DESPITE OUR COLD WINTERY WEATHER IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD DAY………..I GOT 2 SOAKERS

It would have been so easy to just stay in our nice warm toasty house this morning rather than venturing outside into the snow & cold but soon as I saw a few sunny rays making their way through the pines I knew there would be no sitting around the house.  With a bad weather forecast on the horizon for the next few days I figured Pheebs & I had better get some outside time in while the getting was good.  And with that thought in mind we were off.  

I HAVEN’T TAKEN MANY WINTER PHOTOS THESE PAST 10 YEARS SO FIGURED I HAD BETTER GET OUT & SNAP ME UP SOME WHILE I HAVE THE CHANCE

THIS LITTLE BIRD LANDED IN FRONT OF ME, SAT THERE FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS & TOOK OFF AGAIN

MARSHY AREAS HAVE FROZEN OVER AGAIN

Country roads were a combination of hard packed snow & ice, farm fields were white with snow & shallow water standing in fields had a coating of ice probably hard enough to skate on.  Had I had a pair of ice skates along I could have given it a try.  Well OK maybe not......probably been about 60 years since I last had a pair of skates on.  We had ourselves a nice mixture of sun & cloud as we plodded our way along sometimes with a window or two part way down down taking photos along the way.   

TRACKS IN THE SNOW WERE MADE BY THE 2 HORSES BELOW

Icy west winds blowing unimpeded across Lake Huron's frigid water swept inland keeping Pheebs & I in the Jeep for most of our morning travels.  Only a couple leg stretch stops so again the majority of my photos were taken from the driver's seat.  I've noticed over the past couple of years I am taking more & more of my photos from either the Jeep or the Motorhome.  Been trying to figure out if I'm just too plume lazy to get out of the vehicle or I've just developed a more comfortable way of taking photos.

Our winter like travels took us north of Clinton around the Hullett Marsh then eventually west over to the shores of Lake Huron north of Goderich.  Heading south into Goderich we slipped on down to the north side of the harbor & spotted 3 large ships at anchor.  Taking on a load of corn for Ireland over on the south side was the large Netherlands ocean going freighter AMSTELBORG.  The Amstelborg is the first large international ship into Goderich's harbor this year & first ship in after the lake ice has cleared sparks a tradition whereupon the Captain of the ship is treated to a top hat ceremony at Goderich's Courthouse.  If you click on the link you can read about that & see Captain Huib Van Der Mijle with his top hat on.

THE AMSTELBORG LOADING CORN FOR IRELAND

I WILL HAVE MORE GODERICH HARBOR PHOTOS IN WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S POST

THAT IS ONE MIGHTY TALL SUPERSTRUCTURE ON THE STERN & LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THOSE GREEN STEEL HATCH COVERS

From the north harbor Pheebs & I headed back up to highway 21 & slipped our way a few blocks south to SUBWAY.  While Pheebs held the Fort I slipped in & ordered us up 6" Tuna Sub with sweet onion sauce.  Last time we wrestled over a Sub was in Wickenburg Arizona about a month & half ago.  I always love it how Pheebe just takes of bouncing around in the Jeep like a flying ping pong ball when I come walking out of the Sub shop with a yummy Sub in my hand.  It warms my heart & makes me so happy to see her so happy.  She is just the most priceless little dog I have ever had the pleasure of meeting & knowing. 

“NEVER MIND THE PICTURE DADDY-O LET’S JUST GET OURSELVES RIPPED INTO THAT YUMMY SUB”

COMING UP OUT OF THE NORTH HARBOR WE SPOTTED A TRAIN BEGINNING IT’S CLIMB UP THE HARBOR GRADE AS WELL

I THINK THE ENGINEER HAS THE HAMMER DOWN AS WE TRY TO CATCH UP

THE RACE WAS ON TO SEE WHO COULD REACH THE TOP FIRST

HERE WE ARE NOSE & NOSE BUT I GUESS IT REALLY WASN’T TOO MUCH OF A RACE WITH PHEEBS & I DOING 20 MPH & THE TRAIN STRAINING ALONG AT ABOUT 3 MPH 

From the Sub Shop we made our way around Goderich's town square & down to the south side of the harbor.  I was curious to see what the shoreline looked like since all the Inukshuks were taken down & away late last week.  Aside from 2 small stone cairns the only thing to see along the snowy shoreline was a lonesome looking tilted wooden cross with some words written upon it. 

Further along the beach road we came to the dog walking area but with today's onshore icy winds freezing everything in it's path we didn't venture too far.  I did however notice some unusual & beautiful ice formations right down along the water's edge caused by both wind & wave action.  Flying spray whipped onshore by strong winds had coated a line of rocks, bushes, & trees in ice.  Managed to get myself 2 right foot soakers as waves crashed in against the rocky shoreline while I tried to finagle a few camera angles.  But it wasn't the water making things difficult it was the wind & although I had warm gloves in the Jeep I foolishly chose not to wear them.  Needless to say Pheebs & I were back in the Jeep within minutes & as we drove away Pheebs steered while I held both my hands in front of the 2 maxed out dash heater vents. 

 

Our next stop was the car wash to get Sunday's road salt off.  Libby looked all shiny new again but the rubber marks from her Albuquerque blown tire several weeks ago were very prominent.  I kinda doubt I'll get those marks out with rubbing compound but I'll give it a try when the weather warms up.  It was just a hop, skip, & a jump, to the Solo gas bar for a Libby fill-up & doggy biscuit for Pheebs before heading the last 10 miles or so to Bayfield & home.

    

I THINK THIS IS WHERE I GOT THE SOAKERS & IN TOMORROW NIGHT’S POST I WILL HAVE MORE LAKE HURON SHORE LINE ICE PHOTOS FROM TODAY

All & all it was a good day & I took a lot of photos knowing it might be a few days before I get out again.  I know I can always use file photos for my posts but I do prefer to post new photos daily.  For me, keeping things current is important whether it's with my writing or my photos.  If I get a day behind in either endeavor I quickly lose interest in things & before I know it I'm too far behind of where I prefer to be & quickly lose momentum making me prone to grinding myself to stop.........……….. 

 

DESPITE OUR COLD WINTERY WEATHER I WAS ABLE TO CATCH THIS MOURNING DOVE OUTSIDE OUR SUNNY SUN ROOM THIS AFTERNOON

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man calls home to his wife and says,   "Honey I have been asked to go fishing at a big lake up in Canada with my boss and several of his friends.   We'll be gone for a week.   This is a good opportunity for me to get that promotion I've been wanting so would you please pack me enough clothes for a week and set out my rod and tackle box.  We're leaving from the office and I will swing by the house to pick my things up.   Oh!   Please pack my new blue silk panamas." The wife thinks this sounds a little fishy but being a good wife she does exactly what her husband asked.   The following weekend he comes home a little tired but otherwise looking good.   The wife welcomes him home and asks if he caught many fish?  He says,   "Yes!  Lot's of Walleye, some Bluegill,   and a few Pike.  But why didn't you pack my new blue silk panamas like I asked you to do?"  "I did, they're in your tackle box."