WONDER WHAT THE GIST OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WILL BE A YEAR FROM NOW

Checking our areas on-line live weather radar map in the pre-dawn hours this morning I was encouraged to see no green indications of rain for a change.  With temps above freezing at 37F we were at least getting the day started on a much better footing than a week or two ago.  Looking ahead at the 14 day forecast I see no temperatures below freezing, not even at night:))  A few months from now I'll be complaining about the humidity again:((

ALWAYS NICE TO SEE SHEEP OUT AND ABOUT

I WONDER IF THAT FELLA IS THE BIG BOSS SHEEP

SO NICE TO SEE OLD BARNS RESTORED

Grey and drab morning skies at first proved to be a photo challenge again as Pheebs and I wandered through the countryside looking for anything interesting and hopefully colorful.  Skies brightened a bit and we did find a few things.

YEP WE FOUND US SOME COLOR ALRIGHT

SO NICE TO SEE REALLY GREEN GRASS AGAIN

WELL I DID SAY I WAS LOOKING FOR COLOR

Our wanderings this morning took us through Clinton and over to the Hullett Marsh area.  Roads into the marsh are still blocked off from the winter season but I knew where to find another road leading in from the east side.  Many birds in the trees and a lot of ducks and geese out on the waterways.  Had it not been for a cold damp wind Pheebs and I would have stayed out for a longer walk but we weren't long in getting back to the Jeep and off we went.

HEADING INTO THE MARSH ON PUDDLEJUMP ROAD

YESIREEEE SPRING'S A COMING

A PAIR OF MALLARD DUCKS STARTLED US

THIS IS THE FEMALE MALLARD WINGING BY

FIRST MUSKRAT OF THE YEAR

ONE CAN WALK FOR MILES ALONG THESE MAN MADE BERMS

THIS WAS ONCE A COUNTRY ROAD YEARS AGO UNTIL THE AREA WAS TURNED INTO A WETLAND

IT'S MATING SEASON SO THERE WERE FEUDS GOING ON AMONGST THE MALES

THIS MARSH IS A RATHER FASCINATING PLACE WHICH WILL SOON TURN VERY GREEN

WITH THE BITING COLD WIND PHEEBS HEADS FOR THE WARM JEEP

WE'RE PARKED ABOUT A QUARTER MILE UP THERE ON THE LEFT SOMEWHERE

AHHHH YES HERE WE ARE AND A STRANGE THING HAPPENED WITH THE JEEP HERE WHICH I'LL TRY AND REMEMBER TO TELL YOU ABOUT TOMORROW

Seems like there is less and less traffic on the roads each day and very little activity in the farm yards we go by.  It's like a great blanket of quietness has descended upon the land and actually that is just what has happened.  It's unfortunate the cause of the quietness is so bizarrely life threatening.

THESE VEHICLE FREE ROADS ARE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME:))

WE HAD TO STOP SO PHEEBS COULD SEE THE COWS

Kelly read this afternoon that Goderich has now closed the harbor beach area to the general public.  I also read where the shoreline restoration job is now behind time as well due to a late February storm and also because of Covid-19 repercussions.  For Pheebs and I it looks like our outdoor world is slowly shrinking.  We rarely ever see anyone anyway on our rural morning travels let alone get near anybody.  We've been doing that long before this Covid thing ever came along.

AN OLD REFURBISHED COUNTRY CEMETERY 

ALMOST DROVE RIGHT BY THIS OLD STONE BARN FOUNDATION

FARM DOG IN A CORN FIELD

One really has to wonder what our world will look like once we are all on the other side of this Pandemic outbreak.  Will it be life as usual?  Will there be vast changes or will it be life as usual?  What new ways will we have to get used to, if any?  What will be the long lasting effects going forward?  All unanswered questions at this time.  Wonder where we will all be a year from now and what will be the gist of our conversations.

