AND WE GOT TO CHATTING

 A MOURNING DOVE SITS IN THE FRONT YARD'S SUNBURST LOCUST TREE

I can sum up the big news in our area with one word....Smoke!!  With huge wildfires burning out of control in northwestern Ontario, westerly winds have brought much of that smoke this way and even stretched over into some of the Eastern United States.  I noticed the sky had turned yellowish Wednesday morning, but with my Tuckersmith Internet/TV line being installed, I didn't pay much attention to it.  It wasn't until later, when I drove neighbor Monica to Clinton and back, that I became aware of the hazy smoke.  And it remained smoky all day today.  I think Toronto, Ontario, declared that yesterday was the worst air pollution day they have ever recorded.

HEADING EAST OUT OF OUR PARK THIS MORNING, I COULD SEE THE SMOKE WAS STILL IN THE AIR

Despite the smoke, I headed out to my walking road, and in the distant haze I could make out large objects at the north end of the alfalfa field they had just harvested a few days ago, and one of those objects was moving.  As I drew closer, I could see the moving object was a tractor, and the large rectangular objects were hay (alfalfa) bales.  I parked Subie and walked up the road for a closer look.  The tractor came over fairly close to me and stopped.  A nice young fella emerged from the enclosed cab, headed my way, and we got to chatting.  He was waiting for another piece of farm machinery to show up.  A few days ago, they had cut, raked, and picked up the loose alfalfa with a Forage Shredder.  Knowing these bales must have been from an adjoining alfalfa field, I asked him why they decided to bale the alfalfa this time.  He said that they originally planned to do that field the same way as the first, but because of yesterday's smoke blocking out the anticipated 'drying' sun and the threat of rain on Friday, they decided to bale and wrap the slightly damp alfalfa today, ensuring it would properly dry when wrapped and not be susceptible to rain.

 SLOWLY DRIVING NORTH ON MY WALKING ROAD I COULD SEE THERE WAS SOME FARMING ACTIVITY GOING ON AHEAD OF ME TO THE NORTHEAST

AFTER PARKING AT MY SPOT ALONGSIDE THE ROAD, I WALKED UP TO WHERE I SAW A TRACTOR MOVING BALES AROUND

 AFTER TALKING TO THIS YOUNG FELLOW, I WALKED BACK TO THE CAR ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE AWAY

 I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN THIS APPARATUS WENT  BY HEADING TOWARDS THE ALFALFA BALE OPERATION...I  KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT THAT ROUND THING WAS AND WHAT IT WAS ABOUT TO DO

 THIS IS THE MACHINE THAT WRAPS THOSE BALES IN A HEAVY DUTY WHITE PLASTIC...IT'S CALLED A BALE WRAPPER

 YOU CAN SEE THE BALING OPERATOR BESIDE THE MACHINE

 HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE WHITE PLASTIC BEING WRAPPED AROUND THE BALE

Everything had gone well with my Tuckersmith install on Wednesday, but this afternoon, my desktop computer in the sunroom began having trouble picking up the signal from the router in the living room.  It had been working perfectly yesterday and this morning.  My music channel came through alright, but other sites struggled and wouldn't download. I called Tuckersmith (how nice to speak with someone I can understand) and told them of the problem.  They suggested a signal booster to boost the signal to the sunroom.  I will pick up that booster tomorrow at Tuckersmith's Bayfield office.  Wish me luck in getting that booster thing set up!!

 A FEW PICS ALONG MY WALKING ROAD THIS MORNING....BUTTERFLY ON A CHICORY FLOWER

 THESE THISTLE FLOWERS ARE ALREADY GOING TO SEED

 YELLOW SOW THISTLE FLOWERS AND QUEEN ANNE'S LACE GROWING ALONGSIDE A WHEAT FIELD

Al's Music Box:: Imagine by John Lennon.

 A ROBIN HAVING A BATH IN THE FRONT YARD BIRD BATH THIS AFTERNOON

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Hearing little Johnny behind her turning the air blue, the teacher turned and said, "Johnny, "you shouldn't use that kind of language". Where did you hear such talk, anyway?" "My daddy said it," he responded. "Well, that doesn't matter," explained the teacher. "You don't even know what it means." "I do, too!" Little Johnny retorted. "It means the car won't start."

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My wife won’t let me get a tattoo of a grizzly bear on each bicep...She is infringing on my right to bear arms!
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Today is National Crayon Day::
- Crayons are just like M&Ms...
They taste the same no matter what colour they are.

