MY SONY CAMERA SUFFERED A NASTY BASH

What a marvelous morning for a sunny, blue sky drive through this late February countryside.  Although cold at 24F. I could have my side window down if I kept my speed under 15 mph on the snowy country roads.  If Pheebs had been with me, we would have had her window down as well.  And, of course, the heater going too.  It was a great feeling this morning under sunny skies, knowing we are indeed closing in on Spring.  In fact, we have temperatures predicted to be up in the 40s and 50's next week.  I am soooooooo much looking forward to that.  Yes, there will be more snow and possibly more nasty storms coming up in March, but winter's back is broken, and we are rounding the fourth corner and entering the home stretch for Spring. And yes, all the wonders it will most certainly bring:)))))  

I THINK EVEN THESE HORSES WERE HAPPY TO BE OUTSIDE IN THE SUNSHINE THIS MORNING

SOON THESE HORSE TRAILERS WILL BE OUT OF THE SNOW  TRANSPORTING HORSES AGAIN

I OFTEN SEE THIS FELLOW AND HIS DOG TRAVELING BETWEEN TWO FARMS, AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE THE BLACK DOG RUNNING OUT FRONT OF THE CART

 IN THIS QUICK PHOTO ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LATER YOU CAN SEE THIS SAME FARM CREW RETURNING TO THE HOME FARM AND TURNING INTO THE LANE

I also took a little cruise around our Park this morning.  There have been a lot of work trucks and various machines in the Park this past week, and I was curious to see what they were all up to.  Nothing was going on this morning, but I could see where machines had been digging.  I'm sure it all has something to do with the new homes that have come in and additional new homes that will be coming in, maybe over this Spring, Summer, and Fall.

 AS YET UNOCCUPIED, THIS NEW HOME AWAITS AN OWNER

 I'M GUESSING THIS NEW HOME IS SOLD BECAUSE A GARDEN SHED HAS ALREADY APPEARED, AND HEY, DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT MIGHT BE A BIG OLD ORANGE HULA-HOOP IN THE FRONT YARD

 THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OLDER UNITS IN THE PARK FOR SALE AS WELL, WITH NEITHER ONE OF THEM OCCUPIED

ALL STREETS AND ROADS IN THE PARK ARE LINED WITH TALL PINE TREES

 WHAT A FINE TREAT IT WAS TODAY TO SEE BLUE SKIES OVERHEAD

 IT IS A VERY PICTURESQUE, PEACEFULLY QUIET PARK THAT WE ALL LIVE IN HERE

 

My Sony DSC RX10 IV camera suffered a nasty bash Wednesday afternoon when I slipped on a patch of ice and took a little tumble down our front porch steps.  I didn't see the small patch of ice on the middle step, and when my right foot slipped on it, my leg shot out from under me, and down I went.  Naturally, in a fall, our arms flail outwards trying to grab onto something, and that is exactly what my arms did.  Unfortunately, in my right hand was my camera, and in a split second, the camera impacted the wrought iron railing as I tumbled down the next step to land on my kiester on a large concrete patio stone.  A short, slight pain in my lower right back, but it was soon gone and never amounted to anything.  My camera never left the tight, secure grip I always have on it, but it struck the railing right at the base of the lens, leaving an impact mark on it.  So far, the camera seems to be working, except I'm not sure about the f-stop ring, and I've noticed a shimmering light image around objects in the viewfinder.  That bright shimmering does not appear in the photos, but it is very annoying.  If the camera turns out to be further compromised, I have my backup Nikon D90 camera standing by.  But I do really treasure my Sony.

 THE CAMERA IMPACT HAPPENED RIGHT ABOVE THAT #8 ON THE F-STOP RING

I am still very much enjoying the exercise bicycle machine I bought about three weeks ago.  It's not only been great for strengthening my weakened legs, but what a marvelous way to get caught up on all my reading.  I'm learning while I'm exercising, and what an unexpected winning combination that has turned out to be.  Lorraine extensively uses the bike as well.  We have to have our legs strong for when we get our E-bikes back on the road in a few months.

SNOW CLUMPS ON A MUGO PINE TREE AT THE END OF OUR DRIVEWAY

 IT'S ALWAYS A CIRCUS OF SQUIRRELS IN OUR FRONT YARD

 THIS LITTLE FELLOW WAS VERY DETERMINED TO GET AT THIS SUET

Al's Music Box:: Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree by Tony Orlando and Dawn.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Researchers for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority found over 200 dead crows near greater Boston recently, and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. A Bird Pathologist examined the remains of all the crows, and, to everyone's relief, confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian Flu. The cause of death appeared to be vehicular impacts. However, during the detailed analysis, it was noted that varying colors of paint appeared on the bird's beaks and claws. By analyzing these paint residues it was determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks, while only 2% were killed by an impact with a car. MTA then hired an Ornithological Behaviorist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of truck kills versus car kills. He very quickly concluded the cause: When crows eat road kill, they always have a look-out crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger. They discovered that while all the lookout crows could shout “Cah”, not a single one could shout “Truck.”

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A few Chess jokes:))

Patient: Doctor whenever I cough it sounds like this 'pawn, bishop, queen. - Doctor: Sounds like you have a chess infection.

