A DRIVE THROUGH AMISH-MENNONITE COUNTRY AS A PASSENGER FOR A CHANGE

I was only seconds away from hitting the publishing button when our power went out tonight.  It was a few minutes after 9.  Power was restored at 11:12 so here's my late post. 

It was a short half hour jaunt for Pheebs and I into and around Bayfield shortly after 8 this morning.  Home again I did a bit of watering before Richard picked me up at 9.  We grabbed a couple brews at Tim Horton's coffee shop in Clinton and headed off up into Amish-Mennonite country.  Beautiful morning for a drive through the rural countryside but if we don't get rain soon farmer's crops are going to be in big trouble.  Despite the heat we saw a lot of Mennonite folks out and about in their gardens and fields, horses and buggies.  Took a swing by Lake Wawanosh and through Saint Augustine and Saint Helens before heading home again.  All and all another couple hours well spent.

While Richard and I were cruising around up in Mennonite country, Kelly, with her son Ben and two boys, Darion and Kai were out splashing around at the Windmill Lake Wake and Eco Park which is only half a mile east of our Park.  Ben rented a big flotation device called an Aquapark which they all had to swim out to and get on,  Photos below explain it better.  Kelly said they all had a good time and of course they all got very wet.  She also said it was fun but nothing she would care to do again.  That Aquapark is a big round floating obstacle course for kids to scramble over as they go around it.  Kelly said she decided today her 'scrambling days' are well behind her.

HERE'S KELLY ABOUT TO SWIM OVER TO THE AQUAPARK FLOTATION THING....KAI DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO THE WATER BECAUSE OF THE SEAWEED

HERE, BEN AND KAI HAVE SWAM BACK TO THE DOCK AND THERE'S KELLY AND DARION ABOUT TO GET INTO THE WATER AND COME BACK AS WELL....PHOTOS BY PARK STAFF WITH KELLY'S BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONE

Had hoped to get a phone call today saying the Winnebago Spirit was ready to go after it's safety inspection but no such luck.  Looks like we might have to wait until next week before picking it up.

HERE'S A PHOTO KELLY TOOK THE DAY WE HAD THE WINNEBAGO SPIRIT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE EARLIER IN THE WEEK....I'M THE GUY UNDER THE HAT DRIVING AND THE RIG'S OWNER (MARVIN) IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND OF COURSE IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE PHEEBS:))

With a severe thunderstorm warning issued for our area we kept a close eye on the sky this evening.  Thunder and darkened skies surrounded us but we never had any rain.  Pheebs and I took a quick swing into Bayfield to see if there were any big black storm clouds out over the lake and although the sky looked unsettled I did not see the big black ominous clouds I was looking for.  I'll have a few pics tomorrow from our little drive after supper tonight.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Signs Of Our Times::

- My neighbor got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

- CEO's are now playing miniature golf.
- Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.
- I saw a Mormon with only one wife.
- If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.
- McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer.
- Angelina Jolie adopted a child from America.
- Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.
- My cousin had an exorcism but couldn't afford to pay for it, so they re-possessed her!

- A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico .
- A picture is now only worth 200 words.
- The Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas is now managed by Somali pirates
- Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh Great! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!

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GEORGE AND SUZI'S MOTORHOME IS FOR SALE AND WE HAD COMPANY TODAY

So nice to start each morning off with the twittering of summer songbirds outside our window.  Robins, Cardinals, Wrens, Mourning Doves, Chickadees, Blue Jays, Woodpeckers, and various Sparrows fill the air with song.  Even a Baltimore Oriole this morning.  Distant Crows can usually be heard as well. 

BALTIMORE ORIOLE IN OUR FRONT YARD THIS AFTERNOON

SEEN IN GODERICH THIS MORNING

Not a leaf stirring when Pheebs and I headed out in the dead calm air.  Another sweltering day headed our way.  When Kelly and Pheebs came back from their morning walk early because of the biting Deer Flies I knew Pheebs and I wouldn't be heading into any forests today.  Instead, it was a simple drive to Goderich and back with a stop at the harbor and Rotary Cove beach areas.  It was only 9 o'clock when with our windows rolled up, the A/C maxed out, and me with my ear muffs and warm mittens on, headed for home.

