You can read about what has happened there on Jeff's latest post entitled, The Fate Of Clark Lake - Borrego Springs.  You can find Jeff's posts anytime on our side bar under Ruffin it with Rufus:))  And in an email this morning Jeff wrote:: "Confirmed the 160 acre parcel where we boondocked on Clark is now closed." 

CAME ACROSS THIS DUMP OF CORN ON THE ROAD SO I WASN'T LONG IN SCOOPING SOME OF IT UP FOR OUR SQUIRRELS AT HOME

LUCKILY I HAD A SMALL SNOW SHOVEL IN THE JEEP AND HAVE SINCE ADDED A BUCKET IN CASE WE COME ACROSS MORE CORN DUMPS

WHILE I WAS SCOOPING UP THE CORN PHEEBS LAID DOWN AND CONTENTEDLY SOAKED UP SOME RAYS

It was a sadly troubling update Suzie posted today about her husband George from Our Awesome Travels.  You can read it here at Suzie's Update.

::Memory Lane::  Tonight's Memory Lane covers a couple days both in Arizona and New Mexico.  November 1rst and 3rd of 2009.  Rusty's RV Ranch New Mexico, Portal Arizona, Chiricahua Mountains, Desert Museum's early days and Paradise. Our First Hike Into The Chiricahua Mountains and  Today We Ended Up In Paradise.  My photo album for these two days is here at Rustys.  I was particularly pleased for a change with a few Roadrunner photos I was able to get on November 3rd.  

OH HOW WE ALWAYS LOVED THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS

YEP THAT'S A REAL LIZARD ALRIGHT AND I HAD TO CHASE HIM ALL OVER THE PLACE TO GET A FEW PHOTOS

ONE OF MY ROADRUNNER PHOTOS

EVERY ONCE IN A LONG WHILE KELLY MAKES ME POSE FOR A PHOTO

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Two young children stood in front of a mummy case in the museum. On the bottom of the mummy case they noticed ”1286 B.C.”  "What does that number mean?” asked the first one.  The second one thought a moment and said, ”That must be the license plate of the car that hit him.”
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Which birds are most religious? 
Geeses of Nazereth.
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Nurse: Good morning Mr. Smith, you seem to be coughing much more easily this morning. 
Mr. Smith: That's because I've been practicing all night.
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STRONG WINDS, CRASHING WAVES, AND EROSION PLUS TWO NEW BEDS AND MEMORY LANE TAKES US TO ARIZONA'S RATTLESNAKE CRAFTS

STRONG OVERNIGHT WINDS PUSHING LAKE HURON WAVES INTO AREA SHORELINES

With strong northwest winds overnight driving high waves ashore an erosion alert was issued for Lake Huron shorelines.  I figured Pheebs and I had better go have a look at that so we headed off to Goderich this morning.

I WOULD SAY 98% OF OUR SNOW IS GONE

OUR GRAY NOVEMBER LANDSCAPE HAS RETURNED

MOST SNOW I SAW ALL DAY WAS RIGHT HERE ON PORTER HILL LINE

Temperatures had plummeted in the night back down to the freezing point and with strong gusting winds the wind chill factor was driven down into the low 20's.  After snapping a few pics along Cove Road between Goderich's harbor and Rotary Cove beach I turned up the Jeep's heater and we hauled ourselves right out of there.

LAKE HURON WAVES CHARGING ASHORE IN ROTARY COVE

WAVES AND HIGH WATER LEVELS CONTINUE TO BRING IN DRIFTWOOD AND DEBRIS

WAVES POUNDING PART OF THE BREAKWATER NEAR THE HARBOR MOUTH

Thought we'd head north of Goderich a short ways and check out a new subdivision's progress overlooking Lake Huron but with sleet mixed with a bit of snow and freezing rain blowing in off the lake I decided to head for home instead.   And that's what we did.

ENTRANCE TO THE DOG WALKING AREA CONTINUES TO BE ERODED

THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO TUMBLE INTO THE LAKE

WATER ON THE VOLLEY BALL COURT

THE BOARDWALK IN FRONT OF THAT BENCH IS UNDER MOUNDS OF STONES. SAND, AND GRAVEL

BOARDWALK IS PARTIALLY COVERED IN THIS AREA AS WELL

HERE WAVES HAVE ERODED THE EMBANKMENT AWAY COMING WITHIN JUST A FEW FEET OF THE BOARDWALK

SLEET, SNOW, AND BITS OF FREEZING RAIN WHISKING ACROSS THE ROAD

MY LATEST BIRD FEEDER CONFIGURATION

With the black Squirrel wars full on now I again had to re-arrange the bird feeders soon as I got home after I saw 'Blackie' shinny down a wire on to the top of our squirrel proof feeder then jump from there to the suet feeder which I had placed too close to the other feeder.  He had obviously made that same trip a few times earlier today because most of the two suet blocks were gone.  With my thinking cap in full brain matter mode I hauled out my tall ten foot ladder, took down the suet feeder and headed for my little work shop.  Out came my drill, a pliers, a box of band-aids just in case, and a plastic lid off one of two recycling containers. (we've never used this one)  I combined two of the bird feeders into one station.   Photo above left shows my latest black Squirrel defense.  Wish me luck..........

EXTRA HAPPY DOGGY THIS AFTERNOON

Guess who got two new beds today.  Well it wasn't Kelly or I so you know who that leaves:))  Kelly had noticed a quality Canadian company in Markham Ontario called Mammoth Dog Beds who had a deal on if you bought one bed you could get a second bed for half price.  Pheebs spends her time back and forth during the day and evenings with Kelly in the living room and me in the sunroom.  In both rooms she likes to lay close to our recliners.  As dogs age floors become harder for them so Pheebs now has a nice comfy bed to lay on beside either Mom or Dad.  Yes, it's a dog's life alright here at the Bayfield Bunch.  Always has been:))  

THESE BEDS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL MADE AND DURABLE....BEST ONES WE HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE

INTRODUCING PHEEBS TO ONE OF HER NEW BEDS

'IS THIS REALLY FOR ME DAD OR ARE YOU GUYS JUST FOOLING ME'

KELLY TOOK THESE THREE PHOTOS OF PHEEBS AFTER SUPPER WHEN SHE CAME RIGHT INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND CLIMBED INTO HER NEW BED

In regards to the possible closing of Borrego Spring's Rockhouse Road area a commenter in my November 20th post writes...…."Al, We are with a boondocker group and 4 of our members were there at Rockhouse road when the police came by and gave them 15 minutes to pack up and leave. That area is now closed to camping. Same with the State trust land on the east side of the foothills in Yuma area. They closed that off to camping this year. Guess the powers that be don' want anyone to have too much fun out there!" …….. Not looking good for Boondockers at the Rockhouse Road location or east of Yuma.  Ogilby Road west of Yuma has seen some restrictions over the past couple years as well.  I consider Kelly and I very fortunate to have created so many great memories in all of these areas during our past RVing years.

::Memory Lane:: November 11th 2009 found Kelly and I somewhere between Tombstone and Gleeson Arizona.  Closer to Gleeson actually.  We stumbled across a rather unique place out in the desert called Rattlesnake Crafts.  This is not your average craft place by a longshot and for you gun folks you will want to have a look at some old shootin irons that are not all polished up in a showcase somewhere.  Here is my post for that day......Rattlesnake Crafts In The Desert  and my Photo Album.  I'm not sure if Rattlesnake Crafts is still there or not...…...  

THESE GUNS ARE THE REAL McCOY

GROANERS CORNER:((  Fresh out of business school, the young man answered a want ad for an accountant. Now, he was being interviewed by a very nervous man who ran a small business that he had started himself.  "I need someone with an accounting degree," the man said. "But mainly, I'm looking for someone to do my worrying for me."  "Excuse me?" the accountant said.  "I worry about a lot of things," the man said. "But I don't want to have to worry about money. Your job will be to take all the money worries off my back."  "I see," the accountant said. "And how much does the job pay?"  "I'll start you at eighty thousand."  "Eighty thousand dollars!" the accountant exclaimed. "How can such a small business afford a sum like that?"  "That," the owner said, "is your first worry."
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AFTERNOON RAINS REALLY KNOCK OUR SNOW DOWN AND 'MEMORY LANES' EARLY MORNING CALIFORNIA PHOTO SHOOT

Our snow continues to melt and that was nowhere more noticable than in farmers fields throughout the countryside this morning as great patches of bare earth are once again emerging from snow laden fields to dominate the landscape.