- When Australian chess players finish their meals in the restaurant...they say, "Cheque, mate."

- Where do chess players like to go to look for a bargain? The pawnshop.

- How did the king lose his home? One of the horses took his castle.

- Which knight always gave up at chess? Sir Render.

- Why do chess pieces look so uninterested?
They’re part of a bored game.

- Why did the chess player win the disco competition? They had all the right moves.

When the King started telling a bedtime story to all the chess pieces, he said ..."Once a pawn a time..."

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A woman went into a busy cake shop, and when it was her turn to be served, she commented, "You know, I came into this shop 15 years ago when I was just a girl."The harassed shop assistant snapped, "I'm sorry about that, but I'm serving as fast as I can.

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HE WILL THEN RECOMMEND ME FOR CATARACT SURGERY

About four to five inches of fresh snow overnight had me on the end of my snowshov.....Well, y'all have heard this same old story way too many times this winter, so I won't bug you with another annoying repeat.  Say, was that the sound of cheering I detected out there!!  We decided to head off to Goderich early this afternoon to pick up a few groceries.  Woodsy always knows where all the bargains are.  She has a grocery store App or something on her phone that keeps her posted about all the current and upcoming sales.  There was a bit of snow and ground drifting on our way to Goderich, but nothing serious.  It was a slightly different story about an hour later when we left Goderich for home.  Both the snow and winds had picked up, and we soon found ourselves in whiteout conditions with very little visibility.  Luckily, that only lasted for a few miles, and the closer we came to Bayfield, the better the weather got.

 THIS IS WHAT WE WERE FACED WITH AFTER TURNING OFF HIGHWAY 8 ONTO PORTER'S HILL LINE

 AFTER A FEW MILES, VISIBILITY BEGAN TO IMPROVE

ONLY AN HOUR BEFORE, THISHARD TO SEE STRETCH OF ROAD HAD BEEN BARE PAVEMENT  

 FINALLY, CLEAR ROADS AHEAD

The only slight deviation from my usual morning routine occurred Monday morning when I drove to Clinton for an in-depth diabetic eye exam.  Although pre-diabetic at the moment, my Nurse Practitioner wanted me to have my eyes thoroughly checked before meeting with her and my diabetic care person in about three weeks.   What is different about a diabetic eye exam is that it is more thorough than a routine eye exam.  On a special new-fangled machine, I had each eye photographed, and the optometrist guy, on a computer screen, was able to show me all the blood vessels and things in my eyes.  Front view, side views, and upside-down views.  Looking closer at one of the photos, he asked, 'is that an apple in your eye?' to which I replied, 'Yes, that's Woodsy, and she's the apple of my eye.  Moving right along, he pointed out all the pictures, graphs, and scans and explained to me each step.  Bottom line is this....my eyes are in very good condition and show no signs of glaucoma or any other diabetic related issues.  However, there is one problem though, and he started his next sentence off with, 'I'm surprised you can see as well as you do.  The problem?? Cataracts!!  I've known for the past half dozen years that I had cataracts slowly forming, and especially on my left eye.  He wants to see me again in six months, at which time he suspects the cataract in my left eye will be worse, and he will then recommend me for cataract surgery.  

Al's Music Box:: I Only Have Eyes For You by Art Garfunkel. (Simon & Garfunkel)

 ALTHOUGH A POOR PHOTO, THIS SHOWS ONE OF THREE PAIRS OF CARDINALS IN OUR FRONT YARD TODAY

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Little Johnny's mother was trying hard to get the catsup to come out of the bottle. During her struggle, the phone rang, so she asked four-year-old Johnny to answer the phone.  Little Johnny ran out into the living room and answered the phone. "Mommy, it's the minister," he said to his mother. From the kitchen, Johnny's mom said, "Tell him I'll call him back." Little Johnny spoke into the phone, saying, "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle."  

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- Politicians and diapers have one thing in common: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reason.

- One of life's mysteries - How can a two-pound box of candy make a person gain five pounds?

- Time may be a great healer, but it's also a lousy beautician.

- Age doesn't always bring wisdom; sometimes age comes alone.

- Life not only begins at forty, but it also begins to show.

- I told my neighbours they could eat whatever they wanted when they house-sat for me. Damn, I miss that goldfish.

- What do clouds wear underneath their pants? Thunderwear.

- What’s the leading cause of dry skin?
Towels..

- I recently tried to write a book on plants
It was too difficult. I should have used paper.

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One bright, beautiful Sunday morning, everyone in the tiny town of Johnstown got up early and went to the local church. Before the services started, the townspeople were sitting in their pews and talking about their lives and their families. Suddenly, the Devil himself appeared at the front of the congregation. Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate.  Soon, everyone was evacuated from the Church, except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew, not moving, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God's ultimate enemy was in his presence. Now this confused Satan a bit, so he walked up to the man and said, "Don't you know who I am?"The man replied, "Yep, sure do." Satan asked, "Aren't you afraid of me?" "Nope, sure ain't," said the man. Satan was a little perturbed at this and queried, "Why aren't you afraid of me?" The man calmly replied, "Been married to your sister for over 48 years."

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