Friday, June 03, 2011

IF IT GETS ANY GREENER AROUND HERE I'LL BE FINDING ME SOME LEPRECHAUNS IN THE GARDEN

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Woke up to a warmer morning so it didn’t take me long to get myself back on the end of my shovel for most of the morning. For a small piece of property I sure have created myself a full time gardening job over the years!!

DSC_3895 MUCH TO MY SURPRISE I FOUND THIS BABY 'PAINTED TURTLE'  IN OUR FRONT YARD FROG POND TODAY....IT IS THE SIZE OF A SMALL JAR LID
We are fortunate here in Bayfield to have a first rate local garage & we never hesitate to take our vehicles there for maintenance & repairs. Picked up the Motorhome today & we now have a new coach battery along with an oil change.  With 6 new tires this past year the RVing side of life has been a costly one for us but it is the price we must to pay to escape our horribly miserable winter weather here in Southern Ontario.  Fulltiming has been pretty much ruled out for us now & moving lock stock & barrel to the Southwest is not likely to happen any time soon either.  Too bad about the darn border between our two countries.  If it wasn't for that I would probably be typing tonight's blog from some quiet little out of the way canyon half way up a cooling mountainside somewhere in Arizona or New Mexico.

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FORGOT TO INCLUDE THIS PHOTO IN THURSDAY NIGHT'S BLOG OF THE RHODODENDRON TREE WHERE I TOOK ALL THE BLOOM PHOTOS 

I spoke a little too soon about all the Goldfinches leaving a few days ago.  They may have been at a local Goldfinch Convention or something but they sure are all back now.  And, it looks like they have moved the convention right here to our front yard.  Lots of birds again:))

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I am still doing daily battle with the Squirrels.  Despite the efforts I went to making my Squirrel proof bird station about three weeks ago it only took them about 3 days to breach my security, & they did that by becoming....flying Squirrels!!  My bird station sits a full 8 feet away from a tall Pine tree & what the Squirrels have been doing is scooting up the Pine tree to a height about 3 feet higher that the birdseed platform.  They then gauge their distance & launch themselves off the tree through the air & down upon the bird station.  I have watched them do this several times so today I found an old rubber boot mat in the shed & stapled it on the bird station side that faces the Pine tree.  Put some peanuts on the platform & watched with a big smiling face as two Squirrels clung to that side of the Pine tree for about 5 minutes in launch mode trying to figure out their next move.  So that now puts me ahead in the score with me winning 10 rounds & the Squirrels winning 9.  Probably by morning the little buggers will have tied the game again!!

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THE SQUIRRELS WOULD LEAP FROM THAT PINE TREE ON THE RIGHT ONTO THE BIRD STATION & THAT IS A DISTANCE OF 8 FEET!!

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AT LEFT IS MY LATEST DEFENSE...THE 'BOOT TRAY!!'  AT RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE 2 SQUIRRELS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET AROUND MY 'BOOT TRAY' DEFENSE

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AND THIS IS HOW I PREFER MY SQUIRRELS......PASSIVELY PLASTIC:))   

Many people dream of someday going to Paradise.  No big deal because Kelly & I have already been there.....twice.  Paradise Arizona that is.  Located in the Chiricahua Mountains, Paradise was one of those old logging towns from the wild west days.  Not a whole lot there anymore but it does have a few homes & a few folks living in them.  The sign over the gates of the cemetery says 'Paradise' so we know for sure all the residents in that plot of ground have truly gone to Paradise alright.  Winds shifted a few days ago in that still blazing Chiricahua Mountain fire & about a dozen homes had to be evacuated in Paradise.  CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAIN FIRE THREATENS PARADISE

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HARD TO READ THE FADED SIGN BUT IT DOES SAY, 'PARADISE CEMETERY' 

Looks like another short post tonight.  I had better get off my can & get out there & look for something interesting to blog about pretty soon while I still have a couple of readers left.  Ohhhhh, this sitting around for long summer months waiting to get back on the road again is definitely not for a poor old restless soul like mine.........:((

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AND YES, THIS IS THE ROAD THAT TRULY DOES LEAD TO PARADISE ALRIGHT 

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GROANER'S CORNER:((  A lawyer went into a doctor's office with a frog on his head.
'That's a nasty looking growth' said the doctor.
'I'll say', said the frog. 'It started out with a small pimple on my ass'

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EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right
now...... AL.