It was a small de-caf coffee with cream and a carrot muffin to go from Tim Hortons that lead the furry little Boogers and I east out of Clinton.  No particular destination as we took the first concession road south towards Vanastra and beyond.  Tried to stay on cleaner dry pavement but of course it wasn't long before we tired of that and plunged ourselves headlong down half a dozen muddy country roads.  

Noticed a fair number of farmers out in the cornfields busily trying to get their corn harvest done.  Red and green combines could be spotted making their way through fields of tall but withered yellow corn stalks.  With a big rain front coming in about noon they were all hustling to get as much done as possible.  Nobody wants to get a big combine stuck in mud out in the back forty somewhere.

NOPE A FELLA SURE DOESN'T WANT TO GET HIS COMBINE STUCK IN THIS STUFF

HAVE TO REMEMBER TO PUT A BUCKET IN THE JEEP TO SCOOP SOME SPILLED ROADSIDE CORN FOR OUR FRONT YARD SQUIRRELS

AFTER TAKING HIS CORN OFF THIS FARMER IS BUSY PLOWING THE CORN STOCKS UNDER

AND THERE WERE EVEN SOME COWS OUT TODAY

BET THEY ARE GLAD TO GET BACK OUT OF THE BARN AGAIN

LOOK AT THOSE TWO LITTLE CUTE GUYS ON THE LEFT

Slipped into Bayfield's south end stopping at the car wash to get more of last week's road salt washed off as well as this mornings mud.  Noticed workers still busy on Tim Hortons roof next door.

I KEEP REFERRING TO THIS AS TIM HORTONS BUT IN FACT HORTONS COFFEE SHOP WILL ONLY OCCUPY ABOUT HALF THE BUILDING WITH A CONVENIENCE STORE IN THE OTHER HALF....MY GUESS IS THAT THE COFFEE SHOP WILL BE ON THE LEFT

DO YOU THINK THIS FELLOW WOULD THINK ME A DUMMY IF I TOLD HIM HE WAS ROLLING THIS TYVEK MATERIAL ON UPSIDE DOWN....WELL IF HE DID I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE WITH HIM

It was sometime after ten when we made it home and I backed the Jeep into our carport.  Not likely it will move again until tomorrow morning when Pheebs and I will be off to get it all dirty again.  What a life eh.   Into the house I soon plopped myself down in front of the Verilux light on our computer desk and began working on tonight's post.

Kelly had slipped up to Goderich in the morning to run a few errands.  By the time she made it home shortly after one it was pouring rain.  A great way to knock the snow down.   Got so dark this afternoon our light timers came on and Kelly had to turn her lamp on to read.  I set my Verilux therapy light to turbo overdrive and powered through.

IT'S EASY TO SEE WHERE I HAD SHOVELLED MY PATHS THROUGH THE SNOW LAST WEEK

THERE IS PROBABLY A GOOD CHANCE THIS DRIVEWAY ICE AND SNOW COULD BE GONE BY MORNING....WE ARE AT 45F AT TIME OF POSTING TONIGHT

::Memory Lane::  February 27th, 2010 Borrego Springs, California.  Went out on an early morning photography shoot with a group of like minded folks and later that day we met Wandering Willy for the first time.  My post for the day is Early Morning Photo Group And Wandering Willy Rides Into Town.  My photo album is here at Borrego Photo Shoot.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Degrees::
The graduate with a science degree asks, 'Why does it work?' 
The graduate with an engineering degree asks, 'How does it work?' 
The graduate with an accounting degree asks, 'How much will it cost?' 
The graduate with a liberal arts degree asks, 'Do you want fries with that?'
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There was this fisherman that always had a good day fishing.  His friend, the game warden, couldn't figure out how he did it, so one day the game warden decided to go fishing with his friend. The fisherman took his friend the warden out to his favorite spot. Once there, the fisherman took a stick of dynamite out of his backpack, lit it, and threw it into the water. The dynamite exploded and a dozen fish floated to the top. The game warden said, "That's illegal, you can't do that."The fisherman goes, "Really?" He then lights another stick of dynamite and throws it into the water.The dynamite exploded, and a dozen more fish floated to thetop. The game warden said, "Stop that now, and take this boat back to shore...I'm going to have to give you a citation and confiscate all your gear." The fisherman said,"Oh, really?"  He then lights another stick of dynamite, throws it into the game warden's lap, and said "You gonna sit there and keep flapping your jaws, or are you gonna fish?"
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