BOATS, BIRDS, AIRPLANES, TRAIN CARS, AND A TOMB

No wind this morning so that made our 32F start to the day at least a little more bearable if one is dressed warmly.  We are still under cold gray November skies with little hope of seeing sunshine any time soon.

NICE TO SEE A BIT OF COLOR IN OUR DISMALLY GRAY NOVEMEMBER LANDSCAPE

A FEW THINGS LEFT BEHIND FROM SUMMER’S FUN AT THE GODERICH’S ROTARY COVE BEACH

I SPOTTED THIS STRANGE ANOMALY ON THE LAKE HURON HORIZON….COULD THEY BE CHINESE SAMPANS??  I HEADED FOR HIGHER GROUND TO FIND OUT

‘AHA’ JUST AS I THOUGHT, IT’S A PASSING FREIGHTER MOVING UP THE LAKE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

SIFTO SALT MINE COMPLEX

BOAT LAUNCH AREA EAST OF GODERICH’S SIFTO SALT MINE 

WORK BARGE IN THE MARINA AREA

THOSE TRAIN CARS WILL BE LOADED WITH ROCK SALT FROM THE MINE
Every morning when Pheebs and I head out of the Park we have a choice of basically 3 directions to go.  Going 10 miles east takes us to Clinton, The Hullett Marsh and beyond.  Going 10 miles north takes us up into the Goderich area.  Going 10 miles west would take us about 8 miles out to the bottom of Lake Huron whereupon we would be underwater.  To go south we either have to go east about 3 miles before turning south or go west about mile before catching highway 21 heading south through Bayfield.  This morning we went north.

ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR WHERE ALL THE BOATS ARE DOCKED

OF MAYBE HALF A DOZEN TUGBOATS THIS IS THE LARGEST ONE AND IT IS THE ESCORTE

TUGBOATVILLE

CAPE DISCOVERY IS TIED UP AT THE COAST GUARD DOCK

A SUNDAY MORNING CREWMAN HOSES DOWN THE DECK

I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A COMPANY WORK BOAT AND NOT A TUG BOAT

HARBOR WORK BARGE
<<< LOOKS LIKE SULLY’S A LITTLE TIPSY AFTER SATURDAY NIGHT’S HARBOR PARTY
Planned on washing the Jeep once we got to Goderich but by the time we got there I had totally forgot my plan.  We did make it down around both sides of the harbor though.  Skies were very dark out over the lake and I hopped it wasn’t a big snow storm coming in.  It wasn’t but those ominous clouds were sure mad about something by the looks of them.

WATER DANCE

PADDLING AROUND THE BIG BOATS


I THINK ATER SATURDAY NIGHT’S HARBOR PARTY SULLY’S GIRLFRIEND SEALY IS A LITTLE TO EMBARRASSED ABOUT HAVING HER PICTURE TAKEN

From the harbor area we slipped up near Goderich’s Sky Harbor airport where I knew of a parking spot near the Maitland Trail.  Not anybody out hiking or biking in this weather so we took us for a walk to Tiger Dunlop’s tomb.  Snapped a few photos and quickly exited the area when I detected the strong odor of a Skunk.  I kept Pheebs close to me just in case.

LOOKING TOWARDS THE TOWN OF GODERICH AND YES WE DID WALK TO THE TIGER DUNLOP TOMB

GODERICH SKYLINE AS SEEN THROUGH MY 300mm LENS FROM THE BENCH IN THE ABOVE PHOTO

THE GODERICH ELEVATORS AS SEEN FROM THE MAITLAND TRAIL
 
 THE MAITLAND TRAIL  DESCENDS DOWN INTO THE WOODS BELOW BUT WE STAYED ON THE RAILBED TRAIL (BELOW) TO THE TOMB

TIGER DUNLOP’S TOMB


AND YES AMAZINGLY ENOUGH THAT IS ACTUALLY A PATCH OF BLUE SKY UP THERE

AND WHO SAID PIG’S CAN’T FLY EH
Goderich’s Sky Harbor Airport is small and not used for commercial air traffic but it has quite a history dating back to the Second World War and in several of my books the Goderich airport has popped up.  During the war it was a training center for pilots as were a lot of small airports across Canada during the war.  Thousands of young pilots earned their wings in Canada before going overseas.  At far east end of the airport I noticed a couple small planes parked and knew right away they had flowing in for breakfast at the Flippin Eggs restaurant located right on highway 21 near the end of the runway.  After watching one of the planes take off Pheebs and I headed for home.  It was 11:15 a.m.

SPOTTED A COUPLE AIRPLANES PARKED AT THE EAST END OF THE RUNWAY WHICH MEANT SOME FOLKS HAD FLOWN IN FOR BREAKFAST AT ‘FLIPPIN EGGS’

“HEY GORD DO YA KNOW HOW TO FLY THIS THING?”  “NO, I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU KNEW HOW TO FLY IT!!”

“AWWWW NEVER MIND I’VE FLOWN MODEL AIRPLANES BEFORE SO LET’S GET OUT THERE AND GIVE ER  A GO EH”

“OH GEEZZZZ NOW WHAT DO WE DO???”