I heard in the news that thay've found harmful materials in cosmetics and childrens crayons, but in the defense of the big corporations...They're doing asbestos they can.

My wife accused me of being unsympathetic and not listening, so I bought her a GI Joe coloring book...
Now she'll always have a soldier to crayon.

Fill out job applications in crayon...and if you don’t get hired, just blame it on your color.

I just can't draw blood with this orange crayon...It isn't sharp enough. 

This orange does not taste right...I think I'm gonna put it back in the crayon box.

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In a murder trial, the defense attorney was cross-examining the coroner:
Attorney: Before you signed the death certificate, had you taken the pulse?
Coroner: No.
Attorney: Did you listen to the heart?
Coroner: No.
Attorney: Did you check for breathing?
Coroner: No.
Attorney: So, when you signed the death certificate, you weren't sure the man was dead, were you?
Coroner: Well, let me put it this way. The mans brain was sitting in a jar on my desk. But I guess its possible he could have been out practicing law somewhere.

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery

THE TUCKERSMITH COMMUNICATION INSTAL THIS MORNING WENT SMOOTHLY

Well, I was up early in case the Tuckersmith Communication installation crew came at 8 a.m.  A friendly and amiable young fella who looked like he was fresh out of High School rolled into the driveway with his white TCC van at 9:05.  A second fellow rolled in with his white van about 40 minutes later.  A new hole was drilled through the living room wall behind my main TV because I wanted the main set up, with all its wires there instead of the sunroom where there has been a mosh of wires behind the computer desk forever.  It will be much easier to slide the TV and its stand out of the way and gain access to the TCC equipment than behind the very heavy computer desk.  Well, it all sounds good in theory anyway......Update:: The install went smoothly, without even one hitch.  Everything was up and running perfectly by 11 a.m.  Five stars and two thumbs up for Tuckersmith Communications.  But, not five stars and two thumbs up for me.  Despite the young fella explaining the new remote, five minutes after he left I had things so screwed up between the Tuckersmith and Apple remotes that the only thing I could get on the TV screen was my XM music and Howdy Doody.  But, lucky for me, it was Andrew to the rescue again and it didn't take him long to get everything straightened out.  Of course, getting me straightened out, proved to be another whole challenge!!

 THE YOUNG FELLA TUCKED IN BEHIND THE LIVING ROOM TV INSTALLING THE EQUIPMENT

 IT IS HERE WHERE THE NEW TUCKERSMITH CABLE ENTERS THE HOUSE

 A SECOND TCC WORKER IN THE SUNROOM, SWITCHES OUT EAST LINK FOR TUCKERSMITH

Thankfully, I am feeling like my old self today.  I don't know what happened yesterday, but it sure knocked the stuffings out of me for a while.

 A MOURNING DOVE DOING SOME PREENING

 THIS MOURNING DOVE RESTING ON THE BIRD STATION IS NOT IN DISTRESS...DUE TO THE HOT AND HUMID AIR, IT HAS ITS WINGS FLARED OUT TO COOL ITSELF DOWN

Al's Music Box:: Rave On by Buddy Holly.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Two old friends met by chance on the street. After chatting for some time one said to the other, "I'm terribly sorry, but I've forgotten your name. You'll need to tell me". The other stared at him thoughtfully for a long time, then replied, "How soon do you need to know?"

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- I'm an odd combination of “really sweet” and “don't mess with me”
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These signs have allegedly been spotted in public use::

Sign in a London department store: Bargain basement upstairs.

In an office: Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken.

In an office: After tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.

Outside a secondhand shop: We exchange anything--bicycles, washing machines, etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain.

Notice sent to residents of a Wiltshire parish: Due to increasing problems of vandals, we must ask anyone with relatives buried in the graveyard to do their best to keep them in order.

Notice in a dry cleaner's window: Anyone leaving their garments here for more than 30 days will be disposed of.

Sign on motorway garage: Please do not smoke near our petrol pumps. Your life may not be worth much, but our petrol is.

Spotted in a safari park: Elephants, please stay in your car.

Notice in a field: The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges.

Message on a leaflet: If you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons.

Sign on a repair shop door: We can repair anything (Please knock hard on the door, the bell doesn't work.)

Spotted in a toilet in a London office block: Toilet out of order, please use floor below.

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery