A NOSTALGIC LOOK BACK

 IT LOOKS LIKE THE LOCAL TUESDAY MORNING BOVINE BRUNCH GROUP IS ENJOYING THEMSELVES AGAIN

Not a cloud to be seen in this morning's clear blue sky as Pheebs and I walked our country road.  In the western sky hung a pale, hardly visible partial Moon well on its way to setting for another day.  Home again, I grabbed my tall stepladder, swede saw, clippers, and proceeded to cut off some magnolia tree branches which were interfering with our neighbor Monica's roof.  When those bigger branches move in the wind it messes with the shingles.  There is still one large unreachable branch left.  Might have to toss a stick of dynamite up at it.  

 IT'S THAT UNREACHABLE BRANCH OVER MY HEAD THAT IS MAINLY MESSING WITH THE SHINGLES ON THE ROOF

Stuck for something to write about again today I will leave you with a paragraph from a post I wrote last year at this time.  It's how I felt then and it is how I still feel today. ..... Especially in our RV years, the middle of August always marked a turning point.  It was at this early time I would begin counting down the days to our October departure for the great American Southwest.  Growing feelings of excitement and anticipation mixed with occasional bouts of apprehension would begin to stir.  It was a time to begin organizing things for our upcoming travels.  And the best part of it all was knowing that we were closing in on something we so much looked forward to each year.  In fact, it was one of the two big things we looked forward to each year.  Going south in the Fall and coming home in the Spring.  Scenery has always been the biggest travel motivation for me whether at home here or on the road traveling, and I guess that is why I always carry a camera with me.  For our RVing years, I marveled and loved how twice a year we could completely change our topographical landscape.  Just when I was getting bored with one landscape we would switch to a completely different landscape.  The landscapes of southwestern Ontario and the landscapes of southwestern Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and California are so different with each one having it's own unique diverse beauty.  And, for me, therein lies the magic.  Being able to live in both places for half a year at a time was in my opinion, the best of both worlds.  Ontario's green forests, blue lakes, and rural farmlands for early Spring, Summer, and early Fall and the American Southwest's mountains and deserts for the winter months.  We always considered the southwest our second home.  So much so that we even bought a house in Arizona one time.  I loved working on my winter cactus gardens there for the nearly 5 years we had the house.  Just as I don't like living in Ontario through the winters I'm sure I wouldn't like living through the hot summers of the American southwest either.  And that was the key to traveling between the two areas each year.  Come the end of March in the southwest we were always more than ready to head home for the green forests and rural farmlands of Huron County alongside the clear and cool waters of Lake Huron.  And, from the time we arrived home, we always had something to look forward to again in the Fall.  And oh how I so much miss that now.....................

2008 ALL LOADED UP AND READY TO HEAD FOR THE SOUTHWEST

 AN OVERNIGHTER IN ELLIS KANSAS AFTER A BIG KANSAS CROSSWIND DESTROYED OUR RIG'S SIDE AWNING WESTBOUND ON I-70

I LOVE THESE SWEEPING VIEWS

 BOONDOCKED A FEW MILES WEST OF TOMBSTONE ARIZONA

 THE KIVA KOFFEE HOUSE EAST OF BRYCE CANYON, UTAH

NEAR YARNELL, ARIZONA

 BOONDOCKED IN CALIFORNIA WEST OF YUMA  AT A PLACE CALLED PILOT KNOB

 ZION CANYON, UTAH

THE TRAIL BOSS:))

 ROCK SCRAMBLING ALONGSIDE ONE OF OUR FAVORITE 4-WHEEL-DRIVE JEEP ROADS WEST OF CONGRESS, ARIZONA

'THE LOOP DRIVE' NEAR  ORGAN PIPE NATIONAL MONUMENT ALONG THE MEXICAN BORDER IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA

 VULTURE PEAK WEST OF WICKENBURG, ARIZONA

AT THE VERY NORTHERN EDGE OF THE SONORAN DESERT HALFWAY UP THE WEAVER MOUNTAINS

 OLD STAGE COACH ROAD NEAR OUR ARIZONA DIGS......ONE OF OUR FAVORITE MORNING DRIVES FOR PHEEBS AND I 

 THE OLD WEST IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE

 OUR DIGS IN CONGRESS ARIZONA

 I LOVED WORKING ON MY FRONT YARD CACTUS GARDEN AT OUR HOUSE IN YAVAPAI COUNTY

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A man was on trial for murder and if convicted, would get life imprisonment. His brother found out that an Irishman was on the jury and figured he would be the one to bribe. He told the Irishman that he would be paid £10,000 if he could convince the rest of the jury to reduce the charge to manslaughter.  The jury was out an entire week and returned with a verdict of manslaughter.  After the trial, the brother went to the Irish man's house, told him what a great job he had done, and paid him the £10,000.  The Irishman replied, "It wasn't easy to convince the rest of the jury to change the charge to manslaughter. They all wanted to let him off."

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AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT FOR ANOTHER DAY

Had Pheebs and I not taken a walk over around the Park's pond this afternoon I would not have had any photos for tonight's post.  I've noticed my photo interests have been slipping a bit as of late.  

 'HEY DAD, WHAT'S THIS BIG RED THING'

'LOOKS LIKE A CANOE PHEEBS'

With cooler temps again earlier this morning I was able to get a neighbor's shrubs trimmed.  With things growing so fast this summer, it doesn't take long for trees and shrubs to get themselves way out of control.

 OUR 18-YEAR-OLD FRONT YARD FROG POND IS STILL HANGING IN THERE

Earlier this morning Kelly headed off to Goderich's Dynacare center for some blood work while Pheebs and I took a little spin into Bayfield and back.  And that was about it for another day.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."  The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 10 meters above the ground. You're between 52.3 and 52.4 degrees north latitude and between 1.8 and 1.9 degrees west longitude."  "You must be an engineer," said the balloonist. "I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip."  "The woman below responded, "You must be in Senior Management."  "I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"  "Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."

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THE HARDEST PART ABOUT DOING IT IS JUST GETTING OUT THERE AND DOING IT

CORN STALKS ARE TALLER THAN ME NOW

Well, here we are at the middle of August already and as I mentioned before, the early seasonal change is already in the air.  Our nights are dropping into the low 60sF and mid to high 50s, crickets are chirping and the morning dew is heavy upon the foliage.  Leaves are taking on a harder-edged look and daytime highs are cooling off.  Yes, we can still get hot and humid weather but summer is on its way out and I for one will be happy to see those hot stiky days gone!!

 DAPPLES OF EARLY MORNING SUNLIGHT FILTER THROUGH THE TREES ON THE EAST SIDE OF OUR HOUSE

 THERE ARE A LOT OF CORN COBS GROWING OUT THERE

 PHEEBS LOVES HER MORNING JEEP RIDES

This spate of cooler weather has been beneficial for me.  I have two-thirds of our house windows cleaned and I've been up on my tall ladder washing the north side eaves troughs and siding at the top of our unit.  With all the shade trees around us, mold on the north side of our house, two sheds, and carport is a problem.  Luckily it washes off easily and especially so with a touch of bleach in the water.  The hardest part about doing it is just getting out there and doing it.

 IF YOU LOOK CLOSE YOU CAN SEE THREE BABY WILD TURKEYS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE LONG GRASS ALONGSIDE THE ROAD

 I NEVER TIRE OF THESE GENTLY ROLLING FIELDS A FEW MILES EAST OF OUR PLACE

Our Park's much-improved and rebuilt entranceway has come a long way since our new owner undertook to improve it.  About the only thing remaining to be done now is to have the letters of the Park's new name affixed to a couple of large rocks.  There is a group of volunteers in our Park who already have the entranceway flower gardens planted.  They are looking great and I'm sure there will be more plants and bulbs going in.  Adam, the new owner also made a rock bench outside the mailroom and it has already had a couple curious Park residents stopping by for a sit-down.