I LIKED THIS SPIFFY LITTLE NUMBER….ON THE TAIL IT SAID ‘THORPE T-??….I COULDN’T MAKE OUT THE NUMBER….MAYBE ALASKA TOM WILL KNOW

We sure had swarms of birds around our feeders this afternoon.  I’m going to have to hire a retired ‘Air Traffic Control’ person to sit here and monitor all incoming and outgoing flights to avoid mid air collisions.

THIS IS MY VEIW OF THE BIRDFEEDERS AS I SIT AT MY COMPUTER
I made two small changes around our bird feeding station today which hopefully will solve our current Squirrel problem. (Ya right)  Had a small table for putting corn kernels on at the base of the feeder station so I moved that farther away and also removed a tall post I had dug in last summer to support some long stem plants.  I had seen a Squirrel atop that post contemplating an Evel Knievel jump across the Snake Canyon from the post to the bird station.  Mr. Squirrel didn’t take the chance but I think maybe later he might have given it another try and made it.  Although 2 Black Squirrels were in the yard this afternoon trying to get at the other bird feeders I did not see any more attempts on the bird feeding station.  Imagine my frustration when next time I look out and see half a dozen Squirrels  all holding paws and dancing around in a circle making faces at me!!

THAT’S THE WOODEN TABLE I MOVED FURTHER BACK FROM THE BIRD SEED STATION

I USE THAT GREEN STOOL TO STAND ON WHEN DEPLOYING BIRDSEED ON THE FEEDER AND I ALWAYS TOSS SOME BIRDSEED ON THE GROUND FOR THE BUNNIES AND SQUIRRELS

A VIEW FROM OUTSIDE LOOKING TOWARDS THE SUNROOM AND YOU CAN SEE THE BACK OF OUR DESKTOP COMPUTER WHERE THE GREEN PLANT IS AND THE LITTLE ROOSTER STANDS INSIDE THE WINDOW
Something I should remind readers of here regarding Squirrels at our bird station.  As mentioned several times in recent posts both Kelly and I have been gathering corn for the Squirrels.  Kelly brought home a number of corn cobs and I scooped several bags of kernels last week from a roadside spill.  I had a few photos a couple weeks ago of a Squirrel at our corn cob feeder which is specifically designed for them.  I also throw a couple handfuls of birdseed on the ground below the bird station because we have a couple resident bunnies as well who seem to like birdseed too.  No need for Squirrels to be vacuuming up the birdseed on the bird station.  There was a time when I was at odds with the Squirrels but not any more.  Gave that up awhile back and now try to help them and especially at this snowy time of year.  Just don't want them on our main feeder station.

HERE’S SQUIRRELY TRYING TO GET INTO THE FINCH FEEDER THIS AFTERNOON
I sure know where Kelly gets her patience and in one word it’s her ‘Mother’.  I heard them on the phone today solving a problem her 94 year old was having with her computer,  Her Mom’s older laptop wasn’t working at all so Kelly had 2 long phone calls walking her through a fix.  Neither one of them got flustered, over stressed or frustrated.  With their abundance of calm patience and smarts they worked at the problem until it was solved.  I figure if I could just have half a fraction of their patience and smarts I could be a whole gol darn new person.  D’ya think??  Nawwww, me neither.

BLACK CAP CHICADEE ABOVE AND BELOW


DOWNIE WOODPECKER

RED BREASTED NUTHATCH

I’M GUESSING THIS LITTLE CHAP IS A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
Facebook again reminded me where we were 11 years ago and it was near Cannonville Utah when we hiked ourselves into the Willis Creek Slot Canyon.

THERE ARE COUNTLESS ‘WOWS’ IN THE GREAT AMERICAN SOUTHWEST AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THEM

CHECKERS ALWAYS LIKED CARRYING STICKS

LOOKING UP THROUGH THE SLOT IN THE CANYON I TOOK THE PHOTO BELOW

CAN YOU SEE THE BIG ROCK GORILLA’S HEAD??

OUR LITTLE CORA WAS QUITE THE TROOPER AND COULD GO ANYWHERE MAX AND CHECKERS COULD

KELLY POINTS TO KING TUT’S TOMB:))

JUST ABOUT OUT OF THE CANYON WE TAKE A BREAK

GROANER’S CORNER:((  During a readiness exercise, my friend Jim and I, Air Force security policemen, were guarding entry to a bunker-like structure where aircraft were kept.  When a pilot about to do a preflight check approached without his identification in plain view, Jim asked him for it.  "I don't see why I have to show you my ID," the pilot snapped. "After all, it is my plane."  "Sir, with all due respect, it may be your plane," replied Jim, "but it is sitting in my garage!"
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Having been married ten years and still living in an apartment, the wife would often complain about anything, as she was tired of saving every penny to buy a "dream home".Trying to placate her, the husband found a new apartment, within their budget. However, after the first week, she began complaining again.  "Johnathan," she said, "I don't like this place at all. There are no curtains in the bathroom. The neighbors can see me every time I take a bath.""Don't worry." replied her husband. "If the neighbors do see you I’m sure they will be the ones buying curtains."
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