19 comments:

  1. Long, short, or medium. We just love reading your posts and especially enjoying your pictures.

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  2. Those squirrels sure keep you on your toes! Love your battles. You have a very nice garden :-)

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  3. From the photos of your property, looks like you've got your own wee slice of Paradise right there! I certainly can emphasize with the restless, wandering soul, though. :)

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  4. Al, each time I see more of your land around the house, I really think how peaceful and serene it is. You and Kelly have a grand place to be in the summer months at your home. Never take that beauty for granted...that is Paradise Canada in my opinion.
    Take care and best wishes for a great weekend!

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  5. As one of your "few" followers, your photography makes my visit a daily must.

    Will you be trying to catch the squirrels in flight?

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  6. the 'squirrel wars continue in Bayfield'!..good luck with the boot tray defense!

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  7. If you do get leprechauns, maybe you can get them to help with all that gardening.

    We have been to the Paradise Cemetery and had those very thoughts.

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  8. Bacon Wrapped Squirrel

    ~ squirrel legs, front or rear, amount depends upon how hungry you are
    ~ beer
    ~ garlic powder
    ~ pepper
    ~ salt
    ~ minced onion
    ~ hickory smoked bacon

    Soak the legs in beer for 2 – 3 hours. Remove and drain.

    Sprinkle to taste with garlic powder, pepper, salt and the minced onion.

    Wrap each leg with bacon. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.

    Place on hot grill. Cook over medium heat until cooked through.

    Serve with your favorite sides.

    Enjoy.

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  9. We are continuing the assault on our terrorist squirrels here too..So far, we are winning the war...As I type this though,they are probably planning their next raid.
    I agree with Happytrails..You and Kelly have Paradise right there in Bayfield....what a spot!

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  10. Can't say I have ever been to Paradise... will have to go and check it out the next time in the neighborhood...

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  11. Now if you didn't have the squirrel wars to comtemplate, you might just become a complacent old codger! That's meant with the greatest respect of course. :)

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  12. Your gardens sure are pretty, but I know from experience how much work it takes to keep them that way. Love the squirrel picture, and hope you win the battle.

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  13. I think we are both in Canadian paradises! We are also both battling those pesky rodents. WE elected for a metal pole, which the squirrel climbed, then I oiled it - bingo! 2 days squirrel free!( BTW, oiled with olive oil, not to hurt the squirrel, this is a friendly war, after all ).

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  14. We agree with all the above comments except the one about not visiting Paradise, because we have at least driven past it. Good luck in the squirrel wars.

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  15. I'd love to see some flying squirrel shots. Or you might try some squirrel fishing for fun. Google it and enjoy. AZ now has four blazes going. Two over 60,000 square miles.

    A Arizona Holiday

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  16. Al, I understand your pain. I love Arizona and I love the Black Hills,,, When I am in Az, i wish I was in SD. When in SD I wish I was in AZ.....
    Are we never happy? Shoot, we have the best of both worlds.
    I know for sure I need to just relax, sit back and let things roll. hell man, we both got it made!! Up here in the summer and az in the winter,,,,and both have the best WOMEN in the WORLD!!!
    What more could we ask for????
    Remember that song "Don't worry BE HAPPY"!!!
    Be Happy my man!!

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  17. Paradise, as well as East Whitetail Canyon, was evacuated in advance and the nearby Chiricahua National Monument was closed as a precaution. Crews set backfires and kept the blaze from about a dozen occupied homes and other vacation residences Saturday.

    Then there is the town of Greer, in the northeast of AZ, also threatened by fire.

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  18. Al, so glad you've finally given those little black devils "the boot".

    Now they will probably rig a trapeze or resort to pole vaulting.

    The obvious answer would be for several of them to stand on top of one another in a marvelous display of skill and "one-upmanship" and finally reach the feeder.

    Maybe they will just make a big pile of branches, and climb from there! We will continue to watch the ongoing game of "Al versus the Black Creatures Outback"....glad you are now ahead in that game!

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  19. Great photo work there, I also prefer my squirrels plastic as well they are such annoying creatures. keep coming and stealing the bird seed.

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