 'HEY, THAT'S SPENCER'....PHOTO BY KELLY

 THIS IS ONE OF TWO LARGE ROCKS THAT THE PARK'S NAME WILL GO ON

 ADAM, THE NEW OWNER PLACED ALL THESE STONES  WITH A COUPLE MACHINES

 THE PARK'S GARDENING COMMITTEE DID A GREAT JOB PLANTING EVERYTHING

 'YUP, ANOTHER KELLY PHOTO'

 ONE OF TWO MACHINES USED IN THE FRONT ENTRANCE PROJECT AND TO MOVE THOSE LARGE ROCKS INTO PLACE

Ellen's Groove:)) Ellen, along with her dad and three other musicians are having themselves quite a Summer Jam.  Tune in and get your toes a tappin:))

GROANER'S CORNER:(( An old man was sitting on his rural porch, watching a jackrabbit cross the road. Just then, a passing truck squashed the jackrabbit.  The driver pulled over, jumped out, and ran back to see what he had hit. Seeing the flattened jackrabbit, he retrieved a spray can from the truck and sprayed it on the mess. Waiting a few minutes, he shook the can and sprayed more on. The flattened mass quivered, and the driver sprayed yet more on. The mass quivered more, pulsing as well. The driver emptied the can, and the mass quivered, pulsed, and reassembled itself into the jackrabbit. The old man watched, stunned. The driver tossed the empty can into a clump of roadside weeds and drove off.  The jackrabbit shook itself, turned to the old man, and waved, then hopped a few steps. It stopped, turned back to the old man, and waved again.. hopped a few more steps, stopped, turned, and waved. This repeated every few hops until the jackrabbit disappeared into the field across the road.  Curious, the old man slowly arose and hobbled toward where the driver had tossed the can, poking through the weeds with his cane until he found it. He picked up the can and read the label... "Hare Restorer With Permanent Wave."

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- Invest in pottery: you'll make a kiln.

- And the unexpected winner of the race was...The Barber... however, he did do a short cut.

- I swallowed a dictionary. You can quote me on that, verb ate em.

- Why did the little moron tip-toe past the medicine cabinet.....so he wouldn't wake up the sleeping pills.

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THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY

Three drive-by photos this morning and that's about all I have for today.

 BAYFIELD BEACH

GROANER'S CORNER:(( While shopping in a food store, two nuns happened to pass by the beer, wine, and liquor section. One asked the other if she would like a beer.  The second nun answered that, indeed, it would be very nice to have one, but that she would feel uncomfortable purchasing it.The first nun replied that she would handle it without a problem. She picked up a six-pack and took it to the cashier. The cashier was surprised, so the nun said, “This is for washing our hair.”Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter and put a package of pretzel sticks in the bag with the beer.“The curlers are on me.”

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DID I KNOW AN IRVIN LIEFSO?? WELL, AS A MATTER OF FACT I DID

It was a bit of a different morning for me.  After taking Pheebs out for our country road walk I dropped her off at home and headed to Goderich.  Years ago I had a flickr photo account but never used it much.  A couple weeks ago, through that flicker account, I received a curious note saying, 'Hi Blogfrogalog'.  Blogfrogalog was my Flickr account name way back when.  What instantly caught my attention though was one of two words in the subject line...'Liefso'.  As it turns out, a genealogist lady had tracked me down through that old Flickr account.  Her note to me asked if I had any photos or information on an Irvin Liefso.  Well, I sure did.  Irvin Liefso was my stepfather from 1955 to his untimely death in 1965.  I right away responded to this lady who coincidentally lived in Goderich and we arranged to meet at her house this morning. Beforehand, I was able to gather together a number of photos of Irvin and his family including his brothers, sisters, and dad.  We spent a couple pleasant hours going over the genealogy of the Liefso family for the third of several books this lady has put together regarding her family's lineage.  I was able to identify a number of people in the photos I had plus relate memories of Irvin and his family for the ten years I knew him.  A few of the pictures were photocopied and I felt good that I was able to help this lady further her research.  She was also able to fill in a few blanks for me as well in regards to the Liefso family history.  All in all, an informative and helpful couple of hours well spent.  I like when that happens:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((    While shopping in a food store, two nuns happened to pass by the beer, wine, and liquor section. One asked the other if she would like a beer.The second nun answered that, indeed, it would be very nice to have one, but that she would feel uncomfortable purchasing it.The first nun replied that she would handle it without a problem. She picked up a six-pack and took it to the cashier. The cashier was surprised, so the nun said, “This is for washing our hair.”Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter and put a package of pretzel sticks in the bag with the beer.“The curlers are on me.”

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