Sunday, January 19, 2020

THERE WERE RUMBLES OF THUNDER HIDDEN IN THIS MORNING'S HEAVY SNOWFALL

I WAS SURPRISED THIS MORNING TO SEE HORSES IN A FIELD I HAD NEVER SEEN HORSES IN BEFORE
For Pheebs and I it was a very different start to the day.  Due to a heavy snowfall coming down I decided it would be better if we held off our Jeep ride at least until the snow had stopped.  I knew visibility would not be good.  Well, the snow didn't stop and just kept on coming down.  Our front yard was a furrily feathered hive of activity complete with Squirrels, Blue Jays, Juncos, Mourning Doves, Cardinals and Chicadees.  I could see snow building up so hustled outside and grabbed my snow shovel.  Snow covered up the corn kernals as fast as I tossed them on the ground for the furry guys,  Imagine how startled I was when a large and loud peel of thunder rolled overhead from west to east.  And like the snow the thunder didn't let up for the five minutes I was outside.  I can't recall ever hearing thunder during a heavy snowfall before.  But then again, I like many others cannot recall a lot of things anymore:((
WOKE UP TO ANOTHER SNOWY MORNING
Checking our live radar weather map I was discouraged to see this snowfall feathering in off the lake could very well last a long time.  The warmer lake water mixing with the colder air is like a high production snow factory and with our usual prevailing winds from the northwest it drives that heavy snow onshore and inland.  I disgruntingly settled myself in for a long boring day.
TELLING PHEEBS WE MIGHT NOT BE GOING FOR A JEEP RIDE 
It was 9:45 and it was like someone turned the snow machine tap off.  It just stopped.  Pheebs and I were out the door so fast Kelly never even knew we had left.  Needing bananas we headed for Goderich.  I was also down to half a jar of peanut butter and that of course constituted a national emergency.  Luckily Walmart had my favorite peanut butter on sale at 2 for the price of 6.  What a bargoon eh:))
SNOWING A BIT BUT NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP US GUYS AT HOME
SCARED US UP A HERD OF CROWS
Also wanted to slip down to the harbor and have a look at how the shoreline reconstruction was coming along.  Cold and bleak with wind driven snow coming in off the angry dark colored waters of Lake Huron.   Seemed to be a lot of brackish sludge coming ashore in one area.  It was just too blustery to exit the Jeep to check on the shoreline work so Pheebs and I didn't hang around long.  Grabbed a few quick photos and got ourselves back into the warm Jeep.  
DESPITE DULL GRAY DAYS WINTER CAN STILL BE PRETTY
LAKE HURON WATERS WERE LOOKING DARK AND FORBODING
WAVES RELENTLESSLY CRASHING ASHORE
LUCKILY WITH EVERYTHING COATED IN A HARD ICE WAVES COULDN'T DIG OUT ANY MORE SHORELINE

A DARK ICY SLUDGE CAN BE SEEN HERE
'OKAY DAD THAT'S ENOUGH PICTURES FOR TODAY SO LET'S GET IN THE JEEP AND GO HOME''
Heading back up through Goderich I saw a lot of folks digging out from the recent snow squalls.  With no other plans and the weather not suitable for a walk anywhere we headed ourselves home.  
GODERICH RESIDENTS WERE BUSY THIS MORNING
PERHAPS A LITTLE ONE'S FIRST WALK IN THE SNOW
On our way home I could see sunshine trying to make it's way through heavy snow clouds and I was encouraged by that.  Snow still falling but not as thick and heavy as a few spots earlier in the day. 
WITH FOUR OR ALL WHEEL DRIVE SNOWY ROADS LIKE THIS ARE NO LONGER A NAILBITER
Soon as I backed the Jeep into the carport I was out the door and onto the end of my snow shovel again.  Our temps had come up slightly over the freezing mark late Saturday night so this morning's snow was heavier and I could sure feel it with each shovel full I moved.  We were in the mid to low 20's today falling from Saturday night's 32.  We did end our day in sunshine when skies partially cleared late afternoon.  Looks like temps slowly begin to rise Monday and we should be in the mid to upper 30's by Wednesday.  Bonus:))
::Memory Lane::  In last night's post I mentioned a fire in Borrego Springs Palm Canyon where a grove of Palm trees had burned.  From the pictures I saw it looked like the same grove we hiked up to back on December 22nd 2007.  Here is my post for the day our desert friend Butch took us on a hike into the San Ysidro Mountains along the Palm Canyon trail.  Hiking Palm Canyon Near Borrego Springs, California.  My photo album for the day is here at Palm Canyon
::Al's Musical Favs:: Conjuring Rain by Angel Tears::  I have no idea what this man and woman are saying but it doesn't matter, it's the sound I find soothingly appealing.  
GROANER'S CORNER:((  You might be a Redneck if... 
- You live close enough to town to get garbage service, but don't use it because they won't come down your driveway to get it. 
- The fellows on the big garbage moving equipment recognize your wife.... and wave to her.  
- Your wife picks thru your garbage cans looking for any bait that may have grown in them since the last time you went. 
- You have ever removed the 3-9 zoom scope from your deer rifle to use at a KISS concert. 
 You have more than 2 used pampers rolling around in the back of your truck. 
- When you put your hunting boots on you only get them on the right feet 50% of the time. 
- Your idea of a neighborhood watch program is tuning into "America's Most Wanted". 
-  You recycle enough Copenhagen lids to buy Christmas presents.
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Mr. Magic: I can turn this handkerchief into a flower. 
Little Johnny: That’s nothing. I can walk down the street and turn into an alley.
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- A patient walks into a doctor's office. Patient: Doctor, people ignore me. 
Doctor: Next!


When were King Arthur's army too tired to fight? 
When they had lots of sleepless knights!

Teacher: You copied from Fred's exam paper didn't you?
Pupil: How did you know?
Teacher: Fred's paper says "I don't know" and you have put "Me, neither"! 


What was Camelot famous for?
It's knight life!
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Saturday, January 18, 2020

'OH-NO' THE PALM TREES IN BORREGO SPRINGS PALM CANYON BURNT UP TODAY!!