A QUIET MORNING BY THE LAKE

A  LONE KAYAKER PLYING CALM LAKE HURON WATERS

STAYING COOL

THIS JOGGER BROUGHT HIS KIDS ALONG

QUIET CONTEMPLATION

NIKON CP900 AT 2000MM HAND HELD

MAYBE INSPIRED TO WRITE A FEW LINES OF POETRY

AND HERE'S MY INSPIRATION FOR BEING HERE

Kelly's youngest son Ben had his two boys Darion and Kai up to the beach for a few days and are staying at Deer Park Lodge.  Ben and the boys dropped in late this morning and being bicycle enthusiasts they were soon out kicking up some dust on our Park's roads.

SHOWING GRAMMA THEIR SHINY NEW BIKES

AND DADS GOT A  SHINY NEW BIKE TOO

THE BOYS.....DARION AND KAI

George and Suzi's Motorhome located in New Hamburg Ontario is now for sale and the details can be found here at 1999 Holiday Rambler 36' Class A Motorhome  Hope this well-maintained rig finds a good home.  It has a fine RV travel blog history and I'm sure George would have been happy to see it continue its awesome journey.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A couple go for a meal at a Chinese restaurant and order Chicken Surprise. The waiter brings the meal, served in a lidded cast iron pot. Just as the wife is about to serve herself, the lid of the pot rises slightly and she briefly sees two beady little eyes looking around before the lid slams back down. "Good grief, did you see that?" she asks her husband.  He hasn't, so she asks him to look in the pot. He reaches for it and again the lid rises, and he sees two little eyes looking around before it slams down. Rather perturbed, he calls the waiter over, explains what is happening, and demands an explanation. "Please sir," says the waiter, "what you order?" The husband replies, "Chicken Surprise." "Ahh so sorry," says the waiter, "I bring you Peeking Duck."

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He who drinks a fifth on the fourth...May not be able to go forth on the fifth!

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HI-HO HI-HO IT'S OFF TO THE DARK FOREST WE GO

Despite another early start for Bugs and I this morning we barely beat the heat.  By 9 a.m. we were melting but at least before that, we had us a nice walk in a cool forest we had not been in before.  Along these many country roads here in southwestern Ontario are numerous bush lots with some of them having bush lanes leading in off the road.  One never knows where those bush lanes go and what lies hidden beyond in the deep forest.  This morning we stopped at a lane which we have passed by many times before.  Looking down the lane we could see a sunny clearing so decided to go have us a look.  Of course, I forgot to put bug spray on so the Mosquitos and Deer Flies waited until we were far enough into the forest before strategically ambushing us.

WE HAD NEVER TAKEN A WALK DOWN THIS BUSH LANE BEFORE

CAME ACROSS A QUIET SUNNY MEADOW

The clearing turned out to be a nice meadow with a creek running through it.  The bush continued on for a short distance before breaking into open fields to the northeast.  The forest on our left continued along the edge of a field.  Another partially overgrown lane led deeper into the forest so we headed in to have us a look.

OPEN FIELDS

HEADING DOWN THE FOREST LANE WE CAME ACROSS THIS BUTTERFLY AND I'M WONDERING WHAT KIND OF TREE THAT IS BELOW RIGHT??  I BET THE FURRY GNOME KNOWS