LOOKS LIKE THESE LOCAL FELLERS ARE DOING THEMSELVES SOME SOCIAL DISTANCING

Thanks to everyone for your Birthday wishes for Kelly.  Very much appreciated:))

MY FIRST PHOTO OF A MALE ROBIN THIS YEAR

GROANER'S CORNER:((   After a long, dry sermon, the minister announced that he wished to meet with the church board after the service. The first man to arrive was a stranger.  You misunderstood my announcement. This is a meeting of the board, said the minister.  I know, said the man.  If there is anyone here more bored than I am, I'd like to meet him.
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Today my son asked, "Can I have a book mark?" I burst into tears. Eleven years old and he still doesn't know my name is Brian.
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“The store sold me cut-rate food for my horse at an exorbitant price, then had the nerve to send me a 'customer service' survey. I didn't hesitate to give them the feed back.”
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SAY, DID I FORGET TO MENTION IT WAS KELLY'S BIRTHDAY TODAY:))

HEY THERE'S LITTLE RED GETTING CORNED AGAIN

For a third morning in a row Pheebs and I nearly had to put our water wings on.  Rain, rain, and more rain as we followed Kelly in her 04 Pontiac Sunfire to the Bayfield Garage.  Brakes, (rotors, pads, calipers and drums machined) oil change, and two new front tires sure tore a big chunk out of a thousand dollar bill later in the day.  We can't complain though, we've had that car for 6 years and it has hardly cost us a penny......well until today that is.  Geeezzzz, I remember when you could get all that done for under a hundred bucks...…..

BAYFIELD'S 2020 FISHING FLEET

WILLOW TREES ARE ANXIOUS TO GET ON WITH SOME WARMER SPRING DAYS

Dropping Kelly off at home Boogs and I headed back into and through Bayfield.  Knowing we couldn't stay on mud free paved roads forever we mucked ourselves up real good for the next hour or so on a few gravely back roads.  Pheebs insisted on having her window down so sometimes, depending on our direction of travel, it was raining right inside the Jeep.  When Pheebs wants her window down she will put her paw on the glass, turn her head and give me.....'the look'.

NOTICE THE RAIN COMING IN ON THE DOOR SILL

MEANDERING CREEK IN A FOREST

EARLY SPRING COLORS

THREE AMIGOS IN A FIELD

THERE WILL SOON BE AN EXPLOSION OF GREEN HERE

GREENING UP ALONG A SHALLOW CREEK BED

Home again it turned into an inside day due to the steady rain drizzle and cold air.  Spent a fair bit of time in my recliner reading.  I'm still staying away from American television news channels except for occasionally turning on Canada's CBC and CTV to see what is happening with Covid-19 closer to home here.

SPOTTED THESE BUFFLEHEAD DUCKS IN A NEARBY SMALL LAKE

I THINK THESE EIGHT DUCKS ADD UP TO SIX COMMON MERGANZERS AND TWO BUFFLEHEADS

I THINK THERE WAS A BIT OF HANKY SPANKY GOING ON TODAY IN THE OLD DUCK POND

A BUFFLEHEAD MAKES A LONG APPROACH SPEED LANDING

ONE UP -  ONE DOWN

THE DUCKS WERE DEFINITELY FEELING FRISKY

TWO BUFFLEHEAD BUTTS

THAT GUY ON THE RIGHT IS SURE PLOWING SOME WATER

THE ACTION IS RAMPING UP

THERE'S ONE FELLA ON A TAKE OFF ROLL

HE OR SHE IS AIRBORNE

OH NO HE'S GOT THE LANDING GEAR DOWN ALREADY....MUST HAVE RUN OUT OF BUFFLE JUICE

SPLASH DOWN AND 'OHHHHH THAT WATERS COLD '

Had forgot to mention in my Sunday post it was Kelly's birthday today.  I hadn't forgot her birthday I had just forgot to mention it.  

IT WAS TOO COLD FOR THESE CROCUS FLOWERS TO OPEN TODAY

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Two rednecks are walking down different ends of a street toward each other, and one is carrying a sack. When they meet, one says, "Hey Tommy Ray, what'cha got in th' bag?"  "Jus' some chickens."  "If I guesses how many they are, can I have one?"  "Shoot, ya guesses right and I'll give you both of them."  "OK. Umm... five?"

