Wednesday, April 18, 2018

I’LL BE DOING THE DRIVING AND HE’LL HAVE HIS HOME MADE BIRCH BARK SLING SHOT ALONG

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A RATHER FIERCESOME LOOKING FELLOW IN THE GODERICH HARBOR THIS MORNING

More crappy weather so figured I might as well drop into Goderich’s Maitland Valley Medical Center this morning and let them haul some more blood out of me for testing.  At least needle technology has advanced to the painless point where they don’t use turkey basters anymore so I don’t mind having to do that.

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MORE SNOW IN THE AREA THIS MORNING

Learned a couple things about Wendy's I didn’t know before.  They don’t have a breakfast menu and they don’t open until 10:30 in the morning so scratch Wendy’s for me trying out their coffee.

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‘HEY NICE LANDING THERE DOVEY’

So back to good old reliable McDonalds we went, grabbed us a coffee and headed on down to the harbor.  Noticed a large freighter in the process of tying up alongside the Goderich Elevators.  The bulk carrier Federal Margaree  was riding high in the water so I knew they would be taking on a load rather than taking off a load.

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THE BIG FREIGHTER SLOWLY INCHES IT’S WAY FORWARD

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DECK HANDS KEEP AN EYE ON THE DOCKING PROCEDURE

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THIS SHIP IS REGISTERED IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC’S MARSHAL ISLANDS NEAR THE EQUADOR

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I’M GUESSING THAT BALD HEADED FELLA MIGHT BE THE SHIP’S CAPTAIN

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WITH ALL THOSE AERIALS UP THERE I BET THEY CAN EVEN GET ‘SESAME STREET’

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DRIVING FROM THE SOUTH HARBOR TO THE NORTH HARBOR I NOTICED A HEAVY BUT BRIEF SNOW SQUALL ROLL ACROSS THE HARBOR ALMOST OBSCURING THE TUG BOAT WHICH HAD JUST ESCORTED THE BIG FREIGHTER IN

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THE SHIP AS SEEN FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR

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THAT SUPERSTRUCTURE IS LIKE A 5 STORY CONDO

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From the south side of the harbor we slipped on over to the north side of the harbor where I saw a bunch of diving birds that I’m guessing may have been Double Breasted Cormorants and Red Breasted Merganser Ducks.  I’m not up on my bird ID’s so I’m only guessing.

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SPOTTED THIS HERD OF DUCKS IN THE HARBOR

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NOTICED SOME OF THEM HEADED IN AND AROUND WHERE THE TUGBOATS WERE ANCHORED

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ALSO WATCHING THE DUCKS SWIMMING AROUND  THE TUGS WERE A FEW CURIOUS SEA GULLS

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HEY I JUST GOT PHOTO BOMBED

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WATCHING THESE DUCKS SWIM AROUND I SOON NOTICED HOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WOULD SIMPLY DISAPPEAR UNDER THE WATER….THE FEMALE DUCK IN THE FOREGROUND IS JUST BEGINNING IT’S DIVE

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‘BLOOP’ ALL GONE

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THERE GOES ANOTHER ONE

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AND ONE JUST GETTING READY TO GO

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IT WAS ABOUT THIS TIME A CORMORANT POPPED UP OUT OF THE WATER AMONGST THE DUCKS AND I FIGURE IT MUST HAVE HAD A SET OF SCUBA TANKS WITH IT

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ALL THESE CORMORANT AND DUCK PHOTOS WERE TAKEN THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW OF THE JEEP…..DIDN’T WANT TO GET OUT AND SCARE THEM AWAY

Heading home we came through a couple light snow streamers coming in off the lake.  With temps just above freezing there were sights and sounds of melting today.

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GOOD THING THAT’S WATER ON THE ROADS AND NOT ICE

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AND THE DAMN SNOW JUST KEEPS ON COMING!!

The nicest thing about having our heavier treaded winter type tires off the Jeep now is the quieter ride.  Smoother too.  Smooth and quiet works for me most every time.

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Richard and I will be out with coffee cups and muffins in hand early Friday morning slip sliding our way around local roads looking for some kinda Seniors trouble we can get ourselves into.  I will be doing the driving while Richard with his homemade birch bark slingshot pops off a few rural mail boxes along the way………..:))

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NO THERE IS NOTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT FIRE HYDRANT PHEEBS

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A Catholic Priest and a Rabbi were chatting one day when the conversation turned to a discussion of job descriptions and promotion.  "What do you have to look forward to in way of a promotion in your job?" asked the Rabbi.  "Well, I'm next in line for the Monsignor's job." replied the Priest.  "Yes, and then what?" asked the Rabbi.  "Well, next I can become Arch-Bishop." said the Priest.  "Yes, and then?" asked the Rabbi.  "If I work real hard and do a good job as Arch-Bishop, it's possible for me to become a full Bishop." said the Priest.  "O.K., then what?" asked the Rabbi.  The Priest, beginning to get a bit exasperated replied, "With some luck and real hard work, maybe I can become a Cardinal."  "And then?" asked the Rabbi.  The Priest is really starting to get mad now and replies, "With lots and lots of luck and some real difficult work and if I'm in the right places at the right times and play my political games just right, maybe, just maybe, I can get elected Pope."  "Yes, and then what?" asked the Rabbi.  "Good grief!" shouted the Priest. "What do you expect me to become, GOD?"  "Well," said the Rabbi, "One of our boys made it!"

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A friend was laid up at home with the flu. His fiancée called and volunteered to come over and fix dinner and play nursemaid to him. He declined, not wanting to pass on the flu to her. "Okay honey", she told him, "We'll wait till after we get married. Then we can spend the rest of our lives making each other sick!"

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There are two kinds of people. Those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."

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9 comments:

  1. Great bird pics and comments. I liked the ship also.

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  2. Thanks for the trips into the harbor always love that area.
    Have fun with Richard coffee and target shooting the mailboxes is always a lot of fun.

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  3. Love the hairdos on those ducks. That must have been some strong winds! "Look at my hair! I can't do a thing with it!"

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  4. Winter just won't let your area move on. Hope the snows stops at some point! Love the photo bomb shot:)

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  5. As always, great pictures and story to go along with them. Keep up the great work.

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  6. Love the pictures. Sure looks cold.
    At least it's a sling shot and not a bat, so he can't hurt too much except maybe your window. ;)
    Enjoyed your post today.

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  7. Just have to love that clear Great Lakes water, Al. You can actually see what's under the duck's waterline. :)

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  8. You certainly have different birds and water fowl in you neck of the woods. I always love seeing them in your photos.

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  9. Just have to love that clear Great Lakes water, Al. You can actually see what's under the duck's waterline. Distributor crystal x

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