I THINK SQUIRRELY IS ENJOYING WINTER TOO MUCH
Checking our live radar weather feed late Friday night I could see the big winter storm Monster headed right for us and figured we'd wake up to a foot or two of snow in the morning.  A heavy snowfall warning had also been issued so imagine my surprise on looking out at first light and seeing maybe only a quarter inch had fallen.  However I could also see a stiff wind from the east was already blowing that light snow cover all over the place.  Kelly always takes Pheebs for a morning walk but they didn't go far because Pheebs wanted no part of a walk and by the time they turned around and came back Pheebs was totally covered in snow.  Twenty minutes later Pheebs was in the Jeep and away we went.
OUR FRONT YARD HAS BECOME QUITE A SQUIRREL HAVEN
'HEY MISTER WHAT'S WITH ALL THE SQUIRRELS IN THE YARD
BY GOLLY THERE'S LITTLE RED 
WE HAD A VERY BUSY BIRD STATION FEEDER YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Thought it odd the road outside our Park hadn't been plowed yet but then realized it's Saturday and the plows don't have to be out as early in order to keep area roads clear for the schoolbuses.  No problem for the Jeep so we drove into nearby Bayfield and beetled around town for awhile.  
PULLING OUT OF THE PARK I SAW RIGHT AWAY THE ROAD HADN'T BEEN PLOWED
BAYFIELD RIVER IS BEGINNING TO RE-FREEZE
Made a run through the cemetery to make some tracks.  Let Pheebs out but in less than a minute she wanted back in the Jeep.  Just to cold and snowy for her.  Wasn't long and we were home again.  Shoveled snow around the bird station, topped it up, and came in the house where Kelly was working on some pancakes and ham.  Nice:))
ONLY STORE OPEN IN BAYFIELD WAS THE COFFEE SHOP
MAKING TRACKS AROUND THE CEMETERY ROADS
HEADING HOME IT WAS STILL A BIT SNOWY AND BLOWY
Cold blustery weather sure brings a lot more birds out to our bird station and feeder.  It's continous traffic pattern of birds coming and going.  Really brings out the Squirrels as well and at one point we had 6 black Squirrels and Little Red out front.  Hungry little Critters they all are and I think we probably have the fattest Squirrels in the County at the moment.
MALE CARDINAL
I'M THINKING THIS MIGHT BE A TUFTED TITMOUSE
DARK EYED JUNCO
DID YOU SEE THE BIG TIGER FACE IN THE FEATHERS....WOULD NOT THIS FACE SCARE THE HOLY BEJEEBERS OUT OF A CAT SNEAKING UP BEHIND
Spent the rest of my day pretty much in the sunroom bonking around on the computer, reading, and turning the TV on and off occasionally.  No wonder my weight has ballooned to over 200 pounds again.  Wasn't until around 2 in the afternoon this current storm started dumping some serious snow on us.  I was out several times shoveling around the bird station and re-filling it with birdseed.  I'm going to have to get a part-time job just to keep the feathery guys in seeds.  This was more like a wintery day I remembered years ago as a kid.  
THERE WERE MORE DOG WALKERS OUT THIS MORNING THAN VEHICLES ON THE ROAD
For Sale:  2011Class A Tiffin Allegro 34' Diesel Motorhome
'OH NO'!!!! It looks like the palm trees in Borrego Springs Palm Canyon are on fire.  Kelly saw it on her  Facebook page this afternoon.  We did that Palm Canyon hike up to those palms a number of years ago and I will post about that hike Sunday.  
::Memory Lane::  Reading Doug's last couple posts (Miss Adventure Travels) about a slot canyon east of Borrego Springs I was reminded of the day Kelly and I and another fellow by the name of Butch hiked ourselves through the other slot canyon south of Borrego.  We had met fellow boon-docker Butch at the Clark Dry Lake Bed and being very familiar with Anza Borrego State Park he led this hike for us.  My post for the day is here at The Borrego Springs Slot Canyon Hike.  Photos for the day can be found in my album......Borrego Springs-Ocotillo Wells Slot Canyon.
BUTCH, KELLY, AND I HALFWAY THROUGH OUR SLOT CANYON HIKE
::Al's Musical Favs::  Acre Of Sun by Darshan Ambient:  Another soft easy flowing piece of music.  Sometimes a song grabs me right away and other times they have to grow on me a bit.  This one was a right awayer simply because I love these soothing instrumentals with their mellow sounds letting me conjure up my own dreams about the feelings they weave through my mind.
GROANER'S CORNER:(( IF MY BODY IS EVER FOUND ON A "JOGGING" TRAIL, JUST KNOW THAT I WAS MURDERED SOMEWHERE ELSE AND DUMPED THERE.
  


Q....How do you keep your car from being stolen?
A....Buy a standard shift model

- RESPECT YOUR ELDERS. THEY GRADUATED FROM SCHOOL WITHOUT THE INTERNET. 
- I'VE DECIDED I'M NOT OLD, I'M 25 -- PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING.
-WE HAVE ENOUGH GUN CONTROL. WHAT WE NEED IS IDIOT CONTROL. 
- BEHIND EVERY ANGRY WOMAN STANDS A MAN WHO HAS ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT HE DID WRONG. 
- LET'S STOP SENDING MONEY TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND LET THEM HATE US FOR FREE. 
- VEGETARIAN: ANCIENT TRIBAL NAME FOR THE VILLAGE IDIOT WHO CAN'T HUNT, FISH, OR LIGHT FIRES! 
- IF GUNS KILL PEOPLE, THEN PENCILS MISSPELL WORDS, CARS MAKE PEOPLE DRIVE DRUNK, AND SPOONS MAKE PEOPLE FAT. 
- MY DECISION-MAKING SKILLS CLOSELY RESEMBLE THOSE OF A SQUIRREL WHEN CROSSING THE ROAD. 
- SOME THINGS ARE JUST BETTER LEFT UNSAID -- AND I USUALLY REALIZE IT RIGHT AFTER I SAY THEM. 
- CAMPING: WHERE YOU SPEND A SMALL FORTUNE TO LIVE LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON.
- A WISE MAN ONCE SAID - - NOTHING.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT GETTING OLD WOULD TAKE LONGER.
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Fashion victims? Those with tie-dyed pants are guilty of jeanocide. 

My girlfriend always prefers going up the stairs, whereas I always like to take the elevator...I guess we are raised differently.
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