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Five year old Little Johnny was lost, so he went up to a policeman and said, "I've lost my dad!"  The policeman said, "What's he like?"  Little Johnny replied, "Beer and women!"

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An old fisherman wrote to a mail order house the following: "Please send me one of those gasoline engines for my boat that you show on page 438, and if it's any good, I'll send you a check."  In a short time, he received the following reply: "Please send check. If it's any good, we'll send the engine." ===========================

YOU ARE THE FOLKS WHO KEEP MY HEAD ABOVE WATER

NOTICE HOW THIS RED BELLIED WOODPECKER USES IT'S TAIL TO STEADY ITSELF

Pheebs and I followed Libby's windshield wipers out the driveway this morning and headed north.  Lots of rain coming down so we had to keep our windows up.  And we stayed off the muddy country roads again.  Took a little buzz around Goderich and came home again.

LAKE HURON WATERS WERE CALM THIS MORNING

THE MARBLED ROCK IS STILL LYING AT THE WATER'S EDGE

ANOTHER LARGE ROCK ABOUT 10 YARDS AWAY IS ALSO BEING UNDERMINED AND WILL SOON JOIN THE MARBLED ROCK BELOW AT THE WATER'S EDGE

WORK CREWS WILL CERTAINLY HAVE TO DUMP A LOT OF LARGE BOULDERS ALONG HERE TO STOP THE CREEPING EROSION AND YES THAT'S THE PHEEBS OVER THERE IN THE GRASS

THESE CONCRETE CHUNKS WILL SOON BE LOWERED IN PLACE ALONG THE TROUBLED SHORELINE

With temps at 55F I figured it was a good time to turn our outside water on and that is what I did.  No leaks.  Rains quit by late morning and we had ourselves the warmest day of the year so far.  Our Pontiac Sunfire heads into the Bayfield garage in the morning for an oil change, possible brake job, and a tire evaluation.  

ROTARY COVES BEACH AREA ISN'T LOOKING TOO ATTRACTIVE AT THE MOMENT BUT IT'S AN ANNUAL CLEAN-UP PROJECT AND SOON WILL BE FINE FOR SUMMER SWIMMERS

A LARGE CHUNK OF ICE ON THE SHORELINE LOOKS LIKE A BIG LIZARD FACING LEFT

HERE THE LAKESHORE IS KINDA LOOKING LIKE THE ARCTIC TUNDRA

I really don't have much to write about tonight.  Just one of those quiet Sunday's I guess.  But I will take the opportunity to once again say a big 'Thank-You' to everyone reading my blog.  You are the folks who keep my head above water...………….:))

HIGHWAY 21 COMING INTO GODERICH'S SOUTH END LOOKED PRETTY DESERTED THIS MORNING

NOT MUCH GOING ON DOWNTOWN EITHER

NO THIS IS NOT THE ALAMO....IT'S GODERICH'S VERY OWN LIVERY THEATRE

STIRRED US UP A HERD OF SEAGULLS ALONG THE WAY TODAY

AND THIS IS HOW WE TRAVEL NOWADAYS

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The local church was desperately looking to hire someone to ring the church bell. After over a week of no leads, a fellow shows up asking for the job. The president of the church walks out of his office to interview the job candidate when he notices the man has no arms. “Excuse me sir”, said the president, “but how do you expect to ring the bill without arms?” “Just watch”, said the man confidently, and with that, the man charged toward the bell and banged his face onto it emitting a wonderful loud clang. “Wow” said the president “that was wonderful!” “Agreed” said the secretary coming in “that was simply beautiful.” “Can I see you do it again?” asked the secretary, who missed the first performance. “Sure” said the man, who again charged toward the bell. Unfortunately he tripped on the way falling and striking his head and died. “Do we even know his name?” asked the baffled secretary. “I don’t know” answered the president, “but his face sure rang a bell!”