We had only walked maybe a couple hundred yards when I spotted what looked like an old lean-to.  Approaching closer I could see it was a teepee shaped campsite with some children's toys scattered around.  Lawn chairs with cobwebs on them and an old fire pit that hadn't seen any hot dogs or marshmallows for a long time.  Branches were piled up to make the lean-to.  An aging blackened Bar-be-que stood off to one side.  No, this wasn't the site of homeless people or hippies.  I'm guessing this was the site of the landowners farm family.  A little get-away camping venture for Mom and Dad and the kids at one time.  Or maybe the Grandparents spot for the Grand Kids.  Whichever scenario, I felt a touch of sadness thinking of all the enjoyment these farm folks may have had at this site at one time.  Gramma and Grampa may be gone now and the little kids may have grown into teenagers or young adults but no matter, the rustic campsite patiently awaits the squeals of children's laughter again someday as well as the gentle soft-spoken voices of Mom and Dad, Gramma and Grandpa and maybe Sparky the dog too.  The forest was quiet, but the memories lingered.  Then, while taking a photo of a couple old red wooden chairs something else caught my eye on the other side of a ravine.

THIS IS THE LEAN-TO TEEPEE WE FIRST SAW

CURIOUS STACKS OF WOOD

AND THEN I SPOTTED SOMETHING ELSE IN THE FOREST

It was another campsite I saw through the trees, and then a third.   We scruffled our way down an embankment and were able to get close to one of the sites but not right up to it.  An old rickety wooden bridge spanned a narrow creek to the second campsite looking much like the one we had just stopped at.  I didn't attempt the bridge and just took a few photos across the little dry creek.  These wooden teepees may have been a couple farm families with kids who shared the forest and camped out together.

THE OTHER CAMPSITE WAS ACROSS A SMALL CREEK ATOP AND EMBANKMENT

THE BRIDGE LOOKED A LITTLE SHAKEY SO I DIDN'T ATTEMPT IT....DON'T WANT A BROKEN LEG OUT HERE IN THE MOSQUITO INFESTED BOONIES

THE LITTLE FOREST CREEK IS ALMOST ALL DRIED UP

The third site looked like it may have been subjected to flooding as the creek rose in the Spring or after heavy rains.  It was lower on the forest floor than the other two sites sitting higher up on the creek banks.  An interesting find this morning and an area which I am sure has played its part in the wonderful memories of children, their parents, and grandparents alike.  

THE LEAN-TO AT THIS THIRD SITE LOOKED A LITTLE COLLAPSED....ALL THREE SITES WERE WITHIN A HUNDRED YARDS OF EACH OTHER

A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE THIRD SITE

ON OUR WAY BACK TO THE JEEP

Walking back out of the forest into the open sunlight of the day the heat hit us like a blast furnace and we wasted no time making our way back to the Jeep.  It was immediately on with the A/C and up with the windows for a pleasantly cooling ride home.  

ALMOST BACK TO THE ROAD

AND OFF WE GO HEADING FOR HOME....THE BLUE FLOWER PLANT BELOW IS CHICORY

Looking ahead at the long-range forecast there appears to be no relief in sight for this heat.  Our daytime temps are in the high 80's and low 90's with our weather site saying it is going to feel like 100F for a couple days with the humidity factor figured in.  We are desperately in need of rain as well which the weather people say could very well happen this weekend.  Only saving grace is the cooler evenings, nights, and early mornings.

 

'OMG THEY ARE DOING SOME BRICK WORK AT THE TIM HORTON COFFEE SHOP SITE

AND WORK IS GOING AHEAD FULL TILT ON BAYFIELD'S NEW BRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 21

I'M WONDERING IF THAT IS A LONG DISTANCE CEMENT POUR

DAY LILIES AT THE END OF OUR DRIVEWAY

GROANER'S CORNER:(( History Teacher: "Why was George Washington standing in the bow of the boat as the army crossed the Delaware?" 

Student: "Because he knew if he sat down, he would have to row."
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- “Whenever I feel withdrawn, I call my bank to deposit my loose change.”

- You said everything would be back to normal after June! Ju-Lyed!

- What do you get when you cross a kangaroo with a calendar? A leap year!

- Doctor: You're in good health. You'll live to be eighty.

Patient: But, doctor, I am 80 right now.

Doctor: See, what did I tell you.

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