BROUGHT MY GREAT BLUE HERON PRINT HOME TODAY & A COFFEE BLOW-OUT IN CLINTON WITH AN OLD FRIEND FROM STRATFORD

First encouraged by a clear starry night’s sky then discouraged first thing this morning by another heavy overcast the mood for the day was yet again set.  No matter, Pheebs & I were off on a mission with a destination.  Took the slow road to Grand Bend & looked us up a place called BAILLIES.  It was here I picked up the 11x17 matted print of my Great Blue Heron photo from the weekends PHOTO TREKKERS photo contest in Bayfield.  Kelly had suggested getting it framed but I was in one of my Scrooge moods again this morning & brought it home as is.  The enlarged photo looks fine from a short distance but up close the sharpness & detail are lost & sharpness & detail are one of the main things judges are looking for in photos.

AREA CROP STORAGE FACILITIES ARE VERY BUSY PLACES THIS TIME OF YEAR

FOUND A FEW MORE PICS FOR MY OLD BARNS & SHEDS ALBUM

Still under cloudy skies we plodded our way along half a dozen back roads taking a few more barn photos along the way.  Noticed some farmers have begun harvesting corn & all’s that is left in some fields is stubble.  A few more dabbles of Autumn color in the trees but the big change hasn’t really started in these parts yet.  Usually by now forests are ablaze with Autumns fiery magic.

A COMBINE HAS ALREADY MADE ONE PASS DOWN THIS CORNFIELD

THAT LONG BLACK HORIZONTAL THING ON THE FRONT OF THIS COMBINE IS CALLED A ‘HEAD’ & THIS ONE IS FOR HARVESTING BEANS SO ACTUALLY IT COULD BE CALLED A ‘BEAN HEAD’

BECAUSE THE ‘HEAD’ IS TOO WIDE FOR COUNTRY ROADS THE COMBINE CAN DRIVE UP TO THIS LONG TRAILER & DETACH THE WHOLE HEAD ONTO THIS TRAILER THEN TURN AROUND & HITCH UP THE TRAILER & TOW IT DOWN THE ROAD TO THE NEXT FIELD TO BE HARVESTED

Been just over a year since I last had a coffee with my good friend Jim from Stratford Ontario.  Our last coffee blow-out was at Tim Horton’s in Seaforth & that session turned out be a 5 hour ass flattening marathon as we sat the entire time on Horton’s hard plastic seats.  Jim Face-booked me Monday night suggesting we get together for a coffee but cautioned about the length of our endurance.  At these older ages Tooshes are not as durable as they once were.  We agreed to meet in Clinton this afternoon at 2 p.m.  I thought about taking an an alarm clock but nixed the idea when I couldn’t figure out how to set it anyway.

WITH TODAY’S PHOTOS MY 'OLD BARNS' ALBUM IS AGAIN UP TO DATE & APPROACHING 1000 BARNS & SHEDS

SNOOZIN:))

Always good seeing Jim & we have been best friends for about 35 years now.  Managed to shorten up our 5 hours to 3 this time but we were still both pretty stiff getting up from the table & slowly hobbling our way out of the building.  We’re a couple aging guys a long ways away from the younger zany days like when we once went out to a car dealership in St. Marys Ontario & each bought ourselves brand new matching red Pontiac Fieros.   Mine had a sunroof & Jim’s didn’t.  But Jim’s car had a better looking driver.  Think that was back in about 1985.  Ya they were crazy times back then.  And here’s the crazy part…….we had both been sober for a substantial number of years by then:))

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE 2 JOHN DEER TRACTORS DRIVING SIDE BY SIDE WERE HARVESTING WITH THE EQUIPMENT THEY WERE TOWING IN UNISON

LOOKS LIKE WORKERS  WAY OUT THERE HARVESTING CABBAGES & NOTICE HOW THERE ARE NO AUTUMN COLORS IN THAT FOREST LINE YET

Talked to Aunt Jean in Sarasota last week & she’s still doing pretty good but days are becoming a bit difficult for her.  Energy levels are down & with some breathing problems now she is finding it more difficult to do many of the things she was once used to doing.  Not easy for an independent person like my Aunt Jean.  She still likes to get out golfing with friends every Tuesday but is finding by the 9th hole she has had about enough.  She’s also had some trying times with the Condo she bought a couple months ago but slowly issues are getting resolved.  Had to put a whole new air conditioning unit in but luckily her insurance company is footing the bill for much of it.  Aunt Jean is a true fighter & she’s determined not to let her age get her down………………….

YEP, THERE’S AN OLD BARN IN THERE SOMEWHERE……A SHED TOO

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A musical director was having a lot of trouble with one drummer. He talked and talked and talked with the drummer, but his performance simply didn't improve.  Finally, before the whole orchestra, he said, "When a musician just can't handle his instrument and doesn't improve when given help, they take away the instrument, and give him two sticks, and make him a drummer."  A voice was heard from the percussion section: "And if he can't handle even that, they take away one of his sticks and make him a conductor."